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The thread about a customer wanting the mechanic to cancel someone else's appointment so they could get their car worked on earlier reminded me of this. This happened a couple months ago.
Now, let's be fair. My car is a beater. It's an 11 year old Corolla that has been in a few accidents (none of them my doing...in each case, my car was not only stationary, but only once was I actually IN it). So it's got some minor dents, and I'm really lax on washing my car (haven't in about four years). It's dirty, its got random scratches, on it but I don't really care, because it runs well and it's paid for and I don't really have to worry about someone dinging my door or some random shopping cart giving it a nice new scrape.
That said, I make decent money. I could buy a new car if I wanted but I figure why, when my car is paid for, works, and gets good gas mileage? Not having a car payment helps me save up for my house, ah thank you.
So, in order to keep my car running well as long as possible, I take it every three months to the local mall Sears to have the tires checked and the oil changed and wiper blades switched as needed. The Sears does not do major mechanical work hence there are no appointments...the garage opens into the lot and you pull directly into the garage which sets off a buzzer and first come is first served.
So having been here a trillion times before I pull into the garage. There's a line painted on the floor to let people know where to stop so they don't start interferring with the hydraulic lifts that line the far wall. I'm stopped at this line, car off, taking my key off the ring and waiting for the attendant when a woman in a nice Cadillac pulls up behind me. Now the entrance to the bay is long enough that two cars can easily wait without the second car being in the parking lot at all. Didn't stop her from going right up on my bumber and then honking. Her honk was so loud in fact that it startled me and I dropped my keys. I went fishing for them again then looked in my rearview to see how close she was. I thought at first that she had honked to get the attendent's attention but when I looked back at her she gave me cat-butt-face, honked AGAIN, and waved her hands in a clear indication for me to move forward.
My car is off, I'm at the line, and there's only about ten feet in front of me to the service bays. I'm NOT moving forward. So I shake my head and start fiddling with my keys again (I hate keyrings). So she honks yet again just as the attendent finally comes in (and realizes its her honking and not me, thank heaven).
As soon as she sees him she all but launches out of her car, says some things I don't catch, and thrusts her keys into his hand. Me being in no particular hurry finally get my key off the ring and get out of my car. The woman shoots me a dirty look and goes through the double doors into the store and waiting area. The manager comes out just as the tech gets into this woman's car and starts very carefully manuevering it to get around my car and into the service bay. He stares, I stare. Then the manager looks at me, politely asks me what I need, and takes my key. I go inside and thankfully do not see cat-butt face woman.
I putter around a bit and about fifteen minutes later I come back to the payment desk to see cat-butt-face woman, the mechanic, and the manager there. Mechanic and CBF woman are on the customer side of the desk, manager is behind it. CBF woman is ranting and raving. This is the part of the conversation I overheard.
CBF: I was told it would be TEN MINUTES for my oil. Now you're telling me you haven't even started yet??
Manager: I apologize for that ma'am but we operate on a first come, first served basis. There was a car ahead of you and as we only have one tech working today, we were obligated to attend to her car first.
CBF: No, I was first, this man here (gesturing at the tech) took my car first!
Manager: Yes, I'm aware of that. He should not have done that as there was someone in the garage ahead of you. I apologize for the misunderstanding but as we have no appointments it is first come, first served.
CBF: That rude little woman's car was a pile of crap anyway. You guys should be paying more attention to the quality cars that come in and not junk!
The manager blinked, and I blinked. CBF was unaware that I was standing about four feet right behind her, but of course the manager could see me. I didn't say anything and the manager continued on.
Manager: That's neither here nor there. We just finished with her oil change and we will begin yours now. It will take about fifteen minutes.
CBF: That is just unacceptable!
Manager: Then you are free to go elsewhere if our policy is unacceptable.
CBF: Well, I can see it really pays to be poor white trash driving a beat-up Hickmobile (she actually said HICKmobile?? About a toyota corolla?) around this place!
Me (finally chiming in): At least I can afford some manners, lady.
She spins around and sees me standing there, does the cat-butt-face again and then turns and storms out into the garage area...the technician right behind. The manager apologizes to me for the wait, processes my paperwork, and takes my payment. When I went out to get my car there was no sign of the rude woman or her car...I guess she took her business 'elsewhere'. As I was pulling out (my window was down) I did hear the manager telling the lone tech very sternly that he is never ever ever to accept the keys or move a vehicle for work that is not FIRST in line, he doesn't care how obnoxious the customer is.
That manager rocks
Now, let's be fair. My car is a beater. It's an 11 year old Corolla that has been in a few accidents (none of them my doing...in each case, my car was not only stationary, but only once was I actually IN it). So it's got some minor dents, and I'm really lax on washing my car (haven't in about four years). It's dirty, its got random scratches, on it but I don't really care, because it runs well and it's paid for and I don't really have to worry about someone dinging my door or some random shopping cart giving it a nice new scrape.
