Ruffled Feathers

Nothing turns me on more than a bargain... nothing pisses me off than someone ripping me off.

Took my car to L**** H****** Honda in Sunnyvale for service.  We've been there for about 5 years since it's convenient.  We know they make a lot of money off of us... but whatever, you get what you pay for.  It's the car service industry.

Yesterday, I get assigned the service agent "Benny."  Who rattles off a bunch of stuff I need. 
I fire back, "I don't want this I don't want that." 
Then he rattles off some technical stuff saying, "You'll probably need this.  I saw your brake fluids, it's green.  It goes from juice to black to green.  And your records show you've never had it.  You pay $129 today.  If you skip it, you'll come back in 3 months and pay $500."

I'm puzzled.  This doesn't sound right... but whatever. 

After a 4 hour wait (which should have been 2 hours, as he promised), I get the car back, pay my bill and ask the cashier to print all my records.  She reluctantly does so... probably cuz she knows someone's about to get into trouble.  I review my records and question "I had a brake service in March 2015, and now I need another one? 
She said she'll get "Benny" for me.

I sit down, start flipping through all my records.  "Benny" finally comes back from his lunch break and asks me what he can help me with.  I show him the record and he immediately says, "I owe you money."  There was no, "What?? Really?" or "Lemme see that."  Almost as if he was ready to admit it... almost as if he knew what he gotten himself into.

I had already paid with a credit card and he said, "Don't worry, I'll take the brake service off."  I asked him, "What about the rest of my payment.  The credit card payment already went through."  He said, "Nah, I'll put it on hold."  I asked, "On hold?? Can you do that?"

Round and round.  He said it was an honest mistake that he missed it.  It was a "new" system. Fine.
Then I quietly asked, "So if you guys did my brake service 16 months ago.. why is the brake fluid so green? Your service must suck!"  He didn't answer, or couldn't answer.  He said... "Ok, I'll give you everything at cost."

He goes through screen by screen like a virtuosi with his piano. This wasn't a new system. He knew exactly what he was doing. 

I questioned every step of what he was doing.  Scrutinized his every click and every letter typed.  He was either embarrassed, pissed, or both.  I didn't care.  He finally asks, "Is this all you want?"

I thought about it.  His question was very well asked.  He made it sound like he was doing me a favor.  In my mind, I was thinking "lawsuit" and "legal action" and "NBC Investigation." 
I went on to say, I want something in writing that you will "VOID" my previous payment. 
"We can't do that", Benny says. 
Then I say, "Then I want you to sign in blood, in YOUR BLOOD, that if even a penny shows up on my credit card, that you will personally pay me back.  You have zero credibility at this moment. I don't believe a word you say.  I will NEVER come back here and this is the last time I want to see your ugly face." 
Then he gives in, "Fine.  We won't charge you for the other stuff we did today."

We go to the front desk to have the payment reversed.  At the front desk, I asked the cashier, "Wasn't my payment put on hold? That's what "Benny" said.  Why do you need my credit card." 
The cashier gives "Benny" a look, "We don't put anything on hold. The payment has been processed.  We have to reverse it."

"Benny, that's not what you just said. Why do you keep lying to me??"

I finally grabbed my key, took my car, and drove off their lot for the last time. Shame on me for not keeping good records of my car.