"A Customer does not need to be told fairy tales I think. But maybe I am wrong".

uncljohn;

I, for one, think that you are right "on target".

Maybe it's showing what a "geezer" I've become (or perhaps my owning a 1996 car since it was new does that without me saying anything!!) but I'm in 100% agreement.

My grandfather owned his own gas station/service shop. I'm not looking through "rose colored glasses" nor am I being merely loyal to his memory by saying that he would NEVER have done any service that wasn't necessary or specifically requested.

Even IF I was in the market for a new vehicle, I'd not take a second look on the lot of a dealership whose affiliated service facility had tried to "hose" me in the past.

I've found a shop that I'll go to for any under body work (brakes, suspension etc.).

I'm sill looking for a (relatively) honest independent shop to cover the rest of the vehicle, though.

I'd kind of like to find one well before I have any large problem and am forced to choose a shop in a hurry in order to get back on the road.

 

Marketing seems to have assumed the buying public (that's us) will respond favorably to purchasing products as if they are a form of an appliance and part of a "package". No longer it seems do you purchase a new Pick Up Truck (or anything else) as something with a base price and select and pay for your options. Recently looking at a new Pick Up and curios as to prices I stopped to look at Chevies. A young salesman asked what I wanted and my response was to look at a new pick up and he replied what body did I want. As if I was familiar with the current model names. I said "one with 2 doors" and the conversation went down hill from there. As he kept insisting that I might want (and at this point insert model name). My response to that simply was. How hard is it to show me one with 2 doors with out knowing what it is called? I can count them if there are more than 2 doors I am not interested.
So he showed me a "packaged Truck" with 2 doors that had a base price more than a Cadillac. All the stuff I had NO interest in was included as part of the packaged body style and the kid got miffed when I said no thank you and started to walk out. A second salesman showed up and volunteered to drive one up from the lot. And seemed to not understand the concept of a base price plus options. I am not interested in "On Star" or what ever it is called, GPS navigation is not important to drive it to a junk yard to find parts or the grocery store. I have been driving for almost 50 years now and if I wanted to know where some thing was I had a $3.00 map not a $3000.00 option built in as part of the radio that plays things I do not have in the house. I'll take a radio delete and install one from Wallmart. Nope, it comes with the "Package". That being the case I'll wait until Barret Jackson has another auction and purchase a restore something. They are cheaper and what I am looking for. DANG. And the stories go on. And yes I am kvetching!