Repair expectations - help ?

[Ice Cat ^. .^ ~]

At the risk of sounding argumentative  . . .      ;-)

>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?

I asked them on the phone last week, and I honestly explained the
situation . . . they told me $65 an hour to diagnose.

When I got there sign said only:

Labor: $65 an hour
Diagnosis: $65.

That is it,  my mouth just about fell open.

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

Yes she is a regular customer and I talked with her.   Not a good way
to create new customer good will, though, particularly after I asked
them to replace the part.

>If you didn't order the work done or arrange to have them call when
>they figured out the problem,

I was sitting in their lobby the entire time.   I made the
appointment last week stating I needed my car and I got up before 6
a.m. specifically so I could get in first,    I was over a half hour
early for my 8 a.m. appointment and none of the mechanics were in yet.

They came out and told me that they couldn't find the part anywhere
in this entire Hartford, CT, area, so I took their word for it.
First mistake, I probably should have paid them for the analysis and
left at that point.

It appears to me now, knowing we do a lot of our work, and trying to
be fair with them, they decided that they would get as much as they
could on a one-shot deal.   I am almost out of places to go around
here.

>I can see them reinstalling the torn boot and then expecting to
>charge you for the time to take it off again later.

Well, they probably weren't going to tie their shop stall up waiting
for a part they claim no one has.   And I don't think that that is
regular procedure to charge the customer for their problems when they
already charge mechanic rate book fee.

>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.

I was going to let them put the air intake boot on and tell them that
I wanted to see how the car sounds.  Go over there & make sure it is
running, pay them and take my car while it still works, if ya know
what I mean.

People forget that the internet is free and unregulated and that word
will get out.    They probably don't want older cars to work on as
they are in a fairly well to do area of the metro.   All of the cars
in their tiny lot were over $10,000.

They are a certified Bosch dealer so I am wondering whether I have
any recourse there . . .



Fay, the ice cat
89 Audi 200 Turbo non-Q
2.2 liter engine,
engine code MC, two knock sensors