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Shop owners? Warranties?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by CHOPSHOP, Dec 10, 2007.

  1. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA

    If you own a shop- what is your warranty policy?

    Do you try to make right even if its afte an extended period of time (more than 90 days) or do you have a cutoff? (statute of limitations? :eek:)

    Just curious cuz Im hearing lots of variations from people out here from NO waranty if the car isnt finished in the shop that started it to a one year warranty on EVERYTHING no matter what....
     
  2. 302GMC
    Joined: Dec 15, 2005
    Posts: 7,874

    302GMC
    Member
    from Idaho

    Depends on what breaks, who drives it, what caused it, and what it'll cost do do it over.
     
  3. SlowandLow63
    Joined: Sep 18, 2004
    Posts: 5,958

    SlowandLow63
    Member
    from Central NJ

    Not a huge shop at all, more a side business. I offer no written warranties, but depending on the situation I'll definitely try to make it right. However, being that I mostly do paint work, I rarely see any comebacks unless a product failed.
     
  4. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA

    What if the guy took 8 months or a year to get back to you for something that could have been fixed right away (misfit or oil leak or something of that nature) or that may not have broken had they contacted you earlier ?
    What if your paint chipped badly due to storage of where the car was at?( or that you guessed thats why- you couldnt prove it)
    Just throwing out scenarios here...
     

  5. 52 HenryJ
    Joined: May 19, 2007
    Posts: 576

    52 HenryJ
    Member

    Were not a automotive shop but we do work on gas pumps and build new stations as well as rebuild customers older pumps i.e. Tokheims, Bennets Waynes and Gilbarco. We do 90 days time and material on all field and shop work.
     
  6. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA


    What if it was 100 days out?
     
  7. 52 HenryJ
    Joined: May 19, 2007
    Posts: 576

    52 HenryJ
    Member

    depends on the problem really, we get alot of people think that they can do the work themselves and really screw our work up. in that case they get charged, if its something that one of my techs did then yes we would honor it.
     
  8. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA

    What if you couldnt prove it was your tech or the customer ?
     
  9. 52 HenryJ
    Joined: May 19, 2007
    Posts: 576

    52 HenryJ
    Member

    Actually had that happen customer got charge for the parts we ate the labor. at 69.50 and hour it hurts but its call customer service, and the petroleum business is a little cut throat. A question what actually happened?
     
  10. HotRodPaint.com
    Joined: Nov 24, 2007
    Posts: 422

    HotRodPaint.com
    Member

    Another painter here.

    My warranty is simple...If it is something I could have prevented, I fix it, for as long as my customer owns it, no time limit.

    I can't guarantee old bodywork, someone else's poor paintwork or welding, gas damage and rock chips,... but I can prevent blistering, cracking, peeling or fading of my work.

    Use good materials, take the time to do it right, tell the owner how to care for it, and it will last. If he doesn't want to spend enough to do it this way, I politely refuse the job.
     
  11. SlowandLow63
    Joined: Sep 18, 2004
    Posts: 5,958

    SlowandLow63
    Member
    from Central NJ

    If it happened to chip on an area with known bodywork underneath that was mine... then yes. Someone elses bodywork... doubtful. In the middle of nowhere... doubtful again. I always tell my customer's how to care for a fresh job and how to keep it looking fresh. Plus if there are any decisions made by the customer up front (like a scuff and shoot, someone else's bodywork underneath my paint on top) basically if I'm not the one doing the entire job, I make sure the customer knows I can't be held fully responsible and I reccomend to start fresh.
     
  12. macracing
    Joined: Dec 4, 2005
    Posts: 21

    macracing
    Member
    from Kokomo, IN

    I used to build junior dragsters as a business. I offered a lifetime (mine) guarantee, no matter what happened, or whether you were the first or 10th owner. I haven't built a new junior in 10 years, but I have replaced nose pieces, welded chassis cracked by improper loading, made new body panels, etc, and plan to honor my guarantee until I cannot. I have made enough new friends to make it all worthwhile.
     
