924Board.org

StienbargerR · Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 1362 Location: Richmond, IN

Hey guys,

I was curious if you guys have had problems with shop owners making up BS about stuff. I recently went around to get a body work/ paint estimate. I had a really interesting experience. The first guy I talked to said he would not even touch it. He said the body was so bad it would take too long. I was pretty surprised because my car has no frame damage and just need some bondo and a dent pulled.

The shop I decided to go with seemed to have a much different viewpoint. He liked the car alot and said it wouldn't be too much work. This guy is really good, and well known in our community. His name is Bob Braun, some people in Indiana may have heard of him.

So whats the deal? Do people just BS about stuff to turn away business? I was thinking since I am a younger guy he didn't want to do business with me or something

Ryan
_________________
1978 924 NA
-250lb lowering springs, Euro Pistons

Bumblebee77 · Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 372 Location: Brisbane

Totally. Check out my thread about "Businesses to avoid".
_________________
77 NA 924
Hopefully one day a little sleeper... although at this point i'll settle for the bloody thing to start...

968rz · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 537 Location: S. E. Wisconsin

My Bro-in-law owns a body shop and I once asked him about painting the 924. Nothing fancy, just fix a few things and shoot some paint "don't have to be perfect".
He said no, "Porsche owners are to picky". He said if he worked on mine someone would see it and start asking guestions. This sucks for me because he likes to fix things right.
Maybe it's the same deal with the other shops, just afraid of us.

_________________
Rick
79 924 coupe Petrol Blue 3spd auto (wife's DD)
93 968 coupe Amazon Green 4spd Tip (my DD)

StienbargerR · Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 1362 Location: Richmond, IN

rick,

That is nuts! you'd think he would do you that favor... especially if you payed and helped...interesting. But anyway, funny thing is, the shop I took it too first fixed my mom's van, which was smashed to crap in nearly head on collision.

Im just surprised any shop would turn down work in this economy.
_________________
1978 924 NA
-250lb lowering springs, Euro Pistons

Rich H · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:04 pm Post subject:

I wanted a pair of tyres fitting to the Elise, first place I visited (I even called ahead) wouldn't fit them as Lotus say they can't?!! Why tinpot tyre fitters in Preston would have spoken to Lotus is beyond me. He claimed that they specified special Lotus tyres

Now there are special compound tyres, but they are not fitted to most cars from the factory, they are an option! I wanted my tyres fitting to my rims, even replacing the same tyre already on the rim, but he claimed it was illegal?!?!

This dullard thought he was being clever and thought I would order a set through him (Despite having 2 brand new tyres jammed into the passenger seat) so I (Politely) told him to GTF and literally drove across the road to their competitors.

2 tyres mate? The boss is out for the next 20 mins, cash?
It was the fastest tyre change outside F1

The took care and got it done in no time £20 including a puncture repair

_________________
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

Bumblebee77 · Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 372 Location: Brisbane

924RACR · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:35 pm Post subject:

gohim · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 4459 Location: Rialto, CA

While I don't always think it's the smartest course of action, all business owners have the choice of turning down a customer or a customer's business.

The guy at the shop to a look at the job presented, and turned it down. That's his choice, and his reason for turning down the job his business.

He may not have liked your appearance, or your attitude, or he may have been worried that you might not have the cash to pay at the job's completion, or he may have been overbooked, or he may have been worried that he would not be able to complete the job to your satisfaction.

In the long run, it's his loss. You didn't lose anything, and it didn't cost you anything.

Drive On.

Brockoli · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:19 am Post subject:

here in edmonton body shops are overbooked. They cant keep up to demand. I talked to one body shop owner and he said he is only taking the easy jobs so the cars are in and out as fast as possible. Some body shops wont even do body repair. They just order new fender, etc. because its faster so they can make more $$$.
_________________
'80 924 M471,Wideband O2, Full coilover susp,23/19 sways,Bilstiens,KLA Strut Brace,Roll Bar,Test Pipe,BBS RS, Willwood BBK

25% of a '87 944 Chumpcar http://straightpipe.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=2454

'79 924 Sebring Edition(Sitting)

