Goodyear Auto Service Center

Joke quoted my bf $ 680 for an alternator for a 2001 Mercury Cougar kbb value $ 700. Went to All Night Auto in Livonia they fixed it in a Sunday for $ 450.

Today I had to go apply for a new Social Security card. Not far from this building is the Goodyear shop on Middlebelt in Livonia. I decide to drop my car off due to an irritating rattle from under the car, near the rear. Then I would walk to the SSA building and walk back later.
My guess is that a clamp is broken, possibly near or on the muffler.
The guy pulls me into the service garage and begins to point at rust spots all on the exhaust line, including a spot at the very front. Like I already said, the noise is in the rear. He says, «We have to replace the entire system from front to back, a complete overhaul.»
I said, «How much?» He says «Over $ 1,000.»
My jaw dropped. He then explains, «In Michigan, exhaust systems go bad all the time, because of salted roads in the winter. Maybe you noticed the automatic car washes that spray underneath the car? But we’ll get you a new muffler, gasket, clamps, catalytic converter, pipes…»
The guy sounds more like a bad salesman than a technician. But I’m not stupid. If anything, I know what a catalytic converter is. Once, mine was stolen from under my company truck at night. The sound produced while starting the engine was ghastly.
So I said «Wait a minute. Why do I need a catalytic converter?» He said, «Because it’s connected to the old pipes.» In one last plea I asked if they could do something just for the rattle only.
«Oh, this overhaul WILL fix the rattle.»
I only went there because I have a Goodyear Credit Card for emergencies, but it only has a $ 500 limit. So I paid the $ 25 inspection fee and left.
Two hours later, I went to Township Auto Clinic, near my home in Redford. These guys replaced my transmission before, and they put on a new muffler last June, so they already knew me.
The lead tech said, «We need to replace the gasket, the resonator, the pipe before the muffler and one clamp. The muffler itself is fine.»
I asked about the catalytic converter. He said, «It’s fine.» Then I asked for a price. He said, «$ 180.» And since I bought the muffler from their shop, they didn’t charge me for labor.
So now I’m relieved that I saved 900 bucks, and I’m angry for the fact that Goodyear tried to hustle me out of a grand for no reason.
Needless to say, I will NOT be going back to Goodyear ever again!