Auto Work

[jamesneuen]

Do you guys do your own maintenance and work on your vehicles?

I just got a "new to me" vehicle so I took it to a Sears Auto Center. I have had great dealings with them in the past. I paid for their Gold Maintenance Package. They did the maintenance and said there was nothing wrong.

Driving home and went over a speed bump. Sounded like a length of chain being shook in the front left every time I did so I got home and put it up on blocks. Took the front wheel off and started playing with the suspension. Went to stand up and grabbed the brake caliper bracket to pull on. IT CAME OFF IN MY HAND!!! I can't believe they did a "Multipoint Inspection" and didn't catch that there were no bolts AT ALL on one of my brakes.

What happened to the days of being able to trust your barber and your mechanic? Haven't found a barber that I like yet and now I guess I haven't found a mechanic either.

[Sniper-T]

take it back... guaranteed that is part of their 'standard check' they fail!

[jamesneuen]

How am I supposed to get it back? Pay for a tow? I ain't driving it like that! I about pissed myself when it came off like that.

[helomech]

Call them up and tell them. They should send a tow truck.

[jamesneuen]

Luckily we have another car so I'm going to go in at lunch tomorrow and talk to a manager. I would be suing them if my kids had been in the car at any point.

[Sniper-T]

Call them up and tell them. They should send a tow truck.

yep!

and quickly... to avoid a lawsuit!

[robsdak]

nope, i do my own. well i let Walmart change my oil... everything else i try to do myself. i have been taken a couple of times. the best was a brake job on the rear axle. not only the driver's side tire/wheel come off, all they did was spray paint the drums! it was an easy fix. i went and filed charges for theft. needless to say, i got my money back and a complete brake job done else where on their dime.

[Katrina]

Knock wood we have a great mechanic.Turns out he was one of my uncle's students back when schools taught shop and auto mechanics. got quite a shock when my uncle passed and he came to the funeral home to pay his respects. We got a good laugh about how small the world it really is.

[Sniper-T]

And the verdict is?

[jamesneuen]

The guy gives me a patronizing smile when I confront them and says "But our 21pt safety inspection doesn't cover anything to do with your brakes. If you would like to pay to have it towed over we will have our brake tech take a look at it first thing tomorrow. We should be able to get you on the road for less than $300."

So used some choice words about if I had put my kids in the car and told him I would be contacting their complaint department since it says right on their inspection sheet to "examine brake system fluid and functionality".

[realist]

Its only the brakes........... If you were out here I could recommend you to a great mechanic who is now a friend. Good luck.