I don't think I have gotten my full value from my tires until I've worn through 3 sets of the 4 plies of cords in them. Why do these inspectors make me waste my money on new tires when my old ones still hold air?

Always avoid the big boy Nationwide shops. You know who they are. My son took his car there and they quoted him $1100 for brakes, the full job. What a joke? Had my mechanic do it all for $250 bucks, and that included turning the rotors. These shops really screw people over on the CHECK ENGINE Light and probably enjoy it.

Never trust these shops. They also quoted me over a grand for front end work and it turned out to be a "bubble in a tire". What does that tell you!!!

Arnie H. Wrote:
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> Always avoid the big boy Nationwide shops. You
> know who they are. My son took his car there and
> they quoted him $1100 for brakes, the full job.
> What a joke? Had my mechanic do it all for $250
> bucks, and that included turning the rotors. These
> shops really screw people over on the CHECK ENGINE
> Light and probably enjoy it.
>
> Never trust these shops. They also quoted me over
> a grand for front end work and it turned out to be
> a "bubble in a tire". What does that tell you!!!

Have you priced a new Snap-On toolbox/workstation lately??

Yep. I have and I do a lot of the work but he was in a real time constraint and I didn't have the time available.
Hope that helps you.
Have you ever replaced a blown head gasket? Well, I have......

>
> Have you priced a new Snap-On toolbox/workstation
> lately??

Do you know the cost of getting Snap-On tools stolen ?

Do you realize a salesperson with a screwdrive might try to get into one?

Do you realize a small toolbox can "walk out the door" ?

Do you realize shipping + install costs and that fairfax has no one that makes quality boxes anywhere near by?

Did you realize Snap-On tools last a lifetime?

Did you realize (sears) tools break and cost WAY MORE due to replacement?

Did you realize Snap-On tools prevent breakage of what is worked on - greatly reducing mechanic cost and effort ? (ie, rounded nuts)

Do you realize some shops build reputation and customers.

And if an "overthrow" happens illegals get hired and they rip off the customers until there are no customers willing to come back?

Merchants in w. Springfield. They sell you repairs at high prices. Their front desk people HAVE to be on close to 100% commission.

Chain shops make their money 3 ways-

OVercharging you for parts (say brake pads cost $30 a set at advance/autozone they will charge you $50 for the exact same pads)

Charging for extra labor they really didnt have to do---like if the shop manual says it takes 2 hours to fix, they will stretch it out to 3 to get that extra $120/hour (typical labor rate around the DC metro area)

Want cheaper? Find an INDEPENDENT garage and make friends with the mechanics, find that same mechanic that is ok with installing the parts YOU get (off whatever part website you use, I personally like rockauto.com and no I dont work for them i just find them cheaper!)

OR DO IT YOURSELF. There are PLENTY of youtube videos on just about every repair. Watch it carefully, and see if you THINK you can do it if you have any mechanical aptitude.

Or you can trust the shop and have them do it and get a proper warranty!

For example, when replacing your alternator it is a good idea to change the pulley (say $50) and accessory belt (say, $30) while you are at it. Most shops will JUST change the alternator and keep the old parts on....then a month later when your OLD pulley slips/your old belt breaks they can and will charge you another $200 labor AGAIN to do the job you could have had taken care of all at once!!!

Just watch the videos and get an idea of what is involved in the job so you know what you are talking about to the mechanic- they prey on the fact you don't know jack!!!!

Sorry- 3rd way is selling you stuff you REALLY DONT NEED, like BG products (hi Mr Goss you snake oil salesman!) or insisting something is "about to fail" when it is barely worn-

Example on my own car----NTB told me I needed 2 back axles NOW and they were about to fall off and "they dont even want to let me out the shop with axles that bad as they could fall off driving", giving me an estimate of $1200 to replace them- took my car SAME DAY to my independent shop and he said "good idea to get your back rotors redone, which is causing the mild vibration (RWD) but your axles are FINE they are just OLD and it is YOUR CHOICE but you are in NO DANGER of ANYTHING falling off you can ride AT LEAST ONE-TWO MORE YEARS If you want!!! Cost me $300 to have my back rotors AND pads replaced, no problems since and it's been 6 months!!!

ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A FEMALE BE CAREFUL THEY LOVE TO SCARE YOU INTO REPAIRS YOU DON"T REALLY NEED!!!

I have had fairly good luck with the Briar Oaks Exxon on 50 near Fair Oaks Mall. The manager is a pretty nice dude. His big thing is he wants you to regularly bring the car to him, not just for inspections. I do my own oil changes and routine maintenance and brakes, but I bring the cars to him for bigger things. When I go in for inspections I have to remind him that I regularly bring the cars in, and as I've got three I usually try to buy some tires or an alignment along the way.

He failed me once for a minor thing which I admit was an issue, but I fixed it on my own and we were back to good.

He does try to sell the various flushes, which I never buy. I have never met a car repair place that doesn't. I once, not at Briar Oaks, had a place do a transmission and power steering fluid "flush." They did a drain and fill on the transmission, three quarts of new trans fluid, and sucked out the PS reservoir and refilled. I paid $150 for each "service." Never again. I did a real, honest to God flush of the PS fluid at home in the driveway, watched a video on youtube, and 40,000 miles later the fluid is still clear. After the profession "flush" it was still dark brown.



That stuff is easy enough to do at home and for most modern cars is a once at 100,000 miles service and is never done again.

If your car is being inspected in a dealership. Be prepared to pay through your nose

I went to a mechanic and they wanted to charge to put air in my tire when I didn't even have change with me! They wouldn't take a rain check!
Attachments:

WTOP reporting is getting terrible. It's IOU not rain check.

Wtf is the above post talking about? WTOP? How is it related to the OP

midas muffler is a horrible place for inspection.
they will tell you you need what?
brakes and mufflers.
how did that happen?

also the shell station at the corner of dranesville road and rt 7 is a certified scam inspection.
the guy makes up failures and lies about what is wrong.

i called the state cops about both midas and shell.
both times the state cops suggested i go somewhere else because they agreed with my complaint.

Another money making scam is the Check Engine Light.
SMARTEST thing ever created by the auto dealers and the best friend of crooked auto repair shops.

Here's a tip: If you use the diagnostic tools from Advanced Auto and some other places and think the codes are going to isolate your fix you are being duped.
Some of those codes could easily be over 50 causes for the actual reason the CEL is shows a malfunction.

One of the most important things you need to do is find an honest auto mechanic.
They are out there, it's just a matter of finding the right one.
The big time shops work off commission and the managers lead them down that road.

WIYGUL...you've been warned. Never again.

VA inspections are BS

Mr Tire is the absolute worst. i got an oil change there and those donkeys left their oil stained finger prints all over my interior

Nova_lifer Wrote:
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Mr Tire, used to be Craven. Same business model as Craven, sell you tires but go on a treasure hunt looking for everything and anything they can find to make money. The only reason I went to Craven for tires was for the nitrogen but Mr Tires just uses air. BTW, never let a tire place do real mechanical work. Find a good garage or do it yourself.

I don't agree with you. I am sure that Mr. Tire is excellent service. I was often served there and everything is pleasant to me. And they have coupons thanks to which it is possible to receive big discounts for service
http://car-coupons.net/mr-tire-coupons/

Liberty gas station off litte river turnpike in Annandale