Got to love when simple turns into a big issue...

TJay74 · September 9, 2012

So after owning my truck for almost a year and after replacing all of the fuilds, shocks, brakes, rebuilding ABS controller and pretty much making the truck rock solid I figured since I put new wheels and tires on it a month ago it was time to get the front end aligned on my 2001 Silverado Z71.

Head down to local Tires Plus / Hibdons and drop the truck off, never had any issues with it just wanted to get everything sorted out. An hour later I get the call that the drivers side upper ball joint is shot and the drivers side inner tie rid is shot and cant be aligned until they are replaced. The kid goes on to tell me the entire control arm needs to be replaced in which I call his bluff and say the ball joint can be replaced on its own. He argues and finally I just tell I come by and get the truck.

Once there he still argues with me on the ball joint versus whole arm, the manager comes over and tells him I am correct but depending on cost it might now be that much more. They quote me $525 for the bad upper ball joint and innter tie rod then another $65 for the alignment. I was like wow, I am pretty sure I can rebuild the entire front end for that kind of money.

Turns out I was right, replaced both upper control arms, and both inner/outer tie rods on each side for $470 and then another $75 for the alighment. Truck is good as new now and ready for another 150,000 miles.

Kid tried to tell me it was stupid to replace both sides and to just drive it. Glad i didnt listen and went ahead and replaced everything.

MikeNH · September 9, 2012

I distrust just about all of the chain type places for anything. When I was 16 I brought the truck I had then to a chain place (no idea which one now) for an oil change and they double-gasketed the filter. Brought it back and they tried to claim something was "loose". Took the Tacoma I once had for tires to another chain place and they wrecked a TPMS sensor, put in another but couldn't calibrate/activate it and tried to play dumb. Took it to a Yota dealer, got a new one, fronted the cash for the bill (nearly $300!!!) and went back to the shop the next morning to show them the sensor that came out of my truck and how it wasn't an OE unit. They played hardball till my show at the counter made 2 or 3 customers leave at my recommendation then they finally agreed to pay for the repair. Got a check a few weeks later. My current truck is still fairly new with only 32k on it so I haven't had any repairs, just maintenance but I am happy with the local dealer and trust them so if something needs doing I will likely have them do it since I don't have my tools out here and the apt. complex forbids working on your vehicle anyhow on the property.

SarahsGMC · September 9, 2012

chain places hire kids with barely any experience that basically lie to get in there (i know this for a fact at a few places here) where dealerships accept people with schooling and dont let you advance until they are positive you know what you're doing. chain places are the worst since they feed on people that dont know the first thing about their vehicle.

Shaners · September 9, 2012

Luckily I have a mechanic that only charges $35/hour! I don't use him for my truck, but I use him alot for my sons 1996 Continental. It is nice having a cheap and trustworthing person to work on on your vehicles.

BlackZ71Silverado · September 10, 2012

Luckily I have a mechanic that only charges $35/hour! I don't use him for my truck, but I use him alot for my sons 1996 Continental. It is nice having a cheap and trustworthing person to work on on your vehicles.

Agreed..............It's even better when you have a friend that you went to school with who has a shop with his father that works on nothing but 4x4's. They have been in business for 35yrs. and have NEVER had one complaint. Going on the third generation at the shop.

flyboyron · September 24, 2012

Yea, I distrust them also.

When I had my 73 Pontiac Ventura (like a chevy nova) I was not sure the tire place was doing the alignment like they should. So I removed all of the shims from one side of the upper control arm and tightened it back down and I had my girlfriend take it in.

The next day when I got it back I called them and asked to talk to a manager. When I asked him how my car was he said it was ok, it needed a little air in one tire.

I asked him if the alignment was ok, and he said yes. I told him I took all the shims out of one side and how could it still be aligned?

He asked why did I do that?

I told him I didn't think they were doing the job right and wanted to see if they noticed it being off.

