"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 6/23/2015 11:35 AM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:49:46 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:


I'm with you, that some customers are a bit too
much trouble.

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.


Nope, not just your opinion. I think lawyers have the winning edge
though.

Where do engineers fit in to this lineup?

On 6/23/2015 11:35 AM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:49:46 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:


I'm with you, that some customers are a bit too
much trouble.

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.


Nope, not just your opinion. I think lawyers have the winning edge
though.

On 6/23/2015 12:30 PM, Oren wrote:


I don't drive one car much and often only have it serviced once a year. Get
it inspected and the oil changed. It tickles me to look at the bill and see
where they even add in shop supplies such as the rag the mechanic wipes his
hand with. You would think they would just charge so much and be done with
it instead of adding in all the small charges.


Common practice nowadays including so called disposal fee. But as long
as they do a good job, LOL! Go to a tire shop to have a set of new
tires, they have environmental fee, same with batteries.

EPA regulations come to mind


Cost of doing business, just like the light and phone bill.

I don't mind the tire charge. I've sometimes kept the old tires for
another car or the like so they don't charge if they don't have to
dispose of them. Dirty rags or cleaners is just part of everyday
overhead.

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:27:33 AM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:

Common practice nowadays including so called disposal fee. But as long
as they do a good job, LOL! Go to a tire shop to have a set of new
tires, they have environmental fee, same with batteries.

I can see charging for tire disposal...but batteries? If I get a core fee, they must!

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:50:59 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 6/23/2015 10:29 AM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

I don't drive one car much and often only have it serviced once a year. Get
it inspected and the oil changed. It tickles me to look at the bill and see
where they even add in shop supplies such as the rag the mechanic wipes his
hand with. You would think they would just charge so much and be done with
it instead of adding in all the small charges.



I hate that charge. It is built into some of the dealer software to add
2% to the bill. I had some diagnostic done that required just plugging
in the computer so I disputed the charge. I asked to see the dirty rags
and other trash generated. They took it off the bill.

That's great. Good for you.

On 6/23/2015 1:03 PM, taxed and spent wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 6/23/2015 11:35 AM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:49:46 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:


I'm with you, that some customers are a bit too
much trouble.

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.


Nope, not just your opinion. I think lawyers have the winning edge
though.

Where do engineers fit in to this lineup?



They don't. They buy the part at a wholesale price and fix things
themselves.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:47:07 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 6/23/2015 5:42 AM, Vic Smith wrote:


Most people don't expect to get screwed on parts prices nowadays.
The parts costs are readily available, and they're not in the dark.
Labor cost is take it or leave it.
Car parts prices have been available for many years, and so has part
costs on the final bill.
Why go where you're going to get gouged on parts?
Even 50 years ago a good mechanic working for my cousin took me aside
and told me in a whisper I needed ignition wires. "Get them at the
parts store down the street and do it yourself. Mike is gonna charge
you twice what he pays for them."
Even he didn't like that practice.
That's what got me started doing most of my own repairs.




I used to do my own work. Just had brakes done and I saw what I was
charged for the pads. I know I could have gotten them cheaper, but I
don't get down on the ground so easy any more so I paid to have them put
in.

I also understand the shop had to either stock them or go get them etc.
He has to get a markup, he has to make a profit. What is the
difference if I pay $50 for pads and $50 for labor or if I pay $25 for
pads and $75 for labor? End of the day, the shop has to bring in a
certain amount of money to exist.

That's right. These guys are not getting rich, or Clare would still be
doing that. The mechanics make a good middle income living, I hope,
and the owner makes an upper middle income income, but he has lots of
money invested in the franchise and/or the building, the land, the
inventory, the tools that the mechanics don't bring, the commitment to
pay salaries, etc.

I don't feel that way about dealers, however.

taxed and spent wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 6/23/2015 11:35 AM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:49:46 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:


I'm with you, that some customers are a bit too
much trouble.

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.


Nope, not just your opinion. I think lawyers have the winning edge
though.

Where do engineers fit in to this lineup?


They don't know what money is, LOL! If they find some work they like,
they'll work even free.

micky wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:47:07 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 6/23/2015 5:42 AM, Vic Smith wrote:


Most people don't expect to get screwed on parts prices nowadays.
The parts costs are readily available, and they're not in the dark.
Labor cost is take it or leave it.
Car parts prices have been available for many years, and so has part
costs on the final bill.
Why go where you're going to get gouged on parts?
Even 50 years ago a good mechanic working for my cousin took me aside
and told me in a whisper I needed ignition wires. "Get them at the
parts store down the street and do it yourself. Mike is gonna charge
you twice what he pays for them."
Even he didn't like that practice.
That's what got me started doing most of my own repairs.




