What's the worst automotive advice you've been given?

[vodapas77]

Me - "I love the color of orange Mazda choose to use on my car, but I don't like the finish they used on the rims. I'm going to get either hyper black or gun metal rims to replace them. I think the contrast will look better."

Stupid ass friend who thinks everything should bling - "Yeah, you should get some chrome spinners. Like 20 inchers, maybe even 22's."

Shortly after I realized I should never bring up the subject of my car at work again.

 

[Himoura]

"you should get a honda!! They are the best!"

 

[TXMazdaSpeeder]

"Your camaro doesnt really NEED the thermostat"
"who needs adjustable cam gears? just slip a tooth on the stockers."
this one came from my wonderful father "you dont really need to run 91 octane, just put 87 in it, its cheaper" his way of telling me he put 87 in the mp3 and the valves were knocking.
"u can take that corner at 50mph easily" afterwards we spent 45 minutes pulling my z28 out of ditch

 

[Rush]

The Mazda dealership where I bought my MSP telling me, "You got that CEL because of .. that pipe .. thing .. you installed on your car." As in, my friggin' Injen CAI.

In the end, my CEL was due to my gas cap being loose.

I <3 my dealership.

 

[Wiggles422]

mechanic - (looking at my intercooler with a hole in it) well it wont be pressurized so just put a piece of tape over it.

me - It goes on the pressured side.

mechanic - no it doesnt.

 

[SpicyMchaggis]

"you can't bend a valve on a 2.0L protege motor."

Mazda Service Dept. in connecticut.

 

[jersey_emt]

"you can't bend a valve on a 2.0L protege motor."

Mazda Service Dept. in connecticut.

Classic.

 

[flat_black]

'Nah, the engine just sounds like that... Just means I need more oil.'
- By a friend, ten minutes before the engine siezed, and we 'coasted' to a rapid stop
'We should try and push start it'
- Same friend, ten minutes after I told him his engine had seized... Note we'd be pushing it down hill... On an icy road in Maine... A HIGHWAY no less.

Uugh.

 

[fLyPiNoY7]

"u dont need to use compressors to remove your springs, just pull it right out"
-mechanic at autozone when i was buying spring compressors

 

[Crock]

Back to Oil The service manager at my dealer told me the oil they use is a "partial synthetic" when I asked him if it's ok for me to swith to Mobil 1. I guess partial means there is some mixing going on in there.
I wouldn't mix it myself though. I'm synthetic and staying that way.

 

[Shane-O]

The worst advice that I was given was...

to buy a HONDA!

 

[nate0123]

"If the wheel's offset is too low, you could always add spacers to increase the offset."

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

One I heard from a customer today with a beetle-

" A friend of mine told me to put some anti-freeze in the gas so it won't freeze"-- guess what I'm doing tommorow...

the classic
" The check engine light was just on 3months ago.... It HAS to be the same thing"

" Thats bulls***!!!!! That remote starter has been in there for 3months, Now your telling me it caused the car to not start!?!?!?!?!?! What do you mean it's NOT UNDER WARRANTY?????"

 

[YellowMP5]

at a tire place: "if buying 2 new tires, put them on the front and bad ones on the back"

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

why is that bad advice?

 

[nate0123]

because it should say

at a tire place: "if buying 2 new tires, put them on the front and good ones on the back"

not the bad ones, of the existing tires (shrug)

my best guess

 

[YellowMP5]

because it should saynot the bad ones, of the existing tires (shrug)

my best guess

(no)
my original post was correct. the advice is bad.

GOOD tires always go on the back, BAD tires on the front.

 

[nate0123]

FWD makes the front tires wear faster, how would it be better to put the old tires on the front?

 

[YellowMP5]

from www.motortrend.com

Myth: Put your new tires on the drive-wheel position to get the most traction.
Fact: This is only true on a rear-drive vehicle. In all cases, install new tires on the rear axle. Most tire buyers purchase new rubber for the drive-wheel position to get the most traction; however, by doing so they transfer most of their traction capabilities from the rear and make it susceptible to oversteer. The vehicle's rear will fishtail and swing out in fast cornering or emergency maneuvers.

i can't find the entire original article now but from what i remember the thinking is that if the front starts to understeer, it is easy to correct and most people will automatically take the foot off the gas which is the way to correct it.

but very few people know how to or can/will be able to correct oversteer.

NEW TIRES GO ON THE BACK TO GET BETTER TRACTION!

 

[nate0123]

I understand that, but if the tires are already bad, putting them on the front will do them in very quickly