Mind Certifiably Blown (short)

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Aug 19, 2010
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Champlain/Hudson Valley
I connected my neighbor, who was selling a 2010 Honda Accord which I had cared for 7 years, with a friend of my wife's who was seeking a car for her grandson.
In addition to the maintenance history, I provided a neat "what's next" list.
It mentioned a recent oil change and the use of a premium filter which could be rerun through the next oil change.
I explained how the upcoming, easy oil change would be a good tutorial for the kid. I volunteered to be the tutor.
I also reported on the great condition of the brakes which my neighbor had done just before the sale.

Nice, right?

Grandma elected to go to a shabby, nationally foundering retailer which just folded here but which kept it's service bays alive.
Perhaps you can guess the name? I'd bet any Manny, Moe or Jack could guess the name.
She bought an oil change the car didn't need. I didn't ask for details.

She paid >$1,600 for a complete brake job AND THEY DID NOTHING.
That intel came from her neighbor, a retired mechanic, who inspected the car for her as a favor.

Please excuse the sixtiesism but my mind is blown. I will avoid any substantive communication with this lady for ever.
I'm actually better off not thinking about it.
 
I connected my neighbor, who was selling a 2010 Honda Accord which I had cared for 7 years, with a friend of my wife's who was seeking a car for her grandson.
In addition to the maintenance history, I provided a neat "what's next" list.
It mentioned a recent oil change and the use of a premium filter which could be rerun through the next oil change.
I explained how the upcoming, easy oil change would be a good tutorial for the kid. I volunteered to be the tutor.
I also reported on the great condition of the brakes which my neighbor had done just before the sale.

Nice, right?

Grandma elected to go to a shabby, nationally foundering retailer which just folded here but which kept it's service bays alive.
Perhaps you can guess the name? I'd bet any Manny, Moe or Jack could guess the name.
She bought an oil change the car didn't need. I didn't ask for details.

She paid >$1,600 for a complete brake job AND THEY DID NOTHING.
That intel came from her neighbor, a retired mechanic, who inspected the car for her as a favor.

Please excuse the sixtiesism but my mind is blown. I will avoid any substantive communication with this lady for ever.
I'm actually better off not thinking about it.
I truly feel heartbroken to hear these stories. I call them the three stooges. I have a friend who was in corporate there as a manager. He took his own car there and got ripped off. He said are you guys joking, I work for the company.

Me, the first time my wife's car needed a battery, for some reason, I let them do it. I was hesitant to deal with it and it was cheap, like $129 with free install. They needed the car 2 days (really), and I decided to check the work. Vent tube not connected (the battery is under the rear passenger's feet). I went back and they said, "We don't have anything like that." It needed a plastic elbow that goes into the battery on one side, plugged on the other.

The battery fails in a year, go back as it had a free replacement. Go to pick the car up, and they had an invoice for $228--a new battery plus electrical diagnostics. I said this is warranty, I left a copy of the original paperwork when I dropped it off, do you need another copy? The guy was friendly, said no, took about 10 minutes with me standing there, and he credited the $228. Nowhere did he correct it to warranty. After that, I said never going back other than to return used motor oil....

2010 Honda, funny how a car like that goes to a grandson, when I would daily drive it myself hahahahahahaha
 
Story so familiar. I was trying to gently advise my next door neighbor, a dear sweet widow in her seventies on what service her 2014 low mileage Fusion really needs but every time she takes it to the Ford dealer she's a victim of elder abuse. I guess they're the professionals and I'm not.

OP you tried. Hope nothing goes wrong with the car.
 
If you were so attached to that car, you should have bought it yourself. It is none of your business where they elected to take the car for service and you should not be upset over it....:mad:
 
Who said I was or am attached to the car?
Where did I say I was making it my business?
It hurts and, in this case, it's puzzling when friends and loved ones get ripped off.

I'd feel much the same way if you, a stranger, were to be ripped off by a big shop in your community.

In fact, it's easily arguable that a cesspool of dishonesty so near anyone's home is some of their business but I do get your point.
 
The wife's friend will now complain and badmouth you, to your wife, because she had to pay $1600 for a brake job for a vehicle that you recommended.

