Women Claims Her Kia Pulls to the Left.

[SVT666]

Just because he's an asshole doesn't make his observations empty. More often than not, he, the asshole, is the only person capable of truth.


(yes, yes: I know it's TV )

If it was real life, that person would get ignored because of their delivery...despite how often they are right. 

By the way, I watch the show, so I know he's wrong more often then he's right.  He just about kills the patient 3 times in every episode.

[Tave]

He just about kills the patient 3 times in every episode.

That's just a plot device. Every procedure show does the same thing; those Law and Order cops go through 3 suspects before they catch the guy who done it.


My own doctor reminds me a lot of House; he's this grumpy old meany who really knows his shit.

[Tave]

If it was real life, that person would get ignored because of their delivery...despite how often they are right.

Well it depends. For the purposes of this discussion, I tend to agree with you.

[S204STi]

Are you positive? I don't doubt that it can happen, but I'm not so sure about this lady specifically. I don't think she's THAT fat. Any large male in a small car is going to produce the same effect, yet I don't hear about big people blowing out their alignments left and right. I think it must take a pretty extreme case for that to happen.

First time I heard that story it was from my old shop manager, and it was a similar situation; small car with a fat driver, they eventually had to strap him in it on the rack as well.  Not the best way to keep customers, but a good way to resolve it.

I doubt this happens with full size cars and trucks.

[S204STi]

Sorry guys.  Anyone who says she is 200 lbs is full of shit.  She's at least 250 lbs.  Having said that, the car's alignment should, in no way, be thrown out of whack in 5 days because of that kind of weight.  I have weighed 270-280 lbs myself, and none of cars ever had alignment issues.  I currently weigh 250 lbs and my Focus has never had an alignment issue.

Your focus has a firmer sport oriented suspension.

Either way you're wrong if you think your weight doesn't in some way impact the outcome of an alignment.

[S204STi]

My auto tech teacher said that if they had a heavy customer, they'd just make the customer sit in the car while the techs would align the car. Now I guess everyone is too PC to say stuff like that.

That's the most efficient way to do it, yes, but not the best way to keep a customer around.

[SVT666]

Your focus has a firmer sport oriented suspension.

Either way you're wrong if you think your weight doesn't in some way impact the outcome of an alignment.

I'm not saying it doesn't affect it, I'm saying there is no way a car should lose it's alignment in 5 days.

[Cookie Monster]

That's the most efficient way to do it, yes, but not the best way to keep a customer around.

Yes, it doesn't keep the customer around because then their car will be fixed so they don't come back bitching.

Seriously, she's embarrassed herself more by taking this to the news instead of keeping quiet.

[S204STi]

I'm not saying it doesn't affect it, I'm saying there is no way a car should lose it's alignment in 5 days.

It isn't losing the alignment, it just was never right in the first place.

[NomisR]

It isn't losing the alignment, it just was never right in the first place.

Well, in a way, it's probably correct and going straight if  you put a normal sized human being in there.  But when she sits in there.. well,..

[Madman]

In all seriousness, instead of embarrassing the woman by making her sit in the car during the alignment, why not just put some ballast in the driver's seat approximately equal to her estimated weight?  A lard-arsed service tech would do just fine.  Judging by the dealerships I've worked at, it shouldn't be too difficult to find one of those! 

We all know EVERY woman on the face of the Earth (no matter how skinny she may be) thinks she's overweight.  I've known women who could wear my wristwatch as a belt who still say they're fat.  Naturally, Kia-woman is going to be sensitive about her weight, too.  True, a small car with a relatively soft suspension (like the Rio) can be affected by such an imbalance in weight.  I just think the dealership could have handled the situation better.

Cheers,
Madman of the People

[NomisR]

In all seriousness, instead of embarrassing the woman by making her sit in the car during the alignment, why not just put some ballast in the driver's seat approximately equal to her estimated weight?  A lard-arsed service tech would do just fine.  Judging by the dealerships I've worked at, it shouldn't be too difficult to find one of those! 

We all know EVERY woman on the face of the Earth (no matter how skinny she may be) thinks she's overweight.  I've known women who could wear my wristwatch as a belt who still say they're fat.  Naturally, Kia-woman is going to be sensitive about her weight, too.  True, a small car with a relatively soft suspension (like the Rio) can be affected by such an imbalance in weight.  I just think the dealership could have handled the situation better.

Cheers,
Madman of the People

Actually, the fatter they are, the less they say they're fat.  Skinny women usually say they're fat, even the mildly fat may say so.. but the morbidly obese ones says they're sexy and curvy...  Yes, circle is definitely a curve.  Even their fat rolls are some sort of curves.

[Tave]

Actually, the fatter they are, the less they say they're fat.  Skinny women usually say they're fat, even the mildly fat may say so.. but the morbidly obese ones says they're sexy and curvy...  Yes, circle is definitely a curve.  Even their fat rolls are some sort of curves.

For some reason, I'm picturing Michael from The Office saying this to all his horrified employees.

[Rupert]

Actually, the fatter they are, the less they say they're fat.  Skinny women usually say they're fat, even the mildly fat may say so.. but the morbidly obese ones says they're sexy and curvy...  Yes, circle is definitely a curve.  Even their fat rolls are some sort of curves.

Complaining about being fat when you're skinny is a good way to draw attention to your skinniness and get compliments or "oh no, you're skinny!". If you're fat and complaining about being fat, people are just gonna think "yeah, no shit".

Also, I know lots of women who defy the stereotype, many more, in fact, than who fit the stereotype.

[GoCougs]

Don't worry...universal health care will solve all of our problems. 

I've lost my appetite.

[Submariner]

I've lost my appetite.

Well...i'm sure that free ATV we've been promised will nurse you back to health. 

[Onslaught]

Really? I've never been asked to do that.

I have and they should. Even my thin ass made a huge difference in my car.

[Tave]

Then what happens when you carry a passenger?

[Rupert]

You DIE!

I sat in my Miata when I had it aligned to custom specs. It's the way to be.

[Onslaught]

Then what happens when you carry a passenger?

It changes. But not enough to make a huge or noticeable difference when driving. Unless it was some 250 pound person like her. But then it wouldn't matter because the little 1.6 motor wouldn't be able to move the car anymore so steering wouldn't be a problem.