HELP! Alignment shop bent my lower arm

[SaGang227]

Today I went to Merchant's Tire to get my car aligned.
I got bored of waiting so I went to into the shop when my car was put on the rack.
The mechanic lifts front(didn't see where he lifted) and comes back to the rear to lift it.
He places the lift right in the middle of lower arm(control arm) and I was thinking maybe he needs to do it to do alignment or something.
And then lift lifts that thing and boom! my control arms are bent!
I guess he got freaked out for damaging my car as he knew I was watching it, and says that he can't do the alignment since the control arms are bent. DOH!
I told him that I saw him bending the lower arm and the manager says they do it 50 million times a day and they always lift control arm.
They kept denying it and I couldn't keep arguing.
Since Nissan dealer service dept. is closed for weekend, I am gonna wait until Monday and talk to the mechanic to see if its their fault or not.
I want to hear you opinion about using lower control arm as lifting point.
Thanks guys!

Jeong

[CoasTek240]

sometimes i put a jackstand under the joint where the control arm mounts to the underbody, in conjunction with other jackstands and a hydraulic jack, but i know it is not safe to raise the car on those.
completly their fault. they should know better? was the mechanic aligning your car a younger guy, or just a moron?
dont let this down. threaten to report them to the bbb if they dont fix their mistake.
***edit- i just noticed your in VA. Where abouts? where did you take your car to. I can suggest some better alignment shops in the area, as ive been looking around for years now, getting alignments everyother month and such. pm me

[SaGang227]

Hey thanks for reply.
I live in Blacksburg and I go to Virginia Tech.
They mechanic looked like an redneck lol.
They say he has been working for 4 years and he is the master mechanic.
I went to Mechant's Tire in Christiansburg and definitely don't recommend them!!!
I see that you are Cheasapeak which is quite far away from here.
Let me know if you know alignment shop around virginia tech or nova

[CoasTek240]

i dont know of too many shops up there, even though i frequent the area as much as possible. Ive got friends that go to Tech, theyre are also several people here on zilvia who attend VT. Many of the VT 240's are pretty tricked out. i've seen several of them in person.
ask around. go to the regional forum on this board and make a post there. good luck!

[Wiisass]

That sucks to hear man, definitely make them pay for that. I'm down at VT too. Why'd you go all the way to Roanoke to get an alignment done? There are a bunch of places in town that do them, not really sure which are the best because I haven't had my car aligned by any of them yet, but I've been thinking of taking it to the Firestone on South Main near Kroger and the ABC store. I think one of the other 240 guys around here has taken his care there and doesn't have any complaints. The lifetime alignment thing is nice there and I talked to one of the head guys a couple months ago and he said he could do adjustable arms without any extra charge.

BTW, which car is yours? I'm sure I've seen it around.

Tim

[SaGang227]

Sounds cool.
Neer checked out regional forum before.
Thanks for your advice!

[thx247]

Shops problem not yours....stick it to them.

[SaGang227]

Thanks guys for your support!
Tim, my bad it's not roanoke, it was in christiansburg right next to the mall.
I drive a 96 pearl white.

[98sr20ve]

Sounds cool.
Neer checked out regional forum before.
Thanks for your advice!

Try www.dragva.com as well.

[kazuo]

pwn him, they fucked your car up.

It's going to be harder to do now.. since you left, they can just deny that they ever bent the arm(s) in the first place.

Good luck tho, just roll in there like 10 guys deep and start some shit.

That's what I'd do.

[drift into a curb]

should have jacked it up by the jack points on the side... or on the crossmember...

[XxJaPxOxNeEs23xX]

the alignment shop did that to mine too, nd they told me that the tow truck must of put the chain and stuff on the wrong part. but i never had a tow truck, nd when they aligned it i just bought it brand new from japan. nd so they bent it back for me. but the reason y they bent mine was because they were trying to adjust my lower a arms length.

so yeh anyone in socal know a good alignment shop. im sick of doing it my self, takes too much time.

