Mechanics : need advice on a "mistake"

[RacerX]

Originally Posted by TestDrive

Can you elaborate?

Ditto?

[Johnny Mullet]

Man, that just sucks. I guess it would have been better to take him out and show him what you wanted done. I am thinking he did not see them and did what you asked.

[bhazard]

Learn to do your own work. Its easy.

[cfg83]

Cd -

Originally Posted by Cd

I am totally at fault for this stupid mistake. I hate when I screw up like this.

Tales of woe. I bought a motorcycle (1972 Honda CB350F) to take miles off my (Dad's) 1971 Karmann Ghia (he let me drive it as my own). I thought I would do my own oil change on the motorcycle. When I tightened the oil drain plug bolt I heard a *CRACK* and oil started to leak out. I had cracked the oil drain pan. $80 later (that was a lot of money to me back then) I had a new pan and a healthy fear of my own two hands.

Here's the irony. Guess how I totalled my (Dad's) Karmann Ghia (at 10 miles an hour)?
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.... Buying parts for my motorcycle.

Insert Game Show "you lose" music here - wah wah wahhhhhhhhhhhh.

CarloSW2

[metroschultz]

Please don't blame the shop,
Years ago I owned my own shop.
I learned very early to always do what the customer asked for. Even when "I" thought he was wrong. ( being yelled at for doing the right thing as opposed to what I was told to do)
This may be what you encountered with the other shop.
They may not even have noticed that your steering boots were torn.
The steering boots are very inexpensive. (IIRC $25 per side)
They are relatively easy to install. (3 - 4 hours in your driveway)
You need an alignment when done. (this is part of the expense from asking a shop to do it)
You need to buy a Haynes or Chilton manual and start learning how to do some of the easier stuff on your own. (instead of $350 for CV boots you could pay $200 for new complete axles with a lifetime warranty)
I am sure you would have no trouble doing these thing yourself.
We all know you are not an idiot.
It seems as if you got caught due to lack of information and lack of communication.
Tell us next weekend after you fix the offending part yourself.
Schultz

[Cd]

Yes, it is not the shop owers fault. I realise this.
I just couldn't think of how that the fellow could have not seen the obvious.
But you know... you all are right, when the wheel is turned, the boot collapses inward and looks O.K.
( Still though ... once the wheel is off of the car, doesn't the thing drop down in plain sight ?. )
The guy seems honest enough.
We are still on very good terms. I will go back and get his advice on what to do - but this time, I will think before I act.
So is there anything good that came about by replacing my "C-V joint shafts" instead of the torn boots ?
I would hate to think that I basically just threw away several hundred dollars for nothing.
As far as the car driving funny, well it just feels awkward like the wheels need to be alligned. It also feels stiff.
I can't really comment on it right now because I haven't driven the car except for the three blocks that I live from the shop. I'm sure things just need to be broken in ( I think I actually stated that before. )
Sorry if that I was misleading.

bhazard : Learn to do my own work ? Well ... I live in an apartment. I really, really wish I had a garage like you guys.

[Cd]

If I had a garage, this is what I would be working on : a modified Mazda MX-3
( hybrid electric of course ! No no ... ELECTRIC / hybrid )

[jamesqf]

I don't see how you all can go on about not blaming the shop. Didn't you tell them to replace the CVJ boots, and wasn't that what was written up on the work order? Then if they didn't replace the boots, and instead replaced an entirely different part, then it seems to me they're obviously at fault.

[Cd]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I don't see how you all can go on about not blaming the shop. Didn't you tell them to replace the CVJ boots, and wasn't that what was written up on the work order? Then if they didn't replace the boots, and instead replaced an entirely different part, then it seems to me they're obviously at fault.

No. It's my fault. I should have proofread the work order before rushing off.
It states " Replaced both left and right C-V joint shaft . Ck alig "

150 labor and 177 parts.

Whuups

[TestDrive]

Originally Posted by Cd

So is there anything good that came about by replacing my "C-V joint shafts" instead of the torn boots ?
I would hate to think that I basically just threw away several hundred dollars for nothing.
As far as the car driving funny, well it just feels awkward like the wheels need to be alligned. It also feels stiff.
I can't really comment on it right now because I haven't driven the car except for the three blocks that I live from the shop. I'm sure things just need to be broken in ( I think I actually stated that before. )

If steering has changed so obviously; and if everything is correctly installed, then something must have been quite worn - ripe for failure. Which argues that it wasn't a waste. Does the guy still have the old CV Shafts? How do they look? How do the old CV Joints feel? If they seem questionable, call it aggressive preventive-maintenance.

I don't know about Civic's, but on my Ford Escort a CV-Joint change does NOT require re-alignment - though steering around tight corners does seem improved with new CV-Joints.