My A$$ hurts!

[jordanmorningstar]

Man, did I ever get screwed at the Chevy dealer today.... Needed a couple of tires on the back of my car, so I thought I'd drop it off before work. A few hours later, I see the car out front of the shop, so I go in to pay. Surprise, surprise, the total bill came to almost $500! For two freakin' 16" tires! Apparently, they charge the regular shop rate, at the hours it's listed in the book, for tire installation (over $100/hour for 1.2 hours). AND they charged a different price on the tires than what I was quoted a week ago!

Want to know the worst part? I WORK THERE! It's bad enough when there's always a few bucks missing from your paycheque, but when they pull this crap, it really makes me want to pull the plug. You gotta wonder, was it really the cars that pushed GM to the brink, or is it the god awful rip-offs that the dealers try to pull that scared everyone away?

</rant> Anyways, that's my bitching for the night. Sorry if this brought you down, but I just needed to complain.

[98ciHemi]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Wow. Book for two tires is 1.2 hours? It takes what, maybe 5 minutes to get them off the car, 10 minutes to dismount, 10 minutes to mount the new tires, 5 minutes to balance, and another 5 to out them back on and re-torque. How do they get off charging 1.2 hours of labor?

[jordanmorningstar]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Wow. Book for two tires is 1.2 hours? It takes what, maybe 5 minutes to get them off the car, 10 minutes to dismount, 10 minutes to mount the new tires, 5 minutes to balance, and another 5 to out them back on and re-torque. How do they get off charging 1.2 hours of labor?

Because I'll get fired if I get caught complaining, that's how.

Supposedly it's all legal, but I have my doubts. I might re-check the Retail Act (aka consumer protection act), although I doubt it would help....

[Thumpin455]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

I got 1.1 for an alignment, which in a toe and go car is a rip off because I could do 4 of them an hour, but I got only 40 minutes for a full set of tires, mounted balanced, put back under the car. You just helped me decide where not to get new 285 45 17s for the Formula very soon. A full set of Eagle F1s in that size cost me $1000 and I put them under the car myself back in 05.

I need a tire machine and a balancer in the shop, I guess its time to start hitting the sales.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

No wonder people hit WallyWorld or Costco for their tires. As for dealers, I wouldn't take anything to them that wasn't a warranty item. They lose money on the sale so they believe they should screw you over on the repairs.

[Deborah-WFO]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Yup, I would say you pretty much got screwed > The worst of it is they would do that to their own employee

[jordanmorningstar]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Yup, I would say you pretty much got screwed > The worst of it is they would do that to their own employee

You said it. The shocking part is that even though our service department screws everyone this hard (or harder) we still have enough business to support a couple dozen techs and a full bodyshop across the street. At least my friend who did the job topped up the washer fluid (by mistake).

[milner351]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

nucking futz.

I have an older tire machine and balancer in my shop - perhaps it's time I figure out how to get them working.

[67prostreet]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

I refuse to go to a dealer for anything.

[fast Ed]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Wow, that seems high. The Ford / Lincoln dealer I work at, which is outside of Toronto, charges $79.90 to do install and balance on 4 passenger or light truck tires. Our door rate is $95, and the labour time is 1.2 on that job I believe, but they do it at a "menu price" of $79.90 to be competitive. I guess your dealer isn't worried about that Jordan. :o


cheers
Ed N.

[truckpuller]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

That is why i love living in the middle of nowhere, I bought the last set of Buckshot mudders for the farm pickup for $165 each installed. This is from a gas station about 10 miles away. When i was working for my cousin in the Twin Cities his wife's 99 cherokee needed tires. I drove it down to this gas station and saved him $350 for the exact same tires, mounted, balanced and installed........

[IOWA552SLOW]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

wow that sucks!!! I'm pretty sure we are at either $15 or $18 per tire mount and balance and then tires are $5 over cost for an employee. anything done in the shop for an employee we just pay the for the tech's hourly rate and nothing more.

[jordanmorningstar]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

The good news is, I'll be done soon. Complain all you want about "Socialist" Canadian benefits like parental leave, I'm gladly taking my "Daddy needs a few weeks to find a job that doesn't treat him like crap, so baby can have a roof over his head and food on the plate" leave as soon as the kid pops out-which will be any day now.

[Schtauffer]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Capitalism works that way. This is an example of a downside of the system-- it's not perfect, but you do have to shop smarter than most alternative systems.

A buyer should always know what he is going to pay. He should never assume that the price will be what he thinks it should be. It is best if it is put in writing, then there will be no mistakes.

I say this because something like this happened to me when I bought a pair of Weld wheels with BFG drag radials. I called a local tire shop which is generally known for having great prices and top-notch service. The price they gave over the phone was better than Summit; the price I heard and wrote down was $683. When I went to pick them up I got a bill for $863. Whether I heard wrong or whether the sales guy mis-spoke doesn't really matter, either way it was a verbal thing and that's just how it was. Now I get printed prices when I'm shopping around.

[milner351]

Re: My A$$ hurts!

Best of luck with the little one my friend!

I sure wish I could have taken some paid time off after our son arrived.... I was lucky- he was born the morning of 29 December - so I had a few days of our holiday vacation remaining to stay home with him and my wife who was in need of some help after the delivery (he was 9lb 5oz). Thankfully - she was able to take off nearly 12 weeks - I can't imagine her going back to work after 6 weeks which is pretty typical in the usa.

Make the best of it my friend - I hope you can find a new job that's deserving of your talents!



Gene - you make and excellent point - this is even more paramount with home remodeling / repairs as it is with automotive.... get a contract that outlines the work to be done in detail up front - you especially have to watch those garage door guys - thieves the lot of them! :D