Joe,
Last week at work one of my tires was very low on air. The closest place to where I work is Courtesy Chevrolet. I called and asked them if I could get some air in the tire.
They said "yes". I proceeded to go the service entrance and they took my car. They said my tire had a nail in it (I didn't ask to see the nail as I was anxious to get back to work) and they would put a plug in the tire. I was charged the following for the repair:
Tr Tire Repair $24.60 Labor
1 Plug 1.47 Part
Shop charge for
disposing the nail 1.25 Haz/Mat
Sales tax .17
Total repair $27.49
I have been told that the average repair should be about $15.00 However, I was at their mercy and paid the bill.
Here comes the kicker. I hope your are ready for a good laugh.
Around the first of the year, I had all 4 tires and valves replaced at Peninsula Total Car Care.
The service person told me (and I have it in writing) that they recommended I replace all 4 valve stems. Are you ready for your laugh??? Estimate $135.00. No mistake!!! Needless to say, I told them "No Thanks", took my car and left.
When I got off from work, I took my car to Peninsula and they told me that there is nothing wrong with my valves and that the old ones were replaced when I bought my tires.
I have never dealt with Courtesy and never will in the future. I will give them credit for speedy service as I was only there 33 minutes. I am a granny and don't have STUPID on my forehead. Thanks for letting me vent.
unfortunately, you have learned what the rest of us have already learned - Courtesy isnt very courteous.
ReplyDeletePohanka sales are bad too, but their service department is better.
i had low air in one of my tires, the oil change spot (next to ponzettis) filled the air for free and were totally nice about it too!
I love grandmas...They are great for home cooked meals and spoiling grandkids but obviously don't know anything about cars. First, the cost of the tire repair is spot on. The labor rate is about $90/hour. They have to pay the employee and a lot of over head. Secondly, If you bought four tires from pennisula then they should have been given an opportunity to fix it. Once the problem was discovered, they probably would have fixed it for free because that is how customers are taken care of. Thirdly, today's tubeless tires tend to leak at the valve stem and this could be the cause of a slow leak, maybe not the nail. They were just suggesting their replacement. Now to replace them all the tires must be removed, beads broken, old valve stems removed, new ones installed, reinflated, reinstalled on the vehichle and maybe even road tested. I think that would take about 1 to 1.5 hours, hence the $135 price tag. So rather than run down a local company for charging for services provided, just stick to baking chocolate chip cookies for the grand kids.
ReplyDeleteWow sounds like you may be the person who gave the "granny" the quote 4:15.....SHAME on you for being so pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI agree the repair is unreasonable. I have had nails and plugs put in more that once at Delaware Tire and have never paid than 9 to 15 dollars for this repair. Even Pep Boys has never charged me that much for this! Some of the charges were laughable! Hazmat charge for a nail!!!!! I can buy a tire plug kit at Walmart for less than 10 dollars! I always keep this in the trunk just in case. It's a very simple repair!
ReplyDeleteNever take you car to a dealership for a non warranty repair!
Never, Never take your car to a dealership for a non warranty repair! Over the years I have had the same thing happen and have taken it to Delaware Tire or Pep Boys. I have never paid more than 9 to 15 dollars for this. You can buy a tire plug kit at walmart for less than that and is very simple and easy to fix! I keep one in the trunk of my car with the spare. Find a good mechanic and stick with them! You also help a local business and not a corporation!
ReplyDeleteI recommend University Tire on Rt 13 South they are awesome! I'm not a granny I'm a young female but my dad always told me dealerships charge more than everyone else -- so I don't go there unless its for something covered under warranty.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why you are complaining granny. You're complaning about $12 over what you think should be the bill? Are you kidding me? Most people wouldn't even take a tire off for $15. Isn't there value in the convenience of taking it there on the same day that you called, especially to the place where you did NOT buy the tire? You're lucky they did not charge you more.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say Granny is you were definitely ripped off!
ReplyDeleteThere are fair and reasonable charges, but except for the part, the rest was BS. They must have seen dollars signs when you drove on the lot!!!!
the last time I had work done at University Tire..I had 4 tires replaced and when they road tested it...the left front fell off...on the bright side at least THEY road tested it before I drove it...
ReplyDeleteFYI: A lot of places will replace your value stem but cutting the old one and pushing the new one in, hence never having to take the tire off but charging you for it anyway.
ReplyDeleteThey have a right to set their prices, and you have the right to seek service elsewhere... that's the beauty of a free economy. I would never have service done at a dealership becuase it generally costs more, but that's my personal preference. They weren't holding you at gunpoint, so it's not fair to slam them for doing what you asked of them. Your only mistake was not asking for the price upfront. Then, there would have been no surprise in the end.
ReplyDeleteuniversity tire - went in with a slow leek. they tested the tire, broke it down, reseated, ect. no charge, they couldnt find a problem. i eventually had new tires put on.
