Firestone

[95DRGT]

My brother breaks down last night on the way home from work. Car blew the lower radiator hose and puked all the fluid. He pulls it off the road immediately.

I'm rehabbing an injury so I can't mess with it now. I helped my brother out by meeting the two driver this morning to have it towed to Firestone (I know first mistake). It's close to where he broke down and with walking distance from his apartment so he could deal with it from this point forward.

I call the manager and tell him I getting it towed in and to replace the lower hose. They call a few hours later and say it failed a block test and head gaskets are bad.
I told them I didn't authorize the block test and fix the damn lower hose.

They said they can't because they would be liable for the repair if I took it to another Firestone since they did the block test and it failed.

What a crock of shit-rant off


the car is 2006 Buick Park Avenue with probably 150K on the 3.8. My experience with these motors are they damn near bullet proof and can't imagine a warped head unless he's been driving it hot for sometime and not telling me

[snacksnack]

Did they charge you more for the test? Aluminum heads?

[SEB]

If you didn't authorize the block test, They shouldn't be able to charge you. There should be a flat rate diagnostic fee which is normally $79 or that range

[Baron Von Crowder]

I hate to play devil's advocate here, but the hose blew off, likely due to over-pressurized coolant system, and that is generally caused by a blown head gasket.

[95DRGT]

I hate to play devil's advocate here, but the hose blew off, likely due to over-pressurized coolant system, and that is generally caused by a blown head gasket.

Got time to look at it?

[95DRGT]

and no they will not be charging me jack since I didn't authorize it

[snacksnack]

So when you get a hose put on and drive it and find out it has a blown head gasket will you still me mad that they told you about it?

[Baron Von Crowder]

Got time to look at it?

I dont, I've got a ton on my plate plus getting ready to go to the track this weekend. Next week is a bit more open.

I'd throw the hose back on and see what I can find. Those are somewhat common to blow the intake gaskets.

[95DRGT]

So when you get a hose put on and drive it and find out it has a blown head gasket will you still me mad that they told you about it?

No I'll eat crow. I was more pissed about them doing something unauthorized when it was apparent to me it had a blown hose and that's all I asked to replace. I certainly didn't expect the head gasket issue- it just seemed a little suspect in the way it was presented to me and immediate thought was the up sale

[BP]

No I'll eat crow. I was more pissed about them doing something unauthorized when it was apparent to me it had a blown hose and that's all I asked to replace. I certainly didn't expect the head gasket issue- it just seemed a little suspect in the way it was presented to me and immediate thought was the up sale

It's a CYA on the tech's behalf. The intakes actually crack on these, which usually means water in the cylinders and bent rods. True they don't usually blow head gaskets but they do eat rod bearings like there is no tomorrow.

If they are original hoses it's no surprise it blew off. These engines also have a weird belt tensioner/coolant bypass deal that can leak and is expensive as heck.

Believe it or not most Firestone's aren't that bad. As with all chains your mileage may vary but given the choice between one of them, a Midas, Aamco or Pep Boys I'd take Firestone first.

Not to mention nearly every major military installation has a Firestone on site.

[95DRGT]

It's a CYA on the tech's behalf. The intakes actually crack on these, which usually means water in the cylinders and bent rods. True they don't usually blow head gaskets but they do eat rod bearings like there is no tomorrow.

If they are original hoses it's no surprise it blew off. These engines also have a weird belt tensioner/coolant bypass deal that can leak and is expensive as heck.

Believe it or not most Firestone's aren't that bad. As with all chains your mileage may vary but given the choice between one of them, a Midas, Aamco or Pep Boys I'd take Firestone first.

Not to mention nearly every major military installation has a Firestone on site.

Thanks!

[Baron Von Crowder]

It's a CYA on the tech's behalf. The intakes actually crack on these, which usually means water in the cylinders and bent rods. True they don't usually blow head gaskets but they do eat rod bearings like there is no tomorrow.

If they are original hoses it's no surprise it blew off. These engines also have a weird belt tensioner/coolant bypass deal that can leak and is expensive as heck.

Believe it or not most Firestone's aren't that bad. As with all chains your mileage may vary but given the choice between one of them, a Midas, Aamco or Pep Boys I'd take Firestone first.

Not to mention nearly every major military installation has a Firestone on site.

the tensioner elbow thing is common enough now to be in the help section at parts chains.

[Ratt]

It's a CYA on the tech's behalf. The intakes actually crack on these, which usually means water in the cylinders and bent rods. True they don't usually blow head gaskets but they do eat rod bearings like there is no tomorrow.

If they are original hoses it's no surprise it blew off. These engines also have a weird belt tensioner/coolant bypass deal that can leak and is expensive as heck.

Believe it or not most Firestone's aren't that bad. As with all chains your mileage may vary but given the choice between one of them, a Midas, Aamco or Pep Boys I'd take Firestone first.

Not to mention nearly every major military installation has a Firestone on site.

The Firestone by my house has left a bad taste in my mouth. I went in one Saturday, half the bays were empty, and there were three techs sitting in the cashier area bullshitting with the cashier. I asked if I could get an oil change, and they quoted me three hours. Fuck that place.

[BP]

The Firestone by my house has left a bad taste in my mouth. I went in one Saturday, half the bays were empty, and there were three techs sitting in the cashier area bullshitting with the cashier. I asked if I could get an oil change, and they quoted me three hours. Fuck that place.

A walk in oil change on a Saturday will almost always guarantee a 3+ hour wait and probably a hard upsell on everything you can imagine. Keep in mind that they work by appointments and for all you knew the techs were either all at lunch or had cars torn down and were trying to get parts ordered. It's sloppy to have techs hanging out in the cashier area though and exactly for this reason.

You won't get a tech to drop what they are doing to do a hot oil change for .2 labor. That's why places like Jiffy Lube and Walmart do oil changes. Sure if you have it in for a brake job or an alignment anyways they'll do it while they already have the car in the air but otherwise it's a huge whipping and the techs lose money.