Customer quote of the day... what are yours?

Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,736
Location
WI
Gave me a chuckle today... customer brought in an Equinox for an alignment. Any time I bring in a "customer requests alignment", the first thing I do is check the suspension. 9 times out of 10, something is loose. Today was no exception.

This particular unit had a completely wasted RF lower ball joint, with the LF not far behind. The customer asked to come out and see the play, given that they were "ASE certified" and planned on fixing it themselves. Fine, no big deal.

My service writer brought said customer back to the shop and I shook the wheel while he watched the ball joint. His response? "Oh yea, that b**** gotta go!". I couldn't help but snicker under my breath and think to myself... yea, that b**** gotta go.

Always nice when a random event lightens the mood.
 
Here's one of many. Years ago, I once had a young man come in with a Neon asking for a tune-up, so I asked him if there was a condition that he was hoping to correct. He said yes, the CEL is on, so I suggested a scan instead of a tune-up and he said he couldn't afford that. :ROFLMAO: How little did he think a tune-up was going to cost? :ROFLMAO: I had never seen him before and he left without ever seeing him again. Whew!

How can a tech bring in a vehicle without checking the front end? Goof
 
Sometimes a customer or prospect is told things by other shops or people they confide in and they believe those things as face value and truth.

To overcome there bias' on those feelings it is only common sense to counsel and inquire them on why they think what they do and to also educate them on what could be causing the issue their vehicle might have.

Henry Ford did not believe in any person who salted their food before they tasted it first. His observation was that the person did not have good perception skills or had a potential for lacking common sense.
 
Had an operator bring a forklift over from a production department that seemed to have lost forward drive but I didn't know this at first. They use it as a bulldozer so it was expected. I heard the tapping of what sounded like a rod bearing or wrist pin long before it got to the shop and told the guys this is gonna be good. He walks in the door and goes "the forklift won't go forward anymore, only backwards". My reply was "can't you hear the knock? I'm more worried about that than the transmission at the moment". Operator: "oh it's been doing that for like 6 months"

:ROFLMAO:
 
Not a customer quote, but these stories reminded me of something.

My best friend and I from high school (we were probably 16 at the time) knew this kid that had a sweet go-cart. He couldn't get it to run, so my friend and I (he could take apart and put a small engine back together like it was nothing) went to his house to have a look at it. He had it running like bat out of hell within minutes of checking it out.

We had it up on jack stands, running at full blast, and his dad walks out, taps my friend on the shoulder and sincerely asks with a confused look on his face, "Is it running?" We both looked at each other and didn't say a word! That was definitely a smh moment haha! :ROFLMAO:
 
"Here's your sign" ???

While pricing out a set of tires at a Firestone store a dull looking customer butted-in by saying, "You only have to balance the front tires, right?"

The youngish salesman turned to me and said, "See the kind of animals I have to deal with."

I put distance between myself and those 2 guys.
 
Last edited:
Had a young Police Sgt. kept coming back to the shop complaining of a vibration at highway speeds in his crime scene van (1979 E150).
We balanced the tires multiple times, eventually replaced the tires, replaced rotors and drums, replaced fan and clutch assembly, and the list goes on. No vibration was ever detected - never.
At some point after another return we asked: what do you want us to do?
He replied: Balance the driveshaft.
I attached a copy of an invoice for balancing a driveshaft from another vehicle in the fleet to his completed work order.
Nothing was done to his van in reality but his perception of the vibration with his diagnosis and our “repair” satisfied him and he never returned with a vibration issue again.
Happy as a clam.
Sometimes perception is reality in the automotive world just like in all aspects of life…IN MY OPINION.
 
Henry Ford did not believe in any person who salted their food before they tasted it first.
Henry must've dined with my uncle a time or two. He salted everything..... The meat, the vegetables, the salad, etc. Never tried any of it first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JC1
Had a young Police Sgt. kept coming back to the shop complaining of a vibration at highway speeds in his crime scene van (1979 E150).
We balanced the tires multiple times, eventually replaced the tires, replaced rotors and drums, replaced fan and clutch assembly, and the list goes on. No vibration was ever detected - never.
At some point after another return we asked: what do you want us to do?
He replied: Balance the driveshaft.
I attached a copy of an invoice for balancing a driveshaft from another vehicle in the fleet to his completed work order.
Nothing was done to his van in reality but his perception of the vibration with his diagnosis and our “repair” satisfied him and he never returned with a vibration issue again.
Happy as a clam.
Sometimes perception is reality in the automotive world just like in all aspects of life…IN MY OPINION.

You shoulda told him to "Stop shedding salt and stay in your lane!!!"
 
Not a customer, but my dad.

I used to go up and help my dad at the body shop he worked at. One time there was a Grand Cherokee that had gone off the freeway through some embankments and totaled the thing. Every body panel was messed up, 3 tires were popped, the front differential was broken completely in half, you could see the gears. Wasted.

But the insurance company was coming out to look at it, so my dad pulls it up onto the frame machine. It made the most ungodly sound you can imagine. Hopping and squealing from the flat tires, everyone in the body shop gathered around and watched as this beast drove up the frame machine. My dad gets out and looks at us and says "This f****** thing drives like brand new" :ROFLMAO:
 
Back
Top