I guess a better question is how did we end up with all these thieves in the auto repair business? Why do they think it's OK to actually steal from customers on a daily basis? Our society must think it's OK, since we don't do anything about it.
Well we kinda do, we don't patronize those stores and give them bad reviews. I guess one way to tell if it's a good place is if they're in business for a long while. And we don't call them stealerships for nothing.I guess a better question is how did we end up with all these thieves in the auto repair business? Why do they think it's OK to actually steal from customers on a daily basis? Our society must think it's OK, since we don't do anything about it.
Firestone told my mother that since her car had over 150k, she had to get the $110 pure synthetic oil change or else her engine would seize up. I know for a fact they did because that's absolutely what they told me when I asked them over the phone. The pomus ass over the counter said the only way they'd refund the money is if they drained all the oil out and then they would charge us the basic oil change fee. I was shaking at that point, I had to get out. Called the store in another town next to ours, spoke with manager for 10 seconds and he called her right back to say they reversed the charge.I should clarify that not all Firestones will be that bad. I know the one by me seems to have better reviews than most. Unfortunately, the one she went to really pushes the upsells in a morally (and legally) questionable way. When service writers work on commission, what do you expect though?
As long as the MOC/BG/Wynn’s man is making deliveries and there’s a spiff for the the techs involved, they’ll upsell superfluous services(easy money, like PDIs).I don't know about comparisons, but I had two calls this week from people visiting dealers. One was my daughter and I was shocked my normally trustworthy Toyota dealer was trying to upsell her on some things for her Prius with 75k miles. The second was a friend from the Y at the local Nissan dealer with a laundry list for his 2016 Altima with 60k miles.
For my daughter's Prius, I said just get the oil change done. (And why aren't we doing it in my garage?) For the friend at the Y, I said do the CVT fluid, but see if your independent had a better deal. It was about $300 at the dealer. He was there for a recall. I said it would be a good idea to do the fluid, but maybe not there.
Both got the big push for fuel injector service, and so on. If it's not running bad, pass.
I suspect there is a bit of desperation since they are not prepping as many new cars AND parts are in short supply sometimes. But apparently questionable services seem to have plenty of parts and/or fluids available.
Many of life's best lesson come with a price tag hanging on them.As far as I know, they have only charged for work they have actually done. But using scare tactics to pressure her into work that was not at all necessary or as critical as they made it seem, they have been doing frequently, based on her description. She has been asking a lot more about her car and how things work. I was serious when I said this really opened her eyes. She seems like she has stepped into a whole new world. It's pretty cool.
Our Firestone has been in business for as long as I've lived here (1968) and I don't know how. Everyone knows they are a rip off and when ever I drive by their bays or empty. I think their main income is servicing farm equipment but not sure. They are not really a true Firestone but they have a sign that says GCR what ever that means. They always have oil specials on the back of receipts from the grocery store.I could write a book just on Firestone....I've seen it all and they are the absolute worst. I get somebody every week with a F/S printout of BS....biggest scam they pull is saying they can't honor their lifetime alignment unless $XXX of work is done 1st.
I guess a better question is how did we end up with all these thieves in the auto repair business? Why do they think it's OK to actually steal from customers on a daily basis? Our society must think it's OK, since we don't do anything about it.
With those $1200 repair bills, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have any repeats.I'm convinced that a lot of places somehow get by without any repeat customers.
And it's a pre-negotiated deal, so when the counterman sees it, they already know the car is getting a prescribed set of services.Our FS has been good to me. A buddy of mine ran a cleaning franchise and had a bunch of those yellow focus wagons. He set up a contract with another FS shop and had no complaints. Of course, I’m a guy, and my friend was not a pushover - but both of these shops did us well.
Firestone as well as Jiffy Lube, VIOC and Big O/Midas/Speedee Oil get a lot of fleet management contracts from Enterprise and WEX. That’s steady revenue but not profit. I think Enterprise, Hertz and Avis take their “local” cars into Jiffy Lube if they aren’t near a major airport with a maintenance shop(like SFO/OAK, LAX, ORD/MDW, JFK/EWR for example).And it's a pre-negotiated deal, so when the counterman sees it, they already know the car is getting a prescribed set of services.
Yeah, I don't think that's the same kind of situation. Service contracts with another business are one thing. Upselling to a 19-year-old woman is something else entirely. Plus I'm sure there are good people that work at some FS locations, just not a lot of them.Our FS has been good to me. A buddy of mine ran a cleaning franchise and had a bunch of those yellow focus wagons. He set up a contract with another FS shop and had no complaints. Of course, I’m a guy, and my friend was not a pushover - but both of these shops did us well.
I see the same thing with a lot of big HVAC companies in my area. I'm in the service industry and see some of the things some of these companies do, and I'm convinced they can't possibly be retaining more than 15% of their customers unless they are scamming them into a contract with a minimum number of years pre-paid.I'm convinced that a lot of places somehow get by without any repeat customers.
Local Enterprise uses a Firestone shop for service-I have rented a couple cars with FS service stickers on the windshield.Firestone as well as Jiffy Lube, VIOC and Big O/Midas/Speedee Oil get a lot of fleet management contracts from Enterprise and WEX. That’s steady revenue but not profit. I think Enterprise, Hertz and Avis take their “local” cars into Jiffy Lube if they aren’t near a major airport with a maintenance shop(like SFO/OAK, LAX, ORD/MDW, JFK/EWR for example).
Uber brokered a discount for their drivers to go to Jiffy Lube and Firestone but the service advisors and techs there see green when a Uber-labeled car comes in for service.
I don’t believe it’s unethical, most of these shops have Manufacturers Recommended Service Downloaded in their Systems !!Good man. That crap is unethical and happens too often. I had a similar experience years ago when I first met the woman who is now my wife - an unethical shop taking advantage of her. I hope you will show this young lady how to read the maintenance schedule in the manual, so she can at least learn what is needed at what intervals and question any shop that says otherwise.