# Listen to THIS!!



## Deadly Sushi

I went in to get my oil changed at the local Toyota Dealership. Guy shows me that my cabin air filter and engine air filter. The cabin filter was FILTHY with leaves n' stuff. The engine filter was so/so. I had not gotten either of them changed since I got the car.
Anyhow they quoted me FIFTY SIX damn dollars to replace the cabin air filter alone! Extra $29 for the engine filter. Screw THAT! I told him that I would bang the dirt out of the filter instead. So i went outside and did just that. 
Afterwards I needed to clean my hands so I headed to the washroom but on the way I stopped at the parts desk and asked how much the cabin filter (without the hard plastic frame) cost. He told me TWENTY dollars!!!! Only $20 and not the $56 quoted. I bought that and the engine air filter BOTH for $39.  
So I went back to the guy who originally quoted me and I couldnt find him so I went back to the mechanic and gave him the two filters to put in the car.

WELLLLLL..... guess what the service guy wanted me to pay for??!!!!
Labor!!!!!!! They said it cost $36 extra dollars to put the cabin filter in and an extra $10 for the engine filter!!!!!!!  

MAN did I GET PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I said if I DIDNT buy the filters you would STILL HAVE TO PUT THE OLD ONES BACK IN!!!!!! Yeah but as part of our service this is how we pay our mechanics. I told them that I dont give a rats ass. Thats THEIR problem. Then I said I could have replaced these filters easily myself. I thought the extra amount originally was for that plastic bracket and the filter part. And I just bought the filter. I said to em flat out I am NOT paying for his bullshit labor charge! 

Anyhow, I didnt. I also checked to see if they kept the new filters in there when they gave me my car back. What a ripoff that place is!!!!


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## Cityboy

OK, so you go to the dealer to get your car serviced.

You have no clue your air filters need changing until the service tech shows you the dirty filters.

You are too cheap to have the work done, so you buy the filters at the dealer and expect the dealer to install it for free.  

You could have at least just bought the filters and installed them after you left. 

That was really low class, Sushi. 

I think I fully understand now why life is so difficult for you.


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## thcri RIP

Deadly Sushi said:


> I said if I DIDNT buy the filters you would STILL HAVE TO PUT THE OLD ONES BACK IN!!!!!! Yeah but as part of our service this is how we pay our mechanics. I told them that I dont give a rats ass. Thats THEIR problem.



Yeah your right them damn mechanics don't eat and don't have bills to pay so they don't need to be paid for their work.




Deadly Sushi said:


> Then I said I could have replaced these filters easily myself. I thought the extra amount originally was for that plastic bracket and the filter part. And I just bought the filter. I said to em flat out I am NOT paying for his bullshit labor charge!
> 
> Anyhow, I didnt. I also checked to see if they kept the new filters in there when they gave me my car back. What a ripoff that place is!!!!



Maybe you should have just did it yourself and then you would not have had to burden the business in the first place.  They have to charge for the labor and parts whether you like it or not.  If you only had an idea of what overhead is you would probably understand.


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## Deadly Sushi

> You could have at least just bought the filters and installed them after you left.


 
I dont think you read the story or I didnt write it properly. I didnt think that the $56 was for the part AND for the install. I ask the service guy how much the PART was and he said $56! That part has 2 pieces. A hard plastic frame that holds the filter and the filter. 
I went to the parts guy and asked how much for JUST the filter and he said $20. So I got it and put it in the plastic part. I went to give it to the service guy and he wasnt there so I just handed it to the mechanic because I wanted to get out of there. When the service guy got back I TOLD him I gave it to the mechanic!!! 



> If you only had an idea of what overhead is you would probably understand.


I know damn well what it is! maybe YOU dont know what ripping people off is. irate:  I PAID for the oil change. That alone was $31.00. Then I PAID for the parts that are marked up (generally 70%-100%!!!). Now they want me to pay THIRTY SIX DOLLARS to just slide the part back into place?!?!?!?
There isnt even any screws!!!! Plus they had to put the part back anyways!   if they wanted $5 for it, then I would have paid it though not happily. 
I thought the whole thing was part of the oil change service. They didnt make things clear. 
If they said its $36 for the install and $20 for the part THEN I would have done things 100% different.


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## DaveNay

Good plan!  I'm going to pick up a steak from Jewel this weekend and take it to Magnums and ask them to cook it for me!


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## Cityboy

Deadly Sushi said:


> I dont think you read the story or I didnt write it properly. I didnt think that the $56 was for the part AND for the install. I ask the service guy how much the PART was and he said $56! That part has 2 pieces. A hard plastic frame that holds the filter and the filter.
> I went to the parts guy and asked how much for JUST the filter and he said $20. So I got it and put it in the plastic part. I went to give it to the service guy and he wasnt there so I just handed it to the mechanic because I wanted to get out of there. When the service guy got back I TOLD him I gave it to the mechanic!!!
> 
> 
> I know damn well what it is! maybe YOU dont know what ripping people off is. irate: I PAID for the oil change. That alone was $31.00. Then I PAID for the parts that are marked up (generally 70%-100%!!!). Now they want me to pay THIRTY SIX DOLLARS to just slide the part back into place?!?!?!?
> There isnt even any screws!!!! Plus they had to put the part back anyways!  if they wanted $5 for it, then I would have paid it though not happily.
> I thought the whole thing was part of the oil change service. They didnt make things clear.
> If they said its $36 for the install and $20 for the part THEN I would have done things 100% different.


