Etiquette about calling your mechanic | FerrariChat

Etiquette about calling your mechanic

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Husker, Jul 29, 2006.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    Here's the story:

    My mechanic (who I really like and think does an awesome job), has had my "new" 348 for about 2 months, doing the engine out service and fixing a few other odds and ends (refinishing wheels, etc).

    Of course, I'm restless to get my car (I've never actually even seen it yet). Is it unreasonable to call my mechanic once a week to check and see how things are moving along? It's getting very close to getting done, but I'm afraid that I'm bugging them to death by calling once a week.

    I also had planned two times to fly in and pick up the car (I'm 400 miles away), but it wasn't yet ready.

    Am I being a pest?
     
  2. mw575

    mw575 F1 Rookie

    May 30, 2001
    2,924
    Lake Oswego,Or
    Full Name:
    Martin J Weiner,M.D.
    2 months?? I think you have been unusually patient- a lot more than I would be!
     
  3. GCalo

    GCalo F1 Veteran

    Sep 15, 2004
    7,645
    Northern California
    Full Name:
    Greg Calo
    It's your car and your $. You'd be foolish not to keep after him. Two months? What could possibly take so long?

    I would have been there at least once after 30 days passed and it was not ready. Two months and you have not even seen the car?

    Get aggressive and find out what's going on. Get over there. What's 400 miles?

    Leave a car unattended and things happen about which you are unaware.

    Shoot, even Brian Crall doesn't take two months to fix a car!!!
     
  4. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Sep 15, 2004
    5,464
    VIR Raceway
    Full Name:
    Peter Krause
    It is not unreasonable to call him at least once a week. He probably should be calling you once a week. If you like and trust the guy, just lay it out for him. 2 months sounds a little long for a big service and a mild laundry list. We're not talking about making parts here. <grin>

    -Peter (used to take a lot longer than I do now because I wanted it perfect when my vision of perfect was perhaps not attainable. It's possible to do an excellent job in a reasonable period of time. I know that now...)
     
  5. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    I should clarify: This guy works on his own but is an absolute Ferrari expert. He does things the right way and fixes things that you don't even know need fixing. I have no problem with him.

    He told me when I bought the car that he was backed up with a couple of other Ferraris but he would get to mine as soon as he could. So I expected to wait at least 6 weeks anyway - I knew he was backed up before I took the car to him.

    He is awaiting an oil pump kit part (due in Tuesday) and then it's just a matter of putting everything back in.

    I just wanted to make sure a once-a-week phone call wasn't out of line.
     
  6. Javelin276

    Javelin276 Formula Junior

    Jan 16, 2005
    512
    Idaho
    Full Name:
    Thor Zollinger
    Once a week? I bugged mine about every 2 or 3 days, since his shop is right next to where I work. I wandered in and looked around at everything. I wasn't rude or anything, just curious. He also had me order all the parts, since my time finding them was less than paying his shop rate just to shop around.
     
  7. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Sep 15, 2004
    5,464
    VIR Raceway
    Full Name:
    Peter Krause
    Once a week is fine. It sounds like he was up front with the wait and, if he's waiting for the oil pump kit (update), he's doing a great job.

    -Peter
     
  8. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall
    Once a week, no problem.
    I have had customers call SEVERAL times per day INCLUDING Sat and Sun on my cell. That is a stalker, not a customer. Call once a week and don't worry.
     
  9. mark328

    mark328 Guest

    Jul 30, 2005
    664
    Mi
    Full Name:
    Mark
    I would find another mechanic....IMO 2 months is unacceptable and I think you have been more then patient.
     
  10. Michael B

    Michael B F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Apr 28, 2004
    3,758
    US of A
    Full Name:
    Michael
    This above sounds like a quote right from the McDonalds generation of this day & age.

    "If I cant have it now, then I will just go to another drive-through."

    Mark man, quality Ferrari repair is just not that easy to find. He did not order a hamburger & fries, he asked for a major on a 348 and the tech clearly told him that his car would be on the back burner. I personally think the time-line is accounted for.

    As for calling him: Once a week, no big deal. Like one above said, he may even call you that often if you would like him too.
     
  11. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Sep 15, 2004
    5,464
    VIR Raceway
    Full Name:
    Peter Krause
    Agreed, a straightforward engine out service is open and shut, but a few other "odds and ends" can easily turn it into an open ended deal. The tech is suggesting incorporating tasks that will prevent "comebacks" and insuring an even greater likelihood of a "successful outcome", just because of the rope given him by the understanding of huskerNtexas.

    This "got to have it now" idea encourages the questionable "shortcuts" I see people complaining about in the servicing and repair of their precious automobile. Better to have a relatively inflexible (in some cases, like Brian, very inflexible and uncompromising <grin>) tech and wait a little while than a crook.

    There are enough people who have good relationships with their service providers that most cars are pretty well cared for... Sounds like huskerNtexas will have a nice one when he's done.

    -Peter
     
  12. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    Drop by too.
     
  13. mark328

    mark328 Guest

    Jul 30, 2005
    664
    Mi
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Stupid statement......I have owned a Ferrari so yes I know that it's not a hamburger and fries and repairs do take time and money, but IMO 2 + months for a major service is unacceptable. A friend has a 348 and had a major service done with waterpump, a clutch and his brakes and that took 3 weeks from a busy independant Ferrari mechanic.
     
