Took car in for alignment, left with burned clutch

[NGOT8R]

Time for a good aftermarket clutch since the alignment shop will be paying for it.

Sponsored

 

[Bluemustang]

No joke, I am afraid to take my car to Ford to replace my hood w/ the TSB because they will do something like this. There's far too many stories of shit like this happening.

 

[Geodudes550]

Time for a good aftermarket clutch since the alignment shop will be paying for it.

What clutch would you guys recommend? I don't track the car or anything, nor it is FI. I do a bit of "spirited driving" though but nothing crazy.

 

[illtal]

get them to pay for lawyer fees, clutch & labor (at an inflated like 150hr rate), and any other damage you can come up with. I'll have the transmission looked at VERY closely because he could have damaged the shift forks as well with this kind of abuse.

 

[NGOT8R]

I’ve taken my car in for alignments twice (once at a Ford dealership and once at a local tire shop). Both times I specifically told them that I did not want anyone to test drive my car and thankfully, they honored my requests.

 

[Geodudes550]

get them to pay for lawyer fees, clutch & labor (at an inflated like 150hr rate), and any other damage you can come up with. I'll have the transmission looked at VERY closely because he could have damaged the shift forks as well with this kind of abuse.

When I called my local dealer and explained the situation, I asked if it were possible for a very thorough inspection, engine, trans, rear diff, drive shaft, everything. The gal I spoke to on the phone said it wouldn't be a problem so I am hoping they will be cool about it.

 

[2fast2focus]

I’ve taken my car in for alignments twice (once at a Ford dealership and once at a local tire shop). Both times I specifically told them that I did not want anyone to test drive my car and thankfully, they honored my requests.

I've never had this luck at my local Ford Dealership. They would take my Focus RS out for any little thing. Oil change, inspection it didn't matter. I know I took it for tires and an alignment and they put 10 miles or so on a test drive. I was told it's what they do to "make sure everything is okay." I haven't taken the Mustang there for anything and I do not plan on it.

 

[illtal]

Video of the drive, at end of video, you can see smoke. This is less than a mile from the shop.
https://files.catbox.moe/8jfmby.ts

Video of tech arriving back at shop with more smoke visible.
https://files.catbox.moe/7e4alg.ts

Video of another tech witnessing the smoke and I guess pretending like he doesn't see it.
https://files.catbox.moe/4p4f7j.ts

The shop is a Firestone location in Bakersfield.

god that was some terrible driving, missed shifts, clutch riding, and general bad practices driving a manual.

 

[NGOT8R]

god that was some terrible driving, missed shifts, clutch riding, and general bad practices driving a manual.

The video links won’t work for me.

 

[illtal]

The video links won’t work for me.

when you download them open them in VLC movie player... I am on a PC

 

[GTP]

Don't most people wait while their car is aligned? Typically takes less than an hour.

 

[Geodudes550]

Don't most people wait while their car is aligned? Typically takes less than an hour.

Normally I do wait, but after dropping it off at 230pm (my scheduled appointment time btw) and being told they wouldn't even get it to until 330 at the earliest, I went to lunch with my Dad. Either way, it happened down the street and around the corner so the only benefit would've been seeing it come back smoking and I'd still be in the same boat I'm in now. I was tempted to beat myself over it like it's my fault but the only thing I could've done differently would be demanding to ride along with a test drive if it was required or forbid the test drive in the first place. Had I known they were going to test drive it, I wouldn't have been comfortable with it. The last time I took it there for an alignment, there was no test drive so the thought never occurred to me.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

I used to work at a firestone about 30 years ago. I eventually quit after my conscious told me what they were asking me to do was highly unethical and rather shady. Techs who stay, are either shady themselves or bottom of the barrel and can't get a job anywhere else. After working for them, I won't let them put air in my kids bicycle tire, no way in hell are they ever getting near my mach 1

 

[Geodudes550]

god that was some terrible driving, missed shifts, clutch riding, and general bad practices driving a manual.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. I was shouting at my screen like a psychopath when watching it for the first time. Absolutely infuriating.

 

[Bluemustang]

Normally I do wait, but after dropping it off at 230pm (my scheduled appointment time btw) and being told they wouldn't even get it to until 330 at the earliest, I went to lunch with my Dad. Either way, it happened down the street and around the corner so the only benefit would've been seeing it come back smoking and I'd still be in the same boat I'm in now. I was tempted to beat myself over it like it's my fault but the only thing I could've done differently would be demanding to ride along with a test drive if it was required or forbid the test drive in the first place. Had I known they were going to test drive it, I wouldn't have been comfortable with it. The last time I took it there for an alignment, there was no test drive so the thought never occurred to me.

It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. This type of thing just shouldn't happen, and it's a shame that it does. You'll learn from it going forward.

Sponsored