Minimor
Well-Known Member
I called the local Ford dealership this morning (Tuesday) just to get a quote on the cost of replacing the power steering hose in my '83 F-150. The fellow told me he didn't know, he'd have to look it up...um, well, yes, I figured so, but whenever I book an appointment for something like that I always ask approximately what it will cost. The guys always look at their little book for the labor estimate on the repair, add the price of the part & have an amount for me.
So then this guy asks me, which hose? I said the main power steering hose....now maybe if I had said pressure hose I'd have gotten a better response, but I've owned this truck since it was new & this is the 3rd time in 24 years that I've replaced the power steering hose, and never before have I been asked "which hose?" The only other hose is the return hose, which in 24 years I've never had to replace, so I'm thinking that when people refer to the PS hose they are most likely meaning the pressure hose.
That's when the guy screwed up. He sounded very doubtful when he asked "did someone TELL you that it needs to be replaced?" SNARL. Wanna bet that if it had been a man calling him he wouldn't have asked that question?? I informed him that I'm not so stupid that I cannot tell for myself when the power steering hose is leaking & needs to be replaced, then I told him to just never mind, I will fix it myself. And hung up on him when he started to stammer something.
I tried to get the service manager on the phone but didn't catch up to him, so I will stop around the dealership & speak to him in person tomorrow. I want to suggest to him that perhaps his employees should try to be careful not to talk down to customers just because they are women. Come on, the power steering suddenly starts making noises when I turn the wheel, there's fluid all over, the hose is all wet, the reservoir is empty--where do you suppose the first clue is that the power steering hose sprung a leak???
The auto parts store two blocks from my office brought the part in from Winnipeg, I picked it up at 3 this afternoon, and it's now in place on the truck....and it's not leaking & the steering is quiet again. And I didn't have to pay labor charges to some overpriced mechanic. :bgrin
I was talking to a neighbor this evening & he said that when his wife was car shopping awhile back, one salesman at one dealership asked her "does your husband know you're looking at cars?" She walked out & didn't go back to that dealership.
So then this guy asks me, which hose? I said the main power steering hose....now maybe if I had said pressure hose I'd have gotten a better response, but I've owned this truck since it was new & this is the 3rd time in 24 years that I've replaced the power steering hose, and never before have I been asked "which hose?" The only other hose is the return hose, which in 24 years I've never had to replace, so I'm thinking that when people refer to the PS hose they are most likely meaning the pressure hose.
That's when the guy screwed up. He sounded very doubtful when he asked "did someone TELL you that it needs to be replaced?" SNARL. Wanna bet that if it had been a man calling him he wouldn't have asked that question?? I informed him that I'm not so stupid that I cannot tell for myself when the power steering hose is leaking & needs to be replaced, then I told him to just never mind, I will fix it myself. And hung up on him when he started to stammer something.
I tried to get the service manager on the phone but didn't catch up to him, so I will stop around the dealership & speak to him in person tomorrow. I want to suggest to him that perhaps his employees should try to be careful not to talk down to customers just because they are women. Come on, the power steering suddenly starts making noises when I turn the wheel, there's fluid all over, the hose is all wet, the reservoir is empty--where do you suppose the first clue is that the power steering hose sprung a leak???
The auto parts store two blocks from my office brought the part in from Winnipeg, I picked it up at 3 this afternoon, and it's now in place on the truck....and it's not leaking & the steering is quiet again. And I didn't have to pay labor charges to some overpriced mechanic. :bgrin
I was talking to a neighbor this evening & he said that when his wife was car shopping awhile back, one salesman at one dealership asked her "does your husband know you're looking at cars?" She walked out & didn't go back to that dealership.