 
Sushi, I think you need a good bitch-slapping.  

Have you ever owned your own business and been responsible for payroll? I doubt it, based on your original post. There are several business owners here who have, like Murph and Bob Skurka who have overhead and weekly or bi-weekly payroll to make, and I have made a much smaller payroll than these two have in two businesses I have owned, and I have great respect for anyone who is responsible for their business overhead.  That is a serious responsibility. 

You paid a whopping $31.00 for an oil change and you wanted your filters installed for free, and you showed your ass in the dealership because they had the audacity to ask to be paid for service rendered. 

If you had gone to Wal-Mart and bought 5 quarts of Valvoline 5W30 for $2.49 each and a $5.00 oil filter it would have cost you $17.45 to change your own oil, assuming you have the tools and drain pan, etc. to do the job. Then, you would have to drive to a recycle center to properly dispose of the old oil and oil filter. The dealer did all this for you for a measly mark-up of $13.55 and you are whinning about it???

Out of that $13.55 that dealership had to pay the mechanic, a portion of the electric bill, the building lease, taxes, insurance, hazardous waste disposal expenses, workers compensation and liability insurance etc. That is one hell of a good deal Sushi.

A portion of every sale made by the dealership must go toward overhead. At the end of the day, their profit, if any, is well earned and deserved. If you have never busted your ass getting a business off the ground and working to make it profitable, waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it, then you don't know WTF you are talking about.

If you don't want to pay the dealer, or quick lube shop to service your vehicle, then go purchase the tools, parts and equipment you need to do it yourself. You can't expect to buy your own parts and have them installed for free. Hell, you didn't even know the filters needed to be changed except for the due dilligence excercised by the mechanic, who you proceeded to stiff out of his comission.

What goes around comes around, so don't piss and moan when one of your customers thinks your comission is too high and refuses to pay your company. Afterall, all you did was write up the order and deliver the product. The customer could have drove down to the computer store and done that themselves.


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## Deadly Sushi

$36 dollars to slide in a thing! And thats AFTER I paid $50 in which $25 was COST. Do you understand the MARGIN in that!?!?!? 
If you add the $36 plus $10 thats almost a 300% margin!!!!

Hey.... want a toothbrush? Its only $5!!! Oh... if I *HAND *it to you its $50. You didnt know that?

Dude I cant even BELIEVE you guys tonight. I am NOT stingy. I give when people dont even ask. I bought the office today 3 bottles of expensive sparkling water.... expensive cookies AND rockin' dip with expensive water crackers. I love to make people happy. BUT! Dont ever try to take advantage of Deadly Sushi OR his friends!!! In fact someone screws with my friends (ya thats you  ) and I will go to the end of the EARTH to strike justice. :frustrado


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## OhioTC18 RIP

The oil change is a loss leader for them. They actually lost money doing it. But they will offer to do other services such as install a new cabin air filter for you and make up some of that loss. Lots of businesses run deals that way. Your local grocery will offer a can of green beans for cost just to get you in the door hoping you'll also buy some freaking peas while you're there. But it's your option as to whether or not you buy their peas or go next door. Yes the cost difference seems to be a bit out of line to you, but they lost money on you just wanting an oil change when they hoped to sell you an air filter too.


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## Deadly Sushi

How is that a loss-leader? The oil to THEM is about $0.87 quart. 
That multiplied by 5 (at most) is $5 beans. 

They purchase by the barrel.


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## BigAl RIP

Deadly Sushi said:


> Dude I cant even BELIEVE you guys tonight. I am NOT stingy. I give when people dont even ask. I bought the office today 3 bottles of expensive sparkling water.... expensive cookies AND rockin' dip with expensive water crackers. I love to make people happy. BUT! Dont ever try to take advantage of Deadly Sushi OR his friends!!! In fact someone screws with my friends (ya thats you  ) and I will go to the end of the EARTH to strike justice. :frustrado


 

 Excuse me .... But I did'nt  any dip or crackers or expensive sparkling water so I am not happy  . 
   Please make me happy about 2:00 tomorrow afternoon when I take my break where I work  . I work at a local car dealer as a mechanic and I was planning to use the money I made installing a new  air cleaner today to buy some goodies  ,but the dude got all pissed off and would not pay for it . Happy Thanksgiving .......


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## thcri RIP

Deadly Sushi said:


> How is that a loss-leader? The oil to THEM is about $0.87 quart.
> That multiplied by 5 (at most) is $5 beans.
> 
> They purchase by the barrel.



Yep, by the barrel, someone had to order that barrel, someone had to unload it off the truck, someone had to put it up on the shelf, some had to pay for the electricity for the store, someone had to pay for heat/air conditioning, someone had to pay for the insurance, someone had to pay for the unemployment tax, someone had to pay the disposal fee of the that barrel, someone had to pay for the disposal of the old oil, someone has to pay the mechanic when there is no cars in the bay and gee most of all someone had to pay for the loss on an unhappy customer.

murph


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## Cityboy

thcri said:


> Yep, by the barrel, someone had to order that barrel, someone had to unload it off the truck, someone had to put it up on the shelf, some had to pay for the electricity for the store, someone had to pay for heat/air conditioning, someone had to pay for the insurance, someone had to pay for the unemployment tax, someone had to pay the disposal fee of the that barrel, someone had to pay for the disposal of the old oil, someone has to pay the mechanic when there is no cars in the bay and gee most of all someone had to pay for the loss on an unhappy customer.
> 
> murph


 
Yep. And that someone damned sure wasn't Sushi.  