[drift into a curb]

Hmm... Vodie's alignment in Garden Grove. These guys do it old school style on the scales most of the time, but have electronic alignment. Car drives straight and price is around $90 four a 4 wheel. 3 month guarantee to change any specs you'd like.

[idlafie]

Today I went to Merchant's Tire to get my car aligned.
I got bored of waiting so I went to into the shop when my car was put on the rack.
The mechanic lifts front(didn't see where he lifted) and comes back to the rear to lift it.
He places the lift right in the middle of lower arm(control arm) and I was thinking maybe he needs to do it to do alignment or something.
And then lift lifts that thing and boom! my control arms are bent!
I guess he got freaked out for damaging my car as he knew I was watching it, and says that he can't do the alignment since the control arms are bent. DOH!
I told him that I saw him bending the lower arm and the manager says they do it 50 million times a day and they always lift control arm.
They kept denying it and I couldn't keep arguing.
Since Nissan dealer service dept. is closed for weekend, I am gonna wait until Monday and talk to the mechanic to see if its their fault or not.
I want to hear you opinion about using lower control arm as lifting point.
Thanks guys!

Jeong

Take a picture of the damage and then contact the Bureau of Automotive Repair for your state. Also find a picture in your Factory Service Manual that shows the PROPER jack points/lift points for your vehicle. Make a xerox copy of that page. Get the names of the service manager that told you that the shop always lifts a vehicle from the control arm. Also get the name of the technician that screwed up. After you get ahold of the inspector for the Bureau of Automotive Repair, explain to him what happened and show him the pictures. (If you get your car repaired before then, then KEEP the part they damaged along with an invoice from the shop that did the repair. Have the shop that did the repair give you a statement explaining what they think caused the damage to the control arm). The inspector will then interview the other party involved. Then the inspector will make his determination as to who screwed up. If the inspector rules in your favor, (which he probably will), then he will try to get you a refund and get your vehicle repaired or money refunded for the repairs you already had done.
If no Bureau of Automotive Repair is available for your state, then go to your local Small Claims court & sue them for the damages.
For California...this is what the Bureau of Automotive Repair website looks like.
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/StdPage.asp?Body=/consumer/FileComplaint.htm
You'll have to find the appropriate one for your state.
Anyhow, hope this helps...
ID

[SaGang227]

I have name of the manager and the mechanic.
Also, I kept telling him to write down some kind of statement that he lifted the car on control arm but he said he won't write anything down and kept telling me to get out of his shop.
Well I couldn't argue for long because I'm not that kind of guy.
However, I made him admit that he lifted on control arms and everyone around there, including my roommate heard him so there is no way he can deny that.
I soon contacted the district manager and he told me to go to Nissan dealer and get some kind of note/letter that Merchants Tire damaged it.
Then he will pay for the repair.
That's what I am planning to do.
I am extremely pissed off at the manager and the mechanic because they are dishonest and would like them to be fired or demoted but I just don't wanna take it too far involving court and stuff.
However, I will get the quote from dealership for damage repair and get the money, and fix it myself, which would leave me some extra money. :D
Well thank you all for your advices and I will update on Monday about the result!

Jeong

[Pancor]

Every mechanic that doesn't have his head up his ass knows you don't lift a car by the control arms. Ball joints aren't meant to be loaded in that direction, and in extreme cases, like yours, the freakin control arms will bend!

[SaGang227]

I went to Nissan today and got the quote for the damage.
Replace both rear arms and 4 wheel alignment will cost me $487.
I actually like the dealer price for the first time. :drool:
I called the regional manager up with Nissan technician's note and he still says there is not enough proof.
He said he thinks I bent it while lowering my car and trying to make Merchant's Tire pay for it on purpose but he will pay for it anyways.
That was biggest bull shit ever!
Why on earth would I bend the control arm while replacing damn springs?
Also, how would I have guessed that Merchant's Tire that I went to will jack up my car by lifting the control arm?
What if Merchant's did not lift the at the control arm? WIill I still fight that they bent it?
Even though my car will be fixed, it still was very unpleasant experience.
Thank you all for your support guys!

Jeong