Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:41:21 EDT
Reply-To: VWBrain@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Dearing <VWBrain@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Mechanics using customer supplied parts.. Was bars leaks
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 9/16/2009 11:20:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
thargrav@HIWAAY.NET writes:
I have a very different opinion.
A friend who is dead now, used to work on all my stuff I could not get to,
would not let customers bring in their own parts. He stated more than once
that he was tired of customers bringing in used stuff that often was not in
any better shape than what he pulled off and he was tired of customers
bringing in incorrect parts.
He would let customers pick up & pay for parts with their own money
provided
he ordered what was needed.
As far as cost is concerned? Shops do get a discount, but they should, and
they should make a profit on the parts they buy to install on your Vanagon.
It's just a part of business, like gasoline at a gas station or milk from
WallyWorld.
Thanks,
Tom Hargrave
256-656-1924
Our Web Sites:
www.kegkits.com
www.stir-plate.com
www.andyshotsauce.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
B
Feddish
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 7:25 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Mechanics using customer supplied parts.. Was bars leaks
>> If you have a mechanic that refuses to warranty parts not purchased
through him, I can fully understand his postion, however to refuse to
install anything that he didn't sell you is an indicator that you need to
consider a new wrench. As times get tighter and the willing spenders
become
fewer in number some attitudes along these lines will change.
My Vanagon Shop will install whatever proper part you bring, but only
warranty the labor and installation, not the part. So if it falls off,
he'll fix it, if it breaks you pay to fix it. Pretty fair I'd say. (Kudos
to StephansAutohaus, Sacramento, an oasis of service and professionalism in
a desert of mediocrity) <<
Good topic. I've always had mechanics that would put in parts that I knew
were considerably cheaper than what they could get. My current mechanic had
no problem with it and would even stop work to call me to say I need "x"
part and if I could get it cheaper at say BD or somewhere else. I never
abused this by showing up with spark plugs and distributer caps but a $99
BD
muffler beats $300 from the dealer, no matter if he added a "secret
markup".
Unfortunatly my mechanic had a fallout with his partner and closed shop and
now he works for a shop nearby as regular mechanic and the owner HATES that
I bring parts. He gave my wife the nastiest look when she was dragging my
BD
EV muffler into the shop last week. I even gave them the chance to find a
non-dealer muffler for the EV and they cound not. If they ever tell me to
stop bringing my own stuff I'll find another mechanic.
Bryan
hey guys what I do is tell the customer this, first no quarantee of any
kind, second if it is the wrong part and I have to reinstall your old part
till the correct part comes in I have to charge you for the job and then
again when I do it again, third if it is the wrong part and the vehicle is
stuck on my lift then it is $50/hour when it is sitting there waiting on you
to get me the correct part. last my labor rate for your parts just went
up. This is when they normally tell me to get the correct parts later
mark dearing
