Stealership charged me 40 to say my tierods are out my driver side wheel sticks out at the bottom they said I need new tie rods how can I confirm its the tie rods? to make sure they wheren't just dick'n me im gonna slap those on and do a rough alignment up at my tech school...

thanks, Ryan

 

Jack up the front end, and grab a wheel and move it back-and-forth as if you're turning the car. Watch the tie-rod as you're doing this and you'll be able to see any slop in the joint (it shouldn't have any, of course).

 

Soooooo.... they charged you $40 even thou they couldn't align it????

hmmm.......

 

yep said half a hour of labor is 30-40 and they put it on the rack it took there time.. yep this is the only thing i'v brought to any shop (besides my good friend mechanic)

ofcourse i get ripped

 

Next time take it to a shop like Tire Kingdom or Tire Discounters that gives FREE estimates on what's wrong before they charge you to fix it.

 

i called and called got the same guy saying well it took our time.. **** them i wont be going back i dont care if its the best price last time i buy little bolts and **** from there parts dep to will goto the one thats 1/2 mile farther

 

When it comes to lowered cars, try a Firestone service center.

 

I had the same problem. My car couldnt be aligned by tire kingdom, tires plus or my dealership. Though I didnt get charged for labor so thats f'd up. I took my car to some custom alignment shop called G roads here in South Florida. They did a good job and quick too.
Try finding a shop that does alignments for super cars and such.

 

Is that how businesses stay in business, and pay their techs.. working for free???

 

True that

 

I co-own a Tires Plus store and we do lowered F-Bodies all the time.

Matter of fact..............I own a 1997 SS Camaro convertible that we lowered here in my shop (picture below) We have lowered several F bodies and then of course, we do align them afterwards ! !

 

Good point. Most shops charge diagnostic time particularily if you don't do the work there with them. If you do have them do the work, they either don't charge for the diagnostic time or they refund it back when you have them do the work.

My A.S.E. certified techs get paid by the hour plus a commission on parts and labor so....................we can't just give stuff away (i.e. our time and knowledge) and stay in business.

 

Well that dude has a bent k-member and your never going to get it right. Close but not right. Way to go OZZY.

 

Oh yeah we didn't forget about your bill you still owe us for trying to straighten that mess up for you. Deadbeat!!!

 

I work as an independant contractor. I have to bid every job and get paid nothing for my quote work.

If you ask somebody to come to your home to give you an estimate to replace the roof, for example, how much do you pay them all you guys who won't estimate jobs for nothing?

 

Not a problem. If you come in and want me to give you an estiment for how much it would cost to align you car or to replace a tie rod end............I'll be glad to "bid" it out to you. But if I have to get it in and figure out what's wrong with it, then there is diagnostic time involved.

How about the last time you went to the Dr. Did he not charge you diagnostic time to tell you what was wrong with you?

 

I work at a tires plus here in WI and we do Free alignment checks and usually we "shake down the front end" as we call it. Just to make shure everything is "tight" so that if it does need an alignment we can do it. If it needs additional parts (ball joints, Tierod ends, Etc.) we will write up an estimate for you and then its up to you yay or nay.

 

I took my car to sears after i lowered it, they didnt say they couldnt align it. I told them it was lowered, they went ahead and did it.

 

i asked them for a alignment not to tell me my tierods where shot and charge me for a alignment

 

Typically it only takes them about 5 minutes to do a "shake test" where they will use a prybar to check all the major balljoints and such. Those are the first things that should be checked. I have no idea why they charged you for it.