would you be an honest and poor mechanic?
11-03-2011, 05:56 PM
#1
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honest poor or crooked rich?
so you open up your shop, invest thousands of dollars in equipment, lease space, hire a helper. you have expenses and a family to feed, mortgage to pay. you're slow at first and then get a steady flow of customers. so a lady comes into your shop with a problem...let's say oil change, you quote her a reasonable price, do the job, inspect the car, find no other problems. charge her $80 (dealer charges $100, without resetting i-drive), oil and filter cost you, at dealer prices, probably $30, so you make your $50 in about 30 minutes (I'm counting the time greeting the customer, lifting the car, test driving the car). not bad, but not to good, it's not like you have an oil change every 30 minutes 8 hours a day.
would you start making up other problems for her? i mean, she won't know... or God forbid, start creating problems, like disconnecting a brake sensor or ABS sensor or poking something or cutting some wire? hell no...these types of mechanics deserve to be hanged by their .... it almost equates to a doctor cutting a tube or a tendon inside of a patient during surgery.
but what about more subtle situations...like active steering light is on, or you get a hydraulic steering malfunction, or brake light is on, etc...and you do a quick diagnostic and all you have to do is to reset the system.....or add some fluid..... so, the dilemma is, you've invested about 30 minutes into this, and do you charge her about $80 and call it quits, and then sit couple hours without work until the next customer comes in....or do you make up stuff, that the control arm or roll bar had to be replaced, or there was a faulty sensor that had to be replaced, and charge her $200-$300 for couple hours of work that didn't happen?
i actually knew an honest one-man shop mechanic around here, honest man, very reasonable prices...went out of business after many years of work, I don't know if cars started breaking down less, or what...closed shop and moved out of state to try his luck somewhere else.. so now if I need something done that I can't handle myself, I gotta go to a more expensive mechanic. perhaps if that first mechanic I knew wasn't so honest, he would have still been in business around here.
just food for thought....personally, I'm all for working honest and earning less...if I wasn't honest, I'd be driving an M5 right now rather than the e60
....
so you open up your shop, invest thousands of dollars in equipment, lease space, hire a helper. you have expenses and a family to feed, mortgage to pay. you're slow at first and then get a steady flow of customers. so a lady comes into your shop with a problem...let's say oil change, you quote her a reasonable price, do the job, inspect the car, find no other problems. charge her $80 (dealer charges $100, without resetting i-drive), oil and filter cost you, at dealer prices, probably $30, so you make your $50 in about 30 minutes (I'm counting the time greeting the customer, lifting the car, test driving the car). not bad, but not to good, it's not like you have an oil change every 30 minutes 8 hours a day.
would you start making up other problems for her? i mean, she won't know... or God forbid, start creating problems, like disconnecting a brake sensor or ABS sensor or poking something or cutting some wire? hell no...these types of mechanics deserve to be hanged by their .... it almost equates to a doctor cutting a tube or a tendon inside of a patient during surgery.
but what about more subtle situations...like active steering light is on, or you get a hydraulic steering malfunction, or brake light is on, etc...and you do a quick diagnostic and all you have to do is to reset the system.....or add some fluid..... so, the dilemma is, you've invested about 30 minutes into this, and do you charge her about $80 and call it quits, and then sit couple hours without work until the next customer comes in....or do you make up stuff, that the control arm or roll bar had to be replaced, or there was a faulty sensor that had to be replaced, and charge her $200-$300 for couple hours of work that didn't happen?
i actually knew an honest one-man shop mechanic around here, honest man, very reasonable prices...went out of business after many years of work, I don't know if cars started breaking down less, or what...closed shop and moved out of state to try his luck somewhere else.. so now if I need something done that I can't handle myself, I gotta go to a more expensive mechanic. perhaps if that first mechanic I knew wasn't so honest, he would have still been in business around here.
just food for thought....personally, I'm all for working honest and earning less...if I wasn't honest, I'd be driving an M5 right now rather than the e60
....
11-04-2011, 12:28 AM
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I would absolutely be an honest mechanic and work on marketing efforts in slow times instead of spending that time stealing from clients.
