Take it with a grain of salt when you read a ranting review online. There are always two sides to a story, but today I am here to tell you that from my experience, Smith Muffler in Covington is terrible.
Over the summer I found out my Volkswagen Jetta would need a new axle and brakes. I took it to Smith Muffler. They had it done quickly and very affordably. I was happy.
Until I got on the highway. The car sounded like it was about to explode at anything over 50 miles per hour. I took the car back to Smith. They spent several days looking at it trying to find the problem. Again and again I suggested it had to be the axle. No, that can’t be it, they insisted. Eventually they washed their hands of it and wished me luck in fixing it.
I took the car to Auto4N on Montgomery, where they specialize in Volkswagens. Within 24 hours they had discovered that the list of possible causes Smith Muffler suggested were all wrong, and that the problem was, in fact, the axle Smith installed. For whatever reason, it just didn’t fit right.
To Smith Muffler’s credit, they refunded the cost of the axle. I was happy.
So a week ago I needed a new thermostat. I decided to go to Smith Muffler because they were courteous, economical, and not really responsible for an axle that was supposed to fit but didn’t. It seemed like a good faith gesture on my part.
Five days later, an alert went off that I was somehow almost empty on engine coolant–it’s supposed to last forever. The owner’s manual says this is a major issue and should be serviced by Volkswagen immediately. I called Auto4N, where several Volkswagen mechanics work. They are 200 yards from a dealer. Seemed like the safest and fastest way to get a major issue fixed.
Guess where they found a coolant leak?
Yes, the thermostat.
I had Auto4N fix the thermostat and called Smith Muffler to let them know. I thought it only fair that they refund the labor, and again to their credit, they did. But not before scolding me over the phone for not bringing my car to them instead of Auto4N. I explained that I went to Auto4N because I didn’t realize the coolant issue could be connected to the thermostat replacement, and that the owner’s manual said this needed genuine Volkswagen service (it’s my opinion that a VW specialty shop right down the road from a dealer is the next best thing).
When I went to Smith Muffler to get the refund, again I was scolded and questioned for not going to them first. I was told that after Auto4N’s diagnosis, I should have driven the car (with almost no coolant) back down to them. I was accused of not giving them common business courtesy. And, in front of customers, I was told I shouldn’t be getting upset over the fact that they were openly insulting me. In their words, “we see hundreds of customers every day. It’s clear we can’t satisfy you.”
I gave Smith Muffler a second chance after the axle fiasco. If they stand by their work as they claim, they should be doing it right the first time. If they aren’t comfortable or competent dealing with Volkswagens, that’s perfectly fair. But they should save everyone the hassle and say so. Above all, they shouldn’t act like I am somehow an asshole for wanting my car fixed. I don’t go around looking for opportunities to waste my time and money on shoddy repairs so I can demand a refund. I have never been so angry over getting a refund. It sucks when you think you’re doing a small local business a favor by going back to them after a bad experience, only to have another bad experience and then be treated like shit for it. It’s a shame.… Read the rest
It’s a Musicast this week, so you pretty much know what to expect: wonderful Cincinnati music and the ramblings of a semi-idiot. What more could you ask for? Ah, yes. Cake. Pizza. The occasional beer. This is a byob kinda party, I guess, but where else are you gonna hear a playlist like this:
Radiolaria: The Last Matinee Human Zoo: Change Me Lazy: Crush Lions Rampant: Crazy or a Liar? Mad Anthony Bear Attack Bloody Discharge: Norwood VFW Reunion Show in 1999 Hello Jersey: Pull Yourself Together The Worthmores: Guilloteenage Pelletier Oxboard Drain- In hekura: Out of Place Valley of the Sun Centaur Rodeo Vacation: From forthcoming debut LP No Good Heroes: 1919 Rudy Pat: Hoobajoob Zaxxon: You’re Not Human Anymore
A couple points of order: I’m playing with the idea of also making the podcast a live affair as well as making it available in the traditional podcast format, and this goes for Musicasts as well.
Also: we’d love to know your thoughts on the show. You can drop a review/rating at iTunes, and it’d be pretty awesome if you could spread the word, too.
Finally, if you’re in a band and you’d like to show up on the CinAwesome Musicast, drop me a line at cinawesome@gmail.com. Enjoy, y’all.… Read the rest
In this, the fourteenth episode of the CinAwesome Podcast, Jason and Ed discuss a particular local auto repair shop or two, and plumb the depths of the new Cincinnati reality television show, Queen City. We also talk about how awesome we are, and Jason is deeply shocked that Ed has never seen Help, It’s the Hair Bear Bunch.
Music: Intro–Wugazi. Outro–Blitz.
We thank you for listening and reading. Please post a review or rate us at iTunes. Get in touch with us at cinawesome@gmail.com, or leave a comment right here at CinAwesome. We love you. Good night.… Read the rest
I should preface this post with a note that I couldn’t care less about the Casey Anthony trial. I learned about it yesterday, and my first reaction was one of complete indifference. This is still my position on the matter.
However, I saw this headline on the Enquirer’s website and blood actually shot out of my ears:
Why was Casey Anthony acquitted?
Here’s the story. It’s nothing more than a local commentary on a national story that, I suppose, got a lot of attention. In other words, this is clickbait that the Enquirer is using to boost traffic and meet their numbers to make sure that the sales pitch they use to get advertisers is *close* to accurate. It’s bullshit, and it’s not news.
