Another dumb dealer mechanic work thread
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 30,897
Likes: 45
From: Picking on the weakest kid in the yard.
Another dumb dealer mechanic work thread
When I bought my car over a year ago, the seller told me the brakes had recently been replaced at the dealer. The rotors had no lip so I was happy with that. Well, I have been tracking the car and have had a problem with some brake fade and killing the brake fluid everytime. Last time out, the front rotors developed cracks. So I bought new ones and found that the left and right are different as they are vented directionally. When putting the new ones on, I quickly discovered that the old rotors were on the car backwards! 
Left rotor on the right and visa-versa. Hopefully my brakes will stand up to track duty better now that they will actually be passing air through them.
Moral of the story:
DIY>Dealership work
Left rotor on the right and visa-versa. Hopefully my brakes will stand up to track duty better now that they will actually be passing air through them.Moral of the story:
DIY>Dealership work
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,987
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From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
CentralTX Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
I've been a Corvette owner since 2001 and neither of my Vettes have ever seen a stealership service department and they never will. 
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 30,897
Likes: 45
From: Picking on the weakest kid in the yard.
I'm sure there are some great mechanics working at dealerships. And everybody makes mistakes sometimes. But when I do the work myself, I know it was done right. And if there is a problem, I know who to blame..... whoever made the part! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,365
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From: Farmers Branch TX
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
The problem with vented rotors is that most people look at them and think they are supposed to "scoop" the air into them, when its exactly the opposite so they put them on backwards. Just to clear some of their names, I was a dealer tech for 6 years, now work at an independant performance oriented shop, and knew how a rotor was supposed to work.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,073
Likes: 1
From: Sarver Pennsylvania
I've had mine to a "dealer" once - emergency break-down (clutch blow-out!
)
They did a good job of getting me back on the road in reasonable time (I was 900 miles from home - on a Friday afternoon!
)
Had it done by Tuesday PM and I was on my way home ($1900 later!
)
Since then, heard a "scraping" noise and found a bolt that should hold the shock in place had lost its nut!
Simple fix - buy an new nut and bold (since the head of the other had been worn away by the wheel).
When changing the wheel off, I found that the mechanic had also been careless with the air wrench - the "corners" of the new chrome wheel nuts were all rounded off - no chrome left - just rust.
Is it wrong to assume that these mechanics wound take care of a car that displayed care had been taken to it?
)They did a good job of getting me back on the road in reasonable time (I was 900 miles from home - on a Friday afternoon!
)Had it done by Tuesday PM and I was on my way home ($1900 later!
)Since then, heard a "scraping" noise and found a bolt that should hold the shock in place had lost its nut!
Simple fix - buy an new nut and bold (since the head of the other had been worn away by the wheel).
When changing the wheel off, I found that the mechanic had also been careless with the air wrench - the "corners" of the new chrome wheel nuts were all rounded off - no chrome left - just rust.
Is it wrong to assume that these mechanics wound take care of a car that displayed care had been taken to it?
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,483
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From: St. louis, Missouri
I found that the mechanic had also been careless with the air wrench - the "corners" of the new chrome wheel nuts were all rounded off - no chrome left - just rust.
Is it wrong to assume that these mechanics wound take care of a car that displayed care had been taken to it?
Is it wrong to assume that these mechanics wound take care of a car that displayed care had been taken to it?
Stuff like that comes off by hand tools and goes on by hand tools. Then torqued to proper spec This is why I think if I opened a shop I would have business. So many are paranoid of the dealers.
I dont work on many Vettes at work due to being a Pontiac,Buick, & GMC dealer, but when they do come in, I treat them like my own.