this is why you can't go to NTB even for a stock alignment.
I usually don't make threads about this crap, but I wasted so much time with it this weekend that I thought I should let you know.
I needed a basic alignment on my 1995 daily driver. I've given NTB roughly $800 for alignments over the last 4-years, but that amounted to nothing. I went to the Lewisville NTB and this is where the fun started.
Day One:
first I'm told the left lower ball joint is bad and they need $550 to replace both of them. I went to look and the ball joint was loose...the ones with 20k miles on them with brand new-looking rubbers. The manager guy insisted that "see the bolt spinning, that needs to be replaced". I told him to tighten it and he said that "its just spinning and tightening it won't fix it." He then became huffy/puffy and told the tech to "get this car off the rack." So the tech tightened the ball joint and it was magically fixed. Then after it was aligned I heard the car fire up and leave. After about 20-minutes I looked outside, saw the car, and asked if they were ever going to tell me it was done.
Then, it got worse. I asked for the spec sheet and he would not provide it. I asked how much time I had left on my 3-year alignment for my 1991, and he said the car didn't exist in the system although I had a receipt.
Day 2:
The car is pulling right and very erratic over bumps, and steers easier left than right so I took it back. The same douche-bag insists that "its the stiff shocks making it erratic over bumps." I asked him to see the spec sheet and he told me he'd put it on the rack. So once it was loaded up on the rack I looked and sure enough the front toe was -.05 left and -.35 right. I suggested to the manager that 300% more toe on one side is probably the issue, he insisted that it was "in spec". I then got nasty and asked him if I had to call the corporate office and bitch, or if he'd adjust one wheel and never see my face in his shop again. Well, he chose the latter and I don't blame him. Now the toe is reasonable and the car goes straight, steering feels fine, and I'm happy its over.
I'm tempted to tattle on them to the BBB over the ball joint issue and general bullshit. I'm fairly certain the ball joint wasn't loose when I brought in it, I would have felt it, the exposed threads were clean, and again...I would have felt it. I'm also a little concerned because while I waited, two other people were sold on ball joints who were doing alignments.
From now on I'm either going to 5th gear for alignments $120 but I know it will be right, or $75 to Bobby Gentry's in Denton.
