Why are shops incapable of proper PSI?

[Lebowski]

Why are so many shops completely incapable of inflating tires up to the proper pressure?  What is so difficult about this?

I had a tire put on at a GY store a couple months ago, left with 4 tires all with different PSI, and the spare (which was on the car and way too low on pressure, 15 PSI, when I dropped it off) was put in the bed without being properly inflated.

Last week, I took my truck in to a Ford dealership to have them mount/balance my 2 new Toyo Proxes and put them on.  I checked the pressure on the newly installed tires when I got home - 45 whopping PSI!!  And that was cold (well, almost cold).  My door jam says something like 32 PSI.  What were these guys thinking?

This isn't really a problem for guys like me and probably most other guys @ Carspin, as I check my pressure often and I just assume I'll have to adjust it whenever I leave a shop that has touched my tires.  But a lot of people on the road, including my mom and sister for example, don't go out of their way to check their own pressure and I'm sure they just assume that if they just left a dealership, the pressure is at or at least near the correct level.  I don't understand what is so difficult about checking the door jam and inflating tires to the correct pressure, especially for people who are supposedly professionals.  Makes me wonder about what else they potentially screwed up.

[Catman]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, I can't stand it.  The shop that does our cruiser maintenance ignores the factory recommended pressure and puts in the max inflation (35psi) on the tires sidewall (44psi).

Really though, it is that difficult to spy the door sticker before you fill the tires. <_<  

[Lebowski]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, I can't stand it.  The shop that does our cruiser maintenance ignores the factory recommended pressure and puts in the max inflation (35psi) on the tires sidewall (44psi).

Really though, it is that difficult to spy the door sticker before you fill the tires. <_<

It shouldn't be!  I think most peple think you are supposed to fill it to the pressure on the tire (the max pressure) rather than the recommended pressure in the door jam.  It's one thing for laypeople to think this, but there is no excuse for a mechanic or tech working at a dealership or private shop to make this mistake.  

Again, kind of makes me wonder what other mistakes they are making.  If they can't figure out how to put air in the tires, how can they be competent to perform complicated repairs?

[280Z Turbo]

I hate mechanics, I only go for specialized things (alignment, tires, etc.).

They did the same thing to my dad's Yokohamas. It wasn't as bad, they only overiflated them to 38 psi vs. 35psi.

[footoflead]

I hate mechanics, I only go for specialized things (alignment, tires, etc.).

They did the same thing to my dad's Yokohamas. It wasn't as bad, they only overiflated them to 38 psi vs. 35psi.

Some gauges do very on what they read but it should be more than 1 psi or 2 psi off at the most

I wish i had the tools/knowledge to do more of my own work, lucky i have a good mechanic that i would/and do trust with any of my familys cars...

[BRealistic]

It probably has something to do with the low pay new guy flunky getting all the oil change and tire work at the dealership. Still, they should train them to do better, or at least give the customer 'low paid idiot' special deal on such service.

[cozmik]

Normally when I get my tires rotated or swap out winter/summer, get new tires, etc, I tell the people there exactly what pressures I want. At NTB at least, they do it, not that I like NTB, because the are douches who don't know what they are doing, but sometimes, it's what's available.

[sparkplug]

You know if anybody knows about proper tire inflation it is the people at CarTalk. They have a post about this just recently answering somebody's question.

You know you've been had when the tire technician tells you this:
I suggest you change the air in you tires every season because the air in your tires can wear out. You might even need to change the air filter on you tires.
Time to go to a another tire place.

[so cal cookie]

You know you've been had when the tire technician tells you this:
I suggest you change the air in you tires every season because the air in your tires can wear out. You might even need to change the air filter on you tires.
Time to go to a another tire place.

:blink:  :blink:  :blink:  

[Rupert]

I had a tire overfilled by 12 psi last time I went in to have the flat fixed. I knew they rotated the tires as well (I asked them to) because the overfilled tire was in a different place than the flat had been. I figure that it's not at all a big deal if you can check the pressures soon after, which is a damn good idea. I check at every fill-up. And besides, it's not like I paid for anything. (Les Schwaab is awesome. I bought some tires a long time ago from a dealer in another city, and I had an alignment done in the same city, and I haven't paid for a flat repair or tire rotation since-- I guess they just like me ).

[VTEC_Inside]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, I can't stand it.  The shop that does our cruiser maintenance ignores the factory recommended pressure and puts in the max inflation (35psi) on the tires sidewall (44psi).

Really though, it is that difficult to spy the door sticker before you fill the tires. <_<

The Honda dealer I go to does the same damn thing.

I don't even bother anymore, I just tell them not to touch them.

[Speed_Racer]

What pisses me off even more is when the technician uses the air wrench to tighten the lug nuts. They torque them to like 500 ft-lbs!!

One time, I was almost unable to undo my lug nuts with a lugwrench and 5 foot breaker bar. I was jumping on the bar, and it was actually bending it. That pissed me off.

My normal mechanic uses an actual torque wrench to tighten the lugs, which is one reason why I repeatedly bring my car to him.

