hazhands
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Hacking for A Cheaper Muffler (no tin cans) - 2005/03/11 18:36
I thought i would give posting in forum a try. If you think this is a good document then post it in the normal section.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$ $
$ SOCIAL ENGINEERING YOUR WAY TO $
$ CHEAPER AUTO REPAIRS $
$ $
$ Created by : my_haz $
$ : my_haz_runs@yahoo.com $
$ $
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Table of Contents:
1) Introduction
2) Assumptions
3) The Game
4) Closing Remarks
$$$ Introduction $$$
It's good business practice to never take a first offer. It is also a
good idea not to start at your lowest selling point when giving
someone an offer. Using these to tried and true (dare I say axioms) of
doing business in a free market economy (or as close to it as modern
society will permit) we construct a way to almost guarantee a near
20% reduction in price for your next auto maintenance repair.
$$$ Assumptions $$$
0) You have a car that you want to repair.
1) You live near a large town or small-medium size city in the USA
and thus there are probably three separate maintenance shops in town.
2) You don't mind doing a little bit of leg work.
3) You have a tiny bit of social engineering skills.
$$$ The Game $$$
OK I have played this little game a handful of times and so I know
there are some variations on it. I'm trying to pick some straight
forward situations because they are also the most common.
Lets call maintenance shops names like and m1,m2,m3.
$ The best case scenario.
{m1,m2,m3} is a set of big name companies (Monroe, Midas
et. al.). Additionally you don't need to change your muffler for 1-2
weeks.
As soon as you know you wish to change your muffler call up each
company shop and say the following.
Step 1)
You : "Hello, I need to get my muffler on my changed how much
does that run?"
m1 : " , You will need to bring it in "
You : now instant "Well the car is well maintained how much would
it be normally"
m1 : reluctantly " 100USD "
You : "OK that sounds good how long do I need to call to get an appointment?"
m1 : blah
You : "OK that sounds good, I'm going to try m2 just to make sure I'm
getting the best price"
m1 : " , we also match advertised prices of our competitors"
Now we know the price of m1 and that they match advertised prices of
m2,m3. They DO match advertised prices, they don't tell people they do
because they want it to be able to charge as much as possible.
Step 2)
Repeat Step (1) for each of m2,m3.
Now we assume that the prices are similar and that each shop matches
prices.
Step 3)
Wait a few days for shops to forget your name and voice.
Step 4)
Go to the shop with the cheapest starting prices and ask for a
physical document of the price quote (i.e a piece paper saying the
name of the company and there price). Make up a reason why you need it
"my wife wants to see it," "my parents are helping me pay and want to
know I got the best price."
Now go to the next shop and show them the quote (that IS an advertised
price). They will either say they will beat it by say 10% or match
it. If they say that they will match it say that the other shop is
closer to such-and-such place you want to be and so you would just
assume go there unless they can reduce the price by 10-15%. Get the
physical quote. Again you must have them put it on a piece of paper, a
separate one from the original (those who know you are playing the game
will insist on you putting it on the document from the last
maintenance shop, you must convince them that you need it on its own
document (i.e. "no i like to keep my money matter organized scrawling
all over this paper will not help"). When the second shop gives you
the quote thank them and tell them you need to show X the two quotes
and then you will come back. Go to shop m3 and show them the document
from the last quote repeating the story. Again they will give you a
quote at a cheaper price.
Remember you only want them to know your are trying to get the best
price at the last possible state of the conversation. Try to make it
seem like you are reaching for your wallet at every possible moment
until you get the qoute document in hand or as long as possible
(i.e. I don't car what Mr X says if I get a good price I'm doing it
now, I'm not running around all day to save a few pennys"). You wan't
them to think that you are ready to pay instantly as long as you get
the right price. Make sure they think you have the money NOW and that
with the right price that money could be theirs NOW.
Step 5)
Go to the first shop and with price quote from the the last shop you
went to telling them to beat it by 10%. In most cases they will and
you have just saved your self a good bit of money.
4) Closing Remarks
This game usually takes about 10min of phone time and 1.5h of going to
the different shops. It almost always saves me 25% but YMMV. Remeber
they have in most cases a 100% mark up on the price of the parts. This
is where most of the room for the price change to come in. That being
said; if you can find a shop that will install the parts you bring in
you can almost always beat a shop that doesn't allow it (that is go to
local parts shop and buy the parts your self then have them installed
by a mechanic, sometimes you can social engineer a shop into doing
this even if they normally don't by saying something like "Ya i know
you don't noramlly do this, but I'm kind of in a jam. My friend was
supposta help me put this in, he purchased the parts and everything,
but now he had to go out of town on bussiness, i would just bring the
parts back but he has the sales receipt , so is there anyway that you
could do it for me?"). Additionally shops that are way out in the
backwoods almost always have cheaper labor and are far more likely to
install outside parts, so if thats an option try grabing a few phone
books from East and West Hillbilly Ville and calling away.
I have been laughed in the face by more then one mechanic when I said
I wanted a better deal. The best thing to do is to call their bluff
and ask that you get a better price. You can always get 10% off, for
thrifts like me 10% off is a joke, doesn't count, you payed full
price, but then that's why I play these games to get to the 25% mark.
Note you can even get the price of your car repair down if its dead
and bleeding once its on the lift. The best thing to do when you know
those brakes aren't legal anymore is to go late on a night when the
shop wont be too busy. Like a Tuesday night and get the car on the
lift. When they call you then next day with a price cut it down by
about 35% as an offer, they will jump it up to 20%, it works if your
persistent, I've done it. Think about it; if they didn't have any cars
on the lift last night then they won't in the morning, they are just
sitting around losing money, tell them that and tell them what you are
willing pay.
This advice is all a result of experience, experience works as a worn
in handle on the most important tool of the social engineer, knowledge.
Good Luck
- Haz
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