I thought that for $80 I would find out what was the matter with my washing machine and be able to make an informed decision about how to proceed. And this is not what happened.
I stood by while the service person partially filled the machine, set it to spin and listened to the noise I was worried about. He said that there was a problem which could be resolved by one of three or four different possible repairs with a range of costs depending on which part or parts needed to be replaced. So far so good - this is what I expected to hear. In fact I could have told him that much myself.
He further explained that to provide an actual estimate for the cost to repair the machine he would have to open it up. This also made perfect sense to me. But this is where I feel like things took a wrong turn.
He explained that he would have to charge $280, instead of $80, to go any further. I would have to sign an agreement to pay the $280 plus tax - total $316.40, after which the machine might not be fixed (even worth fixing.)
The service person seemed to be in a hurry for me to make a decision and I stupidly made the hasty choice to agree. But if I'd said "no thanks" he would have just left. I'd still be out $80, and no further ahead with the machine having to find and pay someone else and to come and look at it. So with great misgivings I signed the agreement.
The service person came upstairs less than 20 minutes later to say he had completed his inspection of the machine and closed it up. but would not be able to fix it because a part was needed. He reported that everything else inside is good except for the transmission which will cost $942 to replace. He explained that I'd only have to pay half up front for a Transmission Kit, which has to be ordered. I'd have to pay the balance on completion of the work.
The whole estimated amount on the document he left with me was $1380, $316.40 of which I was obliged to pay. He said we should get in touch with their office if we want to go ahead.
He did offer the opinion, when asked, that if I chose to proceed I'd have a machine that was "as good as new", and that a newer model might not be as good My high capacity commercial grade machine cost $679 in 2000. I've looked around and with some careful shopping I could buy a new (warrantied) washer of comparable size and quality for about $1000. To satisfy my own morbid curiosity I intend to find out how much the actual part costs from a reputable supplier of Maytag parts.
Some simple arithmetic tells me that $280 for 20 minutes work is the same as $840 an hour.
As a person who works for a (living) hourly wage I'd find this who saga laughable if I wasn't the one who just wasted $316.40.
