I just got through talking on the phone with the manager at the incompetent AAMCO transmission shop that's had my car for over a week now, merely to replace a master cylinder. AND BOY WAS IT A DOOZY.
Picture someone exactly like Lumberg from Office Space, only even drier and more sarcastic and occasionally even affronting/mock intimidating to customers. This is the guy I spent over 30 minutes on the phone arguing with. Only the argument hardly ever elevates to yelling status, it always borders somewhere on the edge of smart sarcasm and in-your-face insults. Basically, this guy keeps stalling (pun intended) because his shop is apparently overloaded with cars, and a scant employee to fix them. He also installs defective parts. Last week, they finally found the leak, Saturday they finally put in a new cylinder, and today he claims it is defective, so they have to replace IT. YEAH. RIGHT.
Here's a few classic lines from the conversation, VERBATIM.
Me: Here's the thing, I think you're just buying time. I don't think you even put IN a new cylinder. I think you don't have to gall to tell me that you haven't even started working on my car yet. Is this correct?
Lumberg: *BIG SIGH* You think….that we would put in all this labor for NOTHING? Sir, we have a new master cylinder IN YOUR CAR, that needs to be bled for leaks.
Me: Admit it, THERE IS NO NEW CYLINDER!
Me: Ok, I'm coming in tomorrow morning to watch you all replace this “new” cylinder again.
Lumberg: Oh SURE, you can come tomorrow morning, but it's only going to delay your repair. The technicians get nervous when people stand around all anxious waiting for their cars, and you're going to get impatient waiting around all day.
Me: Then hire some new technicians with balls, see you at 8am.