I used to do my own work. Just had brakes done and I saw what I was
charged for the pads. I know I could have gotten them cheaper, but I
don't get down on the ground so easy any more so I paid to have them put
in.

I also understand the shop had to either stock them or go get them etc.
He has to get a markup, he has to make a profit. What is the
difference if I pay $50 for pads and $50 for labor or if I pay $25 for
pads and $75 for labor? End of the day, the shop has to bring in a
certain amount of money to exist.

That's right. These guys are not getting rich, or Clare would still be
doing that. The mechanics make a good middle income living, I hope,
and the owner makes an upper middle income income, but he has lots of
money invested in the franchise and/or the building, the land, the
inventory, the tools that the mechanics don't bring, the commitment to
pay salaries, etc.

I don't feel that way about dealers, however.

Good mechanics working in flat rate shop make pretty good money.

On 6/23/2015 12:36 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Stormin Mormon wrote:

I remember the time my furnace broke, in bitter
cold winter. Even with stove burners and space
heaters, it was rough. I ended up paying more so
I could get the furnace repaired, days sooner.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
You don't work on furnace yourself?

The wholesale house where I usually buy
had one price (and can have the part in
three days). The other wholesale house
where I seldom buy wanted more money, but
had it in stock.

Yes, did repairs my self.
-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 6/23/2015 12:42 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Oren wrote:

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.

Hey, my daughter is not, LOL! I was so mad when she paid 2G for
noisy wheel bearings(known issue for certain Subaru) Since she
asks me to take her car in for service.

There are some dealerships where they are sexist,
and treat women differently.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 6/23/2015 1:53 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Nope, not just your opinion. I think lawyers have the winning edge
though.

Where do engineers fit in to this lineup?



They don't. They buy the part at a wholesale price and fix things
themselves.

An engineer is someone who will spend 20 hours
fixing a $5.00 radio.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Ralph Mowery wrote:
"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
Most people don't expect to get screwed on parts prices nowadays.
The parts costs are readily available, and they're not in the dark.
Labor cost is take it or leave it.
Car parts prices have been available for many years, and so has part
costs on the final bill.
Why go where you're going to get gouged on parts?

I don't drive one car much and often only have it serviced once a year.
Get
it inspected and the oil changed. It tickles me to look at the bill and
see
where they even add in shop supplies such as the rag the mechanic wipes
his
hand with. You would think they would just charge so much and be done
with
it instead of adding in all the small charges.


Common practice nowadays including so called disposal fee. But as long as
they do a good job, LOL! Go to a tire shop to have a set of new tires,
they have environmental fee, same with batteries.

With tires, the disposal fee is charged whether or not you leave them tires
to dispose of. So, it is like a recycling fee charged on a can of soda.
But, you cannot turn in a tire and get the recycling fee back - that is why
you still see tires abandoned all over the place. If they would let people
turn in tires for a buck apiece, there wouldn't be any abandoned tires.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:53:39 -0400, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote in


Went to a major league ball game a number of years ago. They wanted $ 4.00
for a bottle of water when you can get about 20 of them in the store for
that price.. Big ripoff when you take the family and have several to buy
for. The next time we went we took small coolers and our own drinks.

They let you bring your own drinks in?
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

On 6/23/2015 1:50 PM, bob_villa wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:27:33 AM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:

Common practice nowadays including so called disposal fee. But as long
as they do a good job, LOL! Go to a tire shop to have a set of new
tires, they have environmental fee, same with batteries.

I can see charging for tire disposal...but batteries? If I get a core fee, they must!


They can also sell the batteries. I saw a place paying up to $10 for
them.

On 6/23/2015 12:29 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Amazing. She expects to pay wholesale? Do you charge for the trip? She
should check your odometer.

Quite unusual. parts plus labor is total of usual bill.
All kinda people in the world.

Well, someone has to pay the business expenses. Some
companies itemize that out as trip charge or "to
show up" fee. Others average it in.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:29:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 6/23/2015 1:50 PM, bob_villa wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 11:27:33 AM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:

Common practice nowadays including so called disposal fee. But as long
as they do a good job, LOL! Go to a tire shop to have a set of new
tires, they have environmental fee, same with batteries.

