Auto shops to avoid around Knoxville/Pigeon Forge

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

Long post, please forgive,

Hi folks, I haven't been on any boards much, er, well, really at all the last couple of years (slacker, I know, lol)
But I wanted to send out a little heads up about a terrible experience I just had, and maybe keep somebody else from falling victim.

Short version: Beware "Carrs auto" when in the Pigeon Forge/Knoxville area. (Several shops between here and Knoxville) Nothing good can come of them. (and lots of "several expletives voluntarily deleted" can).

Longer version: The car (93'GT) started squealing really bad from the tranny last fri night (12-14). Bad enough not to drive.
3 big possibility's:
!: Clutch cable "stretch", (and the firewall adjuster didn't help, even all the way out)
2: Throwout bearing, and number three.
3: Clutch worn out, 3 1/2-4 years old, about 60-70k miles, with a lot of harsh conditions/frequent shifting,hill climbing. Early demise? maybe, but the miles on it weren't pretty ones.

From this point, I'll list everything roughly chronologically.

12/15-16 (sat and Sun): Go out an pick up a new cable, and install, still squealling, decide its either the throwout or the clutch, either way, same resolution, clutch/throwout/pilot replacement. (Oh, and did I mention the snow/sleet while I was working on it)

So, cables not the prob, and pulling the tranny myself on slate gravel in 30 and below weather just isnt an appealing option.
I call Carrs, and ride down to the shop to pick up a rental from them. ($40 a day). I tell the guy what the problem is, and am assured that the car should be done Monday afternoon.

Tues AM, 12/18: After no call monday afternoon, I call to check on progress. their response: "Oh, we're glad you called, it looks like the clutch is the problem, and we need permission to drop the tranny."
Um, ok, that was kinda the whole point...And the car apparently hasn't been touched yet
"It should be done Wednesday."

Wed Am 12/19: It'll be done this afternoon." Wed PM, wife calls back "Oh, its not going to be done until tommorow, we're having to replace the clutch cable. "
(The new cable, that had zero miles.?!?)
"And its going to be $700 plus rental""

Thurs Am 12/20: Call and politely ask whats going on, the claim that everything was together, and the first time they pressed the clutch, it tore the nut off the end of the cable.
WTF?
OK, just fix it, Thurs PM, wife calls back, and is told that they are having to get another clutch

Fri Am 12/21: My morning ritual isn't complete without the daily circle-jerk, "OK, everythings going back together, it'll be ready this afternoon." hmmm, sounds oddly familiar.
I politely inquire if they're going to comp me the last couple of days rental, since the mysteries of Fords clutch system is apparently giving them some trouble. (didn't say it, but thought it REAL loud.) Hemms and hawws, BS,BS,BS.
Fri PM wife calls them, and low and behold this clutch doesent fit either!?!?!

Next morning (Sat 12/22)" Let Mortal Kombat begin:
Starts out with my normal "phone buddy", again asking what exactly is going on, "well we've got another clutch (3rd one), yadda yadda."

I politely explain that at this point, these reassurances aren't,well, reassuring, and ask if there's anything I can do to help things along, maybe theres some quirk with the car thats being missed that I might know something about (I've owned it for 10 years)
About this time, another voice jumps in, with no introductions, and proceeds to tell me that bothering his people isn't going to get the car done. Great way to start a conversation.

Apparently the "Manager" was listening in, and could no longer tolerate me bothering his phone guy by asking reasonable questions about a situation that is obviously far out of control.
Once I pry his name and exalted rank out of him, I ask him, since, as he noted, he's in charge if he can do anything to help fix this situation. Umm, no.

Well, all I'm asking at this point is that the last couple of days rental fees be dropped.
"Nope, thats not our company, we have no control over their fees, etc. "

OK, who can I talk to that does?

"We only own 10% in that company, I'll be happy to give you our 10% back. The rest is out of our hands."

Well, that eight bucks is incredibly generous, but I'd rather go for the full eighty. Whats this companys name, maybe I'll have better luck with them.

"I'm the manager for them, I own 10% and my dad's the president." But?!...

Things went downhill from there, but to summarize: I was accused of "just wanting things for free", "upsetting him", "not having a $4500 mortgage to pay for" and get this...no joke, I still have a hard time believing it,....but by being brazen enough to ask for $80 compensation I'd be...

Taking away his ability to buy Christmas presents!

Oh, he also pointed out several times how nice he was for NOT CHARGING ME FOR THE OTHER 2 BOTCHED CLUTCH INSTALLATIONS/ "MECHANICALLY DEFECTIVE" CLUTCHES!!!