  13. 50fish
    Joined: Aug 27, 2007
    Posts: 157

    50fish
    Member

    I'm a one man home-shop specializing in the wiring of older vehicles. I warrant all my labor for the term of one year beginning from the time the vehicle is being driven and honor whatever the manufacturer's warranty is for the parts I use. This varies depending on the manufacturer. For this reason I only use known and reputable suppliers.
     
  14. metalman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,297

    metalman
    Member

    No written warranties- too many varibles involved. But... my customers know if I screw up I fix it, I stand behind my work, it's called a reputation. One of my competators has a simple policy, no warrantee for anything period. Gee, he doesn't get repete customers.
     
  15. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA


    I know Ill stand behind the work we provide with some minor provisions:

    • You need to give me a chance to make it right (bitching and moaning about it ISNT asking me to fix it ....)
    • You must not have another shop touch the car.
    • It must be within a reasonable time frame - usually 90 days , but still reviewed on a case by case basis.
    • You must be willing to communicate with me in a professional manner- I'm not going to work with you if you are screaming & cussing in my face.This is a business after all- you wouldn't act that way in your Dentists office or Wal Mart... (you'd be arrested!)
    In my eyes, once the car is touched by another shop ANY warranty I may have offered becomes null and void . Thoughts on that? :confused:
     
  16. mykwillis
    Joined: Sep 27, 2007
    Posts: 282

    mykwillis
    Member

    my philosophy is ....

    you do a customer right and they'll tell a couple people

    you do a customer wrong and they'll tell everyone they know

    now it doesn't matter if i did everything right and nothing wrong, if a customer is unhappy i try to do everything possible in there eyes to make it right.

    occasionally there are those customers you just can't make happy no matter what.
     
  17. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA

    so if a customer told you many months later something may be wrong, AND it was already being fixed by another shop- what woukld you do then? Still warranty the work and pay the new shop to do it? Null and void? Give them cash back-even though you didnt see the car in person before it was ripped apart?
    Just curious
     
  18. zman
    Joined: Apr 2, 2001
    Posts: 16,730

    zman
    Member
    from Garner, NC

    Nothing, they need to bring it to me...

    Oh hell no...

    again a big no....

    if they didn't bring it to me, and I didn;t see it before they took it apart I can't warranty it at all.. that part is just common sense..
     
  19. mykwillis
    Joined: Sep 27, 2007
    Posts: 282

    mykwillis
    Member


    no, no, and no. LOL! i'd take the hit on that one.

    this would fall into the "nothing will make this customer happy" category. :D
     
  20. JustDave
    Joined: Jan 22, 2007
    Posts: 92

    JustDave
    Member

    90 Days parts and labor warranty new parts only, used parts or customer provided parts no warranty. Usually fix stuff for a year or so without a problem except obvious abuse.
    That being said my customers pay my bills and I like to keep them happy. I usually do whatever it takes within reason to keep them that way. If they treat me with respect I go way out on a limb to keep them happy. A stated warranty is a legal agreement for how long you have to put up with a jackoff.
     
  21. CHOPSHOP
    Joined: Jun 26, 2005
    Posts: 1,919

    CHOPSHOP
    Member
    from Malden,MA



    My thoughts exactly.:D Its amazing what some people think they can do because you worked on a car for them. As much as I love playing with metal and paint- its still JUST a car- no reason to feel you own the builder or painter or body guy... Slavery is gone as far as I know... ;)
     
  22. SlowandLow63
    Joined: Sep 18, 2004
    Posts: 5,958

    SlowandLow63
    Member
    from Central NJ


    1. - Thats how to get a door slammed in your face.

    2. - Correctamundo. That means you don;t want me to fix it, that means ti has nothing to do with me anymore.

    3. - Definitely

    4. - Thats how to get my fist slammed in your face... Not really probably still the door.

    Unless you put a motor in it and the other shop changed a tail light bulb and the problem is with the motor, then yes. But if you put a motor in it and another shop changes the cam, then hell ya. If I paint somehting and another shop rubs it again a year down the road, I don't know him anymore.
     

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