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Post by stampinbetsy on Jan 6, 2016 21:52:10 GMT
Say you need some work done on your car. You drop it off at the end of the day. How soon would you expect a call letting you know what works needs to be done? Does it matter whether it is an independent shop or a chain?
Yes, there's a story behind this - I'll share it in a little bit.
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Post by PolarGreen12 on Jan 6, 2016 21:54:29 GMT
The last time I did that I got a call around 9am. I'd expect one before lunch time.
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Post by padresfan619 on Jan 6, 2016 21:56:07 GMT
It depends on what kind of work needs to be done. There are jobs I would expect to only take an hour and others I would allow much more time.
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julieb
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Post by julieb on Jan 6, 2016 21:59:03 GMT
I would say by noon the following day to do a diagnostic. So much diagnostic is done now by hooking up a machine and I would think, depending on the problem, this would give the mechanic the answers within an hour or two, if not minutes.
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Belle
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Post by Belle on Jan 6, 2016 21:59:48 GMT
Totally depends....how many other estimates did they need to get done before you dropped your car off and, if you are going thru insurance, does your insurance require someone to come out and look at your car.
Was there someone on site when you dropped off your car that was available to give estimates? If they had already gone home for the day, that could cause a delay too.
Adding that if you are in an area that has recently had snow or ice storms or hail and therefore, more cars needing work, I could see a deal too.
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Post by Minty118 on Jan 6, 2016 22:00:23 GMT
For just a diagnostic, I'd expect a call before 11am if I had dropped it off the night before.
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Post by mandasue on Jan 6, 2016 22:15:22 GMT
Coming from a mechanic's wife. Drop-offs always go in line behind waiters. Sorry but that's how it is. Also, it depends on what needs to be done. Sometimes a car that is dropped off, it may take my husband a few hours to even look at it then the service manager or salesman has to complete a quote for you. But typically that would all be done within a few hours and 99% of the time they complete all service purchased the same day. He's at a big company not independent.
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Post by *KAS* on Jan 6, 2016 22:17:40 GMT
Coming from a mechanic's wife. Drop-offs always go in line behind waiters. Sorry but that's how it is. Also, it depends on what needs to be done. Sometimes a car that is dropped off, it may take my husband a few hours to even look at it then the service manager or salesman has to complete a quote for you. But typically that would all be done within a few hours and 99% of the time they complete all service purchased the same day. He's at a big company not independent. All of that...and did you have an appointment or did you just go in? Because appointment trumps drop off. If no appointment, I'd usually expect a call by afternoon. |
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Post by mom on Jan 6, 2016 22:17:55 GMT
Depends on what needs done.
Changing the oil? By 11 the next day. Putting in a new motor? A couple of weeks.
Also, did they know you were coming? Or did you just drop it in their lap? So many parts need to be ordered and that takes time. So if they weren't expecting you, then they might not have the part in stock already.
I think if its an independent shop it might a little longer, depending on how large their shop is.
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Post by fruitysuet on Jan 6, 2016 22:20:34 GMT
Depends if it was previously booked in (would expect to know by lunch/mid afternoon the next day) or taken in straight away generously by the garage because car had broken down and needs repairing asap - in which case I would anticipate my garage to be fully booked and just be happy they agreed to try and fit it in as and when - probably hear from them by end of next day what needs doing but perhaps not able to do the work for a few more days depending on their currently booked workload.
I use a local independent garage. They are really good and look after us but I understand they have other customers too and they can't let others down at the drop of a hat just to please me.
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Deleted
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May 11, 2024 11:36:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2016 22:23:16 GMT
It depends if the drop off was scheduled in advance or a last minute thing. I'd expect to hear by early afternoon if it had been scheduled in advance, and by the end of business the next day (so about 24 hours) if I'd dropped it off the same day I called in 9because presumably they already had work scheduled and are squeezing you in). Either way, I always ask at drop off when I can expect an update.
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Post by mandasue on Jan 6, 2016 22:23:23 GMT
Coming from a mechanic's wife. Drop-offs always go in line behind waiters. Sorry but that's how it is. Also, it depends on what needs to be done. Sometimes a car that is dropped off, it may take my husband a few hours to even look at it then the service manager or salesman has to complete a quote for you. But typically that would all be done within a few hours and 99% of the time they complete all service purchased the same day. He's at a big company not independent. All of that...and did you have an appointment or did you just go in? Because appointment trumps drop off. If no appointment, I'd usually expect a call by afternoon. His shop rarely ever gets appointments and if they are usually only for oil changes or tires - which is a different set of techs then the mechanics that do service. But yes appointments go first. Regarding parts they can normally get them fairly quickly within an hour - the only parts kept in stock are brake pads and oil filters. There can be some odd dealer only part but it is rare for atleast one of the part stores not to have it in stock - they deliver. |
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keithurbanlovinpea
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on Jan 6, 2016 22:24:43 GMT
DH manages an independent repair shop and it is dependent on a lot of factors; however, I know that at his shop if the dropoff is in person, he gives them an estimate of when they will be able to look at the vehicle and when the person can expect a call from him regarding the repairs. Even if all hell breaks loose and he gets behind, he calls to tell them that they haven't looked at it yet. If it is an after hours dropoff, he calls the person the next morning to confirm receipt of the vehicle, clarify what the complaint/repair is, etc and to let them know when they will be able to look at it and get an estimate to the owner.
B
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jan 6, 2016 22:27:38 GMT
There's just too many variables that might affect my opinion. Ideally, I'd say they would at least give you an idea of what's wrong, how much the repair might be, and how long it will all take by at least noon the next day. But... did they know you were coming? Are they unusually busy? Is your repair a big deal or something complicated? Is it your regular garage where they know you and value your business? And lastly... is the owner your husband's favorite uncle? Lol. Uncle Johnny always gets me right in.  |
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BarbaraUK
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Post by BarbaraUK on Jan 6, 2016 22:31:52 GMT
I would expect a call by lunchtime the next day detailing what needs to be done to the car and when they are able to do the work and when it will be completed if it's agreed they will do the work. I'm in the UK though so it may be different here.
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Post by littlemama on Jan 6, 2016 22:37:33 GMT
When we took my son's car to the dealership, we had an appointment at 830 am. I would have expected a call by noon. We got a call at 330- and they hadn't done any work besides an oil change.
Your situation depends- did you have an appointment? How late were they open that night? I would say by 12-2pm the next day without knowing that info.
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Post by bc2ca on Jan 6, 2016 23:36:00 GMT
IME, dropped off the night before at a local independent shop I get a call the next morning by 9 letting me know what needs to be done and give the go ahead to do it. The car is ready for p/u at the end of the day (4-5?).
With our dealership I've always gone in with an early morning appointment. If I wait, someone let's me know if there is anything other than routine maintenance within 30-45 minutes and I'm usually out of there an hour later. If I leave, I'll get a call within an hour about an extras and the car is usually ready for p/u by lunchtime.
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Post by bianca42 on Jan 7, 2016 0:12:09 GMT
If I drop it off the night before and say that I'll pick it up at 5, then I know from experience that they won't start it until later in the day...unless they know it's going to be a big gunky problem,
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Deleted
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May 11, 2024 11:36:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 1:37:42 GMT
End of the day? I'd expect a call by noon the next day. If I dropped it off in the morning, I'd expect a call within a few hours.
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perumbula
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Post by perumbula on Jan 7, 2016 1:44:39 GMT
depends on the shop. My husband's favorite mechanic is also the favorite of a lot of people and is always booked up for several days. They call in less than two days after drop off to talk about expected repairs and costs, and then they'll fit us in as they can after that.
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Post by stampinbetsy on Jan 7, 2016 3:42:27 GMT
Ok, here's the story -
We dropped off DD's car at a smallish independent shop Monday afternoon about 5:00. No appointment (I think you can do that, but I think it tends to be more with regular maintenance type things). The reason we took the car in was because when DH took DD's car in for an oil change at a place that primarily does oil changes, they told him there was something up with the front axle and gave him an estimate on that. I called my dad (who is a retired mechanic - and doesn't live here), and he said it was probably the bearing. So instead of sending DD back to school with her car, she took my car and we kept hers so we could get it looked at.
Monday at 5:00, the owner told us he wouldn't have time to look at it that day, and in no way did I expect him to. They tend to seem busy, and I wouldn't expect someone to look at it if I dropped it off an hour before they closed (hours are 8-6 M-F). They have DH's phone # to call. I asked him yesterday afternoon (4:00ish) if he had heard from the mechanic. He hadn't, so he called them. They said they were busy but would get it looked at. Did not hear back from them the rest of the afternoon.
Same thing today - DH had to call and ask about the car, only he did it earlier - maybe 2:00? They called him back within an hour or so to report what they had found out about the axle/bearings and another issue I mentioned when we dropped the car off. DH authorized the axle/bearing work, and they said they would try to have it done by the end of the day tomorrow.
