[AT] OT: Check the grounds

[charlie hill]

There was a similar problem a few years back with some GM cars.  The 
electric shift solenoids in the transmission would fail.  Lots of 
transmissions got every expensive rebuilds or replacements from unscrupulous 
shops.  The fix was to connect a ground strap directly from the transmission 
case to the engine ground lug or another reliable grounding spot on the 
engine block.

It's not just chain and dealer shops that pull that junk.  A good friend of 
mine opened a shop a dozen or so years ago and did very well.
I took a v6 Buick to him to replace the plastic intake plenum that had 
failed only to realize that his britches had gotten so big that he'd stopped 
working and hired a "service writer" to manage his shop.  When I went back 
to get it he had replaced 4 of the 6 plugs.  Now they either all needed 
replacing or none of them did.  He replaced 4 because it's easy to get 4 of 
them out and tough to get at the other two.
That didn't bother me so bad.  What made me mad was what he charged me for 
them and how he did it.  His invoice had parts and labor broken down 
separately so what I'm talking about is parts only, no labor.   The plugs 
are Iridium tipped AC-Delco plugs and I happened to know what the local 
dealers parts dept charges for them.   The list on them at the time was 
$9.65 each.   I can buy them from the dealer for list less 30% but I 
expected him to charge me list and that's ok.  He needs some markup on his 
parts.  What I didn't expect or appreciate was when I looked at the carbon 
copy of the invoice he gave me and saw that it read $88.60 for the 4 plugs. 
Upon closer inspection I could see that he had written $38.60 (the correct 
amount), then changed the 3 to a 5 to make it $58.60 and then when that 
looked to obvious he changed it again making the 3/5 into an 8 for a total 
of $88.60.  The rest of the bill was as expected.  I looked at him and said, 
that's some expensive spark plugs.  When I said that he quickly diverted his 
eyes from my gaze and started mumbling something about special expensive 
spark plugs as he turned to walk away (having already been paid before he 
gave me a copy of the invoice).   That told me all I needed to know.  His 
actions proved to me that he did it on purpose.  Why someone would want to 
steal 50 bucks on a $1200.00 job is beyond me but he did.  I didn't say 
another word but I'll never go back there.  My buddies arrogance at his 
success quickly turned to a drug problem from sitting around with his 
worthless whore of a wife snorting all day.  When the money ran out she left 
him.  His house and shop were soon in foreclosure.   His health was shot.  A 
real estate developer friend of his bought the house and the shop and it 
appears he is letting the guy liver there and run the shop but I'll not go 
on the premises to see.  I still like the guy, the owner not the bum of a 
service writter, and I'm sorry he's fallen on hard times but I'll not do 
business with him again.  I'd pick him up if he was walking, buy him a meal 
if he needed it and go to see him at the hospital or the funeral home if it 
comes to that but I'll not give him another chance to rip me off or let his 
flunky do it for him.  He might not have known it.  In fact, I'm pretty sure 
that the owner wouldn't have ripped me off even if he was in the practice of 
ripping off other folks but he hired a crook that robbed me and that's 
enough.  If he'd stayed there and run his business he'd be a wealthy man by 
now.

-----Original Message----- 
From: weeksh at att.net
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 4:00 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] OT: Check the grounds

In Georgia, at least 19 out of 20 of them are rip off artists.  Same goes
for most of the chain operated repair places around here as well.  I
assume they are rip offs until proven otherwise.

I have enough experience to spot them almost instantly so do not get
taken very often.  However, I do not understand how people that do not
know better can afford to use them for anything.

I will not buy buy parts from them unless there is no other source.

Howrd in GA

On 8 Jul 2012 at 22:16, Dean VP wrote:

> Roy,
>
> That is quite amazing. Who would have thought of that particular current 
> path? You need to
> tip the Maintenance Super!  Sometimes dealers try to get you to fix things 
> that are not
> needed so they can sell more parts and labor.  I wonder if this issue is 
> written up in a
> Technical Service Bulletin within the Volvo organization?
>
> I had a Ford dealer in AZ tell me my truck transmission oil was discolored 
> and had a
> burned smell.  And that my differential case was leaking. At the time I 
> had just changed
> the transmission fluid about 2,000 mile earlier and the whole truck had 
> been thoroughly
> inspected before our trip to AZ. . I just flat didn't believe them so I 
> didn't follow
> their recommendations.  I checked the transmission fluid myself and it was 
> so clear it was
> hard to see on the dipstick and no burned smell confirmed by 5 of my 
> neighbors in AZ.  Had
> the engine oil changed at the standard interval and was told the same 
> thing for the second
> time at the same dealer.  Transmission oil needs to be changed because it 
> is dark and has
> a burned smell and differential leaking. About a $400 service bill if I 
> followed their
> recommendation. I didn't.   Drove back home and put another 3,000 miles on 
> the truck and
> had it serviced back at my Ford dealer here in WA that I trust. 
> Transmission oil is fine,
> no burned smell and no leak in the differential case.  It is really hard 
> to find a dealer
> than can be trusted.  I will never ever do business with that Ford dealer 
> in AZ again.
> Horne Ford in Apache Junction, AZ. Not an honest service department.
> http://www.roberthorneford.com/
>
> Dean VP
> Snohomish, WA
>
> "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and 
> leave a trail."
> - Ralph Waldo Emerson
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com 
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]
> On Behalf Of Roy Morgan
> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2012 9:43 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] OT: Check the grounds
>
>

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