Repair expectations - help ?

[Kneale Brownson]

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I think I'd ask them about the sign that says a diagnosis is $65.  Maybe it
says "hourly rates" and then lists various activities?

Maybe the lady with the bearing noise is a regular customer?

If you didn't order the work done or arrange to have them call when they
figured out the problem, I can see them reinstalling the torn boot and then
expecting to charge you for the time to take it off again later.

If you feel unsatisfied after having the work completed, I'd tell them
that,  and also tell them you or anyone else you know with an Audi probably
won't be visiting their business in the future.


At 11:22 AM 08/06/2002 -0400, Ice Cat     ^. .^   ~ wrote:

>I wonder whether I am between a rock and a sharp place.
>I feel that auto repair people are professionals and should be paid
>for their time, so I offered to pay for diagnosis of my car.
>
>The shop said it took 1.167 hours to determine that the air intake
>boot was torn.
>They then said that they were going to charge me $86 or so for the
>parts and another half hour of time to take off the old one and then
>put the new one on.    I thought I had already paid to have it taken
>off for the diagnosis.
>
>
>
>Now they want to charge me for both the diagnosis and the repair time
>and parts.
>
>The person before me came in and said, "Oh I have a noise, will you
>tell me what it is and what it cost to fix it."    They spend a half
>hour testing and driving her car, tell her it is a bearing, and then
>don't charge her anything.
>
>I am not sure what is the correct way to deal with situations like
>this.   I try to be fair and when I told them to go ahead and fix my
>car, I assumed they would then have said, "No charge for the
>diagnosis being you are having it fixed here" or at least split it
>with me.
>
>If I had the money to just take the car in and say "tell me what's
>wrong, give me an estimate. . ." and then when they call me back just
>say "Oh go ahead and fix it for a total of $117" instead of the $193
>I will now be paying and be at the same exact place.    I cannot
>figure out where I went wrong in this procedure.    Some how I feel
>like I am getting the short end of the stick.
>
>His sign, by the way says,  Diagnosis $65.    He is labor rate is $65
>per hour.   It does not say Diagnosis $65 per hour.
>
>Comments and guidance would be appreciated !
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