So basically it took them over 36 hours to even look at the car and determine what needed to be done. I'm sure I'm just cranky because we're down to 1 car, DH and I both work, and we have a teenager at home who needs to be places.
Thanks for all the responses - I was trying to decide if I was being unreasonable by thinking maybe if they couldn't even get it looked at that maybe we needed to go get the car and take it someplace that did have time to look at it. I'd love to be able to go switch cars with DD this weekend. I miss my own car!
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Post by 950nancy on Jan 7, 2016 3:47:28 GMT
I get impatient when I am without a car, so i get how you feel. But in reality, you just don't know how many cars were ahead of you. Glad it is getting fixed, and yes, I would exchange it too.
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blue tulip
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Post by blue tulip on Jan 7, 2016 11:27:14 GMT
I know it's frustrating, but I don't think that's out of the norm. by the time you dropped it off Monday, they would've already had a full schedule for the following day working on other scheduled and dropped off cars. then part of wednesday is installing parts they ordered on monday or tuesday for the people that were ahead of you. there simply might not have been time to put your car up on the lift and do what needed to be done to figure out what was wrong. it takes more than just "looking at it", you usually have to pull it apart a bit and then put back together while waiting to see what the customer wants to do and free up your lift for other cars.  |
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Post by christine58 on Jan 7, 2016 11:42:11 GMT
I think that if you had gone to a bigger shop with more employees, you would have heard back. Also..you didn't have an appointment.
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Kerri W
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Post by Kerri W on Jan 7, 2016 11:53:16 GMT
It never occurred to me to drop a vehicle off at a repair shop without having an appointment. Aside from an accident or emergency situation at least.
Without having an appointment, I don't think your wait was over the top. It does stink to be down a car though.
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Post by Crazyhare on Jan 7, 2016 12:01:14 GMT
My husband used to be a mechanic in a small garage. He was good at what he did. He was always booked, at least, 2-3 days ahead. Some weeks he would be completely booked the Friday before. So I can see that happening at a small place. He would usually tell you that at drop off.
Sometimes, he would be able to diagnosis the problem while he waited for parts for his scheduled work. But the problem you had, may have required a lift. And that could have made it take longer. Once stuff went on the lift, and was torn down, he couldn't move it.
He left that job to take one with much better insurance and benefits. So now he works in a machine shop for a large corporation . And he gets to work in a climate controlled environment.
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Deleted
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May 11, 2024 11:36:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 12:11:42 GMT
With the story added, I'm going to give you this feedback: my ex works for a small independent shop. They have three bays, one of which is reserved for tires and alignments and oil changes. The other two bays are almost always in use. There are two mechanics most days. If you just drop a car off, it may be a day or two before they're able to look it at depending on how busy they are. Whereas if you had dropped it off at a shop that has more employees, more bays, it would've gotten looked at sooner. More bays equals more cars to be in various stages of repair. He has taught me a long time ago to make an appointment for anything when it comes to the vehicles and repair shops, especially if you want a good turnaround time.
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Post by Scrapbrat on Jan 7, 2016 12:12:20 GMT
I'd expect a call sometime the next day. But, to me, this is a customer service type of question. One reason my DH goes to the car place that he does is because they do great work at a reasonable cost, and give good customer service. If they are swamped, the guy will tell DH when he calls to go ahead and drop the car off, but not to expect a call about what's wrong until, say, late in the day. Or whatever.
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grinningcat
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Post by grinningcat on Jan 7, 2016 12:46:15 GMT
I would never just drop off a car to be looked at without an appointment. That is a guarantee of being shuffled to the bottom of the list, appointments are much more important than just drop offs. I think their timeline was pretty much on par with what should be expected. If you want immediate service, book an appointment first.
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scentcrazy
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Post by scentcrazy on Jan 7, 2016 16:25:37 GMT
All I needed was an oil change, dropped car off at 7:15am, someone dropped off my keys at 8:00am. My sister and mom were gone ALL DAY until 4:00pm. I get picked up from work and swing by they didn't even do it. Furious! We leave it there 2 more hours call to check on it, still not done, finally at 5:45pm the excuse was the oil truck never came. Poor excuse!!!
I was beyond pissed off! The only reason why I keep going there was because they messed up my oil pan and I want them to deal with it! Went to another mechanic who said it is still really bad and I need to get it done soon or it can ruin my engine. Great $300.00 that I don't have!
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