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63 Bug

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jackq

jackq

Jedi Knight
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We're finally getting close to the home stretch on a poor negleted stashed in a barn for 20 years..63 Bug. Needed alot more repair as a few hundred mice had turned this car into a housing project. When the door panels were removed the doors channels were overflowing...ugh..and every crack, crevice and opening were the same way. LOTS of patching and welding. Anyhow, it rolled out of the paint booth where my son installed a beautiful stock white headliner. Its on the rack now and all the glass except the door windows are in, all fenders are bolted down with new black fender welting and rear bumper is on. Outer chrome, door handles and left running board is on. Today the door glass, front bumper and rt. board gets put on. After that its carpets and door panels..black..and new white basket weave seats. We did a 12 volt conversion and freshed 1500 is about ready to go. Lots of work.
 

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Sweet! not sure whether it is smiling or sticking its tongue out but either way, that looks lovely
 
Buffing patch to prop the hood up..new trunk seal wasn't in yet. Telling everyone its a soul patch...ala Howie.
 
If Lightning McQueen was a Beetle, this would be him! Where's Doc, Mack, Miss Sally and Mater?? :smile:
 
That's lovely! I'm jealous! It's definatly sticking it's tounge out at me!
 
Today the front bumper gets installed and then the carpets get installed. I hope the owner will be happy but it seems that the more you do..the less they appreciate it. That why this will be the last customer service Bug...or any type car...will roll out of the shop.
 
Been there Jack.. I worked in a resto shop doing TRs and MGs for a couple years. the higher the level of detail you put in, the more critical the owner becomes. (talk about something that'll keep your ego in check!) It's why I don't do any customer work out of my garage here. I can make nyself happy with my work. I don't need the hassel of trying to please someone else.
 
Yesterday the owner of the 63 Bug called me and we talked for about 45 minutes. Every other sentence was an apology for how he has acted. He said our long freindship means more than any vehicle. I sent him a group of pics and he is elated. Told me not to rush..and he'll wait as long as it takes. He is of the Morman faith and his wife took him aside and told him he wasn't acting like he should...to anyone...and he needed to start making amends. He started with me and it was heartfelt. Now I feel bad and am doing all I can do to act the same way. Funny how things work out.
 
I kinda look at it as Glass Half-full... had clients fall over themselves with glee at what they received and clients dissatisfied no matter what. The "happy" ones usually outweighed the grousers to me. Usually the complainers were trying to find a way to cut corners (read: expenses) and usually were weeded out BEFORE any real work was done. Punters need not apply...

Phone calls like: "I have a problem (blah, blah..). What do you think it could be?"

A: "Well, I dunno... put th' car onna phone an' I'll ASK it."


OR... Q: "How much would you charge to change the oil and plugs"

A: "How many of each do you want us to change?" Followed by rate quote.

Q: "How much if I supply the oil & plugs?"

A: "Same as if we do."

Q:"Huh?"

A: "Try takin' two eggs over to McDonald's and ask 'em to make you a McMuffin."

Q: "...oh..."

*click*


:devilgrin:
 
And then there's the ones who come in to have a water pump
replaced,& call a few days later & complain that their radio
quit working the next day,& that they expect you to replace it-
for free.

- Doug
 
Had a guy show up one day with a car...non VW..and ask how much to paint it. Said I had to see car. said he'd have to trailer it as all body work was done, it was all"prepped" taped and ready to shoot? Sure enough, the dents and scrapes had been filled and troweled flat(sort of) looked likehe had used a grinder to sand it, it had been masked at least months before so that meant the tape was part of the permanent fixtures...hard as steel. What could a person say?? And he supplied the paint..someone had had some leftover materials so he had a blend of what looked like a bad soup. Would of had to been shot with an undercoating gun. I thought for a bit and told him 4k. He was stunned andasked why? I was disappointed when he declined:smile:
 
AngliaGT said:
And then there's the ones who come in to have a water pump
replaced,& call a few days later & complain that their radio
quit working the next day,& that they expect you to replace it-
for free.

- Doug
Click to expand...


Yup... that's th' "You TOUCHED it!" syndrome.

Had a cricket bat behind th' counter for the really <span style="font-style: italic"> insistent </span> ones.
Only had t' use it once. :devilgrin:
 
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