Dilemma - to pay or not to pay?
Folks: I had an issue with a vehicle that I could not figure out; I'm a pretty competent home mechanic and rarely take anything to a shop. The shop where I took it spent 4 hours on the vehicle and...
Forum Discussion
fj12ryder wrote:jwmII wrote:Ever done piece work?
How many hours has your employer paid you for that you were on the clock for but produced nothing?
No to the first one, yes to the second. But, to the OP ...
I always, always, always get a diagnostic fee up front - usually about $75-$100 depending on which vehicle.
If they don't find the problem, then they haven't earned the fee. But, it also limits time spent, and money charged for the effort no matter which side it comes down on. But at least the fee is set, not open-end.
Over the years, very occasionally, the problem eludes the mechanic - and often a different mechanic and a different shop might know right away what it is.
Sometimes, experience rules, instead of simply reading the gauges and tech screen. When you have a mechanic that has experience beyond what the gauges and tech screens tell him, THEN you have a mechanic more likely to find success in unique diagnostics.
A complete turn-off to me here, and an illustration of inexperience::
Bring in a truck, tell mechanic:: Got a 'squeal' in the front end when we make a right turn. You come back in a hour. Mechanic says, I can't find the squeak. You ask: "Did you drive it?" He says, "NO, I put it on the tech reader." ME:: "OK, did you put it up on the rack and spin the wheel at least." Tech says:: "NOPE, put it on the tech reader, it's doesn't show anything."
"Why didn't you drive it, to find the squeak when it turns right."
Tech says:: "That's a different procedure. I need permission to take test drives - it costs more time - my boss was off today, I couldn't ask him."
True story !! The squeal was ultimately a bad wheel bearing. How does a machine that reads a computer tell us that? Beats me!
