Psychos in the Auto-Repair Business

[Crazy Dazz]

You'd think by now I would be over it, but I never cease to be amazed at the psychos and dickheads that pollute the auto-repair industry.
Not only do I wonder why they chose to go into business for themselves, but I am astonished that they stay in business.

I need an expensive, but straightforward, job done on my car. Buy the rebuilt component, fit it, use consumables. A + B + C. I deal every day with suppliers who can quote a multi-million dollar project, down to the last dollar. Yet these muppets can't even quote a simple job on my car.
And in addition to being unprofessional dickheads about it, some are outright psychotic. Like the guy, who instead of replying to my email like a normal person, went to the effort of typing his comments all through my email, and all in BRIGHT RED CAPS.

I initially contacted three local workshops, and got nothing, so gradually expanded. I have now contacted 8, and ironically the most professional replies I received were from those apologising that they couldn't do the work required.
A couple that did respond, telling me to phone them, I did waste my time and phone. Only to confirm what I suspected, that they were f_ckwits and didn't want to give a quote.

I had the one nutjob, who having assured me that he only fitted genuine factory rebuilt units, then said he couldn't give me a quote until he had the car on the hoist. When I asked why, he said that he needed to strip the unit to "see what needed doing"? When I asked why the heck he would do that, he admitted that he planned to do the rebuild himself.

Yes, I appreciate that a lot of buyers are "only lookin for tha cheepest price", but so what?
And sure, of all the quotes you do, maybe only 10% will result in orders. But again, so what? You're running a business aren't you?

I'm not even asking them to generate a formal quote. I'm happy with a one line answer "it will cost $x."

And yes, I can and have "simply phoned" some, only to encounter the predicted dodgyness when I asked them to email the quote; "oh yeah, me computa's playin-up at the moment".

[happy1]

That's why I DIY everything :-)

I think the repairers wants you on the hook before they can reel you in, in other words they want your broken down vehicle on their hoist, dismantled, before they will commit to an inflated cost.

It also annoys me and surprises me how it seems like mobile tradies doing services at your house operate via cash economy, and if you insist on a receipt then it will cost more..
I've had a window tinter and an aircon gas filler, and a windscreen fitter, and a specialist plumber / drain unblocker visit me over the last year, all of them asking cash, and not happy to make an invoice / receipts.

A few mechanics that are not dodgy have up to several week's wait. My work colleague has a usual mechanic doing all his work. The head gasket popped 2 weeks ago, and that car haven't even made it to the hoist yet.

One of the worst crook things I experienced was I was sitting waiting at one of the Pedders workshop for a wheel alignment being done on my car, when a female customer came to the workshop to discuss about her Hyundai Elantra with solid rear axle that had been bent from a small impact. The guy at the counter quoted her 'somewhere over $3k' for a NEW rear axle fitted. The woman was really upset saying that would be a real struggle to finance but she needed the car back on the road, and asking if there were any way doing it at less cost. Just out of interest while sitting there I looked on gumtree on my phone, found a local wrecker that had that particular model in stock, called them and got quoted a bargain price for a s/hand rear axle. Just as the woman had left her car for repair, I showed the gumtree deal to the Pedders guy at the counter. He said 'fantastic, then I can pocket all that profit from the dumb female'. You would have thought he would have phoned her with the good news that 'Hi, it looks we can do it a lot cheaper for you'.

[Pis-ton broke]

the last auto repair guy i spoke to about a smashed ba ute , spun me the biggest load of BS. and was very condescending, i let him blather on . he didn,t know that , i knew stuff about cars.
never again, worse than a used car salesman.

[Mechan1k]

Had issues not too long ago with one of IAG-approved/recommended repairs. As I didn't have the "choose your own repairer" option at the time. You can't go elsewhere unfortunately.

Long story short ... after the dodgy buggers supposedly fixed the required damage ... they did more damage to the vehicle ... luckily I already had a lot of images taken of the car. They refused to take the car back to fix it ... NRMA was involved in it for ages .... in the end ... car was sent to another repairer (not through IAG but had much better reputation) .... everything was checked over ... parts replaced and everything fixed properly.

Lesson learnt ... choose your own repairer option does cost ... and so does doing your homework as well.

Later found the IAG approved repairer had that many complaints ... and also found they had issues with their staff stealing parts off cars while it was in getting fixed, etc. as well.

