Gonzo

I won't raise the labor to them, but I will explain the "ropin = a - steer" approach... No warranty, no redus... when I put the last bolt on I throw my hands in the air and say "TIME" I'm done... I couldn't care less if it works or not... the customer became the tech and parts buyer at that point I'm just two hands and a box of wrenches... If, it doesn't work and it needs redone... well, we start all over with a new invoice and treat it like a brand new job. Diagnostics and all.... Oh, when it comes to used parts... I make them get them... not me... Sooner or later they'll get tired of driving back and forth to the scrap yard trying to find a good part or the correct part. And, reliaze they should have let me handle the whole thing in the first place.

Seen these before ssauto, sorry to hear it's your turn to get one. The first thing I will tell you is that this IS a learning experience in the automotive repair biz... class is over now... what to do. With out a doubt the next time you see one of the POS's show up... DONT DO ANYTHING... send it down the road. I know it's hard sometimes when your staring at an empty shop and this is the only thing there... but believe me... you're better off with the empty shop. To get a free "GET OUT OF THE POS" card. You're going to have to hand walk this character thru each and every part of the car and it's problems... right now, right away. Before you touch one more thing on the car... you have the owner and yourself do a complete point to point inspection. Usually that will get the owner aware of how bad their junk yard reject is. I tell them, "If this was your horse I would have shot it dead already." Sorry for your POS... we've all been there... Gonzo Remember it all runs down hill....just learn to get out of the way....

I couldn't agree more... I prefer OEM to anything... unless there is something special with the aftermarket part that makes it better... seldom does that happen. I thought it was really interesting how the author of the story picked a dimmly lit shop and the grease covered cardboard on the floor... and two guys sticking their heads under a car... not on a lift... and I didn't see any safety jack... does a lot for the image...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=15&articleid=20100602_15_E4_Mechan796903&archive=yes Good story... Gonzo

Looks to me like who ever put it on the lift had it way to far forward for an "A" symetric lift. I guessed it could have slipped to that point. But, I doubt it.... I always make it a habit to "jiggle" the car when it's on the first ladder lock. If it sounds funny, wiggles to much, or even seems off balance... it's sure to be worse when it's up in the air.

Congrats Joe, I think you'll do a fine job. I recieved notice of this on my FB page from aftermarket news.com It's a super achievement.... way to go!

If it's ok, I'm going to post a couple of these pictures on my gallery page on my website. Gonzo

Guns don't kill anymore than pencils can misspell words......

Some very good points in this blog. One point that wasn't covered is the customer... the customer "type" that feels it's necessary to go to the internet or find the cheapest part. These folks are the kind of customers I'd soon never see. You can never be profitable if your customer is bring his own steak to the resturaunt. I'm always amazed at the lack of respect and professionalism that the "customer" brings to the front counter. We, as the shop owners and mechanics/techs are expected to be professional, but when the customer seems to think that we are incompetent and can't figure out which part is cheaper or the fact that futher testing is needed we... as the "independent automotive industry" take a back seat to the customers problems. They... the customer... become the problem. I think our years of experience and knowledge in our field makes us more aware of which parts are better, which car may need additional labor time over and above book time... which diagnostic procedure may require more labor hours. But that all falls on deaf ears when you're talking to this type of customer... their mind is already made up... long before they ever got to the front door.

I'll start writing it tonight... I think it should go something like.... Ah, Dah, what's this... "BANG" ... Oh man, I'm going to need a Amblance.. ah dah, you know that thing they take ya to the doctors in... yea ah Amblance... hurry, I think it's gotta another shot left... I checked .. yep it's ready to ... BANG... oh shucks, now I went and did it again... Gonzo.... nothin compares to stupid... when stupid is all there is...

Interesting to say the least. I have my doubts about the tech side of things. I would say the tech side of the electronics are far more than an 80's PC. These techie generation people also are the type to read something on the net and take it as gospel. That makes me believe that some of this story is hyped up for purposes of research and not actual general public interests. The part about buying a car is like going to the dentist... well, I could see that. If you look at it from the stand point of the consumer who is dealing with a salesperson who is out to sell you a car (or selling any other product) is only there to encourage you to buy. They may steer you to a vehicle that better fullfills your needs but in the long run... it's SELL, SELL, SELL. I'd like to see a dealer have a veteran tech sell the car... now lets see what happens. Here's a good example... The new "HEMI" dodge... it's fast, it's roomy, it's cool looking... it's got all the bells a whistles and it might be the car that you just gotta have. Oh but, did the salesman bother to tell you that the tuneup is costly, and that it doesn't neccessarly have platnium plugs... and on some models the tuneup is only good for 30k miles... I'll bet they ddn't tell the consumer that little fact. So what sells the car... in my book it's the bells and whistles and the styling... along with a good sales staff. Internet techies or not.... it's still the car that the consumer wants... that is until the truth of the designs come out during the maintenance and repair part of the purchase. It would be different if the new owner had to sit down and was required to understand and follow the requirements involved in keeping their new ride in perfect shape. I find more and more people only want to start it up and drive... and don't even think that maintenance is something they shoud be concerned about. But, as I've said before.... repairing and maintaining cars is counterproductive to the manufacuturers ability to sell cars. It's something to think about.

