Precision Tune outragious brake repair estimate Quoted 780 when if I bought all new parts at retain they would cost $300 Even if labor was $100 it sb $500 They tried to Billerica Massachusetts
I took my car into the Precision tune shop with a noisy rear break. As the car was old, I asked that they just repair what was broken and return the car. They mailed a $20 off per axle locally.
I expect pad replacement and tuned rotors in rear. They quated $740 claiming they applied the $40 discount.
I priced all new everything locally at a retail auto parts store and the tally was #320. Even if I paid them $100 per hour, repalcing every brake component should have cost $520.
they said I need everything all aound, had frozen calipers need emergency brake adjusted etc. etc. This was after I explained I was not keeping this old car.
I replaced the rear rotors, and pads myself. Nothing wrong with the front, nothing wrong with any caliper.
Obviously they tried to rip me off.
Ralph
Billerica, Massachusetts
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Dave
Greensboro,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Not Defending PT - Auto repair is a tough business
#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, July 31, 2004
I used to work for Precision Tune before going into business for myself. I can honestly say that after having worked for a couple different PT shops, that how you get treated there is largely dependant on the manager of the location, and the guys under the cars.
I don't believe that PT as a company is out to screw people; but they ARE out to make money.
That said, it is almost certianly true SOME of their managers and techs are unscrupulus. It's a big franchise, and like any cross section of people you might catagorize, some are good and some are scam artists. I worked in one location where the manager was a good salesperson and a very friendly lady; but she knew very little about auto repair - was always getting manipulated by one of the really snotty A$$holes I worked under the hood with & ended up sticking it to people without even realizing it.
I'd try to intervene when I saw it happening, but usually got met with threats from the A-hole instigator for 'stickin my nose in where it don't belong' & other such stuff.
I'd complain to my managers bosses (since she clearly didn't understand what was being done right under her nose), but the fact is, these 2 were making the company lots of money, so rather than do anything about them, they moved me to a different location.
My new boss was an older former mechanic, who was very knowledgable and honest, and couldn't be made do believe a load of BS from a crook in the bay - would't tolerate it. I loved working for this guy. We probably never made as much profit as the other store, but we built a large and loyal customer base there, and made a decent living.
Is PT out to screw you? I think the answer depends on which store you visit. The company doesn't as a policy try to rape the customer, but they don't seem to do to much about it when it happens either.
They are going to make a profit (granted a lot more than I make at my shop) on the parts they sell. You can't expect the repair shop to sell you parts for what the parts store does - PT may get some discount (usually 10 -20% less than the average joe off the street) from the parts house, but smaller companies like mine usually don't get anything off at all - we're lucky to just get them to deliver parts to us.
I guess my best advice is educate yourself a bit, at least in the area your repair is dealing with, find maintenence schedules from the manufacturer and follow them, and shop around until you find a mechanic/tech (not just the shop - it really boils down to they guy with the wrench)that you feel is trustworthy and stick with him.
One good test is to leave a known amount of change in the cupholder or ashtray and see whether the guy working on the car takes any.
I figure a guy who will steel your small change is more likely to cheat on your repair job than a guy who leaves it alone.
Good Luck
It's a buyer beware business.