After that I just said to fix it, and we'd agree to get out of each other's hair. (oh, and he doesn't want me to bring my car back to them, since I just want things for free. Shucks, I've got a nail in my back tire that should be worth at least $600 to fix)

And lo, 30 mins after I'm off the phone, a miracle strikes, the cars suddenly done! Though its grabbing way too low, I'll have to play with the adjuster.

Total Damage $976.01, including rental up to Wed.
And I guess a spoiled christmas for his kids


Hope this helps someone out there,

J

[bmxmon]

Bummer man, that seems pretty spendy for a clutch install. Good excuse to build a garage though I know 1k wont get ya far in building a garage, but hey, you gotta think of future repairs!

[USMC302]

Stay away from Transworld in Knoxville too. I've another long story that I'm not gonna bore anyone with but def some BS.

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

Thanks for the warning, at this point, the only place left around I'd even *consider* letting near my car is the 'Stang yard/speed shop out in Dandridge. But even then it'd have to be something despirate.

As to building a garage, unfortunatly we rent, otherwise I'd have already started, if nothing else I'd at least pave the driveway.

Oh well, someday, LOL,

Thanks
J

[mustangII460]

Ya forgot about me being nearby.

Im sure you've see me blasting around PF,G-burg,townsend,dragon etc.

A good friend in Jefferson City owns "Wrench and Tow." Call them if you need someone to work on your car for you. They look like cavemen, but do good work and won't jack ya around. I use their shop to work on my stuff Known them for a long time and trust them with anything I have.

Thomas at the Mustang Parts place is alright to deal with. I stop in every now and again when Im cruising and buy some crap. I need some 94/95 spindles for my 13inch brembos soon.

Cheers,

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

Hey, hola man.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll keep em in mind, if you'd let em near your Cobra thats good enough for me, lol How far out there are they?

Hopefully we'll be getting another car soon, (the 'Depot has decided to get rid of night crew, thus screwing up our work/ride schedule) then I can start looking at some of the bigger projects that I've been putting off (5 lug conversion and a motor rebuild) and maybe even get some work done on the '66.

Do you mean the Mustang yard in Dandridge or the one by the fleamarket? I got my electric fan and a bunch of bits and pieces from the Dandridge yard, I've only been to the other place once.

Later,
J

[mustangII460]

The stang yard off of 25/70. I think its actually considered New Market, but closer to Dandridge. Probably the same one your talking about. The shop near the flea market off on 139 in Kodak is a joke. They don't seem to interested in selling anything.

I just picked up some spindles friday afternoon, so I'll be putting big brakes on soon.

Wrench & Tow is in Jefferson City. Exit# 417 toward Jeff City on Hwy 92. You make a left turn on Hinchey Hollow Rd. 1/8 mile on right. Can find it on google. I would give these guy the keys to my house. Its a Towing buisness and they take some work. They like the big 18 wheeler crap too.

[mustangII460]

O-yeah, I just changed out my rear axles to the Ranger ones. I already had a LSC Lincoln rear with 5 lugs, but the axles are 1.25 inches longer than fox. I had a bit of tire scrub.

The junkyard next to me, Hillbilly Auto, sold me two Rangers ones for $50 bucks.

All you'll need is the Lincoln Rotors and Ranger axles unless you want late model wheels. Then you'll have to do what im finally getting around to doing, SN94/95 spindles.

I just re-did my motor. I took the block to Maryville off of E. Broadway. David Hitch Automotive. They bored it 30,freeze plugs,cam bearing,rodded it for $211.00. Not bad. Now I have a 331 stroker motor. The intake and carbs cost more than the rebuild.

[KiltedBanshees93GT]

Nifty, thanks for the tips,
Yeah, the one on 25/70 is the one I've had the good luck with. I wasn't impressed with the place by the flea market either, they wanted something like $30 more for the same e-fan. The only bright spot was that I found a "privacy screen" for my hatch, in pretty nice shape. (don't think I've ever seen another fox that still had it, LOL)

I'll keep wrench & tow in mind for sure, and the shop that did your engine work. Do they do hot tanking too? The new setup looks sweet, I thought you were running EFI for some reason, (DOH?!) That things gotta be a beast, let me know if you ever need a navigator, LOL

As far as wheels I'm looking at the 96ish (iirc) satin split 5-stars, I can't dig up a pic right now, but they're concave 17's that I think would look sweet on a fox body, stock, but not, and 4 wheel disc. But that'll be at some point in the future,

Sorry bout the lateness of reply, my 'puter time is fairly irregular these days

Thanks
J

[USMC302]

Any of yall know a GOOD mechanic that's not overly expensive in Nashville area? Specifically Hendersonville? Thanks

[bmxmon]

MustangII460, I dig those carbs, they look sweet!

[mustangII460]

USMC, I don't know of any over that way.

Alex, Thanks for the complement.

[USMC302]

Cool, thanks anyway.