Good job! The best thing of this thread is you have learned something which may serve you well your entire driving life.
I guess this settles the issue of whether the “chain hating mafia” were right or not, doesn’t it?
Have we ever had a posting where a man first took his car to a good independent, got bad service, then took it to a chain and got better service at a better price? Just asking.
After many years in a small town shop competing with all the national chains and other independents I feel my opinions are well founded. And it seems that the better shops here, the independents, have waiting lists for established customers who get their money’s worth while the chains play GOTCHA with those few who are lured in by the high profile store fronts.
Haha - I’ll let the veterans decide. I did however crosspost at ElantraXD and got some great advice there too. In particular, smileymattj had a reasonable explanation for each places’s perspective:
Recommendations are not the same as needs. That shop might picture you as someone that want’s their car right no matter what it costs. You might come off to them has being concerned. That’s how most people start off when asking about their car. They are concerned because they are not experts on cars, not knowing what their car needs. All they know is they want it to be like brand new again. The shop tries to give the customer peace of mind. The price is too high so they go somewhere else. The second shop doesn’t see that “concerned” customer that the first shop seen. They see someone looking for a good deal on a specific part or service. So they give the customer a bargain, not piece of mind. Yea there are some people out there that will rip you off, but for the most part they are just trying to do what they feel will make you satisfied.
Whenever you get a quote, don’t take it for what it is. Ask: Is this really necessary? How long will it last without being replaced? How will I know when it’s completely shot?
Also bringing in a second opinion back to the first shop will make them swarm. They know you want to do business with them, and they know to gain that they need to outdo the competition.