Date:         Wed, 13 Sep 2000 14:35:59 -0700
Reply-To:     Jason Yasment <jyasment@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jason Yasment <jyasment@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Midas Muffler Saga - Long
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

About a week or so ago, I had asked the list's opinion
on Midas Muffler & Brake.  Well, I was in a pinch to
get a new muffler installed in time for the VW Reunion
@ Woodstock.

Here is how the whole chain of events took place.

Tuesday Sept. 5, 2000:  Lost muffler while driving to
work.  Called local Midas outlet and asked for a price
and stock availibility.  Was quoted $190 +tax for
everything and it is in stock.  Made appointment for
following morning.

Wednesday Sept. 6, 2000:  Arrived at store and was
told the muffler was not there and that is was going
to be ordered and be there on Friday morning.  Pointed
out that they had one for a Syncro, that was a big
help.

Friday Sept. 8, 2000:  Showed up on time for 0800
appointment and was fed a story that my muffler was
not in the shipment.  Management called other stores
that had stock on the same truck to see if it had been
mis-delivered.  They could not locate it.  At about
1000, I was really in a foul mood and working
1900-0700 the night before didn't help any.
The shop installed a "generic" muffler and tailpipe,
at no charge to get me around without sounding like a
racecar.  Also, the had a unit sent via UPS to them.

Fast forward to Wednesday Sept. 13, 2000 Unit came in
and was installed, store tried charging $245 for work
done, and that in itself amongst other poor service
sent me through the roof.  I had a copy of a "shopping
cart" from a list vendor that included shipping
showing them what it would of cost me to DIY it and
have it done in this length of time, rather than be
willing to pay extra to have it done ASAP by them.
The manager disappeared into the back room and came
back with $185 +tax and we settled and parted ways.

Other than very poor inventory mangement, the
technicians themselves were very good and had no
problem with me being overly anal about how I wanted
things done.  Also, having the exhaust diagram from
the EKTA CD provided them some good instight as to
correctly hang the muffler.

Thanks,


=====
Jason M. Yasment
'84 Westfalia
'98 Jetta TDI
List Moderator vanagon-unrestricted@egroups.com

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