I go in for tire repair and the man asks about my windshield wipers.... ???

[Kern Dog]

Is this something new?
I know that the Bureau of Automotive Repair places weird restrictions and practices on repair shops. Several years ago, I read they required all shops to do a tire pressure check even if they were in for something completely UNrelated to the tires.
Is that happening here?
I had a slow leak in the LF and RR tires. While the man was pecking away all my info, he asked of the condition of my wiper blades. I have never been asked this at any shop before. In 1986, I worked at an auto parts store (Chief Auto Parts) and the corporate theme was plus selling.
If a customer was in for a quart of oil, the clerk would ask if they needed a funnel or paper towels.
If they bought an alternator, we had to ask if they needed a voltage regulator or battery cables.
It was a running joke...we'd say that IF a frequent customer bought lots of oil, we'd ask him if he needed an ENGINE or drip pan.
Windshield wipers have nothing to do with tires. Is this some new government thing?

 

[RemCharger]

Up selling. Certainly not new. Repair shop magazines have advertised " increasing sales, profits" since the first car rolled out.
Big profit margins in wipers

 

[oldkimmer]

A couple of years ago my Jeep was at the dealer for a tire repair. There is service intervals they want maintained. They asked the wife if they should go ahead and do them. Sure she says if it’s needed. Wipers, cabin air filter, air filter etc. it needed it all. Funny thing was I had just changed all that 5,000 kilometres ago. I was pissed. The wife thought she would do me a favor and paid. I went in and raised ****. Last time it went there for anything. Kim

 

[LowBikeMike]

Any time a repair order is written in CA a tire pressure check is required. Sounds like they added wipers. Thank your state government.

 

[Sahara]

A tale of two oil change places…
A few years ago we are up in Yellowknife. The relatively new Jeep wrangler is due for an oil change. Now understand, I am relentless about this stuff. My vehicles get regular oil changes, and thus last forever. I pull in to one of the big chain oil change places. Out comes an impeccably groomed guy in his mid thirties who promptly gives me a super hard sell to upgrade for everything. All I want is my engine oil changed. While they are doing that they pull every other plug to check the fluids. Apparently I should change tranny fluid and my differential oil is “disgusting”. Super hard sell to the point where I’m getting angry. This guy is relentless and obnoxious. We just get the oil change and leave, never to return.
Contrast this with a shop to my south, in Grande Prairie. Also a large national chain. Their prices are posted on the walls. Completely staffed by a bunch of guys in their late teens and early twenties. They all sound and act pretty much like Sean Penn’s character in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. These are the least likely businessmen you could imagine, yet they cheerfully and efficiently change my oil, fill my wiper fluid for free, and check my tires and lights. They make polite small talk. They remove my air filter, blow it out, and show me that it is still pretty dirty. Do I want another one? I do. These guys now get 100% of my business. No hard sell to upgrade. Nice, polite guys that do a good job for a fair price. As it should be.

 

[Hikin Mike]

I get my tires at America's Tire and they always mention about new wiper blades. They say their blades are cheaper then the auto parts store w/free installation. I passed.

 

[Sixpactogo]

Those gimmicks have been going on for many years. I remember back in the 70's, my ex wife and here girlfriend went to Las Vegas in the girlfriends 69 Mustang. Back in those days, gas stations had attendants that would pump your gas. The attendant told the girls they needed new shocks so they had to wait a couple hours while that took place. They tried it on me also once also. I stopped in a gas station in Tucumcarri New Mexico while on my way back to California back in 1966. The attendant asked if he could check the oil. I told him it was fine but he insisted so I told him to go for it. Sure enough, it was full of oil but the attendant told me my fuel pump was leaking gas into the engine because he could smell gas on the dip stick. I told him to use a different rag to wipe it then. He got real defensive and argued I wouldn't get 20 miles down the road before the fuel pump would quit. They must have had a run on fuel pumps that day cuz I had to relieve myself and walked to the restroom out back. There was a fellow waiting by his car with the hood up. I asked him if he had car trouble. He answered. Yeah, bad fuel pump.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

Wipers are easily over looked until you need them. In my work van I keep a new set for emergency. The quality has gotten so much better it i easy to ignore them till they fail. When I worked in the dealership I always checked wiper blades. Mainly because I hate poor blades. It’s always good to see where you are going. I also know after the Firestone/Explorer tire issues, we checked and noted tire pressure on every car that entered our shop. I know asking about wipers is an up sell but, you have the right to decline.

 

[Jesse6869]

Had my truck worked on at a so called buddy shop, asked me if he could put wipers on it said no problem thinking it would cost about 10$ a blade. 40$ later never did that again and i know he gets them at cost.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Price blades sometime. $15-$35 each, retail, even at Walmart.

