Here's an excerpt from an email from a local friend of mine. We were talking
about this subject quite some time ago. He worked as a professional mechanic
for about 25 yrs.
- - - - - - -
John,
This is shameful - some bad apples destroying the whole bunch. What do they
have to lose? Nothing, chain stores have national advertising and no
reputation to maintain. Having worked in a tire hole (Merchant's) as a
manager dealing with walk-in customers, mechanics, and the loads of
paperwork you get stretched pretty thin. So thin you can't check all of the
mechanic's work. I would not sell any recommendations unless I inspected the
car first (the mechanics there hated me). If a car came back and there was
evidence of a rip off there would be hell to pay. I worked for them for two
months. Was a mistake I thought they changed.
I've also worked the other end as a mechanic for the same chain years ago
and watched a Service Manager pad-up one of my tickets with out even looking
at the car. He recommended new filters, plugs, wires, cap, and rotor when
the problem was that a spark plug wire had just fallen off and needed to be
put back on. I let him go and did not tell him that all that stuff was just
replaced. I wanted him to get caught. I quit that day. I worked for them for
two weeks.
Did I ever tell the story about the broken Honda timing belt that showed-up
in my shop while working for a mom & pop? It had a washed timing cover, old
belt, and an irate customer saying I was a rip-off because her belt broke
and she was insisting that her belt was just replaced by a trusted shop. I
instructed her to have it towed back to that "trusted shop" so they could
fix their misdoings.
You have to give it some thought:
Who has the most to lose by a bad reputation: Mom & Pop garages &
dealerships. Dealerships because old service customers eventually buy new
cars and they don't want them to go away.
Mom & pops don't have an advertising budget.
Getting caught ripping off customers from either of these two and you'll be
packing your iron and exercising the wheels on the bottom of that tool box
while looking for a new job.
So ask yourself would you eat at a restaurant when yours is the only car out
front? If so go to Shoney's at Newtown road in Norfolk @ dinner time.
When no appointment is necessary and the shop is extensively advertised
chances are the shop has no "real customers".
Another note; Merchant's is part of a big chain: Tire Kingdom & NTB a k a
National Tire and Battery. They decided to keep the local names so customers
would perceive them as small mom & pops.
Chain stores are always looking for new employees also. What you thought
they only ripped off customers.
Take care,
Joe
- - - - - -
John
John T. Blair WA4OHZ email: jblair1948@cox.net
Va. Beach, Va
Phone: (757) 495-8229
48 TR1800 48 #4 Midget 65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1106)
75 Bricklin SV1 (#0887) 77 Spitfire 71 Saab Sonett III
65 Rambler Classic
Morgan: www.team.net/www/morgan
Bricklin: www.bricklin.org
If you can read this - Thank a teacher!
If you are reading it in English - Thank a Vet!!
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