On 8/14/2004 8:01 PM Chip Stein spake these words of knowledge:


>> > Yes, I know, it was stupid to take it to the dealer and I have
>> > learned my lesson, but it still stings pretty bad. I am a huge Honda
>> > fan, but this has soured me a little.... funny thing is that we were
>> > going in to look at Odysseys at that dealership this weekend, not
>> > now.
>> >
>> > brian drake
>> > charlotte, nc
>>
>> --
>
> so what you are saying is that the tech's time and the dealerships
> time is worth nothing. the fact that you left your gas cap loose is
> not their problem, it's yours! and it should cost you. that piece of
> equipment they read your codes with is called the HDS and costs them
> about 6000.00. it has to get paid for. what line of work are you in
> by the way????
> Chip


No, Chip; that's not how it works. Nor is that how it *used* to work.
Here's how it *did* used to work. When you had a problem, you took it
to someone you trusted to be competent, and trusted not to **** you too
hard on the cost. If they couldn't diagnose the problem, they didn't
charge you. If they did diagnose the problem, they told you what it
was. If you couldn't get it fixed right then, you didn't; you would
usually pay some sort of fee for the diagnosis at this time, or you left
with the understanding that when you did get it fixed, you would do it
at that shop. They trusted you to be fair and honest with them.

If you did get it fixed right then, you did it there; you trusted them
to be fair and honest with you.

If there wasn't any actual problem, say something like the problem
outlined by the originating poster of a loose gascap, they told you, you
said thanks, and went home. When you had a problem in the future, you
remembered how you were treated and took it back to the same shop.

No one's time or labor is thought to be worthless; you have working
people who trust the shop to be competent, fair and honest, and you have
repair shop personnel who trust that their customers will recognize
value received and become satisfied, repeat customers.

In contrast, I was charged $279 not long ago for an oil change, tire
rotation, and a list of 'inspections' which took roughly six minutes to
perform on my Odyssey, by the Honda shop. Unfortunately, there is only
one in my area, and no one else I trust to do these inspections.

It's free enterprise, of course; I don't have to take my Honda there for
service. But it isn't right, not by a long shot.

I know you asked Brian this question, but I'm going to answer; I have a
company that services computers, and does networking and other
computer-related work (www.wetumpkatechnology.com). Not long ago, I was
called to a law office to diagnose a computer problem. Although I spent
two hours, I was unable to determine the cause of the problem. My
hourly rate is $90, but in this case I chose not to charge even the $35
rate I charge just to show up. I told them that I didn't find, much
less fix, the problem. I told them (well, wrote down for them) what to
say to the manufacturer to take the next step in resolving it.

That law firm has become one of my best customers; I have worked on
their systems, and worked on the home PCs of some of the employees as well.

Because they trust me not to **** 'em over on the price, and not to
bullshit with them. Because I took a chance and didn't charge them when
I couldn't help them.

This economic model works; older people will tell you that that's how it
used to work all the time. It still does - or can.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
"The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your
problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the
ecology or the president. You realize that you control your own
destiny." -- Albert Ellis