Mississauga -Retro Rockets

[xtc]

I have been here numerous times over the years and for the most part I have been quite happy. I had one run in with the owner Tony but we were both having a bad day. Tony isn't a Volvo specialist but he is a Saab driver, and he builds/repairs Saab race cars. He is honest, fair, and a pretty decent guy.

http://www.retrorockets.aaro.ca/

[xtc]

xxx

[xtc]

I have known Tony for years but I have been reticent to put up a positive review of him until recently because I have had some issues with Tony over the years. At this point I must change my review.

A friend of mine took her car to Retro Rockets, and they charged her double for labour what they had quoted her. So I called the shop to enquire about the discrepancy. The new receptionist was rude (she has hung up on me in the past), and she curt in telling me why the difference. The next day I had an appointment to have my car repaired. I dropped my car off in the evening and I put my key through their mail slot, as per our agreement and their policy. I included a coupon, from his website, for a $34 oil change. The understanding was that I would have my car back by 11am the next day, as I had to be at school for classes at noon.

I received a message from Tony (owner/mechanic) at around 10am the next day, asking me to call him. I did, I got his voice mail and I left a message. I called him a few more times to inquire about picking up my car but neither Tony, nor his receptionist picked up the phone. So to get to school I was forced to take a bus, a train, and then a subway, and the same going home. In the evening I checked my voicemail and I received a voice mail from Tony telling me he hadn’t done any work on my car, and that he didn’t know what I was implying with the $34 oil change coupon, and that my car was a European import, that he had left my key under the mat, and that I should find a new mechanic. So today after classes I had a friend drive me to Retro Rockets to pick up my car. I went inside to speak with Tony to find out what the issue was. My female friend came in with me.. When I asked Tony what was wrong, all he kept shouting was "did I think his tools were free". I didn’t know what he was referring to, so I calmly asked him to explain. He was upset he said because I had “complained” about the labour charge with his receptionist on my friend’s invoice. I explained to him that I hadn’t complained, and that I was only seeking clarification of the discretionary between Tony's quote and his charge for labour which was double. He then starting yelling about how he couldn’t make money changing oil for only $34 (he changed his website today and the coupon now states $40). I said to him that he should have called me in the morning and told me that my car didn’t qualify for the $34 oil change. I told him how I had to take transit to school, and I still had an unrepaired car. He said he “didn’t monkeyen care”. I was pretty taken back that a business owner would speak to a long term client that way. Someone who has paid him thousands of dollars and brought their family and friends to him. I told him I know that he didn’t care and that he was very unprofessional. He started screaming again, so I told him with his attitude he would be lucky to stay in business, and that perhaps he had some issues he should work on. Then Tony starts screaming at me like a mad man. At this point one of Tony’s friends who was there, starts talking to Tony and says to him “ we have spoken about this before Tony, and you need to control your temper, calm down, and just get back to work”. So I realise that Tony can’t be reasoned with and I go to leave with my friend. As I am walking out Tony screams to me “monkey you”. I am shocked, so I turn around and walk back in, my female friend follows me but she stays back a few feet. Tony confronts me and shoves me, and calls me a chicken stuff. At this point Tony’s other mechanic is on one side of him, and his friend is standing on the other. I look at Tony and I say I am standing right in front of you, do I look chicken stuff to you? He starts screaming that I do, so I walk out with my friend. I am too old to have to deal with this stuff.

So if you wish to take your car to Tony be prepared to go through what I did. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Those of you who have read my posts over the years know some of the problems I have had with this mechanic in the past.

[xtc]

I see this board changes words to avoid profanity being posted. What Tony said to me as I was walking out was "poke you" not monkey you. Then he called me a chicken sh*t not chicken stuff.

I see this board changes words to avoid profanity being posted. What Tony said to me as I was walking out was " f- you" not monkey you or poke you. Then he called me a chicken sh*t not chicken stuff.

[PyROTech]

personally i wouldnt change oil for 34 bucks lol. lets hope you didnt assume synthetic on top of that.

and i see he has added a few stipulations to his coupon now after this incident (btw the fine print is usually along the lines of other places with similar deals). Im not taking sides but it sounds like a small mechanic dealing with an over crowded market with insanely small margins.

Complete oil change, lubrication and inspection only $39.95 (for most cars).

by appointment only

oil change and lubrication consists of up to 5 (five) liters of oil* (other grades available at additional cost), 1 (one) standard application oil filter (special filters available at additional cost) and chassis lube where necessary

* some exceptions apply, see shop for details.

