Re: IML: Am I getting screwed?

["Scott & Lise Scheuermann" <SLScheuermann@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In my opinion, yes you are getting screwed. I would never go to Midas unless 
I absolutely had to...and then only for a muffler. In the future find a 
different mechanic, preferably a "mom & pop shop" where the owner is also 
the mechanic.

That said, it is possible that the car needed all that work. Wheel cylinders 
begin to seep brake fluid...if it gets bad enough it gets onto the brake 
shoes & drums...not a good situation. The brakes can seemly work normally 
with seeping cylinders. But them letting you take the car for a spin with 
spongy/non-existant brakes has me shuddering. I wonder if they bled the 
brakes properly. I also wonder if they properly adjusted the shoes. I would 
bet that the car did not have brakes last night because of mechanic 
error/lack of knowledge. While it is possible that there was so much crud in 
the bottom of your master cylinder that disturbing it with the bleeding 
process may of been the last straw for a nearly worn out master cylinder. 
Places like Midas like to find a reason to replace all of the easily 
replaceable parts, charge you a premium price for a warantee, that more 
likely than not you will never use. It increases their bottom line.

Follow your gut feeling. Flee from them and don't look back. If need be have 
your car towed to a real mechanic. Have them thoroughly inspect the brake 
system...especially the rubber section leading to the front wheels. You 
don't want those blowing out on you.

Scott Scheuermann
Who has a great dislike for any national muffler chain he has delt with.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "*MEG*" <megbabe@xxxxxxxx>

....I went to pick her up last night I felt really uneasy about the whole
> situation, they just weren't giving me the comforting feeling that they
> knew what they were doing or that something was going on.  They took
> her off the lift and had me test drive it because the brakes seemed
> mushy to them.  I was scared to death, she wouldn't stop and we almost
> wrecked. I took her back and they came up with some crap about while
> bleeding the brakes in old cars sometimes the valve in the master
> cylinder will go out and that I needed a new master cylinder.  The
> master cylinder was fine whenever I took it in there.  That, and I just
> payed $846 for new shoes and the 4 wheel cylinders.  I believe I was
> already screwed on the price, but I just want the input, advice and
> insight any of you may have.  My boss told me that there wasn't a valve
> that they are speaking of.  Please help anyway.  I want to be prepared
> whenever the guy calls me about Ms. Pearl today.
> Megan



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