Some poor mechanic might not have enough money to pay his heating bill this month thanks to Sushi.


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## thcri RIP

Cityboy said:


> Yep. And that someone damned sure wasn't Sushi.
> 
> Some poor mechanic might not have enough money to pay his heating bill this month thanks to Sushi.




No I really wasn't talkin about Sushi, but I did forget about BigAl and his wages to put the erl in the motor.

murph


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## Cityboy

thcri said:


> No I really wasn't talkin about Sushi, but I did forget about BigAl and his wages to put the erl in the motor.
> 
> murph


 
Ha! Sushi deserves to be smacked for days for this one.  

Get in line guys...It's time for the Sushi smack-down.


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## Kwiens

Sush,

Sounds like you have a lot to learn about life and common sense. Do you act the same way when you go to the doctor or dentist? Bring your own amalgam and ask the dentist to "put it back where the cavity is" and expect him/her to do it for free since you're already there for your annual cleaning. 

I was a third generation auto mechanic in my prior career. Our family ran an auto repair shop in a small town. What you neglected to remember is you also have to pay for the knowledge of the auto mechanic in addition to the items mentioned in the previous posts by the experienced folks...... You didn't even know you had a cabin filter. Oh, my!

Good Luck with your life and God Speed; you'll need it. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving. I sure hope the mechanic you stiffed can afford a turkey for his family.

K


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## Hutchman

Sushi, you are a real piece of work! You really need to learn how to perform your own maintenance. We don't need you in the dealers. At 52 years old, I just went to work two months ago as a tech in a dealership. I've been wrenching on cars and trucks all my life, just on the factory side instead of the dealer. Fortunately, I have a separate income and I don't have to rely on my pay as a tech to live on. I'm here because I want to be. For now, anyway. Boy, have my eyes been opened to how hard it is for a tech to make a living! Last I heard, there was a shortage of 130,000 techs in the U.S. I know why now. I had an excellent day today and actually flagged a little over 8 hours for the day. Oh, did I mention that yesterday I only flagged 2.5 hours for an 8 hour day? I'm not in a big city, union shop with a minimum hour guarantee so, if there isn't a car in one of my bays, I'm not getting paid.
 The next time you order a steak in a restaurant you should whine about how it only costs them $3 for the meat but they have the nerve to charge you $20 for it. Or like Dave said-take your own steak in, walk to the kitchen, and offer the chef a couple bucks to cook it for you. You'll be a big hit! You might need the steak to put on your black eye, just like you'd probably leave my bay with a new arse filter if you brought it back to me to install for some miniscule amount you decided was fair. It's a waste of time for me to try to further explain about overhead to you because you obviously have no clue as to what it takes to get goods to you. Actually, it all just appears at the dealership by magic, and it's practically free! Sheesh!
I could go on but I'm tired from ripping off customers all day, and I'm going to bed. Have a nice Thanksgiving!  Hutch


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## Deadly Sushi

Im soooooooo tired. Yet you still task me. 300% margin is WRONG!!!!!!
I only hope you WERE in my shoes.   Someone says THIS..... but its really THAT! 

POOOF! Suprise!!!! PAY ME MONEY!!! irate: 
Im wayyyyyyyy to tired now. But you folks got it wrong. 
Let me work on YOUR car.... and let ME take out the ****ing filter. Then i'll ask you for $36 to put it back in. irate:


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## Gatorboy

Sushi, you would be better served to just stop posting replies on this thread.  You are enforcing more and more with each reply your lack of business knowledge.

The cost of doing business is not just the price of a part, or the hourly salary you pay someone.  Those items pale in comparison to all of the operating expenses needed to run a business.


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## thcri RIP

Gatorboy said:


> Sushi, you would be better served to just stop posting replies on this thread.  You are enforcing more and more with each reply your lack of business knowledge.
> 
> The cost of doing business is not just the price of a part, or the hourly salary you pay someone.  Those items pale in comparison to all of the operating expenses needed to run a business.



Good Advice




			
				DeadlySushi said:
			
		

> Im soooooooo tired. Yet you still task me. 300% margin is WRONG!!!!!!



The smaller the item the higher th margin has to be.  Do you go to McDonalds?  Did I read the pop there has a 500% margin.  You have your choice buy it or not, no one is going to force you.


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## Kwiens

Sush,

My Mom always said: "Less said is best said"

I think that may apply to you in this, and other, situations you post on this forum.  I do have to admit that I get a chuckle out of your antics.

K


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## Deadly Sushi

Bottom line is I did nothing wrong. The moron service guy should simply have said the part cost THIS much and labor is THAT much. If he did that, NONE of this would have happened. Its not MY fault he didnt do his job properly.


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## Cityboy

Deadly Sushi said:


> Bottom line is I did nothing wrong. The moron service guy should simply have said the part cost THIS much and labor is THAT much. If he did that, NONE of this would have happened. Its not MY fault he didnt do his job properly.


 
I guess not if you consider there is nothing wrong with acting like a jackass in the dealership because you were cluless that your air filters were dirty.  

So tell us Sushi....what profit margin should businesses be allowed to make, and who should have the authority to decide and regulate the profit margin?


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## mak2

Deadly Sushi said:


> Bottom line is I did nothing wrong. The moron service guy should simply have said the part cost THIS much and labor is THAT much. If he did that, NONE of this would have happened. Its not MY fault he didnt do his job properly.



I have to agree with this part.


