People so unreasonable sometimes...

[ToadU]

Originally Posted by atikovi
Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by atikovi
You keep $2500 cash all the time? What's your address?

He's a business owner running a big shop. I bet the money was locked in the safe.

I know that, but why have that much cash around? To make change? Few customers pay with cash these days from what I read, except in low income areas.


85% of my towing business is PPI / non-consent. 10% repo and 5% breakdown towing. I actually created the industry of "Roam Towing". It didn't exist until I created the concept. We impound hundreds of cars a week. I only accept cash if you would like your car back. Football game weekends we impound over 1,200 cars in a 3 day period. I have armed security at my tow office and bullet proof glass transaction windows. Learned that lesson the hard way years ago. No one killed fortunately.

In short, I keep a lot of cash.

 

[KrisZ]

You handled the situation well, but count your lucky stars the cars happened to be for sale.

 

[camryrolla]

The poor opportunist snowflake would want extra compensation for emotional distress. If she had a chance, she would try to drag it out in court hoping for a sympathetic judge to grant her a jackpot.

 

[ToadU]

Originally Posted by atikovi
Originally Posted by ToadU
Finally if my insurance handled it they would cut the lady a check for $500. Goodby. That's the value of the car w 300,000 miles. That's how insurance works.


WRONG, that's NOT how insurance works. Insurance pays the retail value as shown in a widely published price guide. That's a $4500 car with average miles (assuming 4-door EX) and 300,000 miles would drop it to $4,000. https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2004/Honda/Accord-4-Cyl/Sedan-4D-EX/Values If it was totalled, you would get a check for $4,000. OP got lucky the car had a for sale sign showing $2500, otherwise his insurance would be paying for a replacement engine if not out of shop's pocket depending on his deductible.


Actually deal with insurance companies every single day. The type of towing specialize in is non-consent. I have a full time person whose job is to deal w insurance companies in payments and making sure they meet all the technicalities or the car becomes mine. Although your basic premise is correct insurance companies don't use NADA. They have their own algorithms and also adjust for local markets. No one is going to pay retail and no insurance insurance company—yours if you have full coverage on your car or any shops—is going to pay $4k for a 2004 Honda Accord with 300,000 miles. That car can be had for $500-$1200 retail tops. Once deducting for condition they are going to total the car and pay $500-800 tops. They do inspect these things. Black Books, NADA and KBB are all but jokes especially when it comes to older, High mileage cars. Further IF the route went of putting in a new engine she would be getting a used $250-$300 300k miles engine. Not rebuilt. Not newer ect. Equal to what she had in miles. No one will pay for an engine under an insurance claim in a 2004 w 300k miles bc the cost of the install is more than the value of the car resulting in a total wreck.

That's how it works.

 

[Gebo]

GEESH...Some of you appear to lack compassion. Hard core..

IF I were the young lady, I would feel I had been deceived. I understand her response. Especially after one of your employees told her what happened. I would have gotten angry as I believe most people would. I would feel like a fool that had been lied to. Well, not lied to exactly. Just not told the truth. All in love. Keep reading, please.

I used to sell commercial real estate and this sorta reminds of how my mind used to work. Only the real estate people may understand this. Some things don't need to be told as long as nobody is cheated.

What happened is fair to everyone. Be honest. She got what see wanted for the car. Full price. It cost you $2500 and what you did was fair. In the end, she wins, you lose and everybody is good. Overall a completely fair deal. She should be happy. You a little sad.

BUT, I just wonder how things would be if you had told her the complete truth? I honestly believe things would be better for you and her. Truth, whole truth, will usually be best for everyone.

Now you are paying another "price" and she is paying another "price" that neither of you actually should owe.

The end results are absolutely fair. I applaud you for making the end results right.

Oh, while we are here, why would you fire an employee for telling the truth? Really?
What did he do wrong?
What will be your reason for firing him. Hey, BIll, you are fired for telling the truth to that lady. Hmmm....

 

[aquariuscsm]

No attorney would ever touch a case like that. Not enough money in it for them. If it won't make the attorney at least $10k,they won't give you the time of day. Small claims would be the only option for her.

