HELP! Dead Battery After Tire Change?!!

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

09-23-2015, 08:16 AM

#11

jwog666

5th Gear Member

Join Date: Mar 2008

Location: wisconsin

Posts: 2,260

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chromeshadow

Jwog, I never question your honesty, and I believe that most people tend to expect others to act as they do. Here is the link to the Midas investigation:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/sear...costatimes.com

Sear had a big investigation as well: http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/23/bu...fter-flap.html

San Diego news teams removed one spark plug wire and took their car to about 10 shops, 9 of them submitted a bill over $600. One shop hooked it back up for no charge.

Here's the saying about auto repair shops in CA:

Will I get ripped off at my auto repair shop? Answer: look down-do you see *****?

People are much more qualified here in WI, and typically do not have to rip you off, but there are still plenty of shops that do. I could mention one large tire chain that has over 12 shops here in WI, but I'd probably get sued. After my wife made 7 trips for a simple wheel bearing replacement, I checked the work and one of the calliper bolts was not the correct bolt. They had stripped the threads and forced in a larger bolt. If this have fallen out while she was driving the left front brake would have probably locked up-sending her into on coming traffic.

I've run a repair service lab before, so I know when a shop and the people there are honest.That's one reason why I appreciate your comments and expertise here. Too bad we don't have more people like you in the world.

sorry, i was a little tired when i typed that last night, i didnt mean to come off like i was insulted. what i was trying to get across is that 95% of shops are legit. those investigations are a bit biased as the reporters typically target shops that are basic maintenance shops who employ low level unskilled "techs" which are basically people out of high school with no formal training. ex. midas, meineke, etc. any monkey can pass an ASE test and that credential tends to give customers a false sense of professionalisim

09-24-2015, 08:50 PM

#12

bl817

3rd Gear Member

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Ft. Worth Tx

Posts: 601

if you could send this to the masses and have a decent shop, the dum dums would be lining up in your driveway

09-25-2015, 12:41 PM

#13

SCCAGT

3rd Gear Member

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Kansas City

Posts: 960

Quote:

Originally Posted by bl817

if you could send this to the masses and have a decent shop, the dum dums would be lining up in your driveway

I wish it worked out that way. Otherwise I would not have been forced to shut down my shop.
With new car sales back through the roof the last couple years, combined with what my dumb butt agreed to pay for the shop from the previous owner and equipment upgrades I would have had to make this year, I decided I better get out of it before I lost my *** entirely. I had the highest google rating of all the shops in town. 2010-12 were great for me. although the latter half of 2012 is when the downturn started. I kept thinking "what am I doing wrong?" But every sales rep and tool guy kept saying "it's the same everywhere." Made me feel a little better, but that didn't pay the bills. I held out through last summer, all the while hoping the slump would cycle back up. It probably is going back up now, but, not having a crystal ball, I decided to call it a day while I could still breath. 11 years of being my own boss was great. Learned a lot. I hope to be able to get back into something again.
I actually had 3 customers track me down, call me ( I don't give out my personal #) and ask what new shop I moved to. Everybody I bump into in town hates the new guy (the old guy I was renting to own the place from) and wishes I was there. So far, nobody I have come across has said they will go back to that guy. And there has been ALOT of them. I know what he's like and encourage them to keep that thought in mind.