bad brake job- you need to check your work!

I trusted FireStone until recently. I had always bought my tires from
them and gotten my car's inpected there. I took my daughter's car in
for new tires and to get her Texas Inpection Sticker. I had just
gotten the car back from a repair shop in Killen, TX after it broke
down up there.

I was in the waiting room when when the repair guy came and wanted me
to come with him out to the car. He started with showing me the tread
left on the tires - one of the reason I was there and followed up with
showing me that he "found a problem" with one of the motor mounts
(what I had just replaced). He said that he couldnt approve the
inpection unless it was fixed. I told him that I had just ( got the
car back the week before) had it fixed and that there was NO WAY IN
HELLO that it could be broken. He got very red in the face - either
from being angry or embarrasement - and told me that he would not
approve the inspection and then took the VIN number and recorded in
the system and it stated basicly that unless FireStone replaced the
motor mount I would not be able to get my inspection sticker. I knew
this guy was a crook! I told them I didnt need tires after all, got
the car back and drove it 3 miles down the road to the person who
usually fixes my cars and he put it up on the lift and NOTHING was
wrong. He called the shop in Killen and got photos and the reciept
showing that I had the mounts replaced just the week before and was
able to take it elsewhere and have what FireStone put in the system
over ridden.

I eneded up buying tires at Discount Tire. I had replaced the
alterntor, timming belts and the motor mounts on the car and I pretty
much knew that there was nothing else worng with it. I had driven it
back myself from Killen which is about 100 miles or more from San
Antonio and would have "felt" any vibrations in the car like it was
described to me when it broke down.

So now I avoid FireStone...I compalined with my wallet. I am sure
there are many others who go to them and that fine...it just wont be
my $500 for tires each time that they get.

If so, why? Or was it just carelessness?

I think it was carelessness or to save themselves money and figured
if there was a problem later it would be my problem. and they were
right.

When you say, "a couple of years ago", do you mean two? Or maybe 4 or
5?

CarX can give you your old parts back, if you ask for them. (Well, if
you ask, they kind of *have* to.) You can then examine the drums
yourself or take them to a friend who knows brakes.

When you went to Firestone--were you offered different brake packages?
Did you pick a less-expensive option?

Just askin'.