# Car Maintenance



## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

I recently took my car to a shop to get serviced. It was fairly large shop several cars being worked on. 
Oil change, AC serviced, brakes checked tires rotated etc. Cost me 0ver 5k, seemed like a lot to me. So we get home I pop to hood. First thing I notice is the Alternator is very old looking (my car is just a year old and we clean it weekly)
Then I check the dip stick never seen new oil look so dirty before. 
They don’t let you in the service area so you can’t see what they are doing if anything. 
My wife has told me stories of people who get their new car serviced and the mechanics steal your good parts and replace them with older ones. She said even the large dealerships have been caught doing this. 
Unfortunately I cannot do the work myself, so from now on I will require them to let me watch if not I’ll go somewhere else. I will require them to show me the parts before they put them on and check it before I leave.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

c_acton98 said:


> I recently took my car to a shop to get serviced. It was fairly large shop several cars being worked on.
> Oil change, AC serviced, brakes checked tires rotated etc. Cost me 0ver 5k, seemed like a lot to me. So we get home I pop to hood. First thing I notice is the Alternator is very old looking (my car is just a year old and we clean it weekly)
> Then I check the dip stick never seen new oil look so dirty before.
> They don’t let you in the service area so you can’t see what they are doing if anything.
> ...


Did you happen to notice a car similar to yours suddenly appear at the repair facility after you turned your keys over to the mechanic? About a year and a half ago I took my Kia to a shop near my house, because of a noisy cv-joint. The mechanic told me it would take about four hours, and that he would call me when it was done. However I decided to wait in the lobby and watch TV, because I knew the job shouldn't take him that long. 

As I was sitting in the lobby I noticed a car identical to mine pull in and park behind my car. I got suspicious, so every few minutes I'd walk around near the roll up doors, and maybe go to the store next door to get a coffee. After about 90 minutes the mechanic informs me that he couldn't get the cv-joint for my car, and asks me to bring it back next week. (Over course the big laugh would have been if he'd switched carburetors with me, because my carb is mickey moused six ways to Sunday.)

I don't know if it's true, but I've heard that the mechanics at Shell are supposed to be pretty reliable, due to the fact that they supposedly have auditors come around every once in a while.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Without a doubt I stick around and watch all maintenance performed on the vehicle and I've noticed all those that bring in their vehicles in for repair watch them very closely. 

Parts are hard to come by or will need to be manufactured or reworked.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

c_acton98 said:


> I recently took my car to a shop to get serviced. It was fairly large shop several cars being worked on.
> Oil change, AC serviced, brakes checked tires rotated etc. Cost me 0ver 5k, seemed like a lot to me. So we get home I pop to hood. First thing I notice is the Alternator is very old looking (my car is just a year old and we clean it weekly)
> Then I check the dip stick never seen new oil look so dirty before.
> They don’t let you in the service area so you can’t see what they are doing if anything.
> ...


So are you doing anything about it or trying to? That's the part I want to hear about!


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

cvgtpc1 said:


> So are you doing anything about it or trying to? That's the part I want to hear about!


will do I am going back today. I am one of those guys who don't trust Philippine businesses. Heard to many horror stories. So I always take pictures. And as luck would have it I have one of the engine compartment that shows the alternator. don't know if I can get the oil changed but you can bet when I do go there I will be VERY LOUD SO OTHERS CAN HEAR ME.


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

I cannot even express the anger I would have.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

They used to sale a type of appliance paint that was used for fixing chips and scratches in enamel finishes on stoves and refrigerators. The stuff was super durable (very difficult to remove) and came in bright colors including porcelain white. It came in a small bottle similar to a lady's nail polish with a small brush. I've heard of people painting this across the heads of bolts to mark the position of bolt, and as a way to tell if things have been tampered with. 

If a dishonest mechanic sees that you've marked the body of your accessories (such as alternator) and heads of bolts with appliance paint, then he'll probably think twice about doing something shady. (He isn't going to want to waste his time trying to perfectly align the heads of the bolts to their previous positions, or replace any appliance paint that chipped off due to his air wrench.)

Let us know how it goes with the repair facility, and good luck.


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

I went into to shop cool and collective and asked for the manager. They told me he was not in. I said I’d wait. 
They said they did not know when he would be in; (Sarcasm) of course that’s how we roll here. So I waited a guy came up to me and asked how he could help, I explained I brought my car in for service, showed him the oil on the dip stick and asked if that looked clean. I then showed him my alternator then showed him the picture. I asked why my alternator was changed when nothing was wrong with it and there was no charge for that. He said I’d have to wait for the manager. So about 11 AM the manager decided to show up. I just asked him to provide me with the owner/his supervisor name and number, because of the issue above. He said he would check into it. A few minutes later he returned and said he fired the mechanic and would correct the problem. I said fine but I want to watch this time and I want to see the NEW ALT in the box and the receipt. He said no problem. 
The guy did right by me but I told him he might want to supervise his employees a little closer. 
Glad it went this way I sure was prepared to throw a tantrum cause a scene but there was no need.


