30 Times Mechanics Were Left Speechless By The Condition Of A Customer’s Car, As Shared In This Online Group (New Pics)
While it’s not for everyone, driving can be a blast, with your favorite tunes on the stereo, the sensation of speed and freedom. Then that dreaded shift, as something begins to whine or crunch. Like an unhappy patient, a car finds its way to communicate that it absolutely is in need of some repair. And most car owners might already be feeling that secondhand dread of popping the hood and seeing just how bad it is.
The “just rolled into the shop” online group documents the silliness that mechanics sometimes have to deal with. Preventative maintenance is not often in the vocabulary of most car owners, so the vehicles they encounter can range from “How does it even drive?” to “We need a priest, not a mechanic.” So upvote your favorites and be sure to comment your own stories below.
This post may include affiliate links.
Getting Real Tired Of These
I hate to admit but I did this one morning by accident and called the repair shop..../laughs weakly
CUSTOMER HEARS HIGH PITCHED SQUEAL COMING FROM REAR OF CAR. Mechanic: Removed hostage from trunk.
Navy helo pilot: does not work in O.F.F. position. True story, his ASW gear submitted to my AIMD shop. Guess the young man had all the military acronyms he could handle for one week.
I'm over here in expert mode on this one. I drive a car that's so old after a certain speed it sounds like air rushing in even when all the doors and windows are closed! Gets similarly damp & humid inside after a rain, too.
My first car was as old as me when I got it. At 50mph it felt like the car is gonna take off any moment. The heating did not work and two windows had to be held up with a doorstop wedged between the glass and door to stop it from rolling down spontaneously. I have fond memories of that car though, almost everything was wrong with it but the engine never failed me.
Load More Replies...noooooooooooo... for real ?...... Why do I ask, I worked in computer aftersales :D
I know someone who brought her car in for service because it was making a "thumping noise." Mechanic had the car 1-1/2 days and can't find anything wrong. Girl takes car and brings it back 2 days later with same complaint. Gets a rental while the mechanics go over the car with a fine-toothed comb. Can't find anything. Mechanic asks girl to take a test drive with him. Going down the highway she opens the window... thump, thump, thump... Mechanic asks her to pull over and opens the rear hatch. Shuts hatch and tells her to drive again. No sound. She asked him what he did to stop the thumping noise. He said he took down her cargo net she had strung across the back seat. The wind was making it sway and hit the back of the seat. She had 2 service bills plus car rental fees for that. LOL!
It's A Bit Cold Out This Morning
C/S Thanks For Understanding, Nerds
Need to upvote you massively for the Danny Kaye/ Walter Mitty reference!
Load More Replies...Omg it's to early to be laughing, I'll wake the entire naighborhood hahaha
As a time-honored profession, the role of the mechanic goes back multiple decades. So far back even, that some of the US regulations about the job actually still use terminology like “any person who repairs or services a motor vehicle for payment or bartering,” as if you can just drive up to your local shop with a trunk full of lemons and hope for the best.
Paradoxically, as cars have gotten more complex, the role has become more specialized and rare. In the early 20th century, filling stations, what we would now call gas stations, also used to offer a mechanic service. While per capita, there were fewer cars, the vehicles actually on the road were significantly simpler. Over time, the cost of keeping mechanics around rose, and, furthermore, having a section for groceries was just better for the bottom line.
You Had One Job
( : (couldn’t flip it all the way😥)
Load More Replies...don't install the Australian version of your GPS system on your car
I'm surprised the ribbon cables were long enough for this to be possible
I've Never Seen A Car That Failed A Home Inspection Before
That looks like how a car is wired for 120v in very cold climates, except usually it is wired much higher in the engine compartment. This allows multiple heaters like a battery blanket, freeze plug heaters, engine coolant heaters and interior heater to be wired so that the car can be plugged in outdoors when temperatures are below -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
im sorry that my smart witty comment did better than your informed comment.
Load More Replies...Obviously many have never lived in areas with many days at or below -50° F before: block heater, Radiator heater, tranny, heater, battery heater, etc.
Of course it needs to be plugged in how else are they going to build the heat that causes the steam that run that runs the auto
The rust on the outlet? I had a cousin that kept a timex in the air filter to keep the timing in sync, but this is....
Customer States Replace Drivers Rear Seat Belt Buckle, Technician States Go F**k Yourself
If by free clean up you mean "set it on fire and flip them off", I could provide.
Load More Replies...$240/hr labor oughtta get their attention. Also thinking about disposing of parts by the unit...
I got one for a brake check... Inside was used diapers, spilled beer, vomit, rotted food. Was pregnant at the time. Boss called me a "baby" for refusing to even get inside, took the keys to bring it in. He brought it in. Parked it over my hoist, jumped out and tossed in the trash can. Oh yeah... He apologized. Very sincerely
This makes me sad for the baby that belonged to the family who owned that car.
Load More Replies...Nevertheless, this abundance of mechanical skill did benefit the US during the Second World War. American troops who had some experience working with internal combustion engines were able to keep Sherman tanks and various utility vehicles maintained and operational in the field. This is in contrast to the German army, which still maintained over a million horses in 1945. At least in wartime, one had an excuse for why what they “just rolled into the shop” with was completely messed up.
When A Carpenter Does His Own Repairs…
Got the old school immobiliser keypad too, my first car was a '95 Peugeot with one of those!
