I had my 1960 Bug in there. I can deal with businesses that simply want to overprice their products or services by not patronizing them. However, what particularly urks me is when a supposedly knowledgeable Service Writer repeatedly insults my intelligence and/or challenges the veracity of given facts.
First, I gave full authorization to repair malfunctioning turn signals and exterior lighting and asked for an estimate on further repairs. After a couple of days I called to see if the lights were fixed and what the damage was for any other problems. ""I have not quite got that done, I'll call ya back"".
On the call back I was told ""Hey, your turn signals don't work, the left tail light is bright and the right tail light and the headlights are dim...what do you want to do about it?""
It took two days to call me back and read off what I had already told them when I dropped the car? ""Umm, no kidding, it is there for you to fix that"", I said.
""Well, we have all of this other stuff, front suspension, brakes, shocks, oil leaks, engine shroud pieces and etc."" Then the guy gives me an overpriced individual estimate on each little item but refuses to give me a total. Doing rough math in my head I came up with approximately $2000.00 in repairs. I said ""Hey, that is a more than a bit overpriced for what you are doing. I tell you what, fix the thing I'll pay $1500.00!"" The response was a smirkish laugh and a ramping up of the condescension like I was a 12 year old girl or something.
I said, ""Look man, I don't care how you do it, use quality pre-owned parts, whatever, just do it right and I will pay. I can get turnable brake drums for $10.00 each...""
Dude says ""USED PARTS! I wouldn't put USED PARTS on MY car!"". When I pointed out that the car was 52 years old and is made up ENTIRELY of USED PARTS and particularly explained that turning USED brake drums is perfectly safe and done every day, he ignored me and changed the subject.
I reiterated that $1500.00 was more than enough to cover the repairs he just shrugged me off. I said no thanks.
After a day pondering I decided to go ahead and let the Vee Village folks do the front end work. $560.00 for new King and Link Pins and shocks. The guy explained that most of that was Labor because it all had to be disassembled without damaging anything and then reassembled. ""Okay"", I tell him ""Do the front end work but add 2.5"" dropped spindles.""
""Oh, I'll have to get back to you on that"", he says. Three days later he finally calls back and says the front end will now be nearly $1000.00!
""You have got to be kidding me"", I said. ""How does adding brand new bolt in spindles that can be bought for $80 to $100 a set DOUBLE the price of the work? There is less labor involved now (though he tried to convince me there was more) and...
He interrupted me and basically called me an idiot saying that he didn't deal in low quality crappy parts. I said ""These are brand new EMPI Forged Steel Spindles"" which brought a chuckle and a ""Sure they are...""
I had had enough. I told him he obviously didn't need my business.
When I came to pick up the car he again tried to convince me that I didn't know what I was talking about on the spindles and that there was no way I could buy FORGED STEEL Spindles for anywhere close to that because even Vee Village has to pay $160.00 for them. Which was pretty stupid considering he already told me he was going to charge me more than double that.
I do not care what they get other people to overpay for service work. Just don't be a self righteous condiscending prick when you are attempting to justify it. They could have gotten a fair price for fair work. Instead they have somebody who will NEVER step foot in their establishment again and will certainly recommend others against it as well.
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