my recent travail with getting a car repair..........
Last edited Wed Mar 25, 2015, 10:34 AM - Edit history (1)
Last week I was unable to use my driver's side control buttons to roll down the front windows, the lights were out on it and I could lock the doors but not unlock them from the control pane.
My first thought was perhaps a fuse or fuses were out. There were 3 fuses I replaced all 3 and that didn't solve the problem. I took it to my mechanic on Thursday and one of the mechanics checked the fuses and thought maybe it was the circuit breaker. These are not sold at Pep Boys or any other chain. I called a VW dealership and he located one for me at a Chrysler dealership. I went & bought it, put it in it didn't solve the problem.
I went to see my mechanic & he didn't want to take a look at the problem because he seldom works on VW's. (I love his honesty, been going to his shop since 1986). He recommended a mechanic who works on foreign cars. I went there and he could fit me in on Friday & together we decided I would order a door switch, which I did from a VW dealership, not mine, but one closer) and in no uncertain terms it was to be ready for me on Saturday.
On Friday I went to the new mechanic, & the mechanic yelled at me after he had checked the door. He wanted to know why I brought it to him if the switch was the problem. I told him I didn't know for sure that the problem was the switch. I left there with a tentative plan to bring the car in on Monday (they're closed on Saturdays) with the switch. I then drove to my mechanic who said that if the switch was a plug in he could do it on Monday. After the foreign car mechanic looked at the car, I could no longer lock or unlock the front doors neither would my key fob lock the doors, nor would the doors automatically lock upon hitting a certain speed.
Not done yet. On Saturday I go to the VW dealership and I stop in at the service desk, told him what piece I was picking up & asked if he could fit me in. He was taken aback when I asked an approximate cost, but he replied $105 an hour for labor. I figured I would get it done & stop running around. I go to Parts to pick up the switch & find out the "manager" never placed the order. It would now be in on Tuesday, I did get it discounted $30, but I was very unhappy and got in touch with the man who takes complaints for this dealership via voicemail & email This is a huge dealership, Chevy, VW, Infiniti, etc.
Today I picked up the part. I looked at it, it is a plug in. I took it to my mechanic, it took him less than 5 minutes to put it in. My question was "how much do I owe you Eddie?" His answer $10. We also learned (because I still could not lock/unlock the front doors) the #38 fuse I had replaced had been removed, probably by the foreign car mechanic.
Moral of the story: stick with who you know.
