*just a note, they did say they specifically ruled out the low pressure fuel pump because they isolated it and were still getting good pressure up to the high pressure pump

 

Thanks for an update unfortunately and please don't take this negatively I have no clue what kind and quality independent service shops you are choosing?
Neither seems to be doing a well job IMHO based on your responses.
The best advice at this point is I would word it to the service writer that if that does not rectify and correct the problem you should not be accountable or responsible for the labor or part replacement?

If they decline, then you should find a better-quality service shop. You may pay more which I think may also be a reason why you choose these shops, but you get what your pay for.
Find:
It sucks that you are now owing them for 2 hours of a questionable diagnostic fee??

An ASE serviceshop. A shop that must qualify to claim and use ASE signage must have at least 1 current ASE certified mechanic or which in your best interest a currently certified ASE Master Automotive Diagnostic Technician.

 

No worries - I feel the same. I'm pretty bummed with the process so far.
It's too bad, I spent a lot of time looking up shops and reading reviews. I even made a spreadsheet to compare them.

I am going forward with the repair but only because of exactly what you said. They will not charge me if the part does not work. If it doesn't work though, I will certainly try again with another shop.

 

I hope this does not sound like a rant, but I have a little time here all the appointment seems to have been scheduled to start at 10 today???? LOL
So, the complete response may be missing or confusing but maybe the reader can overlook that and my poor writing skills and at least partially understand it?

Honestly you cannot really go by reviews, and a spread sheet seems like an interesting way to pass the time of a bored day?
Reviews from people having service done lacks so much information. Believe me the owner of the shop reads all of them and always comes to me if there is one that pops up not so good. LOL And it is always the same thing they get a quote for a specific service or repair then while doing that service find other item needing attention either to finish the original service or found to be an ongoing or close to what will be a problem. Then the original estimates start to go up. We and especially myself explain in careful detail and also show the customer exactly what the issue it and asked them a few time if they understand or have any questions. Yet when the service is done and all there broken or replaced parts are neatly in a box for them to take, they almost never take them, and the smile is absent from their face. Then a week or month the owner see an anonymous review and we know who it was. The biggest complaints are always about parts costs.

Ok for all reading this, most shops the parts are retailed based on the MSRP from the manufactures or the distributor. Its fair and here is why. If the part installed fails in the WARRANTY period stated by the manufacture of the part many shops will replace it for free within the first 30 days of service. The shop rarely EVER gets their labor cost from the manufacture of the part when it fails in the warranty period. So, they reason parts are sold at the retail cost is to partially cover replacement cost if the part fails with the shops free labor replacement of a failed part. So often the shop is looked at as the bad guy because the part failed and now the shop is charging for the labor to replace the part only. You can see this can get really complicated if a part is buried in the engine somewhere and it takes a few hours to get the failed part.
But here is the thing that many don't realize, if you do have to pay for the labor to replace the failed part outside the labor warranty period of the shop the customer can go directly to the part manufacture and request full or partial labor compensation.
Nevertheless this example the person having to go through this will go and give the shop a rereview feeling they got taken advantage of by the shop.