  14. Steve King

    Steve King F1 Rookie

    Feb 15, 2001
    4,367
    NY
    I would find this unacceptable. 1st I would check what the "normal" service time would take for the repair that you are doing. Also considering it is not an Fcar dealer then I would add maybe and extra 10-20% just for the small shop approach. Next on parts I would expect that he would expidite what ever is needed over the standard set of parts that he would have prior to starting your work. An Fcar from a service point of view and a quality point of view is no different then other high priced exotics. Apparently you don't work in an industry where a piece of equipment not being serviced whether PM'd or broken or waiting for parts will loose a few million dollars. I would call the guy every day and start taking price off of the lateness. Also would be the last job he would get. So if you have the time to wait 2-3 months of prime driving season then let your service guy keep your car. You're to soft IMO. Enjoy the ride
     
  15. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
    51,459
    SFPD
    Full Name:
    Dirty Harry
    Husker, having read both your initial post and the clarification:

    No, you're not being a pest.
     
  16. AMA328

    AMA328 F1 Rookie

    Nov 12, 2002
    2,518
    ABQ-67me68-OKC :)
    if this guy can't handle a call requesting 'status' on the car,
    he ain't much of a legit mechanic...
     
  17. fastback33

    fastback33 Formula 3

    Mar 8, 2004
    1,851
    @ Mark & Steve

    No disrespect but did you guys even read husker's second post? The guy works alone and was fixing one or two cars before his. If you agree to him fixing it when you know the details the mechanic is not at fault here.

    And I thought i was the impatient 20 yr old...
     
  18. davehelms

    davehelms F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2004
    4,629
    Full Name:
    Dave Helms

    Agreed.


    Husker,
    I have a customer in almost exactly the same position as you. Out of state, new owner, bought the car locally and had it delivered to my shop for a major service. This led to de-bugging a low mileage car, interior detail work, body shop work and is soon comming back to me for the finish mechanical work early this week. I too had 2 majors in front of him so it took a good while before his car was given front line attention. I have never even met the owner but I have to say he is one of the most patience people I have ever worked for and he is un-questionably on my favorite customer list. An absolute delight to work for and with.
    If you respect the tech and he is a pro, simply ask him what is proper. He will give you an honest answer. Any professional in this market feels for the customers situation when they are "car less" and wants it back in their hands ASAP. A car sitting around waiting for parts is one that takes up productive space that could generate income and becomes a scratch and ding risk for him. He wants it back in your garage as bad as you do, I can assure you of that. There are plenty of shops around that will, at any cost, get the car back to you in a week or two for this work. They have no problem charging you to go back in to do the job as this individual is attempting to do the first time. Playing a janitor, cleaning up messes left behind by the "do it quick" shops, is no fun at all. Remember, a pro in this field attempts to do a major service where they will only be doing oil changes for their customer for the next 5 years. Where others say "string him up", I say to thank him for his efforts to do it correctly the first time and ask him how you might be of help finding parts he might need. Just another view point from the other side of the tracks......

    Dave
     
  19. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 21, 2005
    15,291
    FL / GA
    Full Name:
    Bill Tracy
    I think the once a week call is just right. My $.02.
    BT
     
  20. J.P.Sarti

    J.P.Sarti Guest

    May 23, 2005
    2,426
    Sounds like you will not be getting your car back till winter, calling once a week really will not do much if he has something important to talk about he'll call you, with the arrangement you made with him I would call him every 2 weeks.

    I'll give a mechanic the time he estimates to do the work to complete the job alone after that depending how much is completed will determine how he will be treated, if nothing was done as promised I'll be all over him as his word means nothing.
     
  21. RossoCorsaItaly

    RossoCorsaItaly F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 9, 2004
    4,540
    LA | Austin |Miami
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    Once a week is fine.
     
  22. hetek

    hetek Karting

    Aug 8, 2005
    141
    LI, NY
    In a related circumstance:

    I brought my boat to my marina to have them prep it, launch it and put it in the slip - basic seasonal stuff. I called ahead to tell them it was coming (I left a voice mail). They know me well. I figured I'd be boating the next weekend.

    2 weeks later I get a call back: "We can't launch your boat because our lift is broken. You have to come pick it up". I thought all this time that they were in the process of launch preparation - not just letting it sit there. I find out that the lift was broken before I even dropped the boat off. No one called me saying "don't bring it". 2 weeks go by - wasted time.

    Moral: Communication is key. One phone call once a week in my opinion is fine. Perhaps your mechanic may have a question for YOU but he doesn't want to bother you with a call. Just to say "Hi - How's it going?" is good enough. An informal progress report, so to speak. It's not like your trying to pin him down about a completion date or anything.

    In my situation, NOT calling always opens the possibility that my job would be pushed further and further on the back-burner.

    Learn my lesson: Call once a week.

    (and my boat is STILL not in the water as I write this!)
     
  23. wrecktech

    wrecktech Formula Junior

    Jun 4, 2004
    368
    Fort Wayne, Indiana

    The guy I work with had a mustang in for a partial restoration. The customer wanted only from the back of the doors forward, specifically the rocker structure, and inner front structure restored. After the job was done he decided to have the rear of the mustang restored. He was informed that there were several customers, 6 months worth, ahead of him. He got pissed off and took it elsewhere. 3 other shops and 2 lawsuits later he got his car back and the left rear corner was down 3/4 of an inch and the right side was down 1 1/2 inches. Most often there is a waiting list for a reason. That being said a call every week or two isn't bad.
     

Share This Page