I'm a bully

I figured out today that the car-fixing place that seemed fairly nice and helpful is EVIL. The manager chick had a few weeks ago ordered me very cheap replacement front running lights and the slightly incompetent dude bolted them on. Then she said that as a safety issue the part of the front that fell off, I shoudl replace it, the importance of bumpers in a collision, etc. etc..

Today: I insisted on looking at the parts... And asking a lot of questions... and looking at the car carefully...
- my truck's front bumper is still there and perfectly functional, though dented.
- the bits it's missing are the end caps (plastic) and the grille cover (plastic)
- those aren't safety issues at all!
- the expensive part she ordered is a replacement bumper, but i already have a bumper!
- she was about to charge me $150 in labor to do the job

I said screw it, return the parts and keep my $20 deposit, just put the new light on.

- Then she was going to charge me for labor on replacing the light and make me leave the truck overnight!
- I squawked like fury and said I already paid for labor andn the part - they installed a defective part which blew my taillights and could have gotten me killed...
- They insisted that my truck must have an electrical problem - despite my having explained about the defective part several times.

Bullying successful. I paid nothing and I stood over the guy while he drilled 2 holes and bolted the new light onto the frame and screwed in the 2 screws.

Fuck those people... I liked them and their shop, but clearly - they were being super nice for their first job for me, giving me a discount on the part, doing the work in a couple of hours.... But that was only to rope me in for future work where they could cheat me! Aaaargh!

So, I still don't have the front grill but I don't think I need it. and I just saved $250 bucks by not swallowing the hook. Go, me.

I really hate it that there are people who work to establish trust on purpose to fuck other people over by betraying that trust...

Comments

[Jo]

Argh. I was hopeful about that place, where you were going to become a mechanic... Sigh.

[Jo]

And I think you should get a Prius. Because i want one. But what will we do without a truck in the family? Hmm.

[badgerbag]

no- the OTHER place is where I shall be initiated into the mysteries - this was the body shop on Caminito. the Good Mechanic is on Fiddlemield Road, and as far as I know, is still good - every time I go there.