Midas Muffler

Vlad D Impeller

Commander
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
2,644
Re: Midas Muffler

Originally posted by notinbig:<br /> I do ALL my work myself, If you don't, PAY the price or shut-up.
I do most of my own as well, but there are occassions when one must use a professional establishment because they may lack certain equipment necessary for accomplishing the job or simply because of time constraints,however that should not be an excuse for folks to be ripped off by unscrupulous business practices.<br /><br />nuff said, i'm getting kinda ticked off here on this subject.
 

Vlad D Impeller

Commander
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
2,644
Re: Midas Muffler

It seems that you got trolling down to a fine art, yep! i'll render onto cesar what is cesars :rolleyes:
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,709
Re: Midas Muffler

Don't get me going on Midas, lets just say they still have one of my cars. Took a 1968 comet in for brakes in 1980. Estimate was for $129, bill was for over $700. Left the car there and never went back. Eccept for the night I went back and took out my almost new battery and flattened 2 of the tires so it would look bad in their lot. They let it sit there for over a month.<br /><br />Good news here though. The local Chevy dealer just got a set of Goodyears for my Blazer, for $85 cheaper than the Goodyear shop down the road.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,903
Re: Midas Muffler

All I can say from being in the trade is Big Box,big advertisement,big overhead =big charges for the same work as a smaller cheaper independent
 

NYMINUTE

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
3,298
Re: Midas Muffler

Ford dealers are running with a match and % below the best local price on the same or similar tires, and several service related items.<br />Heard a pitch by a local deal at lunch today.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,903
Re: Midas Muffler

Yeah NYM go in for the tires bet you come out with a new engine and bald tires Those cut-throat tactics amazing
 

KaGee

Admiral
Joined
Aug 14, 2004
Messages
7,069
Re: Midas Muffler

Originally posted by dolluper:<br /> Yeah NYM go in for the tires bet you come out with a new engine and bald tires Those cut-throat tactics amazing
My, my arn't we the synic today.
 

deeepdiver1

Recruit
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
3
Re: Midas Muffler

I used to go to Midas or Speedy Muffler but, I found that you have to go back almost yearly because it has rusted through. Also that"lifetime-warranty" on the muffler was nice until you find out that they still charge you to install the "free" replacement muffler at a cost which is suspiciously around what a non Midas muffler would cost.<br />Now I pay a little more for the original exhaust system from the dealer and it lasts at least three to four times longer than the disposable systems you find at the big name muffler shops.
 

Realgun

Commander
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
Messages
2,484
Re: Midas Muffler

What do you guys do to your mufflers. My wife and I have never had to replace a muffler on any vehicle. If we did though my mechanic would do it in a heart beat. he might be a wee bit higher than some but not to much. He will do it right the first time. <br /><br />For example most shops in town charge 150 local -300 dealer to change the plugs in the Ford F-150's due to the poor design and hard to get at plugs. My mechanic charges 80 buck. <br />I can do it but I don't like my fingers going numb trying to thread the plug outa that tight hole. Plus laying across the engine for a hour is hard on the tummy.
 

SoulWinner

Commander
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
2,423
Re: Midas Muffler

notinbig....theriver perhaps?<br /><br />Pay the price or shut up? Have you ever been overcharged or ripped off? Did you like it? Do you frequent establishments that routinely use deceptive business practices that are designed to extract the maximum amount of money from the consumer? I don't, and furthermore I have NEVER heard a single good thing about Midas, and therefore would not consider them if I needed a muffler (I would weld one on myself).
 

notinbig

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Messages
384
Re: Midas Muffler

Nope just delt with all you penny pichers before. Don't you read this forum, cars are like boats their expensive, pains in the a-hole. And this doesn't sound like it was started by someone who can weld their own, sounds like he has NO CHOICE but to pay, and pay he shall my friend. Maybe you'll get a noise violation ticket while you drive around poluting our world. Time to buck up the bucks, ME BOY. :cool:
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Midas Muffler

