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  1. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    14,825
    #1
    taken from Philstar (from Manny Delos Reyes' article):

    …And The Magwheel Dealer From Hell
    One would think that automotive journalists like us would enjoy all the perks and VIP treatment from car companies and other automotive-related establishments. Not always, unfortunately. Especially when we’re seen as mere hapless consumers by some retail outlets that haven’t heard of the words "customer satisfaction."

    It all started when I brought my personal car to have a new set of magwheels fitted to it. I was at the West Ave. area at that time so I stopped at the first service center I saw, Mega Motion.

    The reception was courteous and the service was prompt — one mechanic having all four wheels off the car in no time. Unfortunately, we discovered that my new set of magwheels had deep center holes which required either extra-long wheel nuts or a tire wrench with a slim head, neither of which the shop had. Faced with the prospect of scratching brand-new magwheels with ordinary tire wrenches, we had no recourse but to replace the old wheels; the gracious receptionist even apologizing for being unable to deliver the service I requested. I asked if I had to pay for anything and she said, "Wala na po," with a smile.

    I had driven less than 200 meters when I came across Autobahn, a small store also in West Ave. that displayed several high-end alloy wheels. Thinking that a purveyor of expensive wheels should have all the necessary tools to install them on a wide variety of cars (I had a garden-variety Mitsubishi Lancer), I drove in.

    I chatted with the owner, a darkish and somewhat overweight fellow, who agreed to perform the wheel swap but who also didn’t seem willing to hide his dislike for customers who show up with their own new set of magwheels in the trunks of their cars.

    Needless to say, we encountered the same problem with the wheel nuts. Only this time they had socket wrenches that would have done the job. Unfortunately, the owner said that the wrench set was new and he didn’t want it scratched. Of course I realized that he would have been only too happy to use it if I had bought the magwheels from him.

    Fair enough, I thought, as the mechanics replaced the front wheels they had taken off. I peered inside the shop to look for the owner but he had disappeared back into his office. I turned to the guy who looked like the most senior of the mechanics to ask if I had to settle anything. He said "Okay na yon, sir!"

    So I got inside my car and backed out. Frustrated I was all set to drive off and just return to work when I saw the owner of Autobahn, hands on his hips, scowling at me. He was saying something to one of his people while gesturing towards me. Thinking I might have inadvertently brought one of their tools with me, I drove back in.

    The Autobahn owner wasted no time approaching my open door and said, "Sa susunod, kung magpapagawa ka, magbabayad ka, ha." Stunned I replied, "Sabi ng tao mo kasi pwede na raw ako umalis e, at hindi niyo rin naman nagawa yung pinapagawa ko."

    "E may-ari ba yung kausap mo?" was his quick retort. "Tinanggal at binalik naming yung gulong mo. May labor charge yon," he added. Not knowing how to respond to this kind of customer service, I said, "Galing kasi ako sa Mega Motion; hindi rin nila nakabit pero hindi nila ako siningil. Apat na gulong pa binaba nila." I was already pulling my wallet as I said this.

    "Wala akong pakialam sa kanila; tindahan ko ito," was his arrogant reply. Then upon seeing my open wallet, he launched another attack: "Hindi ko kailangan ang pera mo! Pupunta ka lang dito pag may bibilin ka!"

    I saw absolutely no point in arguing further with this lunatic (although I did have visions of tire wrenches wrapped around his fat black neck). I got into my car and drove off, seething — lost in the irony that I used to conduct customer satisfaction seminars for a Japanese car company for four long years. "The Customer is Always Right" never seemed so vague and distant. I felt woozy with shock. Then a stark realization crept to me: I’d already had a not-so-pleasant experience with this very same Autobahn almost two years ago when I came in to have my tires rotated. They said they were too busy for tire rotations — even when they didn’t have another car in their two-car shop. I could only laugh at how my memory failed me. To any of you daring enough to do business with Autobahn, I only have two words: caveat emptor.

  2. Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    6,753
    #2
    badtrip talaga yan shop na yan.. pinost ko nadin dati yan regarding lowering springs ko nun sa lancer...

  3. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    561
    #3
    Is this the same Autobahn along Bautista (near Buendia)?

    Ang yabang naman nung owner nung shop. How rude and arrogant he is. I'm not one to wish ill-will towards other people, pero sana malugi yung shop niya...

  4. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    6,796
    #4
    my golly.that's what i call an ugly fat bast*rd.

  5. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    692
    #5
    what an ass!

  6. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    11,355
    #6
    i've encountered that shop na when i was shopping around for some rims some time ago. mukha ngang balawis yung mamang yun!

