Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (September 2009, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:50:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Keith Hughes <keithahughes@Q.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Keith Hughes <keithahughes@Q.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mechanics using customer supplied parts.. Was bars leaks
Comments: To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
In-Reply-To:  <00b001ca37d4$13109a10$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote: > and wanted to comment on this : > "when a customer calls up and> say's "how much for water pump job on > XYZ?" > > YOU NEVER QUOTE A PRICE OVER THE PHONE !!! Sorry, can't agree with that at all. You just have to apply the usual caveats; IF all thats needed is a water pump, the price is $X, and then let them know that anything else that's needed will be extra, and you'll have to look at it to make sure the diagnosis is correct, and that no additional repairs are necessary. I learned that 30+ years ago. IME, you tell people on the phone "can't say until I look at it" most customers will blow you off for someone who'll give them an estimate. You appear to be focused on a niche market, and that does skew the situation considerably. Not so for the typical foreign auto shop. I quoted jobs over the phone for years without problems, I was just clear, and specific, about what I was quoting on. That's what people, IME, are really looking for.

Occasionally, you get a problem with a customer, but likely they would have been a problem anyway. I quoted a guy a carb rebuild for $X dollars, parts and labor, IF the carb was rebuildable, but did not guarantee that the carb rebuild would solve whatever problem he was having. He was sure that was the problem, so he comes in with the truck, chugging, gasping and puking all over the lot, with his $X in hand. I take a look at the nice clean carb with the Permatex oozing out of all the gasket mating surfaces and have to tell him, sorry, but it's not rebuildable. He was unhappy of course, but after I explained WHY it was not rebuildable, and how HE had destroyed it himself, he was OK. Put on a rebuilt carb (for more money obviously), sent him away happy, and sent his core off to some soon to be pissed rebuilder. The only reason he came in, knowing he'd already screwed up the carb, was that I quoted him a reasonable rate and he was hoping that I could rescue his mangled job. If I'd said, you'll have to bring it first, he'd of gone somewhere else instead.

The customers that get all bent even when you do lay it out clear and specific, will be more trouble than they're worth, and you're usually better off without them anyway.

Now, when someone calls up and says "my car is doing this or that, what's wrong with it, and how much will it cost to fix?", I just say "I've got a string in my pocket, how long is it? You tell me, and I'll tell you". Different story than quoting your standard rate for a job. If you flat rate, then you really have no reason to not supply a quote for a specific set of deliverables.

Now if *you*, specializing on likely rusted out vanagons, don't do flat rate, then that's another story. And, another reason shops are dropping problem children like Vanagons. In my neck of the desert, we don't have rust problems (my '86 wouldn't know rust if it ran over it), but in snowy parts of the country, it's hard to meet, let alone beat, flat rate on a 20+ year old rusty vehicle. When your guys are on flat rate, they are NOT going to be happy about having to work on rare (from their perspective) rusty vehicles that cost them lots of unpaid wrenching time. Unless you're talking brake jobs and shocks...they'll eat them up!

> When I get that question .......a stranger with a strange car , "how > much is XYZ job ? " > the first thing I tell them is I'm not trying to be the least > expensive shop around, so best to check elsewhere. > I do try to do the very best work though ...............which is why > you want me fixing your car. > And .........it may not even need what you think it needs ( this is > quite common actually ) . > So we don't even know if that's what it really needs ( say a water > pump ) or ....... > yes, it could need a w. pump and 5 more things. > Can't really say until I see the car. > I can give you a Price Range for waterpump jobs on that type of car > yes, but a quote .......... > over the phone, not having seen the job - that's crazy ! You loose > money doing that, or at the least, you cause bad feelings when you say > water pump jobs on your XYZ is $ 200 and after you see the car and the > job, have to tell them it's more.

Not if you explain it correctly the first time, IME (and again, I'm assuming flat rate, which most all shops use). The price is always conditional, based on the results of your actual examination. If you want to add a range, that's the same thing in just a different wrapper. > Never give a price quote on the phone. > It's also not a good sign that price is their first concern. > Their first concern should be............quality of the work and > parts, and in my world, that it's a fair transaction for both parties.

I have NEVER met this customer you speak of. Price is *always* the first concern! (well, sometimes it's "I need it yesterday!") Second is quality of the work, and whether the perceived additional quality is worth the extra cost. And in the context of this discussion - i.e. supplying your own parts - how many customers will be wanting to supply their own parts if cost is not the primary concern (yes, some Vanagon folks will, when they know it'll take a week to get the part if they just drop off the van - but this is not the general case)?

Keith Hughes '86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.