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Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

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Old 12-21-2010, 01:14 PM
  #1  
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Thumbs down Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Holy tap dancing Jesus. I think I could squirt blood directly out of my eyes. I'll keep it short and sweet and let the email do the talking.

Hello,

I recently brought my 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution to you guys on December 1st for a four-wheel alignment. Unfortunately however, I'm now beginning to think that was a mistake. Upon further inspection of the work done on the vehicle, I've found several things that are completely unsatisfactory. I felt that the car didn't really drive the way that I wanted it to after spending $75 for an alignment, so I decided to take a look for myself, and I'm quite thankful that I did.

Today, while removing my front passenger wheel, I applied very little pressure with the proper lug wrench to remove one of the lug nuts, and much to my surprise, it completely snapped right off, stud and all. This is clearly caused by an absolutely ridiculous amount of torque being applied when re-installing the lugs nuts onto the vehicle. It should have been done with a torque-stick or torque wrench, or even simply by hand with a lug wrench would have more than sufficed. The fact that your tech felt it necessary to apply what was likely over 600 lbs-ft of torque to my lugnuts with some kind of air tool is completely absurd. But unfortunately, it doesn't end there.

I have adjustable coilover suspension on the vehicle. The ride height, dampening, and front camber angle is fully adjustable. So I was a bit surprised when I found that the front passenger side was almost 1/2 inch lower than the driver side for some ungodly reason, and it wasn't even done properly, because the coilover sleeve wasn't even tightened into place, which is just dangerous. I was always under the impression that the definition of alignment was to make everything even on both sides of the vehicle, so it is "aligned." Maybe I'm wrong though, because apparently its actually defined as "just change some stuff on both sides, give the car back to the customer and hope he doesn't notice." However, believe it or not, it gets even better.

When I checked out the camber settings on the top of the front coilovers, the camber angle in the front is off by a difference of one full degree. How is that even a mistake that could possibly be made? It's literally right in front of your face when you look at the top of the coilover. I can't figure out if your tech just didn't know what the hell he was doing, or if he just didn't care because he was about to get off work. Perhaps a combination of both.

I am totally dissatisfied with the service that I received on my vehicle. It's really just unfortunate that I didn't catch all this sooner, and I honestly feel sorry for all of your customers that you probably do this to that are oblivious to it. I want a full refund for the $75.23 that I paid for this so-called "alignment," so I can take the car to a real shop to get the alignment redone. And furthermore, if you decide you don't want to honor my request for refund, rest assured that I am going to make it my personal mission to make sure that no one I know will bring their vehicle to you for so much as an air freshener. I have attached photos of all my specific complaints with the service. I look forward to your prompt response to this matter. Thank you.
update
Originally Posted by sh!ttyLS
I'm happy to say however, Mr. Balch himself called me this morning and apologized for everything, and asked me to bring the car in this afternoon. I was a bit skeptical at first, but they fixed the stud and redid the alignment to whatever specs I wanted, and everything seems to be correct this time. It's unfortunate that I couldn't have had this experience on the first go-round, but he definitely made it right in the end.
case closed.

Last edited by sh!ttyLS; 12-22-2010 at 01:22 PM.
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:03 PM
  #2  
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Wow, that sucks dude. Hopefully they will give you a refund. Curious to see the pics.

I had a mechanic over-torque the hell out of the lugs 2x before. Once at my house and even a 4 foot pipe wouldn't budge it, cordless impact at a friends shop wouldn't, finally a 300# impact took it off. The 2nd time I was with my mom and her tire blew on interstate, didn't come off until roadside assistance found an air impact. LOL, come to think of it, the 2nd instance was the day before I bought the STi, I was supposed to buy it the same day, but we were 45 minutes away and I kept telling the guy it should only be a few more minutes till we got the tire changed. 4 hours later it was too late for us to go to the bank.
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:05 PM
  #3  
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

where is this located?
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:10 PM
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Originally Posted by nftuatn
where is this located?
Google says Chester.

OP, you should just take it to Ron Ellis man, best in Richmond area and he's off of Midlothian, so it shouldn't be too far from you.

https://www.vadriven.com/forums/show...ight=ron+ellis
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:13 PM
  #5  
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Originally Posted by nftuatn
where is this located?
12920 Old Stage Rd. Chester, VA 23836
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:15 PM
  #6  
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Originally Posted by STi_FTMFW
Wow, that sucks dude. Hopefully they will give you a refund. Curious to see the pics.

I had a mechanic over-torque the hell out of the lugs 2x before. Once at my house and even a 4 foot pipe wouldn't budge it, cordless impact at a friends shop wouldn't, finally a 300# impact took it off. The 2nd time I was with my mom and her tire blew on interstate, didn't come off until roadside assistance found an air impact. LOL, come to think of it, the 2nd instance was the day before I bought the STi, I was supposed to buy it the same day, but we were 45 minutes away and I kept telling the guy it should only be a few more minutes till we got the tire changed. 4 hours later it was too late for us to go to the bank.

Its absurd, and it's dangerous. Thankfully I guess he broke it rather than possibly leaving me stranded somewhere if I had gotten a flat.
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:42 PM
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

hell ya get a refund and make a phone call to the BBB
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Old 12-21-2010, 03:54 PM
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Told you not to take it there adam. I did a 1st thru 2nd gear pull after an alignment there also(last year), when I hit 2nd gear, I felt a BAD vibration on my front right wheel, 2 studs were broken off due to overtightening (first time this had ever happened to my car in the 3 years of owning it)

& no its not because I have an old 92 civic with old wheel studs everyone, they also overtightened/broke a wheel stud on my dads newer Chevy Envoy.

Fuck that place and everyone with a airgun. I tighten everything now myself with a good ol ratchet and/or x-bar.

Last edited by eg6_bryan; 12-21-2010 at 03:56 PM.
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Old 12-21-2010, 03:58 PM
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

Originally Posted by eg6_bryan
Fuck that place and everyone with a airgun. I tighten everything now myself with a good ol ratchet and/or x-bar.
Nothing wrong with using an air impact. Hell I use a 700ft/lb IR 2135 QTi. The key as the OP said is to use a torque stick. Limit the torque to 80 ft/lbs or so and you're golden.
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Old 12-21-2010, 04:04 PM
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Default Re: Stay away from Balch Automotive & Collision

True, but tell that to the 17 year old techs at Balch Auto. (I dont own one anyways)

edit: Also, seems like some shops use the torque settings for a damn semi truck, and apply the same torque to every car.

Last edited by eg6_bryan; 12-21-2010 at 04:07 PM.
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