I've said it before in various subforums here - I am exceptionally lucky with my customers. The overwhelming and vast majority are good folks who I go out of my way to help. Then there's this frickin guy... A seventy something as far as I can tell.. about a year ago he brings me an Explorer Sport Trac that was making ugly timing chain noises... I always get to know my customers and this guy was a small engine mech and said that he built some dirt track engines, so I took my time with him, showed him what I was doing and went through my rationale. Yes, it has timing chain noises, but also a misfire. Lots of small talk and complaining about the cost of repair and how much money that he had in it already (should have seen it coming). Anyway, he says kick it out the door and he'll think on it. Eventually he authorizes me to fix the bad chain/guide/tens, but not both. So I wheel it back in and start working only to find oil in the coolant. Call him back up and he comes out to look. More talking and spitballing. Tried flushing the coolant, but the oil comes back. So he has me kick it outside again while he thinks on it. Ultimately he calls and elects to not repair and then tell me that he's only paying X amount of money. I was a bit taken aback and honestly didn't know what to say then.. So I make the bill up and charge him 1.5 hours plus some antifreeze (it was winter and cold). The bill came up to about $35 dollars more than he wanted to pay. When he showed up, he was displeased and gave all kinds of reasons and excuses and saying that he already knew it was a timing chain issue and that other shops already told him - some didn't even charge. Even after getting him to agree that the time I charged was reasonable and corresponded to what I charged, he was pissy. On the way out the door he made a back handed comment about my integrity. I had to eat the $30 odd dollars, but at least I wouldn't have to deal with it any more. Wrong. He calls up a few weeks later wanting me to replace the engine again. Told him no because of the way he acted, but he insisted saying that he liked the way I worked. Ultimately it never came to be, but he did continue to bring me his other vehicle for oil changes and usually eating up my time whining about this and that or telling me about his son who is a detective and martial artist in a town down the road. Even had the stones to short me again (very little money) I finally told him enough of that **** and to his credit, he did mail a check for a couple of dollars to make it right.
Anyway I dread dealing with the guy, so the next time he called, I told him that he needed to find another mechanic.. Well you'd have thought that I just insulted him mother and wife! He retaliated with all sorts of personal insults and mockery. I cut him off, wished him good luck and hung up. I thought ahh haa! I'm finally rid of him! Wrong. He proceeds to call me and text me harassing messages from his phone, his wife's phone and another phone... I blocked all of them without engaging in that BS. All was quiet for several months until yesterday afternoon (Sunday). I didn't hear anything but he left me a harassing text from a new number and after looking, he even tried calling me.. Like really old man??? Get a life! Another number blocked and reported as spam. He is one of many examples of why I pay no mind the "Always respect your elders" nonsense... After 13 years and MANY, MANY customers of varying backgrounds and levels of affluence, I can still honestly say that I can basically count on one hand the ones I don't want to see return and he is by far the worst customer I've ever had.
Anyway I dread dealing with the guy, so the next time he called, I told him that he needed to find another mechanic.. Well you'd have thought that I just insulted him mother and wife! He retaliated with all sorts of personal insults and mockery. I cut him off, wished him good luck and hung up. I thought ahh haa! I'm finally rid of him! Wrong. He proceeds to call me and text me harassing messages from his phone, his wife's phone and another phone... I blocked all of them without engaging in that BS. All was quiet for several months until yesterday afternoon (Sunday). I didn't hear anything but he left me a harassing text from a new number and after looking, he even tried calling me.. Like really old man??? Get a life! Another number blocked and reported as spam. He is one of many examples of why I pay no mind the "Always respect your elders" nonsense... After 13 years and MANY, MANY customers of varying backgrounds and levels of affluence, I can still honestly say that I can basically count on one hand the ones I don't want to see return and he is by far the worst customer I've ever had.
