[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Regards,
[redacted]
I am partially rejecting this. I admit I should have asked more about what I was signing however the lady was saying it was pertaining to dropping it off with them so I didn't question it further, I guess I'm am was too trusting. Lesson learned there! Their office window is located in a dark poorly lit area so I did miss what was on the form and I wasn't reading the multitude of papers taped up on the wall. I know now I should have taken it outside in the light and read it properly but that's all hindsight now.So getting past the fact that I made that mistake and on to what I'm really complaining about, they simply didn't explain this policy to me in any way, shape or form. It should have been verbally told to me right away the moment they heard me say the word "estimate". What I was told is one of the guys will have to measure it up and then they would get me a quote and call me. Sounded pretty normal to me. No one said anything about cleaning or testing it and nothing about a charge for an estimate. I've never heard of charging $40 dollars for an estimate!?! In fact, I've never heard of charging at all for an estimate. Not in my 48 years anyway so I wasn't expecting it. I'd guess 95% or more of business's would not have such a policy or I surely would have seen it before somewhere.I ask, why does a person get an estimate? It's so they can compare prices and go with the best deal. Now if every business had their policy, it would cost me $120 dollars just to get estimates from 3 radiator shops. That's itic and defeats the whole purpose and that's what I feel is wrong here. Without estimates and shopping around, there can be no accountability if a business is charging excessive or not.This business should make it's profit from the repair itself should the customer agree to their estimate price and not on testing that I never asked for. I paid $40 plus tax to be told my radiator leaked and needed a new core, basically I got nothing at all for that money. I already knew it leaked and where it leaked from. I specifically asked for a price on having a new core put in. I did not ask to test it to see where it leaked and what it needed. If I didn't know what was wrong with it, then I could see doing the clean/test work and charging something for that work however that's a whole different scenario and does not apply in this case.Perhaps this business should do away with forms to sign and just have the person pay this charge up front when they bring a radiator in. Then there could be no doubt and if it's such a good policy, it should not affect their business at all. I suspect many including myself would not feel comfortable investing this money just for a quote and would probably go elsewhere. I know I would have had I known. Well that's the facts. I'm not really looking for a refund as legally they got me for the $40 but I think that others should be warned ahead of time about this policy. I think it should be listed on the Revdex.com website so a person knows the deal ahead of time.[redacted]
April 6, 2015Dear Sir or Madam:The radiator that [redacted] brought into Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s shop was an antique 1963 [redacted]. This radiator came in on 03/16/15, and [redacted] took it out on 03/27/15. The radiator was only here for a total of 9 working days. Antonini...
Radiator, Inc. is not open on Saturdays or Sundays. Because of our more important work load (emergency vehicle radiators, construction companies, trucking companies, waste haulers, etc.), antique radiators only get evaluated and worked on, on Fridays, and with antiques, there is at least a 30-day lead time in which to finish the work. All radiators must be cleaned and have to be tested before they can be measured for an estimate as per stated on Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s contact information sign-in sheet. (Please see enclosed copy that was signed by [redacted]). Antonini Radiator, Inc. does not do free estimates. It takes time to measure a radiator, phone calls to our manufacturers for prices on cores, and time to figure out labor and materials. The customer either pays a $40.00 drop-off fee (please see enclosed copy of letter posted on our office window where all customers see it at time of drop-off) when they leave their radiators, oil coolers, etc. or at the time they come to pick them up. If the customers agrees to have the work done, then the service charge is deducted off the invoice if already paid or waived.
All radiators must be tested to see if the tanks leak, the filler neck is good, the oil cooler does not leak, etc., so labor hours can be included in the first estimate. Because of the EPA and the DEP laws concerning our waste water treatment, all radiators must be cleaned before testing and summarized. Our water test tank must be filtered and we must hold our waste sludge from our tanks, so it is very important to clean all radiators, oil coolers, etc., before testing to remove lead dust, coal dust, bugs, dirt, etc.Before Antonini Radiator, Inc. could contact [redacted] with an estimate, we had to get a price from our manufacturer for the core. This is a special made core, because of the age of the radiator and it is a non-stock item and an antique. The radiator had to be measured, a form filled out, and labor hours, materials, and shop supplies figured out to get an estimate. This actually takes approximately one hour to do paper work to quote a price. It took the manufacturer a few days to get back to us with their price before we could proceed with our final price.
The price to recore [redacted] radiator was $576.50. Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s antique labor rate, as posted on our front window, is $75.00 per hour. The core alone cost $256.50, plus the labor, solder and other materials. The labor was quoted at 3.5 hours (3.5 x $75.00 = $267,50 labor + core ($256.50+ materials ($52.50). Also, upon completion of the work, the service charge is deducted.Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s labor rate is comparable with other repair shops. Some of our customers charge up to $125.00 per hour for antique restoration services.