This coupon is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other discounts or specials; it has no cash value; coupon MUST be presented prior to the commencement of any work.

[xtc]

personally i wouldnt change oil for 34 bucks lol. lets hope you didnt assume synthetic on top of that.

and i see he has added a few stipulations to his coupon now after this incident (btw the fine print is usually along the lines of other places with similar deals). Im not taking sides but it sounds like a small mechanic dealing with an over crowded market with insanely small margins.

Complete oil change, lubrication and inspection only $39.95 (for most cars).

by appointment only

oil change and lubrication consists of up to 5 (five) liters of oil* (other grades available at additional cost), 1 (one) standard application oil filter (special filters available at additional cost) and chassis lube where necessary

* some exceptions apply, see shop for details.

This coupon is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other discounts or specials; it has no cash value; coupon MUST be presented prior to the commencement of any work.

He charged double the labour he quoted for a job, didn't fix my car, screamed at me with profanity, and shoved me. It has been the worst experience I have ever had with any company in my life.

I wasn't expecting anything except professional service and my car repaired as agreed upon. There are tons of oil change shops that will change your oil for less that $34, it is hardly a deal. If he didn't want to do oil changes for that price he shouldn't post a coupon. If my car didn't qualify he should have just called and told me. I would say insults and assaulting your customers is pretty much unacceptable in any business.

[georget]

He charged double the labour he quoted for a job, didn't fix my car, screamed at me with profanity, and shoved me. It has been the worst experience I have ever had with any company in my life.

I wasn't expecting anything except professional service and my car repaired as agreed upon. There are tons of oil change shops that will change your oil for less that $34, it is hardly a deal. If he didn't want to do oil changes for that price he shouldn't post a coupon. If my car didn't qualify he should have just called and told me. I would say insults and assaulting your customers is pretty much unacceptable in any business.

There are a few details to this altercation I would like to add. I was a bystander (I share the building with Tony) and heard some of what happened during the day regarding xtc from both the secretary and Tony, and had the displeasure of watching the argument unfold.

The "curt" secretary complained to me that there was a customer who was especially insistent on speaking with Tony (getting around her) in the morning after she told him that RR no longer installs parts supplied by the customer (warranty/labour/profit issues and all). Sometime later that morning, xtc quietly dropped off his car with his parts inside and left a note asking for the work to be done. I believe Tony tried contacting him twice to let him know that the repair would not be done. I did not hear the first words exchanged when xtc arrived, but it's hard not to imagine that xtc was not happy. The argument that ensued was as much the fault of xtc as it was of Tony. Unfortunately, xtc's annoyance with Tony for not getting the work done and not trying even harder (although once, under the circumstances, was plenty imo) to contact him is what drove the escalation of events. I once yelled at a customer when their repeated sense of entitlement became too much. I learned my lesson that it's not worth it, and presumably, because Tony is a very reasonable person, won't do it again either.

I hope this entry adds some balance to the one sided rant offered by xtc.

[krob]

I am a friend of xtc's and I witnessed what happened also. I have also had my car fixed at this garage. Xtc called Tony for me, he had questions about parts about my car that the secretary couldn't answer, so he politely asked to speak to Tony. Separate from this, xtc had made an appointment weeks before to have his car fixed and Tony agreed to fix it, using xtc's parts as Tony has done for many years. The secretary told xtc that my car couldn't be fixed with my own parts, not his. Tony had already agreed to fix his car with his parts. Xtc called to confirm his appointment the day before and said if there was any problem using his parts, could he please be told asap. She told his appointment was confirmed and there was no issue using his parts. She asked him to drop off his car after hours, and leave the keys in the mail slot which he did. The agreement was that he would have his car back by 11am so he could attend his classes. He called several times to get his car that morning and no one answered the phone. Much later that evening did Tony leave a message on xtc's voice mail telling him he didn't fix his car and to pick it up. Xtc expressed to me that he was very perplexed. I went with him the next day to pick up his car, when he got there he asked Tony was was wrong when Tony started screaming at him. At this point George was not in the shop so he could not see what happened. The events unfolded as xtc has described. Xtc was polite when he spoke to Tony, it was Tony who used profanity and was violent with xtc, as a woman to see this was very frightening. George you saw this happen so you know it is true. Assaulting and swearing at a customer does not make one reasonable.

I hope my entry adds a fuller perspective to what happened.