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Been screwed over lately?

1wild&crazyguy

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I've been in the hobby a good while and i've seen a lot people get wronged by supposed buddies and strangers when it comes to parts,cars, services, advice.

Got a story? I do...but first lets hear yours
 
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=281504

I built a motor for this guy, he badgered me the entire time, changed up the plan and spent more money on extra parts HE alone decided to get and afterward complained about money. As for the story above in that thread over there...the intake was a pos, not cause it needed milling and he refused to give the ok on that..but because it was a poor casting from Edelbrock 'big shocker there'. When the intake leaked later on he didn't wanna ask for my help but once he did...I told him to use more rtv....he second guesses me and asks a web board..lol... To hear the same.
So this weirdo threw a fit and posted his sweet lil thread above. He swears he shed no bad light on me or my reputation.
.... didn't pay me up in the end.


All he has was a pos 273....now a 340 making 305 hp on the dyno with a tiny cam and some worked over pos tiny port heads.

The build
1971 318 truck block 4 ear motor mounts*- i sold to him
Bored 4.040 KB 243 pistons std
318 police crank ground 10/10 -sold to him
360 rods w/arp bolts- I gave to him
273 closed chamber heads chambers scribd and cut to exact bores and R/L bank designated.
Ported with 1.88/1.50 valves before flowed 166cfm int 118cfm exh after porting 214cfm/165cfm
273 rockers w/ crane adjusters-I gave him him a couple rockers cause his were done.
chambers cc'd and equalized
oil pump passages blended
Cloyes chain n gear set, billet
holley 600 vac sec
eddy performer
schneider cam .474 lift 262• 110cl solid degreed straight up.
final compression 9.6

My version of a 340 that doesnt need to spin 6k, makes more torque and gets better milage on account of the small port volume of the 273 heads that flow like 360 heads and then some on the exhaust.

It's the strangest feeling when you do someone right and they turn around and bad mouth you and not square up the balance owed.
I never got paid for installing it, though i installed it and the guy doesn't have the gonads to answer a phone when i call.


Hey Bill , 175.00 you still owe me. Every time you burn tires with that frankenteen...think of me.
 
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If you're looking at this as a Hobby...well, that's an entirely different ball of wax than looking at this as a business.
 
I quit working on friends and families cars, once you do, anything and everything that goes wrong with their POS is your fault regardless....only makes bad blood, usually because they have no clue on the workings of an automobile and have been bred to believe there are cheaper ways to repair cars by all the big box auto repair shops that do a lot of work half-assed, not everyone mind you, but a good lot of them them will do shady work to make a dollar instead of losing a customer by only doing things right, everyone suffers. The worst is when someone else screwed something up and they've invested money already to do something wrong, they can't fathom the cost to un-repair and repair something right, they act as if it should be fixed almost free even though you didn't do the first crap work. No more, I'll only work on my stuff, cars, house anything.

When I was young, I paid a lot of various shops to repair hard to diagnose issues for a multitude of repairs, that may have needed done, but were mis-diagnosed as the original problem the vehicle was brought in for, so shortly after a few bouts of that, I went to automotive school, electrical tech schools various other trade schools, and have mostly relied only on myself and to do the actual work.
 
Couldn't agree more, i used to do it and said no more with family, you cant win no matter how you do...
 
Its no different being in the parts business. Everything is supposed to be free and with a lifetime warranty. I don't sell to neighbors/family/friends, If any of them buy from one of my guys (rarely) its just another customer. I stay far away.
 
It's funny how family and friends expect to pay less and get more from you, but willing to pay more for less from a complete stranger, irks the crap out of me. I have a hard time even offering advice, it comes back to bite you also if they don't follow it properly or at all, then all of a sudden, you told them to do it the wrong way somehow, now a perfect stranger, I can have a very business relationship, and most of the time, can solve or resolve most problems with an explanation and kind words. I've always backed up anything I or one of my shops did, but as you can tell from several rants already, I can't get myself to help family and friends, regardless of their peril, unless I do it for free, then they don't have too much recourse to attach non related problems to you.
 
Agreed, since finishing my car I've been approached a hand full of times about full restorations, painting etc. I've been down that road and just simply say HELL NO because I don't need the headaches and I'm by no means a pro to begin with.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's a recent but great example, I was driving by a buddies moms house when she stopped me to look at their trucks brakes so I did. I told her the brake line was rotted in half and that she needed to replace it so she asked "can you do it" (keep in mind she has a son and husband at home) so I say I don't have time to mess with it and offer to give her my buddies # (auto mechanic) and she says "I can't afford it". I just get in my truck and leave, she can't afford to pay somebody to do it but I'm supposed to do it for nothing????? I don't play those games, it's different if somebody NEEDS help but not for the cheapskates.
 
