i was down at cylinder head supply on minnehaha ave in minneapolis looking to get my heads done. the guy came highly recommended because his dad built a good reputation. well needless to say, as soon as he looks at the stuff he starts telling me everything is junk and look at spending 6 bills., i order up a new set of valves because the price was right, already had the springs before, and went back two weeks later to see my heads still sitting on the shelf. he tried to get smart with me about how he wasnt going to get his cut on the parts. i said no different than if i had just stuck the new stuff in the assembled head n brought it to you...if anyones time was wasted it was mine....i could have had my heads back two weeks ago...lol.. needless to say i took my stuff, i went back to rooster n they continue to give me great service at a fair price. so let that guy put himself out of business. seems stories about him are starting to get around lately about ripping guys off.

 

Alot of that crap going on. It seems like people just don't care anymore.

It is like that idiot that has my 4X4. He is a small one man bodyshop, Not to many people know he exists. I took my truck to him to have the damage repaired from my accident because he was more econimical.

It was a understanding between him & I that since I was on layoff at the time, I would do as much work on the truck (in the heated garage) as my knowledge would take me. Then after I went back to work, he was to take over & finish the truck for me.
This was a good deal, I would of been able to learn a little about the trade as well as cut my costs by not paying him labor. Plus I would have had a great sensation of knowing I was a part of the recreation.

Well as you know, I rolled my truck last November. The only thing that has been done to the truck is the work I have done. I swapped cabs, front ends, put a new gas tank on, & have a bed sitting there waiting to be put on. I had all that done in March of this year. Did I mention that I did it all outside in the frigid temps?

Here it is October, 7 months after I did most of the work and it hasn't been touched that I know of. It wasn't touch two weeks ago when I was there, so I doubt anything has changed.

I have prepaid him a fricken grand already (this was before I knew nothing was going to be done). I am seriously thinking about telling him to put the truck back together in multi color form. Not to worry about the rust repair or paint. I'll drive it the way it is just to get it back. Sometimes you gatta walk away & take a loss, but the things you learn will prevent you from doing it again.

 

yea, i been hosed a time or two before, just makes me more defensive is all.

 

yep stay away from A&B Transmissions in Eagle Lake.
First they got me with a bait and swicht. then a month after my warranty my tranny went out, they told my to bring it in and they would look at it, so I did then they started to rebuild it without my aproval. That peed me off so I told them to stop where they were at, think that worked NO they rebiult the whole thing when I told them to stop. So now I have $2300 loss and a tranny in parts (they didn't even put it back together) in my garage.

 

I'm a mechanic by trade and I do good, fair work for a reasonable price. I pride myself in the work I do and in having satisfied customers. It really peeves me to see the handful of rotten apples ruin it for the rest of us who strive to keep this a respectable business. Too often these so called 'professionals' are just trying to make a quick buck anyway they can without thinking long term effects. Sure it's understandable to need to have more income with how slow business has been the last year or so. I just wish more technicians these days would understand that a trusting relationship with the customer is the most important aspect of a good reputation. This truly is the only way to have a successful business in any trade, especially over the long term. Just my 2 cents.

 

I 've worked for a few shops. Shops make money on parts sales so don't be to wissed at the cylinder head guy. Like my old boss used to say" you don't bring your own eggs to Perkins do ya?"

 

my stepdad has been a wrench for too many years also, and i have heard the wrap about customers bringing your own parts from him too many times, n most shops just wont warranty the work. but someone who comes with a good rep and has had a lot of good business sent his way by my stepdad shouldnt be trying to hose a guy,. i go back after two weeks and my heads are still sitting where i left them and i had the feeling i was interupting possible illegal activities when i went back, thats b/s. before that i started getting a wrap about how it will be costing me around 6 bills and about 8 to have done what i had done at rooster for 325. you cant undersell yourself, but you gotta feed a horse if you want to ride it. good business and a handshake seems to be a rareity and not often genuine now days. worse yet to make a remark like its no skin off his back is ridiculous, especially after my stepdad sent business from about a half dozen+ shops his way, and everyperson i can reach is just a little more skin in my opinion. after being taken a time or two you get that gut wrenching feeling something just wasn't right in that situation, and i gotta go with it, right or wrong.

 

My wife called me from work, on the night of my birthday. (Feb 3rd) The van won't start. I drove up to get her, and to look at it. It was snowing and sleeting, and the parking lot was soaked and sloppy. It's a 93 Ford Aerostar AWD. No problem, I'll hop under it, drop the starter and tomorrow, go pick one up and install it. Crawl under it with a flashlight, since it's already dark out, and look up at the starter, which is on top of the front driveshaft and not accessible without taking the front shaft out. No problem...I'll pull the front shaft. Did you know Ford used Torx bolts on the u-joints? Said, screw it, I'll call the local garage, I know the manager from high school. They towed it in and replaced the starter. I called the local auto parts place before I went to look at it, so I knew the starter was about $125...get the bill, and it's for $475. They charged me $250 for the starter that I know they didn't pay the full $125 for. I haven't been back there for anything, including free air since then, and tell anybody who asks not to go there. Most expensive birthday gift I ever got.