Dont you just hate it when................

[Knight]

Here to vent peoples!! :x

As a woman :roll: : (easy boys!)
I HAVE TO SAY - i absolutely hate it when you have a problem with your car (and your ususal 'trusty' mechanic has disappeared on you= he's on hols) and the mechanic you then got to talks to you like a child with no brains! :roll:

After chatting to a couple of mechanics and getting quotes - one was quite offended when i calmly explained to him that i knew exactly what was wrong with my car and i just wanted a quote on the getting the job done - boy did he get upset! -and then proceeded to give me the " well, come-on LOVE - you really dont know until you get the gear box out and, bla bla bla- you might need this and that done also" - (you know i switched off after the 'love' part, dont you!! :wink: )

So, to cut a long story short - i have stuffed my clutch/clutch plate (which is pretty good for a car that's done what it has with me in the last 5 years -incl low range stuff - and no history of ever being replaced in its 12 years on this earth/ 160Kms) - a new clutch it is!

MY POOR SUZI! :cry: but she'll be right come Thursday pm! :twisted:

But on the upside i am going to a reliable mechanic who has matched prices for the parts that i was given and will do the job in 3-4 hours! (now that's more like it style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif !!)
No attitude, no 'LOVE', no B/S!!!

(lets not get into the how it happened! - DAMN 'some' P-PLATERS!! and their lack of ANY common sense!!)

NOW VENTED!
Thankyou to all that have read this and sympathise with me (yep, i am hoping that is at least a couple of you)

Thankyou and no photos/autographs please! :wink:

Cheers
Knight

[Phoenix]

LOL, clutch repairs can be a PITA.

I know somebody that had heaps of trouble getting one fixed. I had my subaru in for a gearbox change, and ended up with a new clutch as well :evil:

As for simpathising, i haven't had any severe problems with the landy yet (Touch wood), but I know how much it sucks to have your car out of action.

[KEV0044]

...

[Knight]

Well THANKYOU!

I am over it now that i got to vent! (thanking all for letting me, not that you had a choice :wink: )

and yes - dont even go there with the 'sheela' comment - it would not have been pretty!

will update when i get the bill - but i have been quoted a nicely reasonable price (for once style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif !) - we'll see!


Knight :wink:

[KEV0044]

...

[Kretcheman]

I know how you feel.

My girlfriend HATES it when mechanics are condescending to her. She always comes back to me so ****ed off after getting a quote from mechanics like that. She's quite knowledgable about cars and sometimes is threated like an idiot. Even after saying something intelligent which proves she knows what she's on about, it still goes on. They soon lose her business though!

Funnily enough, it happens to me too. Mechanics try and pull the wool over my eyes, but only when I go somewhere straight from work (ie in a suit). If I take it somewhere on a weekend wearing civvies, they actually take the time to have a chat and listen to what you want to do. I find it quite interesting to see how differently people treat you depending on your (presumed) knowledge level...

I think mechanics that act like that must lose (not get in the first place) a lot of work. I know I never go back to a place that doesn't want me to have any involvment/input in what goes on with MY car.

ok, rant over.

More power to ya knight!

Laterz, Bryan

[Knight]

Ok, Ok, Back with my Car!! (phew :roll: )

So, the usual story - 'Be ready for you to pick up at 12pm'

I get there at 1pm
'It's not ready yet' (i know - i should have put a bet on that happening)
"hmmm, why not?'
'When the boys were putting your starter motor back in, they threaded the bolt - and they are getting you another one - but it'll take 2 hours to arrive'
"hmmm, i gather you have a loan car for me then?!!'
"um, er, yep, i'm sure i can get one for you...but...'
" Sorry, no buts, i called you at 11:30am - you told me all was ok to go in 1 hour - i have left work and i'm here now (62 kms away) - i have a billion errands this afternoon - as i am moving house in 2 days - so, i suggest that you do your very best to get me a loan car for the afternoon please!!!'

"ok then, no worries - will give you one for 3 hours'
"cool, now i can get on with my day - see you at 4pm then'

MAN, WHAT A HASSLE!!!
(you get that though! - but i really really needed to be mobile - so a loan car it was then)
I know - i am a hard woman to please!
But as he said they stuiffed it up and they'll fix it!! - (DAMN RIGHT THEY WILL!! :evil: )

So, in the end - Got the car back at 4:30pm
She feels great, still grwols like a meer-cat, and even has a brand new bolt on my starter motor!!

and cost a tidy: $494.00 all up!

So, who's a happy lady now = I AM!! 8)

Thankyou to all for reading!

