great idea, i also run my own buisnes some people want everything for free , also theese people have to understand how dificult it is to estimate the amount of time requird to complete a job , any unforeseen circumstance could dramaticly increce this time requird ,i could go on all day but i think that the worst thing of all is that you can never see the pr#%k coming

It ended up being just under $500 cheaper in parts (due to using some pre-owned or reco-ed) and labour was the same as the estimate but I spent much more time on it than I have charged for



No I just go ahead and do the work regardless of what the customer wants or asks........Yes, he had 4 weeks to get back to me which included me ringing him once a week to find out what he wanted to do. The last time I called him was to ask him to come and pick the car up but he came around that arvo and argued with me so I would do the job and do what is needed to get the engine running, suspension in and working and get the brakes operating......he was given a hard copy of the estimate via email and snail mail which also states............

"Please Note.....this is an estimate, prices on parts may vary depending on what the parts purchase price is for (insert my business name here) at the time. With such a large task at hand while assessing the parts you have supplied and the parts that I have estimated some smaller parts (eg nuts and bolts) that are required may have been over looked during the assessment and may be rquired to get your vehicle into the condition you require/have stated, therefore you will be charged for these items.
Please Note.....The labour estimate may vary to what has been given, your vehicle will be completed in the quickest possible time depending on what is required for your vehicle to be in the condition you require/have stated."

the items supplied with the car are as follows.....
1 wiring loom
high lows front and rear
1roundnose shell (bare.....other than the paint)
2cooper calipers siezed pistons
2cooper discs
front subframe (held in by 1nut either side of the strut towers)
rear subframe (held in by 2 bolts at the front and 1 at the rear)
1 new steering rack
1 2nd hand engine (less radiator cowl, brackets, fan, hoses, thermostat housing, water pump pulley)
2nd hand extractors
Steering wheel
steering column (required re-bushing)
the boxes of stuff supplied inside the car contained things like a clutch fork for a holden, a mini crown wheel, a fuel pump missing screws, 1.25 carb missing the piston and bell, an electric toothbrush, old brake hoses.....the list goes on.....
So there was alot of parts required and many hours spent to get it into the condition the owner wanted.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMkVq1jRGU

My landlord got me to do some IT work for him 'urgently' which I did. In the process, his stupid server cabinet fell out of the wall because it was bolted INTO GYPROCK. Then he claims my charge is high (about 70% of the going rate) and that I've damaged his premises. Because he's my landlord, I shut my mouth and get nothing. so shitty

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Copper 4 lyfe!

HOPE IT ALL WORKED OUT FOR YOU MATE.

it's bull crap when this happens.

you should put a clause on your quotes for service that state if the car isnt picked up or paid for 12 weeks after the date of completion, then you will claim the car and sell it to recover the debt.

I know of a few mechanics that have done this over the years.

As an example, if you store stuff with kennards and fail to pay a month in advance you have 45 days to pay or your belongings go to auction.

This is the same legally as recovering debt from sale of teh vehicle. You should enquire with Fair Trading VIC before you make any decisions.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.