11-04-2011, 01:20 AM
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honest poor or crooked rich?
so you open up your shop, invest thousands of dollars in equipment, lease space, hire a helper. you have expenses and a family to feed, mortgage to pay. you're slow at first and then get a steady flow of customers. so a lady comes into your shop with a problem...let's say oil change, you quote her a reasonable price, do the job, inspect the car, find no other problems. charge her $80 (dealer charges $100, without resetting i-drive), oil and filter cost you, at dealer prices, probably $30, so you make your $50 in about 30 minutes (I'm counting the time greeting the customer, lifting the car, test driving the car). not bad, but not to good, it's not like you have an oil change every 30 minutes 8 hours a day.
would you start making up other problems for her? i mean, she won't know... or God forbid, start creating problems, like disconnecting a brake sensor or ABS sensor or poking something or cutting some wire? hell no...these types of mechanics deserve to be hanged by their .... it almost equates to a doctor cutting a tube or a tendon inside of a patient during surgery.
but what about more subtle situations...like active steering light is on, or you get a hydraulic steering malfunction, or brake light is on, etc...and you do a quick diagnostic and all you have to do is to reset the system.....or add some fluid..... so, the dilemma is, you've invested about 30 minutes into this, and do you charge her about $80 and call it quits, and then sit couple hours without work until the next customer comes in....or do you make up stuff, that the control arm or roll bar had to be replaced, or there was a faulty sensor that had to be replaced, and charge her $200-$300 for couple hours of work that didn't happen?
i actually knew an honest one-man shop mechanic around here, honest man, very reasonable prices...went out of business after many years of work, I don't know if cars started breaking down less, or what...closed shop and moved out of state to try his luck somewhere else.. so now if I need something done that I can't handle myself, I gotta go to a more expensive mechanic. perhaps if that first mechanic I knew wasn't so honest, he would have still been in business around here.
just food for thought....personally, I'm all for working honest and earning less...if I wasn't honest, I'd be driving an M5 right now rather than the e60....
so you open up your shop, invest thousands of dollars in equipment, lease space, hire a helper. you have expenses and a family to feed, mortgage to pay. you're slow at first and then get a steady flow of customers. so a lady comes into your shop with a problem...let's say oil change, you quote her a reasonable price, do the job, inspect the car, find no other problems. charge her $80 (dealer charges $100, without resetting i-drive), oil and filter cost you, at dealer prices, probably $30, so you make your $50 in about 30 minutes (I'm counting the time greeting the customer, lifting the car, test driving the car). not bad, but not to good, it's not like you have an oil change every 30 minutes 8 hours a day.
would you start making up other problems for her? i mean, she won't know... or God forbid, start creating problems, like disconnecting a brake sensor or ABS sensor or poking something or cutting some wire? hell no...these types of mechanics deserve to be hanged by their .... it almost equates to a doctor cutting a tube or a tendon inside of a patient during surgery.
but what about more subtle situations...like active steering light is on, or you get a hydraulic steering malfunction, or brake light is on, etc...and you do a quick diagnostic and all you have to do is to reset the system.....or add some fluid..... so, the dilemma is, you've invested about 30 minutes into this, and do you charge her about $80 and call it quits, and then sit couple hours without work until the next customer comes in....or do you make up stuff, that the control arm or roll bar had to be replaced, or there was a faulty sensor that had to be replaced, and charge her $200-$300 for couple hours of work that didn't happen?
i actually knew an honest one-man shop mechanic around here, honest man, very reasonable prices...went out of business after many years of work, I don't know if cars started breaking down less, or what...closed shop and moved out of state to try his luck somewhere else.. so now if I need something done that I can't handle myself, I gotta go to a more expensive mechanic. perhaps if that first mechanic I knew wasn't so honest, he would have still been in business around here.
just food for thought....personally, I'm all for working honest and earning less...if I wasn't honest, I'd be driving an M5 right now rather than the e60
....
