Mechanics Mishaps

[MOMACC]

What is your worst experience when having mechanical work undertaken?

For me it's taking my van in for it's MOT which failed on a track rod so I booked it into my local garage for a quick fix the day later.
MOT passed and £90 to the garage.

I drove off in wintery conditions and thought that the steering felt loose but put it down to the new track rod and slippery roads.

One advisory was for a new front tyre so the day later I took it to the tyre shop and on the way there the van came to a stop via a violent shudder.

I got out of the van and saw 3 wheels facing forward and one wheel not connected. I rang the garage who did the work who came to help. On inspection the nut connecting the arm had dislodged or wasn't put back on. The garage ordered and collected a new arm so they could get the nut and fixed it at the roadside, the next day they had it back in and fitted the new arm as it was pointless chucking it away and balanced the wheels.

Luckily I wasn't going fast and I or the van weren't damaged further. The garage couldn't have been more apologetic and whilst I can forgive mistakes if I was on the motorway it might not have ended so well.

[Gastons_Revenge]

I've found several tools left in the engine bay of my various cars over the years! Mostly crap disposable stuff, but one was a Snap-On spanner which I returned to the mechanic as he was a sound bloke.

[Baldchap]

A bike mechanic once failed to torque my brake calipers when I went in for a new tyre.

One of the calipers fell off whilst riding, which wasn't ideal.

[Super Sonic]

Driving round the M25 in company sprinter. Am one one of the concrete sections and the steering wheel starts vibrating. I put it down to the usual vibrating on the ribbed concrete. Get to a tarmac section and the wheel is still vibrating. Pull onto hard shoulder and look at wheels. NSF has lost three nuts, and the last two are halfway off. I take one of the nuts off the OSR and put that on, and tighten all three down hard.
Next day I mention this to the boss.
"Oh yeah, I wanted to powdercoat the wheels..." (We did powdercoating) "...so I took one off and took it to the tyre fitters to ask how much to remove the tyre, then refit after powdercoating. Their quote was unreasonable so I decided not to bother. I must have forgotten to tighten the nuts when I put the wheel back on". .