Dan Neuman wrote:
>
> Hello All,
> Just wanted to tell everybody about my new exhaust system. ...
> For the local poeple who might be thinking about doing the same
> thing I would reccomend him highly. He has been doing muffler work for like
>30
> years
...
> the Midas I went to quoted me $200 bucks and I did not get a good feelign
>from them.
Congratulations, Dan! Sounds like you found a gem!
I would always vote for the small privately owned shop over a franchise chain
like Midas. Especially Midas! You usually find him (like any good mechanic)
by word of mouth, but he will be the guy who actually CARES about his work -
who takes a proper craftsman's pride in doing a good job. Their
wives think they are married to their business because they actually LIKE being
there. (Like this guy working late on Christmas eve! I'll bet that went over
real well at home!)
With a franchised chain you get some guy who wanted to be in business for
himself, but doesn't know (or care) a thing about welding mufflers (or whatever
the specialty is). He buys in, gets the training, and hires whoever he can as
soon as he can to do the actual work. Then he opens a few more
stores - that's where the money is made. He works the business end and
couldn't care less about the quality of work. Run 'em in, run 'em out. That's
how they do it. Are there exceptions? Sure. But they ARE exceptions.
Mark van der Hoek
Houston
--
"They that can give up essential
liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin
|