Well, you brought your car to a shop and they did ONE of the three things. MEANING you only got 2 problems now.
Mechanics do not work for free. Many do not change out headlight bulbs...unless it is part of a bigger package. Where they can make some money and earn a living.
As soon as you start your car I know about "25" things that are working and working correctly."I have never really counted how many things it actually is but it is a lot.(it could be 60)
So these are things I do not need to check.(because I already know they work or their importance)
. It sounds to me you are looking for freebies. If you hold up a wad of cash, then you got their undivided attention. POSSIBLY...
Had you explained the problem here, chances are a number of us know the answer by the way you describe the problem.
We need to know the vehicle make, year, model and what engine it has in it,gasoline or diesel... AND then describe the problem in detail (when engine is hot or when just starting it cold-overnight sleep or after sitting 6 hours in a parking lot) AND we could figure out WHAT work the mechanic would have to do and which mechanic.
You are NOT the MECHANIC. Yes, they are GODS. And chances are there are many people in "FRONT OF YOU" that requested his services. Your vehicle just gets tossed on the list, and if a mechanic say just finished brake work or some other dirty job on a car and wanted a change of pace...will see maybe your car on the list and what is required of it. And knows it right off the bat. If it happens to be something quick and easy THEN they MAY jump your car up the queue and do something on your car. OR they MAY NOT be allowed to do that. "The shop has rules"
. It is a bit of a juggling act. .. as all cars are processed sooner or later.
, So take the stick out of your butt-hole. You ain"t the first. You will be the first someday.
. Right now, the problem is you, as you are the common denominator. Nice and polite the mechanic is trying to be as well.
But life is like that. Get used to it or learn how to fix it yourself.
personal recommendation from friends is a start.
Then is you vehicle in a reasonable condition or do mechanics have a case when the point out other defects.
Are the jobs you want doing commercial viable i.e not more trouble than they are worth?
With my mechanic when I get a new (used) car they get to service it and also report on any potential problems, they also give the car it's annual safety check.
If a job need doing it goes in and gets down but there is very little need to keep running back to them between services.
It's all a case of building up a working relationship
Pedal2. is right. People that are not skilled in the workings of a car can be asking for something way off the grid that can't possibly be a cause for a problem. If the garage is really busy, they won't have time for problems that may be "imaginary" or just plain goofy. I was at a shop one day and a lady came in to say that her car had died. She had pulled off the side of the road and turned her emergency flashers on. But as she sat in the car waiting for a tow, she applied the brakes and her emergency flashers stopped working. When she took her foot off the brake, the flashers started working again. She wanted that "fixed."
The mechanic explained that that was normal operation. As she waited for them to check the car out for the staling problem, she told me that she was going to take the car someplace else, "where they know what they are talking about." Go figure. I told her that they were telling her the truth, I could tell that she didn't believe me.
It is like the doctor's office, in many ways.
Unless you goto your selling dealer.
If you want the best trained and equipped tech and the most courteous service,
Thats where it can be found.
Why is that? They have people, many people.
They can help you from parts, or sales, or service.
They can give a ride to work if shuttle service is part of their wares. Every employee is trained in people skills and knows CSI is the rating the management uses to help and correct customer issues. They call after, and review, they rate and change as needed from within.
Give them a written account of what you want answers for, then arrange to authorize before repairs commence.
Offer to demonstrate what the car does.
Take a manager or an advisor for a ride, or even the tech, if you want your concern understood.
Thats what we went to when the old way of doing things made the customers give negative comments.
We had the same management for a long successful time with this, and I rode with many customers whose cars would act up for them but not us. Or the customers description was hard to understand. Or the customer seemed immediately to be a sue happy problem.
Eventually so many customers wanted this, we had to limit the individual jobs per car per visit to get them their car to use.
Then we had them return for further help on less important items.
Safety first, and pet peeve, Then warranty and service contract work, etc. etc.