Anything I can do is a an honor. Joe, somehow we seem to think alike. Even though there are miles between us. I'm glad to do what I can for ASO... and will continue to do so... thanx for your comments

If there ever was a customer that I would never forget... it's Sarge. He never had a dime in his pocket, he never drove the nicest or best cars... but... he had a heart of gold. I look at it this way... if I was in a combat situation and needed someone to watch my back... I'd get Sarge. and I'd do the same for him too. Right after my book was published I called his son and told him to come down to my shop and that I had something for him. I gave him a copy of my book... he read the entire book cover to cover. Then he told me what he had done. He went to his fathers grave sight and read the story "Old Sarge" to his father.... I was proud and humble at the same time... semper fi

This is from my book "Hey Look, I Found the Loose Nut" I tried to cover every different aspect of customers and situations in my book... some, came out better than others. This one, is very special to me. This is a customer of mine that I will never forget or will never stop telling people about. He's a soldier, he's a friend. Old Sarge. Old Sarge I met this great man through his son, who happened to be the driver of that Chevy van from the furniture store that was my very first customer. Sarge isn’t his real name, but that’s what I called him. He was a retired Marine Corps cook. I met him one day when he came in with a sick Cadillac. The old Cadillac hardly had any power at all; just as slow and lazy as a snail. I was only in business for a few months, and didn’t know anybody. I didn’t have any work to speak of, so even though it wasn’t an electrical problem (as he originally thought), I jumped right in and found the problem. It was a clogged catalytic converter. Unbelievably, it wasn’t even welded in place. I could take off the clamps, and remove it without much hassle. Back then I didn’t have a lift to put the car in the air, so I had to do the whole job on the ground. Well, old Sarge just sat there and watched me do the whole thing. I think he was a little suspicious of this skinny little white kid who was hacking away at his car, but he patiently waited, being the good man he was. We got to talking about things, and it wasn’t long before he found out that I was also in Marine Corps. Now we had some common ground. We were buds for life, always cutting up with each other. One hot August afternoon Sarge brought in one of his other cars to get some work done. I had the back door to the shop open, and Sarge steps outside for a little fresh air. I thought I could hear the guy crying or mumbling something, couldn’t tell which it was. I stuck my head around the corner, “Sarge, ah …. you ok, buddy?” I asked. He proceeded to tell me how the house he grew up in was close by, before it became a shopping center. He talked about his dad and family, and how he hunted rabbits right where we were standing. It was during the Depression. Hard times, and things were scarce in those days. How his dad hid a pig in a pit, not too far from here. Where they kept the corn mash for making moon shine. I sat and listened to this hardened Marine tell me his life’s story that day, from his first car to how he ended up in the Corps. I didn’t answer the phone, or go up front to see if anyone came in. I just sat out there in that August heat, drenched in sweat, listening to this fella tell me his life story. I’ll never forget that afternoon. I’ll also never forget how every time he came to my shop over the next 25 years he would sneak up on me, and yell in a drill instructor voice, “TEN HUT!” I would snap to attention just like a good Marine should. Sometimes, just to get a rise out of Sarge I would purposely hit my head on the hood of the car I was working on. He got a kick out of it every time. Sarge passed away a couple years back. I still think about him now and then. I hope he’s up there hunting rabbits, or something. Maybe he’s guarding the gates like every Marine hopes to be doing when their time comes. Or, he could be just waiting there to try and surprise me with one more “TEN HUT” when I show up. Sarge, I miss having you around the shop.

A litle something for all those car guys and gals out there... Enjoy. The Cars We Drove In The 50s & 60s

I've used all sorts of labor guides in the past. Alldata, Mitchell, Motor...etc.. etc.. The one that I have been using for the past couple of years is from a company out of Florida. It's called "Real-time Labor Guide" it's a pretty simple setup but whats nice is that if you find something that isn't correct... you call them.. tell them... they'll listen ... they'll make the changes and also give you a credit towards your next up date. The only time I have any hassle is with the extended warranty companies... they perfer Mitchell... I tell them,"Hey, do what ya want, the bottom line is I'm charging what I feel it's worth and if the company isn't paying for it... somebody will." (Mitchell's labor always seemed a little light to me.)

I like your comment Joe... at least I think I do... nothing there to read... must be that invisible post thing going around... LOL

Like the Energizer Bunny... it keeps going, and going.... .... ... ... the stories never end...

