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11/17/2007 02:14:42 PM · #1 |
I went to a local shop this morning for a routine oil change. I recently moved and had not done any business with this shop for a few years but I recognized some of the employees. Previously I had purchased 3 sets of tires from them for my jeep, but that was at least 4-5 years ago.
Ok, I drop off my car and return home. About 30 minutes later I get a phone call. "Mr. White, we need to do a few more things with your car this morning. The tires are shot and we should replace them, your coolant needs to be flushed, the air filter is dirty and needs to be replaced, and the power steering fluid needs to be flushed."
As he is talking I am thinking, "Tires, 31,000 miles with rotations every 3,000 miles; I probably have a few thousand miles left. The coolant maybe but another day, the air filter maybe but I'll do that myself." Then I got stuck on the last item.
I asked "Are you sure we are talking about the right car?" He says "Yes, sure Mr. White, a Pontiac G6 right".
I said, "Yeah, do you know this car does not have a power steering unit that requires fluid? It has an electric motor."
He says "I will have to check that with the mechanic."
I said "Wait, tell your f*'n mechanic to stop working on my f*'n car and park it outside in the lot. If you are going to pull this b.s. I don't want you to work on my car."
He says "He already did the oil change."
I say "Ok, no more work, just park the car."
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I return to the shop. When I walk in the door he says to me,
"Heh heh, Mr. White I am sorry we had you confused with the Camry. Your car is fine just needed an oil change. The mechanic wrote on your paperwork by mistake, look at the Camry's paperwork where he wrote it down."
I am thinking, "Would you have been confused if I had said go ahead with the work? That's what I thought, I only needed an oil change. Poor Camry owner is probably getting the same treatment they tried to give me. Must be a special today on coolant changes, air filters, and power steering flushes."
Before I leave the shop I tell him, "In the past I have purchased 3 sets of tires from you. But no more, I will no longer do business with you and I believe you know why."
He said, "Because of this?
I say "Yes."
He says "I said I was sorry."
I shake my head and leave.
There's a one in a thousand chance they just made an honest mistake. But for me it's all about trust and at this point I simply cannot trust them.
/Rant off
It's just amazing that a $25 oil change almost cost me $1,200.
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11/17/2007 02:24:06 PM · #2 |
| $25 is a good deal on an oil change at least. |
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11/17/2007 02:24:08 PM · #3 |
.
Message edited by author 2007-11-17 14:24:23. |
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11/17/2007 02:26:54 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by faidoi:
$25 is a good deal on an oil change at least. |
If it was me I'd check the oil and make sure it's fresh (been changed) and see if there really is a new filter in place. Not to deal with the hassle of going back if it's not done, but to make sure the car is ok to take down the road (and to know if you still need an oil change).
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11/17/2007 02:28:45 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
Originally posted by faidoi:
$25 is a good deal on an oil change at least. |
If it was me I'd check the oil and make sure it's fresh (been changed) and see if there really is a new filter in place. Not to deal with the hassle of going back if it's not done, but to make sure the car is ok to take down the road (and to know if you still need an oil change). |
That is a scary thought. Might have to drive down to San Diego for an oil change :P |
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11/17/2007 03:21:11 PM · #6 |
| Might have been fun to say no to everything but power steering fluid change and then if it was on the bill, to make the mechanic show you where he put the fluid. |
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11/17/2007 03:56:15 PM · #7 |
Did you check your turn signal fluid and muffler bearings? I'll bet they tried to charge you for those, too!
Message edited by author 2007-11-17 15:56:38. |
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11/17/2007 04:23:44 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Gatorguy:
Might have been fun to say no to everything but power steering fluid change and then if it was on the bill, to make the mechanic show you where he put the fluid. |
I actually gave this some thought as I was returning to pick up my car. If I had a cooler head I might have thought of it earlier. |
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11/17/2007 04:28:09 PM · #9 |
That's why I change my own oil... I'm surprised the wipers didn't need to be changed too.
I took my truck in for a brake repair once and they had a list of things I "needed" to have done that totaled over $5,000, including replacing the auto antenna motor (which I simply unplugged because it annoyed me)!
