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Ethics question.

Skel

Skel

Jun 19, 2005
3,237
45
Boulder, Colorado
#1
For the 2nd time in a while I've gone to "Brakes Plus" for brakes, of course, and oil changes, etc. To make a short story long,

Today I took my wife's Saab in for an oil change - it uses synthetic oil, so $49.95 for oil and filter. Luckily I had an "appointment" so I only had to wait about an hour. When they are done, the guy calls my name and says "Ok, $59.blah blah (or close) I said "what?" So he starts going through everything and there's a $3.00 charge to dispose of the old oil. So this is where I need help. I lost it. I asked the guy why he didn't tell me about this charge before they did the work. He said it was in that "encylopdedia with the tiny font so everything fits on one page" form you sign. I said "why doesn't it say it on that sign?" (pointing to the 4 signs vertically spaced that indicated the 4 different oil change options and prices). He pointed to some other BS, vague little sign on the other side of the room about the oil charge.

The thing is, this guy was TOO used to having people loose it on him. I could just tell. He quickly lowered the price back down. This is the 2nd time I feel this place has pulled a fast one on me, and I hate when that happens. I'm not going there anymore. Am I weird? Does anybody else ever loose it on people when they try to rip you off?
 
#4
Nobody likes commercial mechanics... Unfortunately they have a bad rep. It does cost to dispose of oil, unless they have one of those EPA approved used oil furnaces. My old boss has one, and I still take my used oil there. He comes and picks it up, and brings an empty barrel. It's worked great for me and my family, and it gives him free heat.
 
#6
To answer your question: This is business ethics.

It isn't illegal, it's just the standard business model that this type of discount business is using these days.

1) Lure customers with ads for LOW price.
2) Perform minimal service for that price and charge EXTRA for everything else.
3) Add mandatory services to the bill (not illegal as long as it's disclosed somewhere, even if it's in fine print).
4) Depend on repeat customers who perpetually fail to see the additions to the bill as a repeating pattern.


The unfortunate trend is for the consuming public to be more price obsessed and concerned about bargain hunting than ever before and less concerned about overall good value and quality goods and services at fair prices. The bottom line is, many businesses routinely practice this bottom feeding tactic because it works.
 
#7
Mechanics aren't out to screw you over, they really aren't. I spent half my life hanging around my Dad's shop and saw countless customers try and yell at him for the fees. His were higher than most since he was so in demand and was probably the best foreign car technician in the city, but you were damn sure he was doing the absolute best work possible.

At a chain shop like that, you can't blame the employees for what the prices are like. They're just following whatever Corporate HQ tells them to, so they can keep working.
 
#11
McHaven said:
Mechanics aren't out to screw you over, they really aren't. I spent half my life hanging around my Dad's shop and saw countless customers try and yell at him for the fees. His were higher than most since he was so in demand and was probably the best foreign car technician in the city, but you were damn sure he was doing the absolute best work possible.

At a chain shop like that, you can't blame the employees for what the prices are like. They're just following whatever Corporate HQ tells them to, so they can keep working.
Click to expand...



BIG +1

I've found that the best value in a mechanic is one who is in demand and well paid. Find one of these near you and use their shop for everything from big stuff to little stuff.

And don't go to any of those discount shops anymore. :hiding:

The most important thing you're paying a mechanic for is knowledge from experience, and you won't find much of that at Midas, Jiffy Lube, Aamco and Brakes Plus.
 
#13
i really get annoyed by hidden charges too. why can't they tell you before that you have to pay 3 dollars for disposing of the oil?

you are absolyley right to yell at the guy. i know he just does his job, but if he gets yelled at all the time he should tell his managment about the reasons and the managment should then do something about it so he doesn't get yelled at. the issue doesn't seem to be 3 dollars, just that you weren't told about it.
by the way,i also drive saabs and i can only confirm that the dealer service is c***. i will not buy a saab again for that reason.
 
#14
I disagree.

