My alternator light came on while i was driving from LA further north, so I stopped by this shop to get it replaced on my drive up.
I was quoted $944 to replace the alternator. I was told that this was for the alternator itself, and for two men working on my car for two hours. I sat outside (the waiting area is closed due to coronavirus) and watched my car sit in their workshop unattended with the hood up for 1.5 hours. (The guy at the front desk had explained to me that the engine needed to cool down before they could work on it so I wasn't upset about this).
I used this time to do some quick research regarding how long it usually takes to replace an alternator in my car (internet said 2 hours for one mechanic and the shop I usually go to said 2 hours for one mechanic, and my dad, a former NASCAR driver, said 2 hours for one mechanic) The shop I usually go to specializes in German and European cars and is in Santa Monica (LA) where labour costs are usually higher significantly higher than most areas; they quoted me $675. The auto-zone down the street from this shop told me to expect to spend $500-$700 when they referred me.
I saw a man working on my car for maybe 30 minutes total, and then another man sat in my car on his phone for a few minutes (without wearing a mask).
The guy at the front desk took my car out on what I assume was a short test / check drive. He did not wear a mask while in my car. *I understand that masks are not required in this county but it seems like a common courtesy that should be observed.
When I went to the front desk to pay (after witnessing 15 minutes of work on my vehicle) I was told that the total cost was $930. I asked for an explanation and his answer abruptly changed from two hours for two men, to three and a half hours for one man. When I asked why it was three and a half hours when my car had been worked on for less than one hour, the guy told me that "this was just industry standard". If that is the industry standard then why did he quote me for two mechanics for two hours in our previous conversation? And why did two other mechanics quote me a price that was over $200 cheaper?
I asked him to put it in writing that he was charging me for 3.5 hours when my car had on my been worked on for less than one hour, at which point he threatened to remove the new alternator and put the old one back in, which would have left me stranded. I'm a 27 year old female who didn't raise her voice, swear, accuse him, or threaten him at all the entire conversation. I simply asked for a reasonable explanation for the charges to be put into writing on my receipt. In the same minute of conversation, he said that I was being aggressive and that he felt threatened. This grown man said that he felt threatened by a woman who was simply asking a question. He demanded to speak with the shop I usually go to and I explained to him that it was after 5 and that they were closed.
He went on to say that he was actually charging me for 3.5 hours of labor because the mechanic who worked on my car was a "Volkswagen expert" who had "special tools and equipment" that allowed him to fix the car faster. I asked if his hourly rate was more expensive because this man was an expert, and I was told no, and fed the same line about 3.5 hours being the industry standard.
*at the suggestion of the man who "helped" me, I went to another high end auto service shop in Santa Monica to get a quote. They quoted me $600 after looking in their system and said that it was absolutely not industry standard to charge 3.5 hours of labour, and that industry standard was to charge based on the labour that actually occurred, not the hypothetical average. His exact words "that shop tried to scam you, I'm glad you argued with them. It makes me sick that shops like that exist".
Eventually this man told me he was just going to "discount me for two hours of labor since that's what it seemed like I wanted". Please note that I did not ONCE ask for a discount, I simply wanted it in writing that he was charging me for 3.5 hours of labour despite my car being worked on for less than 1 hour.
And FYI; he didn't discount me for two hours of labor - he discounted me $200, when he explicitly told me labor was $125 per hour.
TLDR; A staff member at this mechanic tried to charge me an extra $250-$300, gave three separate excuses for the overcharge when politely asked about it, accused me of threatening him while simultaneously threatening to remove the new alternator and strand me 400+ miles from home on a Friday, refused to provide an itemized receipt that explained the charges, and then gave me a "discount" that was $50 less than what he had just promised.
Oh, and the cherry on top of this whole experience? The new alternator that the "Volkswagen expert" installed failed after I drove it 200 miles.
The owner's response doesn't justify his actions or even provide a reasonable explanation for his behaviour. read more