11-04-2011, 02:00 AM
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My Ride: 2008 535i LCI with sports/premium package, Sports trans with paddle shifters, CF emblems, JB4 Software, Dinan Exhaust, Navigation, M5Tech body kit, Carbon wrap interrior trim and CIC Controller.
Honesty is always the best! I know a mechanic near to me and what convinced me to use him was about 15 years ago my 635 had a little heat problem and I called several shops and the statement was always t bring it in. Of course, I would have said the same. This one shop, the owner and single mechanic basically told me what it was on the phone and how to fix it! I couldn't believe it. Later I had another mechanical need and took the car to him and the service was superb. I just have that feeling of trust and honesty. All though I try and do my own stuff, I still use him when I need a mechanic and always recommend him to everyone. He is from Austria and his shop is in SC. So if anyone is near by and would be interested in his services let me know and I'll provide you with more info. His shop has everything just like the dealer, in fact he is factory trained and worked with many race circuits. As the years have passed, he has started to drift more towards the normal mechanic and shop. Meaning, he doesn't chat with you as much and no one is allowed in the shop. I understand this is for safety reasons and it all makes sense but I also think its a small loss or takes a little away from the comfi feeling. His rates up until just a couple years ago was only 35.00 an hour. I believe he is up around 70 or so now. Still better than the stealer....
11-04-2011, 05:13 AM
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honest poor or crooked rich?
would you start making up other problems for her? i mean, she won't know... or God forbid, start creating problems, like disconnecting a brake sensor or ABS sensor or poking something or cutting some wire? hell no...these types of mechanics deserve to be hanged by their .... it almost equates to a doctor cutting a tube or a tendon inside of a patient during surgery.
but what about more subtle situations...like active steering light is on, or you get a hydraulic steering malfunction, or brake light is on, etc...and you do a quick diagnostic and all you have to do is to reset the system.....or add some fluid..... so, the dilemma is, you've invested about 30 minutes into this, and do you charge her about $80 and call it quits, and then sit couple hours without work until the next customer comes in....or do you make up stuff, that the control arm or roll bar had to be replaced, or there was a faulty sensor that had to be replaced, and charge her $200-$300 for couple hours of work that didn't happen?
would you start making up other problems for her? i mean, she won't know... or God forbid, start creating problems, like disconnecting a brake sensor or ABS sensor or poking something or cutting some wire? hell no...these types of mechanics deserve to be hanged by their .... it almost equates to a doctor cutting a tube or a tendon inside of a patient during surgery.
but what about more subtle situations...like active steering light is on, or you get a hydraulic steering malfunction, or brake light is on, etc...and you do a quick diagnostic and all you have to do is to reset the system.....or add some fluid..... so, the dilemma is, you've invested about 30 minutes into this, and do you charge her about $80 and call it quits, and then sit couple hours without work until the next customer comes in....or do you make up stuff, that the control arm or roll bar had to be replaced, or there was a faulty sensor that had to be replaced, and charge her $200-$300 for couple hours of work that didn't happen?
I've been a mechanic for 23+ years and have worked at a few shops over the years and have never seen this kind of activity take place although I have heard the horror stories of others. As far as what shops charge per hour, in this day and age I don't see how you could charge any less than $70 per hour and be well enough equipped and educated to turn a meager profit.
11-04-2011, 05:40 AM
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My Ride: 2008 550I LOADED, all options except HUD and NV
Who says honest = poor? I my experience honest mechanics are harder to find, but they thrive on a strong and loyal customer base, so they tend to be far from starving. 
I'd rather be honest, it is just easier to live with yourself that way
I'd rather be honest, it is just easier to live with yourself that way
11-04-2011, 05:53 AM
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I'm fortunate enough to live 1 minute away from a honest BMW mechanic who happens to have all the cool tools as well like auto logic. I hate people who try to cheat others
I hate people who try to cheat others
11-04-2011, 06:17 AM
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My Ride: SOLD...Jet Black 2008 550i M Sport with SAT, black interior. RPI exhaust and air scoop, 35% huper optik tint all around, CF roundels, flat black kidneys, Springfield Armory XD-40 jet black in glove box, charcoal filter removed.
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