I can see charging for tire disposal...but batteries? If I get a core fee, they must!


They can also sell the batteries. I saw a place paying up to $10 for
them.

Save the lead and make bullets.

On 6/23/2015 3:09 PM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:29:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

I can see charging for tire disposal...but batteries? If I get a core fee, they must!


They can also sell the batteries. I saw a place paying up to $10 for
them.

Save the lead and make bullets.


From what I know of NYS, it costs money to
get rid of tires, which have to be shredded
and then not sure what from there.

Car batteries, the recycling places pay out
for them.

Bullets are good, if you have the reloading
press and so on. And the smelting setup.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 6/23/2015 3:09 PM, Oren wrote:

Save the lead and make bullets.


Less than 24 hours, from refrigerator
repair to tire disposal. That's a
big shift. You'd think we all had attention
deficit disorder, or some thing like
making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
with cold milk and cookies?

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 10:03:42 -0700, "taxed and spent"
wrote:

I'm with you, that some customers are a bit too
much trouble.

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.


Nope, not just your opinion. I think lawyers have the winning edge
though.

Where do engineers fit in to this lineup?

Are you asking about honest ones?

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 15:28:00 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 6/23/2015 3:09 PM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:29:46 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

I can see charging for tire disposal...but batteries? If I get a core fee, they must!


They can also sell the batteries. I saw a place paying up to $10 for
them.

Save the lead and make bullets.


From what I know of NYS, it costs money to
get rid of tires, which have to be shredded
and then not sure what from there.

Car batteries, the recycling places pay out
for them.

Bullets are good, if you have the reloading
press and so on. And the smelting setup.


https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsrealblog.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F02%2Fcaptain_obvious.jp g&f=1

https://tinyurl.com/pze534p

"CRNG" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:53:39 -0400, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote in


Went to a major league ball game a number of years ago. They wanted $
4.00
for a bottle of water when you can get about 20 of them in the store for
that price.. Big ripoff when you take the family and have several to buy
for. The next time we went we took small coolers and our own drinks.



They let you bring your own drinks in?
--


This was in the Atlanta baseball about 20 or more years ago. The drinks had
to be in plastic bottles.

First time we went was with a bus tour. My wife and I had a soft drink in
cans that we had finished with and was really looking for a place to place
the emptys. We go to the entrance and the security was looking in bags and
things , They were nice, but told up we could not take the cans in with us.
That was fine as we told him we were just looking for a trash can anyway as
they were empty.

The coolers had to be small. The ones we took were only about a foot in
each direction. Just large enough for about two people.

The year they built the new statium it was said that you could not bring
things in but about a month before we went they had changed th rules.

After the childern got grown we don't do sports, so I don't have any idea
about now.

On 6/23/2015 2:30 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/23/2015 12:29 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Amazing. She expects to pay wholesale? Do you charge for the trip? She
should check your odometer.


She did call back. Refrig seems fine. She
says she'll call on Wednesday and tell me
if it's working. If so, will write and mail
a check.

BTW, the MSRP is $30.82, I'll tell her that
tomorrow when she calls.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 7:43:57 AM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/22/2015 11:02 PM, Uncle Monster wrote:
Me and my brother came up with a way to mess with the people who complained about the price of repairs. I'd ask,"Do you just want to pay my cost?" When I got a yes answer, I had a ready made bill for 5 million dollars which I explained would cover my cost to arrive at this point. Nobody wanted to pay my cost, darnit. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Costly Monster


She'd run on about "fair" cost, so I figure there
ought to be a few items I can throw onto the pile,
in case the bill isn't fair enough.

-
It's been a continuing problem I've had with people who couldn't understand that I wasn't in the parts selling business. I was selling my time. The price of my time was based on experience, the number of years of education I had, the cost of destroying things I burned up learning what not to do when working on something, vehicle insurance plus fuel and repairs including wear and tear on my transportation, the money I paid for specialized tools and equipment, supplies, uniforms, office equipment, computers and software, $1 million in general liability insurance, wages, business license, permits, taxes, incorporation fees, lawyer, accountant, building rent, furniture, cost of utilities, landline, Internet service, cell phone and pager, printing and on and on. I could even include the cost of toilet paper since so many people tell me I'm full of poop. It would take all day to list most of the expenses to run a legitimate small service and contracting business with 1 employee(boss) and part time help. Heck, everyone should add their own list of expenses for their small business to this thread. The funniest thing is that I miss being able to work, being my own boss and the challenge. o_O

[8~{} Uncle Frustrated Monster

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 6:14:27 PM UTC-5, Uncle Monster wrote:
...the cost of destroying things I burned up learning what not to do when working on something...