Im approached all the time by friends who need something welded and offer to pay me. I never except money from them ever. I might saw drop off a bottle of vino or some cookies but money NO. Now if they have a business and need my services thats a different thing but we take care of buisness upfront. There is plenty of guys that do nice body work or in this case good at doing engines,whatever but unless its what you do for a living,you have the shop and equipment and are ready to back up what you do and really no the ins and the outs my advice is to pass unless your really tight with the guy and are doing it for free out of friendship
 
I had a buddy of mine ask me if he paid too much to have the rear brakes replaced on his Toyota SUV. He showed me the receipt. It was over $800. I told him to find a new shop. A little off topic but.....
 
Maybe it's that most of my friends are fellow former sailors, but I would never turn down an opportunity to help out a pal or family member if they needed it. I've spent more hours than I could ever count under the hoods or frames of cars of people I know, and sometimes strangers, helping them out when I can. My only condition is if I'm going to be out there sweating or freezing, the person I'm helping is going to be right there with me so they can learn how to do it themselves in the future.

As for being screwed over, I like to focus more on the great experiences I've had than obsess over the few setbacks I've encountered. Who wants a hobby that causes you feelings of pain? As long as I don't make the same mistake twice I'm good. Besides, I've seen a LOT of reports of people being screwed over when there was no intent to do so, or it was a misunderstanding, or more often the person who says they were screwed over actually screwed up. :)
 
I lost $5,300 plus $1,200 (I purchased the paint, clear and hardner) from a Body Shop in California City CA.
My car sat, all torn apart for 4 1/2 years...I finally pulled it out August 2013.


And...
I recently (March 2014) purchased an item from a fellow "Forum" member and I have been promised month after month the item will be shipped.
September 2014...NOT SHIPPED YET....
 
"I recently (March 2014) purchased an item from a fellow "Forum" member and I have been promised month after month the item will be shipped.
September 2014...NOT SHIPPED YET...."

Have you reported this member, it sounds like he might need to be banned if he hasn't already?
 
public stoning ! you guys need to post who the members are that cant come thru !
 
While i understand not wanting to accept work for a friend i was on the other side recently. I had a friend who "runs" a supposed restoration shop do the bodywork and paint on my RR. I had three meetings with him and even gave him a written outline on what i wanted done and how. I told him numerous times that he didnt have to take the job if he felt doing a friends car would be an issue. I told him i expected the same as if i didnt know him. The car was supposed to be completed within a year. After about 3 months i knew i was in trouble as this guy was relying on his guys to know how to restore a car properly, they didn't know either.

I ended up pulling the car after a year. What i got back was an un painted shell with sloppy panel installation, damaged panels (new from AMD), rust under the epoxy they sprayed, missing parts and nothing was labeled including all the hardware they pulled thrown into one box. The parts that weren't missing were damaged also, some new some original. They even left on all the accessories in my engine bay and just painted over them, wires, throttle cable, brackets and brake cylinder! But he calls his work professional and i supposedly don't know what i am talking about and should be happy.

I couldn't believe how poor the work was. I was billed $20K for this great work and obviously the relationship is well over with this thief. I called him on it all and even documented the poor work. His response was that he trusts his guys he's know for a year versus my word as a friend for over 15 years. I had the proof right in front of him and still he said it was stellar work. I've had two professional shops look at the car since and both unsolicited said the same things about the work. Amateur and lazy was the descriptions i kept hearing, i now have to pay a real professional to do the job right. I still haven't received my missing parts back either Sorry for the rant but i am still really pissed at him taking advantage of me. These things are expensive enough to restore without throwing away $20K before you even start, i think i need a hug...
 
Oh man, I could write a small book on this subject lol. Never had any issues with the family tho but never did any major work for them either. They knew I had a day job and a family to take care of or either they never had major car issues? One of the things that chapped my *** the most was when someone would get advice from their buddies on how an engine should be built for their car and intended usage and then want me to change what was already done in the middle of the build. Several times this happened. After fighting through one engine for this guy, he started doing the same crap on another build a few years later when he wanted to go from a small block to a big block. Parts were ordered 440 build and was just about to get started assembling the short block and figuring he now trusted my judgement since the 340 ran so good, he started up with the same trash. So....gave him a call and explained that this build would not be done by me because I was sick of his wishy washy ways and to come and pick up his junk. That was the end of him thank God lol.

