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Fraudulent mechanic? How hard to break struts? - READ ONLY

13 messages,  Last post on Mar 11, 2003 at 9:07 AM

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What is this discussion about? Nissan Altima, Wheels, Sedan

Messages Page 2 of 2

#4 of 13 1994 Nissan Altima by colmmoo

Mar 10, 2003 (8:49 am)

The car is a 1994 Nissan Altima. 88,720 miles on it.
 
My husband and my boss brought it to Meineke to get a second opinion on the front right strut. Apparently, it was only the strut mount that needed replacing. Would you drive this car on the highway knowing that the first mechanic said that the right wheel could fall off anytime?

#5 of 13 Jacked up the car to show us the wheel by colmmoo

Mar 10, 2003 (8:52 am)

One other thing...the first mechanic jacked up the car and bounced the right wheel up and down. There were small cracks in the round piece that helps hold the wheel in place (I think). Sorry, I can't give a better explanation. It looked like a plastic or rubber ring that was cracked in its edges. The right wheel literally looked loose and when we drove the car off, there was a terrible rumbling sound (we didn't hear this prior to bringing it to the first mechanic).

#6 of 13 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Mar 10, 2003 (9:11 am)

Anytime I hear predictions of death horror maiming, etc. from a strange new repair shop I am inclined to believe that these scare tactics are highly suspicious.

#7 of 13 by rea98d

Mar 10, 2003 (6:10 pm)

"Also, buying a car from one's boss just may not be the smartest thing to do!"
 
Smarter than selling your boss a car!

#8 of 13 terrible rumbling sound, eh? by swschrad

Mar 10, 2003 (6:53 pm)

I would suspect the mechanic clamped a pump pliers onto the exhaust pipe to look for extensive deterioration and punched a hole in it. in the exitement over who-struck-John, he decided he was not going to volunteer anything else. a common technique, it's a little coarse in that if you squeeze hard enough, you can kill a pipe that should have another year or two in it, but for a used-car evaluation for purchase, I'm sorta in favor of it myself.
 
if it's the holder for the strut at top... also called a strut tower... they also have a limited life, not always that of the car, and they do need to be fixed.
 
I'm not sure I'm going to load up and go hunting for anybody over what I've read so far. not enough detail, no pictures, and it apparently got too argumentative too fast for my taste.

#9 of 13 by alcan

Mar 10, 2003 (10:47 pm)

The strut tower is the reinforced sheet metal area that the strut attaches to, part of the unibody structure. The "holder" is the strut mount.

#10 of 13 Let's assume for a moment... by leadfoot4

Mar 11, 2003 (4:21 am)

...that the strut holder had deteriorated. I would think that it's possible for the strut to be held in place while the weight of the car is on it, but when lifted by the rack at the garage, the strut could fall out of place.
Keep in mind, once unloaded, the spring will push down against the lower control arm, and away from the shock tower.

#11 of 13 Assuming that when I get the car inspected... by colmmoo

Mar 11, 2003 (8:41 am)

...that the car will fail the inspection test if anything else was broken by the first mechanic.

#12 of 13 I'll just betcha... by isellhondas

Mar 11, 2003 (9:07 am)

The shop was one of the "mass merchants".
 
And I would be willing to bet just which one!
 
Take it to a dealer or a competent independent!

Messages Page 2 of 2

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