Well before I begin my long story. I know I shouldn't go to chain stores for my mechanic needs but my friend works at another Mavis and always wants me to go to them and I went to Sears because my job brings their cars to them.
Anyways, I noticed a humming coming frim the front end and I jacked it up at home and was able to move the tire at the 12 and 6 position which I figured was the wheel bearing. My axle on that side also had a rip in the boot. I brought it to mavis and I told them that I think it may be the bearing and the boot is ripped. He gets back to me and being a me in the back. He tells me that the wheel bearing was bad and I was correct on the axle. And that's all that is bad and the front end is otherwise great. I told them I also hear some clunking and he brushed it off as maybe a bushing... anyways this was i think may 9th. When I got the car back the wheel was making a screech, i brought it back and I was told just a bent heat shield.
I still heard some humming and thought it may have been my tires. Finally I jacked it up again and the same tire moves at the 12 and 6 positions so I looked behind and both upper and lower ball joints seem so bad. I've only driven the car about 900 miles since. Now I know what the knocking is.

I also jacked up the other side and that tires has a little play at 12 and 6 and I don't see any play in the ball joints. But this wheel hub was done by Sears, twice in the past 3 years and only about 20,000 miles in between the first replaced and now. I only go to and from work and no rough roads. The second time they offered I just pay for labor. I think it's ridiculous that I have to go back a third time for the same part in such a short time.

I haven't contacted Mavis yet and not sure how to go about it because they initially never replaced a bad part, and they sent me off with essentially a hazardous vehicle. Even my work mechanic took a look and can't see how the missed it.
And bow I have to contact Sears as well.

But in doing all this, I have found that at the barn, one of my wife's friend's husband Is a mechanic and he woukd do any work needed for price if parts and cheaper labor cost.

so what is protocol when seeing with Mavis on this?

thanks and sorry for the long thread

 

I think it is time to cut your losses, forget Mavis and Sears, buy your parts from Rock Auto or similar (buying the best parts you can afford). Take them you your buddy along with a case of Coors Light (for after, not during LOL). Get your hands dirty beside him and figure out how to do this yourself (it isn't rocket science but takes some experience and grunt). Even if he doesn't "need" help, it is almost always helpful to have someone hold this part while he bangs on that part or gets a bolt started. You will see how he goes about things and the next time something comes up, you will have basic skills that along with UseTubes will help you do it yourself.


My six cents (special deal for Fridays).

 

I second!

 

Sorry I was stuck driving from 5am til 830pm yesterday. But yeah I guess I'm going to have to do that but all year fixes are costing me extra money when I'm running a bit thin now. Ill buy the parts this weekend for the friend mechanic, But i will still be calling customer service of Mavis and see what they have to say and also Sears

 

Sounds like you brought your vehicle to them and told them what parts you wanted replaced. They replaced the requested parts. You diagnosed the vehicle, not them.

 

I knew the cv axle needed to be replaced and I did go in there saying what it might be since I checked. On the receipt they had the, check front end, check brakes, etc so they knew they were supposed to diagnose what the actual problem was and ended up replacing something that wasn't bad to begin with.
regardless, I got my mood upper control arm and moot lower ball joint in Thursday and had my mechanic friend install them on Sunday. Clunking is gone finally and I feel so much better driving it.

And you woukd think a place like Mavis woukd want to find more things wrong to charge you for. Lol