Good Fortune,---Or a Ripoff?

[Sundance Kid]

Took my 2003 Honda back to the dealer, to repair a portion of upholestry to the back of the drivers seat. Don't know how, or when it happened. But, it's coming apart..

Honda wants $480.00 to repair. But,-- will call the Factory Rep, to see if I can get a courtesy discount and call me with his decision.

I then went to a local upholstery shop, that's been in business for 25 years and they'll
do the repair for $85.00. Good as new and should take about 2-3 hours.

Honda calls back, they talked to the factory rep. and they'll replace it for FREE!!

Now, I would have paid Honda $100.00, to do the job straight out. But, 480 is plumb ridiculous! I'm 3 months out of warranty, so it was possible, they'd cut me a little slack. At this point, I just don't feel that everyone is being honest and I'm getting the "Good Guy-Bad Guy" pony show. Know what I mean?

[Mr._johngalt]

Originally Posted by Sundance Kid

Took my 2003 Honda back to the dealer, to repair a portion of upholestry to the back of the drivers seat. Don't know how, or when it happened. But, it's coming apart..

Honda wants $480.00 to repair. But,-- will call the Factory Rep, to see if I can get a courtesy discount and call me with his decision.

I then went to a local upholstery shop, that's been in business for 25 years and they'll
do the repair for $85.00. Good as new and should take about 2-3 hours.

Honda calls back, they talked to the factory rep. and they'll replace it for FREE!!

Now, I would have paid Honda $100.00, to do the job straight out. But, 480 is plumb ridiculous! I'm 3 months out of warranty, so it was possible, they'd cut me a little slack. At this point, I just don't feel that everyone is being honest and I'm getting the "Good Guy-Bad Guy" pony show. Know what I mean?

Nope.

JG

[Sundance Kid]

Thanks, you made my day!

[Sundance Kid]

JG,
Do you have a communication problem? Why bother posting on this board?
I don't think "Nope" is an answer. Just don't post anything, if you don't have a useful comment.

If they'll do it for free, why don't you just let them and not worry about?

What do you want?

[azanon]

He made an unprovoked cut on Nords yesterday in the sub thread i started too. I noticed everyone (including me) just ignored it.

[newguy88]

Originally Posted by Sundance Kid

Took my 2003 Honda back to the dealer, to repair a portion of upholestry to the back of the drivers seat. Don't know how, or when it happened. But, it's coming apart..

Honda wants $480.00 to repair. But,-- will call the Factory Rep, to see if I can get a courtesy discount and call me with his decision.

I then went to a local upholstery shop, that's been in business for 25 years and they'll
do the repair for $85.00. Good as new and should take about 2-3 hours.

Honda calls back, they talked to the factory rep. and they'll replace it for FREE!!

ANYTHING taken to the dealer will cost more, you will be paying almost 100 dollars an hour labor costs. So the job at the guy on the street for 85 dollars is probably a good price.

You figure 3 hours of work and materials which will have a higher mark up at the dealer.

Now the rep says they will do it for free, well its a no brainer. Free works..

Now, I would have paid Honda $100.00, to do the job straight out. But, 480 is plumb ridiculous! I'm 3 months out of warranty, so it was possible, they'd cut me a little slack. At this point, I just don't feel that everyone is being honest and I'm getting the "Good Guy-Bad Guy" pony show. Know what I mean?

[soupcxan]

I second the motion...why can't this board add the functionality to block posts by certain users? Case in point: JG. He's just a troll, and not even a very entertaining troll.

Originally Posted by Sundance Kid

JG,
Do you have a communication problem? Why bother posting on this board?
I don't think "Nope" is an answer. Just don't post anything, if you don't have a useful comment.

Originally Posted by soupcxan

I second the motion...why can't this board add the functionality to block posts by certain users? Case in point: JG. He's just a troll, and not even a very entertaining troll.

In defense of JG - The OP asked a question "Know what I mean" - JG answered "Nope"

I don't know what the OP meant either and could have easily answered "Nope" also.

