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| - Okay. So I have had good experiences at AG&R at the gerrard street location, so when I brought my car here, I assumed it would be a similar experience. However it was less than expected.
I had called about an oil change and A1 service on a Honda civic (aka, oil change, fluid check, tire rotate/check) and the technician I spoke to said that if I wanted it done the next day that I should come at 7:30am when they open. So I was there at 7:30 am (actually I was there at 7:15 and waited). I walked in, and approached the desk at 7:30, and the guy working, whom I saw arrive ten minutes prior, didn't really greet me, he just waited for my question. So I started with, "I called yesterday about an A 1 Service; was it you?..." he rolled his eyes and said "it might have been" between bites of Tim Hortons breakfast sandwich. So it continued on.
Anyway, I gave him my keys and asked how long, he said his technicians weren't in yet so probably around 8:30 when they get in, and hour after. (9:30) I left to get some stuff done in the area returning at 9:15. Then I sat there until 10:15. I then got called to the desk. I can see my car, still hoisted, tires off. He says "your break pads need replaced, you are down to only a few milimeters (like 1.5)"
[new break pads are 8-10mm].
I said, "what does that entail?
Reply (condescendingly) "well, you probably break hard" (I raised my eyebrows, to which he recovered by saying) "because it's an automatic, I drive a stick so I can downshift and break less" You are also in Canada where there is a lot of salt, so you should probably get the better pads that are ceramic"
Me: "How much?"
Him: "I can get the parts here and put on by 11:30am"
Me: "How much?"
Him: "ehhh about 500$ premium"
Me: "and for non ceramic? "
Him: "$400"
So at this point I'm out. That is way too much for this job as the tires are ALREADY off the car. (Which is half the work of the job).
The break down: if you go to Canadian Tire or Napa ...the break pads are 100$ for premium for the consumer. "Employees/auto ppl" get the for about $40-50$. Naturally there is a mark up. To install the break pads it's a few steps to install (remove a few bolts, 12mm wrench, check calipers etc) once the tires are off. A professional would take about 10 minutes a tire. Again...naturally there is a minimum labor charge of an hour.
So theoretically $100 on parts (which entails a 50$ mark up) $100 on labour...which has a minimum. Should total 200$ (hell...even if you threw in a 50$ charge for overhead of the half our you were on the hoist...you're looking at $250. Not $500.
So if you don't have any options to find someone you can trust...at least do some research. ie. Bring in your own parts (it'll cost you less) make sure you know exactly what they want to do. (If the pads are at 5mm you have quite a while before they sqeak/or it gets even close to metal to metal) etc. Get itemized and detailed reciepts. Remember your technicians name.
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