Automotive Repair Shop Nightmare
TV ClubHouse: Archive: Automotive Repair Shop Nightmare
Whoami | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 01:43 pm     I came across this at at the Trouble Shooter's message board. It has spread like wildfire across numerous car enthusiast message boards, so I thought I'd add to the mix. Apparantly, a tech took a Cobra out for a joyride, then posted it on a message board, bragging about it. The car owner read it, and posted on another board about it. The tech has been fired, and the owner apparantly is now consulting a lawyer over it. The amazing thing about this is how it has reached so many boards. The link to the braggart's post has nearly half a million views now! The tech who bragged: http://forums.mustangworks.com/showthread.php?threadid=29134 The car owner's discovery/response on another board: Click Here Amazing, the power of the Internet! People were resistering on both sites just to voice off about this incident! |
Goddessatlaw | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 02:19 pm     Someone ought to write a folk ballad about what a dumb*ss that guy is. |
Goddessatlaw | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 02:24 pm     PS I'm kinda bummed - I thought this was a presciently-timed thread where I could report how I got rolled on a set of tires and a brake job yesterday. I suck mud. |
Whoami | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 02:31 pm     Goddess, no rule saying you can't share similar stories/experiences! Go ahead. Spill it! |
Kaili | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 07:39 pm     I was thinking the same thing Goddessatlaw, but I WILL mention mine! Last weekend I took my car to Car-X to get an oil change and to get my blower switch looked at. It broke before- excat same thing with the loe=wer settings going out and only having full blast working, only this time full blast went out too. With the blower last time it was at $30 switch that had to be replaced. Here is what Car-X told me after the oil change... 1. I need a new muffler (yeah, I knew that, it was all rusty so I replaced it)= $90 2. I need at transmission flush (well, I never had that done since I've owned the car- about 50,000 miles- so I went along and let them do that too)= $70 3. I need a new oil pan gasket because mine is leaking (funny, I don't have any oil on my parking spot...I declined until I have someone else look at it)= estimate $150 4. The blower- well, they say it is the moter and that will be $300 with labor. Again, I declined until I get another opinion. The mechanic where I work said it should be way cheaper than that. It sucks though because I need heat!!! It's going to be 20 degrees tonight supposedly and I need to have heat to defrost my windows once it really is winter. Ugh. I hate cars. Even though that is the item I can't live without in my profile. I wonder if they were just trying to screw me- young female.... |
Phatcat | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 09:15 pm     Well, ladies, having lived alone for too many years, I have learned a valuable lesson about auto repairs. If you know what the problem is, go to an auto parts store...House of Parts, Auto Zone, etc. Buy the part you need...brake pads, power steering motor, alternator, water pump, etc. Then take the part to your mechanic and have them do the installation. I recently saved $400 on a new air conditioner for my car by doing this. Also, the parts usually come with a life-time warranty. Service centers do not tell you this if they purchase the part for you. I'm a grandmother (60+), and I change my own spark plugs and wires. Plugs are $2.00 or less, and it really is very easy to do. The plugs are pre-gapped, so if your plugs are easily accessed, give it a try. Only takes about 30 minutes. Great Fun!! |
Phatcat | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 09:19 pm     One more thing...check with the different parts stores in your area to compare prices on the item you need. I have saved as much as $80 on an item by comparing prices. Hope this saves you lots of money.
