SHOP TALK: REFUND FOR PREVIOUS REPAIRS BECAUSE OF AN UNRELATED ENGINE FAILURE SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER?
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Today I talk about why you have to explain things thoroughly to owners of older higher mileage vehicles that need repairs that are costly enjoy!
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Due to factors beyond the control of The Enthusiast Mechanic, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. The Enthusiast Mechanic assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. The Enthusiast Mechanic recommends safe practices when working with tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of The Enthusiast Mechanic, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
My very good friend owns his own automobile repair shop I go over and help him all the time I don't think any money from him but when he works on my car he just tells me to go get the parts and I'll just you help me and I'll cut the labor in half very honest man
In automotive industry there is no such thing as a refund for any services.
Some observations here :
1. This is why your service manager / advisor not only needs excellent communication skills but a solid mechanical baxkground . Our industry gets a bad wrap for being crooked ,so we, as owners, have a responsibility to educate our customers not only on risks but also the importance of preventative maintenance, repairs, regular scheduled maintenance / intervals ,etc.
2. This is exactly why all phone calls MUST be recorded with customers, no matter how mundane these conversations may be . Along with phone calls, lobby cameras with extremely good microphones to catch entire conversations between you and the customer , email documentation, and E authorizations / documentation on everything . Always cover your behind !
3. Absolutely no refunds , ever .
4. Customers are extremely uneducated on their vehicles , repairs , pricing ,and we usually see or talk to them on their worst days . So, a little humility , understanding , and politely educating / informing them on issues goes a very long way .
5. As owners, we absolutely need to hire service advisors / managers who are automotive professionals and not salesmen .
Customers need to understand that anything mechanical can break down at any time for any reason. You handled this situation perfectly.
Thank you!
Mechanical and electrical.
Whenever you deal with the public, regardless of industry, you're going to deal with all kinds of customers. Some are good, some are bad. That's just how it goes.
And Ones named ‘Tobias Bibler Jr’
Are absolutely insane!!!
Yep they all have their opinions I have an older vehicle and I'm not surprised I try to keep the maintenance up it's got over $340,000 on a Chevy four-wheel drive pickup truck 2001 it is what it is
That's why I don't understand videos that complain about it.
Mike you handled this perfectly. Honest and up front before you did any work.
A common problem when cars sit that long is the oil can all drain off. Much worse than after an oil change.
You were the nearest target. I’m glad you did not lose a customer.
I had a Toyota timing chain fail on start up. How lucky that the owner was standing right there next to car talking about this noise. Otherwise I would’ve gotten the blame ‼️ He was a customer 20 more years until I retired.
Del
Glad that customer was standing there for you otherwise that would’ve been a mess! Thank you for the kind words I appreciate it
You were very transparent with them, ethically you did everything you could possibly do, the rest is on them to decide.
Exactly how I feel about it. I don’t lose sleep over it. I’m very transparent with my customers to avoid situations. I don’t like doing that hoping and praying style where you hope it works out. I just like telling them right off the bat!
Every mechanic should be as honest as you are. Kudos.
@@stephenreiner1523 thank you
old chevys with v8's are notorious for oil starvation to cyl 8 and having that rod bearing go out - particularly when they get old. had it happen to me.
I had a regular customer with a Mitsubishi Pajero 3D come to me to replace one ball joint and do a wheel alignment. I spent less than an hour on the job. During that time, he stood nearby, no more than two meters away, talking to me. After I finished, he drove the car out of the garage, turned off the ignition, and went to my neighbor’s for a conversation. That day the car wouldn’t start. Our electrician tried to start it, connected a charger-booster, but nothing helped. The car was towed to diesel technicians, who replaced the fuel injection pump and fuel injectors. The total cost was over 2000 dollars. According to the diesel technicians, if our electrician hadn’t tried to start the engine so many times, the final repair cost would have been much lower. But the customer paid everything and didn’t blame anyone. I just wonder what would have happened if he had left such a car for a tune-up on the fuel system, like changing the fuel filters, and then came back to pick it up later. :D
I have had several people try to argue with me about stupid stuff, and I just show them the door.
