HELP: Results of second Alignment at Axelrod Tire, Middletown, CT

[Mike Arman]

>From: "Ice Cat      ^. .^   ~" <iceisit at earthlink.net>
>Subject: HELP:  Results of second Alignment at Axelrod Tire, Middletown, CT
>
>I called and explained to Axelrod Tire that I thought the front end
>alignment wasn't quite handling right and was wondering if since I
>bought a complete set of great tires they would want to make this
>right.   After some nastiness the buy called me back and assured me
>that they would.
>
>His whole demeanor and tone when I got there was totally defensive
>and cold!   The manager said that they were working a lot of O.T. to
>redo the shop,



Not your problem - and the shop sounds like it could use some re-doing.




 but he gave me so much psychological b.s. later that
>it was a very unpleasant experience.
>
>I am not sure how to read these printouts and my husband says that
>after the explanation the guy gave him, he doesn't either.
>
>These numbers don't seem to match the they type of numbers used in
>Bentley, I guess like comparing apples and oranges as they say.



That's because they STILL have no clue as to what they are doing. There are
360 degrees in a circle in Germany, too . . .



>
>WE did take a copy of Bentley specs in with us the second time around
>and gave them to the mechanic.
>
>(1.) ***
>Here is the reading after the FIRST alignment (when I took it back
>the second time) but before the second alignment readout:
>
>

<<<snipped>>>

>Another issue:
>
>Now I told them that the steering wheel sat cock-eyed the first time
>I brought it in, they said it was adjusted the second time, and when
>I drove it home, the told me they had adjusted it.  So after two
>trips there the steering wheel is not level when I go down a straight
>level road.

While the toe-in *may* in fact be correct now, the tie rods need to be
re-adjusted to get the steering wheel straight.

These people are morons and shouldn't be in this business - they have no
earthly idea what they are doing. Front end alignment on these cars is NOT
difficult at all - just read the instructions and take ten minutes to do it
right. These cars are nothing special to align correctly, there are NO
exotic tricks, and you have the documentation - see the Bentley - all they
have to do is RTFM, and that is obviously beyond them.




  They told me the car had been in an accident and the
>frame was probably bent.




Horse manure.

This is the standard "make them go away because we can't figure out how to
fix it" line.



I see small claims court coming up in their future . . . .




>
>The service manager also gave me some b.s. about how it was "in my
>head now and if they did fix it I would be still looking for
>problems."


More horse manure. The service manager is an arrogant, incompetent idiot
and should be taken out and shot.


  I made some comments about the more preferred choice of
>how they might have presented the limitations of the work they had
>performed for me.
>
>Now the car does drive somewhat better as the front doesn't feel like
>it is pulling.    We have replaced the struts and they said that the
>tie-rods are not bent, etc.
>
>What is the reason after pointing out the steering wheel does not
>match a correct alignment that the wheel would not ride level?


Tie-rods mis-adjusted. Loosen both (all four nuts) and turn the tie rods an
equal number of turns as required to get the steering wheel straight.
Turning them an equal number keeps the toe-in correct.

>
>Are they just too lazy to do it right or could there really be a parts prob=
>lem?



They have PROVEN that they are too lazy, ignorant and stupid to do it
right. Don't EVER take your car back there!!!!





>
>(5.) ****
>I do not trust them any more than I can pick my Audi up and toss it.
>
>Would you, after putting $500 worth of tires on YOUR car, take it
>someplace else and have the alignment re-checked???


Damn right I would! And I would send them the bill, the print-out, and a
demand for payment (to include the cost of making it right AND a refund of
their charges to make it wrong) within five days. And then file on them in
small claims court when they try to blow you off - amazing how cooperative
they will become when the sheriff serves them a summons - instant reality
check!

Best Regards,

Mike Arman



>
>Thanks!
>Fay