We purchased the lifetime alignment and balancing a while back and only took it in once after the first time.

The reason we brought it in the first time was to make sure the alignment and balancing were spot on.

The reason we took it in the second time was because the car was steering to the left (pulling) all the time.

The second time, they still didn't fix it.

Recently, the steering wheel was vibrating at about 50 mph but it has since gone away.

I called them about making an appointment and they looked up my info and saw the car in the system, but not the work they did on the car and because of this, they said they would not honor my "lifetime" service (luckily I have the receipt and BTW this was over the phone)

The receipt also has proof of the readout of what they changed/tuned the firs time (not sure if proving they did work on the car will help at all)

I am not sure what to do here.

Does this sound like something I can take to court?

This is really bothering me.

Car was fine until we even brought the car in for preventive maintenance

 

What company?

You bought a lifetime deal, and they don't show that on their computer, but you have a receipt, so take it up to them and talk to the manager.

 

Deals like these are losers. Generally in the the time you own a car from new you seldom will need much in the way of alignments or balancing.

They bet that you will not return often and most people seldom do during the life of the car or tires. Also they can give you a free alignment but too often they will find a lot of other money making things wrong and you will leave with a bill for something. Most shops are honest but many are not. I have seen the games first hand and even had a buddy quit a place because they were pressuring him to replace good parts.

Same to a lesser extent extended warranties. Often things that people fear will fail are often under a 100,000 mile warranty anyways.

The way I look at it the extended warranty is like Vegas. The house bets you will not need it and sell it to you hoping to take your money. The owner is playing the game in fear he will lose the money and is making what he thinks is a safe bet. In the end the house normally wins and makes money while only with a few pay outs to make it look like a safe bet to the buyer. In the end you are generally buying piece of mind.

 

I think your receipt is all you need. It sounds like they had a computer glitch.

Off topic a bit, my wife and I go to a local Discount Tire and if you buy tires and have them mount them, you get free lifetime rotation, balancing and tire repair (but not alignment). Their prices seem very much in line with other places so it doesn't appear to be a we'll-charge-more-for-the-tires/mounting-to-make-up-for-the-free-service kind of deal. We've had great service with them. They've rotated twice (checked balancing for each tire) and plugged two tires (one while I was out of state) for absolutely free. Plus they all (I've been to three, one in AZ, and two in NM) seem to have a window in the waiting room so you can watch them work. Very cool place.

 

Boy, that shop got it's money's worth out of you! The only adjustment that a normal tech can or will do on a stock HHR is TOE.(that is a PERIOD). If you don't go around banging into curbs "you don't need an alignment". They screwed it up the first time they did it, and now can't/won't get it back to specs. However, if you paid for a "Lifetime" alignment, I advise you to take it into the shop as often as the guarantee allows, on the button.(also a PERIOD) And watch the tech the entire time it's on the rack.

The only thing that you even need is to have the front end parts inspected for wear, and then replaced if needed. That is one of the major selling points of the "McPherson strut". The other being ease of installation at the factory.

The vibration that came and went was probably a bit of mud or road tar stuck on the wheel.

 

lesson learned, money wasted, so endth the lesson

 

forgot to mention that the pulling to the left went away after a while

but I recently did accidentally drive over a curb when it was raining and now one of the tire pressure sensors isn't working

 

Many tire places make money on selling "additional" service whether you need it or not. The last time I purchased tire, the tire shop wanted to do an alignment. I said no, as I take my cars to a specialty alignment shop. The tire techs working there looked like parolees with a job. All skinny with tatoos all over, looking like meth heads to me. They wanted to sell me lifetime tire warrenty plus other stuff.

My brother took his car in for some work and was hit with a $2600 bill for brakes, ball joints, tie rods, alignment etc etc. He has a PT Cruiser with just 60K miles and I doubt that all that stuff was really needed.

 

The theory is: get a car up on a lift you CAN find something to sell.

Don't forget that most mechanics are basically commissioned sales people, meaning they get paid by the flat rate job, not the real hour, plus a sales bonus.

The tire stores that I worked at 40 years ago would mark parts up 100% of the RETAIL price (that's double what you would pay at the counter), and pay the supplier wholesale (with volume discounts). We made small fortunes selling idler arms, cost us $8 cost customer $35 + $70 labor (for 3 bolts) then tie rod end bushings, cost us $0.45 cost customer $65 + $70 labor and then, of course "anytime you touch the suspension you need an alignment". KA-CHING! We just made $200 profit in under an hour on one of 15 customers.

Now that I am a senior citizen, I am remorseful of the scare I used to throw into the old folks. And I try to steer other folks in the right direction.

 

Just getting you in the door is a way to sell parts.

Many but not all shop require the mechanics to sell so much $$ per month on replacment parts. While some shops only push for needed part many anymore will push to replace any part good or not. They lay this deed on the mechanic.

As for mark up most places by wholesale list and sell at the retail price some may mark up more, This is why you see a higher price on parts vs when you buy them. If you did not pay the mark up the price would be tacked on to the price of the labor anyways. These places do not just work for labor only.

My mom went to get tires mounted on and watched as they unloaded a truck load of springs at the shop. Guess what they came in and told her that here rear spings were so bad she may not make it home. Luckily Mom was wise enough to the car repair game she just told them she would take here chances and that it was good they just happen to get a load of new springs in while she was there. The service writer just walked away.

In this day and age one needs to be some what aware of their dealing to protect themselves and it matters little what it is. Car repair, home repair etc. Too many people are too lazy, trusting or indifferent and get taken often. There is enough ways to get info to be up on about anything to the point that while you may not be able to replace a Idler arm at least you know what it is and what it takes to replace it.

Never shop clueless.

I just love it when Best Buys tries to pawn a extended warranty on me. I just ask them well if you are having that much problems let me put this item back. They stop me and then just tell me I have to ask and that they get very few if any back.

No matter what the buisness they play on your fears and try to replace parts and warranties to make money.

Even things like the enless pancakes at IHOP are a rip. How many here can finish more than they already give you? Sounds like a deal but then you think about it.