I took my rear brakes to a indepenent shop to have them install them for me, I guess they didnt like that because I didnt purchase THEIR brake shoes, so after they do the work, I drive home (about 2 miles away) with my 2 year old daughter in the car, I get out and smell something, so me without thinking touch the brake drum, and my hand flew back like you wouldnt believe, I also had brake drum paint thats rated for 900* and it was flaking off!!! Not too mention my lug nuts were ALL coming loose. Had to wait over an hour so I could take the thing off, here it turns out they must not have adjusted the brakes and had the shoes riding the drums. and, I noticed in my Haynes manual they have a pic what it should look like with the drum off and the one spring is on backwards and actually touching the star adjuster wheel. any damage do you think from all their BS?
PS I called and chewed them out, they said they adjusted the brakes, I told them aint no way they could have, and Ill never take my business there again.
If you come to my dealership with a bunch of parts and saying, here I bought these but have no clue how to install them. We will say take a hike.
Any shop makes about 15% profit on parts, which isnt unreasonable at all.
You buy the parts, you install them, no symphany here for you.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
^true, but they should have just said no to begin with because now you can get them in trouble for doin crappy work. most places wont touch your car unless they absolutely know what they are doing, so you have no chance to make them pay if they mess anything up.
Rob S wrote:If you come to my dealership with a bunch of parts and saying, here I bought these but have no clue how to install them. We will say take a hike.
Any shop makes about 15% profit on parts, which isnt unreasonable at all.
You buy the parts, you install them, no symphany here for you.
That's retarded as hell. You could just charge them an hour of labor for a half hour job. OMG PROFIT.
People come in all the time with thier own parts at my shop, and guess what, we put them on.. because it could possibly mean a returning customer, and wowzers, we might make some money.
If they did the job wrong, take it back and make them fix it. If the drum got as hot as you say, it's warped I bet.. make them replace the drums too. Seriously man, you need to.
1983 Camaro Z28
exactly my point, good for business, returning customer, if they do good work, then that person would tell others, and guess what, more customers, cha-ching.
Rob S wrote:If you come to my dealership with a bunch of parts and saying, here I bought these but have no clue how to install them. We will say take a hike.
Any shop makes about 15% profit on parts, which isnt unreasonable at all.
You buy the parts, you install them, no symphany here for you.
And then I'd go tell all my friends you were an ass about it and suddenly you've turned away 100 customers, not just the one. Shops big profit is in labor, not parts. I know for damn sure mechanics arn't making the $60+/hr that shops charge.
Michael B:
Don't touch the brakes... they will be HOT. Even if they are installed and working properly.
They did crappy work, don't just tell them off, make sure they fix it. You DID pay money right? You don't just throw money away RIGHT? Talk to the manager, the manager's manager, etc. until it's fixed. If you get to the owner and he's still not willing to work with you, call the BBB and move on. It's not a complicated process. I check all the lug nuts personally when if I didn't watch the mechanic do the work, because it's my ass if a wheel goes flying off.
As for your damage, it's possible to have ruined the parts you bought. Take it to another place and find out, it's difficult to tell without pictures and actually being able to look at the parts.
Quote:
People come in all the time with thier own parts at my shop, and guess what, we put them on.. because it could possibly mean a returning customer, and wowzers, we might make some money.
I took my own parts to the exhaust shop. The only thing thats under warranty is their piping and welds
Quote:
And then I'd go tell all my friends you were an ass about it and suddenly you've turned away 100 customers, not just the one. Shops big profit is in labor, not parts. I know for damn sure mechanics arn't making the $60+/hr that shops charge.
x2 Bad word of mouth is teh devil (take a couple of the failed businesses on the .org for firsthand examples)
If you paid with a credit card. File a report with the credit card company. You will not have to pay a penny. Sounds like you have the resources to have done a better job yourself.
FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!
This only supports the fact that the dealership is the way to go. It's a little more expensive but the dealer uses OEM parts and restores the brake practically to new.
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Option D wrote:This only supports the fact that the dealership is the way to go. It's a little more expensive but the dealer uses OEM parts and restores the brake practically to new.
I know what you mean.
I see you work at Chrysler, I work at Nissan and totally agree with you.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
^Many dealer guys don't know crap, but do have the right book in front of them. That usually makes a big difference. (Not to insult you guys, there's plenty who do know their stuff too).
Modern Marketing teaches that an experience worth talking about (good or bad) is heard/remembered by about 70 people on average.
I don't know any place around here that wouldn't accept you bringing in stock replacement parts. Now if you wanted to do an upgrade/strange-stuff you might have to find a shop that's willing. The dealers up here will do anything you want, they just want to be sure
you know what you want first, and have the money to pay for it. Many shops are the same way.
