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Auto Repair Chronicles: Glenda Goldleaf and other notorious SCs

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  • Auto Repair Chronicles: Glenda Goldleaf and other notorious SCs

    Background: I own 2 auto repair shops specializing in a costly European brand. I don't suffer lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-pickers gladly, but sometimes you gotta tolerate a high-spend, high-maintenance customer in this biz.

    Glenda Goldleaf Glenda DOES spend money, you have to give her that, but she has a way of hounding you with questions at every step of the visit, waaaay up at the far end of the bell curve of questions asked/visit.

    Most people ask questions because they anticipate and value the answer, like a little intellectual gold coin. They ask a sensible question, you give a meaningful answer, everyone is satisfied and on to the next step of the conversation/gold coin of wisdom. Not Glenda. She takes her first gold coin and has to POUND it hard in every way possible, until it has been beaten down into the thinnest gold leaf, mere atoms thick; you could see light through it and it's now bigger than a king bedsheet. Only then is she ready to go on to the next part of the conversation. One down 8 recommendations to go, yippee!

    One time it was about a glove box lock the size of a walnut and installs in 30 seconds, how complicated can we make this? Well it is a fast mover and obsolete even in the aftermarket and we are sold out of used ones BUT GUESS WHAT We have a brand new Genuine part on the shelf, only one in Los Angeles County, list is over $100. Inquiring about this involved three phone calls, one of which dragged on over 5 minutes with a hapless new adviser (second week on the job but had ALL relevant details at hand) then she calls Senior Manager at the other shop to spend 5 more minutes alternately complaining about the "rude" new girl and trying to get a lower price out of Senior Manager, who is also not only also already hip to Glenda's modus operandi, but jaded by it from repeated exposure.

    Finally, MONTHS later the car comes in 3,000 miles late for service. Glenda has learned to make do with an off-brand pack of rolling papers (unopened, no way this uptight woman is even a sometime, closet toker) wedged in the glovebox door, plus more than enough clear tape, turning gooey even in the wan winter rays of sunny Los Angeles. She revisits the discussion about her broken glovebox lock, with a GOTCHA!-toned, "I thought you told me $80!" Pound, pound, pound; it takes a long time to get beyond, "That was for the used option which we didn't have and still don't have but still have the new [dealer not cheap aftermarket] one."

    Later, get the car in the bay and examine it. The glovebox lock itself looks suspiciously brand new (they are all over ebay for those who don't expect one NAO!! over the phone but for cheap) BUT she SWEARS UP AND DOWN ITS THE ORIGINAL AND KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT IT. The ACTUAL PROBLEM, after all of this? The part of the box that the lock catches has broken away in a large, obvious chunk, which the most basic Scooby Doo detective skills could discern had fallen down to the hinge, been repeatedly slammed upon preventing the door from closing till it was broken up several ways, the pieces of which were then carefully collected and put in the glovebox proper.

    The glovebox BOX is ALSO a fast mover, obsolete, and sold out locally; Glenda pounds and pounds on why we can't get one when she called us about it (months ago asking about the lock) and she dropped off after 11am on Friday and is fretting about returning her rental. Several denials of any knowlege of all the broken plastic are sandwiched with pleas of, "but it's the LOCK that's not workinnnnng!" Finally on to the rest of the recommendations.

    25 grueling minutes later she has agreed to do "everything" including a transmission remove and reseal, front suspension, and heater fan motor that they basically build the car around; all told for over $1800, now casually musing, do you think it will be ready Wednesday or Thursday? Wait, I can't come till at least Thursday anyway..."

    This is why some service managers refuse to answer a phone at home on the weekend!

    ********************

    Warranty Willie Calls up the shop, "Hi, do you do warranty work?"

    Yes, we are capable of doing warranty work (begin spiel about how [Manufacturer] prefers to reimburse dealers for it as they are contractually obligated to do warranty work for peanuts...)

    "Oh, well it's not through [Manufacturer]!"

    ...

    Okay, who administers this warranty?

    "Oh, it is by the lot I bought the car from. It's a 30 day warranty."

    Facepalm. Okay, if you just bought it, you should check with the place you just bought it from FIRST.

    "Do you guys charge to look at it?"

    Yes, we charge $XX

    "Even though it's under warranty?"

    Facepalm. Yes.

    "Well, my engine is making a knocking noise."

    Okay, would you like us to check that out for you or...?

    "Ummm... (long pause, hamster walking on the wheel in his brain) I think what I'll do is take it to the place I bought it from, and let them check it out first."

    Sounds like a good plan.

    "{click}"

    -Automan
    Suckiness is reinforced up OR down at every transaction. Accepting BS makes them worse for all of us; firm fairness trains them to suck less.

  • #2
    So what is a "lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-picker"? The reason I ask is that I have a close friend whose husband does most of their car work himself but sometimes when he is unable to troubleshoot a problem, will take the car in to a mechanic (or make her do it) for a "Free Estimate" and once the shop figures out what the issue is (their time and labor), he will then fix it himself.
    The beatings will continue until morale improves...

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    • #3
      Quoth Gonzo View Post
      So what is a "lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-picker"? The reason I ask is that I have a close friend whose husband does most of their car work himself but sometimes when he is unable to troubleshoot a problem, will take the car in to a mechanic (or make her do it) for a "Free Estimate" and once the shop figures out what the issue is (their time and labor), he will then fix it himself.
      I think you just answered your own question

      Comment


      • #4
        So what is a "lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-picker"? The reason I ask is that I have a close friend whose husband does most of their car work himself but sometimes when he is unable to troubleshoot a problem, will take the car in to a mechanic (or make her do it) for a "Free Estimate" and once the shop figures out what the issue is (their time and labor), he will then fix it himself.
        This is why so many shops charge money to find the problem, then discount that amount off the repair service if you have it done in shop.

