The mechanic who didn't fix the problem.

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted by chainblu
Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman
I took it to a guy who charged me $400 and it worked good for one boat trip...


Just to be the devil's advocate, it sounds like he did fix it, but it didn't stay fixed. I mean, as far as he knew, it WAS fixed. But, I'd be looking at that $400 service bill to see what he did (or didn't) do.


Yeah but I'd be wondering what made it not last if I was the mechanic. Unfortunately I wasn't their the day he fixed it. Usually the reason I like independent guys is I can stand next to them and watch, so next time I can just do it myself. Lol

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted by daves87rs
Boats always seem like they need repairs....


Not if they're maintained and used regularly. If your car only got used once every 6 months like many boats do it would be a money pit too. I owned this boat for 10 years and only had one $800.00 repair that involved removing the powerhead. Oh and a new trim and tilt unit.

 

[StevieC]

In my dad's shops we had come backs from time to time and we would check the documentation we kept on the receipts (in our system) and see what the symptoms were last time, what we fixed and why. If the customer came back with the exact same problem within a few months of the original service date through no fault of theirs and without excessive mileage we would work with them until it was resolved at no additional cost.

Cost of doing business and it's going to happen from time to time. It's better to loose time on one job but have the customer come back forever than to hit them hard and always be in need of a steady supply of new customers.

The worst case for this was a transmission we rebuilt in a ladies car and it lasted about 30 days and a planetary gear broke and killed the transmission. It wasn't our fault, and it wasn't hers (just bad luck), but we felt bad because we charged for an overhaul. Had we known it was a problem (or it looked questionable) when it was apart we would have replaced it while we were in there.

We went to the scrap yard got a used transmission with low miles because hers was now badly damaged, put it in with a new filter and fresh fluid and she drove it until she scrapped the vehicle 7 years later with a pile of miles. We didn't charge her any extra although it took a extra time and added cost for us. She was a customer long before that and remained a customer until my dad sold his shops and spent a good amount of money keeping her vehicles on the road using my dad's shops in maintenance and repairs so while we lost time and the profit we made originally on the transmission overhaul we didn't loose future profits and she brought her sister and brothers to us as well.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted by StevieC
In my dad's shops we had come backs from time to time and we would check the documentation we kept on the receipts (in our system) and see what the symptoms were last time, what we fixed and why. If the customer came back with the exact same problem within a few months of the original service date through no fault of theirs and without excessive mileage we would work with them until it was resolved at no additional cost.

Cost of doing business and it's going to happen from time to time. It's better to loose time on one job but have the customer come back forever than to hit them hard and always be in need of a steady supply of new customers.

The worst case for this was a transmission we rebuilt in a ladies car and it lasted about 30 days and a planetary gear broke and killed the transmission. It wasn't our fault, and it wasn't hers (just bad luck), but we felt bad because we charged for an overhaul. Had we known it was a problem (or it looked questionable) when it was apart we would have replaced it while we were in there.

We went to the scrap yard got a used transmission with low miles because hers was now badly damaged, put it in with a new filter and fresh fluid and she drove it until she scrapped the vehicle 7 years later with a pile of miles. We didn't charge her any extra although it took a extra time and added cost for us. She was a customer long before that and remained a customer until my dad sold his shops and spent a good amount of money keeping her vehicles on the road using my dad's shops in maintenance and repairs so while we lost time and the profit we made originally on the transmission overhaul we didn't loose future profits and she brought her sister and brothers to us as well.




If you treat customers like that then you'll have so many you won't be able to beat them off with a stick . Cuddos to you for understanding long term success.

 

[chainblu]

Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman

Yeah but I'd be wondering what made it not last if I was the mechanic.


I agree. Like you and others have said, he should have been more agreeable to looking at it again.

 

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by Bambam
Bust
Out
Another
Thousand


NO !! Never say this. It violates the 2nd rule of boat ownership-
1) Guests contribute to fuel
2) Never say B.O.A.T (see above)
3) Never bring bananas on the boat.

 

[rubberchicken]

 

[rubberchicken]

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman
Like on my boat for instance I had an issue with it only firing on 2 of 4 cylinders. Well I took it to a guy who charged me $400 and it worked good for one boat trip, then a month or so later I took the boat out again and it went back to doing the same thing. Imo if I were a mechanic and I couldn't fix it I'd at least give a portion of the money back that I charged. The part that irritated me was that he didn't seem interested in taking another look at it after that. Good way to retain customers, just tell them f off after they take your money.


What "fixed it" the first time and what will it take to "fix it" this time? Are you sure it is doing "the same thing for the same reason"? Did a new part fail?