Elite Euro concerns

[markaninos]

hi,

as i stated in my "hello" thread i like to save a dollar where i can.
which tends to mean on big ticket items all do a few calls around to make sure im getting a quality service at a reasonable price.

i recently got my golf timing belt changed. i have been a customer of Joe's at Elite Euro (formally Golf Wagon) for many years. and when i came to checking their costs against the OEM and one of there main competitors (WA Euro) i found that they were more expensive than even the OEM in addition, they were trying to use an after market part.
now as any consumer may do, is question if they can match the market, and more detail on why they use an after market and no one else does. when i asked these things, the price went up and when i asked why well see for yourself.

the response was rude:
Hi again Mark,

2 reasons for the price.

No.1: a Labour charge of 0.25 hours for what will now be the fifth email/Quote. So $27.50 plus GST is $30.25.

No.2: An "insult" charge of $39.75 for comparing us to WA Euro.

Kind Regards

Philip @ Elite Euro

when i stated my dis-appreciation for this (the short version for my reaction)
No problem Mark,

Sorry you feel that way. Good luck with all your future endeavours and please find a sense of humour along the way.

Kind Regards

Philip @ Elite Euro


now Joe at Elite Euro, such a gentleman and gives some of the best service
Phillip.. putting the price up as i as the consumer want to check if im getting a good price, in addition i believe that their may be other bigger issues in changing a price to penalise someone for checking.

WA Euro came to my home and was gone in under 2 hours. he was polite and efficient and CHEAPER with the OEM parts


hopefully Joe has this situation under control but when dealing with them, if Phillip answers, ask for Joe!

[The One]

Wow what a joke, I would not be using them AT ALL.

[ByronRichesMk1]

If you, as stated asked for 5 quotes on the same job mate I'd personally be considering you as a time waster as well. I've used Elite Euro purely for buying engines and gearboxes from for my builds and I have nothing but good memories of my experiences from them.
Not to have a go, nor saying what was written to you in a reply is acceptable. But if you want good work done, you'll pay for it, and they do good work. Another consideration, is that OEM isn't always best. They may have good reason for using an aftermarket timing belt. Something i'd presume to be the case from my own experiences, and other peoples, of the boys up there being quite knowledgable.
Just my two cents.

[pinchies]

Being taken for a ride is a fear many people have of their mechanic - i'm surprised at the lack of empathy for a customer in that response. As for aftermarket/oem, I would assume it depends on the part. I'm far more confident with my aftermarket brake light switch than I would be with a VW one, with the VW one going through many, many, many revisions until they make it work reliably. But the price of aftermarket is almost always cheaper... so I think its a valid question to ask why the price is higher.

[markaninos]

i certainly wasnt impressed after being their customer so long
but WA euro seems fairly happy at my change, as well he mentioned a good number of people making the switch to him due to this attitude.

but as i said, if you wanna use them, ask for Joe!

[Watercooled]

I don't trust so called specialists anymore,nor have I found their service and PR is up to it,any rudeness is not to be tolerated.
Best remedy is to only pay the true amount owing and walk away ,word of mouth can cause more damage to them than court cases and lawyers and its a lot cheaper.
I had an occurance of poor service @ a main bmw dealer,a small town like mine people ask me where to take their bmws because I've owned a few and I tell them not to go to that dealer simple as.
Since my experience they have lost that agency and I'am no hearing alot of negitive feedback with them servicing VW's.
Sorry to hear this ,hope you can sort it,I don't think you a time waster just a cautious consumer,cheers.

[GOLFBALLS]

Yeah, its probably a bit rude, but i can understand Phillips side as well. Like byron said, you emailed them FIVE times to quote the same job for heavens sake! Technically speaking they dont use aftermarket parts. I know, because i work for their parts supplier. We are an aftermarket wholesaler, but all the brands we sell actually design and make the OE stuff for VW/Audi Group anyway (hence the term OEM supplier). But Elite Euro uses Genuine timing belt kits anyway!

You also said that no one else uses aftermarket parts. I think you will find the opposite is true in reality, Mark.

If you werent prepared to pay the original price Phillip quoted, or his second offer, why didn't you just go to the other specialist sooner?
I speak with numerous workshops on a daily basis, and i cant think of too many who would put up with a customer hounding them to almost cut their price in half!!

I also dont agree with people haggling down a price on a service like you did. Sure, haggle once maybe, but you took it to extremes and im surprised he was able to keep a sense of humour!

It's a garage, not a garage sale. They are trying to run a business, not a charity. You wouldn't try haggling like that at a restaurant - theyd also tell you to bugger off!

Usually, when someone gives a crazy cheap quote, they probably are skimping out on some essential parts of the job.

Did the other places you got cheaper quotes from also include the water pump, coolant, ALL belt tensioners, rollers & dampers (in other words the ENTIRE job from top to bottom?) Ive seen some mechanics leave out important parts just to score a job.

Im not saying WA Euro is incapable of doing the job fully. On the contrary, Steve is also a customer of mine, he knows his stuff and a great guy. But you need to understand a mobile technician's overheads are much lower too (no workshop rent, no staff wages, no elec bill etc).

Maybe not the best tact in the world from Phillip but i also dont blame him at all because i've been in the same situation with time wasters and tight arses many times myself.

[DAL344]

I think the whole thread has been summed up in the post above!
If you really want to get 'spanked' try the mob in Burswood who shall remain nameless...
As for Joe & Philip I think they stopped answering the phone by name to me & I find to hard to recognise the difference TBH.
I think the mistake they made was dropping their price & putting the consumer in the driving seat (excuse the pun) & should have given a fixed rate as I'm sure in this day & age margins are small & bartering doesn't help anybody.
Just for parity any chance we can see all the emails not just the pre-selected exerts?