Most she would compensate would be the difference between blue book value and what the shop owner gave her. But since she only wanted $2500,the judge most likely would deny the claim and throw out the case.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would have told the lady the truth and then offered her the money.
We all have to live with our actions.

In my line of work, a mistake could cost millions and good people could lose their jobs.
I refuse to sugar coat my mistakes. In no uncertain terms I explain what I did, why, and how I will fix it.
This has earned me the respect and trust of the executive staff. And peace of mind for myself.

I also believe offering the lady her asking price is a wonderful solution.
After the Honda is repaired, you might even show a net gain.

Hopefully your ex-employees have learned a valuable lesson.
If this was their first mistake, I don't think they should have been termed.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
I would have told the lady the truth and then offered her the money.
We all have to live with our actions.

In my line of work, a mistake could cost millions and good people could lose their jobs.
I refuse to sugar coat my mistakes. In no uncertain terms I explain what I did, why, and how I will fix it.
This has earned me the respect and trust of the executive staff. And peace of mind for myself.

I also believe offering the lady her asking price is a wonderful solution.
After the Honda is repaired, you might even show a net gain.

Hopefully your ex-employees have learned a valuable lesson.
If this was their first mistake, I don't think they should have been termed.


I too would have immediately had a conversation with the customer,deeply apologized,and asked her how she would like to handle it.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by ToadU
Although your basic premise is correct insurance companies don't use NADA. They have their own algorithms and also adjust for local markets. No one is going to pay retail and no insurance insurance company—yours if you have full coverage on your car or any shops—is going to pay $4k for a 2004 Honda Accord with 300,000 miles. That car can be had for $500-$1200 retail tops.


On a total the insurance company is supposed to pay the replacement cost of buying a similar vehicle in like condition, and NADA or Kelly are the general sources for pricing. Here are two similar ones on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-Honda...UFdjnMC&LH_ItemCondition=3000%7C2500 for $3,000 and https://www.ebay.com/itm/2003-Honda...Hld4Tx3&LH_ItemCondition=3000%7C2500 for $4,000. Show me one for $500-$1200 at any dealer that doesn't need an additional $2,000 in work to make reliable.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
I would have told the lady the truth and then offered her the money.
We all have to live with our actions.

In my line of work, a mistake could cost millions and good people could lose their jobs.
I refuse to sugar coat my mistakes. In no uncertain terms I explain what I did, why, and how I will fix it.
This has earned me the respect and trust of the executive staff. And peace of mind for myself.

I also believe offering the lady her asking price is a wonderful solution.
After the Honda is repaired, you might even show a net gain.

Hopefully your ex-employees have learned a valuable lesson.
If this was their first mistake, I don't think they should have been termed.


I too would have immediately had a conversation with the customer,deeply apologized,and asked her how she would like to handle it.



I'm in this camp as well.

 

[Schmoe]

When my wives car got totaled last year, Farmers sure didn't use NADA....their explanation was exactly like the OP described....her car, in like condition. We got screwed....so now we go to court among the other things like medical costs and stuff. Anyway....let's say the OP did tell her. ALL he would be obligated to do was fix the mistake. In this case, buy another used engine, drop it in there, and give it back to the customer. He has his own mechanics and is in the "business." I'm sure he could have done that for a lot cheaper than 2500. I say he did the right thing. I'd been cool with that transaction.

 

[WylieCoyote]

The greedy witch has no idea what she was asking for by taking the low road, after the fact. Had you disclosed the mistake on the front end, this matter would've gone to small claims court, where she would've been awarded the cost of installing a comparable used engine. Then comes the hassle of having it done, if she's insistent on going that route. If not, she takes her money, and scraps the car. Either way, she wouldn't have come out as far ahead as she did by just selling the car for her full asking price. Some people shoot themselves in the foot by way of greed. She's one of them. You did nothing but simplify a potentially complicated problem, and were repaid with a bad faith response.

I hope your business makes money worth putting up with the general public, because I'm not sure how much money it would take for me to do it. But please do be more selective in your hiring process, and get yourself a shop lead / supervisor that can help you prevent accidents like this. Mating rituals can get expensive when your employees forget to add oil to a year-old BMW. You got incredibly lucky this time...or, your insurance company did.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted by bullwinkle
I'm missing something here-woman wants $2500 for her car, guy gives her $2500, she takes the money, gives him the title, what difference does it make? She got her money, why should she care if if runs or not? Not her property anymore!...
Pragmatically speaking, no difference whatsoever. That said, as you can see there will always be the holier than thou or to use a phrase, the nattering nabobs of negativism.

