by "Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
Published 06/23/2017 at 17:57
by "Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
Published 06/23/2017 at 17:57
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STARS: 2
My friend owns an auto repair business and I spent the week there whilst he was on vacation. No pay, just as a favor. (I am a competent service manager in many regards, it turns out.)
A lady came in yesterday and her car was starting to make a milkshake somewhere and they quoted her a radiator and a transmission flush and she drove away and the car threw up an hour later on the freeway and she had it towed back this morning. Nobody said, “Ma’am, this car shouldn’t be driven even one block and it’s a good thing you stopped in because your car is about to die a very sloppy death.”
We could have been her hero and instead, they’ll be lucky if she doesn’t sue.
I deserted them after than happened. Too much drama.
"CB" (jrcb)
06/23/2017 at 18:05, STARS: 0
Why would she be able to sue? Honestly curious as to what legal standing she has.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
06/23/2017 at 18:11, STARS: 1
Was this car a Toyota 4Runner? They’re known for strawberry milkshakes .
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/23/2017 at 18:13, STARS: 1
No expert, I. We shouldn’t have let her drive away.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/23/2017 at 18:13, STARS: 0
This milkshake was much less appetizing.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/23/2017 at 18:58, STARS: 0
I assume theres some sort of understanding that a certified shop is not allowed to let a customer leave with a clearly not roadworthy car.
This is a more extreme case but youd think somebody could sue if they were given a car that had broken rear brake lines and the customer hits something. Kinda like that.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/23/2017 at 19:11, STARS: 0
But when we don’t let them leave they blame us for ripping them off. We can’t hold cars hostage. That being said, I’ve paid for tow trucks for customers who didn’t believe me and still wanted to drive away. That conversation is on thin ice most of the time. It doesn’t help that service advisors don’t always relay everything a tech says about a vehicle, or correctly portray a repair’s severity. Techs aren’t perfect either though, and can forget, or omit that information thinking it’s obvious to anyone how bad something is.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/23/2017 at 20:20, STARS: 1
Thanks for the reply. What I meant was that we shouldn’t have let her
drive
away. If I’d known that her car was making milkshakes already, I’d have advised her to have her car
towed
away while she decided how to proceed. I would have strenuously warned her against driving the car at all. That’s all I was saying. In fact, I’d suggested she call a radiator shop and a transmission shop and get price quotes from them. I was not aware that there was a milkshake already in the making, or I’d have strongly recommended against driving the car at all.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/23/2017 at 22:30, STARS: 0
Then it sounds like the tech dropped the ball in communicating to you what was going on. It sucks. Hopefully it somehow works out for everyone involved.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/23/2017 at 22:51, STARS: 0
My comment to them was, and remember, I was just pretend service manager this week, that if a car comes in making a milkshake, the tech should stick a big red sticker on the steering wheel saying DON’T DRIVE THIS CAR. Or shoot off a flare. Or I should read the inspection report. Any of those things.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/23/2017 at 22:58, STARS: 0
You didn’t read the inspection report!? Rookie mistake! Ok, that’s a lie. They never read the inspection report.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/24/2017 at 00:47, STARS: 0
Yup. No doubt. Still: car comes in facing imminent death, you make sure everyone knows.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/24/2017 at 04:10, STARS: 0
For sure. When it’s something like that I send my advisors emails. If they don’t respond I go talk to them. With my team I stress the importance of communication.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/24/2017 at 06:16, STARS: 0
Yes. What is your role?
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/24/2017 at 14:30, STARS: 0
Lead tech.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/24/2017 at 15:26, STARS: 0
Of how many? The owner was the lead tech. He needs a service manager. I feel greatly satisfied by what I was able to contribute walking in cold, but I’d have a bit to learn about balancing business smarts with compassion. But good SOP and good communication will take care of much of that.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/24/2017 at 15:33, STARS: 1
There are three of us sharing lead responsibility for about twenty techs. The balancing act is difficult at times. And you have to constantly remind them of SOP’s. And some just suck at communication. But it’s rewarding at times, and challenging of course. Keeps you on your toes and pays the bills.