Watch Out for Certain Auto Repair People

[DimesDan]

There's no point.

Then please don't accuse me (or anyone else) of being mean to you ((which I wasn't) and what sums up this little interaction up) by asking you a question (because there is no harm in questions, it's how we learn things) if you're not willing to back up your assertion.

 

[Lord Garth]

Then please don't accuse me (or anyone else) of being mean to you ((which I wasn't) and what sums up this little interaction up) by asking you a question (because there is no harm in questions, it's how we learn things) if you're not willing to back up your assertion.

Sorry. Things have been a headache. I don't have a problem with you.

Garth, I assume this is the first time this has happened to you? Back when I was driving it happened to me in 1992. And 1993. And 1994.

First time on this scale. My last car was great. I had it for 16 years, at 1998 Toyota Camry. I knew that car, I knew its history. I just got my new car last year. I'm still finding out things I didn't know.

Anyway, I have things to do now and some decisions to make.

 

[Kor]

The best mechanic I ever knew ran an unlisted operation out of his home garage. You only found out about him by word of mouth. He did just the work that was actually needed, and never tried to dupe you into extra stuff. He also fixed up cars that people didn't want anymore and put "for sale" signs on them in front of his house. Yeah, exactly the type that the consumer protection offices warn you against.

Disclaimer: You should never have somebody like this work on your car, or buy a car from somebody like this. Don't do it!

Kor

 

[StarCruiser]

My bad experience with mechanics seems to stem around time. On two different occasions, with two different mechanics, I was told to leave my vehicle there all day. Well, that's my only transportation and I can't do that, so I told both of them I would wait in their lobbies... all day if necessary. Lo and behold, both jobs were done in under an hour. Now, I don't know if they were going to charge me for multiple hours, but I strongly suspected so.

A friend of mine told me the other day that the Toyota dealership he has to go to has a set labor price book they go by... a certain problem takes X number of hours to fix regardless how long it actually takes, and that's what you get charged for labor.

Most reputable auto shops have an ASE certified tech (or two or three) and follow that practice. Parts, plus standard hourly labor for that particular job.

 

[J.T.B.]

A friend of mine told me the other day that the Toyota dealership he has to go to has a set labor price book they go by... a certain problem takes X number of hours to fix regardless how long it actually takes, and that's what you get charged for labor.

That's very common, it's called the flat rate. If the tech takes four hours to finish a job rated at three hours, the customer only gets charged three hours labor. If the tech knows how to work quickly and efficiently and can do a three hour job in two hours, they "beat the flat rate" and move on to another paying job while also being paid for that third hour.

 

[Lord Garth]

I ended up trading in my old car for another one. The timing belt ended up taking the rest of the engine with it (and I don't blame that on the first place I took it to). We all mutually agreed it was more trouble than it was worth to fix, especially considering what else might go wrong, so it was just better to get a different car altogether.

The second garage charged a lot less to fix the new car than the first, and getting a new car in general cost less than what the first garage would've charged to repair the old one, after they revised their estimate from $2,500 to $6,000.

My first instinct was to take the car to the dealer. My father told me to take it to the garage (which started this whole thing of going from one to the other). Then he came around to my thinking it would've been better to just go straight to the dealer. Ironically, the dealer also had a garage of their own.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I only ever take cars to the dealer to be serviced.

 

[Kerock]

I caught our local Grease Monkey not checking the transmission fluid on my wife's car three times during regular oil change & maintenance visits. How do I know? because she had a slow leak and it was low before she went in.........and still low after she left........even though the box was checked on the receipt.

 

[Kerock]

 

[publiusr]

Oh, the stories I could tell. Exppress Oil change had a kid. I asked him what was making a screaking noise (it was a serpintine)

The kid just said that the car made that noise because it was old.

Watch out for kids.

Never let them drain transmission fluid--just keep adding. Shavings in fluid/oil is an old trick. Don't fall for it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Exppress Oil change had a kid. I asked him what was making a screaking noise (it was a serpintine)

The kid just said that the car made that noise because it was old.

No doubt he would also claim that the car was pining for the fjords. ; )

 

[Velocity]

My son or my husband take my car in for maintenance because whenever mechanics see a little old lady waddling in they seem to automatically pad the bill.