Load More Replies...My dad made my gear shift handle for my first car, which was of course, a beater. When I retired the poor car I kept that handle and still have it
It’s Raining For The First Time In A While In Los Angeles. This Is The Trash Can Outside Autozone
I was 40 when I first thought to start checking my wiper blades during the dry season.
I’m perplexed. How would you not know you needed new wipers until it’s raining? Doesn’t anyone use window washer fluid, with the wipers on, to clean their windows when it’s not raining? If it’s dry where you are, don’t you have dust on your windows?
As a former employee of AutoZone, you never went outside to a customers vehicle when it was a nice day.
Saw an tv ad for Ebay, it was raining & guy ordered wipers. Kinda hit me as odd.
Local Shop - 40+ Year Old Phones And All
40 years old and still works like it's brand new. They literally do not build them like that anymore.
Why would they? Can't sell as much if it doesn't break down. 🙄
Load More Replies...Hey, they still work. Betcha your IPhone won't be working in 30 to 40 years
And the way it should be. I always say I want the crusty old guys working on my stuff.
dude whats funny thats how alot of jr high school and high school offices are in japan - they keep most of the old stuff cause it's reliable to has great instructions passed on each year to new staff . LOL no joke!
I’m not 100% sure, but from left to right: A Western Electric model 2544, a Western Electric model 544, and an AT&T CD4930 or similar.
Actually, I believe the yellow one is a WE 2554, Sean... 8-)
Load More Replies...When it comes to cars as a consumer conveyance, most people know about Henry Ford, the Model T, and early assembly lines. But it’s vital to remember that these cars were entering a world designed for horses and pedestrians. It would be a while until real car infrastructure was set up. For example, the first traffic light went up in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914. As one can imagine, before that, you would simply enter an intersection and hope for the best.
Didn’t Want To Wait For A Tow So Had His Buddy Drag It To Us 4 Miles
My stubborn friend blew a tire across town from where he was and he was drunk, so he just drove it home. The police just followed the ruts his bare rims made. The police used the ruts for training for like ten years until the pavement was fixed.
Load More Replies...Parents did not allow teenage me on the road until I could change tires, replace hoses, identify and replace all the fluids. Yeah, first thing I did was blow piston through block on beautiful old Chevy Impala.
I had a 1971 Impala, inherited from my sister-in-law's granddad. I loved that car because it could seat about 8 people (who needs seatbelts when you are driving a tank?). Sold it in the desert area of WA where I lived because I didn't want it to rust and die at my new OH home.
Load More Replies...I'm pretty sure that's more than just the wheels. Probably the whole brake system as well, maybe the axle mounting as well... >.<
Load More Replies...I always hated run flat tyres on our car. We live rural and had to replace so many expensive punctured tyres that would be easily fixed on normal tyre. Then we had a puncture on one of those nasty smart motorways without hard shoulder for miles and I bet being able to just keep driving saved our lives. By the time we were able to safely stop the tyre reported 0.0 bar but no damage to the car. I no longer complain lol.
Shop Dog? How About A Shop Chicken?
I love the shop chicken! Where is this place? My truck threw a tie rod and I need to get it into a shop. I would love to hang out with the shop chicken while I wait.
Kachow
All these lifted trucks are a hazard. I don't think half of them are road safe after their "upgrade". There's constant accidents and wheels flying off around where I live. Imo it also looks incredibly silly and they don't handle well at all.
The lift kit isn't causing wheels to come off, stupid positive-offset wheel spacers are causing the bearings to fail. I thought everyone knew that by now, but they keep putting them on for some reason.
Load More Replies...You put your left tire in...you put your left tire out....you do the Hokey Pokey and ....... (seeing myself out)
Only a decade later, in 1925, were the first turn signals implemented. While most of us might think of the late 80s as the golden age of driving, the pre-war world also seemed like a perfect place for the car enthusiast. Drivers of the time seemed unrestricted by rules, lights, and even the need to indicate when and where they might turn. It almost sounds like the streets of the time were similar to a game of Mario Kart.
First Time Seeing Hello Kitty Exhaust Tips
(ভ_ ভ) ރ // ┊ \\ ...and take your dang upvote with you.
Load More Replies...My cousin once bought an old VW Rabbit with rusted out headlights--Charles Chips cans work beautifully to hold them in.
Just Got My Christmas Present
Wish my tool box looked anywhere as nice and well stocked as that one. Keep that sucker locked when you leave at night.
The Insurance Companies Love This Maneuver
Am I missing something? It's a car lift with a car on it. People work undernearh cars on lifts, so why would the car under it be any less safe?
With the combined value... I'd consider this unnecessarily perilous!
Load More Replies...That is a Challenger CL10 auto lift that can stay in that position if on its locks forever. Now the car on the top may have issues being the suspension should not be unloaded for a long time.
There was a typhoon in my husband’s home town that was unexpectedly stronger than predicted and the garage started flooding. They lifted two mega expensive supercars that happened to be there in an attempt to save them. Floodwater stopped just beneath them and the cars survived. I think those lifts really paid for themselves that day.
What's with you people? I don't see the problem. It's not like the car above is teetering on a cliff about to fall. Lifts are pretty failsafe, upper car not going anywhere. Maybe garage needed to move vehicles around and this space was handy for a few minutes.
Lady, you just don't understand repair shops. But I agree that it LOOKS worse than it IS.