Bumblebee77 · Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 372 Location: Brisbane

I see where you're coming from, Gohim. I think the problem we all have is that the reasons we're being given are BS or there are no reasons at all. When Scorpio and I first went looking for a place to do our head work, the first place we went to stopped us dead at the now dreaded P word. He spun some rubbish about how "we don't work on those... we don't have the tools... we don't do 'exotics' " Yes he actually used the word exotic. And as someone else has mentioned, i can't fathom how any small business can turn down work in the current economic climate (or how most small businesses could turn down work in just about any economic climate.) If they're overbooked, just say so. I'd understand. If they're concerned someone can't front the cash after completion of the job, the client simply doesn't get their car back until they've paid.

I'll agree with you that the loss will be his in the long term but it's mine in the short term. I can't take time off from work to hunt around for a place that will work on my car. It took me a few days to find someone that'd do the work. Just wish i knew what it was about these cars that instilled such fear in the mechanical trade. Especially considering they've more than likely worked on the engine or large parts thereof in a number of other cars.

RACR, yeah the thought has crossed my mind to visit the shop with my toofah running. Especially considering the guys that eventually took on the work are neighbourhood rivals. But apparently the woman on the phone who was quite rude in turning my business away is the owners wife so... not sure it'd go down to well. I'm due to move to the other side of town soon... maybe i'll drop in before i depart... haha.

_________________
77 NA 924
Hopefully one day a little sleeper... although at this point i'll settle for the bloody thing to start...

Rich H · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:20 am Post subject:

I object to the BS, if you don't want the job then say so. I can't force you to take the work, hell I'd rather you didn't work on my car if that is the case, just don't spin the BS...

Them: I don't want to fit your tyres as we are too busy/don't want to risk damaging it/ don't have the relevant experience/are incompetent monkeys.

Me: OK I'll go elsewhere...

Total time 2 mins on the phone before I waste time driving over to your shop.

Wasted trip, bunch of BS and wasted trip only for you to watch £20 of easy money drive over the road to your direct competitor (Made me smirk when I drove out a few mins later as the shops face each other too

Priceless.
_________________
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

StienbargerR · Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 1362 Location: Richmond, IN

yeah I mean, I think it is fine to turn away business if you are too busy or whatever, but it is not okay to make up stupid reasons why.

In my case for instance, the guy who BS'ed me does not even do complete resprays, he just does body work. it's not like the frame of my car is damaged... it just needs a rocker welded on and some bondo. sheesh.

In any regard, I did meet a really cool guy to do the work for me, someone I know will enjoy working on it.

He knew quite a bit about classic euro sports cars, even noticed my car had mfi.
_________________
1978 924 NA
-250lb lowering springs, Euro Pistons

968rz · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 537 Location: S. E. Wisconsin

That's cool you found someone to work on it.

I can understand my BILs point, a lot of sports car owners are huge butts (just talk to a Ferrari owner

), he and I would guess others just don't want that crap plus he's busy enough that he doesn’t need it.
_________________
Rick
79 924 coupe Petrol Blue 3spd auto (wife's DD)
93 968 coupe Amazon Green 4spd Tip (my DD)

924guy · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:22 pm Post subject:

having a shop turn down the work at the beginning is far better than them accepting the work , and screwing it up later on, or taking months to complete/ way over charging... which is what we see more often than not in the states.
The irony is that these cars are far easier to work on that your average new car, so its their loss for not doing a bit of leg work. any shop that welcomes 924 series cars, will add lifetime customer to their business portfolios. maybe not allot, but guaranteed business with customers that are willing to travel vast distances to get you to work on their car cant be a bad thing for margin..
_________________
Eric
78 924
82 931 SE "smokey"
99' VehiCross
Y2K Honda Insight
http://www.cardomain.com/id/924Guy
Performance by Pasha

StienbargerR · Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 1362 Location: Richmond, IN

924guy- good point. I guess I wouldn't want that bs'ing guy to touch my car now. I have had alot of friends who have the problem of shops taking literally a month to fix something mechanical. i cant imagine having to wait on a slow man doing my body work.
_________________
1978 924 NA
-250lb lowering springs, Euro Pistons