If you were at all like myself...your parents paid for this part of your education!

"bob_villa" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 6:14:27 PM UTC-5, Uncle Monster wrote:
...the cost of destroying things I burned up learning what not to do when
working on something...

If you were at all like myself...your parents paid for this part of your
education!

yeah, he didn't build it.

On 6/23/2015 5:51 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
4.00
for a bottle of water when you can get about 20 of them in the store for
that price.. Big ripoff when you take the family and have several to buy
for. The next time we went we took small coolers and our own drinks.



They let you bring your own drinks in?
--


This was in the Atlanta baseball about 20 or more years ago. The drinks had
to be in plastic bottles.


Watch this thread morph into refrigerator
repair in about 24 hours.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 6/23/2015 7:33 PM, taxed and spent wrote:
...the cost of destroying things I burned up learning what not to do when
working on something...

If you were at all like myself...your parents paid for this part of your
education!

yeah, he didn't build it.


If I didn't build that, someone else did. Maybe I
built someone else's business? I'm responsible for
and take all credit for Myrtyle's Flower Shop on
Main Street, in Sheboygan Wisconsin.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
news
On 6/23/2015 7:33 PM, taxed and spent wrote:
...the cost of destroying things I burned up learning what not to do
when
working on something...

If you were at all like myself...your parents paid for this part of your
education!

yeah, he didn't build it.


If I didn't build that, someone else did. Maybe I
built someone else's business? I'm responsible for
and take all credit for Myrtyle's Flower Shop on
Main Street, in Sheboygan Wisconsin.



No, you get that all wrong. You didn't build it, so the people who don't
work and don't pay taxes are entitled to it. I guess they built it.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 18:46:26 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 6/23/2015 5:51 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
4.00
for a bottle of water when you can get about 20 of them in the store
for
that price.. Big ripoff when you take the family and have several to
buy
for. The next time we went we took small coolers and our own drinks.



They let you bring your own drinks in?
--


This was in the Atlanta baseball about 20 or more years ago. The
drinks had
to be in plastic bottles.


Watch this thread morph into refrigerator
repair in about 24 hours.

Maybe, but Jane first.
-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.


--
Using Opera's mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/23/2015 2:30 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/23/2015 12:29 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Amazing. She expects to pay wholesale? Do you charge for the trip?
She
should check your odometer.


She did call back. Refrig seems fine. She
says she'll call on Wednesday and tell me
if it's working. If so, will write and mail
a check.

BTW, the MSRP is $30.82, I'll tell her that
tomorrow when she calls.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
Hope she gives you good check, LOL!

On 6/23/2015 7:46 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/23/2015 5:51 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
4.00
for a bottle of water when you can get about 20 of them in the store
for
that price.. Big ripoff when you take the family and have several
to buy
for. The next time we went we took small coolers and our own drinks.



They let you bring your own drinks in?
--


This was in the Atlanta baseball about 20 or more years ago. The
drinks had
to be in plastic bottles.


Watch this thread morph into refrigerator
repair in about 24 hours.


I do chill my drinks in the fridge before heading out to the ball game
so it is related.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 20:02:55 -0500, Tony Hwang wrote:

Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/23/2015 2:30 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 6/23/2015 12:29 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Amazing. She expects to pay wholesale? Do you charge for the trip?
She
should check your odometer.


She did call back. Refrig seems fine. She
says she'll call on Wednesday and tell me
if it's working. If so, will write and mail
a check.

BTW, the MSRP is $30.82, I'll tell her that
tomorrow when she calls.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
Hope she gives you good check, LOL!

Maybe she'll deduct postage and the cost of the envelope and check.


--
Using Opera's mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:36:24 -0700, J0HNS0N
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 23:19:39 -0400, wrote:

I got it (at wholesale) and charged it
out to the customer at MSRP - about 15% over cost.

When I worked in a TV repair shop in the late 50s the standard vacuum
tube markup was 100%. Those were the days.
About the same as the computer markup when I first started - but it
had dropped a lot before I went into business on my own 5 years
later!!!

