sgtiger
08-06-2007, 06:36 PM
I went with a board members suggestion on getting a four-wheel alignment at Alignment Specialties in Beaverton. Well, it turned into a slight fiasco. I setup an appointment on Friday morning for today. I told them that I bought a MOOG drivers side inner tierod for replacement, as all the other tierods had been replaced with MOOG pieces and the car has 140k on it. I got a quote for $63 on install in addition to the $80 for the alignment.
Being that I had work today in Vancouver, my mom (who lives near the area), was nice enough to agree to swap cars with me for the week and take the thing in for an alignment. Well, here’s where it all went downhill.
I get a phonecall from the owner (head guy??) of the shop 3 hours after my appointment time saying he didn’t install the tierod because the one on the vehicle wasn’t loose to his judgment. If he deems a part to be OK, he won’t replace it. The problem here is that I was going to do the tierod myself, I simply didn’t have time over the weekend. I don’t want a stock 140,000 mile tierod on the car, when all three other pieces were brand new MOOG ones. I just bought a new suspension, I want to do it all ONCE, as opposed to wait 6 months for the tierod to finally give and do it all over again. Beyond that, I want balanced steering, it's worth *MY* $63 to have it done. So, he aligned the car with the stock piece still on it. I was told that he deals with people all the time not knowing what they are talking about, yadda yadda, that my passenger side tierod was actually lose, and a rusted piece (which means the shop that did it a year ago ripped me off??).
Whatever. He didn’t charge me for the alignment, but he was really pissy about me taking up his time dealing with this issue. He said the quote I was given wasn’t legitimate, that it wasn’t even scheduled, etc. I didn’t realize that I was being such a pain giving him business? I didn’t fabricate the quote, I was told $63. Either way, I will never give business to that shop again. I was polite with him on the phone, I don't know why he was so angry. If he was confused or upset about my directions from the get-go, I had provided my phone number for that specific reason. All it would have taken is a 15 second phone call.
What other good alignment shops are around Portland? I bought another inner rod, I think maybe I’ll just do BOTH sides this coming weekend myself. I didn’t realize it was such a big deal to have shops replace a part, or do it right the first time. I don't know what it is about alignment shops that never seem to get it right.
Suggestions?
-Ryan
Being that I had work today in Vancouver, my mom (who lives near the area), was nice enough to agree to swap cars with me for the week and take the thing in for an alignment. Well, here’s where it all went downhill.
I get a phonecall from the owner (head guy??) of the shop 3 hours after my appointment time saying he didn’t install the tierod because the one on the vehicle wasn’t loose to his judgment. If he deems a part to be OK, he won’t replace it. The problem here is that I was going to do the tierod myself, I simply didn’t have time over the weekend. I don’t want a stock 140,000 mile tierod on the car, when all three other pieces were brand new MOOG ones. I just bought a new suspension, I want to do it all ONCE, as opposed to wait 6 months for the tierod to finally give and do it all over again. Beyond that, I want balanced steering, it's worth *MY* $63 to have it done. So, he aligned the car with the stock piece still on it. I was told that he deals with people all the time not knowing what they are talking about, yadda yadda, that my passenger side tierod was actually lose, and a rusted piece (which means the shop that did it a year ago ripped me off??).
Whatever. He didn’t charge me for the alignment, but he was really pissy about me taking up his time dealing with this issue. He said the quote I was given wasn’t legitimate, that it wasn’t even scheduled, etc. I didn’t realize that I was being such a pain giving him business? I didn’t fabricate the quote, I was told $63. Either way, I will never give business to that shop again. I was polite with him on the phone, I don't know why he was so angry. If he was confused or upset about my directions from the get-go, I had provided my phone number for that specific reason. All it would have taken is a 15 second phone call.
What other good alignment shops are around Portland? I bought another inner rod, I think maybe I’ll just do BOTH sides this coming weekend myself. I didn’t realize it was such a big deal to have shops replace a part, or do it right the first time. I don't know what it is about alignment shops that never seem to get it right.
Suggestions?
-Ryan