Paying your mechanic up front?

[aquaholic_]

if you let this monkey work on your car, you deserve everything thats going to happen. and, if you pay 1/2 up front your sick in the head. good luck.

 

[cntrhub]

if you let this monkey work on your car, you deserve everything thats going to happen. and, if you pay 1/2 up front your sick in the head. good luck.

I have to agree with auqacky nice bike dare. I think the premium price is a rep GM dealer and all that great fitting OEM and I do not have to deal waiting for this or that. All I have to do is hand the ticket over to the writer, have him call you because, oh well, rust spray and about a half hour of, dont' tell me how I need to now pull that head and drill a stud and could you order that stud or what part is going to break because of metal fatigue and excuse me???
It is your car and I do believe the bolt might break in your garage if you did the work, so quit crying and now, oh btw, since I had to take your water pump off for the job, no skin off my ass if I feel a bad fan blade and let's up sell that ****ter there because I do not make a dime on the ticket and did I charge you that half hour for that bolt that I felt is worth every second and not a moment did I say that and, pop!!! ****! That's 2 manifold studs now.
Zip to ****, do I clean that sludge off or will that fall in and clog the screen pickup screen.

This car is getting worse the more I tear it down. Oh well. I can let this guy off and just fix it and then lean sale the **** out of it as he signed off that, "When I call, and you have this liberal window of time covered before I start charging you for that half hour stud work and how many days did I leave a message and you; how many times did we discuss the bill and she is ready to go... I have a nice bill as I call you and please do not un-clause that clause you read and signed that said come here or high water or vacation timed in with your repair and when you took a leak in the woman's stall, well, that was extra and we will not diss-gust you sniffing seat before.... well, before you paid the bill a month later (is how long I have your car)... Did you want your battery charged to start the car??? I think I will have a Good Will that one for ya, since I have you ear.

 

[blacksharkL82]

pay first???

No!
If the wrench is in business, he has a line of credit with his suppliers.
Or, he is a fly by night, type of not that good enough to work on my car.
I was in that business, for a while and ALL the supply shops, came to visit me and wanted to start accounts with me.
If the guy, is in trouble, he'll want up front cash.
If you trust him and know him well, buy the parts and have him, supply the labor and warranty his work.
Have a time limit on finished product.

 

[silverbullit99]

I have no problem paying SOME of the money upfront,, that is providing I know the mechanic well, and he'll do the job in a few days,,,,, but NOT 3 weeks. Forget that idea, either wait until he can do all the work at one time or find someone else. Imagine your engine all apart for 3 weeks,, lots can happen. I don't even want to think about it.

 

[BigBud]

I agree, look elsewhere, good mechanics won't normally have cash flow problems their businesses thrive.

Three weeks is unreasonable too. Offer to buy the part and run it over to his shop when he is ready for it, as a compromise, if you can't find an alternative.

 

[jay daley]

Never pay up front! Never leave a car 3 weeks!

I agree. I once had to break into a shop (policeman at my elbow) to get my car back after the mechanic went out of business and the landlord padlocked the shop. And the car was a 5 year old Porsche Carerra.

Find another shop.
The guy is either a crook, is just about bankrupt or just doesn't want the work.
A good tech can do head gaskets in a day, easy. No shop should as for 50% upfront for R&R head gaskets.

 

[Vinces87]

Appreciate all the replies. There is recourse here in California for those that feel they got screwed by a mechanic. I'm not there yet. So far the shop has been reasonable but I also think that after the job's done to my satisfaction I will find another mechanic to turn to. As far as the deposit is concerned, I find more people that tell me it isn't that out of line. I do however find concern with the time they are taking. But, thankfully I have alternative transportation.

The shop itself has a good reputation as does it owners. Thanks again folks!

 

[Vinces87]

if you let this monkey work on your car, you deserve everything thats going to happen. and, if you pay 1/2 up front your sick in the head. good luck.

This is uncalled for. You don't know me sir, and I'd appreciate you not revert to calling him a monkey or that I'm sick in the head.

 

[Eric]

I paid up front once. It was a friend of my father and we knew him very well. He was doing a shade tree job on my 77 Cutlass at his house. However, I personally would never do this for an actual repair shop. The shop I use has done jobs in the $3k range for me before and never asked for money upfront.

JMHO,

- Eric

 

[Phill]

i would have to say find another shop. at least in my neck of the woods thats not a common practice unless the guys having business problems.

 

[Jeff Henning]

Repair Job

Appreciate all the replies. There is recourse here in California for those that feel they got screwed by a mechanic. I'm not there yet. So far the shop has been reasonable but I also think that after the job's done to my satisfaction I will find another mechanic to turn to. As far as the deposit is concerned, I find more people that tell me it isn't that out of line. I do however find concern with the time they are taking. But, thankfully I have alternative transportation.

The shop itself has a good reputation as does it owners. Thanks again folks!

Vinces87,

Do what I did!!! Ask the members of your local Corvette Club.

You won't be disapointed and you won't have any doubts.

Jeff

 

[fine69]

I never put anything down.. after all, the shop has the car in their posession.