Outside parts accepted at repair shops?

[Chris_B]

No ePay or Allybabar here. I would have provided an identical turbo assembly from FCP Euro with a "lifetime" warranty at about 40% of the cost to me that the shop is going to charge. Like I said, this is a sudden change in policy (maybe it only applies to me?). A month ago, I provided an OE A/C compressor that cost me ~$200 for an A/C repair. The shop was going to charge me $600 for a no-name aftermarket unit.

[Mike G]

Why not do the work yourself and save even more? Replacing a turbo is pretty straight forward. 

[Chris_B]

Because I am an old guy with a bad back and regrettably am not up to rolling around under cars anymore. Perhaps, if I had a lift...

[otisdog]

It appears that they did you a favor by allowing you to provide the AC compressor, but reverted to their normal parts policy thereafter...so their "sudden change in policy" was to allow you to provide the compressor...

[Chris_B]

This is purely speculative on your part. Their position on me not supplying the turbo was stated as a "change in policy."

[tech71]

I hate Turbos, having dealt with aircraft installed units for 20+ years I simply have no use for them at all.

Its surprising that anybody gives any kind of warranty at all on them considering their rate of failure and how easy it is to induce said "failure" ie, blow them up.

Whatever the reason, the shop has made its decision, spilt milk and all that...

Edited June 23, 2022 by tech71

[tech71]

7 hours ago, Chris_B said:

I would have provided an identical turbo assembly from FCP Euro with a "lifetime" warranty

Whose lifetime? The Turbo unit? Love to see the fine print on that one

['76mintgrün'02]

FCP offers that warranty on everything they sell.  Even motor oil. 

 

 

[Chris_B]

The truth is I don’t believe there was any kind of change in policy. This shop has been in business for over 20 years, and after probably thousands of customers they decide to “change their policy” on customer supplied parts when I walk in the door? Not likely. They just didn’t like the economics of this transaction. I can understand that. BTW, my first turbo lasted 16 years and 165k miles. That seems like a fairly reasonable rate of failure to me. Of course, this is not an airplane. 

[NYNick]

6 hours ago, Chris_B said:

Not likely. They just didn’t like the economics of this transaction. I can understand that. BTW, my first turbo lasted 16 years and 165k miles. 

Then why are you complaining? The customer isn't always right, although these days people seem to feel more and more entitled. 

 

You should walk away or bite the bullet.

 

My brother tells me a story about a large expense report from a long international business trip that was bounced back by accounting with a note that said "we don't reimburse for dress shirts." He had been stuck in a foreign city for 3 days with no clothes.

 

He sent it back to accounting with the exact same Grand Total, but with the shirt removed from the list. His note said: "Find the shirt now."

 

The shop will get you later if you become a thorn in their side.

 

[Lorin]

The quality level of parts currently available is at an all time low in my opinion. Installing a customer provided part today is a much riskier situation than it would have been 10 years ago. Add to that social media where a customer can complain a shop will not stand behind their work (customer provided part failure) with no context to a very wide audience leads me to not disagree with the shops  behavior at all. 
 

Consider yourself fortunate for the years you were allowed to provide your own parts. 

[Chris_B]

I am biting the bullet. I live in a semi-rural area and had to have the car towed to the shop- not worth the time and hassle of trying to get it to another shop. Anyone who would complain about a part failing that they provided to the shop is an **shole in my estimation.