[Franco Cozzo]

The industry is chock full of retards and dodgy ****s who think it's 1985 still - I know because I'm one of them

I'm part of the supply chain for these businesses now and it's not much better, they're all trying to squeeze you over a couple of bucks, paying accounts in cheques etc.

They don't want to use computers they all want to talk on the phone where there's no accountability.

I prefer to deal online and via email as there's records, it protects them from me

The regional guys are worse, the problem with phone conversations is that there's so many people in the communication chain that it ends up Chinese whispers.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The industry is chock full of retards and dodgy ****s who think it's 1985 still - I know because I'm one of them

I'm part of the supply chain for these businesses now and it's not much better, they're all trying to squeeze you over a couple of bucks, paying accounts in cheques etc.

They don't want to use computers they all want to talk on the phone where there's no accountability.

I prefer to deal online and via email as there's records, it protects them from me

The regional guys are worse, the problem with phone conversations is that there's so many people in the communication chain that it ends up Chinese whispers.

Thats just a generational thing mate, Ive got the same issue in mining regarding emails.

That or the dodgy fitters who worked their way into management dont want a paper trail.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The industry is chock full of retards and dodgy ****s who think it's 1985 still - I know because I'm one of them
I'm part of the supply chain for these businesses now and it's not much better, they're all trying to squeeze you over a couple of bucks, paying accounts in cheques etc.
They don't want to use computers they all want to talk on the phone where there's no accountability.
I prefer to deal online and via email as there's records, it protects them from me
The regional guys are worse, the problem with phone conversations is that there's so many people in the communication chain that it ends up Chinese whispers.

And it's not that I'm after the lowest price. Firstly what I want is some indication that somebody in the shop knows wtf they're doing.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the industry was blitzed with random under cover operatives checking what is done, how quotes were laid out, if quoted actual work was done etc.

A bunch of hidden cameras, workshops chosen at random etc.

Any industry knows to behave when they have the the threat of large fines / closure etc if they get caught out.

I know the issue with this thread isn't exactly the same as people getting ripped off for work done but yes the industry is full of cowboys that go unchecked.

[gooseneck]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

And it's not that I'm after the lowest price. Firstly what I want is some indication that somebody in the shop knows wtf they're doing.

No point, even if they know what they are doing it doesn't make them honest.

I've got a reputable mechanic who does the jobs I can't do like major things like big end bearing gaskets. diff rebuilds. etc. Only way I managed to get him was through him knowing my mum for 40+ years through the church.

Thats how you get a good mechanic. Go to church and pray for a good mechanic and hope that he isn't bent too.

Honestly, this worlds gone to rack and ruin.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the industry was blitzed with random under cover operatives checking what is done, how quotes were laid out, if quoted actual work was done etc.

A bunch of hidden cameras, workshops chosen at random etc.

Any industry knows to behave when they have the the threat of large fines / closure etc if they get caught out.

I know the issue with this thread isn't exactly the same as people getting ripped off for work done but yes the industry is full of cowboys that go unchecked.

Its an unregulated industry that pays peanuts for hard work, particularly light vehicle, you've got a very expensive business model of a workshop and fees on all your diagnostic equipment and on the other hand no one wants to pay for anything.

The industry recently got the ****s up over the government looking to end the visa scams going on about importing foreign mechanics complaining about the 'skills shortage' - there's a skills shortage because you spend 4 years getting paid SFA during your apprenticeship then end up getting less per hour than someone who stacks the shelves at IGA qualified while putting up with terrible employment conditions.

This article is case in point - this is an excerpt from a prominent automotive aftermarket publication about holding onto their staff:



You're just looking at implementing that NOW? You should have been doing that from the start

Light vehicle automotive sucks as the employee and the customer.

I get paid more sitting behind a desk in an air conditioned office with a computer than I ever did fixing cars.

These issues are compounded by highly aggressive suppliers who are part of the aftermarket supply chain who leave nothing in it for the workshop, or they'll sell direct to your customer over the counter.

Then also manufacturers in Australia have no legal responsibility to supply diagnostic information to the independents repairers unlike in the USA where they have to.