He said never bring the car back to their shop again..............and I didn't.

Idiots !!

I did take it somewhere else after putting the shims back in exactly how I took them out and when I got the car back.................lo and behold there was one new shiny shim on one side. So I guess I got it fixed.

kstruckcountry · September 24, 2012

I have a very good shop at home. My old 1990, which had been cruising down the roughest dirt roads around its whole life, wore mudgrips perfectly straight thanks to them. It doesn't always come cheap, but IMO it's worth it to have a shop that can drop, fix, and reinstall a tcase in one day. Also nice to get realistic prices.

Doug_Scott · September 25, 2012

chain places hire kids with barely any experience that basically lie to get in there (i know this for a fact at a few places here) where dealerships accept people with schooling and dont let you advance until they are positive you know what you're doing. chain places are the worst since they feed on people that dont know the first thing about their vehicle.

Really? I worked at 3 different Firestone stores in the Toronto area over a 8 year period. All were corporate owned stores, and all would only hire properly licensed mechanics, or second/third/fourth year apprentices. The tire guy would be the least experienced person, and if he was good, he would be promoted up the ladder, oil change next, then sign up for appreticeship.

It sounds more like you need to get ahold of whatever you have for state representation and ask why are mechanics not license in your state, and why are chain auto shops are not required to employ only licensed mechanics, and why are they not required to only have properly license mechanics or tradesman monitored apprentices being allowed to legally work on motor vehicles in a commercial establishment. Been that way in Ontario for as long as I can remember. Mechanics here are required to attend a trade school, normally 3 times, and then write an exam to get your license. We can't just take a course at home by the mail, or walk into a shop with dirty hands and say they are a mechanic to get a job there.

Wonder if the ones that complain the most online regarding mistakes happening at repair shops are the ones that never make a mistake at their job. Customers like that are the main reason I was not at all upset that my at work injury also ended my career as a mechanic. Had a hard time dealing with lying customers, the ones that would say, "my car needs an alignment", and after the alignment was done, they come back in yelling that their car still vibrates, and that we must have been crooks that just took the money, and did not do the job. If they would have said "my car vibrates, would that be the alignment causing that", they would have had the tires/wheel balance checked and repaired if needed. But, no, they diagnose the issue themselves, then yell at the shop because we did not know what we were doing. Or the best one of all, they come in and say "I need a tune up done on my car". You ask them "what is the car doing that makes you think it needs a tune up. They will come back 99% of the time saying "no reason, car is running fine". I used to just tell them not to waste their money on a un-needed tune up. Then you would likely hear some symptoms. If you just go ahead and replace the plugs, check filters, and levels, timing (I am old, remember). They would then say that ever since you did the tune up it is hard to start in the morning, hesitates when cold, black smoke, rough running cold. Apparently those 8 plugs created all those issues, cause it ran fine when he brought it in. Sorry for the rant, but the idea that all shops are incompetent just pisses me off to no end.

SarahsGMC · September 25, 2012

I'm not saying all are but I know for a fact some small ones here don't hire properly licensed mechanics.. In fact the muffler shop that did my exhaust had a couple young guys and lo and behold my mom's pipes were uneven, my right side ones hanger welds busted and my brothers leaked.. Some places just don't care

Sent from my truck using TAPATALK

kstruckcountry · September 25, 2012

Bring it here and I'll weld it for ya. ;)

TJay74 · September 25, 2012

well it is funny you bumped this, noticed the truck was pulling again and the drivers side wheel was tiled out. Heard a loud pop the other day coming from that area as well. turns out the alignment tech didnt tighten the bolts up on the control arm which caused the alignment specs to go out of whack again. 1 hour later and it is all good again.

Getting to spent some real time with the truck it seems, spent almost 2 hours yesterday polishing the factory paint out. Seems the previous owner liked to drive offroad, lots of scratches in the paint that I cant get out. They look better now, at least it is a looked from 50' away now...lol