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 23:38:30 -0400, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
It was a pretty good gig - but I walked out and never went back. If
my knowing where to get the part they needed "yesterday", and getting
it to them within the hour wasn't worth something to them, too bad.
They were not getting it for nothing, and I didn't need their work
badly enough to take the abuse that came with it.


Those companies want something for nothing. I retired and about 6 months
later I got a call that some old equipment was being restarted and they
needed some help. I told them I would come back for the short time they
wanted but double what I was making while working. That is what they said I
worth when working, benefits, 401k, insurance and such. They balked at that
, so I did not go back. I did not need the money and would only be doing
that just to help them out. I thought if I was worth that much before
retiring, I would be worth that much if not more when they needed
experienced short time help.

When I was a young mechanic i was working for a dealership making a
reasonable wage, but definitely not high pay, when a dealer closer to
home offered me a job at a dollar an hour more - and back in 1972 a
dollar was a fair amount. I accepted the job, and gave my notice to my
current employer. He offered to double my pay rate if I stayed, I had
to tell him if I was worth that to stay, I was worth that before I
left, and I had given my new employer my word I'd be there in 2 weeks
and I'd be there. - Told him he better pay my replacement what he was
worth if he wanted to keep him.

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 04:42:54 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 23:19:39 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 19:28:51 -0700, "taxed and spent"
wrote:


"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 6/22/2015 9:31 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
Just had a first. I've been repairing refrigerators for
about twenty years. I went out this AM, and worked on a
refrigerator. Did my best. She called back about 6 PM,
it's still problems. She gave me more information, and
my diagnosis changed. Drove back (half hour from here)
to work on the fridge again. Used a new in the bag part,
I'd bought several years ago. Told her I guessed the part
was about $25, bought it years ago.

She asked if I had the receipt. Took a minute to understand.
She wants to see the receipt of what I paid at the wholesale
house. No, the receipt is in a drawer or folder at home.

And even if I did, I wouldn't show you. I sell for retail.
I'll make a phone call tomorrow, see what the current
retail price is, and call her back. What an evening.


Amazing. She expects to pay wholesale?

No, she expects the repair guy to not just make up a number out of his head.

But she has no business knowing what the repairman paid for the part.
I occaisionally had customers when I was at the garage who expected
to get the parts at cost, or who brought in parts they bought
elsewhere and expected me to install them. (used, discount, or
whatever)
I finally posted labour rate to install customer supplied parts at
150% of regular rate. Easier than refusing to install the parts, with
the same result.


Most people don't expect to get screwed on parts prices nowadays.
The parts costs are readily available, and they're not in the dark.
Labor cost is take it or leave it.
Car parts prices have been available for many years, and so has part
costs on the final bill.
Why go where you're going to get gouged on parts?
Even 50 years ago a good mechanic working for my cousin took me aside
and told me in a whisper I needed ignition wires. "Get them at the
parts store down the street and do it yourself. Mike is gonna charge
you twice what he pays for them."
Even he didn't like that practice.
That's what got me started doing most of my own repairs.


It's been a LONG time since there was a 100% markup on auto parts -
but also remember the old saying about price and quality.

"If you want first quality oats, be ready to pay first quality price.
If you are willing to settle for oats that have already gone through
the horse, they do come a bit cheaper".

There are parts, and then there are parts - and there can be a LOT
more difference than just the price!!!!

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 6:23:37 PM UTC-5, bob_villa wrote:
On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 6:14:27 PM UTC-5, Uncle Monster wrote:
...the cost of destroying things I burned up learning what not to do when working on something...

If you were at all like myself...your parents paid for this part of your education!

Me and my brothers took things apart all the time to see how they worked. When we moved to the farm, we could blow things up. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Destructive Monster

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 09:22:51 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 6/23/2015 9:05 AM, Unquestionably Confused wrote:
On 6/23/2015 7:55 AM, trader_4 wrote:
Some places the shipping charges are right there, eg Ebay. Other
places, you can certainly estimate the online shipping charges
from experience and if you really want to find the exact shipping
charges, just put it in your cart and proceed to checkout. And
IDK what shipping charges even apply. Typically a pro who orders
online is going to order multiple items at a time, which can reduce
the shipping cost a lot compared to ordering just one item.
Sometimes they also show MSRP too .
The idea of finding the price online doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Especially since the lady may go look there too.