Thank you for reminding me why I got out of Automotive Repair 😊
It can be a tough business for sure!
Mike I’m glad to see you got a lot of comments on this hot topic.
Oh and sorry. I’m cheering for the Vikings tonight ‼️
I had a customer blame me for a "horrible noise" her car was making after I changed the oil. So I went to her house, checked it out, found the problem and said "Mom, you have a rock stock between your caliper and rotor."
True story. 🤣
I've had similar situations like that, it's comical!😂
Gotta hand it to the guy with the wrecked car. His balls must be huge. I like your attitude and the calm way you handled a situation which could have gone really badly in a nanosecond, but with that said, you were the last one to touch the truck, so obviously, you own anything that goes wrong for the next 8 years,100K miles. Just kidding! Seriously, though, I know times are difficult and we need to preserve our cash flow, but personally, I wouldn't consider working on any vehicle over 150K miles. There's a reason add-on insurance doesn't go beyond 150K and some don't cover past 100K miles. Something to consider, as those vehicles are not reliable, especially anything from the domestics. If I were to open a shop of some kind, it would be "Jimmy's No-Upsell Oil Change, Toyota's only" ;-)
I hope you videoed the oil change and marked the plug.
I didn’t film it
Coworker had her air suspension air bags replaced on her Grandmother's 05 Town Car, 124,000 miles.. the next day she noticed the air bag light was still on for a "side air bag resistance code", she took it to the shop and demanded they fix it. The shop said no. She filed a small claims case against the shop and won $5,000 bx they didn't "fix" the car. Make sure to be very specific in the descriptions of what systems they want fixed. I told her those air suspension air bags needed replaced regardless, she still disagrees and says the shop "robbed" her.
That’s why I am very specific in notations on the invoices and work orders
I do HVAC for living and I get the same A holes on the phone. People Suck - Good for U ... seems like we lose at the end. Been doing this over 30 years.
I used to be a dealer tech. I switched jobs to computers but I still wrench occasionally. But now I won’t fix anyone’s car again. Not even a friends. Too much liability.
There’s always something else wrong that is supposedly my fault because I was under the hood. Fix your own car, I won’t help you.
we all get customers like that not just mechanics but almost any service job, some people think the way to handle a problem is to blame someone else, the man is a narcicist, I had a similar job come to my shop a few months ago an older chevy truck with lots of problems but not rusty and a good sounding 350, I told him the only way I would fix it is if he gave me the title, then after repairs he could buy it for cost of parts and labor it took a few days but he showed up with the title, it all went well I was hoping he would say it was too much and I could keep it it but he was really happy with it, I have had too many people just abandon cars and without a title I take a big loss
If oil pumps bad rods will knock, just like oil change without filling filter.
Maybe if the oil pump is replaced before its driven a lot more, this engine might saved.
In my industry it's the same thing the last one to work on the equipment must have caused the situation.
I think its on any service based industry people just want a scapegoat and blame others!
I used to work on vehicles for many years and I do know you most likely didn't cause his engine knock condition from changing spark plugs. But I do understand from the perspective of the average person who feels they just got it serviced, it worked fine but now it's having severe damage.
The shit I seen roll in from other shops is actually mind boggling and stupifying.
Even on just a spark plug service it is absolutely possible for some of these idiots I've worked in the same dealership and shops to cause engine and transmission failure. I've had a callback for a vehicle he worked on just changing filters and oil, where he put the wrong type of engine oil and the wrong type of power steering fluid causing leaks which broke the PS pump by blowing the seal to pitman shaft and one where he caused lifter and bearing wear costing the customer $1500
I've seen even crazier shit similar to what you said like the ceramic from a plug shattering into a engine, or dropping tools in the engine. I've pulled out shop rags out of the pickup tube in transmission
Yeah you’re definitely right, it’s not uncommon. I’ve seen some crazy stuff too and a lot of shops aren’t great.
Nothing worse than dealing with ignorant people.
I have one i call door lady. I replaced outside door handle passenger side and month later she had no heat on passenger side and need an needed actuator door motor. Printed ticket with part showing passenger actuator blend door motor. She wanted to know if this was under warranty because I just worked on the passenger door handle. I nearly was about to pull my hair out explaining this had nothing to door with outside door handle and was in the dash and also while in the dash I found 2 lost crisp 20.00 bills and I laid them in her cup holder. I still had trouble explaining the outside door handle had nothing to do with hvac system.
It sounds like you had a difficult customer to deal with but good on you for trying to do what was right!
I kinda feel like the communication issue is on you.
If you can't pull up an exploded view of the dash / heater box / blend door / actuator, and an exploded view of her door to explain how they are unrelated....
Many times, customers need to visualize things and take a moment for their brains to catch up.
I remember when my father had a shop replace transmission cooling lines that were leaking. He had the repair done and about a week later the car was leaking trans fluid all over the driveway and the car wouldn't move. He had it flat bedded to his regular shop that was about 30 miles away and they told him that they used low pressure hose to repair it. He had just spent several hundred dollars in the fix at the local shop. This ship replaced it with the proper lines. I told my dad to go back and get at least a partial refund from the first shop and he never did. I don't think he wanted the hassle of dealing with the shop that had screwed up.
What would you have done in this instance? I don't think my dad trusted this first shop after the repair failed. I wasn't around so I couldn't look at the car myself. I would've probably done the work myself in the first place.
Personally that wouldn't happen at my shop I don't like to treat people that way especially when they are giving you their hard-earned money to fix something. What that shop should have done is refund the money back and own up to their mistake or offer to fix it with what should be on there. Although I can understand you wouldn't want them to work on it anymore sometimes that's the only road that most shops will offer but to me whoever did the work originally sounds like they are a hack shop.
A hack shop is a hack shop. Thieves steal. If they didn't do a proper repair, you're wasting your time trying to get any sort of refund.
It was surprising because I had recommended the shop. He actually did a transmission for me and everything was fine. I think the guy hit his head or something.
Hey man, I’ve had three or four customers in the last two months bring their cars to my shop and everything is golden and they’re all nice and understanding and then the moment I tell them we have to veer off and go a different route because the car has not been properly maintained or whatever the issue is .
I immediately get railroaded and they become very mean, rude, kind of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde vibe, and two of them more customers that I’ve had for two years.
I feel like the literal moment something doesn’t go their way. The mechanic and shop gets punished and there’s no room for air or human air or anything like that. We’re not allowed to discuss anything even any further. I just get told what I did wrong and how in their mind that I messed up their car.
I get those customers from time to time, but I prep my customers with a talk before services begin. i mention to them that there might be things that change or having to go a different route so that way It's less issue when it happens, but they still want to argue it at times. I just take it as being part of the business, and sometimes you just have to deal with it even though it's not our fault as a shop.
I had one customer I replaced the radiator in her car. She paid me. Then a few days later she calls me and says she found someone that would have replaced the radiator for less money. Then she wanted me to give her part of the money back. 😳. I ended up blocking her and her husbands phone numbers.
I’ve had this happen to me before I don’t tolerate it I never compare myself to other shops. I tell them this is how I do it. This is what I charge. If you wanna do it with me that’s the price no matter how cheap anyone else can do it.
I would tell them to take it to the cheaper guy next time.
The guy should go into a dealer and tell them he wants a new truck for $30k. They'll either laugh at him or tell him that that's a good 50% down payment. Buy a freaking Jasper engine and be done with it.
No to Jasper. Have never heard a good thing about them. Get block bored 30 over, crank ground or replaced, valves done and build it yourself.
I would have put the old parts back on and gave a refund. But..would have charged him time for swapping the parts out. Then I would tell him to never come back.
Also I would honestly only do the work requested and nothing else. Even if a day later it seized up. You can’t connect the two.
If you were to do that, they’ll take it as an admission of guilt like you did something wrong in a situation like this you gotta hold your ground and get ready to ride the wave because anytime you give in they’re gonna use that against you.
Can you make a video on misdiagnosis? People spending 2-3k and still having the issue
I have done that it’s a shop talk video
That’s called highway robbery
It’s always like that with cars 😂 a lot of “coincidences” I once changed my own oil in my 07 Toyota Highlander and 1 hr later my CEL came on, even if you touch a bolt or stare at your car something g happens
It really does, seems like that’s the way it goes.