Regards,
Robert *. A[redacted]
Antonini Radiator, Inc. President
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
tic and defeats the whole purpose and that's what I feel is wrong here. Without estimates and shopping around, there can be no accountability if a business is charging excessive or not.This business should make it's profit from the repair itself should the customer agree to their estimate price and not on testing that I never asked for. I paid $40 plus tax to be told my radiator leaked and needed a new core, basically I got nothing at all for that money. I already knew it leaked and where it leaked from. I specifically asked for a price on having a new core put in. I did not ask to test it to see where it leaked and what it needed. If I didn't know what was wrong with it, then I could see doing the clean/test work and charging something for that work however that's a whole different scenario and does not apply in this case.Perhaps this business should do away with forms to sign and just have the person pay this charge up front when they bring a radiator in. Then there could be no doubt and if it's such a good policy, it should not affect their business at all. I suspect many including myself would not feel comfortable investing this money just for a quote and would probably go elsewhere. I know I would have had I known. Well that's the facts. I'm not really looking for a refund as legally they got me for the $40 but I think that others should be warned ahead of time about this policy. I think it should be listed on the Revdex.com website so a person knows the deal ahead of time.[redacted]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Regards,
[redacted]
I am partially rejecting this. I admit I should have asked more about what I was signing however the lady was saying it was pertaining to dropping it off with them so I didn't question it further, I guess I'm am was too trusting. Lesson learned there! Their office window is located in a dark poorly lit area so I did miss what was on the form and I wasn't reading the multitude of papers taped up on the wall. I know now I should have taken it outside in the light and read it properly but that's all hindsight now.So getting past the fact that I made that mistake and on to what I'm really complaining about, they simply didn't explain this policy to me in any way, shape or form. It should have been verbally told to me right away the moment they heard me say the word "estimate". What I was told is one of the guys will have to measure it up and then they would get me a quote and call me. Sounded pretty normal to me. No one said anything about cleaning or testing it and nothing about a charge for an estimate. I've never heard of charging $40 dollars for an estimate!?! In fact, I've never heard of charging at all for an estimate. Not in my 48 years anyway so I wasn't expecting it. I'd guess 95% or more of business's would not have such a policy or I surely would have seen it before somewhere.I ask, why does a person get an estimate? It's so they can compare prices and go with the best deal. Now if every business had their policy, it would cost me $120 dollars just to get estimates from 3 radiator shops. That's i
April 6, 2015Dear Sir or Madam:The radiator that [redacted] brought into Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s shop was an antique 1963 [redacted]. This radiator came in on 03/16/15, and [redacted] took it out on 03/27/15. The radiator was only here for a total of 9 working days. Antonini...
Radiator, Inc. is not open on Saturdays or Sundays. Because of our more important work load (emergency vehicle radiators, construction companies, trucking companies, waste haulers, etc.), antique radiators only get evaluated and worked on, on Fridays, and with antiques, there is at least a 30-day lead time in which to finish the work. All radiators must be cleaned and have to be tested before they can be measured for an estimate as per stated on Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s contact information sign-in sheet. (Please see enclosed copy that was signed by [redacted]). Antonini Radiator, Inc. does not do free estimates. It takes time to measure a radiator, phone calls to our manufacturers for prices on cores, and time to figure out labor and materials. The customer either pays a $40.00 drop-off fee (please see enclosed copy of letter posted on our office window where all customers see it at time of drop-off) when they leave their radiators, oil coolers, etc. or at the time they come to pick them up. If the customers agrees to have the work done, then the service charge is deducted off the invoice if already paid or waived.
All radiators must be tested to see if the tanks leak, the filler neck is good, the oil cooler does not leak, etc., so labor hours can be included in the first estimate. Because of the EPA and the DEP laws concerning our waste water treatment, all radiators must be cleaned before testing and summarized. Our water test tank must be filtered and we must hold our waste sludge from our tanks, so it is very important to clean all radiators, oil coolers, etc., before testing to remove lead dust, coal dust, bugs, dirt, etc.Before Antonini Radiator, Inc. could contact [redacted] with an estimate, we had to get a price from our manufacturer for the core. This is a special made core, because of the age of the radiator and it is a non-stock item and an antique. The radiator had to be measured, a form filled out, and labor hours, materials, and shop supplies figured out to get an estimate. This actually takes approximately one hour to do paper work to quote a price. It took the manufacturer a few days to get back to us with their price before we could proceed with our final price.
The price to recore [redacted] radiator was $576.50. Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s antique labor rate, as posted on our front window, is $75.00 per hour. The core alone cost $256.50, plus the labor, solder and other materials. The labor was quoted at 3.5 hours (3.5 x $75.00 = $267,50 labor + core ($256.50+ materials ($52.50). Also, upon completion of the work, the service charge is deducted.Antonini Radiator, Inc.’s labor rate is comparable with other repair shops. Some of our customers charge up to $125.00 per hour for antique restoration services.
Regards,
Robert *. A[redacted]
Antonini Radiator, Inc. President