meineke

markdi

Natural born thread killer
went to meineke yesterday.

i spyed a thrift store near a meineke.

they do brakes oil changes mufflers etc.

some sort of chain store.

I needed a oil change and they offered to inspect my brakes

19.95 oil change.

I said ok change the oil and inspect my brakes.

They took forever - i walked around for 2.5 hours.

They were not busy 1 customer besides me.

I saw my car was parked out front so i went inside to pay and get my keys.

They told me i needed brakes and that drive shafts and constant velocity joints needed to be replaced because they could hear slop when they took my car off the hoist and parked it.

Before i went to mienke My car worked fine and sounded fine to me.

I said ok paid them got my keys.

As i was driving away something was making some noise.

I thought to my self that they took a crowbar to my cv joints and i was screwed.

Instead if driving onto division st i turned to go around and back towards minakee to complain.

My drivers front wheel fell off and the car ground to a halt.

What if i would have pulled onto division st.

Coulda have been killed.

A lady who does consignment with the thrift store loaned me her camera
and told me they ripped off her passenger door backing her car into one of their bays.

They put the wheel on and put the car on the lift - showed me nuthin was wrong.

They took a hour and a half inspecting it and i walked arround a lot

This would make more sense but drinkin with a buddy right now.

I saw it - my car - parked out front again.

They gave me my keys and 20 bucks back.

I went to drive away and the passenger rear wheel started wobbling and i stopped - loose lug nuts.

Hour later i got to go home.

Why me ?

My car seems like it is ok.

I better quit my friend is wondering.
 
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We had a "Lube tech" ( did oil changes and tire rotations) at the dealership I previously worked at. The guy was a junkie. he left lug nuts and oil plugs loose, pissed of some customers and even eventually got fired.

I quit shortly after the owner insisted I replace a transmission that I knew was good. Couldn't stand that place.
 
As long as the CV joint rubber boots are not torn or leaking and there is no clicking / popping noise while turning they are likely just fine. Find a parking lot and make a sharp left and right turn and listen for clicking.

"Heard slop" when thy pulled the car off of the lift sounds like BS to me that's not how CV joints are checked.

Get a second opinion on the brakes, since the guy who inspected everything is utterly incompetent.

Have them check that the oil plug and oil filter are tightened correctly, if the guy screwed that up then the engine wont last very long. Have them check for any other damage that the wheel falling off might have caused.
 
I go to a chain place to change my oil and I'm polite to them when they try and tell me that I need this or that.

But I also have a real mechanic, with a real shop, and real well trained techs working for him. Almost everything suggested by the chain oil change place has been done by my mechanic within the past few years, or isn't considered to be that big of a deal by the mechanic.

Hey, my car purrs so...

I don't trust those chain places to do anything but change the oil and top off the fluids.
 
i think they over filled the oil by 1 quart
why did i not check this yesterday
 
I wouldn't trust any of those places to even check tire pressure. I've watched them start drain plugs back in with air tools and cross thread the pan instantly. Oil pans can get expensive. Or even worse, they try to heli-coil, oversize plug or rubber plug it. Plus, you're going to get the absolutely cheapest oil filter they can find.

Most dealerships have oil change specials. They may be a few bucks more and they will also try to upsell you, but you'll get a quality filter and oil and a lesser chance of damage.
 
because they could hear slop when they took my car off the hois

The slop they heard was the wheel they left loose falling off. You're lucky there was no body damage.

I used to use Meineke for the 20 dollar oil change. Last time I went a month later my valves/lifters were clattering, my oil was 4 quarts low ! I'm babying my truck now wondering everyday when it's going to quit.

If you want it done right you have to do it yourself. Crooks and dumb asses abound.
 
After Monroe marred up my brand new wheels, broke the chrome caps off 3 of my new lug nuts, and didn't even balance the wheels correctly, which is the reason I took the car there, I will not let ANYONE else touch my vehicle. Not to mention, the manager basically told me tough shit when I showed him what happened. He said it was "impossible" to remove those wheels without marring them.:bs: I said bull shit, you use a thin walled socket!

