My son's truck would not start. After examination I realized that the power wire from the battery to the Solenoid/starter had come off. As I did not have access to the wire from under the car, I was left with the choice of pulling the starter out, reconnecting it the wire, then re-installing the starter. As I did not have a lift, I needed to find a shop that would simply raise the truck in the air, place a copper fitting on the battery wire and attach it to the solenoid/starter.
I then called Phoenix Automotive Center, close to home and I assumed I would get a fair deal, maybe $50.00 Max. As the smaller shops must be legit to keep local business, so you would think.
When I called, I explained to the young woman on the phone exactly what I needed, said she could take care of it immediately. To be clear, truck raised, new electrical fitting to be put on battery cable and re-attached to Solenoid/starter. Most likely a 15 minute job for any mechanic.
To get the truck started, reached down to the loose wire and touched it to the solenoid/starter power post. Fired right up no problems.
Dropped the truck off at Phoenix Automotive Center, went a grabbed a quick breakfast with my son and returned to Phoenix Automotive Center. However, when we got back I could see that the truck was not on a rack, had never been raised. Here is where the scam started.
The female employee of Phoenix Automotive Center initially explains to me that the existing battery cable is too short, I will need a new cable. I said that is fine.
She then comes to me a few minutes later, stating the bad news, that my starter is bad and needs to be replaced.
I put her on the spot and told her that I drove the vehicle to her shop and the starter is just fine. She then states that the solenoid on the starter is burned up and needs to be replaced.
Once again I put her on the spot and said the solenoid was working just fine, as we used it to start the truck to get it to the shop. She then said that the power post on the solenoid was too burned to be used again. She said she could not get a solenoid by itself today, that I would need a Solenoid/Starter combination, for a mere $285.00.
Now.. I did not believe her, asked to see the burnt solenoid/starter post. She escorted me back to the shop, there was my stater on a work bench, pulled from my truck. You might remember I did not ask for the starter to be pulled, this is why I requested a lift from the very start. She was quick to point out that the charge for pulling the starter was a 1/2 hour charge, so to put it back can we assume another 1/2 hour?
Now it gets down and dirty, when I examined the Solenoid/Starter, the power post was not burnt, in fact it still had all threads and the fastening nut attached. If the post had been burnt, there would not have been threads and no way to attach a nut to it. When I asked the female employee why she had stated the power post was burnt, she replied that the solenoid doesn't work.
Maybe some people would just say OK, but if I just used it to get the truck here, when and where did it go bad, maybe in their shop?
Told the employee that I was not replacing the solenoid or the solenoid/starter combination, as there was nothing wrong with it. I told her all I want you to do is put my Starter back in my truck and connect a new power battery cable to it. Again, why was my starter pulled in the first place. $$$
So they charged me $38.50 for a new battery cable, when they can be purchased new from Schuck's for $11.50. Next they charged me $109.92 to connect it, quite a deal.
When I was paying the bill, I told the young lady that I was not happy being lied to, she actually responded with a smirk.
On the way out the lobby, glanced at the waiting room, there was this little old lady, wonder what they talked her into.
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