(BTW, I have 2001 Accord EX-V6 Coupe)

I'm sorry, it's a long story, but here goes.

I hit a curb with the driver's-side front wheel and damaged the rim, but not the tire.
(I was swerving out of the way to avoid someone coming at me in my lane)
I took it to a body shop and the insurance paid for the repairs - after this my ride felt good as new. (I got 4 new tires, rims, etc) The new rims were about the same price as the single damaged BBS rim I had on.

A couple months later (with very light driving) I went to get inspection and was told I needed new brakes. Got them done at Midas, asked if they'd put on Brembo rotors and pads if I got them elsewhere. The manager talked me in to going with their lifetime warranty brakes.

Again, car felt fine after this.

Then my gf takes my car to the post office and while she's stopped, waiting for someone to finish pulling out so she can park some guy backs out and slams into my car, hitting only the same wheel with the corner of his bumper, and moving my car about 3 feet. He was nice about it, apologized, and even called his insurance company to let them know the details of the accident (including that it was his fault).

The car still drives ok, but the alignment is questionable. To be on the safe side we have an insurance adjuster take a look, who does this when no one is home. He determines it needs a new control arm and I take it to Midas for a second opinion, assuming it would need an alignment as well. So, Midas looks at it, drives it, etc, and says it only needs the control arm. They replace the control arm and I pick it up after hours.

In order to drive straight now, I need to turn the wheel hard left to get the car to go straight. I figure they just did the work with the wheel not centered and I can live with it until the next time I need an oil change. Also, a co-worker informs me that when driving behind me, they see a large plastic piece 'flapping' under the front of my car.

2 months later I take it back to Midas for my oil change and tell them about the steering issue. They tell me I need an alignment and my shocks are leaking, so I pay the arm + leg to get those fixed and ask why they didn't notice the shocks when they did the control arm. They deftly avoid the question and counter with, "well, there's no way to prove that the shocks didn't just start leaking on your way over" (or something like that) Oh, AND the driver's side tire has worn down along the inner edge to past the tread. So I had to buy 2 more new tires.

I get my car back after this repair and the steering wheel now has to be turned slightly to the right to go straight.

So I take it back to Midas at my next oil change and simple put "DECLINE" under the alignment on my receipt. The lady explained that the tech may have done that just because it didn't need it.

I drive through some snow, and the plastic piece (the piece under the engine area) rips right off, but appears to be undamaged. I put it in my trunk and put my car away for the rest of the winter.

I take my car out last month and take it to Midas to get my Inspection and to ask them to again check the alignment.

I'm told my car now needs a new driver's side rear bearing, 4 wheel alignment, 2 new tires, and a camber kit because now the passenger front tire is worn past the tread along the inside. And I tell them about the plastic piece, which they say they'll put back on.

So, I use my tax rebate to pay for all that crap, after convincing them I shouldn't have to pay for the alignment because they did it the first time, and were told my steering wheel was still crooked.

Now, my steering wheel is STILL off exactly the same way when I brought it in!!

I'm not an auto-guru, but it seems to me all these problems are stemming from the control arm repair they did. (And as far as the bearing replacement goes - at first they told me it was my rotor on that tire that was warped, then never mentioned the rotor again after I explained they had done them somewhat recently, and the soft grinding sound when turning the wheel one direction is caused by the front tires hitting some hanging plastic, that was apparently holding on the piece that fell off)

If you have any questions, please ask, or any suggestions, please tell me. I'm not really the type for confrontation, but if I were, I would have probably torn them a new one the day after they did the control arm repair, and again when I discovered the plastic piece in front flapping when I drive.

Thanks,
Dave


Modified by Davz at 3:48 PM 5/21/2008

 

I know this isn't going to help you now, but you should avoid taking your car to places like Midas, Meineke, etc. Only a few of those shops are run by competent auto mechanics. You need to find a good, independent mechanic. Try using cartalk's mechanics files to search in your area:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/find.html

Hopefully someone else can address your problem! Good luck.

 

wow, you wait too long to get this stuff looked at. If its not fixed after you get it back, go back and complain. Dont wait so long to take it back. I wouldnt get work done at that Midas again.
Take it back and tell them that they did not do it correctly.

 

Sorry to hear about your problem.

Everytime I use to go to Midas by my house they use to make me pay around $150 to $300 for each trip. Sometimes it was the inner tie rod, the outter tie rod, they love to tell you your wheel cylinders in the rear (if you have shoes) are leaking. The rip your axcel boot and make you pay for changing it.

Never take to midas or most franchise auto repair. There are always very few exceptions but my overall experence has been very bad.

Only positive I got out it was motivating me to do it my self. Only time I have to take it to a mechanic is for alignment or something like that.

They are rip you off. Always ask them for the part they replace. Take that part and verify that came from your car.

If you can have someone mark the parts they think thats defective and see if they actually replace it or not.

Best of Luck

 

Wow. So how much have you spent to date, and what exactly has Midas supposedly done? And of course, unless you need a muffler… don’t go to a muffler shop.

So the question is simple, what do you do now? Talk to friends and family, see who they use and find a new mechanic. One not affiliated with a franchise. If you can't find one, bite the proverbial bullet and go to the dealer - you need the car fixed correctly. The dealer's prices will be higher but it will be done right the first time.

 

use a credit card next time, do a chargeback, call it a day. Call the Midas and offer them 2 resolutions, deal with CC company or deal with you and get the **** fixed right.

Midas > Nothing.

 

Brilliant idea, don't go back to Midas

 

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I used to go to a private mechanic, but their shop closed. And before Midas "fixed" my control arm I haven't had a problem with them. (Aside from wanting $300 to fix the window regulator in my gf's Sonata - I did it in about 45 min, after spending $55 for a brand new one on eBay)

One really nice thing about them is they look at the car for free. Which, around here is a rarity. Most places want from $50 -$100 just to look at it.

I was wondering if anyone thinks it's unusual to change the control arm without doing an alignment?

 

A lot of places will do one end of the work and not even either do or suggest the remainder. It really depends on whether or not the person running the place or doing the work has their **** together.

 

I'm sorry, but the dealer has really left a bad taste in my mouth. They wanted an insane amount to do rotors and pads on my car, but that's a pricing issue, not much they can do about that.

The problem I have with the local dealer (Middletown Honda) is that they told me I needed to replace my timing belt at about 60k miles. I mean it may have been in need of replacement, but I asked them why my manual says I should replace it at 100k. They didn't have an answer for me as to why I should replace it 40,000 miles earlier than recommended.

The other problem I have with the dealer is that they're just plain outright liars. My brother has basically the same car as me, except his is a 2000 (Accord EX V6 Coupe). He was having a problem where the alarm would arm 5 minutes after all the doors being closed (even if the car was left unlocked). I also noticed an unusual looking button by the trunk-pop lever. This should have been a dead giveaway that someone had installed an aftermarket alarm in the vehicle. The dealer charged $80 to look at it (we explained about the button when we brought it in), and then they tried to tell us that the alarm was working exactly as it does on all Hondas. So, I lean under the dash and sitting RIGHT THERE is the brain of the aftermarket alarm.
It would have been one thing to say "We don't work with aftermarket alarms" or "Yes, the alarm is acting funny, but we won't look at it". ANYTHING would have been better than lying to our faces about it.

My brake light was coming on - that's when they said I needed all new pads and rotors, when that didn't fix the problem, they charged me for a new brake master cylinder cap and never called me when it came in. I changed my brake fluid and *poof* the light went out and stayed out.

That's why I won't take it to the dealer anymore.