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## Cityboy

Deadly Sushi said:


> Bottom line is I did nothing wrong. The moron service guy should simply have said the part cost THIS much and labor is THAT much. If he did that, NONE of this would have happened. Its not MY fault he didnt do his job properly.


 


mak2 said:


> I have to agree with this part.


 
You're kidding, right?  

OK, lets break it down since I like picking on Sushi and since Sushi gives us so much entertainment: 



Deadly Sushi said:


> I went in to get my oil changed at the local Toyota Dealership. Guy shows me that my cabin air filter and engine air filter. The cabin filter was FILTHY with leaves n' stuff. The engine filter was so/so. I had not gotten either of them changed since I got the car.
> Anyhow they quoted me FIFTY SIX damn dollars to replace the cabin air filter alone! Extra $29 for the engine filter. Screw THAT! I told him that I would bang the dirt out of the filter instead. So i went outside and did just that.


 
Here, Sushi has been informed that he has two nasty filters because he admits he has neglected the maintenance of his car until he decided to take it in for an oil change. The service advisor informs Sushi, shows him the filters, and *QUOTES* the price to replace them. Sushi decides this is too expensive and tells the service advisor he will just "bang the dirt out" of the filter.  




Deadly Sushi said:


> Afterwards I needed to clean my hands so I headed to the washroom.....


 
This filter was apparently pretty nasty because Sushi got dirt all over his hands, and probably left the trash from the filter on the dealerships parking lot, not even having the common courtesy to perform this task over a trash can. Anyway, Sushi proceeds to the mens room to wash his hands:



Deadly Sushi said:


> .....but on the way I stopped at the parts desk and asked how much the cabin filter (without the hard plastic frame) cost. He told me TWENTY dollars!!!! Only $20 and not the $56 quoted. I bought that and the engine air filter BOTH for $39.


 
Sushi discovers that he can purchase the parts himself for less than the installed price (What a concept!) This is no problem as many of us understand this concept and perform ouir own maintenance.




Deadly Sushi said:


> So I went back to the guy who originally quoted me and I couldnt find him so I went back to the mechanic and gave him the two filters to put in the car.


 
Here is where the misunderstanding occurrs. Sushi was dealing with a service advisor initially, but, not being able to locate the service advisor, he proceeds to give the filters to the mechanic, who works on comission, and tells the mechanic to install the filters. The mechanic follows Suhi's instructions.



Deadly Sushi said:


> WELLLLLL..... guess what the service guy wanted me to pay for??!!!!
> Labor!!!!!!! They said it cost $36 extra dollars to put the cabin filter in and an extra $10 for the engine filter!!!!!!!


 
Sushi gets his invoice and cannot understand why he was charged for the installation of the filters he told the mechanic to install. Sushi did not obtain a quote from the service advisor because he "could not find him" and so Sushi instructed the mechanic to install the filter. The mechanic performed the task as instructed and wrote up what tasks he performed on his work order to account for his productive time and turned the invoice in to the service advisor. The service advisor, having no prrior knowledge that Sushi expected FREE service, billed Sushi for the services rendered.



Deadly Sushi said:


> MAN did I GET PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I said if I DIDNT buy the filters you would STILL HAVE TO PUT THE OLD ONES BACK IN!!!!!! Yeah but as part of our service this is how we pay our mechanics. I told them that I dont give a rats ass. Thats THEIR problem. Then I said I could have replaced these filters easily myself. I thought the extra amount originally was for that plastic bracket and the filter part. And I just bought the filter. I said to em flat out I am NOT paying for his bullshit labor charge!
> 
> Anyhow, I didnt. I also checked to see if they kept the new filters in there when they gave me my car back. What a ripoff that place is!!!!


 
Sushi then proceeds to to make a scene in the dealership to the extent that the service advisor decides the best thing to do is let this irrational person have his way. Neither the mechanic, the service advisor, nor the dealership was compensated for this service. Sushi now feels vindicated as if he has "gotten justice", but is shocked when his friends at FF disagree.

Sushi, do you honestly feel you have no culpability in this situation? If so, I promise you, you will cause more hard times to come upon yourself until you acquire the ability to see the big picture. You can rationalize all you want, but often, to rationalize is you simply telling yourself "Rational-Lies".

As you are wont to say, Sushi, YOU were an "Ass-Clown" in this situation.


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## Spiffy1

Cityboy said:


> I guess not if you consider there is nothing wrong with acting like a jackass in the dealership because you were cluless that your air filters were dirty.


 
That about sums it up!  

Haven't been reading too many of the general forums for a while, Sushi do you always ask to be electronically tarred&feathered like this?


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## thcri RIP

Spiffy1 said:


> Sushi do you always ask to be electronically tarred&feathered like this?



Now that is one I have never heard b4


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## Deadly Sushi

> Sushi discovers that he can purchase the parts himself for less than the installed price (What a concept!) This is no problem as many of us understand this concept and perform ouir own maintenance.


HA! This is where I think all of you have gotten it all wrong. Again..... there are TWO parts to this filter. Hard plastic thingy and the filter thingy. I ask Service guy how much for a NEW one. her said $56. NOTE: he did not say part plus install. I went to the parts dept. and ask not how much the WHOLE thing cost. Just the FILTER. I though Service guy was telling me the cost of the WHOLE thing (both parts). 
This is where all the confusion is, along with MINE.


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## Bobcat

*e*tarred and *e*feathered. I like it.


