Ornery email from EFI Alchemy about a quote
03-27-2010, 05:19 PM
#1
Ornery email from EFI Alchemy about a quote I recently emailed my local Chevy dealership service department, Rollins Automotive, and EFI Alchemy for a labor only quote to install a new slave cylinder and throwout bearing.
The dealership quoted $325, Rollins Automotive was $250, and Doc from EFI Alchemy replied with $400.
Curious as to why their price was so high, I replied to Doc's email questioning the price. Here is the email exchange:
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:51:52 -0800 (PST)
To: <doc@efialchemy.com>
Doc,
$400 for only labor to replace the Slave Cylinder w/throw-out bearing? Not to be an ***, but even my local Chevy dealership quotes less than that.
John
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:07 AM
From: <doc@efialchemy.com>
John,
About the unseen vehicle estimate I emailed you....fluid, bleeding, taxes, incidentals-this was "about."
I have not even seen the car? Do you expect me to have telepathic powers that can determine the absolute cost to fix a problem I have never seen? Please take it to the closest bottom dollar outfit if that is all you want. I can't begin to give you a proper estimate without seeing it. $400 covers a range of probably the worst case senario. Our local dealership next door charges $110 an hour. We only charge $90. In my mind you are going to have to bring the car all the way out to GCS... The last thing I want to do is low ball you to come all the way out here to find out it is going to be more $$$ Only trying to cover all the bases without wasting our time and yours + your gas.
Doc
From
EFI ALCHEMY
Maybe I'm making too much out of this, but his response pissed me off. Needless to say, I'm a new Rollins Automotive customer.
The dealership quoted $325, Rollins Automotive was $250, and Doc from EFI Alchemy replied with $400.
Curious as to why their price was so high, I replied to Doc's email questioning the price. Here is the email exchange:
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:51:52 -0800 (PST)
To: <doc@efialchemy.com>
Doc,
$400 for only labor to replace the Slave Cylinder w/throw-out bearing? Not to be an ***, but even my local Chevy dealership quotes less than that.
John
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:07 AM
From: <doc@efialchemy.com>
John,
About the unseen vehicle estimate I emailed you....fluid, bleeding, taxes, incidentals-this was "about."
I have not even seen the car? Do you expect me to have telepathic powers that can determine the absolute cost to fix a problem I have never seen? Please take it to the closest bottom dollar outfit if that is all you want. I can't begin to give you a proper estimate without seeing it. $400 covers a range of probably the worst case senario. Our local dealership next door charges $110 an hour. We only charge $90. In my mind you are going to have to bring the car all the way out to GCS... The last thing I want to do is low ball you to come all the way out here to find out it is going to be more $$$ Only trying to cover all the bases without wasting our time and yours + your gas.
Doc
From
EFI ALCHEMY
Maybe I'm making too much out of this, but his response pissed me off. Needless to say, I'm a new Rollins Automotive customer.
03-28-2010, 08:27 PM
#2
FormerVendor
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Thanks for taking the time to put this in the sponsor feedback section at my request instead of keeping it in the confines of the Florida Section. I stand behind every word you are publishing in silly attempt to put my company in a bad light.
The last thing I would like to do is low ball a customer that is bringing a vehicle from quite a distance for our services.
When pressed for an exact quote on a service like you requested I feel it is best to factor in the worst case senario for budgeting purposes on the customer's end-especially if they are travelling distances. Without physically inspecting the vehicle first hand, as in this case hydraulics, giving an exact quote to the letter is a fool's errand IMHO.
If the maintance and parts required comes in under the original quote, all parties are better off.
The guys at Rollins Automotive in Gainesville, Florida are great guys, a lot closer to you that could give you a more realistic quote in person with minimal distance and time for you. I am glad they could satisfy your needs.
The guys at Rollins Automotive do not currently sponsor this board which is their choice-so I do not get where this part of your critique or is relevant to LS1tech members.
We will not low ball or under qoute a job just to get the customer to bring their car in for service.
I cannot see the need to carry on business in a quick low ball deceptive manner.
When pressed for a low ball answer of merely swapping parts with no in person diagnosis we will give the same answer everytime- the maximum worst case possible cost.
Thanks again for giving EFI Alchemy the opportunity to state our postion to the LS1tech forum.
The last thing I would like to do is low ball a customer that is bringing a vehicle from quite a distance for our services.
When pressed for an exact quote on a service like you requested I feel it is best to factor in the worst case senario for budgeting purposes on the customer's end-especially if they are travelling distances. Without physically inspecting the vehicle first hand, as in this case hydraulics, giving an exact quote to the letter is a fool's errand IMHO.
If the maintance and parts required comes in under the original quote, all parties are better off.
The guys at Rollins Automotive in Gainesville, Florida are great guys, a lot closer to you that could give you a more realistic quote in person with minimal distance and time for you. I am glad they could satisfy your needs.
The guys at Rollins Automotive do not currently sponsor this board which is their choice-so I do not get where this part of your critique or is relevant to LS1tech members.
We will not low ball or under qoute a job just to get the customer to bring their car in for service.
I cannot see the need to carry on business in a quick low ball deceptive manner.
When pressed for a low ball answer of merely swapping parts with no in person diagnosis we will give the same answer everytime- the maximum worst case possible cost.
Thanks again for giving EFI Alchemy the opportunity to state our postion to the LS1tech forum.
03-28-2010, 11:15 PM
#3
I posted the emails for everyone to read, and to form their own opinions. I'm not "attempting" to do anything to your company. So take that "bad light" and........well, you know this rest.
