Is It Me Or Is Mavis That Bad!!

[FZ1riderNY]

I just had new tires mounted and balance on the 86' Olds Cutlass on Wednesday. I figured that since I just had new ball joints installed plus other front end parts, I should do an alignment. I had the car pulling to the right so I didn't want to drive it much. I drove to work this morning and dropped the car off at Mavis at 8:00am. All I needed was a thrust alignment done. I picked the car up at 1:00pm and the guy tells me that I have "Radial Hook"! I asked him if it was contagious. He said that after doing the alignment and setting the car back to factory specs, it still pulled to the right due to this Radial Hook thing. He gave me some computer printout with before and after graphs of the car's alignment showing everything within tolerances. A fancy way to say they did the job I believe. He told me that he switched the tires to the other side and it only slightly pulls now. I was already starting to brew so I just took the car and left. On the way home on the parkway, I called them while driving to tell them that the car is coming back and that this time they are going to get someone capable of doing an alignment to do the job. I couldn't even stay in the lane not to mention the vibration that I now have after having none whatsoever before. Jesus! Can't anyone do their job correctly anymore????, or is it just me. He told me no problem, just to bring it back. Another day I have to waste over there. Good Grief! Thanks for letting me vent. :cuss:

 

[BroHay]

The thing I love is when I've been to one place a few times and even though I'm a customer, I can tell the associate the steps they need to in order to check me out and send me on my way....

That, and getting the drive thru people who seem to take your whole order, and then tell you to wait while they process, and have you start over again....and still get it wrong.

I don't think it will get any better in the immediate future....a shame :shame:

 

[Lonerider59]

Some cars have very fussy suspension systems. A nasty chuck-hole can raise cain with them. My wife always insists on taking her car to the guy down the street and I always insist on going to a tech. who works for a dealership who sells what I have. It may be that whoever you are going to doesn't have all the tools and know-how to work on your car. In that case you are wasting your time

 

[FZ1riderNY]

Some cars have very fussy suspension systems. A nasty chuck-hole can raise cain with them. My wife always insists on taking her car to the guy down the street and I always insist on going to a tech. who works for a dealership who sells what I have. It may be that whoever you are going to doesn't have all the tools and know-how to work on your car. In that case you are wasting your time

I believe in this instance that its the technician (using that term loosely) that can't operate the machine. I saw the alignment rack. It's fully computerized and not to mention that my car is 23 years old. You can't get much simpler than that. Mavis is a huge place with centers all over the NY area. I think they need to hire new mechanics. I am sure that this will be my last trip to them even though my company has an account with them and that they are located within walking distance of my job. The shame is that if you take your car to your regular mechanic to have an alignment done, he'll probably send it to one of these places anyway. Like Adam says, it really is a shame.

 

[NJFZ1]

I believe in this instance that its the technician (using that term loosely) that can't operate the machine. I saw the alignment rack. It's fully computerized and not to mention that my car is 23 years old. You can't get much simpler than that. Mavis is a huge place with centers all over the NY area. I think they need to hire new mechanics. I am sure that this will be my last trip to them even though my company has an account with them and that they are located within walking distance of my job. The shame is that if you take your car to your regular mechanic to have an alignment done, he'll probably send it to one of these places anyway. Like Adam says, it really is a shame.

Billy this is the problem with these big chains. They have good equipment, but most of the time the techs are not good. I had a similar experience a few years ago at the local ETD store. Took them two attempts to align the car. Needless to say they never got any of my business again...

 

[FZ1riderNY]

Billy this is the problem with these big chains. They have good equipment, but most of the time the techs are not good. I had a similar experience a few years ago at the local ETD store. Took them two attempts to align the car. Needless to say they never got any of my business again...

Thats what I'm talking about. If you saw this alignment rack, you would drool being a car guy. What a shame it's being wasted on techs that don't know how to operate it. On my 86' Olds, there were guys who could get it dead on without a machine using drop lines and plumb-bobs. I've seen it done before on my 76 Chevy Malibu Classic back in the day. You were able to drive and cut a diamond at the same time. My Olds is about as simple as you can get when it comes to suspension and alignment. Then they have the nerve to give me some bogus printout that could probably be altered manually to say whatever they want.

 

[BroHay]

Ok, my Saturday am experience was taking my wife's car in to fix a flat. Took it to a new tire shop less than 2 miles from home. Check in, give information, and few minutes tech is walking out with some piece of equipment. 10 minutes later he returns the ticket but the car has not moved from where I parked it.

"sir your vehicle is ready"
"how did you fix the tire? The vehicle has not moved"
"sir, it does not require to be moved for a flash repair"
"what is a flash repair?"
"resetting of you tire sensor"
"ok, I understand that has to be done after a flat has been fixed"
"sir, you did not indicate this when the ticket was generated upon check-in"
"so under comments where it says driver's side rear is losing air possible problem could be foreign object or from a plug he installed. "

so apparently you generate your own workload based on what one feels like doing at that time.

20.00 for a flash repair (which there device was not able to do for it was outside the specified model year or 11.49 for a new plug (Jack/remove/leak test/plug/install)

:wtf: ....that ain't right