Seriously?

[Zenobian_84]

I remember the days of old where if you brought your vehicle in to a shop, you'd get it in and out with a quality job done. Been sitting at a Pep-Boys for 2 hours now; waiting for a tire and rim change, sheared stud replacement, and an alignment. For almost the same exact job (- the bolt replacement) I got done a week before Christmas last year, I was in and out in an hour.

 

Sitting here has also given me insight into how people get roped into spending so much $ at a shop.... these guys pour it on almost like car salesman. Not to mention I keep drifting in and out of sleep after getting off 4 hours ago from a 9 hour shift.

 

Call me "old fashioned", but I feel that customers shouldnt be pressured into getting work done soley based off "guesses" some guy makes about when your brakes "might" need to be changed. I feel that they should be left to make their own judgement based on the quality of work they got, and the honesty of the front end guys setting you straight.

Yeah, I know its the "wheeling and dealing" that makes the suckers shell out the Benjamins so you can get paid; but the guy wanted $20 to spend 30 minutes changine 2 bad tail light bulbs.....

Maybe its just a Florida thing.... who knows. :dunno:

[Pete M]

I'm always cautious about taking any advice from someone that stands to profit from it. Just seems to be way more a-holes out there then stand-up individuals anymore. :dunno:

[ComancheKid45]

Just seems to be way more a-holes out there then stand-up individuals anymore. :dunno:

 

 

:agree: :(

[skidoo_j]

not uncommon. I've had several female friends pay 20 for labor to replace tail lights.

 

I had a friend with a 2005 toyota corolla pay 75 dollars to replace her cabin air filter. Needless to say while she was driving telling me about it I was laughing so hard. She asked why i was laugh so hard and pulled her cabin filter out and back in in under 2 minutes while going down the road. And told her the filter its self is only $10.

[Incommando]

1. Go to a locally owned repair shop with a good rep. Those chain places are glorified quick lubes and the quality of mechanic shows it. Go on recommendations. If someone recommends Pep Boys or the like keep moving. They are the McDonalds of auto repair and the quality of employee is reflected by that. You don't go to McDonalds expecting a wait staff of the same quality as you would find at an upper end restaurant. It is no different with Pep Boys.

 

2. Never go to a place, usually a national chain like Pep Boys or Firestone, where the mechanics are graded on, and their job depends on, "up-sells." I personally know that Firestone requires you to turn each alignment into "X" amount of suspension work or you are out the door. Thus you need tie rod ends on your 51,000 mile car when they do their free alignment check... Coolant flushes had better turn into radiator hoses sold or they are goners...I have heard the same directly from employees of virtually every place like Pep Boys, Firestone, Goodyear... NTB/Tire Kingdom are the worst offenders that I know of...

 

I would honestly say things are probably much better than in our grand-dads' day. Nearly every place would rip-off travelers shamelessly. There are several books and stories from repair shop owners talking about how much they ripped people off along Route 66 or 25 or any road with more than local traffic.

[danbyrambler]

Wish I could agree about how things used to be - Don't think they've changed a whole lot - Grew up inna small town South of St louis big enough to support a few rip off joints - Enough population & the creeps don't have to worry about repeat/reccomendation - My uncle was the finance man at the Ford dealership & their shop was an embarrassment to him - Their only competition for slow/sloppy/don't giva * quality work was the Chevy dealership - - - A few years back my wife told me unluckily she had a flat that afternoon but luckily was right by the service center not far from our home - The amount she paid horrified me - She naturally ruined the tire by driving it flat 1/2 mile or so but the INNER TUBE also?? On a 2005 Town & Country? Took her van back - got told she agreed to it all - tried diplomacy - tried a threat - told go for it - went outside & called highway patrol - went back in with the Trooper & accused the creep of theft by deceit & got refund, new & very reasonable price for the tire only & major BS about the misunderstanding - I declined their offer to remove the tube - back outside the trooper thanked me for the call but wouldn't let me borrow his revolver for a few; did say that my complaint was one of many they'd had but I was the 1st to press charges - He also declined helping me siphon gas into a pepsi bottle & no he didn't have a light for the wick(I don't smoke) Told me to go home & he seemed to be in kind of a hurry - musta been near end of his shift. - - True story & of course the trooper knew I was joking about the gun & molotov. Next day after my long time SC removed the tube & did the balance thing I returned the tube & they weren't happy to see me again - Neither of us could keep our mouths closed & I wound up offering to shut his good'n proper - He wouldn't let it go - A little guy & you'd a thought he was the meanest thing ever the way he ran his mouth - He grabbed my arm as I turned to go & that was it - - - Dirty fighter-bit & kicked somethin' fierce for a guy his size; couldn't a weighed more'n 150, wheelchair & all - oh well.

:fs2:

[Zenobian_84]

Incommando, the only reason I go to Pepboys (although I know of their "cookie-cutter bs") is because the guys up there do a quality job on my truck when I bring it in. The front desk guys also know better than to bs me, because I tell them I do 75% of my own work to the truck; so they're aware that I'm not just some ignorant boob when it comes to mechanic work. I had about a half an hour convo. last December with 2 front end guys about his Cherokee and and the others FSJ Waggy; needless to say they were very impressed at what I knew.

 

I don't know how it is up North, but down here, most of the smaller shops do $#!&ty work work at most things you can think of. Basically, it's either: You pay for a halfass job at a smaller shop; pay the cookie cutter places; or learn to do your own work. I only have 3 mechanics I know that I take the truck in to that I trust them. Then again, the only jobs I can't do are transmiassion work, welding, and rim replaments.

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

I'm always cautious about taking any advice from someone that stands to profit from it. :dunno:

 

:agree:

[dfreeman616]

i work at midas, which is a chain i know many people would throw in the same category as pep boys or firestone. i consider myself to be good honest mechanic. i use to work at a smaller local chain (3 store in town, looking to add a few more). i left that shop because while they charged the customer less, they also underpay every single employee they have. i've also worked at dealerships in the service department, but not as a tech. having seen each situation, it all depends on the people in the individual stores. by the way, my first auto job was tire changer/lube monkey at a pep boys. didn't really care for the place.

[one2hunt]

Well guys, I'm no master mechanic so I need to go to shops. I moved to Texas from NY 8 yrs ago. I lived in NY all my life so I knew where to go plus had good friends that were excellent mechanics and shop owners. I never wanted free but the work was never crap. Since I've been here in Texas I have had no less than 5 mechanics who I built a relationship with go from being fair and doing quality work to overchrging and leaving things unfinished. I've had slight work done at chain brand shops with no terrible,but no stellar experience, but of coarse they always try the hard upsell. I'm not a little guy that looks like an accountant and it ammuses me that most people think that I'm an expert mechanic, a soldier, a fireman, or some manly man type. Don't get me wrong-I'm no girly boy, but nI'm pretty handi capped with a wrench beyond basic reapir and maintenance. Bottom line-there's people with ethics that give a $#!& and then there's the others in all shops big and small.