Interesting occurrence. I thought I would post this here as it applies to all vehicles.
This past weekend we lifted my son's ZJ 3". During the process I took the time to inspect his ball-joints, tie rod ends, etc. I deemed them to be worthy and although the passenger side ball-joints has some barely-noticeable play in them, they are a long way from needing replacement.
Anyway, I asked my son to take it for a proper alignment when we were done so that I knew it was all good and had been looked at by a pro. I am pretty handy around a Jeep, but I am by no means a pro.
My son is just learning and has almost no mechanical knowledge or ability at this time. (I am teaching him as we go).
So he heads off today to get it done by a shop recommended to us by other wheelers.
The guy gets the ZJ up on the hoist and my son heads off to the next shop over to pick up some new lug nuts. He gets back and the guy tells him..."I can't do the alignment at all because the ball-joints are shot and need to be replaced...". He hands my son an invoice for about $600 and says he will need to order in the parts and get'r done.
My son phoned me and reported what was said.
I told my son to go back in, tell the guy to put everything back to where it was, get the truck off the hoist and we will inspect it again ourselves and repair the ball joints ourselves. I knew the mechanic was full of it and just trying to fleece my son.
So my son told him what I had said, and then mentioned to him that I am in the local Jeep club, part of the 4 Wheel Drive Association, and a respected member of the 4x4 community and that I know my way around a Jeep.
So, 45 minutes later my son calls me again and he is very excited! He told me that the guy finished the alignment, corrected a few small issues that were not part of his package and even reversed a bolt he found tat was rubbing and causing a squeak.
Further, he discounted his rate and ate the taxes. He also asked my son not to post about it on any local sites.
So the moral of the story?
Spend some time getting familiar with your junk and how it works so you don't have unscrupulous mechanics trying to fleece you into premature and costly repairs.
I will actually return to that shop and use his services again, as he now knows that we are not to be fleeced and he will do his best to ensure that we drive away happy!
:cheers:
This past weekend we lifted my son's ZJ 3". During the process I took the time to inspect his ball-joints, tie rod ends, etc. I deemed them to be worthy and although the passenger side ball-joints has some barely-noticeable play in them, they are a long way from needing replacement.
Anyway, I asked my son to take it for a proper alignment when we were done so that I knew it was all good and had been looked at by a pro. I am pretty handy around a Jeep, but I am by no means a pro.
My son is just learning and has almost no mechanical knowledge or ability at this time. (I am teaching him as we go).
So he heads off today to get it done by a shop recommended to us by other wheelers.
The guy gets the ZJ up on the hoist and my son heads off to the next shop over to pick up some new lug nuts. He gets back and the guy tells him..."I can't do the alignment at all because the ball-joints are shot and need to be replaced...". He hands my son an invoice for about $600 and says he will need to order in the parts and get'r done.
My son phoned me and reported what was said.
I told my son to go back in, tell the guy to put everything back to where it was, get the truck off the hoist and we will inspect it again ourselves and repair the ball joints ourselves. I knew the mechanic was full of it and just trying to fleece my son.
So my son told him what I had said, and then mentioned to him that I am in the local Jeep club, part of the 4 Wheel Drive Association, and a respected member of the 4x4 community and that I know my way around a Jeep.
So, 45 minutes later my son calls me again and he is very excited! He told me that the guy finished the alignment, corrected a few small issues that were not part of his package and even reversed a bolt he found tat was rubbing and causing a squeak.
Further, he discounted his rate and ate the taxes. He also asked my son not to post about it on any local sites.
So the moral of the story?
Spend some time getting familiar with your junk and how it works so you don't have unscrupulous mechanics trying to fleece you into premature and costly repairs.
I will actually return to that shop and use his services again, as he now knows that we are not to be fleeced and he will do his best to ensure that we drive away happy!
:cheers:
