I needed to schedule a time to have my van serviced. There was no major work to be done, just a basic oil change and a minor repair to a headlight. I was assured that this could easily be completed in under two hours. Here’s the catch, without my van in service, I’m stuck. I have no other vehicles and no readily convenient way of getting a ride. Uber and other similar programs aren’t really a thing in my small town. I have mobility issues so just dropping it off, walking away for an indeterminate amount of time and going about my business isn’t viable.
Given the brief time that this repair was projected to require, I wanted to just hang around in their waiting room so that I could avoid these hassles. To accomplish this, I wanted my mechanic to select what day he wanted me to bring my van to his shop. I’m doing this with the understanding that my van would get the first service slot of the day. The shop opens at 8AM and I want my van in the bay by 8:10 so it can get back out ASAP.
I’m not demanding that my van be serviced immediately. I’m trying to minimize any ambiguity regarding how long my van will be unavailable to me. Chaos and delays tend to build on each other through the work day. I feel I can prevent such problems by being the first one into the shop. My mechanic should, IMHO, be able to look at his schedule and determine such a day. If I have to wait a few extra days for a day when I can get a guarantee of that first available slot, game on.
My mechanic flatly refused to give me this ‘first slot’ promise. He would tell me what day he wanted it and said it would be finished by 6PM, that’s the best he would do.
Am I being unreasonable in this expectation? Is it just accepted industry practice that the customer is expected to simply drop off their vehicle with the understanding that the mechanic will get to it sometime between now and later?
No, you are being reasonable. Those things should take a few minutes, not all day.
I wouldn’t demand the ‘first slot’, just tell him you’ll have to wait while they’re working on it and ask what works best for them.
Sure, the shop opens at 8, but maybe they don’t have a full crew until 10 or 11.
If this is a small mom n pop place, you could ask if someone could give you a ride home and pick you up later (or drop the car off). One of the mechanics in my area will shuttle people over to the local neighborhood bar that they jokingly refer to as their waiting room.
If the shop won’t work with you, even to the point of narrowing down a slot so you can wait, find a different shop that will work with you or (if you can) take it to a dealership with a shuttle.
But, yeah, like DrDeth said, barring any unforseen problems, an oil change and headlight shouldn’t take all that long.
If you’re on facebook, you could ask if anyone can recommend a mobile mechanic that will come to your business/house and do the work there. If you’re willing, you could even hire a shade tree mechanic to take care of it. An oil change and a headlight is well within the capabilities of a high school kid that likes tinkering with cars.
You’re not being unreasonable in your request and he’s not being unreasonable in telling you he’s unable or unwilling to comply. You both have your reasons. Maybe he gets cars towed in during the night and he has to address those without worrying about his promise to do your car first. Maybe he has other reasons. In any event, you asked. He declined. You can handle it his way, or find somewhere else for this service.
I certainly don’t think you were being a jerk. It was a fair request.
He should have been able to get you out by noon IMHO.
Or he might be working on major job which didn’t get completed in one day. So the guy might be coming into the shop in the morning with partially disassembled cars up on the lift, and he can’t deal with oil changes and the like until that’s done. And he can’t know upfront whether or not that will be the case on a given day.
I don’t think you were unreasonable, however, you didn’t leave him with many options. If instead, you had told him you realized you were going to be stuck there for 2 hours waiting, so he should pick a time that guarantees you are out of here in two hours, that makes it clear to him that it doesn’t matter what time of day it is as long as it is done in two hours, which gives him some flexibility and doesn’t force him to give you the 8 o’clock slot, assuming there is one.
He might have told you to pound sand, but at least you set the parameters clearly without demanding to be first in line. It’s always possible he could run into an unforeseen issue that extends the time he needs to work on it, but there’s no reason to assume that’s what’s going to happen.
You’ve seen his schedule?