If you want to reduce your amount of stress, and become more effective, remember this rule: Never, EVER argue or haggle with someone who is unable (or unlikely to be able) to give you the answer or resolution you want.

Yelling at the mechanic worked this time, but you were lucky. Asking to speak to the manager would have been the more foolproof method. Why subject the mechanic, who has NO authority over pricing, to your fits? If you have a problem with the pricing, complain to the person who has the authority to set the pricing. The mechanic might tell management after 10 hissy-fits that there was a problem. If the issues were escalated by the consumer right away, the manager would have been aware of all of the complaints.

If your plane is late or you run into a problem at the airport, don't take it out on the poor girl at the gate. Immediately speak to someone who CAN give you resolution you want.
 
#15
mvw356 said:
i really get annoyed by hidden charges too. why can't they tell you before that you have to pay 3 dollars for disposing of the oil?

you are absolyley right to yell at the guy. i know he just does his job, but if he gets yelled at all the time he should tell his managment about the reasons and the managment should then do something about it so he doesn't get yelled at. the issue doesn't seem to be 3 dollars, just that you weren't told about it.
by the way,i also drive saabs and i can only confirm that the dealer service is c***. i will not buy a saab again for that reason.
Click to expand...

I just wasn't able to express myself like you just did. Thanks. My anger wasn't the $3.00 at all - it was not being told. And the anger was still there from the last time when I had them "fix" my air conditioning (replace leaky lines and charge with freon), which they told me they could do.....they charged me about $80 dollars (in addition to the $800.00 to fix all my brakes) to tell me I had leaks in a couple lines. I already knew that. But they couldn't get the lines, so I have to take it to another place that can make custom lines (it's a min-van with an air conditioner in the back, so the lines are long). What did I get for the $80.00? I told them that if they're going to be in the "servicing air conditioners" business, they should be able to get the parts to service those air conditioners. That pissed them off, of course. "There are 60,000 different parts possible, blah blah".

If the oil change is going to be $56.00, great - just tell me in advance but don't try to nickle and dime me after the fact. They didn't have any extra fee for disposing of the filter, screwing the oil pan drain plug back in, etc.

Believe it or not, my favorite place is "supposedly" the most expensive place, but in the long run they are NOT the most expensive by any means because they do it right, and they can't seem to break this bad habit of being totally honest. I should have gone there, and from now on I will.

Oh and, I do feel sorry for the guy that was just doing his job at Brakes Plus...I do. But I think he goes to meetings where discussions take place on how to get more money out of the customer by misleading them, and part of his job is to take the beating from the customer...he gets paid for this.
 
#16
Diggler said:
Really... change your own oil. It's easy.
Click to expand...

Honestly if I just knew the best way to get the car(s) up high enough (safely) and then know what to do with the old oil (I guess you can now dispose of it at auto parts stores maybe? For free?) then I would gladly do this and save a fortune.

And to derail myself; with all synthetic oil, can you go 7500 miles? (somebody said this the other day). The brakes plus guys put a sticker on for next oil change in 4k miles.
 
#17
I use a set of ramps... as safe as you can get. There's recycling places around... my family's trucking business has one of those oil furnaces though so I don't use them.

I use dinosaur juice in my cars and usually changed oil every 5k miles or so. Now both of my cars have "Change Oil" sensors so I just go by them so I don't forget. Synthetic will give you a lot more mileage between changes.. definitely more than 4k. AMSOIL makes a synthetic blend that's good for 25000 miles.

The Brakes Plus guys want you to change your oil more often.
 
#18
Skel said:
See that's what I mean. I must need anger management classes or something.
Click to expand...

You don't need Anger Management......you need to get out of Boulder, and move to a more sane, and less liberal area. Places like Boulder think ripping you off should be the norm, and just accepted like free sex and drug speaches made at high schools......LMAO:rollno:

couldn't resist.:D

Most people will show their displeasure in being ripped off by a service. Some just get louder than others....LMAO
 

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