[Surferdude]

It occurred to me that some of the "horror" stories I run across from time to time in the automotive industry might be of interest to other members. So I figured I'd start this topic and occasionally when someone or something gets my goat I'll share it with you.

Case # 1
Yesterday we had a Touareg in. V10 Diesel with 19" wheels.
The guy had had a puncture and left the car with us to repair. Anyway, we dismantle it and the tyre is full of rubber dust (looks like baby powder, only black). It happens when a tyre has been run flat or nearly flat for long enough for the rubber to start to break down due to excessive heat. New tyre is $485 thanks very much.
Driver wasn't happy. "But I ONLY drove on it flat for about 10 minutes", he said.

Case # 2
Another alloy wheel came in flat. Same story inside. But this one was interesting. It had not long been repaired, using the correct "mushroom plug"). However, the patch component of one of these plugs is about the size of a 50c piece (Australian money). But the repairer had buffed an area covering about 4" by 4" and in some spots they'd buffed down to expose the cords. So, the inner liner was compromised. I reckon the tyre had slowly deflated and overheated.

Case # 3
Young (ish) couple brought in one of those old Ford Telstars (the liftback version - which they shared with Mazda as a 626). Wanted two tyres and a wheel alignment. I tell you I almost threw up driving it onto the hoist. All available floor space was full of scraps and rubbish. There were three (that's THREE), baby seats across the back seat and the fabric in each of those was caked in food scraps.
We fitted the two tyres they wanted. One caliper was leaking - fluid all over the pads and dripped onto the inside of the wheel. The lower control arm bushes were shot. And I mean shot. The struts were so soft they almost bottomed out just applying the brakes at driveway speeds. So, no wheel alignment.
We had an argument amongst ourselves as to who was going to drive it off the hoist and park it. 
When they came back obviously they didn't want  to spend the sort of money needed to fix it and make it safe. So off they toddled.
Did I mention the three baby/kids seats in the back?

I am regularly amazed at the number of unsafe vehicles on our roads and at the attitude of some of the drivers to safety and maintenance.

[eye30]

Re No 3

Just goes to show that some people don't seem to care about safety.

I bet if they are involved in an accident they will blame the other even tho' if the cause is due to their neglect

[Dazzler]

Thanks for that Trevor .. very interesting

Having been bought up around car dealerships/ garages.. doesn't surprise me though 

[Eyethirty]

Welcome to Queensland 

[diesellover]

Case # 3
Young (ish) couple brought in one of those old Ford Telstars (the liftback version - which they shared with Mazda as a 626). Wanted two tyres and a wheel alignment. I tell you I almost threw up driving it onto the hoist. All available floor space was full of scraps and rubbish. There were three (that's THREE), baby seats across the back seat and the fabric in each of those was caked in food scraps.
We fitted the two tyres they wanted. One caliper was leaking - fluid all over the pads and dripped onto the inside of the wheel. The lower control arm bushes were shot. And I mean shot. The struts were so soft they almost bottomed out just applying the brakes at driveway speeds. So, no wheel alignment.
We had an argument amongst ourselves as to who was going to drive it off the hoist and park it. 
When they came back obviously they didn't want  to spend the sort of money needed to fix it and make it safe. So off they toddled.
Did I mention the three baby/kids seats in the back?

I am regularly amazed at the number of unsafe vehicles on our roads and at the attitude of some of the drivers to safety and maintenance.

I see the same thing in the forklift industry all the time. I can often quote 20-30 major faults but the customer will only fix whatever is stopping it from running , at the end of the day I know I should only do what they are willing to pay for but sometimes I will repair smaller things if I have a used part and some leftover time. I often need to fit a danger tag after my work is done or else it would be my head on the block, this is removed by the angry customer as soon as I leave.

