Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 09:44:41 -0400
Reply-To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Exciting things happening at Van-Again!
In-Reply-To: <14445-432ACA55-3191@storefull-3176.bay.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Forgetting for a moment that I think you just called my van a rust
bucket (perhaps accounting for its $6,000 "price")...
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.
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".
Tell me you are charging time and stick to it, tell me you are
charging book at stick to it. Do not tell me you are charging time and
then switch to book because book was higher.
Chris
On 9/16/05, <rrecardo@webtv.net> wrote:
>
> <<<Maybe I did not explain my point properly. I'm saying you can't have
> it both ways. If you are going to charge book charge book, if you are
> going to charge time charge time.>>>
>
> Now here's a twist to this story that will really blow your mind on book
> time Chris.
>
> Most all of the flat rate books available for labor only cover current
> model year and maybe 4--5 years prior.
>
> So if you take your ride to Mr. XYZ shop and he doesn't have a library
> of older books , or doesn't subscribe to a internet Mitchell's service
> he won't have a clue what to stab, I mean charge you in the first
> place.
>
>
> Furthermore if Mr. XYZ did have the flat rate book for the Vanagon, do
> you think that the rate for a newer vehicle should apply to a 20 year
> old rust bucket?
>
> It'll take two, three times as long to get to what would be usually a
> simple uncorroded happening into a rusty, crusty nightmare.
>
> So with the difficulty factor figured in the price goes up.
> No flat rate book figures in corrosion, rust, broken & twisted beyond
> repair parts into the bottom line.
>
> What I would do if I didn't want to pay someone else to do the job if I
> thought I was going to get hosed over at the cash register, is go and
> lay down 30-40-50 grand on a good set of tools, and do all the work on
> your Van yourself.
>
> The Happy Snappy man will love you for it, and you'll be making his bank
> account grow.
>
> Then find a nice shop to do your work, pay the rent, electric, water,
> and gas bills.
>
> Then your friends can stop over and you can tinker with their stuff, and
> eventually charge them for the working on their rides, and then they can
> be mad at you for what they may think your gouging them on in time spent
> for labor.
>
> You'll soon find out that the guy with the crazy labor rate a while back
> wasn't so unfair after all.
>
>
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