Quote:
Originally Posted by greglepore
Why? If they spend half an hour or an hour on the issue they should eat it? My indy charges $125 just to look at anything due to the number of folks that drop off cars and when they find out what it'll cost to fix something just say "nevermind".
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Carlton
Being an auto repair shop implies having the ability to replace a water pump and thermostat on a VW Passat V6. Charging to verify a problem that would most likely involve a repair they can't do implies they're not equipped to do the tasks they're in business to do. Perhaps they could have looked at the water pump to see if they had the right tools up front or went out and got the tools to do the job. Then they would have what they need the next time and the next time after that. I would be embarrassed if I was that shop.
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You both make a point. If the shop can reasonably see that is is something they may not be able to do, they should get to the point. No charge. That, however, is going to cost them credibility, but not as much as charging to say the same thing.
If if was my shop I would do some serious thought about finding a way to do the job and keep the customer. Of course that is not how it always works out with customers being fickle, but you're in business or you're not. The only shops that can say no and get that right are shops that do not do general repairs, like a transmission shop.
But they don't call them independents without reason. Some guys are really independent in their thinking. Anyone remember Otto over in Venice?