Should Have Kept My Mouth Shut

[roamingguy 300291]

Got the oil changed in my truck today.  When I got the bill, $0.00. Didn't seem right to me, this was the second time I got an oil change for free and I was perplexed to say the least.  So I questioned it.  Got told I had oil changes free for life.  I just bought the truck in February and remember clearly declining the oil changes for life option.  Well it turns out the previous owner had oil changes for life, but it's non transferable. But the first oil change was a freebie I was entitled to.  But today my bill went from $0.00 to $83.00 😲 because I questioned what seemed like a freebie I shouldn't get

But taking a freebie which I knew I wasn't entitled to would be no different than stealing.  

But if I had kept my mouth shut....no that would be defrauding the dealership and make me a thief

A rambling from someone now $83.00 poorer LOL

RG

[peacectryguy 12523]

Lol, RG, I'm kinda the same way about being honest. Usually for me, it has less to do with the business I'm dealing with and more to do with the employee across the counter. Like if the cashier gives me the wrong change or something. Heaven forbid the poor kid gets fired because their float doesn't add up at the end of the day.

As for car dealerships, I doubt that I would be as honest as you however. Their service departments bill out every minute and every nut and bolt and never cut anyone any slack. Sometimes even doing the repairs before even getting the okay from the customer. I would take the free oil change and be quite happy. I guess $83.00 in this day and age isn't much but I'd take it. But you are right in the sense that it is dishonest. Cheers.

[Katherine of Halifax 113931]

I’m honest and I’d take the freebie from a dealer. I bought a car yesterday and had to fight to pay cash. . They tried to bully me into taking a loan offering me all these incentives. 

The incentives come from the banks in kickbacks from every loan they make someone take. A person I know was recently told by the same dealership he had to take a loan as they didn't accept cash . Well I’m not as polite and it didn’t take me long to explain cash was legal tender and take it or I was walking. 

Im not a fan of car dealerships and all their incentives. 

If you look into free financing when the papers are signed administrative fees  squeal financing . Hum . 

[WhereIRoam 21825]

I'm no longer religious but I am spiritual, it's all about karma. I choose to believe in it.

True, dealerships make money off everything, as they should. Just before Christmas last year I had extra brake work done on the rear of my car and was billed even though I didn't ask for it. It took a few minutes to wait for the manager to deal with the situation but in the end he agreed I only pay what I asked for. 650, or so, was reduced to 340 in about twenty minutes. 

[Guest]

Unless you got a very good relationship with the dealership or dealing with warranty work, always avoid. You can go there for the free estimate and then go across the street to the Midas,Canadian Tire or Speedy who'll to the job for less than half the price and time.

[Katherine of Halifax 113931]

47 minutes ago, Greenteal said:

Unless you got a very good relationship with the dealership or dealing with warranty work, always avoid. You can go there for the free estimate and then go across the street to the Midas,Canadian Tire or Speedy who'll to the job for less than half the price and time.

Absolutely. 

[roamingguy 300291]

Any major repairs I'd go to my local garage, they're honest and aren't looking to stick it to you.  As for Canadian Tire I'd rather go to a dealership.  Years ago I used to go to the local Canadian Tire to get oil changes and any maintainance for my Dodge Ram.  One visit they said my water pump needed replacement (over $500.00) and I asked for them (before the appointment) to machine the brake rotors. Well got the bill for oil change and machined rotors. Got home, looked at the rotors, didn't look machined to me.  Went back, asked the manager of the garage. He said there was nothing left to machine.  Fair enough, then tell me that, I'd get new rotors (which I did) but don't charge me for machining rotors that you didn't machine...that's theft and I detest being stolen from

So that was the last time I used Canadian Tire...anywhere.  A local garage was recommended to me, my first visit the owner/mechanic pressure tested my water pump...absolutely nothing wrong with it.  Canadian Tire was looking to steal from me by replacing my good water pump with a new water pump. And no charge for the pressure testing.  He also got my business not just putting in new rotors but for approx. ten years (till he retired) I was a regular customer

Anyhow I avoid Canadian Tire long story short.  And you want to lose me as a customer/client, fleece me, you may get short term dollar gain but long term I'll go elsewhere.  I hate being stolen from, and thats also why even if it's dealing with a large business (like a dealership) I'm honest, otherwise I'd feel no better than a thief.

A long winded rambling

RG

[Guest]

2 hours ago, roamingguy said:

Anyhow I avoid Canadian Tire long story short.  And you want to lose me as a customer/client, fleece me, you may get short term dollar gain but long term I'll go elsewhere.  I hate being stolen from, and thats also why even if it's dealing with a large business (like a dealership) I'm honest, otherwise I'd feel no better than a thief.

