Repair Company Ripoffs

[Bill in SD, CA]

I feel sorry for peeps who no nothing about certain things that end up getting ripped by repair companies.

Here's what happened to me.

A few months ago a bearing started to seize up in my pool pump.

Told my wife it would be around $60 to have the bearing replaced.

So my wife called the pool company to have it fixed and when they come out the guy tells her it will be around $350 - $400 for a new pump because when they go bad they can't be fixed and she says well OK do what you have to do.

When I get home I said that's B.S. and called the company to cancel the new pump because I wanted the bearing replaced.

They give me this load of H.S. claiming safety reasons plus the pumps and motors are proprietary and you can't get parts.

I said never mind I'll get it fixed myself ( I worked in a company that always had pumps and motors go bad ).

They said it will be a couple of days before we can get the old one back to you. Huh??

I asked them why, if it couldn't be fixed, would you remove it and take it with you? No answer!!

I take it to a motor shop and I'm out the door for $45.

So basically they were running a scam of sorts. Sell me a new pump and motor for $350 plus labor and then they get my old one fixed and sell it as used later on.

Now it gets worse!!

Monday they come out to clean the filters and the guy tells me that I have hairline cracks in the filter housing and it needs to be replaced and also the backflush valve needs to be rebuilt.

Told him I couldn't afford a new filter and just fix the valve.

Yesterday he comes back out and puts the filter and valve back together and last night I go out to heat the spa and suddenly the pool heater is acting weird ....on - off, on - off, etc for about 10 minutes.

Finally get it going and after about 30 minutes the damn thing totally dies - even the electronic ignition doesn't attempt to light.

coincidence? I have my doubts as I used it Sunday night with no problems.

Around $1400 for a new heater if I can't get it fixed.

I have no knowledge of pool heaters BTW.

Bill

[osprey4]

Certainly confirms my wife's theory that repairmen will always try to take advantage of a woman.

[ooops]

There's also the story of the Auto Repair shop "owner" getting beat up by a VERY mad husband who had sent his wife up to have the oil changed in the family car ............ and then being informed by said owner that the tires needed to be replaced because they were picking up rocks................. she said o.k.

The husband had just put new tires on the vehicle the previous week ........... new tread will always pick up rocks !!!!

[Gutter Ball]

Gotta watch the builders too! When we had our house remodelled, the builders would buy stuff, show us the receipt and then we'd pay them.

What they would do is buy 20 bags of X, when all they really needed was 12 bags. Then after we paid them, they took the extra 8 bags back and refunded them Scammers.

[John Prophet]

hafta sorta educate yourself nowadays..the internet is good for that...and communicate with the wifey about these things....ie.."honey...the bearing should be like $60...they shouldnt need to take the motor with them" or whatever....plus of course try to get word of mouth before u call someone.....and frankly..it might not hurt to flat out ask "uhh, my wife will be here...you guys wouldnt try to pull one over on her would you?"...or maybe just schedule things when u r there. (If I were married I wouldnt really want some dudes around my wife when Im at work at all)

JP

[gjimene2]

Just tell them to come over to repair it. When they are there, come out naked showing them that you have a pair of cojones as well and they should be honest with you

[truckpuller]

The problem with the ripoff deal is it makes it hard for the guy that is trying to be honest and make an honest living. Im in the Automotive repair business and try to be honest and its hard because of all the dishonest shops around.

Have a nice day

[Pexster]

Just got an electrician's bill for $2,750. I'm kicking myself for throwing the cardboard box away because I know the new main circuit box came with a set of breakers (not enough for all the circuits), but they're charging me for 16 breakers and I only have 20 total. Then there's a $19 junction box. Come on, this things gotta be $7.50 max at the hardware store.

Finally, I find that the owner's son (apprentice/gofer, take your pick) is billed at $45/hour and he's included hour-for-hour every time the "real" electrician showed up (at $89.50/hour). So I'm really paying $134.50 per hour.

Grr.

[electric]

yep panelboards can come with the breakers already in the panel
and a lot cheaper to buy this way

or you can buy one panel with a main breaker than buy them
separately but cost a lot more the only advantage to this is
you buy only what you need and the right amp rating

[pickel]

Besides loving my wife, she's a paralegal and works with about 30 lawyers !!!!!!!