[GOLFBALLS]

Just for parity any chance we can see all the emails not just the pre-selected exerts?

Yes, that's exactly what i was wondering! You've only given us the email you wanted us to see Mark.

[CATELUS]

This has escalated quickly.
*popcorn time*

...But in all seriousness. It sounds like you dug your own "social media" grave here Mark.
You started this thread so vague with no factual figures as to how much extra Elite Euro was charging compared to other workshops quotes.

Re-think before you post/slur the forum. It's these types of threads that give "car forums" negative stigma.

[Transporter]

I think that everyone who likes to bargain too much, should try to remember how he/she feels (would feel) when the employer is bargaining their wage/salary decrease? ;)

[Ideo]

I think that everyone who likes to bargain too much, should try to remember how he/she feels (would feel) when the employer is bargaining their wage/salary decrease? ;)

Yep.

My mechanic, who I consider a mate, has the same issue.

He runs a tight ship, charges a little more than Uncle Clyde's dodgy backstreet repairs, but has only himself and one massively experienced race car engineer working for him. No apprentices to fob off work too.

The amount of customers he gets through who try and bargain him down to basically cost price is staggering.

I'm in business myself. And some customers are simply not worth the time and effort.

[Bug_racer]

Yep.

My mechanic, who I consider a mate, has the same issue.

He runs a tight ship, charges a little more than Uncle Clyde's dodgy backstreet repairs, but has only himself and one massively experienced race car engineer working for him. No apprentices to fob off work too.

The amount of customers he gets through who try and bargain him down to basically cost price is staggering.

I'm in business myself. And some customers are simply not worth the time and effort.

I get the same and Im sure most other workshops are in the same boat .
After a long discussion with my insurance broker I will also no longer be fitting customer supplied parts to save on liability insurance costs
Also saw this and had a laugh :

6283
6284

[shakespeare]

Not sure where the OP (Mark was it) has got too? however given his negativity I thought I'd add something positive here.

In my opinion Elite Euro have performed excellent work on all the vehicles I have had serviced there, both Joe and Philip have been excellent in their communication and I have had no issue. FYI they performed a timing belt change on my TFSI Jetta a couple of years ago and my only pre-requisite was they did a good job which they did and would be better value than a VW dealer service centre, which they were! Therefore for those reading choose who you like to service your VW however don't pass by Elite Euro based on one persons experience. :)

[Transporter]

Yep.

My mechanic, who I consider a mate, has the same issue.

He runs a tight ship, charges a little more than Uncle Clyde's dodgy backstreet repairs, but has only himself and one massively experienced race car engineer working for him. No apprentices to fob off work too.

The amount of customers he gets through who try and bargain him down to basically cost price is staggering.

I'm in business myself. And some customers are simply not worth the time and effort.

Yes, I agree.

People email you 10 or more times, some of them very long emails, then book Saturday morning 1 week ahead and cancel that appointment on Friday, saying he will have a go into it himself. :facepalm:
For sure timewasters to me, I had a customer who want to book that Saturday morning and he went elsewhere because of that.

...and definitely agree with the picture above, "if you work on it, it costs much more" for very obvious reasons.

[markaninos]

yes escalation

im sorry that some feel that bartering is unfair, i do at times as well
however if we want to know

VW Osbourne park: 1250
Elite euro: $1280 - requoted to 1180 stating then use of aftermarket part
WA Euro: $960 - all parts and services matched

i did have a lengthy reply but not wanting to poke a topic, i will simply say that its your right to accept a price higher than market for parts that are not OEM, it is my right as a consumer to question a price or service or part. i am a consumer and i know my rights well in a time of economic distress in WA. if im to spend that amount, i want to know exactly what its for and why it is higher than VW Osbourne park.

so i guess my point of rebuttal is that if you want to be in a service/sales industry, and you know your product is priced higher than market, either dont expect the business, expect someone to question or if you are rude expect a review. is that not my right as a consumer? if you believe its not, perhaps reconsider the consumer environment you are dealing with

is it not foreseeable that if you are rude in this way to a consumer, that the consumer may use a means available to them to advise others of that rudeness, price is one thing, rudeness is a service given which apparently costs $39.75

[Ideo]

It is your right as a consumer to go to whoever you want.

If you don't like the service you are free to go elsewhere.

I'm not sure what your point is?

[markaninos]

it just seemed from the shelacking above that either i should not have even asked for a better price to elite euro, or i shouldnt have asked why they have 1 part thats not oem.
my point was that as a consumer its my right to question anything involving me, and in doing so not get an 'insult charge'
which was insulting in itself which is the point of the whole topic for me that no service provide should be able to give this attitude

it has been nice to get msgs from people as well that have had similar experiences of this attitude and done exactly what i did and found an alternate servicer, and i am merely trying to give an example of poor service.

ps. remind me not to go on holiday weeks after i post something to find someone erupted an argument and then someone else finished it given my non-response

[Transporter]

In almost 20 years in business, I've learned that you can't never please everyone.

There are many happy customers from Elite Euro who posted in the forum. Maybe you have different requirements and the E.E was not able to meet them. Maybe they don't compete on the price.

Said though, that you couldn't take a joke and used it for slaying them in the forum. Just lighten up a bit, the life is nicer when you have a tiny bit more sense of humour. :)