Beware of Midas!

[Magik Si]

So here's the story...(long)

Saturday...notice my muffler is getting loud so stop in to Midas to have them have a look...they tell me that I need everything from the front pipe back replaced to the tune of $800+ dollars...I don't think so. So soon I'm pulling my motor out of my STD and the exhaust on that is still good with a brand new front pipe on it...might need a muffler, but that's no big deal. $800 my ass!

...I knew that I had to change the wheel bearing in my right front (getting a loud roar at high speeds when I turn right), so Sunday I swap out the hub assembly, tie rod end and axle from my smashed STD. My buddy and I take it for a test drive...not as bad but still making a "rubbing/roaring" sound. We go back to his garage and discover that the wheel bearing on the drivers side needs to be done too...make plans to do this on Monday night.

Monday go into Midas to make an appointment for an alignment on Tuesday, I noticed that they only charged $39.95 for an alignment when I was there on Saturday.

Today I go in to get my alignment...I get back after I go for lunch and they tell me it's not done because I need a left front tie rod end, a left upper control arm assembly, and a right inner tie rod...give me a quote...almost $900!!! WTF!?!? ($720 in parts before tax!)

Call around the city this afternoon and get the exact same parts (mind you not lifetime warranty, but I really don't care) and get the SAME parts for $163.00...with tax! So tonight over to my buddy's garage and change everything they said I needed...I figured I needed the tie rod end but I am sure that there was nothing wrong with the control arm...but changed it anyway. I didn't change the inner tie rod because my buddy and I could find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Total time: 4 hours, Total cost: $163.00 CDN.

Remember the muffler...while I had the car up I was looking at the muffler...there is about a 1.5" (vertical) hole in the pipe near a bend (not on the bend) about a foot from the muffler after the first bend from the straight pipe...not one other thing wrong with the exhaust...maybe needs a muffler...had planned on changing that anyway. They had me changing the whole exhaust for a 1.5" hole!!!

So tomorrow I am gonna take my car to another place while I finish my Christmas shopping and have them do an alignment...if they don't even mention the inner tie rod...jesus i'm gonna be pissed. Plus, I'm gonna see if they can either weld this hole in the exhaust or put in another piece of pipe to fix it and weld that in there...if they can...then I'm reeeaally gonna be pissed.

Midas tried to get almost $2K out of me and they didn't need too...and this was the first time I walked through their door...that was the worst first impression I've ever had at anywhere I've taken a car. If it turns out the way I am hoping tomorrow...I have half a mind to go back to Midas and tell them just that!

Thank-you for letting me vent...but damn, that just pissed me off!

Jason

[riceriderjade]

the midas i go to usually saves me a lot of money and is real cool to me, i guess it just depends on the peolple

[Magik Si]

Originally Posted by riceriderjade

the midas i go to usually saves me a lot of money and is real cool to me, i guess it just depends on the peolple

Good point...but God I hope I can go back in there tomorrow and give them a piece of my mind...don't want to be an a-hole with them...just try and express my 'displeasure' with trying to screw me out of a bucket load of moolah!...sigh...


Jason

[optimuscivic]

man i know how you feel, good mechanics are impossible to find.

[Magik Si]

Originally Posted by optimuscivic

man i know how you feel, good mechanics are impossible to find.

I used to have a GREAT mechanic...but the shop where he worked closed because the owner was a reeeallly bad businessman. Now I have no idea where my mechanic went to work...it really blows.



Jason

[bambam89lx]

You know wut I think personally? I think most of the people on these boards are way better mechanics than the one's at midas or meineke. They just have a degree and more expensive free tools! I personally take up all the repairs on my civic. I think that if you're gonna fix my car, you better know EXACTLY wut ur doin'......not some $9/hr mechanic!

[gunnmen01]

I wouldnt trust a $9 an hour mechanic either, but then again i make about twice that that and im my own mecanic anyway.....hehehehe


gunnmen01

[Ace$nyper]

member the movie the mask? do that shove a 3in cat back in there asses. Yea i've had mixed experices with those places. sux to hear that though

[crxlvr]

they prolly figured you didnt know what you were doing so they tried to get you to buy shit you dont need. id say about 85% of people dont know and they would go there and just accept whatever they say.

id go back and give them a piece of my mind, who cares if your a dick about it.

[WindyIce]

I would go and slap them in the face and say !*@(^*@!^$*(!&$*)!&($*!$*)!&#$)*^!*@#@(!&#(*)!&#*( !& and then burn off.

[Kunundrum]

There are a few things I have learned about cars in my short period on this earth.

1. car parts are marked up a SHIT LOAD. now that I have a good friend that works at Napa I really see it... needed a rear calpiper for the Rex called around anything from 170$ to 300$ plus core IF they could get it. I got it from him for 44$ after my 50$ core charge.