Load More Replies...Of course, the cars of the time had few conveniences. Air conditioning would only show up in 1939 in limited quantities and cruise control only came about in 1948. What may shock you is that cruise control was invented by a blind man named Ralph Teetor. Despite his affliction, he managed to receive a Master’s Degree in Engineering and, among other things, invented a powered lawn mower.
Whoever Did This Alignment Pls Let Me Buy U A Drink
The tires are perfectly evenly worn, meaning the alignment was spot on. Usually there is uneven wear on the inside and outside edges of the tread.
Load More Replies...Yeah, but "evenly smooth". Most often, poor alignment will require premature replacement!
Load More Replies...Customer States : Heard A Loud Noise And Lost All Gears
Can someone please explain what the hell is happening here?
Not a car expert but looks like the gearbox of this car broke open? Could explain the “lost all gears” thing cos it can’t shift between them if it was cracked open like a nut like in the pic
Load More Replies...I've duct taped air tanks in place on the side of the Dan Ryan in the middle of Chicago!
Load More Replies...The transmission popped open and the gearshaft broke that's a fourteen year old with no experience on cars take
Broken transmission bellhousing, you are looking at clutch assembly
I've Been Maintaining This Thing From Around 150k Miles. Definitely The Highest Mileage Customer I Have
It looks like my 2009 civic. I put 200K miles on it before I sold it in 2014.
Load More Replies...You should've met and mom and her infamous "short cuts" "impromptu road trips". One time we drove around a neighborhood for 3 hours when all she had to do was make a right turn at the light, go 2 blocks and make another right turn...she was in Real Estate at the time..Bless her heart ❤️ RIP Mom 💝💘💖
and, in contrast to this, i just got rid of my 2005 buick lasalle w/44000 original miles. it ran like a champ. kept up w/regular maintenance and only had to replace tires a couple of times. planned on having it until i died since i'm now an old fart. but. life had other plans: a very small deer (looked like a yearling) made the poor decision to jump out at the wrong time. from my non mechanic eyes it only took out one headlight, the grill, and cracked the bumper. but the insurance co decided that due to age of it that it was a total loss. granted i got more from insurance than i would have as a trade in. but, i look for the silver lining in things and ended up getting my bucket list car: subaru outback. just hope i can pay it off before i kick that proverbial bucket so one of my kids or grandkids can have it.
I just had to replace my 2005 Buick Rainier with 230k miles. Great vehicle. I live by the ocean and although I washed it OFTEN the undercarriage rotted and my mechanic/friend said it was time to replace. I loved the thing.
Load More Replies...HA. Current mileage 663,881 in 3 years. When that rolls to 1,000,000 I will have traveled 3 million miles.
That's over 600 miles a day, 365 days a year
Load More Replies...Scotty, take her to warp 2. I'll try captain, but she could break up on re-entry.
Our Kia has almost 200,000 miles on it and is still going strong, even though we haul rocks in it.
That looks like the dash of a 90s Dodge Daytona or Chrysler LeBaron. They had those futuristic digital dashes. Its possible for a well maintained 90's car.
That's what I was thinking. It doesn't have the look at a car made 2000+
Load More Replies...Of course, all these invasions also mean that mechanics need to have more and more advanced knowledge of how to actually fix things. Despite that, industry standards are still to design cars that will last a long time. The predicted “life” of a car built in 2020 is supposed to be around 16 years. Unfortunately, these predictions don’t cover the potential number of owners, but analysts do think this should equal roughly 2 million km, which equals about 444 oil changes if the owners take good care of it. If you want to see more cars where that probably didn't happen, click here and here.
Hell Hath No Fury
If you want revenge on a cheating EX, use clingly wrap on their wheels. it will make the car undriveable but wont cause damage. or tie the car to a tree using many knots.
Follow @NickTheDuck for more pro revenge tips!
Load More Replies...So How's Your Morning Going?
My dad had a Mustang Mach 1 like that when I was a kid, but it was blue
Just Rolled In: My New Tool Box After 5 Years Of Window Shopping. Feels Good When You Do It By Yourself. Cheers!
Well I'm not sure about the loan, but my father visiting my shop saw all my new Snap-on tools and ask me how many months I have to pay on them. I told him all of them😜 I don't turn a wrench anymore but I still have my first 580 box
ohhhh... thaaat is faaancy. I know NOTHING about toolboxes... but my spouse is a car mechanic... and... I was browsing toolboxes with him (he has a perfectly good one that he's happy with.. he just likes to look at stuff) - and I nearly sh** meself at the price. "Is THAT why mechanics charge so much?" He just gives me a bit of mild side-eye and "Hmm.. .could be...?"
Another post that doesn't really belong here, apart from dumb customers paying for the tools.
Coolant Light Is Still On After Customer Topped It Up
That's the oil fill. The coolant goes in the radiator. It will be a lovely sludgy mess in there if they put coolant in the oil.
Load More Replies...If I'd mixed engine oil and water I'd *still be at the shop pulling nails from old stage lumber and straightening every single one. Dad had a very effective way of teaching lol
I once had a customer put gas in Volkswagen squareback from the oil filler tube in the back. Yes the engine exploded. Quite Epic.
Seriously it should be part of getting your drivers licence that you are required to learn and pass a test on basic car maintenance!! It amazes me how many people own and drive cars daily and get know nothing about how they work and how to look after them! You don't have to be a qualified mechanic but some basic knowledge like where the fluids all belong should be essential for owning/using a vehicle!!
