I have a vehicle that doesn't have a dealership in the area so I often order OEM parts to bring to a shop so I'm not dealing with their O'Reilly / Autozone crap. I called and asked if they'd swap my transmission fluid and filters (with brand new gasket). They said they'd only do the service with their provided parts (which would be universal fluid and aftermarket filters) because they don't make any money off customer parts. I thought my request was reasonable (and a simple job with all the parts in my back seat). I suppose a lot of people bring shady parts off Amazon but I felt weird being denied this service. Why lose a customer over this? Is this a common experience these days?
Refused service for bringing my own (OEM) parts
- Thread starter Whammo
- Start date
I’ve heard of very, very few shops that would have at one time, allow a customer to bring in their own parts. And when the shop denies a customer that option, the shop mgr/owner would ask the customer…”would you bring in your own steak to a restaurant and ask them to cook it?”
I guess it depends on the shop. Personally, I haven't had a problem bringing my own parts, but, they won't warranty my parts, which is understandable.
Lucky for me, there's probably 5-10 shops within a 20 mile radius that will gladly take my business.
Depends on the shop, but it's very rare nowadays. I sort of went through this with a performance shop and talked to the owner about 1.5 years ago. At the time, he said it was better if he ordered the parts that way everything is covered if something goes wrong. No problem as I would provide him with the list. Fast forward to today as I am FINALLY able to get it done, he asks me to order everything after some email tag. Says he'll still warranty all the work.
Even in my specific scenario above?
Their business model is to sell you parts, and the installation of said parts.
You didn't want to be a parts customer.
You didn't want to be a parts customer.
My son owns an ATV/motorcycle/snowmobile repair shop. He frequently has customers that want him to use their parts, quite often because the customer was going to do it themselves, but things changed.
My son tells them up front that he will not give a warranty on the parts. Everyone says they understand. But he occasionally has the customer that wants him to fix it for free, when the part fails.
Profit from parts markup or not, I understand why a lot of shops will not longer use the customer's parts.
My son tells them up front that he will not give a warranty on the parts. Everyone says they understand. But he occasionally has the customer that wants him to fix it for free, when the part fails.
Profit from parts markup or not, I understand why a lot of shops will not longer use the customer's parts.
Common. I have a good relationship with a local Christian Bros shop, but they will only install their own parts and fluids, and only for stock vehicles and stock specs.
Our Suburban has an aftermarket Trutrac LSD, requires conventional diff fluid. They only stock synthetic fluid…they won’t service this diff and I’m fine with that. Their shop, their rules.
Our Suburban has an aftermarket Trutrac LSD, requires conventional diff fluid. They only stock synthetic fluid…they won’t service this diff and I’m fine with that. Their shop, their rules.
This^^^^^^^^^. The shop has to work with the parts and fluids with which they are familiar. Return your "parts" for a refund. Go to a dealer if you wish.
In addition to wanting to make a profit on parts, they likely don't want to warranty work done with parts and materials that customers supply.
As a theoretical situation, what would happen if the parts you supplied were counterfeit parts, and as a result the job done caused major trouble?
This is why I’m asking what the vehicle is and where the parts came from.
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