You would think that a business that has been around since 1986 would not only offer a free written estimate of charges before they do the work, you would think that they would insist on it.
The week prior to the installation of the hitch I requested a price quote by email. The reply stated that the owner was on vacation and that I should call for an estimate. I was quoted $232, and with tax I figured it would be $247, $2 more than the other quote I had from a source that I considered not to be reliable.
When I tried to make an appointment I was told that they don't accept appointments. It's first come first serve. Not real consumer friendly.
The following week I brought the car in and had the hitch installed, and the bill was $311. When confronted, the owner repeatedly insisted that it was all my fault. He insisted that his employees would never have quoted me a price of $232 even though he was never a part of that telephone conversation. He insisted that I ""miss-heard"" the quote or confused the quote with other quotes. The only other quote I had was a total price without a break down of charges.
I accepted my responsibility in not getting a written quote in advance. I told him that I would not file a complaint with an organization that collects this kind of information because I didn't have the documentation to support it. I told him I would take the loss and pay the bill, but that I would tell everyone I know about my experience with his business.
In retrospect I think it was a ""bait and switch"" even though it may not have been intended to be that way. Burnsville Trailer Hitch is a dealer for four different hitches. Rigid Hitch is the most expensive one. I think the quote that brought me in to the store was a quote for a lower priced hitch.
So the bottom line is that this company does nice work, but you should insist on a written price quote in advance. If you don't get it in advance, you should walk away.
Pros: They did a nice job.
Cons: It cost more than I was lead to believe.
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