[JAZSXY]

Originally Posted by happy1

One of the worst crook things I experienced was I was sitting waiting at one of the Pedders workshop for a wheel alignment being done on my car, when a female customer came to the workshop to discuss about her Hyundai Elantra with solid rear axle that had been bent from a small impact. The guy at the counter quoted her 'somewhere over $3k' for a NEW rear axle fitted. The woman was really upset saying that would be a real struggle to finance but she needed the car back on the road, and asking if there were any way doing it at less cost. Just out of interest while sitting there I looked on gumtree on my phone, found a local wrecker that had that particular model in stock, called them and got quoted a bargain price for a s/hand rear axle. Just as the woman had left her car for repair, I showed the gumtree deal to the Pedders guy at the counter. He said 'fantastic, then I can pocket all that profit from the dumb female'. You would have thought he would have phoned her with the good news that 'Hi, it looks we can do it a lot cheaper for you'.

I sold my EB 12yrs ago with a RWC here in Melbourne. Guy called me the next day saying he had been to Pedders and there was $2000 worth of bushes (practically all bushes) to be replaced. I promptly spoke to the mechanic who RWC'd the car and the EB was brought back and put on the hoist. Only ONE thing that was wrong was an engine mount he missed. All the other bushes front to back were like new. Ive steered clear of Pedders shops ever since.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by JAZSXY

I sold my EB 12yrs ago with a RWC here in Melbourne. Guy called me the next day saying he had been to Pedders and there was $2000 worth of bushes (practically all bushes) to be replaced. I promptly spoke to the mechanic who RWC'd the car and the EB was brought back and put on the hoist. Only ONE thing that was wrong was an engine mount he missed. All the other bushes front to back were like new. Ive steered clear of Pedders shops ever since.

Those cheap / free inspections are to suck in vulnerable people who have little understanding of cars and assume every workshop is out to do their best for their customer.

Tyres places are the same, brakes, etc.

A big name car company did the same to my sister. She took her car in for a routine service and was called to advise that her brakes were totally shot and unroadworthy... She was put on the spot and agreed to change them.

Only problem was - they were recently changed by me. No way they were due. After a few phone calls and requests for the worn pads to be produced the whole service fee was refunded...

Ohhhh what a feeling!

[nstg8a]

I recently put my el Fairmont into fulcrum to get them to do ball joints and wheel bearings.

I told them while it’s on the hoist check everything else and if it needs doing just do it. Just let me know so I don’t get bill shock haha.
He rung me a couple of hours later and and said one steering boot was shredded and that was it.

That’s why I drive 30 minutes away, past many other workshops to use fulcrum.


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[Citroënbender]

Originally Posted by FC

Then also manufacturers in Australia have no legal responsibility to supply diagnostic information to the independents repairers unlike in the USA where they have to.

The EU fosters this right of access, too. Handy in respect of how many times the Euro emissions targets have forced engines into production that aren’t really suited to the eventual market.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Those cheap / free inspections are to suck in vulnerable people who have little understanding of cars and assume every workshop is out to do their best for their customer.

Tyres places are the same, brakes, etc.

A big name car company did the same to my sister. She took her car in for a routine service and was called to advise that her brakes were totally shot and unroadworthy... She was put on the spot and agreed to change them.

Only problem was - they were recently changed by me. No way they were due. After a few phone calls and requests for the worn pads to be produced the whole service fee was refunded...

Ohhhh what a feeling!

What really ****s me about this practice is multifold:
1) They treat every job as an opportunity to screw you. You can't get a simple necessity like brake-pad done, without them claiming that you need new calipers, rotors, and a "flush".
2) They're happy to screw you over with $500 of parts you don't need, just for their markup and profit on fitting. I wouldn't mind if they just charged a bit more for the basic job, they need to pay wages and overheads.
3) They're not actually interested in doing anything outside their standard list of rip-offs. My daughter needed the brakes doing on her AU. Of course they tell her that she needs new calipers and rotors. I said **** that we'll do it ourselves. Only had to touch the back wheel to figure that the problem, and what had ****ed the brakes, was the bearing was completely shot. SO they would have charged her for new rotors and calipers, and it would have been ****ed again inside a week.
4) All this forces me to do **** like this myself. I like DIY, I love building stuff, and doing interesting repairs. Doing brakes, without a hoist, I am well and truly over.

