Mechanical Repair / Quote question.

trogedon, Aug 8, 10:00pm
Hypothetically; if someone came to you with a gearbox problem on their car (or similar problem), you took the box out, found the fault, got the cost for the parts, phoned them, they didn??

gmphil, Aug 8, 10:03pm
At there cost would drive away,other wise just chuck in the boot .

smac, Aug 8, 10:15pm
If that decision was not made (and the consequences explored) at the time the customer and the mechanic discussed the work not being done, then both the customer and the mechanic are idiots.

IMHO.

thunderbolt, Aug 8, 10:16pm
I would tell them what they owe so far and estimate what it will cost to put it all back as is or tow it away as is.
Give them the choice.
Or make them a lowball offer, fix it myself and make some $$$ by selling it.

trogedon, Aug 8, 10:26pm
I had a potential customer bring me a reasonably expensive watch (was his dad??

smac, Aug 8, 11:07pm
There's your problem.

If this is a hobby, then what do you care when he shows! If it's a business, your customer service needs work.

elect70, Aug 8, 11:34pm
. I had a Seikoautomaticdive watch( notbattery type )thatneeded repair&agentgave me quote buti didntgo ahead, He gave me a bill for inspection but wouldtake it off if I purchased new 1 off him . But I purchasednew1duty free$150less& paidhis bill

hopie, Aug 8, 11:45pm
if they brought it in for a "quote", you need to give it back to them AS they brought it in, regardless of weather they accepted or not.

dr.doolittle, Aug 8, 11:53pm
Say's who!

thejazzpianoma, Aug 8, 11:58pm
This is just silly.
There is nothing to say you can't charge for a quote (obviously you should tell them beforehand) and its far more reasonable to give them the option to have it back "as is" to make that cost cheaper.

Its simply absurd to put it all back together if they are then going to replace the entire transmission or scrap the car (which they may want to do).

thejazzpianoma, Aug 9, 12:00am
Trogendon
As thunderbolt said, I would talk to them. Fill them in on the whole situation, explain how long it took to take the transmission out and that this needed to be done to do the diagnosis. Explain you have overheads ticking away during that time and that its only fair that you be compensated for it, just like spending the time on any other job. Work together with the customer to come to the best decision together.

Unnecessarily trying to second guess people often only ends in tears.

trogedon, Aug 9, 12:11am
He started arguing with me. He´d already dicked me around and I wasn´t going to put up with more of it. He´s not phoned or called in this morning.

smac, Aug 9, 12:27am
Nope. Arguments don't get started by somebody, it takes two people. Was entirely up to you how you responded.

Why do you care anyway! You gave his watch. It's not like you have a whole car taking up your workshop. Put it aside, move on, have a cuppa.

trogedon, Aug 9, 12:53am
You´re right, I´m wrong I should´ve bowed and scraped to him over the phone of course.
I care because I don´t want to put his watch back together for no good reason.

trogedon, Aug 9, 12:55am
Thanks Jazz. It is ¨äbsurd¨ to put it all back together. The car example was an analogy.

trogedon, Aug 9, 1:12am
*I shouldn't have used the word arguement - he stated what he wanted to (while raising his voice) and I stated what I wanted to (no, I didn't raise my voice).