I didn't take anything personally - no problemo.
I agree on ther dealership arena. I haven't worked in a dealership in years, mainly because there's always someone wanting their backside smooched. It really sucks that a good tech has to kiss a dispatcher's/service writer's fanny to get a decent ticket. Anyway, the thing to remember is that in a dealership there are basically three people - techs, bodymen and salesmen (or ex-salesmen.) Everyone as their own level of regard for car salesmen, now transfer that to the service writers (this is most cases - your mileage may vary.) A lot of service writers are salesmen that couldn't produce. But they'll still tell you what you want to hear in order to sell the work. Do anything to tick them off and they'll break that poker off in the last place it was seen entering. What do they care? When they were taught to sell cars it was stressed that if they don't have control they don't have a sale. They figure that their customers are a captive audience. There's always exceptions, but that's the gist of it.
Now to the techs...When I was selling tools I could see the producers that knew what they were doing (and dang few of them) and those that were there in order to scrape together a check. They would take something apart (or break it apart), let it set while they ambled off to the body shop to shoot the bull with their buddies. On their way back to the shop, if it wasn't lunch time, they would stop by the parts desk and hang out while waiting for the parts guys to quit screwing around. I suspect that they would tell their wives that the shop is always slow, that someone hated them or whatever to explain away their puny paychecks.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that only dealerships have problems. Currently I've been working with guys that have come from mass merchandisers that also sell parts. They aren't techs, they're parts replacers. If they can't figure something out they run to the counter, warm up the shotgun and start blasting parts at your car. Granted there are times when that's called for, but not on every single car (it's called "substituting a known good part" in the service manuals.)
Gee, I've certainly strayed from the subject, haven't I?
I'm glad that you've found someone that operates to your liking. Afterall, that's what it's all about. Having your car repaired the way you want. My statement about toting your own parts in was made for the benefit of those that don't have that type of relationship with their mechanics. I still stand by that, it's rare that doing so won't cost you something, somehow - in most cases.
Beav