[topless66]

I finally got the Coupe running. Put on my new headers and figured I'd have some Flows I bought put on with turndowns. Now, my boyfriend had his mufflers with turndowns put on his FB on Wednesday, so I know what they should run me. My boyfriend went to the next town over to have his put on, but I figure I'll pay a little more to have mine done in town (where I can walk home) so I'm not stuck in a shop all day.

First place I tried- Cletus and Bubba pull the mufflers from the trunk then put the car on a lift. I can almost hear the money ticking away as they both walk around under my car consulting, pointing, scratching their heads and grunting with furrowed brows. ("what kind of trannie is this?"
"A t-5."
"A four speed?"
"Uh, no a 5 speed.")
Then they move to the mufflers. "These mufflers have several welds on them." "Yeah, and?" "Well, they been used before..."
" Reeeeeeaalllly?" :: No friggin' duh! Obviously they were cut off another car. Surely I must look like a moron.

$150! I said "why so high." Uh, well wadda ya mean, we gotta weld them, add some pipe and hangers?
"well, I know that, but my boyfriend has a 66 mustang and had the same work done in Taylor two days ago for less than half that." We gotta make a profit. (not on me).

I go to the next place - albeit it was a Midas, but it was on the way home. I live in a small town, it's saturday morning and I'm running open headers.
He says $40 per side - that sounds about right. Then HE drives the car into the bay and gets it on a lift, "Uh ma'am you need to come look at this." I go out there (I swear this is the conversation that took place) "You haven't got any mufflers on here at all!"
"Yeah."
"Well, you just got headers!"
"Yeah." (this is the guy that was just driving the car - what the heck did he think was making all that noise?)
"Well, where do you want me to put the mufflers."
"Here" I say and gesture to the only place you could put mufflers under the back seat.
"Well, ma'am I'm gonna have to put a weld here and here, a lenth of pipe here, and put some hangers here. This is gonna run over $150."

Question - How is it that these guys usually get mufflers on cars? I really didn't think what I was asking for was all that unusual.

Next weekend I'll be running out to the place my boyfriend went (they are only open til noon on Saturday so I couldn't get it done this past weekend), and pay about $70.

My boyfriend suggested that I wear dickies and a Ford racing cap, with a smear of grease on my face for good measure.

 

[LMan]

sorry to say, sounds like they are jacking you because of your gender. Guess its as bad in Texas as it is in Aler-bamer :/ Sounds like your BF's place is where you should go, dont forget to mention his name and the price he got so they dont pull the same thing.

 

[geegee]

Don't feel too badly. My exhaust cost $400 from headers back...$150 sounds real cheap to me...

 

[FordDude]

My boyfriend suggested that I wear dickies and a Ford racing cap, with a smear of grease on my face for good measure.

And maybe a fake beard and lower your voice when you talk. It is unfortunate that things like that still happen today. Maybe by the time the Star Ship Enterprise is visiting other planets things like that will be a memory. :: You might want to take the receipt from the work that was done on the b/f Mustang. fd

BTW I want to see a pic of you in your dickies and grease covered face.

 

[Cosmo]

You got off cheap. Here in the People's Republic Of California, Los Angeles Province, the good muffler shops DON'T WORK SATURDAY. Means I would have gotten to take a day off work, with no pay (I'm a consultant) adding a heap to the cost.

I did the work myself, probably got a better job too.

 

[Zwack]

Greetings,
This definitely sounds like they are trying the "she's only a girl she won't know it's too much" route... It's a shame... My wife's car needs some radiator work done on it, and there is a really good place in town here, but she wants me to take it in so that they don't try to give her a higher price. We joked about getting her brother in law to take the car in instead... I'd get the "furriner" price, whe'd get the "girl" price and the brother in law would get a good deal (he's a big Harley riding bearded, heavy built "one of the guys" type...)

Having talked to this place (and done price comparisons) it seems like they are talking to me about a fair price... But I can definitely think of other places that might try to pull a fast one.

Z.

 

[LMan]

'round here, theres a roadside place that sells pecans....if you stop and ask for "PEE-cans" you get one price, if you ask for "peh-KAHNS", you get another ::

 

[Zwack]

'round here, theres a roadside place that sells pecans....if you stop and ask for "PEE-cans" you get one price, if you ask for "peh-KAHNS", you get another ::

I was always told that a "PEE-can" was the thing that you kept under your bed at night...

Z.

 

[egnorant]

They are "jacking " the price. I am in deep East Texas and paid $170.00 for duals from the collector back.
Got 2 new flowmasters and a couple of pretty chrome tips too! They did bump the price 20.00 because
they had to find a few bolts that were missing from the reinforcment plate (69 convertible). Happy hunting1
Bruce (TX)

 

[66gt350]

$400!!! Ouch...that hurt. On my fastback, I was quoted $250 for collector back and that is with flowmasters. For a cheap set of turbos, they would have charged $150.

 

[midpack]

My boyfriend suggested that I wear dickies and a Ford racing cap, with a smear of grease on my face for good measure.

NAHHH, I vote for something "low cut" and "tight"

 

[Guest]

I think I have to agree with midpack, as perverted as it may be

 

[sharkmouth]

Thats ridiculous....have your boyfriend take the car to a shop.

 

[topless66]

No, that doesn't get you a price break, but it will help you get an inspection sticker for an old beater.

 

[autoxsteve]

To answer your question, please post picture of forehead

Sounds like you need to take a book / magazines with you and head to Taylor...

 

[midpack]

LMAO!!
We want pictures!

 

[Laurie_S]

Oh, tell me about it. :: I remember when I took my 1985 Bronco to the El Campo tire store by my house for an alignment. The tech "had to take a look at it" and when he came back out he said "there was a problem." Right......

They tried to sell me a whole new front suspension and this was on a truck that was maybe five or six years old at the time and in mint condition. I asked him just how dumb did he think I was, suggested to another woman customer that she should take her business elsewhere because they were a gyp joint, and I left. I never went there again and got the alignment done at an honest place.

I will say I have never had a similar problem at Discount Tire, so guess who gets my tire business.

 

[gp001]

My boyfriend suggested that I wear dickies and a Ford racing cap, with a smear of grease on my face for good measure.

Maybe you should suggest that he goes with you. Just have him stand beside you and every time they try to "talk to him" just have him give them a pissed off look and point to you. That's what I do for my 5 foot tall wife. I make sure they know who to deal with, I'm just there for arm candy It really seems to frustrate people when they have to be honest to a woman ::

 

[Gene_J]

It is hard to find an honest place. If you find one they are like gold. These places never plan to see you again so they will try for the home run. The better places treat you right so you will come back the next time you need that service.

I sent my wife once to get the brakes bled on a Honda we had years ago. I had just done the brakes and didn't get a chance to bleed them. They told her they needed to replace the calipers or she might possibly be killed while driving it. They wanted 400 dollars.

She wanted to know what to do. I told her to tell them to take that big car lift and shove it up thier A$$. So wouldn't do that so she just left.