Does Alignment need to be checked due to car accident

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

^ I NEVER bring my car anywhere that it is not in my full visibility, but that is just me. As for your experience I can attest to having similar results at several places. Apparently you were able to see or otherwise deduce what was going on which is something you must be cognizant of at all times.

I brought the car in to have the tires balanced. Sears had a life time balance plan. Balance the tires once for a price and they do it free for the life of the car. I have my tires balalnced once a year.

With a very grave face the mechanic called me into the shop to look at the struts. He had squirted oil on the struts, all four of them. He pointed this out and said I neded all four replaced. I said "Well the car is under warranty so I will bring it to the dealer for repairs! Thanks for the heads up!"

His face fell a mile as he realized the mechanics at the dealer would tell me what he had done!

Sears did the same thing with my 79 240d. The man gravely showed me that the caliper on one of the brakes was 1/32 of an inch from the rotor. "You almosT RUINED your rotors because you need new brake pads all around!"

"Thankyou for pointing that out. I will have my mechanic look at it!"

What I didnt say was that he was point to a part of the caliper that does not move. Yes its that close to the rotor. It ALWAYS is.

Again their face fell as they realized my "mechanic" (myself!) would point out that he was a fraud!

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by bronsin

I brought the car in to have the tires balanced. Sears had a life time balance plan. Balance the tires once for a price and they do it free for the life of the car. I have my tires balalnced once a year.

With a very grave face the mechanic called me into the shop to look at the struts. He had squirted oil on the struts, all four of them. He pointed this out and said I neded all four replaced. I said "Well the car is under warranty so I will bring it to the dealer for repairs! Thanks for the heads up!"

His face fell a mile as he realized the mechanics at the dealer would tell me what he had done!

Sears did the same thing with my 79 240d. The man gravely showed me that the caliper on one of the brakes was 1/32 of an inch from the rotor. "You almosT RUINED your rotors because you need new brake pads all around!"

"Thankyou for pointing that out. I will have my mechanic look at it!"

What I didnt say was that he was point to a part of the caliper that does not move. Yes its that close to the rotor. It ALWAYS is.

Again their face fell as they realized my "mechanic" (myself!) would point out that he was a fraud!

I don't want to poach Hershey's thread and will just say that I applaud you for not being duped, but will also say that you can be duped anywhere regardless of if it is Sears, pepboys, Midas, Bill's Repair, etc. Always do your homework before taking anything anywhere is the key. You could still get duped, it happens, but the ability for it to happen is lessened. I ONLY take my car to a shop when it is dealing with tools that I don't have like for tires/wheels, alignments (rarely), something that truly requires a lift, etc.