Inflation is real, folks.

And from the shop perspective...many (most) people DON'T check these things regularly. Keep in mind, car enthusiasts are a definite minority when it comes to "anyone who drives". Lots of people don't check - or even KNOW to check - these things. Drive, add fuel when the little light thingy comes on...repeat. That's it.

That doesn't excuse the hard-sell ********...but think about an elderly parent in a distant state. Are you glad someone helps them keep an eye on their car (and by extension, safety)? Or would you rather they don't give a ****, and let them roll out on bald tires and oil leaks and shitty wipers?

 

[oldkimmer]

I have also been on the other side of the coin as a garage owner/technition for 6 years. I only recommended parts and work that needed to be done and on a time interval that I figured was needed to be done sooner than later. I had a few ppl that wanted a second opinion. I told them that I encouraged that they do that. Being honest is the best a person can be. Shows their integrity. I’ll say though that wipers are 1 of the most neglected items on a vehicle as u don’t remember u need them till u need them. Kim

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

Stolen from meme thread.
Working in a shop this **** is funny because it is real.

 

[Detective D]

Wiper blades are $17-30 bucks a pop even on amazon.
In a retail setting add 30%.
I recall in High school buying new for $2.99. 15 years later they were $7.99
Apparently covid and inflation have perhaps exceeded the 5% mark that is claimed.

Want to get rich? Design a nice metal wiper and sell refills like razors for about half of what they other guys sell for. I have been trying to find a refill for my factory '13 Charger wipers for about 5 years.

 

[kiwigtx]

I stock up on wiper blades when the local Auto shops have specials or sales. I keep them at home hanging on hooks. I have found it doesn't matter how much you spend on a wiper blade here, they still only last about one year to 18 months maximum. So why spend up to $50 a blade when they can be had for less than $20.

Also, I changed my washer fluid detergent from the crappy corrosive Bars Bugs to the Wurth windscreen cleaner product. Now I can put a shot of that in every time I refill the reservoirs.....having a gallon bottle with a pump and dispenser tube is really handy.

Now just to veer off a little but along the same vein as far as "Upsell" goes.... Five years ago I worked as a manager of a small local electrical wholesale company. I thought having a desk job might be nice during the colder months, but it soon got to be way harder than actually out there doing the actual work.
It is well known that 'some' Asian electricians try and cheat by cutting their earth rods (ground electrodes) so they get more jobs per rod. They start out at 6-feet long here, but I know Inspectors who go on jobs a lot, and the first thing they do on a residential job is kick the earth rod. If it moves, and the electrician is Chinese, they turn the job down. There was at least one guy cutting the rods into four pieces.

Anyway, one day that guy came into my branch and asked for 3 x earth rods and some other switch gear. As fast as lightning I asked if he needed a dozen clamps with the rods. He looked at me sideways .....and said nothing.
My co-worker had to leave the room to laugh.

 

[1STMP]

Is this something new?
I know that the Bureau of Automotive Repair places weird restrictions and practices on repair shops. Several years ago, I read they required all shops to do a tire pressure check even if they were in for something completely UNrelated to the tires.
Is that happening here?
I had a slow leak in the LF and RR tires. While the man was pecking away all my info, he asked of the condition of my wiper blades. I have never been asked this at any shop before. In 1986, I worked at an auto parts store (Chief Auto Parts) and the corporate theme was plus selling.
If a customer was in for a quart of oil, the clerk would ask if they needed a funnel or paper towels.
If they bought an alternator, we had to ask if they needed a voltage regulator or battery cables.
It was a running joke...we'd say that IF a frequent customer bought lots of oil, we'd ask him if he needed an ENGINE or drip pan.
Windshield wipers have nothing to do with tires. Is this some new government thing?

View attachment 1619910

Wiper blades. One of the
most overlooked
maintenance items on
a car or truck. As one
having survived Houston
mad house traffic during
the prelude of escape from
an approaching hurricane,
I can attest to the value of
a good set of windshield
wipers.
Someone in San Diego may
not see the same
pre-requiset. I'm of the
opinion that what I drive
is solely up to me to head
off any potential "disasters"
I'm likely to head into. Shops
have no "authority" to force
(subliminally) a one rule
covers all scenerario.
Personal responsibility
has flown out of your open
drivers' window as far as
the government is
concerned.
No intention of being
political here, but some
subjects of the political
spectrum govern our
dearly loved hobby and
passion.