At her next oil change, she'll need to pay for a new oil pan because you can just about wager that the current drain plug was impacted back on at PepClowns and stripped good and tight. And, it will also be your fault for recommending that vehicle.

At no point will the wife's friend understand her foolishness.

BTW, there is no way that grandma would let her useless precious grandkid learn how to use a wrench or dipstick.

At least the seller got his money, right? You made the sale. After that, who cares. Wager with the neighbors on how soon its totaled.
 
The wife's friend will now complain and badmouth you, to your wife, because she had to pay $1600 for a brake job for a vehicle that you recommended.

At her next oil change, she'll need to pay for a new oil pan because you can just about wager that the current drain plug was impacted back on at PepClowns and stripped good and tight. And, it will also be your fault for recommending that vehicle.

At no point will the wife's friend understand her foolishness.

BTW, there is no way that grandma would let her useless precious grandkid learn how to use a wrench or dipstick.

At least the seller got his money, right? You made the sale. After that, who cares. Wager with the neighbors on how soon its totaled.
This is the sad reality of the world we live in.
 
My dad is like these people-- if you have a degree on your wall you're a professional/ expert, and if you didn't, you're not.

Throw in a little classism-- if you have literacy problems it's because you're "lazy."

In spite of all of this, as an abrasive personality pre-boomer he's led a successful life.
 
My dad is like these people-- if you have a degree on your wall you're a professional/ expert, and if you didn't, you're not.

Throw in a little classism-- if you have literacy problems it's because you're "lazy."

In spite of all of this, as an abrasive personality pre-boomer he's led a successful life.
Me and him would not get along. LOL

I have no certs. or degrees in anything IT related yet I am confident I know more than 90% of our dept. and more practical experience than the lot as well. That being said I NEVER want to work in it for my company. Maybe a corporation with actual structure, sure.
 
I feel your pain. And the subsequent burden on avoidance this situation will cause you. As said before, there is no cure for this person, and she is NOT ALONE. BT Barnum was correct.
 
At the end of the day, it's not your problem. I give advice, opinions, help, etc to people who ask or are receptive, but I'm not going to make their car my problem or really push something. If the shop messed something up on their car, they can deal with getting the shop to fix it. My close friends and I talk about cars, sell each other cars, and work on each other's cars, but those are my car people.
 
Who said I was or am attached to the car?
Where did I say I was making it my business?
It hurts and, in this case, it's puzzling when friends and loved ones get ripped off.

I'd feel much the same way if you, a stranger, were to be ripped off by a big shop in your community.

In fact, it's easily arguable that a cesspool of dishonesty so near anyone's home is some of their business but I do get your point.
Saying " I will avoid any substantive communication with this lady for ever" sure sounds like bitterness and not sympathy for the buyer of the car getting ripped off at a repair shop.. You, a third part individual, offering oil change suggestions sure sounds like you were making it your business..
 
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Saying " I will avoid any substantive communication with this lady for ever" sure sounds like bitterness and not sympathy for the buyer of the car getting ripped off at a repair shop.. You, a third part individual, offering oil change suggestions sure sounds like you were making it your business..

You're missing his point, he told grandma it had a fresh oil change and the brakes were recently replaced. She ignored him and went and got taken.
 
Ha-ha, I sure am but I'd never hurt a car and am good with animals.
I know the feeling--I just junked a car. When I went through the online questions, I stated tires intact, inflated, and car starts and runs.

So, to make the above true, I put in an old battery (from 2019), started with a jump pack to verify.

One tire was flat, I mounted the compact spare, and had trouble because the car had aftermarket rims with aftermarket lugs needing an adapter.

Day the guy came to get it, he had a wrecker not a flatbed.

1--said the car has an aftermarket CAT, cut the price in 1/2
2--noticed the rear right tire flat, can't tow it now (wrecker with a wheel lift)

I said I'll change the tires from front left to rear right as the front is lifted. Why? I want the car gone and trying to abide by what I said. They would have had to come back next day with a flatbed and the ordeal would go on.

imho you, the OP, are the same way, just trying to do your best in transferring the vehicle.

Know how I know they only care about the CAT, not even pre CATs? I forgot to give the driver the key and fob, and never heard from them again.

p.s car was a 1998, so that means, when the exhaust was worked on in 2012, the shop stole the OE CAT.
 
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