@VOVO - click on ‘Mechanics Files’ at the top of this page and look for a mechanic in your area. I’ve used it with success to find mechanics 3 different times.
I agree that at that mileage control arms/ball joints could very well be needed; maybe more so depending upon the worn tires.
As to mechanics working on commission; almost every mechanic on the face of the Earth works on commission other than those working fleet jobs no matter if it’s chain shops, independents, or dealers.
Even some fleet jobs have a timetable of sorts.
It bothers me that folks like this OP are driving around, possibly driving towards me at 65 mph, and skimping on safety repairs like this. Anyone else? Hey OP, get a second opinion from an independent (yes, chains are sketchy) and drive safe, for your sake and ours. Rocketman
As to mechanics working on commission; almost every mechanic on the face of the Earth works on commission other than those working fleet jobs no matter if it's chain shops, independents, or dealers. Even some fleet jobs have a timetable of sorts.
There isn’t a single independent shop here in NH that I know where the mechanics work on commission. I know quite a few. They are either hourly wage or some shops - salary. Only the chains work on commission here in NH and Northern MA.
Many mechanics in the Los Angeles area wish they would get hourly wage or salary
Most of them are flat rate, the exception often being fleet mechanics
Fortunately, I’m both fleet and civil service
That said, we do have to account for our time. I have 9 hour days, so I need to break it down. For example, .25hrs for an oil change, .25hrs to change that light bulb, 1hr for a scheduled service, etc. And it needs to equal 9hrs
There is a person who reviews the times and data entries. He’s pretty smart, and has a good sense of when a mechanic is dragging his tail, or is making up a BS story. Every once awhile, a mechanic is called on his BS stories. If a guy is, for example, working on his own personal projects all day, doesn’t really get any trucks done, but has 9hrs showing, something’s not right. Or if he’s drinking coffee and smoking all day, instead of working . . . I don’t have anything against coffee and cigarettes, but don’t spend all day doing it
What the guys REALLY can’t stand is when they have to “carry” a slacker. It eventually leads to UGLY confrontations with that slacker. And justifiably so, in my opinions. Making up for somebody’s laziness or willful refusal to work is not part of my job description
If we’re all getting paid the same, but 9 out of 10 guys are working hard, and 1 guy ain’t doing squat, that’s trouble brewing.
And those guys that aren’t really doing anything, they’re able bodied and smart enough. So they’ve got no meaningful excuse. They’re smart enough to abuse the system, for what it’s worth. So they may be smarter than me, when it comes down to it