Getting Charged With False Battery

(I’m at my dealership getting my routine oil changes, sitting in the customer waiting area. It’s mid-winter and my car is starting up just fine except when it gets really cold.)

Tech: “So, you’re battery is testing bad and you’ll need to replace it soon.”

Me: “Okay, and how much will that cost?”

Tech: “About 110 plus tax.”

Me: “Well I don’t have that right now. It will have to wait.”

(Fast forward to the summer time and I’m doing another oil change.)

Me: “So, the last few times I’ve been here, I was told the battery was testing bad. I took it to another shop and had it tested; they said it was fine.”

Tech: “We’ll test it and make sure.”

(I go to the waiting room and the tech comes out a while later.)

Tech: “The battery is still testing bad. You’ll need to replace it.”

Me: “Funny how I have two other reports telling me that the battery is fine. Do not tell me the battery is testing badly. The car has a hard time turning over when it gets cold but now because it’s warm, it’s fine. Don’t tell me that it’s bad again.”

Tech: *shuts up and goes back to desk*

(When I went back for my next oil change, surprise, surprise, the battery tested just fine. This is why I call them car-stealerships.)