Another guy picked up his engine without paying saying that he'd have the money in a week but would be on vacation and wanted to get busy with the install. A month later and still no money after a check bounced, I stopped by his place with my trailer. The car just happened to be outside in the driveway so I winched it on the trailer and was just about to strap it down when he finally came out the door. Told him he could pay me now or later but if later the car was coming home with me until he paid and that's when he threatened to call the cops. He changed his mind when I pulled out a can of gas and a lighter and told him it was all up to him. He actually paid me in full on the spot. He asked me after if I had intended on lighting it up while it was on my trailer. Hell yeah....since it wasn't tied down yet, all I had to do was drive out from under it. :D

Most of the time things went just fine but it's the occasional moron that makes ya want to just give up doing stuff like that and now that I'm retired, I really don't want to do any work for others and have turned down lots of jobs....barely do any for myself even. :(
 
In my 'motorhead' days - I used to go over and help my buddy with his hot rods - he'd help me a little bit with mine - but I was always over there working on his until one weekend I planned to drop the 727 out of my Road Runner and rebuild it complete with a Trans-Go kit. He was busy, couldn't help, what a surprise. I jacked up the bird and proceeded to remove the transmission by myself - in the process of doing so, got stuck under it for almost an hour before I could free myself - I did manage to drop the trans, carry it downstairs, rebuild it and reinstall it - all by myself out in the driveway... Found out that my 'buddy' did nothing that weekend, just couldn't bother to help me out - so that was the last time I worked on his cars -

It does work the same way with parts too. Shortly after I opened my NAPA store, I heard from an aunt that lived about 200 miles away wanting a price on a starter for her car. Hadn't heard from her in years... I started to giver her a break on the price and thought 'why should I?' - so I shot her walk in price - funny how she already knew about what that was, so she decided to have her son get it for her closer to home.... Haven't heard from her since - I closed the store almost 16 years ago... LOL

Some of the best memories from the store were from the kids of the customers. One of my customers who was quite a character brought his two little boys about 4 and 6 with him one day - we went back to make a hose - I left Kim to watch them, she was working in front, just as we came back up front - I heard Kim say to the lads, who were being very quiet over in a corner - 'you boys getting in trouble over there' - they both very politely replied 'No ma'am!' and then one jumped out from behind the end cap with two oil funnels on his chest and yelled - 'Look at me, I'm Madonna!' and started dancing. Then both of them busted up laughing. ROFL. Kim didn't know quite what to think or say - she turned about half red, laughed and walked to the storeroom shaking her head...

One guy came in with a radiator hose that he had 'fabricated' out of various size hoses and even a piece of exhaust pipe - it was all duct taped together. He had put a V-6 engine in his pickup truck and made him a radiator hose to fit - I thought he'd mocked it up - come to find out - that 'assembly' had been on his truck for over 2 years before the anti-freeze worked its way under the tape and started leaking - I took it back to the hoses hanging up on the wall and found one that was an exact match to his taped up mess - he was using his for a lower hose - it matched perfectly curves, sizes and all, the upper radiator hose for a Chevy pickup with a 350 diesel motor.... Never would have guessed that we would have found him a matching hose that fit perfectly...
 
I lost $5,300 plus $1,200 (I purchased the paint, clear and hardner) from a Body Shop in California City CA.
My car sat, all torn apart for 4 1/2 years...I finally pulled it out August 2013.


And...
I recently (March 2014) purchased an item from a fellow "Forum" member and I have been promised month after month the item will be shipped.
September 2014...NOT SHIPPED YET....

Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous business owners/shops,
seems especially more & more on the body side of the car hobby/business...

That make it hard for the rest of the good guys, but even that's getting allot harder to find everyday...
Glad I do 99% of all my own stuff & get a written contract &/or usually performance clause in said contract
{especially when it's over $1000} if & when I have someone else work on anything of mine...

A good, honest & ligament business owners, that wants repeat customers, that cares about the customer
& not only their own bottom line, won't or don't usually have any issues backing up or
guaranteeing any of their work, in a timely manner or writing a contract &/or a performance clause either...

They can always write a change order if they can't bid the job fully in the 1st place,
it's served me & worked very well for me, over the many years, especially in dealing with shops
& my business alike, it's common practice...

good luck people, cover your own but 1st

I seem to be the go to guy for family & friends, I usually use it as a teaching moment {especially with the girls}
& they are right there with me, or I'm not helping them...
I was the "Bank of Budnicks" for the kids it seems sometimes, when they were younger...

I hate working on girlfriends cars, it always bites you in the a$$, not matter what it is,
anything that goes wrong it's because you touched the other end of the car...LOL..
I'll advise them now, I'll do oil changes or tire rotation "sometimes" etc.,
but not any real work anymore... Wife maybe a differ story

I will try to help someone stranded, broke down, depends on how they look,
but I'm not a source of free labor/parts either...
 
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