Vehicle service

[JasonB]

Why is it so hard to get trustworthy vehicle service???<br /><br />I do my maintenance myself, except rotating tires on my F-150 since the tires on it have lifetime rotate/balance. I carried it in for JUST a rotate/balance this am. Got a call this afternoon that the rotate/balance was done, but they had a list of items "I should have them perform". Grrrrr.... I didn't want a stinking inspection to see what services they wanted to sell, just what I brought it in for.<br /><br />-They determined my belt needed changing --Sorry, I guess they didn't notice that the one on there is almost brand new, and was not one of the cheapo ones. I checked afterwards, yup, still looks almost new.<br /><br />-Needs oil change -- No it doesn't. I'm at 2000 miles on full synthetics. The oil isn't even dark yet....<br /><br />-Battery needs service -- not even going there<br /><br /><br />I popped the hood before I drove off to look. they claimed to have checked the air filter. The case is dusty as all get out and had no fingerprints. No way to check it without leaving prints in teh dust.<br /><br />Ticket says vehicle arrived with 25psi in all 4 tires. Bull. I checked that they were at 45 last time I filled up (spec for 45-50). The shop lowered them to 33...... They did the same when they installed them.<br /><br />To add more insult, the driver seat was all out of whack. Was it necessary to change every setting on it to drive 10 yards across teh parking lt and back!!!<br /><br /><br />I'll stop ranting now..... Look like I need to find another tire shop. And people wonder why I don't carry my vehicles to be serviced, much less my boats......

 

[theriver]

Re: Vehicle service

thats why they offer no charge rotation...<br /><br />has anyone had a shop try to charge for rotation and brake inspection at the same time?<br /><br />happens all the time.<br /><br />lol.

 

[Pony]

Re: Vehicle service

Once ya find a find a good place stick with it. I dont have the tools to do some of the stuff I would like, but we have an mechanic that we have known for some 15yrs and had him work on our vehicles when he had a small small shop. he has since grown in size, but the service is still good there. Too bad others dont have it that good....

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Vehicle service

When I take my truck in for tires I put a peice of duct tape over the hood release with a note that says "DO NOT OPEN!".

 

[ZodFutMk2]

Re: Vehicle service

Our Ford truck service department is excellent, they do exactly as they are told. <br /><br />Honda on the other hand likes to go the extra mile and do little things like keep the car an extra day while they disassemble the dash to try to locate a rattle they heard and then apologize profusely when they get informed that the rattle is a marble my son lost under the rear seat. Good thing is, they didn't charge for the destruction or re-assemble! They've also learned to do exactly as they are told.<br /><br />My oldest took his truck to Sears. That story is ten pages worth. Only after our attorney called the store manager did they get it right and at the original estimate. And he only went in for new tires on the front end.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Vehicle service

Tire Shops are just that,I wished they would stick to tires,doing only one thing they might have a chance in doing it right,well maybe.Let the pro's do the rest and quit screwing up the trade You wouldn,t ask your butcher to pull a broken tooth or fill a cavity would yea!

 

[magster65]

Re: Vehicle service

It's not easy finding a trustworthy shop. I think the 'ethics' change with the amount of money the shop is making (or losing).

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Vehicle service

Take it to a "tires only" shop. That eliminates all the BS.<br /><br />Ken

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Vehicle service

Consider giving the the tech a tip. 2 bucks will get you anything you want in the back of the tire shop. Been in their shoes. The techs don't want to do inspections but will get in trouble for not doing them so instead they "pencil whip" them.<br /><br />Hand the next tech $2 on his way to your car and explain to him you dont want your seat and mirror moved and you'll probably get your car back in record time too. Nobody thinks to tip service people anymore and dont realize the appreciation for it. <br /><br />I slip out to the shop and tip everytime I get my car serviced and they know me when I come back and treat me well.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: Vehicle service

I think the 'ethics' change

On the most part ethics have changed. <br />And the individuals that still have personal ethics are usually part of a larger "money grubbing" machine.<br />No profession, industry, business or organisation is exempt from it these days.

 

[theriver]

Re: Vehicle service

"2 bucks will get you anything you want in the back of the tire shop"<br /><br />

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Vehicle service

lol ok that came out wrong I see

 

[DJ]

Re: Vehicle service

I ONLY use dealer service. They know what they are doing. I can't count the number of "hack jobs" I've had to unwind, from the aftermarket.<br /><br />It's very easy for the aftermarket to blame the manufacturer for something that is over their head. Trouble is, we believe them. We're so willing to blame the automaker, yet won't realize that your local "guy" is incompetent.<br /><br />If you really compare prices (FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED), dealers can be very competitive.<br /><br />A lifetime "rotate" is nothing more than a marketing tool. Any service seller will tell you that if you can get the wheels off the car, you can sell-brakes, shocks, suspension components, alignments, etc. All very lucrative. Not to mention, a "peek"-under the vehicle.

 

[magster65]

Re: Vehicle service

Originally posted by Wimperdink:<br /> 2 bucks will get you anything you want in the back of the tire shop.

Think there'd be a lineup?

