Two days ago I had new tires put on my daughters car at Costco. Today, I took her car to a Mavis tire center for an alignment. I just got a call from the center telling me I need new shocks and struts because the tires are wearing uneven. 17 miles on the new tires and the tech claims they are showing wear? I serious doubt it. When I go to pick up the car when my son gets in from work they better show me the wear.

That does sound fishy, it still me actually need those parts but I agree that the explanation is not quite Kosher.

It is due for new struts and shocks I think. I only drove the car a few times but with the mileage on it struts and shocks are probably due.

I would say a better determination of struts/shocks would from driving it and see how it handles rather than a 17-mi tread wear analysis.

A dealer repair department once suggested about $400 in maintenance work to me, which included replacing wiper blades that were about one month old (bought at that dealer) and an air filter that was just a little older. They don't look, they just try to sell you stuff. It ought to be criminal, but, what are you going to do. I did rag the service salesman around, but in the end, he doesn't care. He'll just try it again with the next guy.

79,000 on it. She leaves for grad school in a couple of weeks and I want to get the PM out of the way and not have to worry about it.

Tire wear can just be alignment. I’ve had struts still fine at 150K miles. If it rides okay, isn’t bouncy over bumps and nothing is loose then you don’t need them.

I had a dealer tell me my car needed $2000 worth of work but took it off the lift and said they couldn’t show me. Every single item quoted was a blatant lie. Including $90 to replace 4 plastic inserts that hold the plastic under the engine up. I checked and none were missing. They also said my gas tank straps failure was imminent due to rust. I climbed under and not a spot of rust. Stainless clamps. Very few honest mechanics that I’ve run into over the years.

I just picked up the car. Rear was way out of alignment, explains why the old set wore out early. When I asked about the new tires having wear, I was told the manager misunderstood what the tech told him. Maybe.

Years back I had a company vehicle. We had an account at Jiffy Lube(not my choice) for only oil changes. I was driving a Ford Ranger and it had the serpentine belt replaced a few months before. Juffy Lube told me it needed that and some other things. Said the belt was cracked and about to fail and cause all kinds of damage.

I asked them to show me. You could still read the part numbers on the belt. I hate dishonest shops and why I do most of the work myself.

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:


When I asked about the new tires having wear, I was told the manager misunderstood what the tech told him. Maybe.

Yeah right.

They were just counting on you not knowing any better and when you do know better and call them out, it’s suddenly a misunderstanding.

My BIL had a scam attempted on him at a Firestone where they brought out a filthy air filter and tried to tell him he needed a new one ASAP and he was like “well that’s funny because I JUST changed that filter yesterday”. That was the last time he ever went there.

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
I just picked up the car. Rear was way out of alignment, explains why the old set wore out early. When I asked about the new tires having wear, I was told the manager misunderstood what the tech told him. Maybe.

Nah, he was just covering up the over-hyped sales pitch.

These scams are more frequent than people know. I once sat in a Belle Tire waiting for new tires to be put on my vehicle and everyone they called or who came in was told they needed new shocks/struts and tie rod ends. Every single one.

They even tried it on me and I asked if they had checked their records, as they had just put those same items on only a month before. I was told our roads were so bad they likely needed replacing

Another common scam is the whole free brake pad thing. Sure, the pads are free, that is the cheap part. What they don't tell you is how they don't bother to clean and lube the mounting pins so the caliper won't slide properly and locks up causing excessive wear and warping your rotors. They ARE charging you for the rotors and labor which is where the profit is.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
These scams are more frequent than people know. I once sat in a Belle Tire waiting for new tires to be put on my vehicle and everyone they called or who came in was told they needed new shocks/struts and tie rod ends. Every single one.

Got that one from a Ford dealer [quicklane svc area] when I got tires put on our Flex.
Told me the rear shocks were leaking & quoted me some ridiculous price. Declined
They also showed me a filthy air filter, which I'm pretty sure they keep under the counter for this upsell. Also declined.

4.5 years later & it still rode just fine with no leaks.

If tires are "leaking," you would know.

Never replaced shocks or struts on any car I've ever owned. 200,000+ miles on a 2002 WRX that wasn't exactly driven lightly and they were still fine.

I get my current Honda serviced at the dealer where I bought it. I like how the car tells you what needs to be done with the maintenance minder.

In the past they would always say the passenger compartment air filter needs to be replaced for like $75. I asked why so expensive and one service writer said there's a lot of screws you have to remove. I said - no you just squeeze the sides of the glove box bin in a bit and fold it down past the bump stops, then pull the filter cover, replace filter and snap cover and box all back into place. 5 minutes. I'll buy the filter from the parts counter. They stopped asking after a couple visits.

This last time they said I need coolant replacement since I'm over 60,000 miles. I said the maintenance minder didn't say it's needed yet so I'll wait. Turns out it triggers around 100K miles.

The turnover in service writers is kind of high so it takes a little while for them to figure out that I know what I'm doing.

One doofus at a Subaru dealer showed me a slightly grayed air filter with less than 10,000 miles on it and some broken leaf fragments, suggesting I replace it. I said - it's fine and doing it's job and has another 20,000 miles to go, shake the leaf bits out and put it back.

That same dealer had said earlier I had a torn tie rod boot and should have it replaced soon. That was a much better service writer. Tire shop told me I needed a whole new tie rod, which wasn't true. Also had a noise in the back that a tire shop said I needed new brakes. Dealer said it was just rust on the rotor O.D. rubbing on the ID of the caliper in tight turns, no big deal.

Years ago, I bought a set of tires at Firestone. The service writer said my brakes are almost to the metal and if I wanted to keep my family safe, I should replace them immediately. I took the car home, pulled a wheel and found probably 70% pad left.

I turn my head every time I pass a Firestone store.

I just replaced a faucet cartridge in a bathtub for a 92 year old widow that said a 'handy man' wanted $290 to do what I did for $29.00. I even ate the $29.00.

This shit happens every second of every day.

I still don’t understand why Sam’s and Costco don’t have alignment machines. They sell so many sets of tires. Their prices are good but when I factor in an alignment and then my time having to take it to a second shop, I have never ended up getting tires from either place.

Numerous tales of similar escapades from friends of family in the last year get me angrier and angrier.

Two mechanics I trust looked at my tires after 4500 miles and told me that alignment is not an issue.

Both drove the car afterwards.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I still don’t understand why Sam’s and Costco don’t have alignment machines. They sell so many sets of tires. Their prices are good but when I factor in an alignment and then my time having to take it to a second shop, I have never ended up getting tires from either place.

I agree 100 %. I'm a Costco fan but would never buy tires there. Too many good tire companies/service centers out there.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

I still don’t understand why Sam’s and Costco don’t have alignment machines. They sell so many sets of tires. Their prices are good but when I factor in an alignment and then my time having to take it to a second shop, I have never ended up getting tires from either place.

I was wondering the same thing, about Discount Tires. The local DT store sent me down the street to Tuffy for alignment.