2. If you find a good mechanic he is worth is weight in gold (Mine is kinda heavy so he's worth alot) If there is anything I don't want to tackle of don't have time to fix I go see him and he get's me all straightened out no B.S. no Problems.

3. Try to stay away from Retail chain auto Shops for service work canadian tire, Midas, menekey, pep boys... they are 99 times out of 100 independently owned and service differes from place to place, the exceptions are, If you know someone who works there ho can Hook you up. the shops is not franchised, this basicaly means that if problems were to occur, you could go higher up to have some resolution.

4. if you need parts replaced call around for the prices before signing off on the part that they want to use.

5. In most cases aftermarket parts are as good if not better than factory peices, not to mention Cheaper (exeptions are : thermostats & body parts)

6. don't be afraid to question anything.

Kun

[1PhatCX]

Originally Posted by Kunundrum

3. Try to stay away from Retail chain auto Shops for service work canadian tire, Midas, menekey, pep boys... they are 99 times out of 100 independently owned and service differes from place to place, the exceptions are, If you know someone who works there ho can Hook you up. the shops is not franchised, this basicaly means that if problems were to occur, you could go higher up to have some resolution.

it kinda sux about that tho, u see, i work at canadian tire, both at the parts counter and in the shop during mornings (really a co-op except i'm now a registered apprentice there) but anyways, since i've been there i havent seen anything happen like us trying to screw ppl outta money, the odd time they try screwing us for warranties and shit which blows, i guess were the only chain shop thats good hearted people, we actually look out for our customers and yes once and awhile we have ppl come back complaining because we screwed something up because we were in a rush (ex, balancing wheels and forgetting to take the old weights off so its actually unbalanced,) just small stuff like that, i dunno, just wanted to share my story before people go and start bad mouthing and boycotting chain stores all over the place, just my on this
thanx and have a merry christmas!

[Santas90Si]

I just go in them and tell them I know exactly whats wrong with the car dont attempt to bullshit me.

[Magik Si]

OK...so here's the latest...

I went on x-mas eve to another place (Canadian Tire) and just asked them to do an alignment (remember I have not replaced the right in tie rod that Midas said I needed)...they slap the car up and 45 minutes later I have a four wheel alignment done, no problems at all.
Next step I take back the inner tie rod that I bought...obviously don't need it.
Then I go to another muffler shop (Speedy) and explain what Midas said I needed and that they quoted me over $800 + tax (977+)...the mechanic's eyes almost fell out of his head when I said that...plus by describing in great detail what "I" did to the car in the two days prior, he understood I knew what I was talking about...so he goes and looks at my car, and in 10 minutes comes back shaking his head. He smiles, he goes to the computer, taps a few keys, print out a piece of paper, then says that I have two options....first he gives me the paper he's holding and says that this is for everything that I could possibly need...new...I look and laugh...$340...taxes in! Then he takes me out to show me the actual underside of the car (Midas did not do this...wouldn't let me anywhere near the car)...one of the problems was a cracked weld...this was due to a 'hanger' that had broken off and caused strain on the muffler welds and cracked a couple...he said it's temporary but he could re-weld the broken welds and he'd put in a new hanger...final price for this...$50.00 even!!

As I'm pulling out of Speedy with a big grin on my face...I turn to the right and see the Midas sign...6 stores down the street (place evil grin here) and say to myself...hell yah! I went in to Midas and they were just closed up and all were sitting around having a x-mas drink (this was x-mas eve day)...don't want to bore you with the 'rant' that ensued at this point but I basically told them that I didn't need what they told me, they tried to screw me out of money on parts that I didn't need...on parts that I did need they tried to overcharge me, and that I was totally unimpressed with this behavior. I told them to remove my name from their computer because I would not be frequenting their shop again in the future....then drove away.

Midas Suspension Parts = $720 + tax = $828
Midas Labour Cost = $200 + tax = $230
Total = $1058.00

My parts cost = $130 (taxes in after returning unsued part)
My labour cost = $0 (4.5 hours, having never done it before)

Savings = $928.00!!!

Midas Muffler Parts = $445 + tax = $512
Midas Labour Cost = $200 + tax = $230
Total= $742.00

Speedy Repair cost = $50.00 (taxes in)
(Speedy Replacement cost = $340.00, taxes in)

Savings= $692.00!!
(If speedy replaced pipe = $402.00)

Total Saving=$1620.00 !!!
(if speedy replaced = 1330.00)

That's insane!

I'm grumpy now...going to play with my x-mas toys...


Jason

[Ace$nyper]

good to hear that you saved all that dough and stuck it to the man way to go!