You see every repair becomes like the end of the world to someone, at sometime, in the process.
We tried to communicate better, and get to what was their concern, explain it, and try to get it paid, if not, then the customer was allowed to make his informed decision.
God forbid, they may actually have to pay for their repair???
Remember, the parent company does not OWN the dealer, but allows them a franchise.
Many places you go say they know, but can they show you the engineering bulletin that adresses your concern?
Can they call the plant that built your engine?
Do they guarantee their work for a full year?
Do they keep file records for the tech to refer to previous findings or related repair??
Are they selling parts that have updated design after the proving grounds have shown them needed improvement?
Have their techs been trained by the service engineers for the area where the car operates?
I think it is a completely different kind of approach than you can find in the aftermarket.
Within the law, the rules, and the attempt to raise CSI, these companies give to the customer at the expense of every employee, This affects their attention some.
Don't let them drop the ball, ask what you can do to get your car your way, ask what evidence you can provide.
But having their full attention is something you have to know you have.
They respond to you. At the desk, A tech puts his repair order in the time clock and he is charging THAT customer. If you distract? expect to be ignored.
They can refer to your attached writings about the concerns one at a time, the concerns must be viable.Verified, and Valid.
But their attention is best when they are directly helping you.
Try to make it count.
It sounds like GMC Truck Center in Oakland, Ca. They work on Volvos too- when they feel like it, like you said. No, this is very bad practice and you should never patronize them. Join Yelp.com and Angie's List and spill the beans on them.. A shop should not make repairs not authorized by the customer, and if other repairs are warranted, the customer must be made aware of them and given the choice to approve the work or not. Make sure the job you ask for is necessary. Find a better shop, that is equipped to service your particular vehicle.. If you have something rare, they might need to study the book before they touch it, and they might have trouble getting parts. Your question could get better answers if you told what car you have.
You say "every mechanic?" Somehow, it would be more accurate if you had identified the number of mechanics that could be two. The generalization or embellishment "every mechanic" does not lead to credibility. The common factor is you and I tend to based my evaluation on my experiences as to auto service of repairs. What you "say" is wrong may not be accurate as to what is actually the problem with the car. What you say as to "unrelated repairs" may be out of ignorance since cars have tons of systems that are not only related but necessary to be combined. The length of time is suspect. I have taken my car for service or repairs and it gets done as agreed. I use two shops because my main one is an independent shop that is not opened on the weekends or holidays and with only one mechanic, out of three, handling the brand of my car, emergencies, sickness, vacations, training, etc. there is need for an alternate. I have never had the issues you describe. With you being the common factor, I have to raise the issue as to you being the issue. Sorry, but all I have is your statement. As to the question, no, it is not normal behavior.
My wife (pre divorce) had similar experiences several times, I seemed to get treatd much more politely if it was me that took the car in. I suggest you shop around or ask friends who they use. In a town the size of yours there must be one mechanic who can do better. Don't put up with such bad service and it is perfectly legal for you to refuse to pay for repairs you did not authorize them to do
I don't know about the smaller local repair shops, but Firestone once wanted to charge me $100 for scanning check engine lights & giving me a diagnosis.
Just like computers, OBD scan tools are no longer a luxury. Some OBD scan tools have the ability to check Emission System Status, ABS, SRS Air Bag Codes, & Transmission Codes.
Those mechanics you goto are not real mechanics. They are not Certified or just don't know how to simply fix it. Personally, bring it to your near-by dealer and have it done there. Now, dealers are always busy and may tell you the same thing. So a other idea would to find local certfied shops around your area and have them help you there.
Now you said they were suggesting other repairs they found not related to yours. Its all part of their Multi-Point inspection which of all dealers/repair shops do.
Frankly, you sound very autocratic (no pun intended). Your laundry list might not even make sense to them. They focus on what seems to be your major problem. If you want the lesser problems taken care of you can make a second appointment.