In For A Key Cut And Program. Bet I Know Where The Lost One Is
Nah, I'd clean it out for them just to brighten their day. Bet they're already demoralized and depressed. No reason to make it worse.
Load More Replies...A lot of them are terrified to throw anything away. They're scared something important might be in the trash. Even if you go through it with them piece by piece and show them there is nothing important they can't stop worrying about it. The anxiety is intolerable. If you cleaned this car for them they'd probably go get it out of the trash or be very depressed an anxious.
Load More Replies...Yes, I've seen it done. Car was parked on the lot on a sunny morning, mechanic went to get it and there were flies, flies all over the inside of the windows. Walked back in to the shop and refused, front desk called the customer to tell him they could not work on it. Customer popped open trunk, some sort of "meat" product was rotting away back there.
Load More Replies...Had To Pull The Rear Seats Out Of A 2012 F250 For Some Bodywork, And Found A Second Gen iPhone Solidly Wedged Behind It! Wonder How Long It's Been There
Obligatory "If it were a Nokia, it would still work" comment here. (And it WOULD work, too.)
I have an iPod that’s older, and hasn’t been used in as long. Plugged it in, and it worked. Doesn’t have the 900 year battery life of a Nokia, and it won’t be able to be updated, but it might still turn on once charged.
Load More Replies...Reminder: You Share A Road With These People
No, she needs to not fall asleep at the wheel. Safety systems can fix stupid. The car wash is probably just to get mud and dust off the car after her little off-road excursion.
Load More Replies...Read about a gal that put her RV in cruise control and walked to back to get some food. Yes? It wrecked. Wonder if it's her?
Some cars actually do have this function, and it failing to work is a legitimate complaint
I was going to say something similar. Should play a loud noise to get your attention. Not sure it'd be enough to wake you if you were solidly asleep, but it should be noticeable if you're in that half-awake state. Side note: Shouldn't be driving either way, but the alarm should still work.
Load More Replies...Some people think Cruise Control is self driving. Lexus, BMW and Mercedes have the auto-braking, lane assist, and monitor the drivers eyes to make sure they are watching the road. But since they didn't check these systems for a malfunction, she probably didn't have them and they should have informed her of that!
https://group-media.mercedes-benz.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/ATTENTION-ASSIST-Drowsiness-detection-system-warns-drivers-to-prevent-them-falling-asleep-momentarily.xhtml?oid=9361586
Read a story about a lady who her put her RV in cruise control and went to the back to take a nap. She survived but not so much the RV.
So My Pads Have How Much Life Left? Uh… Yes
Just flip it around and it's good for another half year at least!
Load More Replies...For a brakepad to wear so drastically uneven something has to be very VERY wrong with the brakes...
Load More Replies...Had a friend go through the pads, calipers, and half way through the rotors before he took his truck to the shop. I refused to ride with him.
I wore my break pad down so bad it fell off and I cracked something underneath. Mechanic was not happy with me.
Load More Replies...That's the only thing that makes sense. Anything else car no movey.
Load More Replies...Always a good idea to tighten the lug nuts unless you want a helluva ride.
Can’t Believe They Haven’t Been Forced To Do A Total Recall
Hell, even insurance companies have started refusing to cover the Kia & Hyundai models that can be stolen so easily! It's way past time for a total recall. If I owned one of these cars, I'd be filing a lawsuit.
Have a 2012 kia soul with steering wheel lock. Valet parking lots won't let me park thete Valet
Load More Replies...No, that's not it. Those car models are VERY easy to steal because of the way they are made.
Load More Replies...To be clear, both Kia and Hyundai lacked engine immobilizers (anti-theft) on all vehicles with turn key (instead of push button ) ignitions from 2011-2020, making them simple to steal. Social media showed this in action & how to do it. The two models mentioned in this signage were partially recalled for a certain type of battery or electronic fire, spontaneously. This is a huge threat to smaller parking spaces, especially parking garages where the fires could spread to multiple vehicles. I imagine that these garages have specific insurance coverage for damage to cars and there are underwriting issues with including these two models of this time period.
Thanks for that, a quick google didn't reveal anything special.
Load More Replies...My Kia Sportage almost got me killed on I95 when the engine just STOPPED! Pedal to the floor, nothing happening. Luckily I had enough momentum to make it to a shoulder and it restarted but they had to replace my engine.
Was that a gray/blue little SUV in Virginia on I95? If it was you that Black Peterbilt that missed you by inches was me!
Load More Replies...There is a recall and people are told to park outside (not in garage etc).
They are two car models that are very easy to steal.
Load More Replies...Customer Came Back After We Did An Oil Change On A Subaru, Stating It Had Problems, New Guy Drained The Transmission
Lady I worked with took her new car to a quick-oil change place (I think Firestone) and some dumbass forgot to put the oil-filler cap back on. They ended up having to pay for a whole new engine.
My quick change oil place never replaced the oil they drained. I'm lucky there was no lasting damage to my engine.
Load More Replies...I went to get my oil changed. Come to find out the person checking my oil broke the top of the dipstick most of the way (was just hanging off, flopping around -glad it didn't break off completely and go down into the engine while I was driving!) My complaint is not that they snapped it --it was cheap plastic and cheap plastic breaks easily when it's old But they neglected to tell me they'd broken it. That could have seriously messed up the engine had the piece fallen in you know? I went somewhere else after that.
Got oil changes at two different Jiffy Lubes on two separate occasions and both times they FORGOT to put oil back in. Never, EVER, EVER get an oil change at Jiffy Lube.
