<VV> Scams - The "Flat Rate" book is the mechanics friend.

Fri Sep 15 16:35:48 EDT 2006

I agree with the former Jiffy Lube tech, that he may have worked for one of 
the "good ones."

There must be good shops out there.

But that's not the point; the "bad apples" certainly DO exist, and those are 
the ones we need to watch.

Unfortunately, we can't assume that they are all good ones, and must be 
aware of what CAN be done to us if we are unaware, or maybe just "too nice" 
(or not knowledgeable enough) to complain when we get victimized.

However, some (not all) will try to fool ANYone that they think they can 
fool, which is anyone who hasn't proven that they can't be snowed.

Watch CBS / NBC / ABC uncover them almost on a daily basis, and notice how 
hard it would have been for you to even have been aware that you were 
snookered !

Further, if they know that you know their business, they will probably want 
to send you someplace else.

Smart customers are nothing but trouble (although there once was ad on TV 
saying how "Smart customers are their BEST customers."

I don't think even they believed that.

Now I hear a radio ad that says, "If we try THIS hard to get you business, 
imagine how hard we will work to KEEP your business !"

People actually believe this stuff, it works, and as I've said before, they 
are "fair game" and deserve what they get (or don't get.)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Paul" <barnaby at shaw.ca>
To: "Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per" <chaz at ProperProPer.com>
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> (not just) Jiffy Lube Scam - scams in general

>
> When I was a kid with my first Corvair I blew out the clutch, I went to 
> the local Chev dealer where the mechanic said that the flat rate for the 
> clutch plate was so many hour and the flat rate for the berring war so 
> many hour and I would have to pay for both because that was what was in 
> the Flat Rate Book.  My Dad was an ex-airforce mechanic and came to the 
> shop with me.  He told the mechanic we would pay for both jobs if he 
> dismantled the clutch and put in the berring, then reassembled the clutch 
> and took it apart again to put in the clutch plate.  The mechanic changed 
> his mind and felt that both jobs could likly be done at the same time.  He 
> would try to fool a kid, but would back down when called on it by someone 
> who knew the game.
> All the best
> Robert Paul
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per <chaz at ProperProPer.com>
> Date: Friday, September 15, 2006 12:36 pm
> Subject: Re: <VV> (not just) Jiffy Lube Scam - scams in general
>
>> That makes a good, if tangential, point :
>>
>> The "Flat rate manual" is the mechanics best friend !
>>
>> The "flat rate" is supposed to take all jobs into consideration,
>> some take
>> less time, and some take more time.
>>
>> However, if the job takes less time than the book says, they
>> charge the
>> "flat rate."
>>
>> Then, if the job takes more time than the book says, they charge
>> the actual
>> time (without getting into whether they actually inflate that as
>> well !)
>>
>> Like when they break something they shouldn't oughta have broke !
>> Knowing how to avoid a problem is one reason for bringing it to
>> "pro" but
>> when they make that mistake anyway, they charge you for it anyway.
>>
>> Why not ?  They have your car, which you problem need more than
>> leaving it
>> with the mechanic while you hassle over the extra charges.
>>
>> Besides, what is he going to do to your car while he has it,
>> knowing you are
>> haggling over the price ?
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "John Kepler" <jekepler at amplex.net>
>> To: "'Frank DuVal'" <corvairduval at cox.net>; <mygroups at frontiernet.net>
>> Cc: "'Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per'" <chaz at ProperProPer.com>;
>> "'Virtual
>> Vairs'" <VirtualVairs at corvair.org>; <AeroNed at aol.com>
>> Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 5:48 AM
>> Subject: RE: <VV> Jiffy Lube Scam - scams in general
>>
>>
>> >
>> > How would you remove a seized spark plug?  Would you charge the same
>> > amount of time as a plug that comes out easily?
>> > Fair is fair. Time is money. Your friend wanted something for
>> nothing.> Doesn't sound fair to me.
>> >
>> > Does to me!
>> >
>> > Removing a "corroded" sparkplug is common enough that a
>> competent wrench
>> > SHOULD be able to remove it without having to pull the head!
>> It's simply
>> > a
>> > method that the "less-than-scrupulous" flat-rater uses to pad a
>> bill!
>> > FWIW,
>> > THIS former flat-rater uses anti-seize on ALL plugs, AND uses a
>> torque> wrench set at the proper value (17 ft-lbs) to install
>> them!  This
>> > eliminates
>> > the "problem" from occurring in the first place!
>> >
>> > John
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all
>> copyrights are the property
>> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, mailto:vv-
>> help at corvair.orgThis list sponsored by the Corvair Society of
>> America, http://www.corvair.org/
>> Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
>> Change your options:
>> http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs
>> _______________________________________________
>>
> 