[Tonz]

The advantage of living in a smaller town is everybody knows just about everybody, all the private workshops are vying for your custom, they treat you well and honestly, you keep going back,
My long standing arrangement is, if you find something other than what Ive asked for, just do it if under $300 otherwise give me a phone call and we discus options
Been with the same workshop all 18 years. We know each others birthdays, if my ute needs a service around that time, I'll book it in on birth date and know a box of chocolates will be on the seat when pickup times comes.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Tonz

The advantage of living in a smaller town is everybody knows just about everybody, all the private workshops are vying for your custom, they treat you well and honestly, you keep going back,
My long standing arrangement is, if you find something other than what Ive asked for, just do it if under $300 otherwise give me a phone call and we discus options
Been with the same workshop all 18 years. We know each others birthdays, if my ute needs a service around that time, I'll book it in on birth date and know a box of chocolates will be on the seat when pickup times comes.

Good to hear there are some good workshop guys around still.

Last time I took one of my trucks somewhere, I had 4 minor fixes, it came back with 5 fixes and a damaged rear side skirt.
Question, why do workshops like using a forklift to move clients vehicles around.

[Rambunctious]

My experience is no different to what I have read here
I used Jax north bris for 13 years until moving to the coast.
Up here they did a balance on my wife's car which was worse after they did it, so it went back.
Next stitch was they fitted new tyres to rims I supplied but still charged me for the recycle fee per tyre even though I took the old wheels and tyres with me and sold them on gumtree.
Third and last stitch, took car in for rotate and being a nice mid winter mid covid sunny day I stood outside on the patio area only to see the fitter remove the front wheels straight to the rear of the car, no balance but they still charged me.
Told the salesman, walked out, sent an email to their head office and got the complimentary call from the manager/ owner telling me how much trouble he had with workers not doing their job.
WTF has that got to do me me.
He told me new pads all round were required and offered to fit new pads (supplied by me) at $90 a set labour.
No thanks, lost all trust, besides, I measured them and I will do them myself in 12 months time after I do another 5000 k's
I won't be going back.

Having said this, I have a really good trustworthy mechanic at Kawana, Norm Trades as Mate Mechanical.

[Pis-ton broke]

years back, i took my landcruiser to pedders in nowra , it had a front end issue, he told me the steering rack was rooted. "its $2000 for parts and labour, and we'll start there" he said.
i took it home and checked it out. it had a stuffed rack end, like $30 and all fixed. i did the job myself.
i still have the "stuffed" steering rack in after many years.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

years back, i took my landcruiser to pedders in nowra , it have a front end issue, he told me the steering rack was rooted. "its $2000 for parts and labour, and we'll start there"
i took it home and checked it out. it had a stuffed rack end, like $30 and all fixed. did the job myself.

I've got an account with Pedders, took them about a month to get me all the bushes for the Lebonator and multiple emails to and from and reminders as well as incorrectly quoting on their own parts.

They've got to be the worst performing automotive brand in our country.

[jpd80]

I feel for every Falcon and Territory owner who have ZF6HP auto gearboxes, they run great and
generally last a long time but if they ever fail prematurely, those owners fall easy prey to shonky
repairers that don't know what they're doing or if they do, overcharge massively because it's a ZF.

It's up to members on sites like this to offer fellowship and guide the unintiated as much as possible
and keep them away from the opportunists out there. Maybe a sticky of good guy preferred repairers
in various locations around the country.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by jpd80

...

Maybe a sticky of good guy preferred repairers
in various locations around the country.

We already have this thread...

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11306717

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

You'd think by now I would be over it, but I never cease to be amazed at the psychos and dickheads that pollute the auto-repair industry.
Not only do I wonder why they chose to go into business for themselves, but I am astonished that they stay in business.

I need an expensive, but straightforward, job done on my car. Buy the rebuilt component, fit it, use consumables. A + B + C. I deal every day with suppliers who can quote a multi-million dollar project, down to the last dollar. Yet these muppets can't even quote a simple job on my car.
And in addition to being unprofessional dickheads about it, some are outright psychotic. Like the guy, who instead of replying to my email like a normal person, went to the effort of typing his comments all through my email, and all in BRIGHT RED CAPS.

I initially contacted three local workshops, and got nothing, so gradually expanded. I have now contacted 8, and ironically the most professional replies I received were from those apologising that they couldn't do the work required.
A couple that did respond, telling me to phone them, I did waste my time and phone. Only to confirm what I suspected, that they were f_ckwits and didn't want to give a quote.

