So I was driving back home after taking my daughter to get her pictures taken in St. Cloud. I got just outside the city and my car starts making a noise that sounds like jake brakes. Of course I freak out because I am a woman and have my three year old in the car. I use my gps and find the nearest service station which happened to be Rice Auto Sales & Service. The service guy Travis takes my van for a drive to see what the noise is. He returns and tells me that it is definatley my tie rods and they need to be replaced. He pulls in into the shop to look at it closer and then comes out to the waiting area to tell me that my wheel hub is extremly loose as well. Travis tells me that to fix it all will take most of a day and it is already 3 oclock.
Travis tells me it is just fine to drive my van the 40 miles back to Brainerd. He tells me he wouldnt be afraid one bit. I ask him are you sure? He says he possitive. I just wanted to make sure it would be a safe drive for me and my three year old. Once again he tells me it is perfectly safe. So I get in my van and I drive all the way home with my car shaking and making a horrible thumping noise. On the way home I call Travis back asking him if it is ok to drive to Staples as well to take my cat to vet. He says not to worry it will be just fine. I trust him.
The next day I drive to Staples, on the way there I can feel my car getting worse as well and hear it too. I start to make my way back to Brainerd and I get about 20 minutes away and I hear a snapping noise and my car starts to shake horribly. I pull over and call my boyfriend. He tells me since Im almost home to take it slow and try to drive home. I get home and leave my van parked. I miss work and I have to ask my friend to drive me to work the next day as well.
My friend tells me him and his brother can look at it the next day. I get all the parts the guy from Rice said I needed to fix it, inner and outer tie rods for both sides as well as a hub assembly for my right front wheel. My friend and his brother start to work on my van in the garage. A few minutes later he calls me out there to show me something he says.in his hand are two of my stud bolts. They came right off. It was not my hub assembly was not loose it was my lug nuts! Everything would have been prevented if Travis at the service center would have checked the most obvious thing!!! I had my three year old in my car and my tire could have fallen off. Obviously I am very upset and feel that others should know that this service station did not do a good job at checking my vehicle! And to top it all off my tie rods were not that bad, but my friend replaced them anyway. Needless to say I am not very happy and I think others should know.
0 comments