Rick Mott's Auto Repair

Was charged 710.00 for a fuel pump kit that Rick's auto paid 450.00 (according to him) Other local shops quoted me between $400.00-$468.00 for the kit. His mark up was close to 40%. When I asked him about it, he says that everyone does that type of mark up.Product_Or_Service: Fuel Pump KitOrder_Number: XXXXXXXDesired Settlement200.00-300.00Business Response [redacted]Rick's Auto Repair442 Elm StreetNorthampton, MA 01060October 22, 2013Revdex.com Complaint DepartmentCase # XXXXXXDear Revdex.com Complaint Department,We are writing in response to complaint #XXXXXX. The complaint is in regard to the sale and installation of a new fuel pump to replace a defective and leaking system in a 2005 GMC Yukon. The customer states that she was charged $710.00 for a fuel pump kit and that when she questioned other local shops that same kit was quoted at $400-468.00. This repair was performed on the vehicle in question on October 4, 2013, and the customer authorized the repair, paid for the work and picked up her vehicle that upon dropping it off earlier in the day. The customer called Rick's Auto Repair the following week to question the price of the fuel pump. At that time, Rick told the customer that the price did include a standard markup recommended by the parts dealer. The customer said she was going to ask other local repair shops for written estimates on the repair and part and bring them back to Rick's Auto Repair, which we welcomed. The customer has not contacted us since that phone conversation. Our policy on our markup on parts is that we charge the standard list price where appropriate. This markup exists for several reasons. It is part of the automotive repair business model, and is not unique to Rick's Auto Repair. When a part is purchased and replaced at Rick's Auto Repair it comes with an 18,000 mile/18 month guarantee on that part and the labor involved in replacing it. In addition, certain parts like the fuel pump in question come with a lifetime guarantee on the part itself (labor excluded). Our guarantee exceeds that of many other repair shops and dealers. The net price on the fuel pump assembly we installed on the customer's vehicle was $355.29 and the standard list price for that part was $814.45. Rick's Auto Repair charged the customer $710.60 for the assembly. We inquired with two other parts vendors that carry the same fuel pump and their net/suggested list pricing was as follows: $496/704, $355/814. We maintain that our markup and pricing overall for the replacement of this fuel pump assembly was within normal best business practice range for this job. We can provide documentation for all pricing quoted above, original receipts on the part in question as well as official quotes from two other parts dealers in the Northampton, MA area. The customer also states in her complaint that her desired settlement is a refund of $200-300. Rick's Auto Repair is not inclined to offer the customer this refund because that amount is equivalent to a normal markup on a part installed and guaranteed by Rick's Auto Repair. Additionally, Rick's Auto Repair received informed consent from the customer before the repair was performed, as is our practice with all maintenance and repair work.We believe that the customer simply does not understand the business model and practice for the way in which automotive parts are sold, and that the practice of repair shops charging a markup on replacement parts is standard business practice for most repair shops today. Rick's Auto Repair is not alone in this practice, and is conducting business with integrity today and every day since we opened our doors in 1980.Sincerely,[redacted]Rick's Auto Repair