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11/18/2007 01:19:53 AM · #10 |
Interesting mechanic you have... I went to mine to ask him if he could fix my car that sometimes needs to warm up before I can accelerate without the engine getting suffocated. He found the problem, (the sensor that detects the temperature failed, and the engine computer thinks that it is warmer than it is and messes up the mix of gas and air), quotes me a few hundred to replace it, and then tells me that the car can drive as is, and that if there is no real need to fix it, i.e. if I do not see huge difference in gas mileage, that I should not spend money trying to fix it.
I have been going to this same guy for the last 6 years, with the same car, and it is still rolling OK, and I haven't spent more than a couple of $100s over the years. (the only two major replacements were the radiator that was leaking coolant, and the disc brakes that I ruined by driving with well worn brake pads...)
I'm surprised that there are mechanics that would try to scam you :-) |
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11/18/2007 11:10:05 AM · #11 |
Sounds like the kind of line you get taking your car to a Canadian Tire mechanic to have anything done.
Go in for one simple thing, come out with a pages-long list of things that are "wrong" with your car and need to be fixed immediately.
*rolls eyes*
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11/18/2007 11:22:57 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by kashi:
Sounds like the kind of line you get taking your car to a Canadian Tire mechanic to have anything done.
Go in for one simple thing, come out with a pages-long list of things that are "wrong" with your car and need to be fixed immediately. |
I quite agree that a lot of mechanics/shops seem to be a little pushy (to put it politely), but I'll mention one thing nobody else has;
when you are dealing with large chains (Midas, for example) they have what I'd call a "perceived liability" situation; that is to say, you bring the car in and they have advertised that they "check" all these things while they do the assigned work for you. If they DON'T mention certain potential problem areas that are peripheral to what you asked to have worked on, and something happens (like an accident, or a seized motor, whatever), then YOU may come after THEM for not warning you in a timely manner. That's what our litigious society has come to.
So all these recommended services may very well be a CYA (cover your ass) thing. Sure, they'd also be profitable, and sure they can get kind of silly, but even so... The choice is yours, isn't it?
I'm driving a '93 Jeep that's pushing 200k miles. There's a certain problem that is gonna result in a total breakdown sooner or later. It'd cost me $1500 or so to fix it now. I don't have the $1,500, and even if I did I don't want to sink it into this car. And It's been TWO YEARS since I found out about it, and the car's still running fine, more or less, passes inspection etc. But every time I get it worked on, I'm told I have to fix this problem immediately...
R.
Message edited by author 2007-11-18 11:25:35.
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11/18/2007 11:37:57 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by faidoi:
$25 is a good deal on an oil change at least. |
It is? I pay $15.
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11/18/2007 01:29:10 PM · #14 |
It's a good thing you know enough about your car. If it had been me, I wouldn't have known what the hell they were talking about and probably would have paid them...
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11/18/2007 01:43:48 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by JBHale:
It's a good thing you know enough about your car. If it had been me, I wouldn't have known what the hell they were talking about and probably would have paid them... |
... and that's why shops get away with this tactic in the first place.
If you're only going in for a certain service then insist on only that service. Check out what they are suggesting and make another appointment if necessary. A little education goes a long way. It pays to be sceptical in these situations. It's your money. |
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11/19/2007 06:19:01 PM · #16 |
I had the brakes worked on on the front end of my Tahoe at Sears. The next week my ABS light comes on. I take it back, ask them to check it out..maybe something was knocked loose. Also said the truck was pulling to the right pretty hard and would like to have it re-aligned.
They looked at the brakes, said they can't tell and don't have the computer systems to hook up to get the codes. Ok...ABS still works and will take it to the dealer back home to have them look at the code.
Then they said I needed all this front end work. Tie rod & ball joint and they "need it bad". "Are you sure it is not the alignment?" "No it isn't the alignment, you need blah blah blah." Ok, well I was headed home the next week and would have the hometown boys cut me a deal and at least cut down on the big city labor charges. They looked at everything...twice...doesn't need anything but an alignment.
Holy crap! Sell me what I need, not what makes you the most money and takes the most time to install.
ETA: I know some pretty good mechanics out there and don't think all shops do this. A lot of guys are really honest and shoot you straight. When you find these guys, stick with them.
Message edited by author 2007-11-19 18:21:32. |
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