Problems with the truck..

[quest]

Sooo.. i bought my truck at the very end of April with 75000 miles. I got to Wyoming and it had a funny noise so i took it into the shop, turns out the noise was just whistling between the mirror and the truck but they found a buttload of things wrong with the front end. they replaced the upper and lower ball joints, the track bar, brake pads, hub assemblies, and maybe a few other parts. i also added a brake controller which altogether everything cost about 2200+. Well, fast forward 4500 miles and a few months later. I get this horrible shake in my truck and so I take it in and these guys put all types of things on the estimate inCLUDing the trakc bar, i'm a but suspicous since we just replaced the track bar so I take it to another place... this place we trust. Sure enough tons of parts need replacing including the track bar and the lower left ball joints that were already replaced. I've been back and forth between the two auto shops trying to get a faxed over receipt from the first place I went to and seeing if there is some kind of warantee or something. First guy says he'll try to refund some of my parts. He tried sending teh fax, it rang but didn't go through. The second guys are bugging me to get that info, and heck I just don't knowe what to do. I'm at ends wit on this truck and have spent about $1 in repairs for every mile i've drove it so far. I'm so ready to give up on vehicles altogether. To make matters worse my parents are covering the cost because they know i dont have the finances to do it, but they arent exactly in a great spot themselves, it is SOOO stressfull! Thanks for listening

[WashingtonBay]

I hate it when I am not sure I'm being told the truth... and on vehicles, that's a lot of the time, with strange mechanics.

If you find one you trust... stick with him! If he tries to move, marry him. :D (I can't do that with mine, but I would try to find him a cute single friend if it would help)

[quest]

Well i thought for sure i could trust the one in Wyoming, but then the guys here told me although it was obvious the track bar had been replaced, the upper and lower left ball joitns didn't look like it. We are sving the parts and the guy in Wyoming is gonna try get some of my money back on the parts. The problem is my mom trusts the people we took it to here and they are convinced that the guy in Wyoming was dishonest, and you never know who to believe!

[grandmadeb]

My daughter's car broke down up in the Adirondacks when she and friends went camping with their horses. Her alternator went and a dealership up there fixed it. Well she got most of the way home and the engine light came on. Had our local mechanic check it over and it needed an ALTERNATOR. Called the dealership that fixed it and told them that the one they put in was already gone.
They said they got it a NAPA and that they would fax the info to our NAPA and they replaced it. I did have to pay labor twice but only had to pay once for the part. It was very easily done So if the guy in Wyoming who replaced the ball joints etc. got them at a place like NAPA then they should be able to get you new ones. If they keep jerking you around, I would report them to the better Business Bureau.

[quest]

The guy I originally got the parts from in Wyoming got them at carquest. He was gonna talk to the guy there to see if I could get a refund, just gotta keep the parts of course. The guy in Wyoming is real nice and has been helpful, i know he tried faxing the info over because I was on the phone when he was trying it and he said it wasn't going through and they said at the car place here there was a fax trying to come in several times but they never got it. It kind of sucks being in the middle of it all!

[quest]

Well, the place the truck is at right now is going to take pictures of the parts that were "replaced" and email them to us, when we get those pictures ill call the guy who initially "replaced" them and send them to him. He couldn't get the estimate faxed over, maybe he can email that over though.

[SedonaThunder]

Sorry for the bad news Jill... I hope you get some of that money back. Hang in there!

[shiver]

I just went through this same problem. I tell my husband the only thing I can't handle easily when he is gone is car problems. I know some stuff but not how to install them or what looks broke or not!! And that is the important stuff. What makes it worse is my husband is always telling me I got ripped off and he will fix it when he gets home(in March):eek: So I just finally traded the bugger in and got a new one!!

I know you can't do that. But I love the idea of taking the pictures and sending them to the first place. This is what I can tell you.
1. Thank your parents. It means a lot to them ( I'm sure you already have)
2. Understand that your parents want to help you.
3. Go with your gut. When you don't know anything else. Follow it. It is usually right.
4. Chalk this whole thing up to life experiences. And be prepared it will probably happen again.
5. When you get a chance take a basic auto repair class. Enough that you can at least know how to fix minor stuff and know when someone is trying to pull one over on you. It will be one of the most used classes you ever take.