That said, I make decent money. I could buy a new car if I wanted but I figure why, when my car is paid for, works, and gets good gas mileage? Not having a car payment helps me save up for my house, ah thank you.
So, in order to keep my car running well as long as possible, I take it every three months to the local mall Sears to have the tires checked and the oil changed and wiper blades switched as needed. The Sears does not do major mechanical work hence there are no appointments...the garage opens into the lot and you pull directly into the garage which sets off a buzzer and first come is first served.
So having been here a trillion times before I pull into the garage. There's a line painted on the floor to let people know where to stop so they don't start interferring with the hydraulic lifts that line the far wall. I'm stopped at this line, car off, taking my key off the ring and waiting for the attendant when a woman in a nice Cadillac pulls up behind me. Now the entrance to the bay is long enough that two cars can easily wait without the second car being in the parking lot at all. Didn't stop her from going right up on my bumber and then honking. Her honk was so loud in fact that it startled me and I dropped my keys. I went fishing for them again then looked in my rearview to see how close she was. I thought at first that she had honked to get the attendent's attention but when I looked back at her she gave me cat-butt-face, honked AGAIN, and waved her hands in a clear indication for me to move forward.
My car is off, I'm at the line, and there's only about ten feet in front of me to the service bays. I'm NOT moving forward. So I shake my head and start fiddling with my keys again (I hate keyrings). So she honks yet again just as the attendent finally comes in (and realizes its her honking and not me, thank heaven).
As soon as she sees him she all but launches out of her car, says some things I don't catch, and thrusts her keys into his hand. Me being in no particular hurry finally get my key off the ring and get out of my car. The woman shoots me a dirty look and goes through the double doors into the store and waiting area. The manager comes out just as the tech gets into this woman's car and starts very carefully manuevering it to get around my car and into the service bay. He stares, I stare. Then the manager looks at me, politely asks me what I need, and takes my key. I go inside and thankfully do not see cat-butt face woman.
I putter around a bit and about fifteen minutes later I come back to the payment desk to see cat-butt-face woman, the mechanic, and the manager there. Mechanic and CBF woman are on the customer side of the desk, manager is behind it. CBF woman is ranting and raving. This is the part of the conversation I overheard.
CBF: I was told it would be TEN MINUTES for my oil. Now you're telling me you haven't even started yet??
Manager: I apologize for that ma'am but we operate on a first come, first served basis. There was a car ahead of you and as we only have one tech working today, we were obligated to attend to her car first.
CBF: No, I was first, this man here (gesturing at the tech) took my car first!
Manager: Yes, I'm aware of that. He should not have done that as there was someone in the garage ahead of you. I apologize for the misunderstanding but as we have no appointments it is first come, first served.
CBF: That rude little woman's car was a pile of crap anyway. You guys should be paying more attention to the quality cars that come in and not junk!
The manager blinked, and I blinked. CBF was unaware that I was standing about four feet right behind her, but of course the manager could see me. I didn't say anything and the manager continued on.
Manager: That's neither here nor there. We just finished with her oil change and we will begin yours now. It will take about fifteen minutes.
CBF: That is just unacceptable!
Manager: Then you are free to go elsewhere if our policy is unacceptable.
CBF: Well, I can see it really pays to be poor white trash driving a beat-up Hickmobile (she actually said HICKmobile?? About a toyota corolla?) around this place!
Me (finally chiming in): At least I can afford some manners, lady.
She spins around and sees me standing there, does the cat-butt-face again and then turns and storms out into the garage area...the technician right behind. The manager apologizes to me for the wait, processes my paperwork, and takes my payment. When I went out to get my car there was no sign of the rude woman or her car...I guess she took her business 'elsewhere'. As I was pulling out (my window was down) I did hear the manager telling the lone tech very sternly that he is never ever ever to accept the keys or move a vehicle for work that is not FIRST in line, he doesn't care how obnoxious the customer is.
That manager rocks
, and I have to start saving up to replace it in case I have to do a major repair. She runs good still and I only had to replace the water pump once (last year), so she should be good for at least another, oh....5 years? 
Some people think that just because they have more money they're better than everybody else and that it's acceptable to treat those with less money than them like shit. Freaking jerks. Not to thread jack, but this reminded me about something my mom told me happened over 10 years ago when she used to work as a clerk for this upscale condo in a well-to-do area in South Florida. This one guy couldn't get his way (dunno what exactly it was he wanted) threw a fit and even called my mom a "half-breed". My mom's boss at the time, J got wind of it and MADE the guy apologize to my mom's face.
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