 

[1967coronet]

One of my grandaughters lives in Quincy IL. She's been out of college now for a couple years. Paying her own bills, living life , 2 jobs ect.
She took her 13 malibu in for a oil change at a GM dealer in Quincy, I know 1st mistake... She called me at work, they had oil out of it and came out and showed her a work order that was going to cost north of $600 , I can't say what all was on it but it was crap like coolant flush ect.
They were putting the tuff sale on her.
She called me , I called them, I made a new friend over the phone lol. She left after a $90 oil change.

 

[1STMP]

One of my grandaughters lives in Quincy IL. She's been out of college now for a couple years. Paying her own bills, living life , 2 jobs ect.
She took her 13 malibu in for a oil change at a GM dealer in Quincy, I know 1st mistake... She called me at work, they had oil out of it and came out and showed her a work order that was going to cost north of $600 , I can't say what all was on it but it was crap like coolant flush ect.
They were putting the tuff sale on her.
She called me , I called them, I made a new friend over the phone lol. She left after a $90 oil change.

Sad to see the greed. Been
this way since time began.
It's grand to see that your
granddaughter relied on
gramps for advice. She
turned an ear towards you
and listened. Shows much
respect on her part.

 

[1967coronet]

Sad to see the greed. Been
this way since time began.
It's grand to see that your
granddaughter relied on
gramps for advice. She
turned an ear towards you
and listened. Shows much
respect on her part.

Thanks, lol, she is pretty tight with grandma and me.

 

[Hey-O]

The thing that really helps kill wiper blades in being left on the glass, when parked in the sun, and slowly being folded over losing the ability to clean in both directions properly. I put a piece of wood under the arm just big enough to just lift the wiper off the glass when parked for a long time.

I took my daughter to the quick change oil joint down the street from our house after buying her a Jeep. I got tired of doing it all and her just driving, it's called learning to deal with life. I went in with her, and show the guy what her, her Jeep and I looked like and explained when she came in, don't touch anything on the Jeep except what was related to the oil change. I asked him it he understood what I wanted, make a note of this conversation and he said he totally got it. She was taught that every 2500 miles, it was time for the oil to be changed. She had a credit card and all was good. Mind you, I went through the thing constantly and told her if she EVER noticed anything out of the normal to tell me. She goes for her first oil change, by her big self, and I get a phone call from her in tears. They told her both axles needed the lube to be changed, transmission, transfer case and yes, the wiper blades. They made it sound as if she REALLY needed it now and they wouldn't recommend driving any further before it was done, it could be dangerous. I wouldn't bore you with how I handled it or the phone call I got from the regional manager for a full service on the house for the terrible misunderstanding that had occurred, no thanks. I found a small place for her to go to that understood.

Helping someone and just plain old upsell are two totally different things. They prey on the weak and when they smell blood in the water it's on!............. The only reason they didn't throw in the need for a radiator flush was, it's the easiest to look into and see the water was clean unlike the rest of the drivetrain.

 

[toolmanmike]

The thing that really helps kill wiper blades in being left on the glass, when parked in the sun, and slowly being folded over losing the ability to clean in both directions properly. I put a piece of wood under the arm just big enough to just lift the wiper off the glass when parked for a long time.

I took my daughter to the quick change oil joint down the street from our house after buying her a Jeep. I got tired of doing it all and her just driving, it's called learning to deal with life. I went in with her, and show the guy what her, her Jeep and I looked like and explained when she came in, don't touch anything on the Jeep except what was related to the oil change. I asked him it he understood what I wanted, make a note of this conversation and he said he totally got it. She was taught that every 2500 miles, it was time for the oil to be changed. She had a credit card and all was good. Mind you, I went through the thing constantly and told her if she EVER noticed anything out of the normal to tell me. She goes for her first oil change, by her big self, and I get a phone call from her in tears. They told her both axles needed the lube to be changed, transmission, transfer case and yes, the wiper blades. They made it sound as if she REALLY needed it now and they wouldn't recommend driving any further before it was done, it could be dangerous. I wouldn't bore you with how I handled it or the phone call I got from the regional manager for a full service on the house for the terrible misunderstanding that had occurred, no thanks. I found a small place for her to go to that understood.

Helping someone and just plain old upsell are two totally different things. They prey on the weak and when they smell blood in the water it's on!............. The only reason they didn't throw in the need for a radiator flush was, it's the easiest to look into and see the water was clean unlike the rest of the drivetrain.

Yep those kind of shops prey on the gals especially the moms. A local shop teaches their service writers to look for child seats in the back seat. Easy prey when they sell "dangerous to your family if we don't do it today" services. Frickin crooks! A gal I know went in for a free oil change she won in a raffle and spent almost $1000 before she got out the door. Same shop I mentioned.