He asked a question and got an answer.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Cut-Throat

In defense of JG - The OP asked a question "Know what I mean" - JG answered "Nope"

I don't know what the OP meant either and could have easily answered "Nope" also.

He asked a question and got an answer.

That's the way I understood JG's response also.

[Sundance Kid]

I'm wrong. I asked a bad question, or at least put it inthe wrong form. Let me try again.

Business "A" quotes 480.00. Later rescinds, and says they'll do it for free.
Business "B" says, they'll do it for 85.00. No questions asked and do it in 2 hours.

Now , I'm all happy that the work is being done for free! By Business "A." But business"B,"
gave me a quote, thay makes me wonder, why I considered Business A, in the first place.

Does Busines "A", jack up all their quotes and appeal to higher authority for final detemination, or do they try to deal fairly with their customers, fron the getgo? I think, the difference from 480 to 85, for the same job, is highly questionable. I would have paid a reasonable amount, to fix this repair, since I'm out ofwarranty. But, the difference of 85 to 480, is more thn I can accept.

[MasterBlaster]

Is it any surprise to you that a dealership charged much much more than an independant upholstery shop ?

Also, Is this really an apples to apples comparison ?
I suspect that the upholstery shop was just going to repair a small section of the seat. And I also suspect that the dealership was going to replace the seat cover. Or something like that.

The dealership will fix it "the right way". You can always find someone else to fix it cheaper. Whether or not that is good enough or not remains to be seen.

- caveat emptor !

[Patrick]

It might be a goodwill gesture on the dealership's part. I would just have the dealership give you a written estimate that it will be repaired for free before they begin the work so that they don't come back later and try to charge your for it, and enjoy your new seat cover.

[73ss454]

Dealers will send the job out to the same shop that you went to anyway. They just mark it up.

Also a dealer will get good will money from the factory for things like this. Usually good will is extended up to 75K miles. After that your on your own.

[Sundance Kid]

That really is my question,--- the markup! How can one justify, the markup from 85-480? Why, should anyone, be subject to this accepted ripoff/ Aren't there laws to prevent this stuff? Bait and Switch, is an example. But more appropriately, charge what the market will bear. If the sucker will pay, let him pay.

[HFWR]

Originally Posted by Sundance Kid

Does Business "A" jack up all their quotes

Yup...

or do they try to deal fairly with their customers, from the getgo?

Nope...

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

[Sundance Kid]

Hey, --Time to go listen to some good country music!

[Sundance Kid]

--------------- Or, a little lovin!

[Mr._johngalt]

Originally Posted by Sundance Kid

That really is my question,--- the markup! How can one justify, the markup from 85-480? Why, should anyone, be subject to this accepted ripoff/ Aren't there laws to prevent this stuff? Bait and Switch, is an example. But more appropriately, charge what the market will bear. If the sucker will pay, let him pay.

The proper markup is whatever the market will bear. They have laws to
"prevent this stuff" in collectivist/socialist countries. Not compatible
with capitalism, where there must be winners and losers.

JG

[Mr._johngalt]

Originally Posted by Sundance Kid

I'm wrong. I asked a bad question, or at least put it inthe wrong form. Let me try again.

Business "A" quotes 480.00. Later rescinds, and says they'll do it for free.
Business "B" says, they'll do it for 85.00. No questions asked and do it in 2 hours.

Now , I'm all happy that the work is being done for free! By Business "A." But business"B,"
gave me a quote, thay makes me wonder, why I considered Business A, in the first place.

Does Busines "A", jack up all their quotes and appeal to higher authority for final detemination, or do they try to deal fairly with their customers, fron the getgo? I think, the difference from 480 to 85, for the same job, is highly questionable. I would have paid a reasonable amount, to fix this repair, since I'm out ofwarranty. But, the difference of 85 to 480, is more thn I can accept.

I am sorry but I still don't know what the hell you are talking about.
If this is the sort of stuff you have to worry about you are indeed blessed.

JG