Some people... g

You have to consider that this bi.., er, customer may also suggest that
since Stormy COULD have bought a quantity of "reverse frammits" at a
discount, that she should only pay that quantity price. You know, 1
frammit at $16.95 but if Stormy had really been looking out for her, he
could have bought a dozen of them and then "her" cost should have been
$16.35!

Let's not forget that Stormy likely stopped to fill up with gas on his
his way home from her place. Ergo, the service/labor charge (if any)
must be appropriately discountedg


Quantity pricing is good, except when you have to put
the bill on charge card, with interest. Then it loses
all the saving.

Combined shipping is also good, I do that when possible.

I agree, that some customers are a real experience when
it is time to pay the bill.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
Like the customer at the service station who was making noises about
not getting screwed on auto repairs, complained the estimate was too
high and then when he came to pick up the car, wanted credit. I told
the boss either cash or cheque - no credit card, because I was sure
he'd dispute the bill with the bank - and when he decided to pay by
cheque I told the boss to lose the keys or whatever it took to keep
the guy in the shop for about 10 minutes while I grabbed the cheque
and headed out the back way with the truck to the customer's bank
branch - where I paid the $2 to have the cheque certified.
As I was going out the door the customer came in all out of breath and
asked to stop payment on the cheque, and I had a big grin on my face
when the teller told him "too late, that guy just certified the
cheque"

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 9:03:16 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 04:42:54 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 23:19:39 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2015 19:28:51 -0700, "taxed and spent"
wrote:


"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 6/22/2015 9:31 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
Just had a first. I've been repairing refrigerators for
about twenty years. I went out this AM, and worked on a
refrigerator. Did my best. She called back about 6 PM,
it's still problems. She gave me more information, and
my diagnosis changed. Drove back (half hour from here)
to work on the fridge again. Used a new in the bag part,
I'd bought several years ago. Told her I guessed the part
was about $25, bought it years ago.

She asked if I had the receipt. Took a minute to understand.
She wants to see the receipt of what I paid at the wholesale
house. No, the receipt is in a drawer or folder at home.

And even if I did, I wouldn't show you. I sell for retail.
I'll make a phone call tomorrow, see what the current
retail price is, and call her back. What an evening.


Amazing. She expects to pay wholesale?

No, she expects the repair guy to not just make up a number out of his head.

But she has no business knowing what the repairman paid for the part.
I occaisionally had customers when I was at the garage who expected
to get the parts at cost, or who brought in parts they bought
elsewhere and expected me to install them. (used, discount, or
whatever)
I finally posted labour rate to install customer supplied parts at
150% of regular rate. Easier than refusing to install the parts, with
the same result.


Most people don't expect to get screwed on parts prices nowadays.
The parts costs are readily available, and they're not in the dark.
Labor cost is take it or leave it.
Car parts prices have been available for many years, and so has part
costs on the final bill.
Why go where you're going to get gouged on parts?
Even 50 years ago a good mechanic working for my cousin took me aside
and told me in a whisper I needed ignition wires. "Get them at the
parts store down the street and do it yourself. Mike is gonna charge
you twice what he pays for them."
Even he didn't like that practice.
That's what got me started doing most of my own repairs.


It's been a LONG time since there was a 100% markup on auto parts -
but also remember the old saying about price and quality.

"If you want first quality oats, be ready to pay first quality price.
If you are willing to settle for oats that have already gone through
the horse, they do come a bit cheaper".

There are parts, and then there are parts - and there can be a LOT
more difference than just the price!!!!

There is an auto repair business in town called BYOP, Bring Your Own Parts and that's exactly how they work but I don't know about oil, cleaners and sealants. A lot of folks seem to like the company which advertises on local talk radio all the time. 8-)

[8~{} Uncle Car Monster

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:35:01 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:49:46 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:


I'm with you, that some customers are a bit too
much trouble.

Might just be my opinion, but doctors and lawyers are the worst
customers. They will nickel and dime you to death.
Doctor complained when after doing some repairs to his car I told
him that I was sure we had solved the problem, but if it wasn't 100%
to his liking he could bring it back and I'd do a final adjustment for
him, gratis. He thought for what we charged it should last forever,
and be perfect the first time.
I told him diagnosis is difficult, and everybody can miss once in a
while - but as a mechanic I fixed my mistakes - I didn't bury them.

Teacher complained mechanics charged too much (and this was after my
stint at teaching) so I said unlike teachers, I guaranteed my job.