I actually did this, drain the transmission on my Subaru. The drain for the Subaru is in the front, under the engine. My previous vehicles had them behind the front axle. That's where the transmission box is for the Subaru. I realized my mistake when I added oil, and saw too much oil on the dipstick. I was lucky that I didn't drive yet. Was able to get more transmission fluid and a pump to fill it back up. On the bright side, I don't need another transmission fluid change for a while.
We once took ours to Walmart for an oil change, only to be told we didn't have a dipstick (we did).
My Jiffy Lube experience (not coincidentally the last) they left the oil cap off and sent me on my way. It was over 30 years ago and I swear I can still smell my poor car. Now I check the cap and the dipstick before leaving.
My BIL managed a quick lube place for a while. One of the workers took the oil cap and placed on the engine. He forgot to put it back on before he slammed down the hood. It left a wicked dent
Yes I’m The Tech Who Didn’t Take The Seltzer
Ew. Seltzer tastes like tv static... please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this...
carbonated water. hard seltzer (like this can) is carbonated water with alcohol.
Load More Replies...3rd One We Have Had This Happen Too!
Final and initial un/tightenining should not be done with a power tool
Nah, just needs to get a good impact gun. Training consists of: using appropriate size impact socket, pull trigger until nut is removed or something breaks.
Load More Replies...Ooooh so that's the problem. Just asked someone if quality had changed, because my Milwaukee is still going decades into retirement. Thank for the heads up.
Load More Replies...I feel like this is not about proper usage of power tools and more about the fact Milwaukee has been bought out by Techtronic (TTI). They also own AEG, Ryobi, Homelight and a bunch more now.
Obviously, you are a great mechanic. That is not an engine.
Load More Replies...This Is My Kind Of Customer
Been In The Parts And Service Business For 30 Years, Wish I Had All The Pictures Saved I Have Taken. Here’s My First Post
The amount of time that it took and probably know how, why didn’t they just fix it correctly? You can probably get the parts at Autozone
Happy Friday The 13th. Air Hammer Set Off All The Side Curtain Airbags
F**k You I Win
Head Gaskets On Audi A7 Tfsi. I’m Regretting Not Just Pulling The Engine
Pulling the front facia like that is called the service position and is fairly easy and common for Audi.
One Car. Four Different Brands Of Tire
Not everyone can afford to buy a whole new set of tires all at once. As long as they're the same size 🙂
Not sure why this was downvoted. Is it a crime to be broke? I've been in this position.
Load More Replies...So? All round and black. Is there some difference? "Asking for a friend."
That depends on a bunch of variables. In this case the top two have the same amount of wear, and the bottom two have the same amount of wear, so that's alright. All four tires look to be non-directional, which is good. Some tires are designed to roll in a particular direction, meaning they are mounted for a particular side of the car. All four have similar tread patterns and are the same size. You could have problems with handling in wet conditions if the tread patterns were different on the left side vs. the right side. If the wear level (and therefore tire diameter) were different right to left you could also cause premature wear on the differential.
Load More Replies...Is it really? If they’re all the same size? Genuine question.
Load More Replies...I'm Done With Monday Already
Customer Rolled Into The Air Check Because Their Car Felt Funny. They Were Genuinely Confused Why I Couldn’t Check Their Right Rear
UPS Mechanics Are Gonna Be Very Upset When They Find Out 30 Trucks Had Their Catalytic Converters Cut Off During The Weekend
My grandfather owns a shop with a bunch of old cars, and he had all the catalytic converters stolen from them in one night.
Catalytic Converter theft should be a capital crime. Same for the people that buy them.
it is a crime, but buying them shouldn't as you probably want to get a new one after yours is stolen
Load More Replies...Ordered Lkq Glass Panels For The Roof. Instead Of Removing The Panels And Shipping Them They Just Cut The Whole Roof Off And Sent It
Honestly- it is the safest way for a piece of glass that big to ship.
This Might Just The The Absolute Dumbest Thing I’ve Ever Seen, And I’ve Worked At A Collision Shop For 15 Years…
This where you get everyone together and take bets on how much balance weight it needs.
Undercoated Wrench Found Welded Into In A Fully Boxed Section Of A New Frame For A T1 Escalade... Someone Got Fired At The Start Of A Shift
Not the mechanic, whoever was assembling the car at the plant. It got incorporated into the frame and was sent out that way.
Load More Replies...She Drove In On This... Tow Truck Driver Who Put In The Spare Didn't Know It Was Supposed To Be Inflated Too
In Europe, a lot of the spare tyres with new cars are very 'thin' - they are only to be used for about 50 miles at no more than 50mph, just to get you to the garage to get a new tyre or repair. (It reduces the weight of the vehicle and 'allows' it to become an 'eco' version) *Space-saver spare wheel Space-saver spare wheel, spare tyre Compact space-saver spare wheels emerged in the 1980s as manufacturers looked to start saving money and weight in their cars. It was also becoming more common for cars to come with different-sized front and rear tyres and/or directional tyres, meaning that it was possible that a car could have four different tyres on four wheels! This meant that one full-size spare wheel had a 75% chance of being the wrong wheel for the job.*
Neat
Whoa! That's ...I mean ...dang, that driver needs to buy a lottery ticket.
I Assure You Audi, The Ignition Is Indeed On
F*ck this. Mo' electronics, Mo' problems. Old school ALL THE WAY BAAAAAABY!!!
