If a mechanic puts 4 new tires on car w/balance/allign... is it reasonable to

[zonkers]

expect him to have inspected the brakes and tell me that 2 rotors are shot and that the rear seals are leaking? He knew my sis was going on a long road trip and that was the only reason for getting the new tires. I know she should have said inspect the brakes...

Am I crazy for thinking that is what a mechanic is supposed to do?

[B Calm]

1. I would be happy if they would just tighten

the lug nuts down and my wheel don't go flying off as I drive down the road.

[Major Nikon]

2. Reasonable, yes. Does it happen? Not that often

Most mechanics today are given a job to do and they do it. Some go the extra step to inform customers of potential problems and others will report non-problems so that they can sell other products and services (usually at inflated prices).

It's a good idea to find a good mechanic and establish a relationship with them regarding your vehicles. They should keep good records, but you should also keep your own. You should also establish a regular inspection interval for your vehicle(s) depending on how much you drive them just to check systems that fail and wear out regularly. Your owner's manual is a good place to start along with your mechanic's recommendations. Cars are more reliable today, but that still doesn't mean you can simply keep them filled with gas and fix problems only when the car breaks down.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. another reason to keep records and receipts

is so you can tell the shop mechanic who claims you need new brakes RIGHT NOW
that you had new brakes installed 2 months previously..
at the same damn shop!

Dishonest menchanics really assume a woman knows nothing about cars.

[elleng]

4. SHOULD be,

don't know if it is. Others can comment on that.

My mechanic does it all, finds and informs about everything. He knows I want the car to be my last, and seems to have accepted thoroughness as his 'job.'

[csziggy]

5. It should be reasonable - but don't expect it

Years ago when I took my Datsun (yeah THAT many years ago) into the dealer for servicing (had to go to the dealer because no one else in town had the metric attachments and tools to work on a Japanese car) they couldn't lube the thing because even THEY didn't have the right fittings. The service manager knew I was taking a trip - I had talked with him about it being the first out of town trip I was making alone in that Datsun.

But no one bothered to tell me they had not lubed the vehicle. On the way back home, the car started acting odd, as if something was dragging. When I pulled over at a gas station to figure out what was wrong, the axle was GLOWING with heat. Once it cooled, the wheel bearing were welded in a solid mass.

Skipping the lube job on that car cost me an axle - which took a week to be shipped from the nearest port. The Datsun dealer disavowed any responsibility. After all, they pointed out, they had not charged for a lube job. Yeah, it took even the service manager an hour to decipher the mechanic's handwriting and decide there was no mention of a lube job - I couldn't read any of that scrawl.

While the Datsun was a good little car, I nearly sold it before I found a reliable mechanic NOT working for that dealer who COULD work on Japanese cars. But I told that story to everyone I knew that even considered buying a Datsun - I think I cost them a few dozen sales and a LOT of service work over the years before that dealership changed hands.

Don't trust the mechanic to tell you about stuff outside of what the main job is on the ticket. While you'd think they would love to do all that extra, expensive work that would make them more money, they may be pressed for time, oblivious to anything other than the main job, or they may just not give a shit.

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. I have no idea how a lube job could save a wheel bearing or axle.

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I am a retired licensed mechanic - both for auto and trucks.

Started my apprenticeship in 1970, and got my licenses in '75 - yeah - THAT long ago . . .

Datsun has not been made with that name since 1986 . . .

If I remember correctly, they were rear wheel drive.

A normal lube job mostly covers just steering linkage and suspension - as well as check fluid levels in the rear end and tranny if one is thorough.

Greasing front wheel bearings is a time-consuming, expensive and SEPARATE operation completely.

Rear axle bearings are either fed oil from the rear axle, or sealed.

Neither front nor rear are capable of being lubricated with fittings.

So this whole diary of a failed bearing/axle makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Bearing/axle failure was certainly not from the lack of a normal lube job.

CC

[csziggy]

7. I'm not a mechanic and probably have the term wrong

The mechanic who replaced the axle told me 40 years ago that the part of the axle that froze up should have had grease applied when the car was serviced. Since the car had just been serviced he was surprised that the area was completely dry. I've always thought of it as a "lube" job - I must be completely wrong in that term. The service manager was the one who told me they didn't have the right equipment to do the lubrication. He agreed with the mechanic that the part needed it.

I watched that car being serviced in years following - the mechanic attached a grease gun to a fitting on the axle and put grease in it.

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. Got me curious now - do you know the model? 510 - 240Z -

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Here's a 71 510




Here's 71 240Z



ring any bells?

Of note: - Datsun had independent suspension on most of their rear axles, so there would be what would be normally called driveshafts - with universal joints going from the rear axle/differential to each wheel.

look similar to this - one shaft going to each wheel



Give ya something to ponder anyhoo!

CC

[csziggy]

9. Oh my - we gave the car away 37 years ago!

It was a Datsun station wagon - probably a 1969 or 70. The front end on that 510 looks about right - and the 510 came in a station wagon in 69-70. According to the Wikipedia article "wagons had a solid rear live axle and leaf springs in back" - would that make a difference?

Now I am wondering if my memory of what they said caused the freeze up was correct - it's been a lot of decades since then!

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. Here's a picture of a 71 Wagon

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It sold for over 10 grand in 2011 - old Datsuns are collectors items now!

Oh - and IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) was available as an option, but rare because of the cost.

Solid rear axle would have NO grease fittings available,

but the IRS would have.

I suspect memory is a factor here.

I'm a mechanic at heart - most people just drive their cars - I friggen analyze them!

Maybe too much . . .



CC

[csziggy]

11. My parents bought the Datsun used in maybe 74-75

I'm not sure how much they paid. They'd gotten me a Toyota Corolla which was not a suitable car for me (see below). When my sister totalled her VW Bug, the Datsun was the best deal they found, so I traded the Corolla for the station wagon.

I have to say it had great suspension which was good. I drove it as an off road vehicle, loaded it to the gills with feed & hay, hauled goats in the back, and pretty near killed it (I generally drive my vehicles to death - the previous victim was a 1968 Buick Skylark I treated the same way until it flat out refused to run anymore) before we donated to the local tech school for their students to play with.

It could have had an upgraded suspension and I never would have known. I remember that the replacement axle cost a significant percentage of what they paid for the Datsun in the first place - I was in college and my parents foot the bill on it.

That's one reason I remember the contention about the servicing not being complete - my Dad gave me a hard time about not getting it taken care of until I showed him the receipt. He insisted I take it back to the dealer to try to get part of the axle cost back. So I was caught in the middle since my parents were not in the town where I lived - and the car broke down half way between the towns.

The two parts I am certain about are the glowing axle and that the dealer admitted that they should have done something that would have lubricated it but didn't have the correct tools or fittings - but that since they didn't charge me they couldn't be held accountable. I had to review those points for my Dad numerous times....

[zonkers]

12. you guys dare hijack my thread with classic 70's japanese import porn?

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. oops

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CC

[Owl]

13. That green Z is gorgeous!

[Incitatus]

14. I would assume so.

It would make sense for them to look for other problems that they can charge you to fix, but I guess you shouldn't expect them to do anything more than what you asked. It probably depends on the place and mechanic.

[Mopar151]

16. A decent mechanic would find it difficult to NOT notice bad rotors or leaking seals

The new kid in the tire bay? not so much......