        Comment


        • #5
          Quoth Gonzo View Post
          So what is a "lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-picker"? The reason I ask is that I have a close friend whose husband does most of their car work himself but sometimes when he is unable to troubleshoot a problem, will take the car in to a mechanic (or make her do it) for a "Free Estimate" and once the shop figures out what the issue is (their time and labor), he will then fix it himself.
          Whatever you call it... that's pretty mean. I'll bet he can't do that more than once or twice with any given mechanic until he starts getting diagnosis "mistakes." And he's going to be up $hit creek if the diagnosis involves any dis-assembly. I'd gently suggest to your friend's husband that he start hanging out on enthusiast forums, which are often a spectacular source of troubleshooting advice. (Hanging out on the one for my '04 Passat has made owning it a largely trouble-free experience. I don't know where I'd be without it... probably driving a Camry right now, which would be a shame, as I love my car.)

          I sort-of did it once, but since I was getting $1200 in work I was paying him for done at the time, he didn't mind so much, and the "diagnosis" took nothing more than paying attention to the car's noises while parking it. (I needed to know which CV joint was likely bad.)

          Comment


          • #6
            Quoth sirwired View Post
            I'd gently suggest to your friend's husband that he start hanging out on enthusiast forums, which are often a spectacular source of troubleshooting advice.
            ^This. I'm constantly on the MG forums. They've been a lifesaver when I put my '70 B GT back on the road. There simply aren't very many specialists for 43-year-old sports cars locally. Most don't seem to know an SU from a Stromberg.

            Without those forums, I probably wouldn't have known how to fix the speedometer. After some quick testing, the gauge itself was fine. Cable was trashed, and so was the angle drive (which turns the motion through 90 degrees) on the transmission. Instead of spending the $50 for another angle drive...I was told to fit a longer speedometer cable from an overdrive-equipped car. Cheaper, and more reliable--replacement angle drives are notorious for failures.

            Some of those forums have archived documents. For example, one that I used last summer, involved rebuilding my car's front suspension. Pain in the ass, but once you get it apart, not too bad. A few days later, I had everything apart. Cleaned up and painted everything (no new metal parts here!), fitted the new poly bushes, and had it all back together. Of course, I deviated from the forum a bit...as I did a brake job as well. When I took the car in for its state inspection, the guys at the garage were impressed.

            What I'm trying to say is, that those boards are such a resource, that's sometimes overlooked. I probably wouldn't have attempted a big job like that myself. If I had it probably would have taken a *lot* longer than it did, without the persuasion and advice from other members.
            Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. --Enzo Ferrari

            Comment


            • #7
              Another plus for enthusiast forums. Following the forums for the Ford Ranger, I was able to diagnose & fix an airbag warning light, and also know how to fix the perpetual "Door Ajar" light that triggers about every 6-8 months. (and I am by no means a mechanic).
              That is so full of suck Dyson doesn't know how they did it - shankyknitter

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              • #8
                Quoth Gonzo View Post
                So what is a "lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-picker"? The reason I ask is that I have a close friend whose husband does most of their car work himself but sometimes when he is unable to troubleshoot a problem, will take the car in to a mechanic (or make her do it) for a "Free Estimate" and once the shop figures out what the issue is (their time and labor), he will then fix it himself.
                Your friends husband is a major jerk. Bet he'd be furious if someone suggested he do a lot of work for free. The mechanics around you need to start charging them for the 'estimates' since they don't use the shop to do the repairs.

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                • #9
                  I worked with someone at a repair shop that was a service manager with 30+ years with the company.

                  He got fired a few years back because the owner was tired of him telling people what their problems were for free so they could go fix it themselves.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Quoth Gonzo View Post
                    So what is a "lookie-loos, time bandits, or free brain-picker"? The reason I ask is that I have a close friend whose husband does most of their car work himself but sometimes when he is unable to troubleshoot a problem, will take the car in to a mechanic (or make her do it) for a "Free Estimate" and once the shop figures out what the issue is (their time and labor), he will then fix it himself.
                    Oh wow. I call that theft. A "free" estimate is offered with the intention that the work will be performed. A do-it-yourselfer taking advantage of a free estimate is costing the shop and the mechanic who performs the inspection and diagnosis money.

                    Many mechanics work on what is called "flat rate" wherein they are only paid when they perform work that the customer pays for. If the estimate is free, the mechanic 99% of the time isn't getting paid and the other 1% of the time what little they do get paid is some tiny amount that amounts to less than minimum wage.

                    I worked for a national franchise that offered free brake inspections. The people who took advantage of that offer got so abusive that we had to start charging just to weed them out. It turned out that the manager of an Autozone around the corner was sending HIS customers to us for the free inspection so they could buy HIS parts and do the work themselves.
                    Proud Oath Keeper and 3 Percenter!

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                    • #11
                      A company I used to work for would pull the "free estimate" scam.

                      We'd get a project in and the bosses would get me to "call a couple of my developer buddies" to quote on it as a subcontractor. It took three or four times to figure out that they had no intention of subbing the job out, they were only using them to get an idea of how much our company should charge.

                      It was a move of such contemptible douchbaggery - these guys would drive across the city, put in the time to go over the specs, put in time to do the quote, drive BACK to present to us - and they never had a chance. Once I knew what was going on I told them to NEVER put me in that type of situation again and if they couldn't quote these jobs, they had no business being in our business. Not quite so politely, though. By that point I didn't give a shit if they fired me or not (they didn't).

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