Atlantic Canada — Get your car fixed recently? Buy some new tires? Get some electrical work done or go to a chiropractor? Well, a recent report conducted by a consumers group in Halifax has revealed that you should have checked with your dad before getting any of that work done because he most likely knows someone who could have performed the task at a cheaper rate.
“Our findings were overwhelmingly conclusive,” confirmed Harvey Umberger, who led the data search. “We compared prices for tens of thousands of different services from nationwide as well as small, local businesses. We even checked popular sites like Kijiji and Craigslist. But every single time we thought we found the best price for something, I checked with my dad, he made a few calls and found someone to do the work, whatever it was, cheaper.”
Umberger was surprised to find that it wasn’t just his own dad who had this special ability, but the rule applied to all dads, everywhere.
“Oh yeah, my dad knows all kinds of people who can do things cheaper,” bragged Fredericton woman Kelly Meade. “I was going to get my computer fixed last month, Best Buy gave me a quote of like $200, but Dad told me to go see his buddy Steve who could fix me up for a case of Alpine and a pack of Player’s.”
“Kel was crazy to take that thing to a professional,” laughed Meade’s father Ronald. “That’s how they get ya, you know. Bring it in to get it fixed and all of a sudden you’re walking outta there with a new Atari and a bunch of those fidget spinners or something. Bunch of crooks.”
The Manatee asked Meade what kind of background his friend Steve has in computer repair and what his usual rates are for service.
“Steve doesn’t have any formal training per se,” Meade admitted, “but he’s had so many different types of viruses on his computer before, so he knows exactly how to get them off. As far as prices, it’s all depending on what you need and who you are. If you’re some stranger who needs a dryer fixed, let’s say. That’ll probably set you back a 40 of something good where for me it’d probably just be a moose steak.”
The report found dozens of others whose dads knew a guy, or multiple guys who were great at fixing things for low prices.
“Just last week my dad helped me out,” said Fred Burley of Dieppe. “My car was making some weird noises and I had an appointment at Canadian Tire. Dad found out and almost lost it on me. He sent me to his old work buddy who lives in Miramichi who installed a new speaker system for me so I wouldn’t hear the noise anymore — half the price of what the part probably cost.”