How seriously do you take your day off?

At the minimum, I wouldn’t like the idea of tearing apart somebody else’s car in the parking lot of an apartment complex.

Them wanting it done at their convenience is irritating too. Perhaps start being mean and say no? Or have him dump a bunch of that ginger root GM radiator fix stuff. Lol.
He hit something and cleaned the plastic tank right off the side of the core.
 
EVERYTHING is on my terms or forget it. I hate to sound so forward but, when people begin to take advantage, you become a different person over time. I can't be bothered with most anymore. Like yourself @Chris142 , I've got my own things to get done.
 
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I'm a capable guy. I find that various people ask nicely, request coldly or even demand my help. Including my boss.

In the end, people will gladly use me up, consuming 100% of my free time, without even a minute's thought to how much it costs/hurts/consumes me.

Suggestion: Learn to say no, don't give excuses, don't engage in discussions, just say no thanks. Nothing else is respected.

EDIT: I'm not young, I've done this for nearly 5 decades now. Nothing has changed. You cannot recover wasted time, and no "karma-type" benefit will come to you, these people are "users". IF you choose to help someone, look out for your self-interests, make 100% sure it's an equitable arrangement. There is a reason the statement says "No good deed goes unpunished".
 
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Reminds me of the Venn diagram. This guy wants what is impossible.
 

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You will meet people during the course of your life that end up being nothing but a drain on you. You need to find a nice subtle way to put distance between you and this person, and it will probably start with you putting your foot down and telling him that the car needs to be delivered to your shop before you're going to work on it. He wants a favor and won't even meet you halfway. That's a red flag to me. Sounds like one of those leeches that has never been introduced to the term "manage your expectations". Distance yourself.
 
You will meet people during the course of your life that end up being nothing but a drain on you. You need to find a nice subtle way to put distance between you and this person, and it will probably start with you putting your foot down and telling him that the car needs to be delivered to your shop before you're going to work on it. He wants a favor and won't even meet you halfway. That's a red flag to me. Sounds like one of those leeches that has never been introduced to the term "manage your expectations". Distance yourself.
I agree. The guy is nice enough but it seems like all the carwash guys are flaky and have issues.
 
Something like making an ac hose I don't mind doing. I can make a $50 profit making a hose in 15 minutes. But to spend all day in a parking lot trying to make do with the wrong tools is for the birds.
Making some extra $$$ is good but yes, when you get used to working in a proficient manor things change.
 
I am often asked to help out a friend on my days off. Quite frankly I'm pretty tired of donating my day off and not getting my projects done.

A guy comes by my work to wash cars. He called me last night and asked me if I would look at a coolant leak his car has.

So I headed all the way across town to check it out for him. He apparently hit something and smashed the radiator.

It's one of those cars where the whole front end has to come off,evac and charge the ac etc to get the radiator changed.

I told him to get it towed to my place and I'll work on it this week after my regular job. No he expected me to do it today in an apartment complex parking lot on the wrong side of the tracks.

I don't know exactly what tools I may end up needing and don't want to spend the day chasing tools....either driving 45 min 1 way home to get something or running back and forth to AutoZone only to buy duplicates of what I already have.

Plus most of my tools are locked up at my day job and I can't access them on a Sunday.

Make sense or not?
I have learned a couple of things over the years about some people. 1. You can help out some, and they don't appreciate it one bit. 2. People don't mind taking advantage of you.
 
Frig that game, you offered to fix it if he got it towed to your house, if he doesnt like it tell him in no uncertain terms to ball off and friggin bounce. JM2C
+1

Whether you decide to do it free or for free is up to you. But how and where you fix it is up to you and should not be up for discussion.

You tell him you fix it at your shop , or not at all.

Going back and forth for tools and supplies? No way. Especially if you are not charging.
 
A day off? What's that like? Only one friend that's similar, an older guy that may ask for something once or twice a year. Last time it was to help change a fuel pump. Before that, change a timing belt. All at his place across town and usually takes 2 or 3 trips between ordering the parts and bringing another tool. He does have me stay over for dinner during those visits.
 
When you are a mechanic you never get a day off. Me I work 7:30am-6pm Monday thru Friday plus an hour commute to and from each day leaving me with very little free time or time with my family during the week. Weekends I have to do stuff I don’t get to do during the week like fix my dads truck and fix my own stuff or a family members car. Very rarely do I have any free time or time to do what I actually need to do or want to do. If anyone asks me to do extra I politely say I can’t do that right now. If he wants it done he should accommodate with your schedule and not demand it be done when it’s good for him. Especially if he is expecting it for free. Don’t get me wrong I help my friends a ton but we do it at times both good for us we don’t make each other drop what we are doing to come help or do something right then. And I love helping people but not when they demand something like he is. Like today I was out working on a truck where my dad parks at because I’m everyone’s mechanic there pretty much unless it’s something really major that requires a shop and someone needed a valve stem tightened and I was already there so I didn’t mind plus he slid me a 5 so I was happy. He didn’t have the right size wrench. Stuff like that doesn’t bother me but what he is expecting of you would. And just like you mentioned we have all been in that situation when you are out doing something away from the shop or away from where your tools are and need something and most likely already have it floating around somewhere else. Plus being in an apartment complex they would probably say something about that.
 
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