I love my job, BUT...

[JohnnyBoy1986]

Well today a gentleman came in to the shop to pick up his 041 Stihl chainsaw. It was the same one i made a thread about not too long ago bragging on how good it looked an ran for the age of the saw!

This thread >> http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=124077

I updated the entire ignition system, did the fuel system work, tuned it up and sharpened the chain, with all the parts i put in the saw and labor included his bill came to a total of $153.15, when i read that off to him he nearly hit the floor. he couldnt believe it and threw a :censored:fit right at the counter exclaiming about this and that, the rant went sort of like this... "i can't believe you put that kind of money into that saw! its not worth more than $60!! I would have junked it had i known this :censored:! All i wanted was the saw to be tuned up and running good not to rebuild the damn thing! $153 is way out of line, i should have just junked it! had i known that i would have taken $250 down the stihl dealer and bought a new damn replacement for that thing!" That statement alone made me laugh inside, i love my job but its jack@$$'s like this that make me want to slap them across the face! Seriously, i thought it wasnt a bad deal. In all of your honest opinions, was it wrong to invest that kind of money in this saw?

 

[TraditionalTool]

I'm not to say what is right for someone else, but it sounds like you didn't tell the owner before doing the work...I think you should make a point to always notify the owner whenever possible and get an ok from them before doing any work. As a customer, I would expect that.

 

[FXDL]

Shoot i would have! you should've said "well sir i apologize. i tell ya what, you give me the saw and we will wipe that bill out"

 

[Wildman1024]

Shoot, $153 to get another 30 years outta a great running 041 sounds like a good deal to me! Did you end up with the saw in the end or did he pay up?

I think maybe he should have asked for an estimate before the work was done so it wasn't so shocking. he wanted a tune up and IMO that was a tune up

 

[JohnnyBoy1986]

im sorry for not being clear enough. when he left it he said "make sure it runs good, fix what you have to.", i assume part of the responsibility because i thought that to be my green light, i fixed the saw right (im my mind) and hopefully to run for years to come. I dont expect you all to speak for anyone else, but if you had this saw, you wanted it fixed, would there be an issue with what i had done? or essentially, would you put this kind of money in that saw? if it was one of two you owned? and the other was a 310 poulan pro?

 

[rms61moparman]

He's an IDIOT!!!

Tell him you will give him the $60.00 he thinks it's worth and he can forget about the bill.


Mike

 

[JohnnyBoy1986]

Shoot, $153 to get another 30 years outta a great running 041 sounds like a good deal to me! Did you end up with the saw in the end or did he pay up?

I think maybe he should have asked for an estimate before the work was done so it wasn't so shocking. he wanted a tune up and IMO that was a tune up

he payed but if he wouldn't have done so i would have paid the tab and bought the saw myself! lol i like the 041 personally and if it was me i wouldnt have any issues putting the money in that saw.

 

[Wildman1024]

he payed but if he wouldn't have done so i would have paid the tab and bought the saw myself! lol i like the 041 personally and if it was me i wouldnt have any issues putting the money in that saw.

I agree! I love my 041 and it goes with me on every wood cutting expedition.

 

[teatersroad]

You did right by the saw and by yourself. db customers are of no consequence. cut a deal and don't think of him again. payout comes later. i think.



oh..I see he paid. Well his problems are his alone (...and his familiy's)

 

[Jacob J.]

You have to be careful when it comes to situations like this. Just because he said "make sure it runs good, fix what you have to", that's not a blank check. You have to look at what is feasible to get the saw running good and come up with a realistic estimate and let the guy know first.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

In our shop most repairs on saws run 125$-200$, running tune ups cost between 75$-100$ that includes parts, labor and 8% sales tax. In the last few months I've had an 076 with a 350$ bill, a couple 028's with 175$+ bills, I fix a lot of 041 that end up costing in the 150$ range. You can't replace them new, for less than that, and finding a used one will likely cost that much or more and may need work. We charge 70$ an hour, it scares away most people want to bring in junk, that wastes my time.

 

[stipes]

I thought that myself Mike...

He's an IDIOT!!!

Tell him you will give him the $60.00 he thinks it's worth and he can forget about the bill.


