[Goobery69]

Last saturday I installed my FK coils myself first time. Yesterday I had an alignment done and I was quoted one price, but when the bill came it was $20bux more. So I disputed the charge because they said it would be $20 bux more since the car was lowered. I told them I'm not paying because I wasn't quoted for an additional charge, and it wasn't even on their price chart listed above the service desk.
So today I get a nasty phone call from the mechanic saying that I'm playing games. He proceeds to also tell me that my front struts are incorrectly installed and because I dont want to give him $20 bux he's not telling me whats wrong with them.
Now these things ride like a million bucks so I don't know what he's talking about but I'd like to know if I actually did install these correctly or if he's just talking out his butt to scare me.
I assembled the front struts like this:
1. strut
2. bump stop on strut shaft
4. spring
3. spring cap
4. strut bearing
5. nut
6. rubber strut mount
7. strut cap
8. nut.
Is this right, because I think it is and every indication from the ride tells me it is, not unusual noises, amazing ride, strut caps sit almost flush on strut tower.
Please let me know 'cause this is really bugging me and I don't want to take it to my mechanic to have it checked over.
Thanks

 

[MikeBlaze]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (Goobery69)

Sounds like a scare tactic. Stick to your guns!

 

[fierrpawz]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (Goobery69)

From what I read on posts in this forum, finding a shop that will even touch lowered cars can be difficult. If you found one, and they only want 20 bucks to make sure your lowered car is aligned properly, I would pay the 20 bucks, and learn from them. Find out what made it different, what changes they made from the stock specs (and why!), and share that info with the group.
Sounds like cheap lesson to me. Give an apology ( prefereably with beer in hand) and find out what you can about your car.

 

[GTItraveler]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (fierrpawz)

Agreed -- $20 is a small price to pay. Things do come up when working on a car. If they are an honest shop they will be straight up with you. It's your money, but is all this bad blood worth it

 

[Goobery69]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (GTItraveler)

When I called in yesterday afternoon and asked him how the car was any problems he told me everything was fine and he was just finishing it up and putting the wheels on. I was worried I would need camber plates because my camber was soooo off. Everything was a o.k according to him and my car was ready for pickup.
Now assuming the worst, he could have been a dis-honest mechanic and could have told me on the phone that something was wrong and it would cost xxx to fix....or being a good mechanic he would probabily do it while he was there, maybe even at no charge.
What bugs me is today he calls me leaves me a nasty message and tells me I owe him $20 bux and that something IS wrong with my car but he's not going to tell me what it is...and that I shouldn't drive my car the way it is lol...I've been taking high speed turns at speeds I never thought of before and these coil-overs are amazing, no clunks, no noise, firm ride...and when it really comes down to it the install is so straight foward its almost impossible to screw up. I think its a scare tactic, thats why I want to know if the steps I listed above are accurate, a friend of mine things they are so he's done a few suspension installs in his Mk3 VR6, but peice of mind might be worth $20 but my self-respect is worth more and this guy was an a-hole.

 

[MikeBlaze]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (fierrpawz)

Quote, originally posted by fierrpawz »

From what I read on posts in this forum, finding a shop that will even touch lowered cars can be difficult. If you found one, and they only want 20 bucks to make sure your lowered car is aligned properly, I would pay the 20 bucks, and learn from them.

Normally I would agree but from the sounds of it the mechanic didn't even mention there was anything wrong with the strut install until after he wouldn't pay. That sounds real fishy.

 

[DonL]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (MikeBlaze)

Frankly, it sounds to me like the jalamo's bluffing. Where on the bill does it actually say that there is a surcharge for lowered vehicles? Is there anything on your bill or reciept that actually states that something is wrong with the car? Doesn't sound like there is.
I'd ask the mechanic something like this:
"First, you told me that everything was okay with the car, and after I took it, you then stated that something was wrong with it.
Wouldn't the state licensing board want to know why you released a car that you knew had a "problem" which I wasn't made aware of at the time of picking up the car, nor was it written on the bill..?
And where on the estimate or bill is it stated that you have surcharges for modified vehicles?"
Call him a few nasty names afterwards, too.
I'd almost call the state licensing board or your consumer's affairs department/division/whatever just on GP.

 

[Goobery69]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (DonL)

yup, I talked to a couple people who've actually done coil-over installs and it appears that I assembled and installed everything correctly, and believe me when I say this but I made damn sure that everything was done proper when I did this install with bentley right beside me and my grandpa who's worked on cars all his life keeping a watchful eye and lending a helping hand. This guy is full of it and giving him the $20 for the sake of it is giving into exactly what he wants especially since If I paid him in full yesterday I highly doubt he would have called to give me the "bad news."
Hypothetically, why would he call me back "if I had paid" and taken delievery of my car after speaking to him the same afternoon when he said everything was fine? He made no previous mention of a problem, and no other mechanic was aware of anything related to my car, guess if there was a problem it would warrent atleast the smallest of messages to a mechanic closing up shop before I took delievery.

 

[briang]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (Goobery69)

Quote, originally posted by Goobery69 »

So today I get a nasty phone call from the mechanic saying that I'm playing games. He proceeds to also tell me that my front struts are incorrectly installed and because I dont want to give him $20 bux he's not telling me whats wrong with them.

This is an old mechanics trick to extort money they think they are owed. As soon as you pay $20.00 he will say that what is wrong with your car is ..."the driver"...
Don't pay him and do call the BBB and the State Attourney General and any other government body...hell even call the worst "exposure" reporter in your city...

 

[Goobery69]

Re: Mechanic Jerking Me Around? Need Advice! (briang)

I stopped by the vw dealership today which I used to work at 2 years ago and I had my buddy look it over after work for free and it took him all of 5 min to tell me that mechanic was talking out his azz

and that my car was fine