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!!!!

 

[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.

 

[thcri]

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.

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.

 

[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.

 

[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!

 

[Cityboy]

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.

 

[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

 

[OhioTC18]

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.

 

[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.

 

[BigAl]

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 .......

 

[thcri]

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

 

[Cityboy]

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.

 

[thcri]

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

 

[Cityboy]

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.

 

[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

 

[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

 

[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:

 

[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.

 

[thcri]

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

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.

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[Cityboy]

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?

 

[mak2]

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.

 

[Cityboy]

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.

You're kidding, right?

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

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.

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:

.....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.

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.

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.

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.

 

[Spiffy1]

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?

 

[thcri]

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

Now that is one I have never heard b4

 

[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.

 

[Bobcat]

etarred and efeathered. I like it.

 

[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....?

 

[Cityboy]

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!