You really need to be there so the tech can SHOW you what he's talking about, then ask for the "book" that dictates hours per job, The manager at the Montgomery Mall, MD Sears auto center is quite ethical and their prices are reasonable. They took good care of me after I purchased and installed used oil that was sitting on their shelf (you all remember that story I'm sure).
On Tue, Jul 29, 2014 at 3:21 PM, Randy Bennell via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > If you are not there and you cannot look at what he says is wrong, then > you really do not know. > > My younger son is an automotive tech. Red Seal, licenced etc. > He does good work very quickly as that is a required part of the job. > I think the thing that upsets him the most is people who do not want him > to do the job right. > If he thinks it needs something and you don't want to have it repaired, > then he would prefer not to work on it. > > What more can I say? > Not all shops are bad. > > Randy > > > On 29/07/2014 2:10 PM, Rich Thomas via Mercedes wrote: > >> The boy in DC has been driving the 98 Cad. Calls me the other day and >> says the brake light has come on, brakes are a bit mushy, so I tell him to >> take it to a shop. He does that today. They give him a quote of $703. I >> call and talk to the guy. $80 for rear pads (I put new ones on the front >> not that long ago, they are like $20 a set). $88x2 for rear rotors which >> may be sorta reasonable, fluid and flush for $139, and $227 for labor. >> Their labor rate was for 1.7hr. $48 for "shop fees" which includes rags >> and brake cleaner, a standard charge. Total BS. I guess that sorta adds >> up with taxes and such. Reluctantly after going over the fluid/flush >> number (how hard is that?) I tell them to go ahead since he needs the car >> and has no time to deal with this stuff and the car has not required a lot >> of work over the years, so whatever. >> >> So then they call him and say there is a problem with the a brake line >> leaking. I am thinking maybe a flex line. I call them back, the guy says >> a front hard line is cracked or something and is leaking, which is why the >> pedal was soft. I ask what that will cost, he tells me the total is now >> $1228. Over $500 to replace a hard line? WTF??? So I tell the guy that >> seems quite excessive, a line is maybe $30 and how long to replace it? >> $500 labor to replace a line? Then he tells me, well, you know, we have >> to do flairs, and those are hard to get right, then there is >> blahblahblah.... I tell him to move the car out, my son will come get it >> and take it somewhere else. Then he starts in, "Well if you don't want >> quality work done that's your choice...." and I hang up. >> >> I am just so angry at these guys trying to screw over customers who are >> sorta over a barrel. The brake line thing is probably BS too but what are >> you gonna do? My wife had a patient who worked for a dealer as a mech, and >> then for an indy, he would tell her these stories about how they would >> "find" problems and jack the prices up, then do nothing to the car but >> charge for it. He said it was just standard behavior on all these guys he >> had ever run across. He finally quit and does work for people on the side, >> cash, and said he was making OK money and happy he was doing the right >> thing. >> >> So anyway I told him to go find a Sears or a Midas or something to do the >> brake job, how hard can that be and it won't be anywhere near $1200. I >> know, Midas and Sears, but.... Hell I could ship my tools and fly up there >> and still be like $800 ahead. >> >> --R >> >> >> >> > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those > individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner > has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