Good luck, and hugs!!

[quest]

Thanks shiver!
I DEFINETELY appreciate my parents help and thank them all the time, i love my mom and this last year we have become really close. They know I want to be as financially independent as possible, and it sucks because of my surgery this week I had to hold back on getting work since I got back to Spokane.
I usually have a very good intuition about people and it really sucks because the guy in Wyoming seemed real trustworthy, I know a lot of people who have been going to him for a long time and he has done a lot of little things to help me out with the truck as well. He has been real helpful and even talking to him through this whole mess he has been real helpful and willing to give me any information that I ask for without hesitation. It definetely sucks to know this stuff does always happen. One thing I will tell you I have learned is to get a vehicle checked out before buying it!
After this whole fiasca I am seriously considering learning some auto stuff. For just the reason you say, I'm sick of not knowing whether or not a part is new/broke/used/replaced/etc. It would be nice if someone else could put the part in but I could know if it was put it right or actually replaced in the first place, or whether or not it actualy needed to be fixed before I brought it in. right now the frustrating thing is just not knowing how the whole situation is gonna pan out and wondering whether or not I can get a refund on some of those parts.

[shiver]

You have a good head on your shoulders so I know you are going to be fine. Just look at buying and maintaining cars like horses.

1. When you buy a new horse you never believe what the owner says unless you know the person well.
2. You always get a vet check.
3. If the horse is of great value you get insurance.
4. When you have a problem it is cheaper and better to call the vet out right away.
5. And if you treat your horse well and keep it well maintained the horse lives longer.
6. The more information on how a horse thinks/works is better for you both in the long run!!
7. Take lessons.

lol... you get what I'm trying to say!!Thanks shiver!
I DEFINETELY appreciate my parents help and thank them all the time, i love my mom and this last year we have become really close. They know I want to be as financially independent as possible, and it sucks because of my surgery this week I had to hold back on getting work since I got back to Spokane.
I usually have a very good intuition about people and it really sucks because the guy in Wyoming seemed real trustworthy, I know a lot of people who have been going to him for a long time and he has done a lot of little things to help me out with the truck as well. He has been real helpful and even talking to him through this whole mess he has been real helpful and willing to give me any information that I ask for without hesitation. It definetely sucks to know this stuff does always happen. One thing I will tell you I have learned is to get a vehicle checked out before buying it!
After this whole fiasca I am seriously considering learning some auto stuff. For just the reason you say, I'm sick of not knowing whether or not a part is new/broke/used/replaced/etc. It would be nice if someone else could put the part in but I could know if it was put it right or actually replaced in the first place, or whether or not it actualy needed to be fixed before I brought it in. right now the frustrating thing is just not knowing how the whole situation is gonna pan out and wondering whether or not I can get a refund on some of those parts.

[quest]

Yeah, I get what your trying to say ;) I talked to another friend who's husband is a mechanic, we are pretty sure that he only replaced a few of the parts that he claimed to "replace" and if he had indeed replaced those parts i paid to have replaced, the track bar would still be in good condition and not worn out. I'll get this dealy settled and try to get my money back on a number of things

[Annie&Dixie]

I'm no good for advice but I'm sorry!! I hope it starts getting better soon, at least you've got some help :)

[42many]

If you find one you trust... stick with him! If he tries to move, marry him. (I can't do that with mine, but I would try to find him a cute single friend if it would help)

That's what I did! :) I didn't know he was a mechanic when I met him, but it turned out great when I married him... :p

He doesn't do mechanic work anymore (too little money for too much work!) but he still doesn't even want me to get my oil changed somewhere unless I absolutely have to because he's out of town. He just doesn't trust most general repair shops and oil change places. He has found that some will sometimes use lower grade oil than he wants us to get & pay for and most always try to talk you into getting more stuff done, often that doesn't need doing. He once changed the brake pads on a car a week before he took it in for an oil change (while we were in the process of moving) and they tried to get him to buy new ones! I think it was the same place who offered to "top up" the fluid levels on everything... for about 2.5 TIMES what it would cost for him just to do it himself. Sheesh.

[quest]

Anyone know of any single, cute, mechanics in there 20s? lol Marrying a mechanic is so far the only advice i got that WONT get me in this situation again lol