'She left with the most... smug grin on her face': Customer flips out on mechanic who warns that her steering wheel is about to break

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  • 01
    Font - "What do you mean I can't drive my car" S I've been a mechanic my entire working life so far, and this is one of my favorite experiences.
  • 02
    Font - I had a customer come in complaining about a vibration. I put the vehicle on the lift and checked the front end. I found a nearly broken tie rod and a faulty rack and pinion. So basically the passenger side front wheel was not fully secured to the steering system and would soon break and cause the wheel to be completely disconnected from the steering.
  • 03
    Font - I told the customer how much the repair would be and told her it was unsafe to drive. She asked me to put it back together so she could leave. I told her that I could not do that because if it broke after I let her leave, I could be held liable. She started yelling and screaming about calling the cops and suing me and how her cousins brother knows a guy who's related to the chief of police and I'll be arrested.
  • 04
    Font - She calls the police and they come out, I show the officers the vehicle and they understood the safety concern. They told me to just put the car down and let her leave. I did and even made her sign a statement declining crucial safety repairs.
  • 05
    Font - She left with the most "haha, I told you so" smug grin on her face... Until she left the property, got pulled over and her car impounded. They also gave her a ticket for reckless driving. I was so happy seeing her car get towed.
  • 06
    Font - EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION. The cops told her it was against the law to drive it, the state laws back then allowed me to do exactly what I did, I offered to discount the price of the repair and take payments, she still refused. And I don't care how well versed you think you are in the law, you don't know when or where this took place.
  • 07
    Font - And no, I won't tell you what state I am in because I have already had several people message me saying they are going to try and find my shop just to harass and blast me.
  • 08
    Font - MegaPegasusReindeer Was it the same cops that told you to release the car waiting just off the property to impound the car? Or was it more coincidence? 11.4k nsn242 OP Reply Same cops. They pulled out of my parking lot right behind her.
  • 09
    Font - richierich1499 One of those in your face stories.. I was working retail and as a store manager was opening a brand new store. In the process of stocking it. One day as I was starting to pull into a parking spot this car comes around, cuts me off and parks in the spot ahead of me. The girl gets out and laughs at me while giving me the finger. This was a free standing store so as there was no other business around I figured she was heading to my store that wasn't open for business but still
  • 10
    Font - As we entered the store at the same time, with me a few steps behind her, she asked the first person she saw, "Where is the store manager I want to apply for a job". The clerk said, "He is standing right behind you ". When she turned around and saw it was me, the person she just gave the finger to in the parking lot, all she said was "oh" and turned around and left the store. It took me several minutes to stop laughing.
  • 11
    Font - LadyChelseaFaye I was hoping this was the outcome. I guess her cousins brothers friends chief can help her get those cops fired for giving her a ticket. Did her car come back to get fixed? 3.9k nsn242 OP Reply Share No, unfortunately I never got the satisfaction of seeing her so I could say I told you so.
  • 12
    Font - Ziathin I once took my car to the dealership because I had to change my front brakes twice in a couple months. They put it on the rack and estimated a $3,000 repair. I told them to f right off and they said I couldn't have the car. Now, the front pads were new. It wasn't going to be unsafe to drive on one short trip to my local garage. I told them if they didn't give me my car I was going to report them to the police for stealing it and that I would have it towed if I need be. They reluct
  • 13
    Gesture - Calling the cops backfired bigtime for her.
  • 14
    Font - ▸ [deleted] Interesting that you'd be liable if you didn't do any repairs. Surely it's not your responsibility when the customer makes an informed decision to not go ahead with your advice
  • 15
    Font - Insanereindeer It's surprising the amount of people that will drive there cars in terrible condition. I worked as a mechanic in college and I sas some rough rides (and this was at a Mercedes/BMW shop).
  • 16
    Font - crasheredall They told her it was against the law before she drove the car away? 4 nsn242 OP Yup Reply Share
  • 17
    Font - kwadd You did the right thing. Some people don't understand how dangerous cars can be. Reminds me of what somebody or the other said about how hunting and driving are very similar. About how you're responsible, whether you're holding a rifle or a steering wheel.
  • 18
    Font - ChipsHandon12 The ol came in for something like an oil change n "oh my theres something wrong i cant let you leave" is a very common scam. Its understandable she'd want it checked by a mechanic she trusts. However she did come in for an unknown problem and not a routine thing. So probably she couldnt afford to get it fixed or its simply not worth fixing at all. 34 nsn242 OP Reply Share But she came in for a vibration. This was the cause of the vibration.

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