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Kaili | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 09:30 pm     Thanks- i just searched the internet for blower motor prices and I got a list price of $109... which is $110 less than Car-X told me. Yep, I'll go there for their $11 oil changes but nothing else from now on... |
Phatcat | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 09:46 pm     Atta girl, Kaili. And I never thought about the internet...probably just because I usually need the part immediately. Hmmmm....but I could still go to the store site and check the prices. Thanks to you. I'm so happy you were able to save that much money!!! |
Whoami | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 10:21 pm     Phatcat, you should have seen what I went through to get a motor installed for my windshield wiper dispenser. My b-i-l bought me one for my birthday, but I had to go get it installed (he said he'd reimburse me for the labor cost). I called several different shops, that all refused to install it, cause I didn't buy the part from them. I finally found a shop (who specialized in brakes) who popped it in (took about 5 minutes), and when I reached into my purse to pay, the mechanic said, "no charge, just remember us the next time you need a brake job." Even though it was a few years before I needed brakes, and I had since established a good relationship with a mechanic, I went back to them for my next brake job! |
Phatcat | Friday, October 11, 2002 - 11:59 pm     Great story, Whoami. Sounds like a super guy. God bless him. I have found a couple of mechanics who are excellent and very reasonable. They sometimes give me a little look when I walk in with the part, but they always help me anyway. Now they will even diagnose the problem for me so I can go buy the part myself. LOL |
Whoami | Saturday, October 12, 2002 - 12:16 am     The "rest of the story" (about the brake shop place) is this: The shop was a chain (Brakes Plus). I admitted up front to my mechanic why I would be going elsewhere to have the brakes done. I told him that I realized that with it being a chain shop, that mechanic may not be there anymore, and maybe nobody at the shop would know. But I would know. My mechanic said he not only understood, he really appreciated my ethics in the manner. He talked about how people don't really seem to have those kind of ethics any more! Just recently, I had a minor adjustment thing needed, and swung by his shop. He came out, did the adjustment, and waved me off about paying. He grinned and said, "just remember where I am when you need work done!" So, even though it had been a good year since I'd had my car into his shop, he still remembered that other event!  |
Sia | Saturday, October 12, 2002 - 07:11 am     I happen to just love Amazon.com for books, videos, DVDs and music, etc. I mention that in this thread because Amazon is an excellent source for buying decently-priced automotive repair manuals. We bought DH a Subaru last summer, so for Christmas I bought him the repair manual from Amazon. He has consulted it several times to learn more about his car. You can familiarize yourself with the car and the parts that comprise certain systems (exhaust, cooling, brakes, etc.) before talking with the mechanic--just so you sound educated in car-matters, making it less likely that the mechanic will try to take advantage of you. There are many simple repairs you can do with the help of a repair manual, too. Another great thing about Amazon is that other ppl who've read/bought the book will review it and you have an idea of how helpful the book will be before you even buy it. Not sure you want to put out the money to purchase an automotive manual? Well, then find out the exact TITLE of the manual from Amazon.com, then order the book through your local library absolutely for FREE and check it out! Have fun. Good luck. |
Mystery | Monday, October 14, 2002 - 02:38 pm     Wow, I hadn't even heard about this. My favorite post so far in the long list of people offering their condolences to the Cobra owner: "Your story is circulating the entire Yugo comunity. While we are certain that this rarely happened to unsuspecting Yugo owners, we are hopeful that you will triumph over these dealers." |
Pamy | Monday, October 14, 2002 - 04:26 pm     I took my car to Discount Tires to have minor repairs done when my hubby was deployed, I told them I couldn't pick up the car for a couple days so they could take their time. We have been going to this place for 2yrs and they always seem fair. I went to pick my car up and it was a mess inside, peanuts all over floor, no gas,the seats were laying down, and the following items were in the car(none of them mine) bag of makeup(cheap thrift store stuff), cig box, earing, love card(unsigned), victoria secret lotion, etc. I was fumming I went and told the owner and he said that he knew who it was and the guy was fired the other day, he just didn't know my car was one of the cars this guy would use for his own fun. I told him I wanted my car detailed cuz God only knows what went on in there. He did and I told him I came to that place cuz I thought I could trust them. I haven't needed work on the car since, thank God, but I will still hesitate to go there |
Sabbatia | Monday, October 14, 2002 - 05:33 pm     Wow, even though it takes me twice as long as the average person to get my car looked at, and sometimes I have to help....like helping bleed my brake lines a month or so ago....I'm totally happy with my mechanic, and his prices, and trust him completely.I took my new truck in today to have a small scratch buffed out, and got it completely detailed. It was wonderful....heheheh....did I mention I'm in management in a car dealership and my nickname is Scary Sherry? |
Pamy | Monday, October 14, 2002 - 06:32 pm     You suck!  |
Sia | Monday, October 14, 2002 - 06:57 pm     You'd think that with the proliferation of TV-news magazines doing undercover stories of services who scam, overcharge and otherwise rip off the public that fewer automotive shops and mechanics would attempt to be dishonest. Sadly, that's just not the case. There are crooked mechanics and repairmen and honest, fair ones, too. Word-of-mouth is sometimes the best guide to use, since the shop's reputation can be ruined by a few dissatisfied customers who make their complaints known. I feel very fortunate because my father is a retired appliance repairman and electrician who also does car repairs, and my DH is very handy, too, and can fix or install just about anything. Whenever he balks, however, I call my Dad and make hubby talk to him (a chore in itself!) so he can explain the process. Presto! Problem solved for me. |
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