Am I a Fool? [Hey, Rhetorical Only!]

[DNK]

So I thought I'd promote a local business that I hear advertised on the local car show.A Steering gear co. that is popular by the local rod heads.
Take the Wedge PS rack to them and ask if they do this.A guy asks what is is from and i tell him a TR8 or a Rover SD1.
The young man has no idea what those cars are I can see by the deer in the headlights look, so I give him my contact info and go on my merry way.
After a couple of weeks I haven't heard anything And I send them this
"Dropped my TR8 rack off a week ,or so, ago .
Haven't heard if you can do it or cost
It's an Alford and Alder rack
Thanks
Don Kelly "

couple of days later I get this
"Yes, we will be done with it in 3 or 4 days, and it is going to be about $535"

So I fire off a note and say that they were suppose to get me an estimate first as that is the usual way things work and here is their response.

"When you brought this rack in it was Court that you spoke with. And his feeling were that you weren't concerned about time and that you wanted this rack fixed. He doesn't recall anything about an estimate before we started rebuild. Also, the tag that we had you make up, does not say anything about estimate only or estimate first, and even if you didn't put it on there and you told us that is what you wanted, we would have added that information to the tag. The tag has no such information on it. Also, on a rack like this, when we don't know exactly what it is- which you were not able to tell us- there is no way to get a good estimate without opening it up and matching the parts.

Sorry. Hope this helps.

So after discussing my displeasure with them they knock off $25 bucks.
Could have had the same thing done by Woody for 315.00

Sheesh

 

[TR3driver]

Pay them with a credit card, get your rack back, file a protest with the credit card company. Not sure what the laws are in WA, but in CA you are entitled to an estimate WITHOUT having to ask for it in writing!

 

[justin_mercier]

owch =(

When i get my wedge over to Woody to repair the damage from the collapsed carport this spring, I'm going to get an estimate from him on what it'd take to convert the steering rack to power steering, and if it's possible with what I've got in there currently.

That's the only real beef i've got with my wedge, at low speeds turning the wheel sucks, bad. My TR6 i can turn the wheels, while stopped, with one finger, the wedge i have to grab with both hands and yank, HARD and it still barely moves.

 

[DNK]

Randall - To late

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Wa St Attorney General office. Auto Repair facilities required to give estimates.
Also, how much you wanna bet they mailed your rack off to someone who did it for $315, added $220 for "profit", and were magnanmous enough to take 25 off that?
I have seen that before when outfits want the work but can't do the work.
Mail it to someone who can.
Why do you think it took two weeks?

 

[DNK]

No, Dave pretty sure they did it in house

 

[mallard]

This may be a good time to form some sort of recommended vendor list for these type of things. Fewer and fewer people know what they are doing with these cars. Sorry about the problem with your car.

 

[KVH]

Here's how I feel about it:

They should have given you an estimate, but they apparently needed the work bad enough that they stretched both the truth and what would be a common sense manner of handling any like matter. In the end, what goes around comes around. They'll survive telling the truth, or they'll be gone for being less than honest. He should have apologized and hoped you'd understand.

But given that you wanted to help a local business, and given that we're in the worst recession any of have known in 40 years, with everyone hurting, I'd thank them and be done, and hope the work helped them pay rent and buy food for the hourly guys they've got struggling there to make a living.

The $200 extra you paid "might" be offset by superior workmanship, convenience of locale, better ability to enforce warranty work, and peace of mind.

Sometimes I just say I learned a lesson, too.

But I'd be real sure to hold them to a standard of workmanship if anything isn't perfect.

 

[tr8todd]

FWIW, rebuild kits are available from Rimmer Bros for less than $100. The kits have every piece you need to rebuild both the rack and the control box. I rebuilt one myself once and it wasn't too difficult. The last time I needed a rack rebuilt, I took the kit and the rack to a local shop that rebuilds hydraulic cylinders, PS pumps, etc. Had it back two days later for a cost of $130.(2 hours labor) I cleaned it up first, removed all of the PS lines and boots, and unsecured the inner tie rods before dropping it off so that probably saved a little on the labor. Before reinstalling, I treated myself to new rack boots, tie rod ends and ball joints. The place with the most experience rebuilding TR8 racks is Atlantic Power Steering.
Here is a link to their website.

https://www.atlantic-ent.com/

You call ahead and they give you a number to attach to the rack you are sending in for rebuild. When they are finished rebuilding it, they call you for payment. When you send your rack to a vendor, this is the place the vendors send the racks to be rebuilt. Once atlantic rebuilds them, they are drop shipped back to you. The TR8 parts vendors don't rebuild anything. They sub it out. As TOC said above, I'd bet your guys mailed it off and then added shipping fees and profit. That's why there was a 2 week turnaround time.

 

[GBRandy]

I would explain to them exactly what you did. Looking to support a local guy instead of sending to a guy out east. Wanted an estimate becuase the guy out east can do it for $315....and show them a link to Woody's site.

Hate to throw Woody under the bus like that, but the damage is done there.

I like supporting the local people where I can, but supporting our engaged TR8 club members is important as well.

Good luck Don.....

 

[tdskip]

I've had a similar go around on brake lines for my MGC, dealing with professionals that actually didn't know what the heck they were doing. Could have just ordered up everything from Moss and saved $500...

Sorry to hear it Don.

 

[DNK]

Well, I have a beautiful rack anyway.
Though it might be a mute point as I am seriously thinking of the electric unit similar as to the S&S unit.
So I might end up selling this

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Well, I have a beautiful rack anyway.

Ummmm.....


NAH!

 

[GBRandy]

Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

 

[DNK]

Well, I have a beautiful rack anyway.

Ummmm.....NAH!

Thanks for the discretion, Mick

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Well, I have a beautiful rack anyway.

Ummmm.....NAH!

Thanks for the discretion, Mick

Hey - that's what I do! :wink:

But when someone gives me that kind of opening, I'm gonna jump on it!

 

[DNK]

...
Also, how much you wanna bet they mailed your rack off to someone who did it for $315, added $220 for "profit", and were magnanmous enough to take 25 off that?
...

Boy do I stand corrected and bow down to the folks who new. A while ago I called them back and asked them if it was done in house or not. They said they sent it out and boy did I lay into them.
I told them if I wanted it sent out I could have done that and if they couldn't do it they should have called me and ask me what I wanted to do.
They told me it was their impression I wanted it done no matter what.
Geeez!

Like I want to spend double to have something done.

Informed them they would never get my business and I would steer others away too.

Once again I apologize for my single minded thinking on this

 

[Brosky]

Don, I almost hate to tell you this, but I had mine overhauled, painted to look like new, along with painting the entire sub frame assembly and reinstalled for just a little more than that price at Woody's shop.

Those guys are just jerks and stupid businessmen at that,

 

[DNK]

I basically told them the same thing Paul