Smarting from trailing arm replacemnt charge
 

I took the 82 240D formerly known as Pancakes to a local repair and alignment shop to cure the pulling. (not my normal indy, but this shop has an alignment rack and in the past has been good at that). As I suspected it showed a bent trailing arm. I took over the part and they installed it, taking 2 weeks which I thought a bit excessive. I went to pick up the car and as I headed home I noticed a tap tap tapping which it had not had before and it still was pulling to the right. I went back and he said it needed the tires rotated and it would drive straight. So I asked him to see what was tapping and rotate the tires so I could verify it was tracking. First visit cost about $400. I felt this was just a little high maybe $40 or so but paid without complaining.

So it took them another 2 weeks in spite of the fact that they seem to not be doing much business these days. So I picked it up today and he said it would be another $100. I said what for? He said to get rid of the tapping they had to switch the sway bar link and in doing so broke a bolt and had to drill and tap it. I said I'd been working on these old Mercedes for 30 years and in all that time had broken maybe 2 bolts. He said nevertheless they broke in spite of them being careful. He charged me $15 to rotate the tires.

I was not feeling good about this now. So I asked for a test drive to verify the repairs. He said no, pay me and you can test it all you want.

So I paid him and came home but I am still a little peeved.

Am I being unfair to him?

is it tracking properly now?

Seems ok.

I think he should of at least got in the car with you for a test drive first. Then again maybe he does not need repeat or word of mouth new business.

He was angry by then....me too.

Well working on these old Mercedes could get a preacher cussing but that's no reason to disrespect a paying customer. By the way how bad did they botch the drill and replace bolt routine?

im thinking you might be a little too hard on the guy being upset about broken bolts. Im not sure how you've gotten along so well only breaking so few in your career of working on them, but ive broken hundreds at this point I believe. :D

I say let it go. He did sit on it a long time on two occasions, which is annoying, but at the same time these cars are not cost effective to work on in a shop trying to get stuff done on a schedule, and an old car always has a cascade of other stuff that will break as soon as you touch it. After leaving a shop, I barely break bolts now, as I can leave them to soak forever.

As long as the problem has been properly fixed, then id say call it even and don't use him again. Chances are the sway bar link was broken when they did the control arm, and they hoped you wouldn't notice because by then they were sick and tired of struggling with the control arm, cursing you the knowledgeable customer, and your old car. :D

I think the main problem here was "local repair and alignment shop".

Most of ours around here of that sort are pretty shady operations. I tend to go to the special German shop or the dealer only. (and neither if I can help it)

I haven't had a chance to have a good look at it.

It wasn't broken just loose and rattling. When I first picked the car up there was a new rattle and it still pulled after paying a little too much and waiting a little too long....and me probably hungry and crabby.;)

I resisted telling him I wouldn't be back because my normal Indy has no rack and I am not sure of my options on alignments.

I consider our local german specialist a little shady and the dealer....well the dealer is a dealer.;)

There's an alignment place here that's great, let's you watch, get's the work done right when you have an appointment, fair prices on most things (used them for some press work once, thought that was kinda pricey, when NAPA used to do it for free but they don't anymore, so I guess that's why). Their alignment guys are great though, and will let you drive it as often as you like. Last time I went out, and came back and said the steering wheel was off now, and they happily fixed it

Better than the almost $2000 I paid a local shop to remove, reman, and replace the turbo on my SDL because I was too lazy to pull it myself :rolleyes:

-J

I would consider $400 to replace a rear trailing arm a bargain.

:eek::eek::eek:

Its not even that hard to replace a turbo....maybe a few hours work. :eek:

I'm not even willing to pay for basic but unpleasant tasks. Maybe I am just that cheap. :D