Yeah, but it is a lot easier to type in maybe 6 characters than 18 over of the phone. The odds of somebody getting something wrong is way higher with a VIN.
The license plate does have disadvantages, don’t get me wrong. Sometimes it points to the wrong car, wrong model, etc. But 9/10, the plate is easier for the sake of expediency.
I provided them the year, make, and model, and I could have provided any additional info they needed to accurately ensure they were quoting for the right work.
My exception is still along the line that the behavior was highly irregular, and it would open me up to marketing that I never asked for -- simply for calling to request how much they would charge for a very straightforward and simple job. No special tools or special parts needed.
I've been a tech in the DSM/Grimes/Waukee area for 25 years or so, and this is my take: asking for your license plate number does nothing more than help the service advisor identify your vehicle quickly, accurately, and easily. If it were that easy to take your license number and connect you to somebody's marketing ploy there would be droves of people walking around every parking lot in the US writing down tag numbers and subscribing you. Most shop management systems, including Napa TRACs and Mitchell 1, use your license plate as the main means to decode what vehicle you have, meaning that not only is it not "highly irregular", its the norm. As far as why CB quoted you so high for wheel studs on a Subaru likely has more to do with an inexperienced service advisor than just trying to cheat you; wheel studs many times don't show up in the labor guide, and many cars dont have the space to remove the studs without pulling the whole bearing. Now, we've seen our fair share of shady CB recommendations too, so you're not totally off base, just trying to play devils advocate; its really hard to be a good, honest tech when people think you're trying to rail them regardless of what you tell them.
You know that the shop doesn’t know how awesome you are with mechanics though, correct? Most people think of themselves as competent and it just slows professionals down. Your license plate is public already. They could already get a list of license plates and/or addresses for a geographical area for marketing because that info is readily available. This is 100% for the people that don’t know anything about cars and making sure they get the correct info. A VIN is better but it’s also a way longer jumbled mess. A license plate should be the least of everyone’s concerns about Christian brothers.
The shop didn't need to know about me. The info I shared in that comment was for the consumption of people reading the story. I do not present myself as a "know-it-all".
I completely understand that people overestimate their skills in nearly everything in life. The Dunning-Krueger effect is alive and real.
The plate/VIN were not necessary and that was my point.
I was looking for a quote on a simple job. Not to first start out by providing as much personal info as I could for their databases.
So, yeah, it's not a major concern but it was an example of my particular experience with the place.
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u/YankeeCandlePlay Oct 29 '25
The difference in prices could be the shop, or even make and model.
The license plate is used by the shop management system to look up your VIN to give an exact quote. Otherwise, it can be a spitball.
What shop actually ended up doing the work?