ReplyDeletevalve stems - if you have tire pressure monitoring system the stems can cost even more.
i also recomend burnette white. i had a nail fixed there once and cost @ $20, thats the normal rate as it does take @ 20-30 minutes
4:57- You are the kind of person that gets over charged because you are uninformed. A vavle stem can't be put in without taking the tire off. The new valve stem pops in from the inside of the rim and has to be pulled through the hole. Come on man- wake up. Evil business men aren't out to get ya. They have to charge you for the knowledge you don't have.
ReplyDeleteDelaware Tire all the way! I have been dealing with Delaware Tire since I have been driving. I live in Southwest Central Virginia now, and I have driven 6 hours to have my tires replaced by them. I won't go anyplace else unless it is a dire emergency! Those guys are the best!
ReplyDeleteAlways Always Always.. go to Dave and Rondel at Peninsula Total Car Care. They are by far the most honest and fair in Salisbury.... and just good guys to boot.
ReplyDeleteI will never go to Courtesy again. I haven't had a problem with their service but had problems with their sales. When the new camaros came out my wife and i went to look at the one they had there and we stood out there and no one would even come out to us. they were just standing inside talking. I guess we looked to young and they didn't think we would buy the car. To make a long story short the salesperson lied to us when we ordered it so after 8 weeks of waiting for it we went to IG Burton and bought one. They were great and Courtesy lost a $40,000 sale. Their customer service was horrible
ReplyDeleteShould have went to Price Buick.....They are great to deal with and very helpful.
ReplyDelete4:57 would have paid to see you put the valve stems in from the outside (that is if you could have gotten them in and they still held air) YOU a tire man are you lol
ReplyDeleteAnnon 4:57 You don't have a clue, keep riding your tricycle.
ReplyDeleteTo 4:15 and 4:37, Granny has been driving probably longer than you have been alive. I have bought many tube and tubeless tires and have never had a problem with leakage. I was on the North side of town and Peninsula is the South side of town. How far would you drive on a tire that was very close to flat? I was glad that they fixed the tire promptly, but whatever happened to just taking care of a problem at a reasonable price? The service person did say that my tires looked fairly new, so why did they suggest that I need new valves? I feel that they were just looking for something to fix. Thank you 4:15 for informing me of the procedure for replacing a valve, but that work was done when I purchased my tires. By the way, my car 15 years old and just turned 100,000 on it. No visit to Courtesy when I start looking for a car. To 4:15, Granny does get out of the kitchen and I just didn't fall off the turnip truck!
ReplyDelete1. You chose to go to the most convenient repair location to you. Courtesy did not "lure" you in.
ReplyDelete2. Given the price they charged you and an average dealership labor rate of $100/hr, you were only charged 15 minutes for the repair service. That appears reasonable.
3. While recommendations are free, they are how a lot of businesses add incremental revenue. Has Best Buy ever offered to sell you extended warranty? It's all your decision how you spend you money.
4. After work, you took the time to go to Peninsula since that would not require you to risk losing personal revenue as you might have if you didn't go to Courtesy.
5. Now, you had a road hazard warranty from Peninsula. You chose not to have Peninsula honor it by going to Courtesy. What exactly were you looking to Peninsula to do for you at no cost? Fact is that they did nothing for you and charged you nothing.
Neither Courtesy or Peninsula deserve criticism over how they performed FOR YOU. In fact, Courtesy should be praised for being so responsive and having YOU out of there in such a short period of time. YOU had a valid warranty with Peninsula that YOU chose not to exercise for YOUR convenience. I don't understand how either of these two businesses deserve the criticism being levied upon them. THEY are not responsible for your leaking tire or the repair bill of $27.49 you had to pay. YOU ARE.
After you are finished writing on your forehead, please put the pen away somewhere where it isn't so easy to get to. :^)
Less than $30 total bill is reasonable for anything at a dealer, Granny.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do have a problem with the "hazmat" disposal fee ... for a NAIL??!? You could have demanded they return that part back to you, and save a buck ...
There are alot of reasons not to do business with Courtesy, but I cannot for the life of me see a problem with what they charged. You walked in without an appointment, walked out 30 min later with a repaired tire for $27.49?
ReplyDeleteDo you know what new tires cost these days? For my car from a discount tire place is about $100 a tire ($130 per at a retail shop). (before mounting/balancing)
They had to take the tire off, find the leak, plug it (epoxy takes time to dry) retest it, and remount it. I'm guessing the service guy probably makes around $16 a hour (for a junior guy) ++ benefits, taxes etc. So really you're looking like $32 an hour just for his labor costs. Then you have overhead (my rent on a 3000 sq ft. retail space is $3100 a month, electric $850, telephone $200, insurance, taxes, etc etc)
I'm betting they LOST money on helping you, and you're ungrateful.
