alfredauto

Universal phosphate/silicate free coolant will not damage anything. Premixed 50/50. Peak makes it and its cheap enough. It won't change the color either when topping off. If it doesn't say phosphate/silicate free don't use it. I carry g12 for the vw forum experts, they like paying $32 a liter. Now, if I'm doing a service on a newer high end import I use the factory antifreeze with distilled water. I believe its a waste of money but I can't afford to be wrong. The water you mix in makes the biggest difference if you ask me, filling your car with tap water is probably a very bad idea. The horror stories come from shops that incorrectly use an antifreeze recycling machine. Who knows what's in that melting pot.

Uggh, this August is shaping up to be the worst month in our 5 year history. Unless something changes I'll be paying to fix cars this month. Car count is steady, but the no thanks I'm going to run my car into the ground mentality is strong this month. Normally the answer is always yes, not so much the last couple weeks. Just garbage on top of garbage. Zero gravy. I expected some losses but it still hurts when it happens.

Thanks

IMO he's a good egg if he admitted he lied once confronted with it. Everybody slips once in a while, especially in this business where there really is a temptation to lie all the time. The people that can't be accountable for their actions are the ones I distance myself from. Use it as an opportunity to review your operation if he lied about a diagnosis or repair issue.

Not sure where to post this, but when I like a post I click on the thumbs up button. It turns into a thumbs down icon. When I like a post will it be identified with a thumbs down or am I thumbs downing a bunch of folks on here inadvertently?

"I found that when I wasn't making money I would nitpick at the little things." Statement of the year. 😅

Trust me, people that drive expensive cars don't care what it costs to get them fixed as long as their money isn't being wasted on techs learning like you said. Give a guy his S class back with grease on the steering wheel and the service minder not reset and he paid too much no matter how cheap the bill. I have lots of well heeled clients, they simply don't want to think about car repairs. They want someone who can do it, thats about it. In their book I'm the same as their lawyer or accountant, once in a while I'm needed to take care of problems they don't want to invest any time or effort into. They don't even want me to call them with a price in most cases. They will audit you at Christmas dinner, when someone brings up a dealership story and the conversation is "I had to take it back 3 times to fix my telematics ". That's where you gain new customers. If you can make it easy for them to get their problems fixed with money you got it made.

The e myth is like intro to business 101, definitely a prerequisite but won't really give you any real help. Six tires no plan and Les Schwab are also great books to emphasize that systems and people are what makes great businesses. I'm still stuck in the "do it myself" mentality so I really focus on giving myself a good job with pay raises and paid vacation time.

Even newspaper print ads are basically a donation these days. Just go down to any college campus and look around at people. Nobody has a newspaper except if they are walking their dog and using it to pick up after it.

Move to western NY and work for me. You nailed the biggest problem in shop ownership - finding people that can repair cars and customers as well as yourself. Sign up for some professional help on doing a business plan, that will enable you to answer all your own questions about regulations, advertising, supply/demand, cash flow, feasabilty, and so on but like I said all that stuff is pretty easy compared to finding excellent people to work for you.

Got a letter in the mail today. I owe $3000. No explanation. My paperwork was good. The customer (ex customer) admitted the vehicle was fine for 90 days. Words can't describe how I feel. The used car dealer, in this case, me, was deemed liable for damages long after the warranty expired. I hired a lawyer to appeal. I assumed the 30 day used car warranty protected both parties, I was wrong. Just a warning to you guys, for $25 anybody can sue you and win without any legal justification. Its simply the consumers word vs the business. I'll let you know how the appeal goes, I assume when we go into a real court facts, laws, and precedent will carry more weight. I hope.

Not quite on topic but Michelin is perceived as "the best" by the vast majority of consumers. I view michelins as the fastest dry rotting tires ever produced by any manufacturer in any country. What gives? I want to love Michelin.

Anyways, good point gonzo. 😂

Lol at the pack rat mentality. I just scrapped about a full ton of "almost still good" stuff. I'm guilty of saving everything. I stopped the drip oil collection because I needed the bench space.

Be careful in areas with cheap real estate. I live in one of the cheapest places in the us to buy property. Here in the southern tier of NY the taxes are high, the heating bills are higher, but the real killer is the lack of motivated talented people to fill positions. The brightest kids move away, they are crazy not to. Just Google commercial real estate in say Elmira, NY, it's at giveaway prices.

My place looks like a mess some times. I say "what's up with the mess everything OK?" My tech says "do you want me to stop working on cars to clean?" Nah I guess not. I take out the trash and mop the floors, its cheaper.

I've used every pad on earth, if they don't fit nicely in the caliper bracket they will squeak. If slapped on an old rotor they squeak. Nicely means they move easily with finger pressure, but not loose. Clean the pistons, clean the slide pins, clean everywhere the pad contacts the caliper and apply a thin layer of synthetic grease. Basic brake lesson aside Beck Arnley reboxes OE pads which really are the best for long life. $90+ for a set of pads isn't for everybody. I've used store brand mid grade pads with no problems on clean new rotors. They last a couple years. Cleanliness is the best thing to quiet brakes. Napa true stop pads squeal no matter what.

