u just got JUKED!

Lessons learned, they dont really need to test drive ur car if everything is done correctly. Its just mount and balance I mean nothing much can go wrong.

 

They're going to make the "road test" excuse.

 

A lot of shops have a set loop they like to run in order to test drive a vehicle. Personally, I think 5 miles can go either way and if it were a shop I've never used before I would politely ask about it. If they said that they test drive every vehicle that they do work on that'd be good enough for me. But if the service writer suddenly stammered or looked at me funny before answering, then I would be concerned.

 

5 miles is a little much but I personally would not make a big deal out of it......but then again that's why i do all my own work no matter what rain/snow/ice/hurricane/tornado/

 

aw sh*t its that time of the year again, got to put on ma ol' hurricane tires

 

I'm willing to bet this is what happened to your car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MxPoxxt7n0

 

Zerotide, just forget about it. It's not worth wadding up the panties. It's 5 miles.

Next time, if you really care that much, stay at the shop and watch them do the work. If they "test drive" it, go along with them.

Otherwise, do the work yourself.

 

Can't syphon gas out of the RX-8 in a traditional sense, or at least I couldn't do it. Have to disconnect a fuel line and ground something in the fuse box and it pumps the fuel out through the line.

This is why whenever I take my car anywhere for anything that is being done on the spot (exhaust work, tires, etc.) I always stand right there and watch them work on my car.

 

Every time I give my key to a shop attendant, I think of that scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It's not that likely to happen, but you never know.

If you didn't notice anything wrong or find any scratches or damage anywhere, I'd let it go. At least you didn't get Ron White's mechanic who was sick on lug nut day.

If you confront them about it they'll just say that they needed to drive it to make sure that things were OK, and you have no way to know if they are telling the truth or not. If there's no damage to show then you don't have much to bring them a complaint about.

If I were you, I'd let it go, but from now on when you take it in just ask them to call you and get your OK before they drive it. I don't recommend going ape **** on them over this. There are two types of people who you really don't want to **** off: those that prepare your food and those that work on your car.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but I read that the procedure for resetting the air pressure sensors (or installing new ones) is

Perform Wheel Unit Auto Registration:
a. Turn ignition on.
b. Turn ignition off.
c. Leave vehicle with engine off for more than 15 minutes.
d. Drive each vehicle over 25 KM/h (16 MPH) for more than 10 minutes to register the new ID codes.

(taken from TSB 02-004/04)

So if they were doing something wheel/tire related and wanted to reset the TPMS they would have to drive a minimum 2.6mi (16mph / 6) to do so.

5mi doesn't seem like something to make a huge deal about, though I'm always squeemish about people driving my car any distance. Ask them politely why, I'm sure you'll get an answer. Can you really blame them for driving "just one or two extra miles" in a car as sweet as the 8?

Jon