Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 09:10:02 -0500
Reply-To: rrecardo@WEBTV.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Cardo <rrecardo@WEBTV.NET>
Subject: Re: Exciting things happening at Van-Again!
In-Reply-To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@gmail.com>'s message of Fri, 16 Sep
2005 09:44:41 -0400
Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII
<<Forgetting for a moment that I think you just called my van a rust
bucket (perhaps accounting for its $6,000 "price")...>>
I'm sorry Chris, now I messed up the deal with Ben-- ~: )
No not just your Van.
Any 15 20 year old Van, truck, car, motorcycle, boat, whatever.
<<I'm not complaining about rates, I'm not complaining about prices, I
am complaining about wanting it both ways when charging for a job.>>
"When you wish upon a star"
<<Have a look at the van, if you don't want to charge book don't charge
book. Tell me "I'm not sure how long it will take, so I will charge you
for time"... but don't turn around and say "Oh it did not take long
enough... so rather than charge you time that was too short I am going
to charge you book instead".>>
How bout this concept;
What if the mechanic tell's you he'll charge you whatever it takes.
T&M on the Van to get the work completed right.
In other words, if the flat rate is 4 hours to R&R the exhaust system,
and because it's a 15 year old rust bucket it takes him 8 to remove and
replace all the fastener's, hanger's etc., would you be compelled to pay
him the extra time and material it took him over and above the
recommended boo time?
Or would you be on of "those guys" that sez;
"Too bad, I ain't paying another dime, you quoted the job, this is all
I'm paying."
<<Tell me you are charging time and stick to it,>>
No can do.
<<tell me you are charging book at stick to it. >>
Can't do this either.
<<Do not tell me you are charging time and then switch to book because
book was higher.>>
This is wrong, I agree that this would get anyone cranky.
But life in Vanagonland is like a box of chocolates.
You never know what your getting into with any repair.
One thing leads to another in any older vehicle that has to be repaired,
just
because of the age factor.
So any job time is out the window.
I took My Type 2 to VW for head work.
I knew it was an 8 hour job by the book.
They quoted me "roughly" 22 hours, simply because of the Buses age.
I knew a can of worms was going to be opened wit the word "roughly"
I did the work myself.
I should have paid VW.
What a Pain in the Dupa job.
