| Re: [GMCnet] Who do we trust? Do we have to check others work more often now days? [message #328139 is a reply to message #328048] |
Wed, 10 January 2018 18:25   |
NextGenGMC
Messages: 146
Registered: December 2017
Location: Washington State
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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I'm saddened yet at the same time relieved to hear that other people encounter the same problems I've ran into. I was starting to think I'm just being unreasonable in my expectations or something along those lines.
I recently had tires installed on my passenger car. About a day later I thought that the car did not feel right - it was getting a weird bump sound at certain times. I lifted the car and determined that one of the bushings on the front was going bad. I wanted to take the wheel off check few more things there. Got my lug wrench from the trunk - lug nuts would not budge. Got a longer and larger 3/8" ratchet to help... I managed to twist off the square tip on the end of the ratchet - the lug nuts did not budge. In the end I had to get a 24" long 1/2" breaker bar with an additional 3 foot pipe extension on the handle and my entire girth on that lever to finally loosen the lug nuts. Next day took the car back to the tire shop explained to them what the issue was - over tightening lug nuts. They just laughed me off and tried to explain that it is not possible to torque the nuts that much with their impact guns. I made them loosen every lug nut, and then I tightened them myself with the hand held lug wrench. I promised the manager that he will never see another dime of my money and will not see any one of my personal vehicles of the small fleet of trucks and trailers I manage at work.
I don't think this problem is related to "everybody going to college" as someone earlier put it. The people who work in these chain repair shops never spend a day in college. What is worse, it seems like the on the job training is not there for them ether. So you end up with unqualified people doing the work. Worse yet... Since we live in a disposable society, the problem is amplified by the fact that even the car owners don't really cares if the work done on their car is not very good. Many times I've heard something along the lines of - "...oh well, my car is now 3 or 4 of years old now, and it doesn't sync with my IPhone, I don't want to fix it - I'm just going to buy me a new shiny one sooner..." This attitude drives me up the wall 
Like many people on this forum, long ago I learned to do all the work on my personal vehicles myself. It is sad, but true - if you want it done right - do it yourself. Out of more than a dozen repair shops in my area I trust only two mechanics in two different shops. Lucky for me they both are not close to retiring and both have experience with the 455s and carburetors if I ever need extra help.
Vadim Jitkov
'76 Glenbrook 26'
Pullman, WA
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