Two words: Angie's List
I have yet to be disappointed with the products and/or services I have received from an Angie's List supplier. For $25/year, it's money well spent in my humble opinion. Dan Sent from my iPhone On Jun 23, 2011, at 3:01 PM, Randy Bennell <rbenn...@bennell.ca> wrote: > On 23/06/2011 1:22 PM, Tim C wrote: >> >> Unfortunately I've yet to find a good Indie (or dealer for that >> matter) within 30 minutes' drive, everyone around here seems to employ >> monkeys who just break things, charge me $500, and then annoy me until >> I get fed up and redo the job myself. (Every single thing beyond oil >> has cost $500. It is really strange.) I think all the good mechanics >> have gone into management, or quit to start their own shops and -then- >> gone into management. > > > Or, they have been beaten down by management and owners. My younger son is a > licenced mechanic working in a shop owned by someone else. > He just shakes his head at what he is told to do sometimes, but they don't, > in most cases, want his opinion if he does not agree. He sometimes has to > bite his tongue and do what he has been instructed to do even when he knows > it is going to be a problem that comes back. > Makes it difficult to take pride in one's work. > >> Once a garage called me back to see how my visit was; > > I had this too, from a body shop that repaired my Suburban years ago. They > were really into the whole customer appreciation thing. Too bad they had not > been into proper fixing of vehicles. When I picked up the truck the manager, > or whatever he was, took me out and showed me the truck and instructed me to > notice that it was clean in and out. The front bumper was crooked and there > was still a small crease in the leading edge of the hood that they had not > attended to. This was on an insurance claim where they were no doubt charging > to do a good job. I commented on these things and he essentially brushed me > off. I got a bit annoyed but told him that I could fix the bumper myself if > they were not able to figure out how. He told me Chevy's are like that. I > said, all you need to do is grind the bolt holes a bit elongated and all will > be well from a visual point of view. I don't think he understood what I meant. > > A week or so later I got a call from the shop on a followup basis. When she > asked if I was happy, I told her that I had expressed my unhappiness when I > picked up the vehicle and asked why she thought I should now be happy since > they had not offered to correct the deficiencies. She was dumbstruck. > Needless to say, I have not been back there or told anyone else anything but > my bad opinon of them. >> Anyway, I am becoming used to the idea that the local mechanics* are >> idiots, frauds, and/or have no idea how a car without a computer might >> work, and that if I want a job done I have to put the car out of >> service and do it myself (usually twice the first time), versus paying >> for someone to do it wrong and then having to redo it myself anyway. >> It is hardly worth my time driving all around the region, filing BBB >> complaints, etc., when I can just do it the fix properly - eventually >> - and have done with it, in the comfort of my driveway and without >> having to schedule SWMBO to transport the kids and/or rearrange work. >> > I agree that the best way is to do it yourself if it is within your > abilities. Sometimes it is just not really possible to do things at home. A > few years back I had to have the clutch replaced in the F150 that my younger > son was driving. He was still in school so not yet working in the shops. It > was winter and the slave cylinder went out. We could not leave it like that > or we would ruin the transmission and it was not really a job to do without a > hoist etc. It cost an arm and a leg and was never quite the same afterwards > but they did a good competant job so far as I can say. They used and > aftermarket clutch kit and that was likely why it felt different afterwards. > > > There are good people out there. It just is a bit hard to find them. I think > you need to give them a reason to treat you well too. I belong to 2 different > business clubs. If I get work done at the shops who are members of the club, > they appear to bend over to ensure I am happy. They don't want me to say > anything bad about them at the club. The whole idea is to generate referrals > and obviously they want people like me to send other customers to them. Even > if you are not in that situation, I suggest you hint strongly that you can > send work their way if you are happy with their service and then do your best > to actually get them some work if you are happy with them. Nothing like a bit > of incentive. > > Randy > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
