ngt
Master Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2009
- Messages
- 874
So I go over to get some new tires at Wheel Works across town and he asks me if I wanted the free inspection. I said no, just tires please. He says, it might take about 2 hours. I said to get knew tires? He says, "yep".
So I walk over to my barber and get a haircut, then head over to the outdoor pro shop, where I get a call about my car. He says my cv boot is completely blown and I need the whole right front half shaft replaced. I say, "just want the tires, thanks. I'll take it to my normal mechanic." He then goes on about how there's some other stuff too. I repeat, "I'll just take it to my own mechanic". He says, "we can fix all this stuff for just under $1000 right now. I repeat, "JUST THE TIRES PLEASE!!" and am starting to get a bit pissed. So, I walk over there and get my car and he hands me the bill for my tires and a list of all of the other stuff I need done with their prices etc..He says I need new rotors on the back and a brake job. I say "no thanks", again, and leave.
Well, I knew I needed the rotors and brakes for the rear, so I found a coupon for a rear brake job for $99 and figure that and the rotor price will save me some money. I head down to Firestone, where they take my phone number and what do you know, they have me in the computer because Wheel Works is their "sister company". I say, I just want the rear brakes done. He says, "do you want the inspection?" NO! Don't even bother taking the front tires off etc. Just the back. He says, it will be about 3 hours. "WOW, ok, I'll be down the street at the mall with my family. Give me a call when you're done." In hour and 45 minutes later, he calls me and says "you need new rotors on the back". I said yeah, I know, what's that going to run? With the coupon, it's going to be $442.07. I told him to put my tires on and I'd be right there to pick up my car. I get there and the front tires are off and the hood id open. What the hell?? lol. So, I take my car and leave with my invoice if I want to come back for the work. They didn't even do the back regular brakes in an hour and 45 minutes, lol.
So, not being able to use the coupon, I head over to my regular mechanic and make an appointment the following Thursday, which is today. Dropped my car off today and got it back with the new pads and rotors for $212 out the door. It turns out I do need the front right cv boot, but nothing else on the list.
In the end, it all worked out, but here's what's bugging me.
Wheel Works and Firestone are sister companies and I'm sitting here looking at the three bills and invoices.
Wheel works says I need:
Half Shaft, front right: $284.99
Tie Rod Ends, left inner: $212. 68
Alignment: $97.99
Rear Braking System: $359.97 with each rotor costing $79.99 each
Grand total with tax: $994.98
Firestone (Wheel Works sister company) says:
Standard Brake Service Rear: $442.07 with each rotor costing $106.99 each.
Bill's Automotive who has been working on my families cars since before I was driving (no we don't get deals)
Rear Brake Service with the same parts as the other places: $212.65
with each rotor costing $30.51
Then he checked the rest.
Tie Rod Ends, left inner: Everything is fine
Alignment: Everything is fine
Right Shaft, front right: Just need a CV Boot, quoted about $150 total.
So here I am, sitting at home wonder where the hell these people get off ripping people off like this. Things that don't need to be done, doing more than is needed, overcharging on parts and even out charging companies they work together with on the same part by around $30, which is already almost $50 over what the part actually runs.
I know shady mechanics are nothing new to the world, but staring at these invoices and listening to the give quotes of ridiculous amounts to both me and the people in line around me, I just needed to vent a bit. How do these people sleep at night, knowing they just ripped off some 80 year old grandma who is most likely on a tight month to month...makes me sick.
/rant...
So I walk over to my barber and get a haircut, then head over to the outdoor pro shop, where I get a call about my car. He says my cv boot is completely blown and I need the whole right front half shaft replaced. I say, "just want the tires, thanks. I'll take it to my normal mechanic." He then goes on about how there's some other stuff too. I repeat, "I'll just take it to my own mechanic". He says, "we can fix all this stuff for just under $1000 right now. I repeat, "JUST THE TIRES PLEASE!!" and am starting to get a bit pissed. So, I walk over there and get my car and he hands me the bill for my tires and a list of all of the other stuff I need done with their prices etc..He says I need new rotors on the back and a brake job. I say "no thanks", again, and leave.
Well, I knew I needed the rotors and brakes for the rear, so I found a coupon for a rear brake job for $99 and figure that and the rotor price will save me some money. I head down to Firestone, where they take my phone number and what do you know, they have me in the computer because Wheel Works is their "sister company". I say, I just want the rear brakes done. He says, "do you want the inspection?" NO! Don't even bother taking the front tires off etc. Just the back. He says, it will be about 3 hours. "WOW, ok, I'll be down the street at the mall with my family. Give me a call when you're done." In hour and 45 minutes later, he calls me and says "you need new rotors on the back". I said yeah, I know, what's that going to run? With the coupon, it's going to be $442.07. I told him to put my tires on and I'd be right there to pick up my car. I get there and the front tires are off and the hood id open. What the hell?? lol. So, I take my car and leave with my invoice if I want to come back for the work. They didn't even do the back regular brakes in an hour and 45 minutes, lol.
So, not being able to use the coupon, I head over to my regular mechanic and make an appointment the following Thursday, which is today. Dropped my car off today and got it back with the new pads and rotors for $212 out the door. It turns out I do need the front right cv boot, but nothing else on the list.
In the end, it all worked out, but here's what's bugging me.
Wheel Works and Firestone are sister companies and I'm sitting here looking at the three bills and invoices.
Wheel works says I need:
Half Shaft, front right: $284.99
Tie Rod Ends, left inner: $212. 68
Alignment: $97.99
Rear Braking System: $359.97 with each rotor costing $79.99 each
Grand total with tax: $994.98
Firestone (Wheel Works sister company) says:
Standard Brake Service Rear: $442.07 with each rotor costing $106.99 each.
Bill's Automotive who has been working on my families cars since before I was driving (no we don't get deals)
Rear Brake Service with the same parts as the other places: $212.65
with each rotor costing $30.51
Then he checked the rest.
Tie Rod Ends, left inner: Everything is fine
Alignment: Everything is fine
Right Shaft, front right: Just need a CV Boot, quoted about $150 total.
So here I am, sitting at home wonder where the hell these people get off ripping people off like this. Things that don't need to be done, doing more than is needed, overcharging on parts and even out charging companies they work together with on the same part by around $30, which is already almost $50 over what the part actually runs.
I know shady mechanics are nothing new to the world, but staring at these invoices and listening to the give quotes of ridiculous amounts to both me and the people in line around me, I just needed to vent a bit. How do these people sleep at night, knowing they just ripped off some 80 year old grandma who is most likely on a tight month to month...makes me sick.
/rant...
