How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

[Jeepster04]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

Thats pretty awesome Mike! Not to many places will give you service like that!

I usually pop those off before I let them have my rims.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

So Im the only one that puts my Jeep on jackstands or puts another set of rims on so I can take the others to the tire place?

Im telling you, I REALLLLLLY dont like for people to touch my stuff. I hardly trust them to touch my rims but Ive got a friend of mine that does it for me. He does all my alignments and anything that I dont feel like doing on my Jeep. He's really the only one I trust.

I just got new tires a few weeks ago and noticed the tech using the handle of a screw driver to knock the center caps off the wheels before putting them on the mounting and balancing equipment. He had the wheel off the car and from the back side was tapping at the caps to remove them. I was just about to approach him about it when the cap popped off and then I got a phone call from work so............

When the car was done they told me that two of the six little tabs on the back of one center cap had broken and they didn't want to put it back on in case it fell off while driving. I popped it on and it was on there snug, even with the two tabs missing. I didn't really think too much of it and went on my merry way. Got to my destination and noticed that after 20 minutes on the freeway that "broken" cap was still there, but another was falling apart and a third was completely broken. Seems they're a two part cap and the method of hitting them from behind to remove them compromised the seal holding them together and they failed.

So, back to the tire store and a talk with the manager. I barely had the words out of my mouth and he said "I'd like to buy you a full set of center caps - do you know where I can get them?". Uh, yeah, sure. So I gave him the website address of Velox Wheels and once again set off on my way. Next morning he called to say they'd been ordered, less than a week later they were in my hands. 4 new center caps. He also threw in the lifetime non-prorated road hazard warranty for me and suggested I talk to his guys about how to properly remove them when I come back for my free rotation/balance every 5000 miles.

That I can tolerate. Grease on my cars interior.... not so much.

[Andy M.]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

I think this threads name should be changed to "How much stuff doesn't your mechanic touch in your car" One thing I can't stand is boot marks. It seems no matter what, even if they put those little paper mats in the car I always end up with a boot mark. I even went as far as buying a cheapo set of plastic ones that I only use when my cars have to go to the shop. I try do do most of the work myself but sometimes it is inevitable.

Andy

[davey g-force]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

I feel ya pain Tillmanator - I've had all those things happen to me and I believe it's unacceptable. I just kept trying different mechanics until I found one that actually respected my car. Now I get my car back just as immaculate as when I dropped it off. I think the key is you need to find a mechanic who's as car crazy as you. This also makes them a better mechanic IMO.

I have done that also and given specific instructions and made them write things on the work order (that was the recall, DO NOT WASH MY CAR!). When my z was in the body shop for a scratch repair I stressed the importance of my car and keeping it clean, even in the engine bay since I have a lot of work done there and they did pay extra attention and while I still had some things to clean myself it was minimal.

^^ Funny, I've done exactly the same thing when dropping my car at a body shop and it actually works!

[MaximusZTS]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

Take to drive in oil chg where u stay in the car....no real reason for them to get into it.

Thats what I do.

[Jeepster04]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

Luckily, I can do most everything myself. One thing I have to **** it up and go have done is tire rotation and balance.

So Im the only one that puts my Jeep on jackstands or puts another set of rims on so I can take the others to the tire place?

Im telling you, I REALLLLLLY dont like for people to touch my stuff. I hardly trust them to touch my rims but Ive got a friend of mine that does it for me. He does all my alignments and anything that I dont feel like doing on my Jeep. He's really the only one I trust.

[roushstage2]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

Take to drive in oil chg where u stay in the car....no real reason for them to get into it.

I have to say no to that, those places are horrible. Somehow, extra charges find their way on the bill later. Explain to them the next time you go in if your car is returned to you in that condition, you will be charging them for an interior detail to get it all cleaned up.

[WrightDetail]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

If they are doing that to your car, go somewhere else.

Take to drive in oil chg where u stay in the car....no real reason for them to get into it.

[TXShine]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

I feel your pain.... I can not stand to take my vehicles anywhere for any kind of service.... drives me nuts!
Luckily, I can do most everything myself. One thing I have to **** it up and go have done is tire rotation and balance. I go to Discount Tire where I get my tires and they are usually so busy that those guys are just flying around.... which is just nerve racking.
I always pull the car/truck in myself and hand them the wheel lock key and stand just outside the bay until they are done and pull out myself. I'm sure they think I'm nuts but I don't care.

Onetime a guy that was running the balancing machine, didn't even have the tire and wheel secure to the machine (the large wing-nut wasn't tight). He just barely spun it and didn't even remove the old weights first nor did he add any new weights. To say the least the lead guy got a good chewing......

[Jeepster04]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

Yea, I agree its amazing how dirty they can get the interior. Ive only had my Jeep to a mechanic once(warranty) and they covered everything.

I even had to clean the interior to remove grease prints on a brand new WK. Pretty insane when you need to clean the interior on a brand new Jeep.

And no, the reason you have a key for you wheels is to have a key. Kinda like a key for your house.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

If they are doing that to your car, go somewhere else.

[yalerd]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

When I take my car for maintenance they usually cover the steering wheel and the seat with a disposable plastic cover.

Look for another place you can go to see if they do things differently.

[roushstage2]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

For one, they touch only the steering wheel on my car when I take it in. If it is someone shorter driving the car, the seat is usually moved, but almost never. Something about my car tells them DON"T TOUCH ANYTHING. I am never offered a wash or a detail. As for getting the key out of the glove box, as far as I am aware, they are not allowed to go in there without your permission, or they have to have you go get it.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

I agree there sure leave a mess behind. I would place everything they need in a ziploc bag. Leave the bag on the dash. This should help in minimizing what you have to clean up when you get home.

We all like a clean interior or exterior. Thats why we are here. We are "Car crazy"

[benhui86]

Re: How much stuff does your mechanic touch on your interior?

your oil filter is probably on the side of the engine towards the bottom so it is quite hard to get from the top...so that is why they have to take the wheel off to get better access to the oil filter...

and they probably do take your car for a spin around the block since you have a nice car hahhaha

wrap your interior with those food wrapping stuff and secure it with masking tape.... put the wrench thing somewhere they dont have to go through your car to get it....

hopefully these measures will keep your interior clean when it goes into the shop