I think Joe is absolutely correct. Never give a price over the phone. Its tough to implement, but I suggest trying it for a couple weeks and see what happens. The dentist never quotes prices over the phone. Never. You shouldn't either for reasons discussed above. Even tires, which are a commodity, I ask the size, the speed rating, the treadwear, traction, and load index number. The customer does not know the answers 99% of the time which makes it very easy for me to invite them over so I can take a look at their vehicle. If they are bent on price shopping I have them look at their door jam and read me the numbers and I'll quote a price. If I'm the only guy who asked these questions I get a bonus point for being more knowledgeable about tires in their eyes. Think about it, the phone rings "how much for a radiator" you look up the parts and labor and say its an easy one you quote the job. $250. "When can you get me in?" Because its a 30 minute job you schedule them in the same day. So far so good, the customer leaves you the keys and a check because you were the cheapest price so they pay you what you quoted and they comment how you are their hero for doing it so fast and cheap, because they can't be without their car and that's all the money they got. The car comes in and your tech replaces the leaking radiator. That's the job written on the calander. You all know what's next, the car overheats in the bay because the thermostats stuck. OK you call and explain and put a thermostat in. Another $75 the customer isn't too happy. After the thermostat it becomes clear the electric fan is no good which caused the radiator and stat to go bad. Uh oh, now your tech is hours deep into this working on an overheating problem. You got suckered into a payment plan at this point. The next appointment is waiting impatiently because your tech is behind and they take their 60k mile service somewhere else. After figuring out the fan driver or fan motor failed your price shopper is really fuming. After exceeding your quote by 5x the car finally leaves fixed. The next day the car is back with "the same problem", the radiator is leaking again. You are mad at the tech for damaging the radiator, the tech is mad at Napa for making a defective radiator, the customer is mad at you for being a crook. More free diagnosis, more appointments lost, more coolant leaking mess in your bay and parking lot. In the end the slipping water pump impeller caused a blown head gasket which over pressurized the radiator blowing the tank apart again. The coolant got into the tranny cooler this time. Who pays for a new engine and transaxle? What's the customer say? "Why did you sell me a radiator when it didn't need one?" Blood pressure in the high double digits. Lol. The above situation can be avoided very easily. " how much for a radiator?" Mr smith, we can get you in tomorrow to diagnose your cooling system problems, it will be $60 for this service and we will be able to let you know exactly what needs to be done and how much it will cost after my tech diagnoses your vehicle. You might lose the job by not quoting a price over the phone but its better than the alternative.

I haven't gotten a verdict yet but I'll fill you in when it shows up. Used cars are funny, I drove one as my own commuter car for like 4 weeks. 2000+ miles. I wanted to make sure it would be 100% troule free. The same day I sold it the starter quit on the guy, had to tow it. I fixed it under warranty but ??really?? How can a different driver turn the key different than me?

I turned 40 last year, no Harley or corvette yet. I did buy myself a mid life present - a 1982 ski nautique water ski boat. I don't live near a lake, I don't water ski. I don't even like boating that much. But it was a fuck it I can do what I want moment. Lol I sold it but it was better for me long term than a Harley and a mistress. For the record I'm on my 2nd set of tools, I sold everything and started an internet company and a farm when I burnt out a while back. I thought I hated fixing cars, I thought I hated the general public, what I found out was I actually hated the stockholders pressuring the board to use me as a cash machine. I hope in 10 years I'll be checking my shops #'s and posting from a villa on the Adriatic sea. Time will tell.

The customer is ordering the mechanic to work nights weekends on his truck? WTF? I would have pushed it outside half done - here you go see you bye bye I also can't believe anyone would set a fixed price on a diesel head job. What if they were cracked? What if an injector needed to be replaced? Its insane. This shop must have been on a dry spell of work for a loooong time. Stop what your doing and rebuild my 6 liter ford, see you in 3 days no matter what. I'll be over to help. That's insane. This is a good reminder to not take every customer, this guy sounded like a hard case up front. Just say no.

Exactly my beef with the autocare program. Bob 25 miles away gets paid, if they break down 24 miles away I do it free. Labor claims = blood pressure rise. I hate them.

Were in a college town, sad story is adjunct professors or temps are the new norm. 2 year positions mean my best customers don't stick around too long. Because I'm a newcomer to our rural area (I've only been here 11 years lol) the locals don't really come to me, they go to joes garage whom they graduated high school with in 1971. I almost cried the other day when the guy who had a stroke came in, he said "Eddie, I know your name because its on your shirt, but I don't remember you. My wife said I should stop by" this guy used to come in every week and visit mostly, we fixed his car but I think we were more friends really. Hes got to be in his 70's, I can't imagine the impact on his personal life. Enjoy life folks.

This week I lost 7 good customers. Not due to anything under my control, one guy had a stroke and can't drive, six professors/university faculty members moved out of state to greener pastures. The loss of these seven families probably means $15,000 a year I'm going to miss just in maintenance, maybe twice that amount. Another ten customers bought brand new cars in the last couple months with at least 3/36 warranties. What I'm getting at is no matter how good your shop is doing you need to keep recruiting new customers or life's going to be tough for you.

Contacting customers about a week after the sale is best. Normally if you fixed their car right they won't call you so by calling them its normally a pleasant call. "Hi, just calling to thank you again for busibess and see how those tires are working out, any concerns?" is enough to solidify your relationship. I'm guilty of NOT doing it enough, but its just because I'm short handed. Sometimes they will have a concern and if you don't call you just won't see them ever again.