Date:         Wed, 22 Sep 1999 14:08:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM
Subject:      Re: Doing those Tune-ups Myself Again
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I should add that i was the victim of such a scam,
too.  turns out the DA was already conducting a sting
operation on the shop, and they were arrested and
criminally prosecuted.

Steve@Schwenk-Law.com wrote:
>
> You should notify the District Attorney.  Thye would be
> very interested to know about this...which is criminal
> and worthy of prosecution, unless "it was all a big
> mistake...."
>
> Paul Schiemer wrote:
> > When recently faced with a major repair for my daily driver (@38K) I thought
> > to 'insure' the many jobs listed in the $300+ list were done.
> > Since you just drop the car at the dealership and come back later to pick it
> > up, anything can -or cannot- happen in the interim.
> >
> > I took clear nail polish and marked key nuts and bolts that would have to be
> > removed prior to certain listed tasks being accomplished.
> > I marked just about everything on the list in some fashion- as every liquid
> > was to be flushed and changed, wheels rotated and timing belt & valves
> > adjusted.
> > I dropped the car and rode my bicycle back home.
> >
> > They called, I rode back. They rolled my freshly cleaned car to the service
> > area and handed me a bill.
> > I went out to inspect. [do any of you feel this coming??]
> > The little stuff was done alright, but the big stuff couldn't have been done
> > (because the nail polish wasn't even cracked in places). I got the Service
> > Manager and brought him out to the car- showing him what I discovered.
> > At first he disagreed with me; but reluctantly had to admit the work I was
> > being asked to pay for probably was never even attempted.
> >
> > Rather than get into a big stink over this I handed him the bill back and
> > told him to get it done, done right, then call me back when it was ready.
> > The next day I come in and the car is out front of the dealership all
> > spiffed up and ready to go.
> > I go into the Service Department and ask for my key. The Service Manager
> > himself hands it to me and says 'thank you'.
> > Notice here that the thing gone missing is the bill.
> > They never said a word about it.
> >
> > That little bottle of clear nail polish went a long way!