What’s more is that they attached this to the Ryan Widmer trial. I don’t really have any commentary about this, other than to say that it doesn’t make any damn sense.
Not to sound too righteously indignant, but if we’re going to settle for this sort of commentary garbage as “news,” then Cincinnati is in some pretty deep shit.
Suggestion: write the Editor of the Enquirer an email, asking her to raise the level of discourse in our newspaper beyond simply commenting on national stories and writing up stupid clickbait for the sole purpose of advertising dollars. Ask for more reporters to report on local stories. Ask for investigative journalism. Ask for real news. And threaten to punch them in the pocket.
Yesterday afternoon, we had reader David Sparks post this video in our Community Posts section:
Okay. Just in case the video gets taken down, here’s a transcript:
“I have many black friends, and I have many black clients. Why? Because cops are usually tazing naked black men, so I got cases against cops. I represent black men and I have black friends. But let me tell you something about this. On my flag football team, every black guy on the team–this is just calling it straight right here, no political correctness here–almost every, AW THE HELL WITH THAT, EVERY BLACK GUY ON MY FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM, went out with, lived with, and was married to a white woman, and smoked pot. I just want you to know that I understand black culture. If you want to conquer, If you want to conquer an African nation, SEND WHITE WOMEN AND POT. This is the bulldog. Every dog has their day. I hope tomorrow is yours.”
The smug look on Deters’s face at the very end of his diatribe says it all–he’s pleased with himself, and that’s pretty hard to swallow.
This seems pretty newsworthy to me, especially since Eric “Birth of a Nation” Deters is such a media hound. He’s a public figure, and this is more or less the most racist thing we’ve heard a local public figure say since Marge Schott’s “Million-dollar N/Hitler was good at first” debacle. It pretty much ruined her reputation–well, that and Schottzie dropping a schittzie in short right field. Kinda like how Bulldogs dropped a steamer on the KY side of the Purple People Bridge. THE SIMILARITIES ARE BOUNDLESS.
But I digress.
This should be news. Yesterday. So get on the stick, Enquirer. Get on the stick television stations. and for Pete’s sake (yes, THAT Pete), GET ON THE STICK, 700 WLW. He’s on your damn station. Please, please, please can someone make him answer for this? And while you’re at it, ask him how the hell he manages NOT TO BLINK for so long on the welcome message on his website:
Wowzers.
Seriously, though. Deters should be called out on the carpet for this.… Read the rest
As I sit down at my work desk, I just wanted to note that I appreciate Bike to Work Week and, by extension, Bike Month, which is May of every year. In a lot of ways, most folks just see a few extra news stories here and there about bikes, and then they forget about it.
I bike to work almost every day, year round. Every year, as the weather gets warmer, I’ve begun to notice more and more folks starting to ride around in the morning as I’m on my way across the river. It’s a nice thing to see.
The car drivers leave a bit to be desired from time to time, but things are starting to pick up, as far as Cincinnati is concerned. Still a long way to go, but better nonetheless.
Unless I’m missing something (and let’s be fair, when am I not missing something?), Cincinnati isn’t especially well-known for its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Of course, it doesn’t take an awful lot to celebrate the day–on what used to be a legitimate religious holiday is now a chance for people to try their hand at being what amounts to a stage Irishman and then calling that a “Celebration of Irish Heritage.”
Not to sound bitter.
Seriously, though, as an Irish person myself, I could use a drink. What’s happening in Cincinnati on this fine St. Paddy’s Day?… Read the rest
I don’t really have much commentary about this, but I’m sure that any number of “serious” blogs will–Cincinnati, according to that Census thing, lost 12% of its population. Yowzers. Let’s look at some possible explanations:
Murders. With the way our local news reports violent crimes, you’d think we live in a war zone. Surely over the past 10 years we’ve killed over 10% of our own population, right?
Gentrification. High-end development in low-income areas equals economic growth equals GET OUT OF MY NEW NEIGHBORHOOD, POORS. Check Covington’s census data. I bet that went up a lot.
No jobs. No further explanation needed.
The President/BP/Charlie Sheen/Gaddafi did it. Hey, you gotta blame it on someone.
In this episode of the CinAwesome Podcast, we cover some past polls, look at the more-than-Top 5 goofy Cincinnati things over the past couple weeks, talk about the whole Charlie Sheen/’90 Reds connection, and discuss the CincyBlogs thing.
Music at the beginning of the show is Koan.
Incidental sounds came from freesound.org. These are:
So, apparently, the Brown County Sheriff’s Department is involved in the early stages of producing a television show. Here’s a story from the Enquirer about it. The story points out that a finished product of the show will look more or less like “A rural version of ‘Cops,’ but with more about the police officers and their families.”
Some teasers that the Enquirer lets fly say that “The cliffhanger between two episodes involves the outcome of a chicken contest at the Brown County Fair,” and that “Another episode is to include a pet pig at the Wenninger home in Lewis Township. Despite such scenes, the show isn’t a comedy.”
I’m not certain why the Enquirer would assume that it’s necessary to point out that this show isn’t a comedy. Just because it’s got a rural setting and involves livestock, it’s gotta be funny? Whatevs.
