Craftsmanship...

[Quality NUt]

What has happened to the desire to achieve proficiency in Craftsmanship?
I contacted 3 "shops" in the area with a list of "what I wanted done" when installing a new set of tires, which was:
a) Remove the calipers and rotors to clean out the road grime from the rotor to hub surfaces and regrease
b) Use hand tools ONLY
c) Perform a rotor Runout after reassembly

1 couldn't, 1 wouldn't and the last one said no problem.

Sooo...I took my wife's 2010 LTD to the shop that said "no problem" (Should have seen the FLAGS)

FLAG 1. I asked the manager what the brake rotor runout tolerance was for this vehicle and he informed me it was ~.010". Having not looked this up previously, I just commented how this was much more than the .002" that was allowed on my Chev***** 2500 HD. I let him know I had performed a r/o on each rotor, had the measurements recorded and wanted them to ensure r/o like measurements after reassembly.

(FLAG 2) They got the vehicle on the rack and they did use hand tools to remove the tire/wheel assemblies, but the guy doing it was having a really hard time holding on to things (tools and lug nuts).
I just decided if they messed up the wheels... well, they'd pay for them and I walked away from the viewing window.

Vehicle came out 3 hrs later and the Firestone Destination LE2's really looked good. (don't know what took so long) I went outside to "assess any damage" and sure enough... they had "KILLED" one of the "Chromed plastic clad" wheels. (Evidently was the first to be balanced) I was SICK.

(I don't mean to sound like a "weenie", but those wheels didn't have a single scratch on them ANYWHERE. That's because I did all the tire rotations.)

Sooo (I'm proud of me here) I calmly asked the manager to take a look. He looks and is clearly empathetic and says it will be taken care of.

Well, the owner is also there and he looks at it a few minutes later and asks me if I am sure this hadn't been damaged before I brought it in.

I was READY for this... (proud of me here too) I responded in an almost whisper, "Yes, sir. I am sure. And so is the camera I used to take pictures of each wheel before it was rolled into the shop area."

After that it was a totally different story. A new wheel was ordered right away and they didn't want me to pay for anything until the wheel was replaced.

Just so glad I took the wife's camera with me.

And what is really totally disappointing is that I have done business with these people for better than 15 yrs and the owner KNEW what was done and HOW it was done. And he was going to let me drive off without saying a word. Very disappointing

Well, enough of my ranting, but I just had to vent.
BTW, we really love our bone stock V8 LTD.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Technicians do things in the shop all day long that are beyond the ability of the Manager to catch because well, he has a whole shop to manage not one individual so I doubt that "he knew" what had happened unless the technician came and told him. Unfortunately it sounds like the technician learned that he needs to be a lot more careful when mounting/balancing that style of rim.

 

[Explorer_PL]

For us it's our car that we take care of, for the technician it's just another wheel to balance...

Sad story that those guys clearly see they are not dealing with a $ 40 steel rim from a taxi Crown Victoria but a few hundred $$$ wheel from a limited model. I hope the owner had a talk with the guy.

 

[Quality NUt]

I fully understand the position the manager is in... And I don't blame him. I don't hold anything against the technician.
As I stated earlier, I am just very disappointed with the owner - He's the one who cleaned the W/O letters and the wheels. For all I know, he could have been the one that tried to balance the wheel - he WAS there at the vehicle helping.
Anywhooo, the wheel is supposed to be in today about 2:30