[2i30s]

Case # 3
Young (ish) couple brought in one of those old Ford Telstars (the liftback version - which they shared with Mazda as a 626). Wanted two tyres and a wheel alignment. I tell you I almost threw up driving it onto the hoist. All available floor space was full of scraps and rubbish. There were three (that's THREE), baby seats across the back seat and the fabric in each of those was caked in food scraps.
We fitted the two tyres they wanted. One caliper was leaking - fluid all over the pads and dripped onto the inside of the wheel. The lower control arm bushes were shot. And I mean shot. The struts were so soft they almost bottomed out just applying the brakes at driveway speeds. So, no wheel alignment.
We had an argument amongst ourselves as to who was going to drive it off the hoist and park it. 
When they came back obviously they didn't want  to spend the sort of money needed to fix it and make it safe. So off they toddled.
Did I mention the three baby/kids seats in the back?

I am regularly amazed at the number of unsafe vehicles on our roads and at the attitude of some of the drivers to safety and maintenance.

I see the same thing in the forklift industry all the time. I can often quote 20-30 major faults but the customer will only fix whatever is stopping it from running , at the end of the day I know I should only do what they are willing to pay for but sometimes I will repair smaller things if I have a used part and some leftover time. I often need to fit a danger tag after my work is done or else it would be my head on the block, this is removed by the angry customer as soon as I leave.

it sounds like you've been to my work.

[2i30s]

in Victoria there are a lot of second hand tyre shops proping up all over the place. i know of one that will re groove the tread to make bald tyres sellable and also patch side wall punctures.   

[eye30]

in Victoria there are a lot of second hand tyre shops proping up all over the place. i know of one that will re groove the tread to make bald tyres sellable and also patch side wall punctures.   

Likewise the same in UK re places selling used tyres.

However, there are strict rules which have to be followed before a used tyre can be sold.

Re regroove. This can be done for lorry/bus tyres, but there will be writting on the sidewall to indicate that this can be done, otherwise can't be regrooved, but not allowed on the tyres for cars.

http://www.etyres.co.uk/glossary-tyre-terms?term=regrooving

[Dazzler]

in Victoria there are a lot of second hand tyre shops proping up all over the place. i know of one that will re groove the tread to make bald tyres sellable and also patch side wall punctures.   

That sounds real dodgy 

[Surferdude]

Yep. Second hand tyre imports are becoming an even bigger problem these days.
There's no government regulations covering their sale or legality. And the government is on record as saying it's not their problem.
As in most places in the world only truck tyres branded as such can legally be regrooved. But regrooving cuts into the undertread and generally renders the casing non retreadable so it's wasted.
Most importantly, regrooving of cars tyres is illegal and dangerous as they are not built to absorb the extra tread depth which often exposes parts of the steel belts.

[Surferdude]

Couple of interesting tyres we took off the other day.
Different cars.

[Dazzler]

 

[Phil №❶]

#2's still got some tread on it ! 

[Ultralights]

Did I mention the three baby/kids seats in the back?

I am regularly amazed at the number of unsafe vehicles on our roads and at the attitude of some of the drivers to safety and maintenance.

dont worry, when they do have an accident, it will be "speed related"

[rustynutz]

Did I mention the three baby/kids seats in the back?

I am regularly amazed at the number of unsafe vehicles on our roads and at the attitude of some of the drivers to safety and maintenance.

dont worry, when they do have an accident, it will be "speed related"

Hehehehe......

[Surferdude]

Had a busy week with puncture repairs.
There's no doubt in my mind someone lost a box of mixed screws off their ute in our area.
Probably more than three times the normal number of punctures with two or three types of screw responsible for most.
One lady in a Mercedes B180 with 6,000 klms had 8 screws. Five in one tyre - throw away. Two in another we reapired and one in a third which hadn't penetrated.
Another 4WD had 4 in one tyre - not repairable.
A Ford Bronco late on Friday afternoon had two - one in the shoulder which is a non-repairable area. So, another throw away - only a week old from a new set.
Plenty more with just one screw - they were the lucky ones.
Here's 2 pics of the Continental off the Merc.





And we got these wheels in to fit to a new Hyundai Accent Hatch on Saturday morning.



