1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Need New Repair Shop After They Told Me Brakes Were Fine

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by lhfarm, Apr 16, 2018.

  1. Apr 16, 2018
    lhfarm

    lhfarm Sponsor

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2006
    Messages:
    218
    I'm selling (have a buyer) my 77 CJ7 Quadra Trac. Haven't driven it much since summer and too busy with other projects to get it read to sell. Took it to my regular repair shop to have the drum brakes checked, since I had a hard pedal. After two days of them telling me that the brakes were fine, I paid them $45 and drove home.

    The buyer is from out of town and hasn't driven the Jeep. I told him about the brakes and he asked that I get them repaired. I agreed that was the right thing to do. So started looking here and elsewhere for reasons for a hard pedal. It appeared that it had to be a lack of engine vacuum or the vacuum check valve, since brake operations (at the wheels) and the vacuum booster appeared to be operating correctly (pump pedal with engine off and keep light pressure on brakes, then start engine and pedal moves forward).

    Couldn't find a check valve kit listed for the Jeep, so headed to the nearest parts store. It happened to be Auto Zone and I got lucky. The guy behind the counter was actually knowledgeable and $5 later I as on my way home. Took 2 minutes to replace the valve and all is well.

    Going to call the shop this morning. I should have know after the first time they told me the brakes where fine that they had no idea about working on old cars. I have used them for my "modern" vehicles and had great luck. But I wouldn't trust them again for any CJ work.
     
  2. Apr 16, 2018
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2003
    Messages:
    9,754
    Since the advent of computers people have lost the willingness and ability to diagnose problems with logical thought. I see it all the time.

    Data is not knowledge. But it has become power.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2018
    dozerjim likes this.
  3. Apr 16, 2018
    lhfarm

    lhfarm Sponsor

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2006
    Messages:
    218
    Well, it was a disappointing conversation. I started by saying that I had sold the Jeep only after I fixed the brakes and that the problem was the vacuum check valve. He said he would make a note of that so they would consider it as a possible cause of a problem. No apology, no let us give your money back - nothing. This is a shop I've been using for a decade. Granted the front office has changed and I don't think the original owners are still involved in the day to day operation.

    This is a small town and I'm not going to have a lot of choices in a new shop. And there is the fact that always before I have had good luck.
     
  4. Apr 16, 2018
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Did you ask for your money back?
     
  5. Apr 16, 2018
    montanacj

    montanacj Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2012
    Messages:
    794
    You can’t fix stupid, sounds like the shop is c techs that only know how to follow directions or load parts cannon.
     
  6. Apr 16, 2018
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2006
    Messages:
    5,798
    I find your experience disappointing, but not unexpected.

    I know a lot of mechanics. They are not dumb, but if you don't work on something for a long time or never have seen it before, you either lose the knowledge or never had it. How many vehicles over 15 years old do these guys ever see anymore?

    I don't even try to get anyone to work on my stuff ever. Its not that I am so smart or even good at what I do. Its just that other people aren't going to make money off me for how much effort they junk i would bring in would cause them, so they either don't try or do a bad job.

    I can do a bad job all day every day and do it for free, but at the end of that time I will have fixed it well enough and understand what the issue is.

    When i tell my mechanic friends who have done that line of work for 15 years that I rebuilt manual transmissions or differentials, they can't believe it because in all that time they never attempted it.
     
    Danefraz and ITLKSEZ like this.
  7. Apr 17, 2018
    lhfarm

    lhfarm Sponsor

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2006
    Messages:
    218
    I didn't. They just charged me $45. I've done a lot of business with this shop over the years. One of the owners bought my wife's car, because he knew it and how well it had been maintain. I had taken it in for a pre-sale inspection and told him I was selling it. And I think there lies the problem; I haven't seen either of the owners in my last few visits. I may try contacting him.

    The irony here is that this shop found and fixed a brake problem on my F150 that the dealer couldn't. So I think they know newer stuff, but should not even try to work on older vehicles.

    Back to the original question, I wasn't worried about the money as much as the fact that I have a written statement saying the brakes are operating normally. Clearly they weren't, but "Kyle" just wouldn't acknowledge that fact.
     
  8. Apr 17, 2018
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    Not taking sides, but it sounds like you have had both good experiences and now a bad experience. $45 for an inspection is about $20 less than normal for shop rates. He didn't know what the cause for the hard pedal was, but the brakes did work... Right? Did they inspect the brake shoes? If they looked good and the Jeep stopped, he obviously didn't know any better OR it wasn't worth the time of further trouble shooting? It think you got off cheap if he had it for 2 days.

    No apology... His hurt pride maybe? :shrug:

    I do as much work as possible on all my vehicles... I'm too cheap to pay for the diagnostic fees.

    I replaced the fuel pump on my wife's Caravan. The pump is located inside the tank and I got it for about a hundred bucks or so on Amazon. A co-worker had his car (Audi something) die at work the other day and wanted me to look at it. He thought he had a bad battery, but it cranked just fine. I told him it sounds like you're not getting fuel, you probably have a bad fuel pump? He had it towed to a shop and they replaced the fuel pump, he spent about $1,500. I felt pretty bad that I didn't help him, but our schedules are opposite right now and he only has the one car and needed it done quick.
     
    Danefraz, 47v6 and ITLKSEZ like this.
New Posts