I got an almost brand new front load washing machine for almost nothing. I brought it home, hooked it up, and it leaked. Being the "Mr Fix-It" that I am, I decided to see what I could do. I opened up the bottom panel, then took off the top cover. I found that the leak was coming from the Water Inlet Valve (this is important later). I looked the part up online, priced them out, and found that they were going for approximately $33, and two local companies had the parts in stock. Cool! This would be a relatively cheap fix for a brand new washer! Had I known then what I knew the next day...
I called DHC (or Discount Appliance Repair, depending on how you look them up), and the woman who answered the phone told me that they could come out that same day. It was a Saturday, so I knew going in that it would be more expensive for a service call. I also told her that I knew exactly what was wrong with it, what part I needed, and I even gave her the part numbers. She told me that the tech would be out between 1pm and 3pm, and she would give me a 20min courtesy call. Great! I was assuming that since she had everything she needed, that this would go very smoothly.
I was about to pick up the phone to call them (at 2:45), when my phone rang. The same woman I spoke with told me that the tech was on his way. He finally comes screaming down my street at 3:20, in an unmarked van, with the stereo blaring. Okay, no big deal.
He sits in his van doing 'something' for close to 5 minutes, when he sees me sitting on my front porch looking at him. He gets out, wearing dirty baggy jeans, shirt untucked, and pretty much like he just woke up late for work. He walks to the back of his van, grabs a steel case, and comes up my sidewalk. I found it strange that I didn't even get a "hi", just a "I'm here for the washer". Yeah, no problem buddy.
I walk him downstairs, show him the washer, and show him exactly what was wrong, knowing full well that he was going to do a complete inspection. He grabs his nifty little LED flashlight and starts looking around, turning the water on and off, confirming what I had previously told him. He gets on his phone, mumbles something to the person on the other end, and says "I'll get back to you". He hangs up, writes something down on his clipboard, and hands it to me and says "Your final total would be $299 to fix it".
I looked at him, my eyes almost popped out of my head, and I said, "You've gotta be sh*ting me!"
"No, your total would be $299. It's a unique part, and nobody has them, so I would have to order it."
I walked back upstairs and told my wife what he had said, and received the same reaction that this nameless repairman got from me. He came up a few seconds later, walked towards the door, when I stopped him and asked him "This is the part that we need to replace, right" showing him the picture of the part on my computer. "Yes" he said. "So, why is this one from you guys going to cost me $299, when I can get them online for $33?"
This was the best part... He looks at me with this unbelieveable look of condescension on his face, and he says, in the most arrogant tone I have heard, "We don't sell PARTS, we sell SERVICE."
I looked back at him and said, "I think you made the trip out here for nothing. I'm not paying that much money for a part I can get for $33."
"Apparently I did. That will be $89.95 for the service call."
I was absolutely amazed at the lack of professionalism. I was even more amazed that this repairman gave me the attitude that he did. I understand that you are working on a Saturday, but it's your job, and you're getting time-and-a-half to come out for a 10 minute job... At least fake it.
Since then, I removed the part within 5 minutes, and located a replacement without even breaking a sweat. I will NEVER call this company again, and I put this on here simply to warn anyone looking at their services that you could very well receive the same treatment. It was a quick $90 for an even quicker fix. I feel very dumb for not doing it myself in the first place.
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