He bought the car for her asking price which she was fine with until after the fact. Says more about the seller/customer than the buyer.

Perhaps others might have handled the transaction differently, but bottom line the OP made the seller whole by giving her the vehicle asking price. After the fact whys and wherefores completely extraneous to the transaction.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted by ToadU
Lady brings in a very high mileage 2004 Honda Accord for an oil change. On the car is taped a for sale sign for $2500 cash.


Thank you for sharing the story. When you said high miles I was guessing them to be around 180k or so based on the price and age of it. With 300k your offer was more than fair.

 

[Elkins45]

Putting myself in her shoes I would like to have been told the truth about my vehicle even though it would have no impact on the outcome. I would have ultimately been happy with the resolution of receiving my full asking price, but finding out after the fact that the owner had a hidden reason for the offer would make me question what else he might be hiding.

OP had no way of knowing that she was going to flake out after she learned the truth, but maybe the reason she flaked is because she learned it on the DL from an employee instead of from the person she was dealing with.

Either way, I'm pretty sure I wold never go back to a shop where they didn't put oil in my engine.

 

[IronMaidenRules]

OP was trying to protect his livelihood by not telling her beforehand that his (now ex-) tech f'ed it up -- I wouldn't want to be the garage with the reputation for blowing up people's motors. He was lucky in the regard it was for sale--if it hadn't he would have had to come clean immediately.

The blabbing employee absolutely deserved to be fired--his obscene lack of judgement is detrimental to the business and you can't train that out of someone. Buh-bye.

Also, the lady straight up tried to extort the OP. $2,500 is more than fair for her million-mile POS and more than she was EVER going to get on Facebook marketplace. You can make the argument that the OP was unethical but Mrs. Extortion is an actual criminal, IMO.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I may be a rare exception here,but I'm in the camp that believes "the customer is always right". Yeah you'll get your losers who are never happy and will always try to be slick,scam,etc,but out of every thousand customers you'll maybe encounter one like that. Unsurpassed and impeccable customer service and relations are what make a business successful. The ones who act like dbags always end up going out of business because bad company reputation can run them into the ground.

In the end,it's the customers who keep all of us employed and our businesses open and prosperous.

 

[JLTD]

Only thing I would have done differently would be telling her what happened before offering her asking price. "One of my guys messed up and didn't put any oil into your engine, he is fired. I would like to buy your car from you for your asking price."

I think she is upset because although you gave her the price she was asking, you still were trying to cover up what actually happened. Of course I am not in the business, but I think she would've appreciated the truth rather than an attempted cover-up.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by ToadU
Hire retards. See my above post. Excellent employees with real skills and work within are an endangered species. Every now and then you find one. The rest of the time you have to hire what you can. The economy is booming and oil change kids are making $15 an hr. Dishwashers at local restaurants make that now. They can't hire off the books because the Trump admin has cracked down and in an already super tight labor market with virtually no unemployment you are lucky to even get applicants. Everyone in trades has this issue. At least around here.
They are not endagered, they are out of your price range. An "excellent employee with real skills" probably knows it and is going to be looking for an excellent employer that offers competitive wages + benefits. The cost of living is too high anywhere near any city, you need to make good money to be able to afford a house. Boomer's don't realize that you can't buy a house with Labourer's wages like you could in the early 80s.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by JLTD
Only thing I would have done differently would be telling her what happened before offering her asking price. "One of my guys messed up and didn't put any oil into your engine, he is fired. I would like to buy your car from you for your asking price."

Yeah, that's how I'd do it. It does seem a bit shady to buy w/o telling the truth... and coming up with a story... but as stated, she clearly communicated the value of the object, and was willing to sell it at that level.

Even if I were to differ, it seems MCompact has dropped a ruling on it. I don't see how anyone could come up with a good argument as to why the object, with a clearly defined value as determined by the owner, could go up in value after being damaged. Not unless if she could claim loss of consortium (maybe the oil tech got fired before they could exchange phone numbers?).