A long winded rambling

RG

 No matter if independent or franchises, no two repair chops are alike. Sometimes it's worth reading reviews and "Better Business Bureau" scores.

[Guest]

  As for the main topic, you did nothing wrong by questioning the price. But they were wrong by not owning their mistake or at least offer something for your honesty. I quite often dealt with pricing errors in stores or online shopping and most times they'll own their mistake because this is how consumer protection laws work.

  An example of that was over a decade ago when I bought a bicycle in a Canadian Tire and the price at the scanner was half the price of the tag. With a large smile on my face I questioned it and the manager came and said it was the price and got a nice 50% rebate. My mother was with me and asked me why I didn't shut up about it. I explained her I was trolling the cashier because in such errors, the lowest price is the only valid one. And on items under $10, you get for free.

  By pointing out a mistake, you're making them a big favor. If they can't appreciate it, do business somewhere else.

 

[roamingguy 300291]

I agree, they still (good business practice) should have honoured the bill as a thank you for questioning the price.  After all if I hadn't pointed it out I could have received free oil changes for life. something I didn't pay for (price is $500.00) and given on how long I'm likely to have the truck would be a long time.  But the local garage I dealt with when I had my POS car is going to be seeing me again.

They didn't defraud me, but they didn't show good customer service either IMO.

RG

[Rambler1980 1359]

On 11/5/2018 at 11:10 AM, roamingguy said:

 

But if I had kept my mouth shut....no that would be defrauding the dealership and make me a thief

A rambling from someone now $83.00 poorer LOL

 

 

The real thieves are those charging $83 for an oil change that with labor+supplies+overhead would be in the $25 range cost to them. $40 would have been a reasonable price for them to charge you. 

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Rambler1980 said:

 

The real thieves are those charging $83 for an oil change that with labor+supplies+overhead would be in the $25 range cost to them. $40 would have been a reasonable price for them to charge you. 

 Unless I owned an 1996 Geo Metro, not sure I would trust a $25 oil change. The normal price is closer to $50 for regular(non-synthetic) oil.

[Rambler1980 1359]

31 minutes ago, Greenteal said:

 Unless I owned an 1996 Geo Metro, not sure I would trust a $25 oil change. The normal price is closer to $50 for regular(non-synthetic) oil.

 

$25 was their cost and I feel $40 would be a reasonable price to be charged

[roamingguy 300291]

Now after a couple years owning a car I wasn't sure what the going rate was for an oil change on a V8 pick up (what I drive now) Maybe prices have legitimately gone up, I recall my Dodge Ram V8 was in the $40-$50 price range and that was a few years ago.

But from now on I'll take my truck to the local garage, there were a few chances to stiff me if they were dishonest, they kept the bill low and got the job done.  Honesty pays off in the long run

RG

Quote

 

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Rambler1980 said:

 

$25 was their cost and I feel $40 would be a reasonable price to be charged

Just don't expect this from a dealership. Most of their business model is based on fear mongering, ignorance and deception. They'll quite often threaten your warranty if you don't do business with them. And justify their prices with the hourly rates of their "certified technicians" without telling you the job is very often done by apprentices on minimal wage.

 Not all are dishonest, but it only take a handful to create a bad reputation.

[peacectryguy 12523]

1 hour ago, Greenteal said:

Just don't expect this from a dealership. Most of their business model is based on fear mongering, ignorance and deception. They'll quite often threaten your warranty if you don't do business with them. And justify their prices with the hourly rates of their "certified technicians" without telling you the job is very often done by apprentices on minimal wage.

 Not all are dishonest, but it only take a handful to create a bad reputation.

I think that's a good point about them. For something that truly requires extensive diagnostics and more serious repairs, the "certified tech" stuff is somewhat valid. They have the diagnostic tools and training to figure out exactly what is wrong. Beyond that, it's a scam and the "void your warranty" crap is utter B.S. imo. Of course, if it's a lease, then they really have you under their thumb because they technically, still own the vehicle.

However, for general maintenance stuff, you have some pimply faced kid right out of high school and the service manager doing a quick visual check when he's done. So it's really hit and miss in that regard. Some kids are really good and have the aptitude and other's don't. I have always done my own oil changes. It's easy to do but I understand that not everyone is comfortable doing mechanical things. 

As for the cost, it usually costs me about $50 for material because I use full synthetic and a little higher end filter and it takes up about a half hour of my time. 10 minutes at Can Tire or NAPA or whatever and 15-20 doing it. Obviously, the dealers get their parts, oil, etc a lot cheaper.