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Old 12-03-2012, 02:46 PM   #1
ChevMali99
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This one is a doosy! Enjoy.

Lately, as it seems, I've been experiencing some normal vehicle wear and tear. I documented the serpentine belt tensioner problem that I personally replaced, and no the belt did not need replacement - so I didn't.

The brake issue which could've been catastrophic, went through two mechanics for a grand total of $100. The first guy, an emergency guy, only charged me $50 and gave me bad advice along the way. The second charged me $50 and fixed the problem. I certainly had to sift through the BS... the first guy well told me the brakes were going to magically fix themselves and the second guy wanted to sell me a brand new brake line and master cylinder. The fact is neither needed replacing - there are no leaks and the MC is dry. This fact is key for the next doosy of a story.

It is my dreaded time to pass NYS inspection. The last guy who saw the car, the one who fixed my brakes and tried to sell me on a new line and MC tells me, "you're due for an inspection sticker." Being in a grand mood because he got me out of a jam by fixing my brakes I asked if he could service the car for NYS inspection. He said, "no because the machine is down." Funny how that is, the machine is always down on weekends, or when the garage is busy, or after 3pm. The shop foreman, the guy who is actually talking with me and not the guy who actually fixed the car, tells me to come back tomorrow at 8:00 am - and sure I did.

Bright and early I show up at 7:45 am at this NAPA shop. Watched the shop foreman and the crew open the joint, I walk in and the guy - a different foreman - tells me they have to fire up this NYS machine thing, this and that... is gonna take a while... they got all this cars... jibber jabber. All the signals telling me, they're really not into doing the inspection.

Stupid me, I actually thought, you know what this is not the guy I dealt with yesterday but he'll see my name in the computer and realize I was there yesterday and just do the inspection. I even left the car with the shop! Nah, these guys are not going to try and screw me.

An hour and a half later I get that call - "my man, everything looks good with the car except your rack and pinion, it's leaking, and you will need an alignment... the whole job is gonna run you $600; without that I can't pass your car." I gotta admit I almost felt hopelessly defeated and I was getting ready to simply pull down my pants and take it in dry. What else is there?! I need the car, NYS and this NAPA dude got me! Then out of nowhere, I composed myself and grew a pair. I told the foreman guy not to touch the car.

I got on the bus made it to the shop, where they still had the car on a lift, and told the mechanic and the foreman to show me where is this leak. To my surprise the new foreman was the same guy from the day before! "Dude, I had car here yesterday. You knew I needed an inspection done while your guy was working on my brakes. You tried to sell me a master cylinder knowing very well that I told you there was no need for that. Your guy bled my brakes and you ought to know that the oil you see on the rack and pinion is the same oil that spilled from the master cylinder while your guy over filled it."

With the car on the lift, I took my hand and grabbed the rack and pinion on the oily mess that was purported to be leaking. "This is no leak, the seal is not even broken!" I ran my hand on the thing back and forth, each time taking all the caked up dirt and oil off the RnP revealing an intact rubber boot seal. The foreman, a guy no older than 30, tells me "the boot is actually leaking from within the boot" - WTF?!

"Please take the car down" - It is episodes like this that give mechanics a real bad name. Not everyone who needs car help is a total idiot and it would be nice if mechanics didn't try to sell you BS you don't need.

I still need the inspection. I guess I won't be driving too much until I find an honest guy that's gonna pass the car.
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Old 12-03-2012, 05:31 PM   #2
Tech II
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Re: This one is a doosy! Enjoy.

May I suggest a can of "Brake Klean"?
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