  7. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    2,716
    #7
    ron delos reyes and other automotive journalist should be visiting more the local automotive forums.

    marami silang makukuhang tips dito

    tagal na naka-timbre yang shop na yan eh

  8. Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    263
    #8
    wow grabe talaga yun. lagi yan walang costumer eh, sometime i drive by west ave wala man lang cars naka park sa labas. tsk tsk tsk buti nga

  9. Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    401
    #9
    …And The Magwheel Dealer From Hell
    by Manny delos Reyes (A Motoring Journalis)

    One would think that automotive journalists like us would enjoy all the perks and VIP treatment from car companies and other automotive-related establishments. Not always, unfortunately. Especially when we’re seen as mere hapless consumers by some retail outlets that haven’t heard of the words "customer satisfaction."

    It all started when I brought my personal car to have a new set of magwheels fitted to it. I was at the West Ave. area at that time so I stopped at the first service center I saw, Mega Motion.

    The reception was courteous and the service was prompt — one mechanic having all four wheels off the car in no time. Unfortunately, we discovered that my new set of magwheels had deep center holes which required either extra-long wheel nuts or a tire wrench with a slim head, neither of which the shop had. Faced with the prospect of scratching brand-new magwheels with ordinary tire wrenches, we had no recourse but to replace the old wheels; the gracious receptionist even apologizing for being unable to deliver the service I requested. I asked if I had to pay for anything and she said, "Wala na po," with a smile.

    I had driven less than 200 meters when I came across Autobahn, a small store also in West Ave. that displayed several high-end alloy wheels. Thinking that a purveyor of expensive wheels should have all the necessary tools to install them on a wide variety of cars (I had a garden-variety Mitsubishi Lancer), I drove in.

    I chatted with the owner, a darkish and somewhat overweight fellow, who agreed to perform the wheel swap but who also didn’t seem willing to hide his dislike for customers who show up with their own new set of magwheels in the trunks of their cars.

    Needless to say, we encountered the same problem with the wheel nuts. Only this time they had socket wrenches that would have done the job. Unfortunately, the owner said that the wrench set was new and he didn’t want it scratched. Of course I realized that he would have been only too happy to use it if I had bought the magwheels from him.

    Fair enough, I thought, as the mechanics replaced the front wheels they had taken off. I peered inside the shop to look for the owner but he had disappeared back into his office. I turned to the guy who looked like the most senior of the mechanics to ask if I had to settle anything. He said "Okay na yon, sir!"

    So I got inside my car and backed out. Frustrated I was all set to drive off and just return to work when I saw the owner of Autobahn, hands on his hips, scowling at me. He was saying something to one of his people while gesturing towards me. Thinking I might have inadvertently brought one of their tools with me, I drove back in.

    The Autobahn owner wasted no time approaching my open door and said, "Sa susunod, kung magpapagawa ka, magbabayad ka, ha." Stunned I replied, "Sabi ng tao mo kasi pwede na raw ako umalis e, at hindi niyo rin naman nagawa yung pinapagawa ko."

    "E may-ari ba yung kausap mo?" was his quick retort. "Tinanggal at binalik naming yung gulong mo. May labor charge yon," he added. Not knowing how to respond to this kind of customer service, I said, "Galing kasi ako sa Mega Motion; hindi rin nila nakabit pero hindi nila ako siningil. Apat na gulong pa binaba nila." I was already pulling my wallet as I said this.

    "Wala akong pakialam sa kanila; tindahan ko ito," was his arrogant reply. Then upon seeing my open wallet, he launched another attack: "Hindi ko kailangan ang pera mo! Pupunta ka lang dito pag may bibilin ka!"

    I saw absolutely no point in arguing further with this lunatic (although I did have visions of tire wrenches wrapped around his fat black neck). I got into my car and drove off, seething — lost in the irony that I used to conduct customer satisfaction seminars for a Japanese car company for four long years. "The Customer is Always Right" never seemed so vague and distant. I felt woozy with shock. Then a stark realization crept to me: I’d already had a not-so-pleasant experience with this very same Autobahn almost two years ago when I came in to have my tires rotated. They said they were too busy for tire rotations — even when they didn’t have another car in their two-car shop. I could only laugh at how my memory failed me. To any of you daring enough to do business with Autobahn, I only have two words: caveat emptor.

  10. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    14,825
    #10
    i've already posted a topic like this in the goon squad forums.

    please post there instead of here.

    thanks.

    Autobahn West Ave

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Autobahn West Ave