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## mak2

I agree with everything else except the part about "How much does this part cost?"  Then he should have said, the part cost this much, and installation cost this much.  I know it is sushi, but if I ask how much the part is that is the question, installation is another question.  
Sushi is in another part of his life than we are.  

If I ask how much brake shoes are and they say 340.00 then I find out the shoes are 39.99 and the installation is the rest I could be PO'd about it.

I dont make a habit of being a Shushi apologist but I can at least see his point, I would have said change it and thank you, but Shushi....?


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## Cityboy

mak2 said:


> If I ask how much brake shoes are and they say 340.00 then I find out the shoes are 39.99 and the installation is the rest I could be PO'd about it.


 
Why? If you don't know how to change the shoes, or that there might be special tools required for a particular model that costs $200 to buy the tools, or there might be a special procedure required, etc., then the $340 may turn out to be quite reasonable. What difference does it make what portion is parts and which is labor?

If you already know how to safely and properly perform the procedure yourself and you can do it in a few hours and save $300, then why are you asking a shop "how much" in the first place? Especially when you have already driven your vehicle into the shop bay for service. The time for price inquiry for basic service is over the phone, not after your vehicle is up on the lift.

In either scenario, what is there to get upset about? Unless of course you spend your life running around continually worrying that somebody is going to "get over on you".

OK, now let's get back to smacking Sushi!


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## thcri RIP

mak2 said:


> If I ask how much brake shoes are and they say 340.00 then I find out the shoes are 39.99 and the installation is the rest I could be PO'd about it.




Well it could go the other way, if you ask for how much are the brake shoes and they tell you 39.99 and then when you get the bill it comes to 340.00 then you would really be pissed.  The fact still remains one should ask.  Sushi is in the computer business.  In our area they are the worst at giving quotes and that only are for product and not labor.  In fact for the most part they won't even give a quote for labor because they don't know how long it is going to take.  And the other thing you talk about mark ups.

Get this, I have to buy a 20K van, by the time I fill it up with parts and tools I have almost 40k in that van.  Competition only allows me to charge $70.00 an hour.  

I have a computer guy come into service my server.  He comes in a small car.  Has a small briefcase with all of his tools in it, carries no parts and then charges me $125.00 an hour.  And he probably only gets paid $15.00 an hour versus my guys getting over $30.00 an hour.

Each person just has to be more careful about getting prices.  Markups are what they are, business's are not out there just to rip people off.  They are struggling right now right along with everyone else.

murph


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## Doc

Like CB said, Sushi crossed the line when he took the filters to the mechanic.  Implying he wants the mechanic to install them.  This incurs a labor charge.  
Had Sushi taken the filters and put them in his trunk and installed them himself later there would be no issue and no confusion over the charges.

Perhaps the dealer rep wasn't clear in his pricing of the filter cost in installation fee, but at least he gave the correct total price.
Sushi on the other hand was not totally honest with the mechanic he gave the filters to.  If he had asked him to install them for free what kind of answer do you think he would have gotten?
The man was nice enough to tell you about filters and maintenance needed that you were not aware of, and still you won't pay him a penny for his knowledge or time.  
Don't be surprised if they never point out anything needing maintenance on your car ever again.  Then if it breaks because of no maintenance on items you didn't specifically request will you blame the dealership Sushi?


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## OhioTC18 RIP

Okay, lets put it another way. You take your computer in to the shop for a tune-up, defrag and cleaning. They look at it and say to you "The power supply is going bad and it costs $89 to *REPLACE* it". Sure you can go right over and pick one up off the shelf for half that but the tech won't install it without a labor charge being paid.
The reason I used replace in bold was a direct quote from your first post



			
				Deadly Sushi said:
			
		

> Anyhow they quoted me FIFTY SIX damn dollars to replace the cabin air filter alone


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## Spiffy1

bobpierce said:


> *e*tarred and *e*feathered. I like it.


 
A bit more litterally, we could try this:


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## Spiffy1

Sorry Sushi, couldn't resist.  My appologies to everyone else for posting a crappy paint-shop job.


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## Cityboy

Deadly Sushi said:


> HA! This is where I think all of you have gotten it all wrong. Again..... there are TWO parts to this filter. Hard plastic thingy and the filter thingy. I ask Service guy how much for a NEW one. her said $56. NOTE: he did not say part plus install. I went to the parts dept. and ask not how much the WHOLE thing cost. Just the FILTER. I though Service guy was telling me the cost of the WHOLE thing (both parts).
> This is where all the confusion is, along with MINE.


 
 It seems our pal Sushi is still in denial, which in this case is not a river in Africa.
I'd smack him some more, but my arms are getting tired.


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## Deadly Sushi

ARgh! Once AGAIn.... I thought the price was for the TWO filter pieces together. I didnt even IMAGINE that they would charge to put the freakin thing in. I RIGHTFULLY assumed that it was part of bringing your freakin toyota back to a freakin toyota dealership after plunking down $31.00 beans for a oil change. I thought it was a 'value add' because of being a loyal customer. 
They SHOULD include it in the price. Other dealerships have NEVER charged me for labor on having a look at your filter!!    Thats bullshit! Its part of their FREAKIN JOB!   They made money off of me from me BUYing extra parts from THEIR parts shop! I could have gotten the shit from the internet or some other place. :frustrado  Whats next?! They going to charge me for driving the car out of the stall when they are done?!?


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## Cityboy

Deadly Sushi said:


> :frustrado Whats next?! They going to charge me for driving the car out of the stall when they are done?!?


 
Still in denial eh? Give us a shout when you get back from Egypt. 