 

[dtherrien]

Re: Vehicle service

I guess i would have to disagree with dj.....i wouldnt take my vehicle to a dealer for service.Most of the people working in there are all a bunch of knucle dragging monkeys.....and that goes for the chain service shops too.<br />If you can find a mechanic that you trust stick with him...even develope a relationship with him.To me i would think most guys should be able to do there own maintaince.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Vehicle service

I do about 95% of my own repairs, always have. I don't have any faith in dealer service or most franchised shops. In 20 years I have NEVER had a good experience where I walked out 100% satisfied. Either something was missed, put back together wrong, broken, lost, wrong parts used, misadjusted etc etc. Three recent examples.<br />1) Put all new brakes on my Safari van in August. Went to pull the drivers side rotor and found the cotter pin missing from the castle nut. Wife had the brakes done last at the dealer 2 years ago.<br />2) Put new brakes on the car 2 weeks ago. Rear drivers side had the wrong pads installed. Instead of one primary and one parking pad, the shop that did the brakes last installed two primary shoes.<br />3) Van this past week developed a bad miss at cruising speeds. No time to look at it myself so I took it to the corner garage. They wouldn't even look at it, listen to it or take it for a drive. Charged me $75.00 for a computer scan. In the end they said I needed a complete tune-up (new dist cap, rotor, wires, plugs) and catalytic converter all for just under $1400. I just did a complete tune-up 8 months ago. Told then to forget it, paid the scan charge and drove it home. Pulled the dog house off it yesterday and started it up last night in the dark. Bingo, there was the problem. The ignition coil wire was arcing to the transmission fill tube causing the misfire. A new coil wire, some rubber jacketing over the fill tube and wire loom over the coil wire and its as good as new - for $40.00. Nothing wrong with the catalytic converter. Just had the van pass the bi-annual emmisions test 6 weeks ago.<br />I can't begin to imagime all the money people waste on unneccessary vehicle repairs.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Vehicle service

DJ, I am a professional certified auto mechanic. I also own my own shop. When I was an employee, I thought the dealership would be the best place to work from an education, information and "right tool for the job" viewpoint. Yeah, right. I worked at two dealerships prior to go out on my own. The dealerships I worked at had good techs, and hacks. They had all the right information, but the tech had no time to research it. I was told to "Pick a part and replace it." And, "You don't get paid unless you replace something." This is not unusual, nor was I an isolated case. I talked to techs from the other local dealerships and was told that I had it good, they were under more pressure to sell work. Oftentimes OEM parts are inferior to aftermarket parts in durability. I would agree that common replacement parts are different than the original manufacture parts, but still many parts are overpriced. <br />If dealerships were so much better than the aftermarket independent service shops, the manufacturers would not have to fight so hard to force you to take your car to their dealer's service department. Case in point is the consumers' Right-To-Repair act. The manufacturers lobbied hard to get the bill gutted. But since there was so much pressure they all set up their own websites for detailed service information. You pay a fee, sometimes very hefty, to access that info. Just to subscribe to the GM website would cost me more than my subscription to Alldata, all makes and all models for the year. Sorta like the manufacturers will get their money one way or another.<br /><br />It all comes down to you must find someone you can trust. Then make them trust you. As wimperdink indicated by tipping his service personnel, if your mechanic knows you trust and appreciate him/her then you will be treated well.<br /><br />As I tell all my customers, "If you are happy, tell all your friends, if you aren't PLEASE tell me." If my customers have that respect for me, I will work that much harder for them. No matter who you are, or what you do; you do it for appreciation.<br /><br />If you are unsure of a repair, or why it was needed, ask. Don't be accusatory, or distrustful, but ask and have it explained. If you understand, you will have a greater level of trust, and no lingering doubt. If your mechanic acts insolent or angry, tell him you just want to understand why the repair was needed. If what he tells you doesn’t make sense, or he won’t explain, then maybe you were mistreated.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Vehicle service

I am with David<br /> after working for to many dealers that pushed parts and not service I went on my own. I now do contract work for marinias and still do my own shop a bit. <br /> however if I tell the shop manager I need a 1600 dollar part to fix a motor and it does not its still "my" part. makes one a bit careful when testing.<br /> my sister took her 02 safri van in due to both brake lights and the hazards died at the same time./ lucky I was in atlanta for another yam school. she took it to a local carmax and they came back with a 600 dollar quote on replacing a multifunction switch due to a "short". I told sis to bring it back home. the switch was actually "open" as I suspected. did a quick search on the net and found its actually under a recall from GM.<br /> bottom line was none of the connectors had been dissconeccted for testing. second line is most likly it would have been taken to the local GM dealer for repairs anbyway. it happens a lot.<br /> no one would belive how many people pay for work that was actually supposed to be warrenty/recall work.<br /> but I will admit the few customers that tip me can usually get my phone number incase they have a problem during the weekend. however I still will be on whichever marinas time clock they service the boat at.<br /> cause by the same token a lot of customers come to the back asking for work on the side in my spare time. I tell them my spare time labor rate is 150 per hour, when do they need me to show up?<br /> the places I contract for know I wont cut them and if someone wants it done on the side it cost double. they have no problem with it but it would not be ethical for me to cut them.<br /> but some customers will come in a marina shop and ask the tech to do side work at the house. that is just plain unethical.