So,

Wife and I have a prestine 2010 Buick LaCrosse CSX that is our main interstate travel car. Perfect shape, well maintained, still looks new and even has the "new car ambience" inside and out. just turned 60,000 largely interstate miles.

Our "go to" maintenance place closed up last year, so I took it to a different local shop for a routine emissions test. The manager was "VERY WELCOMING" upon my drop off. We even struck up a Vanishing Point / Two Lane Blacktop conversation.

Let me backup and say this place did a cam beefy install and head work on my 1970 Vanishing Point Challenger in about 2000. Wonderful job, but the place switched ownership a few years ago.

So anyway, they call me a few hours later....and say I really "should" have the oil changed, "according to the windshield sticker, it is due." I say, let me check my computer records, as I think I had it done recently.

Sure enough, it was done in January. Full synthetic (as always), less than 1000 miles since. He still says, that it really should be changed. I say, even though it's synthetic??? He says yup, still breaks down.

I understand this, but not THIS quick!

Then, he says their "full vehicle check" shows an abnormal amount of copper in the brake lines. Suggests an exchange,and says the manual calls for it.

Now, that may be manual wise...but I've never had it done.

Now, to add to the issue: The Buick (always garaged) has now been parked outside under a great tarp for the past several months. Bought a newer car, so one had to go outside.

When I drive it to this place (Driven for the first time in a couple months), I noticed a slight "thumping" when i hit the brakes at city speed. Just prior to the final stop. I mention it to them, to please check. I suspect it was just a light coating of moisture rust due to sitting outside in the early Spring.

They say they test drove it, and experienced the same thing. Said it may be nothing and will wear off, but could be more serious. They wanted $70 for a "brake inspection."

When I try to converse with him on some of this, his ultimate response was: "It's your car, do what you want."

Sooooooooooo, I go to pick it up and pay the $24.00 emissions fee.

Seems like no one would even converse, or make eye contact with me.

When my 2012 Challenger SXT Plus comes due for emissions (16,000 miles), or anything else.... I will not repeat the same mistake!

I feel bad for the good guys that make a living repairing cars for folks who can't or don't want to. There are many out there but they risk getting lumped into the same category as this bunch you dealt with. Glad you got out of there with a $24 bill. It would have been a lot worse for many, including my wife, my mother, my sister....insert your own victim.

Not sure what the labor rate is where you are, but they're likely losing money at $24 for an emissions test.
I'd guess that fee is set by the State ?
I don't know how "abnormal amount of copper in brake lines" would be checked/found, but it sounds like they were hoping to make a few bucks or at least break even.
Kinda like those $19.95 lube/oil/filter deals, the shops are hoping to upsell on any issues they see.
I'd sure want to know what that thumping sound is all about.

Not sure i follow. You took a vehicle to a shop that was new to you/this car. You requested an emissions test and mentioned a brake concern.They road tested and inspected the vehicle(as a good shop/tech should). Then they made some recommendations(as a good shop/tech should do)They suggested:

1) Oil change likely based on time(they have no idea about the vehicle usage or the oil used at last service)Based on your knowledge of the vehicle and usage...you decline

2) Brake fluid flush(most manufactures recommend this as maintenance)Based on your knowledge and past experience...you decline

3) Brake inspection(for a fee) due to the concern you expressed as well as the tech test drive. Based on your discussion with them and your past experience...you decline

From here it sounds like the shop attempted to address every one of your concerns and performed a thorough examination of the vehicle and in the end only performed the service you authorized. Sounds like a shop that has the customer in mind.

UPSELL on those deals ? Perish that thought !! BECAUSE there’s MORE!

They’ll ADD IN a free tire rotation!

And YOU KNOW where that goes !

$70 for a brake “inspection?”

No, all in all this was an up-sell,

And they were visibly disturbed between drop off and pickup that I didn’t buy.

Drove car home, and thumping noise was gone.

Must’ve wore off already.. .

