Am I right to be mad?

[2o6]

I've been posting it somewhat in the Chat thread, but basically let me start from the top.



My parking brake was weak when I first bought the car, and I narrowed it down to pretty much worn-out rear shoes. So I figured, out, replace them, right? Haynes manual said that the easiest way to fix it is to take off the spindle and go in through the back of the hub. My brother and I decided to do that way, and we ended up breaking a bolt off. Neither of us wanted to break all of the bolts off, so we decided to just stop there and put it back together and I would take it to a shop, because he didn't have the time to fix it, and I needed my car back.


I found a shop, and I told them what was up; how I needed the brake shoes put on as well as the bolt in the spindle replaced/drilled out.


$100. I thought it was a little high, but it is kinda intense and it requires the whole spindle off. Ok, I thought.


I was told my car was ready ay 6PM. I was at work until 10PM, so I told them I was able to pick it up at open (9AM).


I showed up to the shop at 9:30-9:45 am. The owner is not there to write a receipt. I had to be at work at 11AM, and I had a few errands that I HAD to get done. The guy at the shop let me pay and drive off in my car. I get in the car to discover the First problem:


Brake pedal goes all the way to the floor. They didn't bleed the brakes at ALL.  By this time, the owner shows up, and he responds by "it just needs to be bled out a little bit". OK, I think. I wait the 30 minutes to get my brakes bled out. (I ended up being late for work, FYI).


I get the car back, and I apply the parking brake when I'm almost at work, and I get absolutely NOTHING. Plenty of tension in the handle, but no drag on the wheels. I took it back to the shop the next morning. He tugs with the cable only to have it snap in his hands.  We'll look into seeing how much that would cost to get that fixed for ya. Irritated, I drove around looking for a place that would do it. I found a guy who would do it for $90 labor and $80 in parts. Roughly, it was only a hair cheaper than the other quotes, but the guy was so nice to me......

I get a phone call that my car is ready (Friday. I sent my car in for shoes on Monday) and I go and pick it up. The parking brake doesn't work, and then it drags. (it's in the correct position now, so I'm not mad. They made it right.)

However, the parking brake guy told me all he had to do and he said "never let the guy who did your shoes ever touch your f*cking car again".



He told me that the brake shoe guy:

Put the shoes on backwards.

Adjusted them improperly. (left rear never even touched the drum at all)

Put them in in such a manner that the adjustment star for the parking brake was in the wrong place entirely.

Never put the parking brake spring(s) on. Honestly, It would have saved me a new line(s), but they were in bad shape all together.

And to top it all off, now my rear springs are broken? I watched them jack the car up, and they kept putting the floor jack on the trailing arms. (I didn't say anything, because they're the mechanic, right?)

I even had to check under the car to make sure the spindle bolt was fixed. (it was)


Bottom line


I want my money back. Also, is it possible that the shop broke my rear springs? I can't tell whether I've been dealt a bad hand, or whether something else is at play.

[2o6]

The parking brake guy redid my brake shoes for free.

[Cookie Monster]

What's wrong with your rear springs?

Also, disc brake swap.

[2o6]

What's wrong with your rear springs?

Also, disc brake swap.

They're both broken at the top, and now my car drives odd.


They were not broken earlier this week.

[shp4man]

I see this kind of thing regularly. Pep Boys or some of the local toothless redneck/learning challenged "I are a mekanic" shops usually are the perpetrators.

[2o6]

I got my money back. 1/2 at least. (Spindle is fixed, so they did that part right)

[GoCougs]

Two lessons here (that I've learned);

1.) Shops hate rescue jobs. Not saying that is justification to do a poor job but they hate it and IMO I've seen it show.

2.) Dealers are the most expensive because they do the best job and have the best warranty.

[2o6]

I don't have dealer money, and honestly, I don't (or at least I didn't) think someone could mess up this repair so badly.



I only did it out of convience sake.

[CJ]

Go see Jake's mechanic guy.  He clearly does good work.

[2o6]

Go see Jake's mechanic guy.  He clearly does good work.

...For what?

[hotrodalex]

...For what?

err'thang

[L. ed foote]

How does someone put shoes on backwards? The cars that I've seen, brake shoes go in one way, lest the parking brake or the adjustment star would be affected.

[2o6]

How does someone put shoes on backwards? The cars that I've seen, brake shoes go in one way, lest the parking brake or the adjustment star would be affected.

They were affected, that's why my parking brake didn't work.

[L. ed foote]

They were affected, that's why my parking brake didn't work.

Yeah, but that would've been found out had they tested it before they gave it back to you. I guess they just threw everything together without testing the vehicle, which I find odd