Meeting people as a mechanic.

[Shockeruti]

I did my best to not deal with customers when I was at the dealership, that was the service adviser's job.

Now at my shop in Venus. we get a LOT of crackheads that stop in asking for mechanical work. I make it a point to turn most of them away right off the bat, but there are some that will be persistent and think their sob story is going to change that. One that stood out in my mind was a tweaker that was going from shop to shop trying to save a buck or two. He asked me about changing something out for him and wanted a price. After repatedly telling him I didnt think his problem would be solved by replacing whatever it was, he finnally just asked me what I would charge him to do it anyway, and I quoted him about twice what I figured it should be. He then scoffs at me, says that the three other places he's been to were less than half that. I asked him why he was wasting time going to 4 different places, and he tells me he didnt have the money.

There's a shop in venus besides the mobile one? Where at?

[Baron Von Crowder]

There's a shop in venus besides the mobile one? Where at?

North on 157 from there. I work there nights and weekends, my buddy sells used cars out of it too.

[4bangen]

can you give me a price on both?

I've been out of the parts biz for a few years, and reading that still brings up my blood presure.

[90MarkVII]

had a elderly spanish lady with an 02 focus come in on a flatbed back in 03ish...says she checked her coolant and didnt see any, so she filled up with "hose"...now it no crank...verified good battery and performed visual inspection...while I was doing this, she saw me thru the damn shop window and came out to tell me which hole had no water...yup, she filled the crankcase appearently to the top and threw 2 pistons out the side...nephew interpreter asked if it would be covered under warranty....... .... .. . .. ......

I knew a lady that did this in Orange, TX back in 1979.
Unfortunately the car in question was a cherry late 60's Fairlane 500.

[talisman]

that's bad ass... our local OReilly's sucks donkey dick. If we have an issue like that, we'll get a customer or a random derelict go return it and they'll probably get a free blow job with their refund. If we try to return it, they get all pissy.

We order $5k/wk from parts stores. Never mind the $5-10k/wk from OEM parts departments. We order shit from a Napa store 35min away because they treat us better than the OReilly's that's LITERALLY right across the street. We still buy fluids and shit from Oreilly's for the sake of convenience sometimes, but any time we can afford the time of ordering from Napa, we do.

Napa still sucks... the dealers suck... getting parts is our number one headache. Be VERY thankful if you have a convenient parts network for your business!

You should call the O and get their outside salesman's name and phone number if you don't already have it. Explain it to him and show him how much you're spending. If you don't see a 180 turn around then none of those fucks are interested in making any money. I made more a year in commission than I did salary at my store. The O should even be offering to order those parts from the dealer for you, and delivering them to you. They'll of course up charge, but sometimes shops find the convenience is worth it(you just turn around and bill the customer anyway).

[LaserSVT]

Just wanted to drop in and say thanks for the prompt service & fair price on my F150.

My only contribution here is that you may get a few more stories than the average shop mechanic here in Waco. We got some crazies out here driving some real hoopties.

Any time man. Was great to see that sweet C5 up close and meet another real car dude. Any time you need something on that C5 you be sure and let me know.

Clientele has gotten better. I still have a Porsche and C4 and couple Lincolns in the shop and just sent out a C6 (fuel door) and Lightning and nice modded GT today.
Way better than only working on farm trucks. I love my new location.

[Sleeper]

Rust and cow turds are not your thing?

[appelingogt]

Well there's your problem.

AUTOZONED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


When I start my own shop, I will have a HUGE sign saying:


"If you start out by telling me your concern on your automobile by saying "Well Autozone told me", My price just doubled."

[talisman]

AUTOZONED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


When I start my own shop, I will have a HUGE sign saying:


"If you start out by telling me your concern on your automobile by saying "Well Autozone told me", My price just doubled."

The thing that sucks is O'Reilly started running codes about a year ago also. Crawling under the dashes of peoples filthy ass cars certainly didn't help out with my back situation.

[mikeb]

Most part stores take back electrical just say you didn't install it. Some have ahole managers who are by the book witnessed one when I worked fill in for one of our regulars got into a shouting match with a longtime customer over a 20 dollar electrical item that didn't even look installed just had some scuffs and box was dusty. When manager left for smoke break returned that part, granted as a warranty return, but anyway he was pissed off. Made it worse by asking how his stress level was.
He complained all the way to regional manager about me. Had a "sitdown" where I pointed out that losing a customer that spends 20k+ a year over a 20 dollar item was retarded. Got a raise that day. Still hated retail since it was only a .22 cent raise?

My dad used to be a service writer at a chief service center (anyone remember chief auto parts?). One day a person came in and tried to return an electrical part in an echlin box (napa part) without a receipt. My dad happened to handle that customer, and when he saw the box he refused to do the return since chief didn't sell echlin parts. The guy got irate and ranted and raved but it did no good; he walked out of chief with the part he came in with LOL.......

[JC316]

My dad used to be a service writer at a chief service center (anyone remember chief auto parts?). One day a person came in and tried to return an electrical part in an echlin box (napa part) without a receipt. My dad happened to handle that customer, and when he saw the box he refused to do the return since chief didn't sell echlin parts. The guy got irate and ranted and raved but it did no good; he walked out of chief with the part he came in with LOL.......

I remember that my dad used to take me into Chief auto parts with him. That and Kens.

[LaserSVT]

Fucking people. Had a crap day working on this Dodge 4.7 with 273k on it that ate my lunch. Turned out to be WORN THE FUCK OUT. So this kid pulls in at 6PM, we close at 5:30, and asks how much brakes are..... well I need to see what you need, I tell him. He says "Rear brakes" so I tell him OK, I just need to see what it needs. Could be just pads and a turn, could need new rotors, could need a caliper and being its an Avalance I ould wager the parking brake is bad. He says he just needs a price. I am about to say something when my partner pipes up and says "Brakes have over 200 components. (then slowly) We need to see what parts are worn and what are ok." I go to grab my light and take a peek when the kid throws a tantrum and runs back to his truck and peels out, almost hits my truck, 3 points his, almost hits my car and then tries to slam on the brakes as he hits the exit pulling out of my lot and almost cant stop.... because he has no brakes.

[appelingogt]

I got offered to "replace" a transaxle in a 92 corsica for catfish as payment..."You don't even have to go fishin!!!" fuckin people...

[dsrtuckteezy]

I got offered to "replace" a transaxle in a 92 corsica for catfish as payment..."You don't even have to go fishin!!!" fuckin people...

Sounds black

[appelingogt]

how'd ya guess...and I'm not above helping people no matter what race, but fuckin A...I can't even pump gas without a "hey you, that guy at the Ford place, whats this noise???"