Mike

I would have pulled 60.00 dollars out and say here is a extra 20 if that would make you happy...LOL!!!

 

[indiansprings]

I would have opened the cash register or billfold and gave him sixty bucks and set the saw behind the counter and let him start groveling to get the saw back. Then say nope, you said sixty bucks, isn't your word anygood, then watch him blow his stack.

 

[flimflam]

ALWAYS charge them upfront for whatever you want and tell them that is a diagnostic fee that will be put toward the final bill if they want it fixed.

 

[caotropheus]

You have to be careful when it comes to situations like this. Just because he said "make sure it runs good, fix what you have to", that's not a blank check. You have to look at what is feasible to get the saw running good and come up with a realistic estimate and let the guy know first.

First, the principle. Totally agree, just like in every business in life. I think that in every repair, owner should ask for a cost estimate in advance. For the same reason and to avoid surprises, business manager should advance with a cost estimate, before the repair starts.

In our shop most repairs on saws run 125$-200$, running tune ups cost between 75$-100$ that includes parts, labor and 8% sales tax. In the last few months I've had an 076 with a 350$ bill, a couple 028's with 175$+ bills, I fix a lot of 041 that end up costing in the 150$ range. You can't replace them new, for less than that, and finding a used one will likely cost that much or more and may need work. We charge 70$ an hour, it scares away most people want to bring in junk, that wastes my time.

Second, the price. To whom lives in this side of the puddle, I make no idea what are these small numbers you're talking about ! A brand new Stihl 460 that I want to buy will cost me 1050 Euro in Portugal and about 2030 USD in Israel ! shocked ? A friend replaced a C & P in a Husqvarna 365 at a cost of 410 USD! still shocked? So, what are you people talking about expensive repairs there in the US and Canada?

We charge 70$ an hour, it scares away most people want to bring in junk, that wastes my time.

Och! Just from reading this, even my pockets start hurting !

 

[stipes]

Thats a job I couldnt do....

People that makes a living being a dealer and or repairing,,I have to give them alot of credit to have so much patience to put up with the public now days...I couldnt do it,,I wouldnt....
Example as the saw you worked on,, nice 041, prob. one in a 1000 you would see that nice comes in your shop...You sound like a person that takes great pride in his work,,so you do everything you can to make his saw run as new as the day he bought it from the factory....The work you did would last him years down the road before he has to spend that much money again...Only thing he would have to worry about is just simple home maint. as sharpening the chain,,and plug. And I bet you was really proud of your work and thought he would be happy to have his saw back in great shape,,and then he pulls that BS on you...Yeah,,,,,I couldnt put up with people like that....It not only brings ya down,,but makes ya start wondering if it's all worth tryin to help people....
Hated that to happen to you,,but then again,,,there is still more good folks out there than bad....

 

[SpaayDawg]

My mom had something of the sorts happen to her with her car last year. She took it in to the dealer to have it's maintenance done, change oil, lube, rotate and balance tires, plugs, check computer for codes, etc.
She got a call from the shop saying that her water pump was leaking and that it should be replaced. They quoted her a price range and she agreed to it ($500-$600).
When she picked her car up not only did they replace the water pump, but took it upon themselves to replace her timing belt, and a couple of sensors for a mere $1400!!:jawdrop:
Yes, it was maintenance that needed to be completed but knowing a ballpark of what it will cost is nicer than finding out when you're paying the bill. I know you can't always give estimates, and there's unforeseeable circumstances especially when engines don't run to start with. JB1986, did you ask him how much he's spent on the saw since he bought it?? I'm guessing purchase price+$153.15!!

 

[Muffler Bearing]

On A Up-Date.
4 Stents where installed, And No Futher comments,
Pending future legal settlement.
Law Firm
Hit, Grab, and Run P.A,
#1 Square Legal Circle
Your Home Town
USA

 

[pjwoolw]

I've paid close to that and got a saw back that was exactly the same when I took it in. Ran like garbage! I think he got a heck of a deal. You did what he asked you to do. I think your customer would have complained regardless of the cost or what you did or didn't do. Don't change your style. You did the right thing.

 

[warjohn]

If he had a limit he wanted to spend he should have told you not to fix it if it was going to cosy more than a specified amount. You did what he told you to do.