Always they try to do the blame game. You just fix them, don’t engineer the system.
Dumb is dumb and you can't fix that. Maybe people need to get a better job ,so they make more money, and don't sweat the small stuff. If I got 300k miles on a truck, I would be happy as a clam.
he needed a engine before he had the tune done just trying to play you
I had a similar thing and the guy went ahead and reported me to BAR...
That’s unfortunate that you get reported for something that you didn’t do
When a vehicle needs restoration, plan on spending $10K. Its market value doesn't matter if it will give you $10K in service. If you like that model vehicle, get an identical rust free Southwestern non-runner and restore that instead if yours is beat up. What's not OK is a shop creating a long list of useless minor repairs on a vehicle that needs mechanically restored.
I’ve had a few cars like that in the past couple years where people are putting a lot of money in older vehicles just to keep them running it. Mainly had to do with the prices of new cars but nowadays, I guess people really like the older cars myself included. I’m a big fan of anything Older at this point.
$10,000 these days does not even buy you a cosmetic rebuild.
Without touching engine, transmission, suspension or brakes and tires.
@@fastinradfordable I get cosmetics done in Mexico. Also don't try it with anything over 25 years old because parts become a problem.
You did a good job not getting to the facts. Reading between the lines something that you didn't mention is if the Vehicle was so old and wore out why take the money!
He gave the customer the facts before he did the job. He shouldn't be responsible for the customer's bad decision.
Bro I'm listening to you and every time I hear things like these I realize how petty most men in America can be. Even if it was a day afterwards. Maybe it's the processed foods you guys are eating. Lol
😂😂😂😂
8:30 If you start lifting weights and doing steroids. You will find people don't argue when you're talking.
😂
In reality we're only getting one side of the story.
Honestly, if someone asked for a refund after so long of a time for unrelated repairs that didn’t cause the major failure you don’t really need more than one side. if you do get to hear from the other side, they might have some idea where they’re due a refund because they’re no longer driving the car. That’s basically what I heard when I was talking with the owner of the vehicle. Their whole idea was that they just put a lot of money in the car now the car is not usable and they feel that there is a time frame where they can get their money back if the car is no longer usable, which honestly is not the case.
Have you ever had to deal with something unrelated that just happened to brake while you had it? That is the worst trying to explain that to them.
I just had one the other day that I will be sharing that with everyone soon but yes it is absolutely difficult when that situation happens.
Dont work on junk at all if you do then that whats happen
Unlike 20 years ago, in Boise Idaho in late 2024, people are driving beat up cars, often in need of body work due to collisions. The typical car here is over 15 years old ( and high mileage).
If that’s all people are driving around town you have to fix em or lose out on business
What young person would want to enter the automotive repair industry? The "auto mechanic" trade was derived from the blacksmith back in the horse and buggy days. Its always been looked down upon as dirty, greasy work done by someone with an 8th grade education living in a double wide. Thats how this "profession" is treated by most people! What other trade uses a "flat rate" method of paying people for their slave labor?
I agree with you to be honest if I didn’t own my own shop I probably wouldn’t be in this business. There’s even been a few times where I’ve contemplated leaving and doing something else sometimes just dealing with people and what they think of mechanics is enough to make you switch careers. That’s before you even get into the expense of this type of job.
Well said.
Imagine paying a doctor, dentist, or attorney a flat rate (and then complain when their efforts do not yield long term effect, with NO consequential damage/loss to you).
I think that is changing some, I have been a mechanic for over 40 years and I totaly get what you are saying but newer cars are way beyond that guy that only made 8th grade, I went to Vanderbilt university have degrees in chemistry and physics, I do wish I had a new doublewide they are nice!! my house is a money pit LOL I have found that you have to make sure the customer knows what to expect before doing any repair I still like doing it and make good money but I do not see young people getting into it, but for now I can name my price, do it right
Good video , just need to cut back on the likes . Like you know what I mean like , like you know like .
lol its how i talk i guess
I would have said I don't want your business anymore. You could have a repeat performance again with those morons when you change the engine oil and a month later the transmission goes out and they want a new transmission.
Good point!