I Just got back from,
"There's a funny noise under my hood, Roger said to call you"
The lady needed an idler pulley for the alt belt.
Funny part is, she just had the belt replaced and they could/should have sold her a pulley then.
Short trip to the store,
Buy pulley for $19
back to Minivan,
Install pulley and re-adjust belt tension, (yes it is an old van)
Voila!!
I asked for $75
2 hours of my time plus part,
She gave me $100.
Said that was half what the belt and oil change cost her.
And now the noise, she originally went in for, is gone.
Informed consumers should be wary of lifetime parts,
They (the shop) are banking on the fact that you will be rid of the car before you need another one.
When I owned my shop I would cover lifetime parts if the new owner was willing to pay for labor.
A shop can always talk their primary supplier into replacing a part under warranty. "Customer Satisfaction" dontcha know