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

That is fantastic. I'm glad that it panned out the way that it did for you.

Surely with my poor anger management skills, I would not have been so fortunate.

Thank you for updating us.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

c_acton98 said:


> A few minutes later he returned and said he fired the mechanic and would correct the problem.


and you really believed that the mechanic was fired ?? 

  

The larger the workshop is, the harder for them to fire anybody, even those caught stealing ..


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Handled real well*



c_acton98 said:


> I went into to shop cool and collective and asked for the manager. They told me he was not in. I said I’d wait.
> They said they did not know when he would be in; (Sarcasm) of course that’s how we roll here. So I waited a guy came up to me and asked how he could help, I explained I brought my car in for service, showed him the oil on the dip stick and asked if that looked clean. I then showed him my alternator then showed him the picture. I asked why my alternator was changed when nothing was wrong with it and there was no charge for that. He said I’d have to wait for the manager. So about 11 AM the manager decided to show up. I just asked him to provide me with the owner/his supervisor name and number, because of the issue above. He said he would check into it. A few minutes later he returned and said he fired the mechanic and would correct the problem. I said fine but I want to watch this time and I want to see the NEW ALT in the box and the receipt. He said no problem.
> The guy did right by me but I told him he might want to supervise his employees a little closer.
> Glad it went this way I sure was prepared to throw a tantrum cause a scene but there was no need.


That went real smooth, I haven't had any troubles with the Supervisor at the I take my car to but then again I also tip the mechanics, unsure if anyone does this, I've found that the mechanics will go above and beyond to fix the car.


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

Yep, a good relationship with your mechanic is vital, especially if you are allergic to car payments.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Mechanic transfered*



ecureilx said:


> and you really believed that the mechanic was fired ??
> 
> 
> 
> The larger the workshop is, the harder for them to fire anybody, even those caught stealing ..


Great point but then again we had some family members that pulled tricks like this over and over and over again, I thought it was only us getting ripped off, switching or taking parts but I was wrong so the tricks have an end story and nobody would hire them anymore, they'd tell them there's no work, they don't actually fire people here like the states, it's not as dramatic but the message does come across, they couldn't afford to live here anymore, they ended up moving to another provincial area.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

mcalleyboy said:


> Great point but then again we had some family members that pulled tricks like this over and over and over again, I thought it was only us getting ripped off, switching or taking parts but I was wrong so the tricks have an end story and nobody would hire them anymore, they'd tell them there's no work, they don't actually fire people here like the states, it's not as dramatic but the message does come across, they couldn't afford to live here anymore, they ended up moving to another provincial area.


Also, I think that a lot of the so called "mechanics" over here don't really have much in the way of formal training, and I suspect that the shop owner will usually hire just anybody who shows up at his door with a tool box in hand. 

A while back I stopped at well known gas station (starts with a letter "P") to find out about getting an alignment. I decided to check these people out, because I noticed that they had a computerized alignment machine in one of their bays. I talked to the mechanic, but he said that the alignment machine was broken. However, he said that he could do my alignment manually on one of their lifts. 

As we were talking I glanced at the computerized alignment machine, but I didn't notice any signs that it was broken, or anyone was making attempts to repair it. As I was taking with him, he was working on a Toyota 22R motor, and he was working on putting timing gear back on to the cam. He kept saying "where's the timing mark?" as he was looking at the gear.

At this point I realized that he knew far less about cars than a real mechanic should know, but I suspect he's probably fast at swapping brake pads, belts, and changing oil (a parts hanger). I suspect that at sometime in the past that this particular shop must have had a guy who knew how to use the alignment machine, but they lost him, and now all they have left is this poor guy. 

I imagine that the business owner probably thinks, "Well, technically I've got a mechanic in my shop, and that's all that matters".


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

c_acton98 said:


> I went into to shop cool and collective and asked for the manager. They told me he was not in. I said I’d wait.
> They said they did not know when he would be in; (Sarcasm) of course that’s how we roll here. So I waited a guy came up to me and asked how he could help, I explained I brought my car in for service, showed him the oil on the dip stick and asked if that looked clean. I then showed him my alternator then showed him the picture. I asked why my alternator was changed when nothing was wrong with it and there was no charge for that. He said I’d have to wait for the manager. So about 11 AM the manager decided to show up. I just asked him to provide me with the owner/his supervisor name and number, because of the issue above. He said he would check into it. A few minutes later he returned and said he fired the mechanic and would correct the problem. I said fine but I want to watch this time and I want to see the NEW ALT in the box and the receipt. He said no problem.
> The guy did right by me but I told him he might want to supervise his employees a little closer.
> Glad it went this way I sure was prepared to throw a tantrum cause a scene but there was no need.


I bet that the first mechanic probably changed your oil, but he didn't change the oil filter in order to save time as he was swapping your alternator. BTW, did this happen at a dealership, a gas station, or someplace else?


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