I don’t think you are being a jerk for asking for a specific time, and asking for days in advance for accommodation of your request. As for leaving him options, it’s sounds to me like you did by saying he could pick the day. To me, the mechanic is being a little headstrong. Maybe you could adjust your approach - let him know you respect his time, and that maybe you offer to pay a bit more for the inconvenience? After all, the work sounds quick and low cost.
You’re not a jerk to ask, but if he says no that’s the end of it. If you don’t like how he runs his business go to another one.
Perhaps instead of asking for the first slot of the day, which I am sure everyone wants (and the shop is busy as a beehive with people dropping off/checking-in cars for the day), you could ask him for the last available slot of the day that guarantees you will have your vehicle back by 6pm? As others are saying, it’s not so much about when you bring it in, as much as ensuring you get it back before they close. Maybe ask if you bring it in 4pm on such-and-such day, will they be able to get it back to you by closing that day.
No you’re not being a jerk, you’re just running against the standard booking system for that industry. Some services are simply “drop it off” or “place you order” and come back in X-hours or days. The service providers will figure out how to get all the orders done based on factors you don’t see.
Some services insist on a pick-your-time slot to reduce chaos, others avoid it to minimize complexity. Asking “can you fix my van right before lunch (or any other specific time)” is similar to asking your family doctor “can I just drop in sometime this week?” Yes it can be done, but it goes against the way it generally is done.
I don’t think you’re being a jerk. I think he is.
When I take my car to be serviced, I always ask for the first day on which I can have the first appointment of the day. I always wait, no matter how long it takes. I don’t have anyone to pick me up, so I just count on sitting there reading or being on my tablet for 1-4 hours. Sometimes I pick up a breakfast so I’ll have something to eat.
How is the mechanic being a jerk, in this instance?
Sometimes my mechanic has to order a part from the auto shop if he doesn’t have it on hand, which means he’ll work on someone else’s car for a couple hours.
Pretty much sums it up. Is your town so small that he is the only mechanic? If so, I guess "because the sole mechanic might be a dick" should be added to the possible negatives of small town living.
I’ve had no problem finding dealer and independent mechanics who would give me a specific appointment time at which they would give me a time and cost estimate - so I could either wait while the work was done or come back for another appointment. Or they would offer a loaner or drop off/pick up service.
I use the best garage I’ve found. Someone on a message board said that the owner “Is the most honest man I know”.
They once diagnosed a bad battery. When it turned out to be the generator, they replaced the generator free.
Nonetheless, I expect that if I call and ask, “When will it be ready?” they will move me to the end of the line.
The general operating schedule is to diagnose all the cars, and send a truck to buy all the parts they will need for everyone.
They can’t guarantee anything. There may be repairs left over from yesterday that need to be finished.
I am fortunate that this garage is half a mile from my employment. I drop the car off at 7:00 AM, walk to work, and walk to pick it up after work.
If it were not that close and I had no friends to take me, I would take a cab.
Above all, I would not piss them off.
Yes, you are being a jerk, and they will probably treat you as one afterwards.
In general, independent shops don’t carry a parts inventory. They generally look at your car, order the parts, wait for the driver from the parts store, then install the parts. They aren’t going to want to let the car off their lot once they order the parts. They also can’t be sure they will have a technician free when the parts arrive.
In my opinion, the best thing the OP can do is to rent a vehicle for a day. Depending on his needs, and the shop he’s using, there may be a loaner vehicle they have, or rent for a reasonable price.
Ninjaed about parts, but my guy picks them up all at once. What city does your guy get deliveries?
I don’t know where parts aren’t delivered. They can usually get 2 deliveries a day, one in the morning in one in the afternoon. If that doesn’t do they can go pick them up. But not all parts are available same day like that. Almost everything is available in 24 hours, except of course the part you need when time is of the essence won’t be available for at least a week. That’s why no shop, absolutely no shop, can guarantee how long it will take to make car repairs. Until the work is done there is no way to tell how long it will take or what parts are needed.