This seems to apply to everything today. The more electronics something has the shorter the life span. Also, I think touch screens should be prohibited in vehicles.
Load More Replies...I cant wait to go buy a non electronic anything truck.....,circa 1970s Im thinking. Or older if need be
It's Going To Be A Good Day
Don’t Bring Bombs Into The Shop Please
Reminds me of a story about someone trying to use a self inflator at a gas station and getting mad because they could never get the tires up to 100% because it's psi and not % you know.
This happens a lot. Tire guys forget to relearn the tire position after rotating them and the driver will get a message the LF tire is low which is now in the RR position. They just keep adding and adding air until they get frustrated. Highest I've seen was 105 psi. Scary.
I drive a '97 F250 diesel. It's a heavy truck and, I haul all our gravel scrap metal, lumber and animal feed for our small farm. Also lend it out to family when they need to haul something heavy. I run 80psi in the drive tires and 50psi in the steer tires. I always make sure I tell this to the mechanic whenever I need new tires! I don't know what this tire pressure is for though...
I’m A Service Manager Who Has Seen Better Days
I’m sure the service manager was also yelling: “Serenity Now”!!!!
Load More Replies...Oooh. My greatest fear at my shop. Especially after realizing my Alzheimer's stricken Dad had hired a couple local guys, Tweakerbelle and Speed Bump, to do random maintenance.
Probably spontaneous combustion. Happens a lot. People dont use the proper metal bins with fitted lids for used shop towels.
Don’t Try To Inflate Your Spare To 100psi
Found A Tracking Device In A Customers Car…
I live between two states. California law prevents tracking unless you own or lease the vehicle. Hawaii says you can only track with written consent of driver, regardless of ownership. This translates to needing permission to track your own car in the instances you allow someone else to drive it. I can’t imagine having a tracker on one’s own car, but imagine having to get written consent from a family member to allow them to borrow it.
Love It When A Customer Keeps A Record That I Can See
This Is What Happens When You Lend Your Manual Transmission Car To A Friend Who “Knows How To Drive Stick”
Customer Wanted To Use This As Balance Beads So He Doesn'thave To Pay For A Balance. Says They Did It All The Time Where He Worked In Oklahoma
how in the world did they get the stones in? also, at some point/speed wont all the stones clump together at one point in the wheel and essentially balance the wheel lopsided? would be the equivalent to driving on square tyres
Unless your alignment is really out of whack, or it's a brand new tire, you don't always need to balance your tires. Dad worked for Bridgestone for 35 years and told me this. Yes, sometimes you need it, but rarely every time you rotate. He was the guy who tested tires to find out why they failed - over inflated or under, tire defects, tread wear, extreme temperatures, etc.
I'm Not A Mechanic. What Did The Technician Do To My Car, And Did They Buy It Dinner First?
Did they plug the hole and buckle the a$$ … or plug the buckle and hole the a$$? I like the cross multiplication method: plug the a$$ and buckle the hole
I think that's supposed to be short for assembly, but I love what it looks like. 😸😸😸
Found 2 Cupcakes Under The Splash Shield Of A ‘21 Toyota Rav4…. So Many Questions
This Customer Must Have Pissed Someone Off, Because They Filled The 6.0l In His Dump Truck With Sand, And Did The Same Thing To The Engines In His Other Dump Truck, His Skid Steer, And His Feller Buncher
I would consider suspending their dumb a**es upside down over the lathe, and slowly working their body parts into it.
Or just remove their toenails and garnish with saltwater.
Load More Replies...These Honesty Tests Are Getting Out Of Hand
The Trailer Breaker Was Burnt, So I Traced The Wires And Found This. Which One Would You Assume Is The Positive Wire?
Some did but not all. Cars that were part of BMC (British Motor Corporation), such as MG, Austin Healey, Riley and Wolseley as well as Rolls Royce, usually had positive earth electrics. When they joined makes such as Rover, Jaguar and Triumph as part of British Leyland in the late 60's and early 70's they switched over to negative earth to bring them in line with the rest of Europe.
Load More Replies...Truck Driver Bringing In Our New Volvo Stock Struck A Bridge On His Way In
Welp, I'm Done With Tuesday
Sheared off by incompetence fitting them.....or removing them. These here mechanically propelled vehicles should be cared for, and loved Xx
I’ve Become The Very Person I Swore To Destroy
One of the things that sucks about being hearing impaired, is not being able to hear it until it's grinding.
Guess This Could Have Gone Bad
Customer Says He Wants His Exhaust Up The Side
C/S “Something Is Rattling In The Back”
Posted earlier about a tech refusing to work on a car until it was professionally cleaned because the smell was so bad
Load More Replies...My Shop Calls Me The Doodler... Already Have Some Active On The Roads. Be Warned Lol
Passed This Rust Repair For A State Inspection Because Honestly? I’m Impressed With The Paint Match
I like it! You pay enough for plates.. make them work for you when they expire!
For All Of Those Struggling With Reaching Wheel Torque, Have You Tried A Longer Pipe? 650 Ft Lbs Doesn't Come Easy For Me 😅
Archimedes: "Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the earth."
Obviously you do whatever the manual tells you to do, but aren't wheel bearing nuts generally finger-tight?
I stood by the side of a busy road with three wrenches hooked together to get the leverage I need to get lug bolts off. It was a VW rabbit, with a scissor jack that went under the mid point of the car. So, it was tipped up on two wheels. The road was a narrow winding Indiana side street that loggers used. I had to step behind the car every time I heard a vehicle coming.
