Quote:
Originally Posted by TomC
On the way home from the Town Docks last night my VW Passat started sputtering/running rough and the CEL came on. Its done that before - the coil-on-plug failed, which is a common problem with these cars. I'm on vacation for a couple of weeks and i left my OBDII reader at home, so I couldn't read the trouble code myself. I got the car back to my place in Moult.
First thing this morning I stopped at Cliffords Auto at the top of the Neck road and asked him if he could help me out. Vacation's over this weekend and I have to get back to Mass. I asked if he could fit me in any time before Saturday.
Answer: "no"...
This is 30 min job once the problem is confirmed. I asked if he would read the code, have his parts runner order me the part? I would pay for his time and the part and install the coil myself (its not hard).
Answer: "no"...
I explained that I couldn't drive too far with the car running on 3 cylinders without burning up the catalytic converter and he was the closest garage. would he reconsider and squeeze me in?
Answer: "no... I had to turn a regular customer away earlier for a fuel pump, so I'm not fitting you in"
The good news: I called that foreign car repair place in Holderness across the street from the general store because they always have Audis/VWs out front. I talked to a guy named Pat and he said "if you can get it here, we'll get it done". I nursed the car up there and true to his word, he turned it around in a couple of hours, our vacation resumed, and I'll be able to get home this weekend.
I was rather disappointed that the local "neighborhood" garage basically told me to take a hike. This could have been one of those "good guy garage stories", but instead i'll never be able to recommend them. A shame...
At the same time, I did discover a new place who was willing to help me out of a jam...
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Why should he push work aside that was previously booked and promised to be done, just to fit you in at the spur of the moment because you are experiencing a known and common problem with your car, you left your own code reader at home and your vacation has been interrupted ?
What makes you so special ?
I understand your frustration with your situation at the time but it doesn't seem right to put down a hard working businessman who was obviously booked up with work, just because you were inconvenienced.
Maybe he is more concerned with upsetting a long time regular, year round, repeat customer, who's repair he was working on and possibly risk losing their business then he was in trying to help you one time.
Sounds to me like he was just being honest, knowing he didn't have time !