Technician BROKE my car - how would you handle it ?
I recently purchased a keyless entry system at a popular electronics store. I took my car in to have it installed. After they had the car for two (2) days, they informed me that they sold me an incompatible unit. And, to boot, they fried the integrated circuit board and main switch.
I had the car to a Toyota dealer to have it checked out. It will cost around $850 to repair. The electronics store did a real chop job, spliced wires everywhere, held together with duct tape ! I was mad.
They promised to pay for the repairs. We will see. Should I expect anything else other than an appology ? My car has been in the shop now for 4+ days, and I've spent hours coordinating and arranging for service.
What would you do, ask for , in terms of compensation for time and inconvenience ?
Thanks.
I had the car to a Toyota dealer to have it checked out. It will cost around $850 to repair. The electronics store did a real chop job, spliced wires everywhere, held together with duct tape ! I was mad.
They promised to pay for the repairs. We will see. Should I expect anything else other than an appology ? My car has been in the shop now for 4+ days, and I've spent hours coordinating and arranging for service.
What would you do, ask for , in terms of compensation for time and inconvenience ?
Thanks.
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Comments
So far, the electronics place seems to be doing the right thing, so don't alienate them with too much hostility or aggression at this point. Just keep making reasonable and polite demands and keep all your receipts in order and your conversations "recorded" with memo notes, dates, time and person you spoke with.
no thanks. the last alarm system that I thought made any sense was an old radio unit, code alert I think it was, that used ultrasonic sensors glued onto the door jambs. the "alarm" was a radio page sent to a unit you carried around with you. combine that with a kill switch or a run-limit device, and you can call the cops from a safe distance away, while the car isn't going anyplace. nobody else loses any sleep. I ponied up $150 wholesale to put one in my 76 skylark, liked it a lot. however, friend company went away three years later, so no further installs.
They verbally promised me "something" to make up for time and inconvenience (4+ days in the shop, plus 8 hours of my time). I've seen nothing of that. Not sure if I should persue this, or if that is fruitless.
If you really want keyless entry added to the car find a shop that does nothing but alarms, and keyless entry. Chances are you will not ave the same problem with them. I am partial to DEI products like Valet and Viper for that type of stuff, they are more money, but in the last 11 years my parents have not had one problem out of theirs, and I have had Viper systems on my cars for the last 7 years w/o one problem.
I've seen and heard of numerous horror stories on how some of these independent shops have hassled and screwed over customers.
In your position, its just not worth the added stress and headaches in my opinion..
You know, the one about the talking car,
..."Your door is ajar. But in my neighborhood, the voice would be saying, "Hey, someone done stole your 'bat-tree'..."
TB