After being told all this, I became VERY irate and was told to leave before they called the cops.:mad:
 
I've heard this complaint for years. Those chain store repair shops are out for one thing. Your money. I take my vehicle to the dealer knowing full well I'm paying a premium in repair costs but it's worth it to me because the repairs are done right the first time with no hassles. On the off chance I have a problem and have to return the vehicle, I get a free rental to use until they correct any problem.
 
I am afraid to read my first post.

I was pretty drunk last night :D

The pretty young female cashier said the manager would call me.

never happened

I should have checked all my lug nuts and oil level before I drove home.

my oil level is at least 1 quart too high.

this can cause problems.
 
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I take my van to Meinike but my friends son works there so I don't worry
about it. The OP's experience can happen anywhere, even at the dealer.
 
This issue of taking one's auto to a chain service establishment and getting incompetent or even dangerous service comes up here every now and then. There's an easy answer to solve it - don't go there. I've never been to one in my life.

Here, there's an old-school mom and pop repair shop and an old-school gas station right in town that perform competent service. Staffed with adult mechanics that know what they're doing. Neither one does a $19.95 oil change; it might cost $30 but at least you don't have to fear for the safety of your car or self after getting service done.

And, none of that silliness of "you should have your power steering flushed." Brakes? On many cars you can clearly see the pads just by taking a peek through the spokes of the wheel or at worst, lift the car up and take a look from the inside. Fair warning, you might get your hand dirty. :) Use a floor jack and a jack stand for cryin' out loud.

Or, go to the dealer like others have suggested. It's in the dealer's best interests to have a happy customer. Chain stores? Not so much as there are plenty more sheep, I mean customers to shear.

Murray
 
Most dealers offer power steering/brake/radiator flushes. It's a good idea to get rid of old fluids and any accumulated debris.
 
This issue of taking one's auto to a chain service establishment and getting incompetent or even dangerous service comes up here every now and then. There's an easy answer to solve it - don't go there. I've never been to one in my life.

Here, there's an old-school mom and pop repair shop and an old-school gas station right in town that perform competent service. Staffed with adult mechanics that know what they're doing. Neither one does a $19.95 oil change; it might cost $30 but at least you don't have to fear for the safety of your car or self after getting service done.

And, none of that silliness of "you should have your power steering flushed." Brakes? On many cars you can clearly see the pads just by taking a peek through the spokes of the wheel or at worst, lift the car up and take a look from the inside. Fair warning, you might get your hand dirty. :) Use a floor jack and a jack stand for cryin' out loud.

Or, go to the dealer like others have suggested. It's in the dealer's best interests to have a happy customer. Chain stores? Not so much as there are plenty more sheep, I mean customers to shear.

Murray

ya i know how to do my own brakes and oil changes.
I was being lazy
 
These chains are so sloppy and incompetent, I don't trust them. I learn to do my own before I do that. I refuse for our radio group vehicles to go there. Only mechanics I trust get to wrench on them.
 
What kind of car do you have?

This is a pretty serious issue with serious damage. The car dragged something on the ground that likely was not designed to be dragged on the ground. The studs/hub/wheel were all subjected to forces they were not designed for, and are also likely damaged (wheels/studs especially).

If this happened to me, I would turn it straight in to my insurance company, and let them deal with it. The only other option is the shop insurance, and that generally tends to be a big headache too (one that your own insurance company would deal with once your deductible is fulfilled).

To get this resolved right, you MUST act quickly and decisively. Lawyers may be leery to pick it up though as there was no injury, so money isn't as easy to wring out of the case.
 
98 nissan 200sx
I was going 2 - 3 mph when the wheel came off

A rock shield on the bottom of the rotor was untouched

They over filled my oil
I think i need to drain a quart out
 
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