Personally (i'm not in car business) I would've charged you $75 to do it.
If you were happy with the work done at Peninsula why didn't you take the car back there? How could you not expect a dealer to be a few dollars more.
Times are tough right now, businesses have to charge money to stay in business, it's not charity.
If you are a member of Sam's Club, they will fix a tire for free. They will check air pressure and add air for free also.
ReplyDeleteA) How much is your time worth B) Do you expect a dealer to repair the tires you bought somewhere else for free? (C) Do you think the dealer might pay there mechanic's more than someplace like WalMart, so in turn they might have to charge a little more? (D) Isn't it worth paying $27.49 for the peace of mind knowing your repair was done by professionals?
ReplyDeleteI bought a vehicle from them and had a great experience. I went to all the major dealerships along Rt13 and had the best experience at Sherwood and Courtesy. Sherwood did not have what I was looking for. I have been back for oil changes... they are expensive, but I get good service and a pleasant wait. If you want cheap tire repairs get a Sam's Club membership. I don't know if they still do, but they used to do tire repairs for free for members.
ReplyDeleteFor your information 4:37 you DO NOT take the tire off to stick a PLUG in it. The entire operation (finding the hole and plugging it) takes less than 10 minutes. AND for further information, NO reputable service would EVER suggest something like a valve stem replacement as a maintenance item, especially since the tires and stem had obviously been replaced recently. Sounds like the old " You need the air in your tires replaced" scam to me !!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about buying a new car. I once had Chevys, but Courtesy service declined, so I went to another dealership. I like the look of the new Impalas and thought about giving Courtesy another shot, since it's been a good number of years since I dealt with them. Thanks for alerting me. I guess things haven't changed much.
ReplyDeletePohanka is as bad as any of the dealers, and I've heard my share of horror stories from them recently. (All from co-workers or friends.)
ReplyDeleteThe one that really ticks me off was when a very good friend (that purchased her Camry from Pohanka) took it in telling them that she couldn't operate her window. Thye not only charged her to flip the child-safety switch, but they included a fee for placing the car on the lift!!!
Let me get this right. You had a problem, and you got it fixed in 30 minutes for less than 30 bucks. And you are complaining? Let me spin this scenario, you are on 495 in DC on the way to granbabies house when this happens. $300 later you are fixed, feel better now? Joe, I know you won't print this, but I'm just saying.........
ReplyDeletethe price is not that far off, and don;t think it should have made a post, however, i have had 2 dealings with courtesy and it was not good.
ReplyDeletebut to be fair i have had some good there.
University tire $20.00 tire was already off and i put it back on when i got home.
ReplyDeleteYou go Granny, Give 'em what they deserve. and they don't get any Cookies at Christmas either...
ReplyDeleteWhat a granny without AAA?? Suck it up and quit your belly aching!
ReplyDeleteal in fenwick....amen and hopefully it wasn't a sharpie
ReplyDeleteGrand Ma's are marks for losers at car dealerships...
ReplyDeletethat dealership is so used to ripping off travelers with no other options..
I had a friend that was assigned here from a Florida company...
I guess that dealership must have worked 10 hours at 90$ an hour on his A/C..and never fixed the issue .. thinking the can of freon they put in his Cadillac
would get him back to where he came from or at least far enough
they'd never see him again
Since Obama runs GM that repair should have crossed his desk for approval
ReplyDeleteNever, never, never take your car to the dealership for repair!
ReplyDelete3/4 of the responders need to re-read the original post.
ReplyDelete1. Not once does she complain about Peninsula, she only mentions that she had new tires put on less than a year ago.
2. She said she was thankful for Courtesy getting her in and finished quickly.
3. She was making a point that the dealer was trying hard to grasp at something to lure her in and charge extra for. No one would ever need all 4 valve stems replaced when they had done this a year ago. We could all understand them saying she needed brakes, maybe an oil change, perhaps a muffler was falling off, but valve stems? Come on.
4. Hazmat disposal for a nail? Too funny!!! Show me any tire service center that would list this...greed is abound at Courtesy!!!
The fact of the matter is that there are going to be people that hate dealing with a certain business and do nothing but bash, and there are going to be people that love to deal with them and praise them. It is like this in any form of business, it does not matter whether it is the Auto Service industry, HVAC Service Industry, or a General Contractor. The thing is different people have different wants and needs and some places are able to handle things in different ways in order to satisfy certain people. I have had good experiences and bad at alot of businesses here in Salisbury, some places have there good days and there bad. This my friends is life. And with talk of dealerships and outlandish pricing, whether you know it or not alot of smaller shops send vehicles to the dealerships without the customers knowing to have them repaired because their non factory trained technicians are unable to repair them.
ReplyDeletePeninsula Total Car Care is an outstanding place to take your car for any repair work or new tires. Great work and attitude.
ReplyDelete