Goddamnit, when I ask somebody for a price quote on repair of a vehicle, I expect to get a damn price quote, and not bullshit.
Two door handles on my wifes car have physically broken, the handles are just floppin in the breeze. Not a difficult thing to replace, I'm just not willing to do it right now. I am lazy.
Take it over to a place I've dealt with. Granted, the last time I was there didn't work out so well, but I'll give em another go.
I ask for a price quote on them selling me 4 door handles and then having them painted and then install them. Guy says I have to take the doors apart first to give you a quote. I say no you don't. Just quote me on replacing 4 door handles. Guy says I gotta take the doors apart first. I say no you don't. Anyway we go at it like that a couple more times, he refuses to quote me pricing without taking the doors apart first. And I have to assume they will charge me for that. All I need is 4 door handles replaced. They got a goddamn book that tells you how many hours to charge. Jesus Christ how hard can it be to give me a damn price?
Fuck it, I'll do it myself. I call 411 on my phone and ask for Schmidt Auto Body on Thesta St. Okay here is Smith Auto on Blackstone. NO. I want Schmidt Auto Body on Thesta. In the meantime in the background I hear roosters crowing. At the 411 center? WTF? Roosters? So I say where are you at? She says I can't give out that information. Here is the phone number for Smith Auto on Blackstone!
So I hang up. Find Schmidt Auto Body on the net, call em up. I tell the guy I am going to bring him 4 brand new door handles, can you tell me at least a ballpark figure to paint them? Guy says I can't quote the price on painting the handles without knowing the condition of the handles. I just told you I will bring you 4 brand new door handles. Yeah, but I can't quote you the price without knowing the condition of the handles. WTF? Are you deaf? I hang up.
Find an Art's Auto Body on Blackstone. The guy says Yeah, about 50 bucks apiece for painting plus the paint. Nice. No runaround, no bullshit, just a straight up price. All I've been asking for.
So now I got 4 door handles on order, should be here wednesday. Then a couple days to paint.
So looks like I will have 2 car doors I cannot open for a few days.
If I have to ask twice I just walk out with the proclamation I will never grace your door frame again. I too, have tired of getting those kinds of run a-rounds they know how long it takes by their flat rate book. If there is something else broken inside that will be discovered when taking apart the door when replacing the handles. I too want a good ballpark figure so as to budget them, not hand them a blank, signed check hoping I don't get bent over the tire changing machine and have sweet nothings whispered into my ear while being screwed...
ReplyDeleteYes, you understand where I am coming from!
DeleteAsk for the owner...Leave them unpainted...be unique...
ReplyDeleteI just called a roofing contractor from San Antonio, that clearly advertised doing business where I live, and the "receptionist" said they don't do business here. WTF? I asked for the owner...and he wasn't in.
I know the owner of the auto repair shop, he wasn't there. Eff em. Roofing contractors, can't hire em, can't shoot em.
DeleteWhy don't people still do business like they value your business? Boggles my mind.
No sense of customer service as they think we need them more than they need us. No jobs to do..no money, seems they have not figured that out yet.
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