OT Serious question

[JIPJOBXX]

My mother in who is 92 years old and is still driving took her 1998 Buick in to a repair shop to have the windshield sealed as it is leaking. Now this is for real by the time that she got out the door she had run up almost a 3,000 dollar bill for new tires, brakes and I would guess a few other items. Well I was shocked to hear what they charged her but on top of that the windshield still leaks. The only thing they did was to put some sealer on the outside of seal and that was it! Now it leaks still.

My question is can you seal up a front windshield with sealer that's on the market today? I have tried this in the past and never had any luck.

If I was down where she lives at I would have stepped in and gotten all her work down but with a little of my oversight.

So tomorrow she is going back to the repair shop and see if they can get this problem resolved but the only way I can see it being resolved is to remove the windshield and install another gasket.

Any and all advice about this situation I would appreciate hearing about. Thanks Jon

[Plymouthy Adams]

an effective reapir would require a hot knife removal of the glass..cleaning real good and laying it back n..majority of newer cars have all their trim beading placed on teh cars glass and is renewed at the time of the repair...rarely can it ever be used again. for glass related concerns..always utilize a glass shop...these folks prey on the elderly and women in general..good luck..I think you may find this shop has plenty of BBB complaints..

[greg g]

I would strongly suggest she stay away from there. And I would aske he if she approved the repair that were done and whether they called her for those extras. Failing her givig her approval or signing something up front giving them approval for :whatever it needs" I would be calling the Attorney generals office, or at least a concumer advocate in the area to see if they are ripping off other customers elderly or not.

[kevinanderson]

boy, i'd be checking into that. sounds like a screw job.

[JIPJOBXX]

I guess I'm so dam upset as I know she got taken. I tried to figure out what would make a bill come up to 3,000 dollars and couldn't. She did have a new set of tires installed and new brakes but after that what could cost so much? I do not know what the mechanics are charging today but I would suppose somewhere between 100 to 120 dollars and hour for repair work. Well she is going back into tomorrow and see what they say! She is a feisty old lady and I wouldn't want to get on her bad side. She still has it all in her head and so the rest of story will follow after her discussion down at that shop. Maybe I do not have all the fact straight but I will in a few days when she sends me up the full bill of what she paid for.

You would think that anybody dealing with a 92 year old lady would do her fair but in this case it looks like greed might have been the road they took.

[JIPJOBXX]

Oh yes she lives down in San Francisco and maybe thats why the mechanics charge so much an hour.

[JoelOkie]

An itemized bill should tell the tale. Be nice to have someone check and see if they did all they claimed to, also. Joel

[Captain Neon]

I'm noticing a new trend in auto repair over the past couple of years where they charge 50% over NAPA walk-in price, which is about double the shop's costs. I had a shop in Colorado admit to me that twice their shop's cost was a standard amount to charge for parts. That being the case, then, they need to stop charging for labour as the only reason that I've ever been given is that I am buying their expertise in the install. I don't mind them making a profit by raising their parts price to walk-in price, but to charge 50% over walk-in price is excessive when also charging a labour rate. It seems like a way to hide labour costs as a lot of people do not consider that the price for parts may be inflated. That's my opinion.

[JIPJOBXX]

I just feel really bad about this and I hope not being taken.

I had an experience a few years ago when I just took a little four cylinder car in for a tune up and well I had been working allot of overtime and so I just thought why not? It was one of those 29 dollar tune up places and of course I new they could not do it for that but I went ahead anyway. So I signed the agreement without thought and it was going to be for 94 dollars. I had the work done but then a light bulb flashed on in my head and I wanted to see what the part cost. Now stand by for a price fix!!!! They charged me 35.00 dollars for a rotor cap!!!!! When I saw that I got a hold of the manager and asked him why if I could buy that same rotor cap for five dollars why did he charge seven times the amount!!!!!! Well he stated it was a company policy and he had nothing to do with it. Boy I got mad as hell and called up the parent company to ask them why they inflated the price on that item so much. No reason could be given but they did say they would send me a coupon for a complete lube and oil job the next time I visited them. Yep I got the complete lube job alright and then some. Oh yes, one more thing a month latter there mechanic had not pushed the rotor down far enough on the rotor shaft and that in turn eat my 35 dollar rotor cap. THEN THE **** HIT THE FAN! AND IN NO UNCERTAIN WAYS I LET THEM KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THERE BUSSINESS. Of course I also told them that I would spread the word out about there price gouging and slipshod work. Dam I was one piss oft guy!!!!

Edited February 1, 2010 by JIPJOBXX

[Joe Flanagan]

There's a special place in hell for mechanics who take advantage of 92-year-old women. A very special place. I'd be on the phone with those guys and, like others have suggested, the state attorney's office, the Better Business Bureau, and any consumer advocate organization in her area that you can get in touch with. It probably also wouldn't hurt to contact the local news organizations in her area and tell them what happened. I'm sure they'd love to get a scoop on a repair shop that's robbing elderly people.

[Joe Flanagan]

Just another thought: Here we have a news station that runs regular consumer advocacy spots. They call it "7 On Your Side." They actually investigate the claim and air the findings. If this place has a history of fraudulent practices and they've been reported before, then I would think you could interest some news editor in your mother's situation.

[desoto1939]

If you mom paid the bill by a credit card she can then dispute the charge and put the charges on hold unitl you get to review the bill.

I hope you can get these guys since it sounds as if they really put it to your mom. I hope for the best.

Rich H

[P15Mike]

I was a autoglass mechanic after i got out of high school for 5 years . Cars today have the winshields urethaned in , no gaskets . I'm assuming here the leaking problem just started , that means its now leaking between the glass and urethane or the urethane and pinchweld . All contact areas from the factory are primered with a urethaned primer for adhesion . My immeditate guess is she probably has rust corrosion starting on the pinchweld somewhere . If shes not looking to invest more time and money , its more effective to try and seal it with urethane from the inside of the vehicle . If it is indeed rust corrosion , obviously the correct way would be to remove the w/shield and fix the problem area . Good luck!

Mike