And just be glad there's not a dumbass tax, Sushi!


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## waybomb

I personally think those that sell software are way overpaid. Heck, why should a salesperson be paid when all you are buying is the software? A salesman adds absolutely NO VALUE to the functionality of the software. Only the programers added value, and if the software needs a start-up team, then they add value, but salespeople do not. So they should not get paid. Simple. They should sell for the love and excitement of the close.

At least the mechanic added value.

I used to own a service station many years ago. I had to deal with frickin mooch creeps all the time. My time costs money. The mortgage keeps ticking along. The electric meter keeps turning. If you don't want to pay your fair share of the overhead, then buy $15000 of tools, put in a $5000 hoist, buy a $30,000 to $10,000,000 garage big enough to do this work in, pay $15,000 a year in insurance, etc etc. Or just get over it and pay the bill.


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## thcri RIP

waybomb said:


> pay $15,000 a year in insurance, etc etc. Or just get over it and pay the bill.




Fred,  I really hate to say this but that comment above has dated you something terrible.  If I remember right the last time I paid $15,000 for insurance was back in 1987.  Today with work comp I am paying well over 95K and that is way down from 2 years ago after I had some bad accidents that took my mod up to 1.34.  It is now under 1.0 and am doing my best to get it back down to .73 where it was 5 years ago.


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## waybomb

I was thinking a 1 bay shop, 1 lift with owner being the worker, as if Sush opened shop and actually had to make money. The guy hasn't a clue on what makes the world go-round. 

Ya, mod rate really screws you up for 3 years. Helps make safety #1. I'm up over 125k now just on comp, Mod at .81. 

But you are correct -1979 / 1980 timeframe for me working on cars and pumping gas for a living. Back when the big deal was the new-fangled electronic ignition and how to interpret what was being displayed on the scope. No more watching the points open, coil voltage spiking, dispating, etc. Ah, the good ol days. 

And $15,000 worth of tools is dating myself too. Jeesh, just a good size box is about $10,000 these days. I bet there are plenty of techs out there with $60,000 just in tools and storage.

I remember a local parts house sponsored a tech session with an AC Delco guy on the electronic ignition systems. He had a HEI distributor hooked up to a battery, with one plug wire and a plug, and showed how strong the spark was compared to points distributor. He'd spin em and the spark plugs sparked and yes, there was a big difference. 
So, he starts talking about troubleshooting. He pulls the wire off the cap to show how that was different. As spoke to us, he held the HEI distributor in his hand, forgetting it was still "live" and hooked up to the battery. So, while he's talking and holding the distributor, he spins the shaft! I about shit my pants it was so funny. He must have spun it at a few hundred rpm, and he got zapped a few hundred times in a very short time. He dropped the whole thing and danced around for awhile. I certainly learned from that!

Oh, ya Sush - any idea what it costs these days for a punk kid to go to UTI to learn auto repairs? Somewhere in the $60,000 range. And then if you are worth anything at all, you constantly sign up for training sessions, wasting nights just trying to stay ahead of your game,


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## Deadly Sushi

Well the jokes on you! Everyone on this side of the monitor agrees with me. 
I was not purposly out to 'screw' them as you all suggest. They alone shot themselves in the tailpipe. 

They didnt set proper expectations
They didnt tell me what the filter was worth when asked. In fact it was like they were hidding the true value of the filter so they could make an extra buck off of me. Thats bad business
When I came back with the part the service guy wasnt there to give him the part.
The mechanic said it was fine if I gave the parts to him.
After I gave the mechanic the part and then TOLD the service guy what I did they were upset. Upset at their own poor practices maybe??
After NOT explaining the expectations in the first place, they decided to do that AFTER the fact.
If they were listening, setting expectations, explaining properly and basically doing their JOB then they wouldnt have to look like fools AFTER the fact. Plus they lost a customer.
Their FINAL mistake was being caught in their own game. Not revealing the TRUE prices when asked and having an intelligent (thats me BTW  ) consumer look at options which they never expected, then becoming angry because they 'lost' on trying to trick, lie or be deceptive to a average joe.
The Shop managers daughter is HOT!!!! And she always smiles at me.
There! Now if you dont see it MY way by now... even partially... then I have seen solar charged patio lights brighter than you.  




> Oh, ya Sush - any idea what it costs these days for a punk kid to go to UTI to learn auto repairs? Somewhere in the $60,000 range. And then if you are worth anything at all, you constantly sign up for training sessions, wasting nights just trying to stay ahead of your game,


 
Try going to DeVry and getting a degree. Its a lot more then taking shit from customers AND studying and keeping up with the latest technology, how it works, what the costs are, how to integrate things into an environment youve never built, keeping your costs lower than your competitors, spending hours and sometimes days on a quote only for the other competitor to out bid you by a few dollars so your client can turn you down, PLUS learning hundreds of new SKUs per week, trying to haggle for the lowest price with your distributor and attempting to get shipping for free when the damn thing needs to be there the next day. And then everything goes wrong and you have to spend hours to fix it and then kiss your customers ass and appologize for something that wasnt even YOUR fault just so you can make $100 in profit to move a freakin piece of hardware. Oh and then you have to battle internally with accounting to get the customer either financed or have enough credit at Net 15 days! Then there are the times where your client wants something obscure and its NOT in the damn system and you have to fight 3 different departments to get the F-in thing in the system with a NEW SKU. Plus you juggle your time at the office doing everything and as soon as you go and head out to a client all hell breaks loose and youre not there to fix it becuase YOU have to deal with heavy traffic and horrible weather because youre on your way to kiss another customers ass. And that customer is going to expect our company to come to a screaching hault just to appease the assholes order for 3 ORANGE colored patch cables that cost $7 each!!!!!!