[280Z Turbo]

What pisses me off even more is when the technician uses the air wrench to tighten the lug nuts. They torque them to like 500 ft-lbs!!

One time, I was almost unable to undo my lug nuts with a lugwrench and 5 foot breaker bar. I was jumping on the bar, and it was actually bending it. That pissed me off.

My normal mechanic uses an actual torque wrench to tighten the lugs, which is one reason why I repeatedly bring my car to him.

They ruined one of my studs before.

[Catman]

What pisses me off even more is when the technician uses the air wrench to tighten the lug nuts. They torque them to like 500 ft-lbs!!

One time, I was almost unable to undo my lug nuts with a lugwrench and 5 foot breaker bar. I was jumping on the bar, and it was actually bending it. That pissed me off.

My normal mechanic uses an actual torque wrench to tighten the lugs, which is one reason why I repeatedly bring my car to him.

They ruined one of my studs before.

Same here.  Idiots.  

[Run Away]

Do your own work. :nod:

[280Z Turbo]

Do your own work. :nod:

Most of us are not able to mount and balance our own tires.

[Run Away]

I was talking in refference to getting studs broken...

I walk in with the wheel already off the car, show them the hole, they take 5 minutes and plug it, I hand them $10, I walk outside and put it on my car.

[footoflead]

I was talking in refference to getting studs broken...

I walk in with the wheel already off the car, show them the hole, they take 5 minutes and plug it, I hand them $10, I walk outside and put it on my car.

where as if you let them do the whole thing they take at least 30mins and overtorque your lugs

[VTEC_Inside]

What pisses me off even more is when the technician uses the air wrench to tighten the lug nuts. They torque them to like 500 ft-lbs!!

One time, I was almost unable to undo my lug nuts with a lugwrench and 5 foot breaker bar. I was jumping on the bar, and it was actually bending it. That pissed me off.

My normal mechanic uses an actual torque wrench to tighten the lugs, which is one reason why I repeatedly bring my car to him.

I hear you there too.

I have explicity told them that an impact gun is not to go near my wheels. They tend to use the torque bars which are supposed to limit to 90lb/ft or so, but that doesn't stop a spinning impact socket from marring the shit out of my wheels when they remove them and put them back on. All it takes is one little slip and bye bye finish.

[VTEC_Inside]

Do your own work. :nod:

The sad part is that where possible thats exactly what I'm doing now.

I can't seem to count on anyone else to do a decent job and not fuck up something.

The freaking Honda DEALER has overfilled my Accord with oil TWICE in the last year. The first time I chewed out the service manager, the second time I chewed her out again and then went straight to the owner of the dealership.

I don't need that crap after spending almost $40CAD for a flipping oil change.

[TBR]

Why go to the Honda dealer? Wouldn't a Jiffy Lube type place be cheaper?

[J86]

Maybe the Jiffy Lubes around you are better, but here taking your car to one is just asking for it...

[Lebowski]

Maybe the Jiffy Lubes around you are better, but here taking your car to one is just asking for it...

I agree, you never know what kind of quality you're going to get at a place like that.  IMO, stick to either a dealer or an independent shop where you know/trust the guys who will be working on your car.

One of the advantages of going to a dealership is, in the event they do something stupid and screw something up, you're going to have much better luck getting the dealership to own up to their mistake and fix the problem (or pay to have it fixed).  

[VTEC_Inside]

Why go to the Honda dealer? Wouldn't a Jiffy Lube type place be cheaper?

I've got almost a 10yr relationship now with this dealer, although you wouldn't know it lately. I also know the owner who is a friend and client of my dads.

I don't trust those little places one bit. Heard way too many horror stories. My bad experiences at the dealer are mild nuisances in comparison.

[Raza]

When I went to Juffy Lube, I specified Mobil 1.

[El Barto]

Why go to the Honda dealer? Wouldn't a Jiffy Lube type place be cheaper?

I've got almost a 10yr relationship now with this dealer, although you wouldn't know it lately. I also know the owner who is a friend and client of my dads.

I don't trust those little places one bit. Heard way too many horror stories. My bad experiences at the dealer are mild nuisances in comparison.

I take my car to a small shop.  We havent had any problems with them.  My dad went to highschool with the owner.  And if they mess up one of our cars they are losing a lot of buisness.  My family sends all 3 of our cars there, my grandparents send both of thier cars thier, My unlce and his family send 4 cars thier, another one of my uncles sends 2 cars there, etc.  Its sort of like our family's own repair shop.

[El Barto]

Why go to the Honda dealer? Wouldn't a Jiffy Lube type place be cheaper?

Last time I went to Jiffy Lube they charged me something like $40 for an oil chnage and tried to sell my a bunch of shit.  The next time I needed an oil change I went the small shop next door and got the oil change done for $25 and they didnt try to sell me anything.  The Jiffy lube would probably still be cheaper than a dealer though.

[Tom]

Change the oil yourself foo's!

[Run Away]

Werd.

I got another 1500kms before my next change. I've put 20,000kms on my car since I've owned it.

[El Barto]

Change the oil yourself foo's!

I dont go outside to change my oil when its 25 degrees out.     I do it myself except when its cold out winter.