We also had a Honda Accord Euro in with 18" Honda mags and Michelins. Only a few thousand klms but screw in tyre and run flat. Just over $500 for a new one. That was on top of two Commodore 18" wheels (different cars) which had also been run flat. They were only a bit over $300 each.

Had two Indians drive a Camry in with a flat tyre. "Can you put some air in that please?". I asked how far they'd driven it flat. "Oh. Only a few blocks." says they.

[Phil №❶]

Bad news for those poor unfortunates.

I'd be taking a close look at the local tyre company utes to see if they're delivering open boxes of screws to no one in particular. 

[Surferdude]

Bad news for those poor unfortunates.

I'd be taking a close look at the local tyre company utes to see if they're delivering open boxes of screws to no one in particular. 

Many (many) years ago when I was managing a store, we had a guy come in with three or four nails in his tyre. It was unrepairable. My service manager called me out to show me. Of course in my usual inimitable style I said something along the lines of, "Well it was worth thowing that bag of nails all over the road". Customer went right off his nut.

I was talking to the lady in the Merc and told her that story. At least SHE saw the funny side of it. But maybe I'm older and more mature these days so I put it across more tactfully.

[Phil №❶]

I can get away with it in this forum as it is typed, unless you were particularly upset and embedded an mp3 tirade, or worse a video. 

BTW how did you placate the guy?

[Surferdude]

I can get away with it in this forum as it is typed, unless you were particularly upset and embedded an mp3 tirade, or worse a video. 

BTW how did you placate the guy?

Ah. geez. It was 25 years ago. I think I just apologised and "did him a deal" on a new tyre.
He did become a regular customer.
I have always made stupid jokes and facetious comments. That's just me. These days, they can like it or lump it. Which sounds worse than it is. Honestly as you get older, it's amazing how much you can say and get away with. It's often a way of breaking the ice or "lightening up" a conversation.

[Phil №❶]

Yes, it seems with age that internal attitudes change. Mr Ho has put his in writing at the bottom of his posts. 

[Dazzler]

Like those alloys Trev.. 

All those screws floating around  Downright dangerous 

I have always made stupid jokes and facetious comments. That's just me. These days, they can like it or lump it. Which sounds worse than it is. Honestly as you get older, it's amazing how much you can say and get away with. It's often a way of breaking the ice or "lightening up" a conversation.

Sounds like me too    Although I actually pick my targets a bit now.. Got some memories from the past that I don't want to repeat 

[Surferdude]

Not quite the fitting floor but here's some pics of an i30 from the panel beaters over the road - wanted us to fit some of the new suspension although I can't understand why they want that done before they fit the new inner guard and strut tower. All the parts (genuine) are in the cabin.
Looking at it from underneath it seems to me the whole drivetrain could be unbolted and dropped out from the front of the car like old Minis could.
Sorry a couple are blurry. (phone).

[Dazzler]

Looks old before it's time Trev.. must have had a hard life 

[2i30s]

possibly a rental car. 

[Surferdude]

Not a rental. Private owner AFAIK.
 
It does seem to have had some sort of deadening material sprayed underneath.

[Surferdude]

Can't check the mileage as the battery is disconnected and sitting on the floor in front of passenger seat. Air bags didn't deploy.
Car is a 2010 model according to rego label. Owners handbooks are in glove box with no dealer details and no buyer details.And no serviices recorded - even the 1000 klm freebie. It's done enough mileage to need the front tyres replacingand there is a second hand dealers' plastic surround on the rear number plate.
Bit of a puzzle really. No mileage on the two pages of line by line repairs listed by the repairer but there is an owners' name.

[Dazzler]

Thanks for that Trev.. I'm guessing the owner wasn't/isn't an enthusiast...

[2i30s]

Thanks for that Trev.. I'm guessing the owner wasn't/isn't an enthusiast...

or even somebody that cares. 

[beerman]

Is it a repairable write off? Things might be a bit slow and the owners wife might need a new car?

A bit of a polish and she'll be all right.