Im Not Looking For The Wheel Lock Key!
People are pigs. It amazes me they are so casual about dropping the car off in this condition.
It's mental illness. They're embarrassed believe me.
Load More Replies...C/S They're On Probation And They Took His Gun
If my grandpa's police sap was illegal, I'm pretty sure this will raise some eyebrows. Or remove 'em. Either way.
Lets Go!!!
Akin to a diploma. Completion of courses and demonstration of skills.... he's now a Certified Mechanic, and in several assemblies.
Load More Replies...2022 911s 7 Speed Manual
I must be weird, because I prefer an auto. Yes, sometimes I'm frustrated with the way it shifts, but to me, it's just not worth all the extra work and distraction of doing it myself, plus only having one hand on the wheel.
I get excited when I get to use my 6th gear out of town a little. This would blow my mind
C/S Couldn't Goto Work This Morning, Going Through Messy Divorce
C/S No Heat... This May Be The Worst I've Seen
Mice attracted to soy wiring harnesses in newer cars. Looks like they made themselves at home.
Told The Younger Kids On Night Shift They Couldn’t Get The Axle Out Without A Press…
No Comment
In For An Oil Change Because Our Local Valvoline “Couldn’t Get The Drain Plug Out”
Any Other Lucky Fellas Get The Privilege Of Taking A Quick Look At Their Families Cars When They’re Home For The Holidays? Anyways, I’ve Drained About 10 Quarts Out Of My Sister’s 06 Honda Crv…
An engine won't "blow up" from having too much oil in it, however if the oil reaches the bottom of the crankshaft it can be 'frothed up' by the constant churning action aerating the oil. This aerated oil will cause lubrication issues when it gets pumped around the engine shortening its life overall.
Load More Replies...A faulty fuel injector can also cause this problem. When you shut the engine off, pressure still in the fuel system will bleed out the injector and seep past the rings into the sump. Though your oil will quite obviously smell like gasoline if that is happening.
Load More Replies...Just Alabama Things You Find In Tires…
I'd say it's very American but I believe that's a russian cartridge
You used to be able to be able to get Russian ammo in the US, my mate still has some leftover Tulas and swears by them
Load More Replies...Xmas Rolled In From The Boss
Wonder How Long That Would Last
Yesterday Had To Reissue Stickers For A Kid Who Just Bought A Car From Us. Cop Accused Him Of Using Counterfeit Stickers And Ripped One Off
Customer Had Their Prius Towed In Because It Wouldn't Start After Installing Dynamats
Oh for god's sake. The hybrid battery lives under the package tray right in front of the spare tire well.
Fitting screws/bolts for rubber mat have been put straight through the floor into the high voltage battery.
Load More Replies...Rotary Tires?
Someone Please Explain Why A Person Would Do Such A Thing?
I'm gonna guess that maybe the pedal is having some issue they weren't able to get fixed right away, where it needs to be weighed down? But in reality they are just hoping to have their legs amputated in the event of an accident...
Perhaps the pedal doesn't rebound after it is depressed and they use the chain to pull it back up. I recall seeing a similar post where they used the same tactic (with rope) to lift one of the pedals.
Load More Replies...Co-Workers Uncle Has A Tendency To Overheat And Blow Head Gaskets. His Solution Was To Wire In A Universal Temp Switch To A Horn In The Dash. If It Goes Over 200f, The Horn Goes Off
C/S "My Son Said The Police Man Helped Him Put On The Spare" They Were Barely More Than Finger Tight
Customer Says Brakes Started Making Noise
That takes a long time to happen. How was it not picked up on the vehicle's annual safety test?
No such thing in many places. I've lived in 2 states and never had to have one.
Load More Replies...Started making noise? Looks to me like they are just about to stop making noise!
Customer Says “Had To Figure Out A Way To Get It Over Here To The Shop! Can I Get My Wrenches Back?”
You need to have a set of open lug nuts in the glovebox in case you need to put the spare on (Steel wheels are thinner overall than alloys and the closed-end lug nuts wouldn't thread all the way on).
Bugatti Veyron Spark Plug And Ignition Coil Replacement
2023 Stingray With 103 Miles. Luckily No Injuries
Gas Quality Around Michigan
The top layer is gasoline, the bottom layer is water.
Load More Replies...*sweats Nervously*
If Anyone Is Curious, A 21 Hemi Will Last 32,682 Miles If You Don’t Change The Oil On It
My Dad Spent Several Weeks Changing The Clutch On His 2003 Mini Cooper S Jcw. He Doesn't Trust The Dealer To Do It Properly. This Is What The Bell Housing Looked Like Before It Went Back On
Rear Tires Kept Locking Up Trying To Get It In The Shop
The bottom layer is water ice, the top layer is a 50/50 mix of gear oil and metal that used to be part of the gears.
Load More Replies...C/S They Changed The Head Gasket Themselves. 100km Later This Is The Coolant. Customer Is Me
Operator Said, We Do This In India All The Time
I can vouch for that. Smaller farmers need the tractors and don't necessarily have money for proper repairs all the time
Same with all countries, I’d say. I’m from Poland and people fix their own stuff however they can.
Load More Replies...My Tech Is A Miracle Worker
There is not enough metal remaining to support the thread section when lifting by the head of the bolt, much less apply the torque to unthread it. It should have snapped off and left the threaded part stuck in the hole until drilled out. This is the kind of light touch required for separating the layers of a wad of wet toilet paper without tearing anything.