So you want them to inspect your brakes for NOTHING ??? Guys like you think tools and equipment pay for themselves. The copper in the brake fluid thing is just strange I must admit but some domestic (American) do have fluid contamination issues. When I do a brake inspection at the dealership ($59.95) I pull all four wheels and calipers to confirm slides and pins are free. And if the customer declines all the work I suggest it needs I loose and so does the dealer because they pay me an hour for the inspection.
I really hate when I get a repair order with 3-4 "could you also look at this or that while it's on the rack" I get flat rate pay for ONLY things I can bill the customer for. I also find it hard to believe that you have never driven a car with rust on the rotors from sitting a few weeks

It's not easy being a shop owner in today's economy so he is trying to sell you a brake flush that your specific car may very well need. All you have to say is "no thanks" if you don't want it done.
Your lube sticker deal is why I quit putting the date on them. Most cars that use synthetic oils are 10K intervals (which I don't agree with either) the oil still gets dirty and should be changed every 5K
Gus

thumping could have been a tire from sitting.

Like Gus said....your car will occupy a hoist and a tech to inspect brakes and write an estimate. Wheels have to come off, calipers get inspected.rotors get measured and a list is created. That list goes to a manager/writer who then spends time locating/pricing parts and calculating labor. Then he contacts the customer with an exact estimate of work to be done,the cost of the work and the time required to complete the work.Many shops will waive inspection fees if work is authorized.If work is declined the shop has to be able to cover the time involved in creating an accurate estimate for required repairs.

There's a LOT involved in a running a successful/profitable repair center in today's world.It's not cheap to run these businesses.....equipment is expensive,qualified techs don't come cheap,disposing of stuff(tires/chemicals)isn't cheap,etc,etc,etc.

Come on guyz .... there are shops here in Florida that offer FREE TIRE ROTATION with a oil/filter/lube job ! ..,, and in many cases no zerk fittings were attended to AND in many times the engine oil filter was never changed !

THEN .... there’s that so called BRAKE FLUID FLUSH......

$70 for a brake inspection that was a short drive? No mention of wheels off or even going into the air? Or did I misunderstand and he wanted to do a brake check for $70?

Regardless, he'd have lost me at insisting to change out my 1000 mile old synthetic oil that could be "broke down".

Hard pass. The wise cracks would have sealed it.

Thank you...

That was my first sign that everything to follow was BS!

Regarding the copper in the brake fluid thing, yes it's real and a decent test of fluid conditions. As the fluid breaks down it becomes corrosive and starts to dissolve the copper coating inside the lines. The test is done similar to a litmus test.

While 70 sounds a bit high for a brake inspection, i don't think it's out of line to charge for one. They take time to do properly.

A ploy: get customer "relaxed", feeling at-ease, welcomed, etc. Then down to "business" (making money). When that falls thru; show your "true self" with "It's your car, do what you want.".

Nonetheless: people do have expectations that they are "entitled" to have every little questionable issue they have about their car addressed by a shop, without the faintest though that "time is money" in that business.

Every single time I dealt with a customer who said their 10 year old (or older) vehicle was in "perfect condition," I knew there were going to be problems.

The only thing I see out of whack is the oil change part. For the brake inspection especially when it's discs a decent garage would usually tell you what it might be from a quick look and say for that $70 they'll check into it further and I can see them charging something for labour to put it on a hoist unless it's already in the air for another reason. A good garage would absorb those costs if you actually get them to do whatever work it needs and if it's a shop that you deal with regularely they usually won't charge you at all.

Hmmmm ... a RELAXED customer....


BUTTT .. what da fugg is this COPPER IN THE BRAKE LINES ?

Please inform this VERY RELAXED ex FabUglass guy ! ....

I'm curious about copper in the brake fluid myself.

I took my GTX to the tire store across the street for a State safety inspection. The first thing the ape mechanic did was unplug a bunch of stuff under the dash looking for the OBD plug. Then they couldn't figure out how to enter the VIN in the state system because it only had 13 characters.
I ended up taking it to the place across town where I usually go.

It was news to me as well. I thought brake fluid contamination was a concern primarily because of ABS modules, figured it was because of moisture. Apparently that's not as much a concern anymore. The copper comes from the brake lines indicating a breakdown of the brake fluid additive package. Didn't even know it had a additive package.

Diagnostic fees wasn't even a term when I was a mechanic in the 1970's. Never heard of it until the 1980's. The quoted fee sounds high to me to put it on a lift, pull the wheels and drums if any. 20 minutes work? I think my record for 4 tires and balance was ~ 45 minutes back in the day.

The shops attitude when the work was declined was the only thing that bothered me. That's not how you treat a customer. It's not like the pads were gone and riding on metal or tires down to the cord. Nothing imminently dangerous here.

I'm still trying to figure out what a "cam beefy install" is.