Mechanic ripping me off?

[courierrelay]

Took my Citroen Relay in for MOT recently . I usually leave it with them and collect later. On collecting, the mechanic says it had passed but he had to fit new track rods, so whacked £90 on the bill. Just on closer inspection when I got a chance to look under it looks too me like nothing has been touched. There's like 5 year crust on the rods and ball joint, doesn't look like anything new or even clean under there. I'm no mechanic but wouldn't the front wheels need to come off also? Haven't washed the van for months so there's a good coating of brake dust and dirt on the wheels, but there's no sign of fingerprints on the wheel or hub caps. I don't want to burst in accusing people...but surely you'd be able to tell if that work had taken place.


What do you reckon?

Thanks

[courierrelay]

Also wouldn't the tracking need to be realigned? I know for a fact they don't have that equipment

[bobins]

Are you absolutely 100% sure he said it was track rods and/or track rod ends ? If it was track rod ends - or anything to do with the steering mechanism - then they'd realistically have to have the wheels off and there'd be signs of a little bit of a struggle at either end of the rack. Might be signs of something like PlusGas being sprayed on the threads, or fresh scratch marks where spanners or grips had been used. It's very much best practice to realign the steering after doing the track rod ends, but there's nothing to stop someone replacing them without realigning the steering - it's just that the wheel alignment will almost certainly be out.

[Stickyfinger]

?? Drop Links

[courierrelay]

Hi Bobins. Yes he said it was track rods. I've had a look under with a torch and every bolt, joint etc is crusted over . Can't see any sign of work being done. As i said, I'm no mechanic...but it seems odd

[bobins]

Have you checked both ends ? He might have just done one end. Not the easiest of things to do, but if you could take a photo or two over the weekend and post them up we can have a look - as you can imagine, it's a little difficult to confirm what he's done from this distance !

[Peter.N.]

I would ask him for clarification, I can't say that your mechanic is a rip off artist but many are. Ask him to show you what he changed, I would have thought he would have known the difference between track rods and drop links - but you never know.

Peter

[Bick]

just pop into another garage and ask them to check to see if the work has been done - many will do this for some bear tokens.

[GiveMeABreak]

Or ask him to see the old parts he removed.

I went to my trusted local mechanic recently to pick the car up after front discs and pads were done (pointed out after it originally went in for a non-standard bush in the pivot support) and when I arrived to pick her up, they were über anxious to show me the state of the old discs and pads in case they thought I would question them! I said, that's fine, no need to show me, I believe you - but they said you'd be surprised at how many do ask to see!

[picassodad]

Insist on having the old parts back!!!!!!!! did he seek your permission to fit new parts?????????

[myglaren]

Just had to have my alternator replaced. Apart from it working and being a nice shiny new one he had the old one in the (Lucas) box that the new one came in.
He usually keeps the old bits although I never question him or ask to see them, I've learned that he is completely trustworthy.

I expect he will send the old one to be refurbished, which is fair enough as I asked him to fit a new one and at the price he charged he can't have made much from the job.

I did tell him not to go to ECP for one of their suspect alternators.

[GiveMeABreak]

I did tell him not to go to ECP for one of their suspect alternators.

Amen to that Steve!

[Gibbo2286]

Or ask him to see the old parts he removed.

I went to my trusted local mechanic recently to pick the car up after front discs and pads were done (pointed out after it originally went in for a non-standard bush in the pivot support) and when I arrived to pick her up, they were über anxious to show me the state of the old discs and pads in case they thought I would question them! I said, that's fine, no need to show me, I believe you - but they said you'd be surprised at how many do ask to see!

The real crooks have a corner with all their buggered up parts ready to show to the doubters.

[GiveMeABreak]

I knew those were mine - as the owner / mechanics both commented words to the effect of "they're big bu**ers, those discs, huge"!

[Oldpug]

Hi Bobins. Yes he said it was track rods. I've had a look under with a torch and every bolt, joint etc is crusted over . Can't see any sign of work being done. As i said, I'm no mechanic...but it seems odd

Go straight back (bet they will be closed all next week) and ask him to show you the new parts he fitted.
If the track rods or ends were replaced the new parts would be easily identifiable. Also the steering tracking would have been reset.

the other thing is he should not have replaced anything without giving you a quote getting your permission first.