Shop Would Not Install My Water Pump

[CJH]

I bought a water pump for my Chevy Tahoe at AutoZone. I knew you needed a special tool that supposedly you can get at Autozone. They gave me the wrong tool. Anyway, at that point, I was out of time and decided to have a local independent shop do the job. I called for an apt, and dropped the car off with the Autozone water pump setting on the seat. They called me and said they would not install my water pump because it is their policy to only install parts that they buy. I was at work and very busy at the time. I quickly pondered whether to tell them to buy the part or just pick the car up as is. I picked the path of least resistance and had them buy a water pump and install it.

When my wife went to pick up the car (I was at work), she told the owner how disappointed we were that they would not install the pump we bought and now we have to go to the trouble of returning it. The owner said he was sorry but that is their policy. My wife said that he will be sorry because we have 4 cars that get serviced there, and her husband has a long memory.

The next day, the owner called and apologized, and said that in the future to tell him if I have a problem like that and they will make an exception to their policy.

I was completely stunned by this whole thing. Has anyone else run into this? Can a shop legally make you buy parts from them? I regularly buy tires on Tire Rack and take them to the Honda dealer to install on my Civic, and I bought a high performance exhaust on eBay and took it to the Honda dealer and they installed it without a comment. I just dont get it and would like to hear others' experiences.

 

[BlownF150]

Strange but that's the shop owner's policy. I doubt you'd find that problem from 99% of other shops.

 

[Chris142]

I'm going to have to agree with the shop here.

I hate using customers supplied parts! We try to avoid it as much as possible. It's like taking your meat to McDonadls and asking them to cook it.

The main problem with using a customers supplied part is warranty work. Ususlly the customers that bring parts are cheapskates. They will spend all afternoon tracking down the cheapest part.

Ok so I install a customers rebuilt A/C compressor (I won't use rebuilts unless a new is unavailable)a new drier, oil etc. Now The rebuilt compressor leaks.

The customer thinks it's my duty to R&R their supplied part! Heck no! I'm gonna charge them the labor all over again. I'm not working for free swapping junk parts till I get one that works.

Now they get mad at me.

If I supply the part and it's bad then I eat it. I give a warranty on my stuff and will stand behind them. Often I can be reimbursed on my labor by my supplier.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Chris, That sounds reasonable and ethical to me. As always, everything is subject to negotiation and building a solid relationship betweeen client and service provider.

 

[outrun]

No, simple the shop does not have to warranty it. What a customer was bringing in the highest quality parts ... brembo, baer, redline, etc etc. Your use of the MacDonalds analogy holds little water.

Some customers buy thier own parts because of that. You need to find a shop that will work for you not against you. They screwed you, and the tech who would have gladly installed it to get paid.

The owners greed for local purchase parts costed him 4 vehicles. He deserved it. In the long run he would have made tons of extremely high margin labor fees for servicing your vehicle since he earned your trust by the water pump install. He won the battle but lost the war.

There are so many ways the owner could have taken this.

Labor for Water Pump Install $$$
Labor for suggested BG Coolant System Service $
Labor & Parts for suggested Hoses $$$
Labor & Parts for suggested Thermostat $$
Labor for suggested radiator fins cleaning $

He lost you won. I always supply parts, never ***** if there is a problem. Actually there never is a problem I use the finest parts and they are good techs there.

 

[CJH]

Thanks for all the comments.

I think it is pretty obvious that a customer supplied part would not be warranted by the shop...in fact, I can only remember once of a shop giving me parts warranty repair on anything and I have been driving for 35 years. The auto parts stores offer lifetime warranty on brake pads, water pumps, mufflers, etc. but I never see anything like that from the shops. The warranty excuse is just that, an excuse.

I kind of expected a dealer to only want to install factory parts, but not a small independent shop. BTW, with a labor rate of over $50/hour, this place is not the cheapest in the area, so they should be doing ok from just the labor.

I have 2 cars that are due for state inspection, which is $55 each if they pass, and obviously they get the repair work if something fails. I am debating on whether to go back to this place or talk to some other local service providers to see what their policies are.

 

[JTK]

I agree with outrun. Plain and simple. It would have been a better business choice for the shop owner to offer something to the effect: "I'll install it, but you are on your own for warranty or return visits associated with that part".

Joel

 

[Dark Jedi]

I think the shop should just put on the sales recipt customer provided own part. not liable for any thing that might casue the part to fail. as far as it wasnt nothing the person did on the install to cause the part to fail.

I can see it as a CYA on their part. but also they make a lil more by working with certain auto part stores that cut them a brake and they can charge you retail and make a lil more money. but I trust indi mechanics over the dealerships techs anyday. I have a indi shop that I will use and his prices are reasonable.

you have to remember its their shop. you went to them and they can deny you service over stuff like that. I think what you and your wife did was wrong. should applogise to the guy and tell him I am sorry I understand now why you have that policy.

 

[kanling]

quote:

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It's like taking your meat to McDonadls and asking them to cook it.

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...or it will be like that if McDonald's starts billing separate line items for beef patty, bun, and labor (and "kitchen supplies" and "disposal fee").

