How to spot a bad mechanic.

wgnrdrwgnrdr Band Wagon
in General Civic Wagon Discussion
This happened a while back. One of the tires on my wagon had a slow leak so I took it to a shop to have fixed. I guess the mechanic didnt bother looking or he was just clueless but he mistook the plastic wheel cover with the fake lug nuts for the real thing. Needless to say torn plastic pieces went flying when he tried to take the fake lugs off with a power wrench. Had the wagon taken off the jacks, put air in the tire, drove off and have never been back to that place since.

Anyone with similar experiences?

Comments

  • wagodizzlewagodizzle Council Member and EDM expert
    wow, really???
  • BIOHAZARDBIOHAZARD Wagonist
    i cant say that its happened to me cause im a mechanic at a tire shop and i can spot the difference between a hub cap and a wheel from a mile away, and ive never used an impact wrench on a hubcap... ever.
  • WagicWagic Wagonist
    Yeah, OK...but how do you spot a bad mechanic before he F's up your car? That is the million dollar question.
  • ricefighterricefighter Wagonist
    Wagic wrote:
    Yeah, OK...but how do you spot a bad mechanic before he F's up your car? That is the million dollar question.


    i guess the only way to know is after he/she f**k your car which is crazy. i dont think you can tell by looking at the person(mechanic).




    wagon..........................4ever...............................
  • WorldHazardWorldHazard New Wagonist
    that's amazing. story is funny. but really sucks on your end..
  • BIOHAZARDBIOHAZARD Wagonist
    Wagic wrote:
    Yeah, OK...but how do you spot a bad mechanic before he F's up your car? That is the million dollar question.

    agreed, it is the million dollar question. or you could come to mass and have me work on your car...
  • heraldhamsterheraldhamster Wagonist
    we were in Vegas on a road trip back from Okla. & it was time to get the oil changed. couldn't wait until we got home as that was another 600-700 miles. I thought I'd risk Mall*Wart. they were booked solid for the evening so we went to a locally owned "Jiffy Lube" type joint.
    not only did they charge me almost $50 just for an oil change, but they removed & tossed my magnetic & knurled oil pan drain bolt WITHOUT ASKING FIRST!!
    some lame excuse about how "it was for an Escort, not a Honda. so we replaced it with the correct one." I was furious, but too tired from road trippin' to demand they sort through the 50 gallon drum they used as a trash can to find my plug.

    this is just another great example of why I don't let other people touch my stuff!

    I'm still mad and this happened in Sept. of '07. yeah, the next time I changed the oil I got mad all over again & called the manager of that shop. I had the receipt in my hand. he asked me to come down & they'd make it right. I explained yet again that I live in WA state. "well, sorry, there's nothing we can do for you..." whatta maroon.
  • Eagle BeagleEagle Beagle familEE
    it has been said:
    keep your friends close but your enemies closer...

    usually i stay within eyesight...
    or if i have to, keep eyeballing
    not to fuck with me nor the car...
    :shock:
    see the twitch in my eye
    :mrgreen:
    good luck, nothing is as bad
    as your trust being raped by
    an in disguise 'professional' ...

    ps.
    excuse my french
    : )
  • wgnrdrwgnrdr Band Wagon
    took a pic of the wheel cover. Lugs look real enough to make the mistake? Cant explain the greenish powder on the fake lugs...

    230.jpg
  • quartersquarters Council Member
    in my case, i would say 95% of the time, the more of a jackass and a complete social reject he is, the better the mechanic. if i take my car somewhere and they want to chit-chat and be all buddy-buddy, they usually charge a lot and don't fix it.

    last month i took my VW Westfalia to a VW specially mechanic in the back woods of BC. The Organic Mechanix. With a name like that you would expect good people skills for some reason. NONE AT ALL. this guy was a robot. one word answers only. Yes or No. When i went to pick it up he was working on something and i was hovering around him trying to pay my bill and leave. He WOULD NOT acknowledge my existence until i put it in plain english "i want to pay my bill and leave." Damn cheap, great job. He knows his stuff and is efficient.

    He's like the Soup Nazi of VWs.
  • unlimited02unlimited02 Senior Wagonist
    how to spot a bad mechanic is when they tell u to use the choke to start your car LOL....
  • 1RMDave1RMDave Band Wagon
    Take a look at the tools he's using. Most good mechanics will have a good set off tools in a decent box.
  • zion1976zion1976 Band Wagon
    sorry about your experience..i guess best bet is to have him explain everything in detail to you.
  • BIOHAZARDBIOHAZARD Wagonist
    1RMDave wrote:
    Take a look at the tools he's using. Most good mechanics will have a good set off tools in a decent box.

    yea looking at his tools will tell you how good he is cause some just get by with a 200 piece socket set from "insert department store chain here". if he has some specialty tools like the large inverted hex socket for z6 crank pulleys for example.( i have one) or even his own ball joint press. or brake line bubble flare kit (i had to pick one up last night).
    and if the box he has is just a 1 piece or small as hell 2 piece setup tell you that there arent many tools in there.
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