On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 22:28:32 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:35:32 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 10:29:23 -0400, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
Most people don't expect to get screwed on parts prices nowadays.
The parts costs are readily available, and they're not in the dark.
Labor cost is take it or leave it.
Car parts prices have been available for many years, and so has part
costs on the final bill.
Why go where you're going to get gouged on parts?

I don't drive one car much and often only have it serviced once a year. Get
it inspected and the oil changed. It tickles me to look at the bill and see
where they even add in shop supplies such as the rag the mechanic wipes his
hand with. You would think they would just charge so much and be done with
it instead of adding in all the small charges.

I think I saw that for the first time at the dealer a few months ago. I
never went to a dealer before, but he had a sale and was charging no
more for wheel alignment than Firestone. He also claimed both of my
inner boots had leaks and needed replacing for 800 dollars. In fact,
one only had 50 miles on it and the other was in perfect condition also.

That's the usual Firesone (and other chain shops) modus operendi.

But I went to the dealer because they were the same price. It's the
dealer who tried to sell me two boots.

I saw what you said about dealers having to buy all that stuff, and pay
for all that training, so I'll limit myself to this dealer. Except
that the whole setup makes it near impossible for the customer to know
what's going on. At most shops if I cant' go int the bay, in decent
weather I can stand outside the bay and see what he's doing. When he
finds rips in my boot, he'll call me in and show me, and I'm sure the
insurance allows for that. But at this dealer -- all dealer builtings
built in the last 20 years maybe????? I drop the car off at one end of
the building and they have someone else drive it around to the
mechanics. It's clear I'm not wanted in that big room.

Though the girl they assigned to talk to me said I coudl have seen the
car. Of course this was a day later when I called with questions. Even
when I first heard her rattle off stuf (I missed it iirc when she said I
needed boots.) by that time the car was done and returned to my side

We'll see what happns when I bring it back. They'll probably claim I
had the boots replaced.

A local tire shop was advertising for a service manager, claiming very
generous earnings for "the right person". After talking about my
experience etc, their final question was "could I sell?" They said for
someone who "could sell" the job could pay upwards of six figures per
year (and this was in the eighties!!!) I said "sell, or upsell?" I
could sell what was required, but I couldn't steal from customers.

Good for you. I guess you're not the "right person", with his
definition of right.

Less than a year later the shop was closed down, and the management in
jail

Wow. Makes you feel good,doesn't it.