Most of the time, when I hear someone claim a shop is trying to scam them, its usually b.s. The vehicle owner is usually the problem, not the shop.
What do mean my 200k mile p.o.s. that I've never done an ounce of maintenance to needs repairs to pass a safety inspection? Scammer!! Please......
I'm not saying all techs are honest, but I think the majority are. Competent, well thats a different story.
I've seen lots of brand new 'junk' tie rod ends that won't pass a legitimate safety inspection for failure to rotate. I usually let that go but....
I buy Moog, Timken, SMP, H&R, FRRP... OEM suppliers whenever possible. I don't buy cheap parts. It doesn't totally prevent failures but I've been pretty lucky I guess. Names don't mean what they used to.
I install all my own parts. I have a ball joint, tie rod end and the right side knuckle for the Focus sitting in boxes on my shelf right now.
I changed the transmission on my garage floor last summer. I know the car pretty well. I actively maintain it.
Envoy is no different. I am not scared to get dirty. I get under my cars regularly.
I've been doing this since I was a kid. I was not kidding about owning a salvage yard. I replaced my first engine by myself in a 70 Dodge Coronet 318 when I was 13 years old. Drove it in, drove it out about 7 hours later.
I still have that car too.
I am not the best mechanic out there but I am far from an incompetent, clueless, whining car owner.
Generally, If theres an issue, I'll catch it before it ever makes it to inspection.
My OCD is real. Thats no joke either.
My Focus has 270k miles on it and techs who get under it still tell me that they are surprised by how clean the car is. It didn't get 270k because I ignored it.
When the car failed inspection this year for muffler split and heat shields flopping, the inspector asked us to come look under the car so we could see. No issues with this at all.
The guy gets paid either way, pass or fail and doesn't care much if I do or don't pass.
I know things rust, break... I live in New England. This is no surprise.
I don't think this guy was trying to scam me at all even though he offered to remove the shields for us while it was in the air.
Telling me my truck won't pass inspection and then not being able to show me why... thats not gonna fly.
This shop gets paid to replace parts that may or may not be junk even when they can't show the customer. I personally, with my own tools, JUST replaced one upper and both lower control arms because the big bushing on each side was junk and the truck drove like it was on the moon with low gravity... inner and outers, rotors and pads, front and rear. Again, Moog everywhere but Brembo rotors and pads. Not Scamazon's finest.
They are gonna have to do better than tell me that they ran out of mechanics right after my truck failed. Gonna have to call that a scam.
Seriously? I replaced the entire front end, brakes on all 4 corners but decided to skimp on a tie rod?
The truck is still tight and dtives fine with my 'junk' tie rod. It has passed since.
I agree, lots of ppl bitch because cars are expensive so its easier to ignore the small thing until it turns into a massive issue or pretend cars aren't ALL mechanical @$$holes that need some something on the regular.
You think YOUR customers are bad?
Try dealing with ppl who bitch because a used part thats 1/4 price of the dealer is STILL too much money. Cheap pricks. I don't miss a second of thst bullsh!t or the industry in general.
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