Furthermore, he is doing his job in pointing out what the car needs, from a professional standpoint. Although this of course involves money, it may or may not be a sound investment.
But expecting too much as you do, I wouldn't expect you to be able to judge between good and bad. Half the time they are whistling Dixie.
In the town I live (300,000+) every mechanic I have taken my car to seems to completely ignore me and then flat out lie to me to get me out of their shop. I bring my car in and ask them to do say three things. They call me 8 hours later and say the car is ready, I go to pick it up only to find they didn't do 2 out of the three things. Also, sometimes they'll ignore me, not check what I asked them to, and go looking around the engine for anything they can find to bring them money if I agree to the repair. Sometimes they find unrelated repairs to what I asked them to check and tell me that what I did ask them to check is completely fine. I take the car to another mechanic that ends up doing the repair I asked the first shop to do. They also expect for every single repair that I'm going to leave my car for days on end even if if's a headlight bulb replacement. Drop off your car and it might be 3 days before they even look at it. If I ask them when they have time to look at it so it's not sitting around untouched for ays while I can drive it (public transit is very bad here) they all get mad and one shop told me to never bring my car in. I'm always very nice and polite.
Is this normal behavior for a mechanic? They do whatever they want, don't listen to the customers, and then get mad when the customer questions why they're not being listened to?
How do I get a mechanic to listen to me, do what I ask, and not treat me like ****?
I would honestly have taken my car to the dealer but sometimes it's more costly I know. I work on my own vehicles though something major I take it in. I would suggest purchasing a Hanes or Chiltons manual for your specific vehicle and if you have a garage and some tools do it yourself, everybody is not mechanically inclined I know so my best advise is ALWAYS get a second opinion from the dealer and if they charged you for services not performed verified by the dealer REPORT THEM TO THE BBB, Better Business Burue...
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HI, you are not a mechanic right?? So maybe what you are asking them to do is NOT the problem with the car.. but the other shop just changed what you wanted to keep you happy?? if you would have told us your cars problem and what you were asking of the mechanic.. we could give a better answer...
good luck
tim
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Keep looking for a decent mechanic. Ask friends and relatives to recommend someone. Although there may be a few rotten apples, this is not normal behavior. I have had excellent service for my car and they don't try to sell me things I don't need.
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YOU MUST TELL THE SHOP OWNER WHAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE THAT DON'T SEEM NORMAL TO YOU WHEN RUNNING YOUR VEHICLE . THEN HE OR SHE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IN A REPAIR IF IT EVEN NEEDS A REPAIR, [sorry caps], I have a sister that hears a different noise in her car and no one else can hear it , when she takes it to a shop they cant hear it , so evidently there's nothing seriously wrong with her car , shes just panicking for nothing.
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Finding a good car mechanic is like finding a good dentist, it can be very frustrating and you can easily get ripped off. The best thing to do is to ask friends to refer you to a good mechanic. I was referred to my mechanic and now we're friends. I know I will never be taken.
Get a recommendation from friends, co-workers, family, I was told I needed a new serpentine belt. I took the car into a mechanic recommended by my brother-in-law, told him to replace that belt in addition to changing the oil. He called me to ask why I thought I needed that belt, it was fine. So, they don't always do what we tell them and a reputable, honest mechanic will tell you.
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Hi so let me guess they are not the car makers dealers for a start. when you buy a car from a dealer he usually has an interest in keeping you happy. he gets you back for servicing and repairs unless that is you have been going to what we call the grease monkey in the back street. who has no qualifications and knows next nothing about both your car or it's model.
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I had the same problem. Until I found a mechanic in my neighborhood. He does it as a side job/hobby. He is very honest and where he does not need the money like on a job. It works out for both sides.
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Don't come into my shop and tell me when you want your broken car back some time it takes time to locate the parts and you are not the only customer . You are asking for things to be repaired and they may not be the problem and what they are asking you to repair is the problem