Load More Replies...Unsure Why My Customer Spray Foamed Their Vehicle
I can tell you why, one of those pieces of heat shield was rattling and they couldn't figure out which one.
I saw this episode of Top Gear. They're trying to make it buoyant so, they can cross the English Straight. 🤣
I Think The Quick Lube May Have Overfilled My Friends Car A Little
Can Someone Tell Me What This Tray Is Actually For?? (Bmw X5)
Found a better description but lost it. From reddit: In all seriousness, it’s a change tray for your coins and other small tidbits you might have in the car. Underneath it is a cup holder. Really cool design feature in my opinion but the design of the tray? Not so much.
The Air Flows Better On The Outside Of The Hood
Customer Left A Helpful Note…
Had an alignment come back several times for tire wear. The third time it came back I saw the customer. Easily 600lbs. That'll do it. I think it was a Cavalier
Surprised someone that size could even fit in a cavalier. I thought people that size needed vans or SUVs.
Load More Replies...Samurai Disc
How could it get to that state? Why wasn't picked up on it's annual safety test?
Florida has no annual safety inspection. Moving from PA to FL was a shock to see the cars allowed on the road.
Load More Replies...How Often Do You See A Manual Transmission 2010 Camry? It Certainly Caught Me Off Guard
My dad had a 2012 manual transmission Subaru Forester until a month ago
Working On The Sales Side Of The House Gets You Emails Like This
I went to reddit by clicking the link under his post and yes, he did go on a date with Lindsay and said it went very well. They're are going out on another date soon.
Load More Replies...The Worst Decal I’ve Ever Installed. For So Many Reasons
Classy. The pissing Calvin decal confirms that this truck owner is an upstanding member of society who is very secure in their masculinity.
It's tacky as hell, but factually correct. A 2023 Honda Civic LX produces 138ft-lbs of torque. Chevy 1500 wheel lugs call for 140ft-lbs.
Cylinder Head Repair, Most Steps
So Those Stinger Vehicle Immobilizers The Police Use Really Do Work
Anti-Corrosion Protection Of The Car Body. This Is My Job
Cust. States: "Brake Pedal Is Sometimes Stiff"
Snap On Got Nothing On These Bad Boys
Whats Yall Opinion About These Kinds Of Lifts?
I Just Hit The Jackpot. Can You See It?
When You Trust A Newer Advisor A Little Too Much…
I went to the Reddit post, OP states: This is from years ago and just popped up on my phone. We hired an advisor which they ended up treating like the golden child. One night he was out with his team across the street getting drinks, left to go to another bar, and ended back up at the original bar. At that point I heard he was pretty much blacked out. He somehow managed to stumble over to the dealer, deactivate the alarm and helped himself to a loaner. He made it about 3/4 of a mile before slamming into a pole. Funny part is no one knew the car was missing until the cops come telling us they found a Cayenne mating with a pole.
Load More Replies...Customer “Worked For Goodyear For 25 Years And Said This Is How You Get Max Performance”
If by "performance" they mean fuel efficiency, they might be right, but by every other metric, including safety, not so much.
I'd refuse since that most likely is greater than the max pressure listed on the sidewall.
I Wonder Who This Guy Pissed Off
Price Jump
I will NEVER in my life, pay some arbitrary "market adjustment" on anything, ever.
You pay it whether you are aware of it or not. Most of the time it's completely hidden in the final price, but the fact you pay 50 cents more for gas in one place than another is exactly what an area market adjustment is.
Load More Replies...I Snuck Onto Our Parts Department's Computer. The Background Stays
Department Of Agriculture Came In For An Annual Inspection.... Now Why Do They Need This Much Fire Power??
Oh, there are farmers (commercial and residential) that don't take kindly to government inspectors. Especially if those inspectors are there to cull poultry to stop spread of avian flu.
This Months Snap On Flyer. Brass Tire Pressure Gauge And Maple Box Only $96
I'm Pretty Amazed By This
that is the housing that holds the spider gears in your diff. They normally don't break like that.
Load More Replies...Customer Just Traded This In On A $105k Bmw 840. In Addition To A Years Worth Of Takeout Trash There Were About 50 Roaches Left In The Car
What an awful waste. It looks like such a beautiful interior. Why treat it so poorly? I think this is some sort of mental illness maybe? The need to live like a pig?
I'm wondering about the syringe 💉 looking items on the seat across from the beef Jack Links bag and the other on the console above the gear shift.
Shamoan
The Day Before Snow Comes In
Considering they're track tires, I imagine he's heading somewhere warm and fun.
Kudos To You, If You Can Tell Me What This Big Silver Thing Is!
31x12.5r24. Just... Why?
Customer Complaint? "It Steers Funny"
I will guess off road tires and they drive on regular roads.
Load More Replies...Are Angry Texts From Customers Allowed? I Think I’m Gonna Frame This One
The customer is over-the-top angry about their intake boot popping off. Nothing is broken and nothing more than a screwdriver is required to fix it.
Load More Replies...I understood about 5% of these. Not even sure why I read the whole article. I hate school.
If you really want to see some horrific car stuff, go to YouTube and type in "Customer States"
I understood about 5% of these. Not even sure why I read the whole article. I hate school.
If you really want to see some horrific car stuff, go to YouTube and type in "Customer States"
