Like I said, we went to PA last weekend. It was a long drive. Nay, it was eternal.
As you know, I have a rather dubious attitude towards Chevys. And that was certainly fostered further last Friday!
We had just entered the questionable state of Pennsylvania, and decided it was time for a snack. It was around 8 or 9 in the evening, and we had a long ways to go yet. I pulled off of I-70 and turned into McDonalds. The chevy promptly gave up the ghost.
Fortunately, I had joined AAA earlier this year. I gave them a call and got a tow truck to come out. When he arrived we deduced that the chevy alternator had expired. Joy of joys.
We were towed to a hotel (the Relax Inn, doesn’t that name just inspire visions of luxury and comfort!), then in the morning we got another tow to a repair shop. I had called the local NAPA store first thing in the morning and secured an alternator for a princely fee.
The repair shop was just a few blocks from NAPA, and the boys got on it right away. It wasn’t a real easy chevy alternator to change though, so it took a little bit. I inspected the serpentine belt when he removed it and realized it would probably be a smart move to replace it while the opportunity was presented. No problem, they said.
We were back on the road in under an hour, and we made it to the wedding in time. Now I don’t mean to complain, the boys at Taylor’s took care of the chevy and got us going as quick as they could. Back back here in the ITF office, I inspected the bill and discovered that they charged me $45.81 for the chevy serpentine belt!
Good lands!
Astounded, I looked it up on NAPA’s website and found the price there to be a mere $18.99!
So I’m less than thrilled about that.
8 Responses
August 16th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
Get the good stuff!
Oh, wait — that’s not a NAPA commercial.
August 16th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Did NAPA Rip Him Off?…
Sorry, Tom. Maybe when the NAPA chief reads my post, he’ll see to it that you have a lifetime supply of belts.
……
August 16th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Let this be a lesson to you. Never purchase the parts from the guy doing the work. I have found that 9 times out of 10 they are cheaper when you get it straight from your trusty NAPA dealer.
August 16th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
I agree, and I usually do that. But the situation the way it was, I would have been happy to give him a reasonable markup. But good grief, what kind of percent markup is that!
I would expect a little markup, I don’t have a problem with that. I used to do it myself when I was in the repair business.
August 18th, 2006 at 2:20 am
Didn’t you notice the alternator light or the falling volt/ammeter needle? Or was there not even that much of a warning?
That does sound outrageous for the belt, wow.
August 18th, 2006 at 8:39 am
Nope, didn’t see anything. There is no gauge, just an idiot light I presume.
August 19th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
Scary.
August 20th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
“Let this be a lesson to you. Never purchase the parts from the guy doing the work.” Glen Zehr
Hummmmm……think I shall try that next time I engage the chef at Huddle House. I shall take the eggs and ham….maybe the biscuits too.
Glen, I always offered to let the owner go for his own parts if he desired to do so. I would charge for the initial service call and trip. Then I would get double when I returned to do the install of the part. If the wrong part was sent, then I got to bill for that trip and come back when the right part was obtained. It was a real money maker for me. {;^)
Tom, just chalk it up to driving a Chevy and let it be a lesson to you. Of course you could by an extra belt and keep it in the trunk until it is needed…..just a thought. {:^)