DAMN Riders - No rules, Just ride!

Or it's just their business model.

But yes, I had something similar at Koons Arlington Toyota, where my wife took our old Toyota for recall. They tried to sell the battery telling that it tested bad. I didn't feel that way and told her not to do that. Did nothing to it and after 1.5 years it still worked like a charm even in cold nights in Canada. It was around -20F there

Only thing I did was buying a modern small Lithium jump starter battery.

unfortunately it's very hard to find an honest shop. I've been an auto tech for 35+ years and I can count the number of techs I trust as honest on my fingers. Most of the issue is due to the way they get paid. Flat rate....The more hours you sell the more money you make. This is basically telling them sell everything you can so we all get paid. I feel for you that have to pay for repairs. Get yourselves a subscription to Alldatadiy and do everything you can yourselves. Research the interwebs, join vehicle specific forums etc.

As far as tires on AWD vehicles, you will run into this just about everywhere you go. Your best bet is to take the wheels in not the car.

Damage Inc. wrote: ↑Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:14 pm unfortunately it's very hard to find an honest shop. I've been an auto tech for 35+ years and I can count the number of techs I trust as honest on my fingers. Most of the issue is due to the way they get paid. Flat rate....The more hours you sell the more money you make. This is basically telling them sell everything you can so we all get paid. I feel for you that have to pay for repairs. Get yourselves a subscription to Alldatadiy and do everything you can yourselves. Research the interwebs, join vehicle specific forums etc.

As far as tires on AWD vehicles, you will run into this just about everywhere you go. Your best bet is to take the wheels in not the car.

You are completely correct on all of this especially at dealerships, they will sell you parts and service you don’t need. The only thing that is most service now needs special tools that I don’t have and I really don’t have the patience to do it anymore. ( kinda getting old ) There is one shop in our area in BelAir called Fabeys that I have been going to to since 77, honest, don’t over charge, if you can wait a week or more to get in.

Damage Inc. wrote: ↑Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:14 pm [..]Get yourselves a subscription to Alldatadiy and do everything you can yourselves. Research the interwebs, join vehicle specific forums etc.
[..]

Well that's what I do. In rare cases I still need help with jobs that need special equipment and/or skill. Like tire balancing, wheel alignment, painting and some other jobs.
Did change my timing belt myself last year. 2.5 evenings and $300 took me further than would $2.2K at the dealership. That price was for a timing belt alone. I did change coolant pump, all the rollers, and the other - serpentine - belt with all the rollers inclusive. Anyways almost the same job, just a couple more bucks in parts. Didn't ask, but I believe I would be charged for each job as it was a standalone job
For experienced mechanic who doesn't look up each and every step in youtube video, I believe it would take around 3-4 hours. It was quite a wrenching job for my 2004 Sequoia

I did change the steering rack, all the brake disks and pads and something more. That's why I'm upset if the service men do worse than I can

FYI: I left the flat rate world about 13 years ago due to all the bullshit. I now am a fleet mechanic for a world wide shipping company and not the brown one. After watching how unions "stood up" for my dad for years I'm not into unions.

Here we go again...last time I buy tires from these jokers. I needed two tire for the car my son is driving (don't ask). The first three I selected were out of stock. So, I selected some winter tires. Winter tires have good traction and they are on sale now
They arrive at the store and I call to set up appt for install. Lady on phone tells me that they can install them but, they have to come off by the end of April. I talk to another guy and he says they can't even install them right now. Both cite company policy related to PA law. Idiots.
PA law has a section about not being able to run studded winter tires after mid April. These are not studded and there is nothing that says it's illegal to install them.
I can pick the tires up and have installed elsewhere or just leave them there, at Sam's you pay when you pickup in store.
Idiots.

Laoch wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:03 am Here we go again...last time I buy tires from these jokers. I needed two tire for the car my son is driving (don't ask). The first three I selected were out of stock. So, I selected some winter tires. Winter tires have good traction and they are on sale now
They arrive at the store and I call to set up appt for install. Lady on phone tells me that they can install them but, they have to come off by the end of April. I talk to another guy and he says they can't even install them right now. Both cite company policy related to PA law. Idiots.
PA law has a section about not being able to run studded winter tires after mid April. These are not studded and there is nothing that says it's illegal to install them.
I can pick the tires up and have installed elsewhere or just leave them there, at Sam's you pay when you pickup in store.
Idiots.

Well that is a perfectly good reason to have missed one of the best trials events ever....oh and the weather was epic. I would say Sam's club will have a couple winter tires in inventory as they could stick up ass with a policy like that..

Boom Boom wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:45 am Well that is a perfectly good reason to have missed one of the best trials events ever....oh and the weather was epic. I would say Sam's club will have a couple winter tires in inventory as they could stick up ass with a policy like that..

and a great practice day too - WX was perfect. Ground was damp but not muddy. Couldn't ask for better conditions.

Boom Boom wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:45 am

Laoch wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:03 am Here we go again...last time I buy tires from these jokers. I needed two tire for the car my son is driving (don't ask). The first three I selected were out of stock. So, I selected some winter tires. Winter tires have good traction and they are on sale now
They arrive at the store and I call to set up appt for install. Lady on phone tells me that they can install them but, they have to come off by the end of April. I talk to another guy and he says they can't even install them right now. Both cite company policy related to PA law. Idiots.
PA law has a section about not being able to run studded winter tires after mid April. These are not studded and there is nothing that says it's illegal to install them.
I can pick the tires up and have installed elsewhere or just leave them there, at Sam's you pay when you pickup in store.
Idiots.

Well that is a perfectly good reason to have missed one of the best trials events ever....oh and the weather was epic. I would say Sam's club will have a couple winter tires in inventory as they could stick up ass with a policy like that..

This was last week, interwebs stuff

Laoch wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:50 am This was last week, interwebs stuff

so it wasn't a perfectly good excuse then