I had the one nutjob, who having assured me that he only fitted genuine factory rebuilt units, then said he couldn't give me a quote until he had the car on the hoist. When I asked why, he said that he needed to strip the unit to "see what needed doing"? When I asked why the heck he would do that, he admitted that he planned to do the rebuild himself.

Yes, I appreciate that a lot of buyers are "only lookin for tha cheepest price", but so what?
And sure, of all the quotes you do, maybe only 10% will result in orders. But again, so what? You're running a business aren't you?

I'm not even asking them to generate a formal quote. I'm happy with a one line answer "it will cost $x."

And yes, I can and have "simply phoned" some, only to encounter the predicted dodgyness when I asked them to email the quote; "oh yeah, me computa's playin-up at the moment".

In all fairness what work did you wanted carry out with your car?
Your post is only a meaningless rant.
What did you want quoted and what was the actual replies?

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

there's a skills shortage because you spend 4 years getting paid SFA during your apprenticeship then end up getting less per hour than someone who stacks the shelves at IGA qualified while putting up with terrible employment conditions.

That was sweet, sweet work back in the days before in-store cameras. Relatively well paid, plus you get to bowl rockmelons at your mates down the aisles, see if you can knock them over

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

That was sweet, sweet work back in the days before in-store cameras. Relatively well paid, plus you get to bowl rockmelons at your mates down the aisles, see if you can knock them over

Heh, the irony is a mate of mine has gone from being a qualified butcher working at an IGA to my old competition to where I cut my teeth in the automotive industry.

The pay is still **** 10 years later it seems

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Heh, the irony is a mate of mine has gone from being a qualified butcher working at an IGA to my old competition to where I cut my teeth in the automotive industry.

The pay is still **** 10 years later it seems

I think you guys got into the wrong trade.

[Citroënbender]

The trade I see least non-Caucasians in, is remedial plumbing (ie, repairs and modifications to existing). Definitely a few groups of New Australians have hangups about 1’s and 2’s. I think it’s possibly part of why there’s a growth in pipe lining services.

Returning to the core topic, yes, you’d be mad to consider automotive mechanical as a worthwhile lifetime trade. As an entry ticket to ARC accreditation, yes probably almost worth a few years of suffering.

[Feathers]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

What really ****s me about this practice is multifold:
1) They treat every job as an opportunity to screw you. You can't get a simple necessity like brake-pad done, without them claiming that you need new calipers, rotors, and a "flush".
2) They're happy to screw you over with $500 of parts you don't need, just for their markup and profit on fitting. I wouldn't mind if they just charged a bit more for the basic job, they need to pay wages and overheads.
3) They're not actually interested in doing anything outside their standard list of rip-offs. My daughter needed the brakes doing on her AU. Of course they tell her that she needs new calipers and rotors. I said **** that we'll do it ourselves. Only had to touch the back wheel to figure that the problem, and what had ****ed the brakes, was the bearing was completely shot. SO they would have charged her for new rotors and calipers, and it would have been ****ed again inside a week.
4) All this forces me to do **** like this myself. I like DIY, I love building stuff, and doing interesting repairs. Doing brakes, without a hoist, I am well and truly over.

They do all this to the blokes, but then it's usually even worse as a woman walking in alone. They assume you know absolutely nothing AND talk down to you.

Luckily as the daughter of a mechanic, I can do a lot of things myself, but also, I know a fair few people in the industry who won't try to screw me over.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I think you guys got into the wrong trade.

Pretty much - wouldn't recommend it and wouldn't do it again, maybe heavy vehicles instead as it's more valued.

[Chapter Four]

I asked our local guy, who I'd used a couple of times for odd jobs that I couldn't be bothered doing, to fit a tranmission cooler to my BF wagon.
I emailed what I wanted done - fit a Furious Performance cooler kit, gave him the part number and contact details. Then rang to confirm and book in 1 week later, all good.
I drop the car off, all good he says.
He rings me later and says he can't finish as he doesn't have all the parts ????
I tell him to ring Furious and find out what happened, it should be plug and play essentially. He admits he didn't get the Furious kit and got a generic Repco one.
So I told him to remove it all and I picked up the car and fitted the Furious kit myself.
Seriously, is it that hard to do as asked??