Thread: Hardest part of my job

Lets face it we live in a throw away era... too costly to repair- just get a new one. Maybe someday this will change but I don't see the end to it now

Well lets see, 30 years ago, the cheapest saws were about $139 right?

Now fast forward 30 years, figure inflation, and the cheapest ones are $79

Dont know how you guys can make it. I just bought some LP from my dealer and he was mumbling about how it was the same price 25 years ago...

Originally posted by jsikkema1
Lets face it we live in a throw away era... too costly to repair- just get a new one. Maybe someday this will change but I don't see the end to it now

lol guess I didn't catch on to that way of thinking. I throw nothing away, works for me just fine

When I was in the business of repair, I worked on nothing but Husky, Echo, Stihl or Jonsered. I really don't know why anyone would even bring in a Homelite, Mac, Ryobi, weedeater, poulan or any other "off" brand to work on. You are just asking for a big pain in the ass and more than likely a complaint you put 50 bucks into a POS. Or if you did bring it in you have to hunt down a dollar part. I think all dealers have a duty not to service junk. They usually ended up buying a nicer unit from me that you could see putting a few bucks into it if it did break. All dealers seem to think they need to help everyone. They don't. I'm not saying tell them to get lost. I am saying educate them on why you don't service junk. Not only that but if you have 10 different lines, thats 10 different lines you have to sell parts for. It's all about turns. I wouldn't even stock a part unless I sold 2 a year consistantly. I have been in shops with huge parts inventories. I had 10 shelves in my shop that sold more than all that old junk. I actually took old stock and junked it to avoid inventory tax. The reason most shops go out of business isn't because they are bad mechanics or jerks its because they are stupid on what they buy. BTW-Junk saws are good if you are doing shop jobs, but I wouldn't consider selling used parts either. Way more of a pain in the butt than its worth.

i deal with the same thing as some in here mentioned. 2 wks ago i met a lady at her double wide . she wanted the water leaks around the door repaired and the damaged floor inside replaced.
told her what it would cost and put her on the schedual for this coming tuesday.
i was driving by there yesterday so thot id stop and make sure of every thing i needed for the job.guess what she did what i told her i was going to do.
and from the looks of it she or her husband did it themselves. well im out the job ,but they didnt even get close to a good job. in fact it looks like what they did is goin to cause all the water to be channeled in to the walls. knowing that kinda made up for losing the job. pay me now ,or pay me later.. i would guess u chainsaw mechanics get a lot of saws in that the owner has fixed[so its just about impossible to fix.

You mean gouge them now or gouge them later.

pea,
The customers attitude can go a long way in how they will be treated. Nobody minds gouging an a$$hole. If you can't find good service ANYWHERE, for ANYTHING, maybe it's your own fault.

Originally posted by pea
You mean gouge them now or gouge them later.

I take offense to this comment, especially since you wrote it in response to Tony's post. We all know there are guys out there who have no morals and will take advantage of an unsuspecting customer, but I'd bet my truck that Tony isn't one of them. Pea, what do you consider 'gouging'? Is charging somewhare between cost and list price for parts 'gouging'? Is charging an hourly rate that will cover a decent working man's wages plus shop overhead 'gouging'? Or do you want an experienced mechanic to work for $10 per hour and give you the parts for half price?

Yeah, selling parts is always difficult when people know what
the cost from the distributer is and your markup. Anything
over the dealers cost is considered "gouging". If I sell
a spark plug for $1.89, which I paid $1.00 for. The customers say
hey, I can buy that same plug at Walmart for $1.39!!
I say, well go to Walmart! And take your equipment there
to be fixed too!
If you can go online and find a better price then go!
It is funny how the mower/chainsaw guy charges $40 bucks to
work on a saw for an hour is gouging, but if someone worked
on a car or boat motor an hour, there would be another digit on the price tag, and the customer is happy.
This economy is capitalistic, which is kind of Darwinistic, so
in the end the Walmart's and Lowes will be the only ones left,
and bottom feeders like me will just lurk under the rocks,
gouging any poor customers that are foolish enough to try to
get their saw fixed.
I am just razzing you a little Pea, with a name like Pea, you
have to be tough, so I know you can endure it.
Is Canada capitalistic? Lutheren?

I feel your pain brothers, I used to build engines, anywhere from race cars, to the ol' grocery getter. People would bring in a Geo metro that was driven 150 mi without oil and water, and want it fixed, People are stubborn, and refuse to accept the fact that something is dead, and just to press on! Now my customer is the enemy at the other end of an airborne (AC-130 Gunship) 105mm howitzer, and now I get no complaints from people!!-Matt

Right on Darin, sounds like you were successful in business. We found that taking a deposit for estimates and repair, reduces the junk pile out back that customers don't pick up or pay for, and the mechanic gets paid for his work. Jon

fish,
I don't know I have never been to Canada. I don't mind you razzing me.

WRW,
If you feel no guilt then I guess your treating people ok. Its your business.

Electronics repair shops charge a "bench" fee most of the time, and I know at least one "fixit" shop that does, too. Why not at an OPE shop.

"if you want more than a couple of minutes of my time, you gotta pay for it".

There is a mimeographed sheet hanging behind the counter at a local agricultural equipment dealer that kind of sums it all up on parts prices. I don't think I remember it word for word, but it adds up all the various costs of making a $50 item something like:

mfg cost: $16
warehouse costs (wages and bennies, overhead, and taxes for 1 year storage): $13
Profit for Dist/mfgr $3
Shipping: $5
(Dealer Cost $37)
Dealer cost to maintain parts inventory as a service to customer: $9
Profit: $4. (about 9%)

eyolf,
Just gouge the costomer for it. Then put on an extra $5.00 charge and call it a gouging charge.