Waybomb, I respect you, but you wouldnt last a week doing my job. Oh yeah! and dont forget that youre on commission and your value to the company is based MONTHLY because you have a quota. The stress between MANAGER, CLIENT, DISTRIBUTION CHAIN, INCOME, SHIPPING and INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS plus INDIVIDUAL COWORKERS, ENGINEERS, YOUR OWN TECH KNOWLEDGE and QUOTING THE RIGHT PRICE TO THE RIGHT CUSTOMER AT THE RIGHT TIME is unbelievable. So I have no sympathy for a mechanic. Then I go home and hope my commission that month is enough to pay the FREKIN BILLS!!!!


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## thcri RIP

Two of our claims dropped off last year so we cut 15K off our comp insurance.  We are way down on employees right now but when we had 93 we were running around 150K for everything: comp, business and vehicles.  We also have learned that having "Errors and Emissions" is a good thing.  But you have to watch the "Errors and Emissions", some of them out there don't cover you worth crap.

How many employees do you have that your comp is so high.  We have about 40 employees right now and I would have to look it up but thinking we are running around 9 per hundred.  I would have to look it up to be sure.


murph


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## Cityboy

thcri said:


> We also have learned that having "Errors and Emissions" is a good thing. But you have to watch the "Errors and Emissions", some of them out there don't cover you worth crap.
> 
> murph


 
Hey Murph....what kind of "errors and emissions" you talkin'about? These kind of emissions?>>>>>> 

Or did you mean "Errors and *O*missions"?


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## dzalphakilo

mak2 said:


> If I ask how much brake shoes are and they say 340.00 then I find out the shoes are 39.99 and the installation is the rest I could be PO'd about it.


 
How much does a good scalpel cost?

In the hands of a man who knows how to use it, it's priceless when you're the one that needs to be cut open to save YOUR life.


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## waybomb

thcri said:


> How many employees do you have that your comp is so high. We have about 40 employees right now and I would have to look it up but thinking we are running around 9 per hundred. I would have to look it up to be sure.
> murph


 
Fluctuates, but average this year is 124. Our DART is 0.65. Incurred costs are at only $8,670 this year. Not bad for 124, eh. FY is calendar year.


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## thcri RIP

Cityboy said:


> Hey Murph....what kind of "errors and emissions" you talkin'about? These kind of emissions?>>>>>>
> 
> Or did you mean "Errors and *O*missions"?




HaHa real funny    Pretty good at catching that.  Yes Omissions


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## thcri RIP

waybomb said:


> Fluctuates, but average this year is 124. Our DART is 0.65. Incurred costs are at only $8,670 this year. Not bad for 124, eh. FY is calendar year.




I see your employees sit around and not do much also.  With that many employees and only that amount of incurred costs they can't be doing much    Just kiddin.  I would think your mod would drop at that rate by a lot.  Think about all that money you put into work comp and the  insurance company dishes out $8600.


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## waybomb

thcri said:


> I see your employees sit around and not do much also. With that many employees and only that amount of incurred costs they can't be doing much  Just kiddin. I would think your mod would drop at that rate by a lot. Think about all that money you put into work comp and the insurance company dishes out $8600.


 
Had a bad year a few years ago. We got serious about safety, but mostly case management. Premiums were up to 180k at one point with only about 100 payroll and a couple of 100k incurred. Next year should see a nice drop in rates. Supposed to meet with FGCH soon about new mod and costs. 

But what the heck do I know, Sush has the most difficult job here. I certainly couldn't do his job. Sush needs a major outlook change. Seems like a real nice guy, just really missing something somewhere.


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## mak2

dzalphakilo said:


> How much does a good scalpel cost?
> 
> In the hands of a man who knows how to use it, it's priceless when you're the one that needs to be cut open to save YOUR life.



Then ask how much the surgery is, not the knife.  I just took Shushi's side on this one because he asked how much the filter is.  Not how much to have it installed.  That was shushis point.  From there I would have stopped by the parts store and bought one and installed it myself.  Actually I just say change it so I dont have to mess iwht it.


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## waybomb

Deadly Sushi said:


> Waybomb, I respect you, but you wouldnt last a week doing my job. Oh yeah! and dont forget that youre on commission and your value to the company is based MONTHLY because you have a quota. The stress between MANAGER, CLIENT, DISTRIBUTION CHAIN, INCOME, SHIPPING and INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS plus INDIVIDUAL COWORKERS, ENGINEERS, YOUR OWN TECH KNOWLEDGE and QUOTING THE RIGHT PRICE TO THE RIGHT CUSTOMER AT THE RIGHT TIME is unbelievable. So I have no sympathy for a mechanic. Then I go home and hope my commission that month is enough to pay the FREKIN BILLS!!!!


 
Ya, yer right, I don't do any of that. NOT! All of that, plus USDA, EPA, OSHA, receivables, IRB servicing, office women, local bureaucrats, coordinating a complete computer system upgrade-finally, making sure the customer is always happy, making sure my team does the same, and on and on...

One more thing. Customers are not assholes. They are livelihood. Change your focus, or you will go nuts and broke.What goes around comes around. ALWAYS.

Oh ya, one more thing, I'm sorta on commission - no sales, no money.