I realize that not all people can, but I have found, through too many bad experiences, that if I want the job done right, first time, I've got to do it myself!<br /><br />Some examples.<br /><br />1. Took a car in for a gearbox overhaul. Got it back and the gearbox was fine, but they dropped the pilot bearing into the clutch cavity and cause no end of grief, they also damaged the exhaust system, which I have just fixed. Had to take them to court to get back the extra money I had to spend to have the box removed the old pilot bearing retrieved and a new one fitted.<br />2. Ex-girlfriend took her car in for a 'routine' 10,000km service. She was phoned and told she needed new rear brake pads and new front tires. Funny thing was I'd replaced the brake pads 2 weeks before the car went in and she'd had the tires replaced 3 weeks before.<br />3. Years ago I had a company car and had to have dealer service. Took the car in and gave them a list of about 6 items to attend to. 4 items fixed, 1 item made worst, and 1 new item added. The new one was a killer, literally. On the freeway the throttle would stick full open. I just turned off the ignition to slow down, but in the hands of someone less experienced it could have killed. I had a quick check when I got home and found that in the service the 'idle up' for the air conditioner had been disconnected (as per requirement to set idle speed) and not been reconnected. The linkage would flick around and lock up the throttle shaft.<br />4. Had a problem with and old 150hp merc (in-line). I deduced that the coil was dead. Went to get a new coil and the mechanic told me that the coils never die. So I took the whole boat to him, said 'You find it'. Picked up the boat a couple of days later with, you guessed it, a new coil in it.<br /><br />Have heaps more like this, but don't have time to catalogue them.<br /><br />Chris.........
 

rogerwa

Commander
Joined
Nov 29, 2000
Messages
2,339
Re: Midas Muffler

Just like every other business, treat your cusotmers fairly and you will be rewarded.<br /><br />Anyone on this post who thinks there isn't devious practices in the repair industry has there head buried in the sand. There are bad and there are good. To generalize and say all are bad would be wrong.<br /><br />I can't imagine having service done when I didn't have the knowledge to challenge what was being said. People clearly get ripped off with unnecessary work.<br /><br />The thing I can't stand is all the add on things they put on the bill. Such as 10% addtion for shop supplies. This is just a way to undercut the bid and still get the money.<br /><br />I once had a shop tell me my plugs were the wrong ones to be in my car and they were bad. I told them to go ahead and to save the plugs so I could see them. When I look at them I cross referenced them to find that they were OEM replacements and that they were not worn and were gapped accordingly. They charged me $16 a plug plus installation. Neeless to say I took them back and challenged them on this. The Service Mgr was an a-hole that told me I didn't know what I was talking about. I wrote a letter to the owner and got all my money back and will not return to that shop. It was the service writer that lost the business. Still lots of places to spend my money.
 

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Re: Midas Muffler

By notinbig:
Time to buck up the bucks, ME BOY
Using your logic, if I open a gas station and sell gas at $7 a gallon, you'll buy it right? Because you should pay $7 a gallon, even if you can buy it some where else for $2 a gallon. Right? <br /><br />Unless you can make your own gasoline too. <br /><br /> :rolleyes:
 

notinbig

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Messages
384
Re: Midas Muffler

Sounds like you just discovered shopping around Mark42. Is this a new thing for you? Wow I feel bad you've been under that rock(armpit) they call NJ. You have a right to shop around and they have the right to quote you whatever the "book" says they can. Just cause some grease monkey down the road will do it at 6:30 am or on a scheduled appointment for cheap and get ya outa here real quick, I hope he does your next brake job, or tranny work and gets you out in a hurry for real cheap. You'll learn you get what you pay for, and good for you as an American you finnaly relized you can say no and shop around. However get ready to pay for their time for those "estimates" you like to gather. I say educate and you won't have to debate.
 

jtexas

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
8,646
Re: Midas Muffler

2 mechanics working 1 hour = 2 hours of labor in 1 hour of elapsed time.<br /><br />Doesn't explain $30 of hardware or $80 of "misc."<br /><br />And what's up with notinbig? You don't rip people off do you? Why do you have a problem with people complaining about getting ripped off? If customers are such a pain in the a-hole then why not just turn 'em away at the door?<br /><br />And one final note, for DJ: You don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get. (in my experience) ;)
 

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Re: Midas Muffler

Notinbig,<br /><br />Are you always this unhappy with your life, or is today something special that you're sharing with us?
 

notinbig

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Messages
384
Re: Midas Muffler

Mark. I am in a fantastic mood. I have soo much going for me I nevr leave the dock side chat or good new network!!!! :eek: :eek: :p
 

Realgun

Commander
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
Messages
2,484
Re: Midas Muffler

or is today something special that you're sharing with us?<br />
Hes bored, the lakes have no thawed out yet. :) <br /><br />Secretly I think he works at Midas. :D
 
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