 

[Russell]

I had a bmw several years ago that had the ac compressor fail. My BMW indy mechanic installed 4 "rebuilt" units from his normal supplier before we found one that worked. He was mad as heck at his supplier. However, I paid only once for parts and labor.
Now if I brought the compressor to him for installation, not sure what my situation would have been for a compressor failure. I suspect I would have to get the compressor replacement under warrenty myself and then pay my indy again for the labor. It was much better off in this case to have the indy handle everything.

 

[Chris142]

quote:

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Originally posted by Russell:
I had a bmw several years ago that had the ac compressor fail. My BMW indy mechanic installed 4 "rebuilt" units from his normal supplier before we found one that worked.

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This is why I only use new parts unless I have no other choice. It doesn't matter if it's a Ford, Dodge, BMW etc. Rebuilt parts are IMO junk. Too much hassle to replace 3,4,5 rebilt compressors to find a good one. Ocasionally I do have a bad new compressor.....Maybe 2 of 100 I install vs 60 of 100 rebuilts being junk.

 

[Russell]

I Now agree with you.

 

[Jim 5]

I made the mistake of once of phoning around and finding the least expensive water pump in town. It wasn't right from the beginning...fan vibrated above 3000 rpm's. Plus the shop didn't cover my fender when they worked on the truck, so there's scratches from the "technician's" zipper on the fender.

The next water pump that went in was the most expensive option I could find at the auto parts place. I installed it myself and everything's great.

With all the hassle and expense of taking your car to be repaired, I've learned that it's good value to buy brand new not rebuilt parts with lifetime warranty. For me, that lifetime is usually quite a few years.

This will keep you out of the repair shop for the second repair of the same item. Not to mention the inevitable "extras" that you seem to get whenever you leave your car in the hands of someone who doesn't love it like you do (fender scratches, door dings, cigarette smells inside etc...left by techs that don't give a cr*p about your car or repeat business).

 

[Hootbro]

That is not unusual. Most of the indy type shops will not let you bring you own parts unless they can not get it themselves quickly. They make money off both the labor and the parts they buy at wholesale jobber rates. Had a local indy shop let me bring my own oil filter as they did not stock it.

Hootbro

 

[Gary Allan]

You're cutting into their profit on parts markup. There's also the issue of warranting their work. You pay the parts markup ..the pump goes bad ..they foot the whole bill of the free R&R (for a certain length of time for the labor). AZ sells you a lame pump/alt/starter ..and you're paying twice for the labor end of it. Most shops balk at this.


Most of the shops here use NAPA. This NAPA is very service oriented and they charge a fortune for parts. If I jammed for cash I talk to the shop and say "Hey, I'm all with you getting your money out of the job ..but I'd rather not pay NAPA to bill you 40% higher and have you mark it up another 50% for handling. Just take your due and let me apply my money where it does the most good ..you're pocket." Some will still insist on screwing you in your attempt to save $100 ..even if they're already getting the exact same $$ figure for the job out the door. Some look at it as an opportunity to rob NAPA's profit too

It usually works out that if I can't do it myself ..it's time to drop 'em and pay.

 

[double vanos]

How would you feel as a shop owner when a customer comes up with a part from who knows where wanting you to install it? At the very least he surely wouldn't warranty the part and probably the work as well. I'll give you an example: I took my BMW to a full tilt boogie Bimmer repair shop to have control arms, shocks and struts etc installed. I decided to go with Koni FSD shocks. The shop manager and I discussed what we were trying to accomplish and in the end he ordered all the parts and installed them and warrantied the parts and installation for life (the Konis have a life time warranty, not the BMW parts) I am sure he marked the parts up some but in the final analysis he may have to replace some part that fails early so he covers his a$$ with the mark ups. I am going to have a short shift kit put in later and we have already discussed the one I want (Auto Solutions SSK) and while he was not familiar at the time, he has since then hecked them out and will install and warranty, provided he orders the parts and I'm sure marks the parts up. Is he making more money? Yes, do I care? No because he will be there if any problems arise. This just my experience with a really good shop. Cheers! DV

 

[mechtech]

It's kind of like bringing a steak to a restaurant, and asking them to cook it.
They'd go out of business quickly if everyone did this.

 

[bdcardinal]

i definately agree with the shop on this. the only time i would ever install a customers part is if it is a hard to get part and i couldnt get it, and they customer agreed that there would be no warrenty. if a part from one of my suppliers breaks, i take it up with my supplier.

also i agree with the only new option. i get customers that get very irate that i wont install a reman part, because they thing i am trying to rip them off.

 

[TheTanSedan]

It is suprising to find a shop that would do otherwise, IMO.

I have a mechanic who works on a small scale and he is the only one who welcomes my bringing in parts.

The bigger shops, no, not for the most part. I have had exceptions made, but only when the shop and I have good experience of each other.

Customers want something for nothing (look at all the people who allow Pep Boys to work on their cars), and the headaches aren't worth it for the shop owner. The better shops, IMHO, only order parts from the dealer system with occasional forays to NAPA.

 

[G-MAN]

I have to side with the shop, too. It's too easy for a customer to bring a part of unknown quality to be installed, only to have that part later fail with the shop having to take the blame.

The shop I deal with regularly has the same policy, but he always makes an exception for me because he knows me and he trusts me and he's seen in the past that when I bring in a part to have installed it's a quality item. For example, when I had him install KYB gas shocks on my minivan, and more recently I got him to put on the Powerstop slotted rotors on my Chrysler.