ALT-7 What Women can do about getting Overcharged for Car Repairs
I've read a couple of the articles on this subject of women getting ripped off with their car repairs.I understand this situation and the reasons for this happening as I have my own mobile business working on repairing my customer's cars.This I have been doing for the last 15 years, I don't have to advertise now as all my work comes from word of mouth. Big whoop for me then! But why is this the case?
The one and most important thing to consider in these matters is the reputation of the person / garage.Always seek out other people's experiences with any particular garage, how much did they pay for lets say a service? Common cars will have common or average prices for the job, which you can research.Were they happy with the work? Or was there a wildly different final price from the one quoted. (This is where the Rip-off' can be) I always tell mine that if I find something dangerous or extra to the price quoted I will phone and let them know before going ahead with the work, others I know in the trade will just get on and do the work anyway, hence the problems. (I'll never be rich, but like to be able to sleep at night!)
If a Woman' or man phones me for a quote It makes no difference to me, the price is the same, you'd be surprised how little most blokes know about their cars, and even if I did rip someone I'd be caught out by the next garage they take their car to, whom will be quick to expose the last dodgy repair, (that'd be me then), to make themselves look good So, bad for my business, better to have repeat work that keeps coming back and keeping me in beer longer, rather than a big profit and loose the customer for good.I do understand the potential for a quick profit, you'd be surprised, I could tell some of my customers anything, and they'd believe it, thus making me a fortune But choose not to exercise this power.
Let's say the price of a service? (I'll use this as an example) I'll ask them what car it is, year, engine size etc (For me, all run of the mill standard 4 cyl' small to medium sized cars will be around 130 ish including parts and labour) based on my overhead costs and profit margin.Dealer obviously has much higher overheads so will charge much higher prices.Not that he is doing a better job. (In my opinion)In my experience some of the biggest Rips come from the dealer and no-one bats an eyelid? oww must be Ok to pay so much for the god damn service cos the dealer must be right, he's got a big sign out front and a big brainNOT!
They're just good at swapping parts from their own stores till they hopefully get a fix; these same parts are non returnable for the likes of us independents and would cost us a small fortune that you all would not be prepared to pay.Sometime we have to pass the job on others to save you hundreds of pounds, and make us seem incompetent in your eyes.Your car knows what's wrong with its self when that little orange light comes on, but we need to spend thousands of pounds on a special computer that can talk to your car and find out what the problem is?'
In second place will be your Quick Fit or Quick Stitch fast fit centers who I know tell their fitters to milk as much profit as possible out of every job, especially if they see a kiddie's seat fitted and a woman driving, a favorite here is to put the frighteners on you and tell you that you will die if it leaves the garage in this un-road worthy' condition, ring any bells?Incidentally one of my own long term customers went into one of these Quick stitch Auto speedy Tready Wisey Dippy Snot nose type of places for a slow puncture and came out with a bill for 500, on tons of work she didn't need as I'd already fixed the problems a week earlier.A few phone calls to head office from me and threats to expose this in the local newspaper saw the sacking of the fitter in question by the next week Result! But nothing new here, as this is all normal practice and the reason the odd honest bloke will get tarred with their bad brush.
So, really the point of all this is down to trust and honesty (rare) if you can find it.Phone around first for prices, most reputable garages will base their labour rates (you should ask what this is, and will help in judging the price of the bill) on a manual called Repair Times' by Auto data, eg, to change a lower arm wishbone may be 1 hour @ whatever per hour, so getting an idea of the cost.
Ask as many people as you know, friends, family etc to try and eek out that rare commodity known as an honest opinion' But bear in mind also that a lot of us independent traders out here are not millionaires as most of you think we are!We have to survive also by putting a bung on top of the price we pay for the bits, just like all shops and other businesses How much did you pay for that D&G Handbag? Hehe!
Check also local town review sites of local businesses, often many will have left feedback on the good ones and more for the worse ones. 1 bad job will travel 10 times further down the grape vine than 1 good job tis the way of things.
Just to make all you women feel better out there I get ripped big time by plumbers and electricians in my house repairs as I don't mess with things I don't know about, you know, trying to find that gas leak with a lighted match!Where there is a lack of knowledge they'll be an expert waiting to take advantage! Bloody Tradesmen HOW MUCH ! hehe
Do your homework first ladies!