Knight

(On the up-side - the 'Boys' said they loved the SUZI - as they dont get many sierra's in there - even called it a 'veteran' of the brand!! - LIKED THAT ONE!!! :wink: )

[VladTepes]

My missus know SFA about cars but STILL hates being treated like an idiot by mechanics ----or shed builders (don't get me started there again), electricians, whatever.

[drivesafe]

Hi Knight, I can understand how you feel and these idiots have no idea of how much work they loose because they THINK they are smarter than the customer, and usually it means that they are no where near as smart as the customer.
Having said that, I was, for many years, on the other side of the argument dealing with customers.
As the old saying goes “The customer is always right” and if these know-it-all idiots adopted that policy they would get a lot more work and learn a lot.
For a little over 10 year, one of my lines was designing, manufacturing and installing Home Security systems.
The Home Security market is like no other marketing field. The customer usually has just been burgled, there still in shock and/or scared and there insurance company has told them to have a security system installed and usually advises them to get at least three quotes and 95% of customers did not have a single clue about home security or what it was supposed to do, that's when I would get a phone call.
I quickly found that if you sat the customer(s) down and explained each function of the system, women more so that men seemed to appreciate the time you would take with them explaining and quoting on the system. 8 out of 10 jobs I got and in nearly every case the customer said it was not what my system did, it was because I took the time to properly explain the system to them.
The other companies, usually big name ones simply looked around the house, gave a quote and left.
This is exactly how many businesses treat there customers today and the best thing you can do when you strike one of the clowns is to tell him that the last place you went to ( weather you went to one or not ) not only gave a cheaper quote but they also seemed to know what they were talking about and then turn around and leave. Don’t give them a chance to open there mouth. This will leave them feeling like the idiots they are.
Regards. 8)

[landrovermick]

I agree with drive safe - In a previous life two of the companies I worked for spent a lot of money on us as staff teaching us amongst many things how to deal with female customers. In short when dealing with women it pays to be no less than 100% open and honest - the reason for this is unfortunantly a lot of women think they are being taken for a ride. Its funny but I found that in general - woman drove a harder bargain than men - and often were more agressive than men.

In time I found that it is sometimes - more often than not men who are the ones who - how can i say this - .....through their wanting to act like they knew more about things than we did who you could actually charge full retail prices - they were easier to sell to because usually they impulse bought - they didnt shop round etc etc.

Having said this there is a thing they do in a lot of industries called cross selling that is get you in on an advertised special and then sell you across to something that was the same retail price but we made double the gross profit on. Ill tell ya what when we did get a woman in on the special - they usually went out with the special - most blokes usually went out with a smile on their face - happy that they had got a deal - but i guarantee they didnt have the special, we made much more profit and everyone was happy.

So Knight - i see your point - there are still mechanics out there who will take a woman for a ride- find one you trust and please dont think that we are all trying to rip you off - some of us are very careful about the way we treat our female customers.

[Knight]

Well, seems that a couple of us have a story to tell in regards to this topic!

landrovermick - i would never suggest that ALL mechanics are like the one i had treated me like an idiot! :!: and i agree with you ...us women can be (not all) really agressive! - seen it too much lately - just drive in Sydney 8O - you'll see what i mean!!

**I know 4 guys who i would trust any car i have with!! **
(Shame though as 2 were on holidays, one is having a minor op and the other is a mate who is up visitiing his family in QLD - so normally i do have a couple of great guys that i go to for my car)

LOL - I laughed when i read what you were saying about some men and how they dont really shop around etc etc (again , not ALL men do this!!)

(reminds me of an ex doing them same) :roll:

And VladTepes - dont even start me on SOME (i repeat SOME) tradesmen - dealing with one real Space Cadet at the moment - as we just moved into a new place and some water issues need addressing...

Hmmmmmmmm :x

Gotta get back to it

back soon
Knight

[VladTepes]

Originally posted by Knight
And VladTepes - dont even start me on SOME (i repeat SOME) tradesmen - dealing with one real Space Cadet at the moment - as we just moved into a new place and some water issues need addressing...
Knight

Water issues, eh ?
I hope this is "supply of..." rather than "difficulty in expressing..." (ie from a lack of certain conveniences. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Knight]

For the love of all that is..............

DEFINITELY SUPPY OF!!!!! 8O !!

Definitely!

(never thought that one could have come across wrong!)

Thanks VladTepes!!!

Knight :wink:

[landrovermick]

Thanks Knight - yep there are some funny ones out there - I was generalising a bit in my last post on this topic....

mick