I may have already posted this story... if i did... oops... sorry... it's still a pretty funny story none the less.. Gonzo I don't got a gun On a warm spring afternoon, the shop busy with jobs. It was just another day, working the hours away till it was quitting time, just like any other day. Why even the phone seemed to have a pleasant "ring" that day. My wife, Le Ann, was in the office working on the daily office paper work. Myself, I was in the shop turning wrenches and humming to the always constant radio in the background. The shop was busy and things were going along without a hint of trouble, it was a story book day a blissful repairs. I even stopped for a moment to reflect on the wonderful day that it was… "Ah, it's a fine day, a fine day indeed." Why nothing could bother me today. It's about then I looked outside at the street in front of the shop. Hmm, police cars… 2 of them, driving slowly. Then in the far distance I could hear more cars coming this way, sirens blazing away. I looked back just in the nick of time to see the 2 squad cars that were in front of the shop tear down the street at high speed. Then 2 more came from the opposite direction, slowing down just in front of the shop. I walked towards the garage door just as a figure flew by me. This guy was on a flat out run for the furthest point away from those cop cars. You should have seen it; those cops were on this guy like a swarm of bees. The guy ducked around the corner with the cop cars in full pursuit. He didn't stand a chance. Where's the wife, I need to go tell her about all of this… why this is exciting… wow, I can't wait to tell her. As I reached for the door knob to the front lobby my wife was already opening the door. She was so frantic she could hardly speak. "How could you leave me up here all by myself? Didn't you hear me banging on the wall! I could have been killed," gasping for breath as if it were her last. "Calm down honey," I said, "It was nothing. Nothing at all, did you see that guy, and the cop cars?" "Nothing! What do you mean NOTHING!" shouting at me, "This guy comes in all sweaty, sits down in the lobby chair, and tells me he just needs a rest. Then tells me he wants to give himself up, and wanted me to call the cops. There he is sitting there holding his shirt up and tells me "I don't got a gun" what was I suppose to do…? I called the cops and kept banging on the wall trying to get you to come up front." "Holy cow, dear," I stood there in shock answering her, "Why didn't you come and get me?" "Ya Big Baboon! I was on the phone! Who do you think was calling for all these cop cars," she screamed at me. Her voice kept getting louder, and she was a total emotional wreck, but continued to tell me, "I couldn't move, I had to talk to the cops, give them a description and the address, they kept telling me to stay on the line. I wanted to run out of there. The guy was out of breath and he didn't look like he had an ounce of strength left. I tried banging on the wall thinking you would show up any minute. But, when this guy heard the sirens he took off again." It's about then I understood the seriousness of the "gangster in the lobby", my poor wife was terrified. There was no way she was going to spend another minute up front without some way of getting our attention in the back of the shop. That afternoon I rigged up an 8.00 dollar 12 volt door bell from the hardware store with a 2 prong turn signal flasher from a car. Now if someone comes in the flasher causes the door bell to "ding", "ding", "ding" till the door closes. If the door buzzer doesn't shut off in its usual pattern… drop the tools and run to the front... wife needs me. This crude door bell set up has been a part of our shop since that day; I've changed the flasher two or three times since then… but not the bell, I'm guessing it's about 15 years old by now, but it still works perfectly. I also installed a louder bell with an emergency button in several locations just in case the first "ding" didn't get my attention. I'm sure, if I hadn't installed the door dinger that afternoon, I may have been spending a lot of sleepless nights on the couch. As they say… when one door closes another one opens…this time I can hear it open......... thanks to a dingy bad guy with no gun. Wub ya honey … and yes it's still true… it don't get no better. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Amen brother xrac... AMen! I entirely, whole heartedly, completely, with out a doubt ... AGREE. Some you'll win over, and those others.... oh them... they make great stories for old Gonzo to write about...

When these type of people go to their jobs... does their boss come up and say, "I want you to look at this... but I'm not paying for your time here at the office to do this... I just want you to look it now, while you're here at work, where you get paid to be... but I'm not paying you to just look at this, even though you're at work and this is what you do...." Seriously... doubt it...

Here's a new twist on this "free" get it for nothing deals. I've got a fello shop owner (who has only been in business about 4 years) and has a unbelievable following... I contribute that to the "new broom sweeps well" theroy... he is trying a new approach. He is adding a new advertising deal. If you bring in so many non-perishable goods you get a free evac/charge for your air conditioning system. Sounds good, and in fact one of the suppliers is suppling free refrigerant too. I told him I tried the same thing about 10 years ago... it worked well... until you looked over the books in the next following years and found out that none of those "free-be" customers ever came back for any work... ever. I guess you could say.. "your results may vary... but after all these years I'll stick to my old customers and new one as they show up." Call me over the hill... but at least I can see to the bottom... I stopped wondering whats over the next ridge. Been there, done that.

Now that's funny... but got ya beat... her sewing machine... 5500.00, quilting machine... 12,000.00, and then there is the soft ware, the updates... etc... sounds like the scanners at the shop... LOL My wife was at the KC show too. Ask your wife if she has a copy of "Loose Change"... that's my wife's book... I'll bet she does. LOL

I've got manuals for fixing cars no matter how long they've been around. Family, well, I'd like to think that I don't make too many mistakes, and If I do... my wife is more understanding than some of those customers I run across.... LOL BTW... my wife is a big time quilter... I know, I know... it ain't car stuff.. she is on her second book for publishing... You can check out some photos and stuff on her website when ya got a minute. www.persimmonquilts.com (her first book was a best seller in the quilt world... over 30,000 copies... and still counting.) pretty proud of the old gal...

Thanks Jeff, I didn't see that article before.... I left a comment... directed the readers to my story... diagnostics fee/diagnostics free.... should stir the pot a little more... LOL