My Big Brake (Job)

In honor of posting stories where the customer comes out on top, I'd like to share this gem from several years ago.

When I lived in St. George with my grandparents and my cousin, my grandpa decided to buy a car for me and my cousin to share so that he didn't have to drive us around places. He bought a 1983 VW Scirocco. Never heard of them? Well, VW only made them for two years ('83 and '85) and then they were retired. He got the vehicle for $1200. It looked almost exactly like this picture, except I was the hooch clinging onto it in a bikini.

While I was using the car one day, the emergency brake broke. I thought that I could tell my grandpa, but he would maybe make me take off work and take the car into his preferred mechanic. But I had a crush on a guy in my ward who owned a different tire and brakes shop, so I didn't tell my grandpa that I broke the brake at all. Instead, I just brought it in to my preferred mechanic.

I never actually saw or dealt with my crush while my car was at his shop. I did deal with several other people, though.

I brought the car in so that they could look at it. I left it there and went back to work. A mechanic called me and told me that he'd fix the emergency brake, but that the front and rear brakes also needed replacing. He quoted me at $180---$40 for the emergency brake and $140 for the front and rear brake replacement. I told him to go ahead and do everything.

During the day, I thought better, though. I figured that if the brakes really needed replacing, then I'd best do it with my grandpa's and cousin's approval, and have my cousin pay half. So when I went to pick up my car at the end of the day (they weren't going to do any work on it till the next day), then I told the guy, "I thought about it again, and I've decided that I don't want the brakes replaced. Please just fix the emergency brake only and I'll get the other brakes done another time." So the guy said, "Sure thing!"

I took my car home, and I took it back the next morning. I talked to yet another guy. He said, "So what are we going to be doing with your car today?" I said, "We are not replacing the front and rear brakes. We're only going to replace the emergency brake. But we are under no circumstances to replace the front and rear brakes." I'm not even exaggerating here. I actually said "under no circumstances."

So. I went to get my car later that evening, after all the work had been done on it. A guy started ringing me up.

Tire Guy: That'll be $40 for the emergency brake and $140 for the front and rear brakes.

Me: Uh, I don't think that the front and rear brakes were replaced. I was very clear that they were not to be replaced.

TG: Uh... well, let's check. [He goes and checks.] Well, the front and rear brakes were replaced, so I'm going to have to charge you for that.

Me: I said very clearly that they were not to be replaced. I said that they were not to be replaced under any circumstances. And now they've been replaced. When I said that they were not to be. Not under any circumstances.

TG: Well... uh... they were replaced... so I guess I'll give 'em to you for $80. That's a very good deal on brakes.

Me: You don't understand. You're having me pay money for something that I requested clearly and specifically not be done. You can put the old brakes back on because I won't pay for brakes that I specifically and clearly stated were not to be installed.

TG: I can give 'em to you for $70. That's a very good deal for brakes.

Me: No, I'm afraid that you still don't understand me. This is not my car. This is my grandfather's car. I share it with my cousin. She is out of town and doesn't know that I've brought it in. My grandpa doesn't know that I broke his car and brought it in. I'm fixing it behind their backs. A new brake job is really going to tip them off that maybe I brought the car in to be fixed.

TG: $60.

Me: You're still not understanding me. I now have to go to my grandfather and tell him that I broke his car and then tell him that I brought it in to be fixed behind his back because I wanted to lie to him and trick him so that he never actually knew what I did. I said very clearly that under no circumstances were the brakes to be replaced. I was very clear.

TG: I'll give it to you for $30. That's new brakes, all for $30. And you don't have to pay that today! You can come in any other day and you just pay that when you have the money, or when you feel like it.

I thought that it was a fair deal. I mean, come on. A whole brake replacement for only $30?

I went in the next Monday to pay my $30. As soon as I walked through the doors, TG saw me and he said, "Fifteen dollars. Just give me fifteen dollars and we're even."

I went home and I told my grandpa the whole story. By the end of it, he was almost purple with pride. He said to me, "Why are you leaving for BYU this week?? That's not enough time for you to take my car to the shop!"