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For some reason I wound up talking on the phone to a customer, which is not part of my job description by any stretch of the words. It was a lady who was wondering how much life was left on her brake pads.
Crazy Brake Lady: I was just wondering how much longer my brake pads will last. Can you tell me?
Me: Well there's a lot of factors involved ma'am, but I would have to see them before I could even guess.
CBL: Well can I look at them and describe them would that help?
Me: No not really, for me to have any idea how long they would last you I would have to see them for myself.
CBL: But, how will I know if its safe for me to drive up there?
Me: If you feel uncomfortable driving you could have it towed up here.
CBL: How much is your towing service?
Me: We don't have a towing service ma'am but I can give you the number to the company we recomend if you would like.
CBL: What do you mean you don't have a towing service? You're a dealership! How are you supposed to get cars to your dealership if you don't tow them?
Me: Most of the time towing is arranged by the customer.
CBL: What about before a customer buys the car how do you get it there then?
Me: On a semi trailer with about ten other cars.
CBL: Send one of those out for me then!
Me: ...! There's no way that I can do that for you ma'am. You'll have to arrange towing yourself.
CBL: Well Other Dealership always sends out a tow truck for my husbands car! Why can't you do the same?
Me: Becuase we're not Other Dealership, thats why. You'll have to arrange towing yourself.
CBL: Fine! I think I'll just call Other Dealership and have them take a look at it.
(Interlude: At this point I should have just said "Have fun with that." and hung up on her, but I didn't. Silly me)
Me: Ma'am Other Dealership might not be willing to take a look at your car for you if you didn't buy it from them.
CBL: Well I didn't buy it from YOU either! I bought it from Other Dealership #2!
Me:...
At this point I'm ready to swear that if I EVER findout who transfered that call to the shop I'll use the guy as a demonstration on how to properly apply silicone gasket maker to make the perfect seal with out excess. But theres more. Just wait.
Me: Then You should probably call Other Dealership #2 and make arrangement with them.
CBL: They never answer when I call them! So I'm not going to deal with them ever again!
Me: (They probably have caller ID and know this drill already. I don't blame them.) Well I don't think theres any way I can help unless you can figure out a way to get your car up here. If you do I'll be more than happy to take a look for you and give you an estimate to go by. I will have to have special approval to work on your car though since you didn't buy it from us.
CBL: Ok, I'll just drive it up there.
Me: Ma'am if you're not-
And then she hangs up. About 30 minutes later she shows up and asks for me. So I raise her car on my lift and look at her brakes. Everything looks almost brand new. Rotors, drums, pads, shoes and even the brake lines themselves look new the only part that doesn't look new is the master cylinder.
Me: Ma'am there is nothing wrong at all with these brakes, as a matter of fact they look like they were just changed.
CBL: Yeah, I just had a lot of work done on my brakes about two weeks ago. Got all sorts of new things on their. So how long do you think my brakes will last?
Me: They should last you quite a while ma'am, I wouldnt worry about your brakes at all for a long time. When you hear them start to squeal is when you should get them replaced.
CBL: Okay! Thanks!
Holy hell...
Why in the hell did I have to go through all of this again?
Crazy Brake Lady: I was just wondering how much longer my brake pads will last. Can you tell me?
Me: Well there's a lot of factors involved ma'am, but I would have to see them before I could even guess.
CBL: Well can I look at them and describe them would that help?
Me: No not really, for me to have any idea how long they would last you I would have to see them for myself.
CBL: But, how will I know if its safe for me to drive up there?
Me: If you feel uncomfortable driving you could have it towed up here.
CBL: How much is your towing service?
Me: We don't have a towing service ma'am but I can give you the number to the company we recomend if you would like.
CBL: What do you mean you don't have a towing service? You're a dealership! How are you supposed to get cars to your dealership if you don't tow them?
Me: Most of the time towing is arranged by the customer.
CBL: What about before a customer buys the car how do you get it there then?
Me: On a semi trailer with about ten other cars.
CBL: Send one of those out for me then!
Me: ...! There's no way that I can do that for you ma'am. You'll have to arrange towing yourself.
CBL: Well Other Dealership always sends out a tow truck for my husbands car! Why can't you do the same?
Me: Becuase we're not Other Dealership, thats why. You'll have to arrange towing yourself.
CBL: Fine! I think I'll just call Other Dealership and have them take a look at it.
(Interlude: At this point I should have just said "Have fun with that." and hung up on her, but I didn't. Silly me)
Me: Ma'am Other Dealership might not be willing to take a look at your car for you if you didn't buy it from them.
CBL: Well I didn't buy it from YOU either! I bought it from Other Dealership #2!
Me:...
At this point I'm ready to swear that if I EVER findout who transfered that call to the shop I'll use the guy as a demonstration on how to properly apply silicone gasket maker to make the perfect seal with out excess. But theres more. Just wait.
Me: Then You should probably call Other Dealership #2 and make arrangement with them.
CBL: They never answer when I call them! So I'm not going to deal with them ever again!
Me: (They probably have caller ID and know this drill already. I don't blame them.) Well I don't think theres any way I can help unless you can figure out a way to get your car up here. If you do I'll be more than happy to take a look for you and give you an estimate to go by. I will have to have special approval to work on your car though since you didn't buy it from us.
CBL: Ok, I'll just drive it up there.
Me: Ma'am if you're not-
And then she hangs up. About 30 minutes later she shows up and asks for me. So I raise her car on my lift and look at her brakes. Everything looks almost brand new. Rotors, drums, pads, shoes and even the brake lines themselves look new the only part that doesn't look new is the master cylinder.
Me: Ma'am there is nothing wrong at all with these brakes, as a matter of fact they look like they were just changed.
CBL: Yeah, I just had a lot of work done on my brakes about two weeks ago. Got all sorts of new things on their. So how long do you think my brakes will last?
Me: They should last you quite a while ma'am, I wouldnt worry about your brakes at all for a long time. When you hear them start to squeal is when you should get them replaced.
CBL: Okay! Thanks!
Holy hell...
Why in the hell did I have to go through all of this again?
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