Your BMW pulls to the left 'cos the wheel is flat

DubTony

So, I'm recommended a supposedly great mechanic to look at my car. I replaced the air flow sensor a couple of weeks back but that didn't do the job. My old man and my brothers have their cars serviced by this guy so the car was dropped down for me. Claims to be a Beemer specialist.

I rang the guy and get his "mechanic".

"Who told you to replace the air flow meter?"
"How did you know it was gone?"
"Sure they cost me more than that."

Look, I said, there's a problem in there somewhere, maybe a burst hose / pipe or something. So see what you can do. Thanks. Oh, there's something else. The car pulls to the left. Sometimes it's so bad it pulls the arm out of me.

"That's cos the wheel is flat."
No it's not, I said. The steering wheel is off centre. The discs were replaced 4 months ago and that's how I got it back. Will you have a look at it?.

Got the phone call today from the owners wife. Your cars ready. We replaced the bellows (and something else). It was pulling because the wheels are flat. It needs a service and a good overhaul.

It's hard to get good help.

Where next?

ShayK1

is it just me or is that a hard post to read?

What's the question? Actually.. Whats the problem?

Tipsy Mac

I suppose you get what you pay for.

martinr5232

Maybe its not the Mechanics that are the problem.

Berty

Why not bring the car to a BMW dealerships and pay them their going rate for finding the fault and then decide if you want to get them to pay for it or take their fault finding to somebody else and tell them what to do to fix it.

DubTony

martinr5232 wrote: »

Maybe its not the Mechanics that are the problem.

was that an attempt at humour?

DubTony

Berty wrote: »

Why not bring the car to a BMW dealerships and pay them their going rate for finding the fault and then decide if you want to get them to pay for it or take their fault finding to somebody else and tell them what to do to fix it.

Because I can't afford to give under-qualified muppets €100 an hour. It was ok to give a lazy arsed moron €45 for labour. The question is, for those of you who can't figure it out, where's a good place to get the "pulling problem" looked at? (Didn't anyone get that? )

martinr5232

If I was trying to be funny I would have put one of these as I didnt you can draw your own conclusions.

Mr Benevolent

Have you considered going to a better mechanic? (and that's not sarcasm). Just because your family thinks he's good doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's false economy if you keep having to go back to him.

cianclarke

Seriously, two letters. AC.
Otherwise, I can recommence some reasonably good independents in Rathmines/Ranelagh but don't know anywhere else I'm afraid..

DubTony

martinr5232 wrote: »

If I was trying to be funny I would have put one of these as I didnt you can draw your own conclusions.

ooooohhhh!!!!


You should have used the sarcasm smiley .... unless of course you weren't being sarcastic, but just plain insulting. Nice. Very nice. Very mature of you.

DubTony

Confab wrote: »

Have you considered going to a better mechanic? (and that's not sarcasm). Just because your family thinks he's good doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's false economy if you keep having to go back to him.

I'd love to, but the cash flow isn't what it used to be.

DubTony

cianclarke wrote: »

Seriously, two letters. AC.
Otherwise, I can recommence some reasonably good independents in Rathmines/Ranelagh but don't know anywhere else I'm afraid..

Cheers Cian. Found it. Thanks. I'll drop down at lunch time tomorrow.

cianclarke

Hope they can sort you out - they are expensive for an independent, but they are specialists and generally regarded as the best.

The pulling to the right is probably worn front wishbone bushes or ball joints or both.

rocknchef

so did yo put any air in the wheels:P

DubTony

Alanna Ashy Gout wrote: »

The pulling to the right is probably worn front wishbone bushes or ball joints or both.

Would that explain the pulling to the left as well ?

rocknchef wrote:

so did yo put any air in the wheels

Actually, the €40 an hour muppet did that on his own initiative :eek:
And then I went to a tyre shop and did it properly.

DubTony

DubTony wrote: »

Would that explain the pulling to the left as well ?

Sorry, should have re-read your post before replying .

If that turns out to be the problem give this crowd a call about parts http://www.bordermotorworks.com/

I got two quality e46 complete front wishbones ( not the rubbish you get in motorfactors here) of them for a very good price and they deliver anywhere in the republic for about £10.