Slightly lengthy post, but.. this topic. Here we go. Examples given to illustrate points..
Oil changes, tire changes and big $ jobs get priority. Example, from place I use in DIFY capacity . Invoice hanging on wall says USED ENGINE ASSY $2,250".. Only glanced at it, wasnt my car.. the shop I use, they went ahead and opened up their own car dealership down the block . Have a detail place they use, behind the shop . Fix cars for the 5 or so dealers around them . Just got in an SVX from 92.. they have an eye for niche cars that will sell.. Point of all this. They
prioritize their own interests, and if they sense a penny-pincher, most if not all of the posts here are spot-on correct, they are either throwing an engine in a car (many Chevy Traverses but. All kinds) that they KNOW they can sell, easy, if prices for cars are still up it's still easy selling gravy train for them.. so that engine job that would usually be $1500 labor gets profit in the form of a sale.. shop I use has 2 or 3 lifts and they are NEVER empty. Place is SLAMMED with work because word got out that their prices for labor are the lowest around anyways, not Book rate...... Owner genuinely understands that building a relationship with each customer means he will never have shortage of work in life. It's really a beautiful thing. Has a Viper as well as many other cars as well as shiny new Viiper (not his, different color) for sale in the showroom at dealer. Much money and successful business.
Let's dial this in a little bit. Sounds like your vehicle needs a "smaller job." If this vehicle were at the shop/
business I use, they would probably tell you to come a day or two out they KNOW they aren't either going to the auction or doing an online car auction.. or working on 3 cars with 4 people at once (for a month or two at a time it was 2 or 3 employees out of 4 due to C19, all that is pretty much over, thankfully) and they hustle and work really hard, they would make time for your car if you really needed it. Maybe they would get the part and seal they needed beforehand. Again, typically correct they do that at the time of.. maybe they would take a quick look and either tell you to bring your own parts (I do this. Saves any markup they may make.. I'm looking at you, NAPA, with shop vs private party prices) or order them earlier, they get there same day, usually . (Usually DONT use the AutoZone, AAP stores because the whole store is full of junk. Like Dollar Tree of the auto parts for many unnecessary dollars. Needless markup) - point. THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF YOU. And probably give you a very reasonable rate for having done the job. They probably work on between 10 and 20 cars a day if it's super busy, if we are talking everything from oil changes to tires. Maybe 5 to 10 on a slow day. No shortage of work. More than they can handle.
They are prioritizing higher money jobs over yours unless you communicate with them. I've had cars sit. They are putting an engine in a car I saw sitting for months. I found them the engine. Since about April or May, owner authorized work on his 2007 *this week* and that engine goes in to-day. Engine from 2006 interchanges. Engine came from... so that's $1500 or so in labor. They are putting that priority ahead of your repair. They will STILL DO your repair. Yeah, they will stop to change oil, or a tire.. the two biggest money makers for the shop.
In closing.. there is a way to run a business and have everyone have something bad to say about you and rely on scams and tell people that meticulously maintain their cars that their brand new tires are unsafe (Mavis, most if not all tire chains, bad business practices) where you have to wonder how cars to there and how they keep the lights on.. and there is a way to run a business and have almost everyone love your work and the prices and the service that not only do you understand the sheer volume of work they do, but that you are okay with it and you're saving money. (Yes, he has had to fire a few customers like ETCG talks about on YouTube. Some know exactly what I'm hitting at. Simply politely refuse service. These were extreme cases.) So.. I would communicate the need.
If they can make room for your car in two weeks or less, maybe slightly less time if it really is that urgent.. keep them, they have earned your business.
If you get a flippant response or NO kind of accommodation (Owner of the shop I use will make it a point to make a phone call to the customer to explain exactly the situation, apologize for delay, and probably get authorization to begin work. He says "And we go from there" is said a lot, for example car comes in with hose busted, replace hose, "we go from there" so that if everything is okay or not from overheat...) then it is time to find a new shop.
Examples given in this post for points of reference. Your experiences may vary.
Power Steering fluid? Good luck!
Prestone Asian Power Steering Fluid is dyed Red. Prestone wants us to go by color.
That said, a red fluid, my first guess also would be transmission fluid and I would look to all the places ATF goes, from RMS to the lines to the radiator to the pan gasket. Would be my top three places for a visual inspection. Like a leaking trans cooler line, or, sometimes, hose .