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## Bobcat

waybomb said:


> Ya, yer right, I don't do any of that. NOT! All of that, plus USDA, EPA, OSHA, receivables, IRB servicing, *office women*.
> <snip>



Ooof!  I see a harassment suit in your future.


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## waybomb

It was tongue in cheek. I'm the one that gets harrassed there! I can't walk into the office 5 feet without them ganging up on me and having fun at my cost. 
I get no respect!


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## Deadly Sushi

> Customers are not assholes. They are livelihood.


 
Thats why the service guy should have told me everything up front at the dealership. irate:  The whole misunderstanding would not have happened.
And just because I think a few clients are a pain in my ass doesnt mean I treat them with less respect or professionalism. Even though Im bombarded with unprofessional customer service and sales reps a few times a week. 
You on the other hand sound like the type I would LIKE to do business with. Alas, the owner/manager isnt always there. And thats usually when you get the black sheeps of the company that mistreat clients that WANT to pay fairly for fair, honest service(s) and/or product(s). 

Last night I went off in a rant about the titanic amount of stress that happens daily. It was not my intent to try and prove whos job is more difficult. But I have met people that think their job is sooooooo tough, and to me its a walk in the park. So I appologize for comparing your job duties and stress to mine.


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## Bobcat

waybomb said:


> It was tongue in cheek. I'm the one that gets harrassed there! I can't walk into the office 5 feet without them ganging up on me and having fun at my cost.
> I get no respect!



I had a temp programmer file on me once. We hired her to do a six month job. She was hitting on me pretty hard the entire six months, but being otherwise _engaged_, I wasn't going for it. At the end of the six months, her position no longer existed. It was a government contract and there were no two ways about it, times up.

Anyway, our company is required to present all female workers with a form to fill out stating whether or not they felt they were being released due to sexual discrimination. So of course she went for it. Didn't get anywhere, but I still feel like there is that stinking little piece of paper in the back of a file cabinet somewhere in the corporate bowels.


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## fogtender

Sushi,

There was a company that made "Widgets" on a production line by the thousands. One day the machine quit working and "Widgets" were flying all over the place as the machine threw them every which way unassembled.

They called the company that sold and seviced the machine, the repairman showed up and after looking the machine over, leaned over into his tool bag, pulled out a screwdriver and turned a screw... The machine began to produce the "Widgets" again in proper order.

The Repairman handed a bill to the company Manager for $2,000.00. The Manager started screaming that the Repairman was only there for a few moments and how could he justify that price for something he could have done with a screwdriver himself.

The Repairman looked at him and said, the screw turning was only $2.00, knowing which screw to turn cost you $1,998.00....

Anyone can cut you open when you are sick for $2.00, but wouldn't it be nicer to have a doctor do it for the 
$1,998.00 instead...

Knowing where the filters are located on a car is worth something too...

In a dealership, the parts department sells parts over the counter to the public, they sell the parts to the shop also, the shop then marks them up again to cover their expenses also... nobody was ripping you off, they just run the different departments as seperate stores, shops, or whatever under the same roof.  When sales department sends a new/used car into the shop to have something done, the shop charges the sales department for the work done to show that they are making their own way also.  

In my shop, unless you ask first, I won't install your supplied parts, period.  There is no warranty or profit in installing someone elses parts, so why should I install something that I didn't make a profit on that may or may not be bad.  If that part failed, that customer comes back demanding that I change it out for free... ain't going to happen.  If I sold them the parts and they were bad, I will change them out at no cost to them.  

In the case of the air filters, it doesn't matter either, could have been a engine oil seal, same thing.  The shop was in complete compliance with marking up a filter sale for profit.  If you don't like the markup, take your business elsewhere, that is proper.

There are plenty of shops that will rip you off for real, I.E. charge for parts they didn't change, and your car may not run and you are out the money to boot...


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## Deadly Sushi

> In my shop, unless you ask first, I won't install your supplied parts, period. There is no warranty or profit in installing someone elses parts, so why should I install something that I didn't make a profit on that may or may not be bad. If that part failed, that customer comes back demanding that I change it out for free... ain't going to happen. If I sold them the parts and they were bad, I will change them out at no cost to them.


 
I agree. Thats 100% fair.



> The Repairman looked at him and said, the screw turning was only $2.00, knowing which screw to turn cost you $1,998.00....


 
Agreed! But when we are talking about air filters, that changes. I'll take the toast out of the toaster to see if you think its done. If not I'll charge you $36 to put it back in the toaster.


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## fogtender

Well taking the filter out to show you that it is bad, is just a teaser to get you to change it out.  

"Most" people that take their car to a shop to get an oil change go through the same thing all the time.  Nothing new, when I take my car/truck in for an oil change because I don't have the time to check it myself while being on the road, I tell them to just change the oil, don't do anything else.

Many times over the years they have brought a new filter that I installed with a little dust in it and still in very good condition, telling my wife it needed to be changed....  She politely told them it was only a few days old and will keep it for another week or two....  (that is said with a straight face).

You have all sorts in all sorts of business, so just be aware of what you want....




Deadly Sushi said:


> I agree. Thats 100% fair.
> 
> 
> 
> Agreed! But when we are talking about air filters, that changes. I'll take the toast out of the toaster to see if you think its done. If not I'll charge you $36 to put it back in the toaster.


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## brazospete

Is caining legal in the U.S.? Just kiddin Sush! Do you take eggs and bacon to the restaraunt and ask them to cook em for free Sush?  DOGPILE ON SUSHI!!


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