Would this burn your biscuts?

[fastfredracing]

Had a customer ask me to do head gaskets on their Xterra over the winter. When they approached me, I told them that I would be glad to do it, but it would be 3-4 weeks before I could start on it, as I had a few jobs backed up in front of them , and we were wrestling with the recent diagnosis of lukemia on our daughter.
They agreed, said they were in no hurry, and had it towed over.
4 weeks passed, and I still had not started. It has been a super busy year so far, and I had been missing quite a bit of work running back forth to the hospital etc. They started to ring my phone, and turned up the heat on me, saying they really needed the car.
I sucked it up , and came in on the weekend, and tore it down, sent everything out, and came in the next weekend and re-assembled . All the while , my lady pissed at me for going in to work instead of taking care of family issues at the time.
Got it all done, called them , gave them the bill ( spot on to my quote , except for a few extra parts in the valve train) , followed by radio silence.
It has now been 2.5 months since I finished . I have 1k out in parts and machine work, and they will not return my calls.
These are people that we both know, and they are well aware of my family's situation right now. To dick me around at this point in my life is pretty ****ty. I have sent them several polite, professional messages, and facebooked both of them , and still get no reply. I am guessing it is the money, but why bust my chops and turn up the heat on me if they had no plans on paying?
I just sent them one more final message , and if I get no reply in a day or so, I can see myself going def con 5 .
I hate going through the courts for this sort of thing, I really don't want their car, or the hassles of trying to sell it.
I guess it is time for me to turn up the heat. Any body up for a day of drunken 4 wheel drive debauchery?

[Rot 911]

If you still have the vehicle then get a mechanics lien and sell it. Life is too short to deal with azzholes.

[onewhippedpuppy]

If you still have the vehicle then get a mechanics lien and sell it. Life is too short to deal with azzholes.

This. Move on with life.

[Baz]

No excuse ever to not return a phone call to a person who is in the service business regarding a repaired item.

This is what led to my divorce, believe it or not. My wife took her TV in for repairs and a few days later the shop left a message for her that is has been repaired and is ready for pickup. She said she'd get it after her next paycheck (in 2 weeks!) I said well call the shop and let the guy know. She said "I don't need to." The shop called again and left another message several days later. I said look you have my last name now and you need to call the shop and let them know - or I will make the call. That was it - the final straw. At that point I didn't care - other things were running interference - but wow - how inconsiderate some people are when it comes to business protocol.

[LWJ]

Fred. These people suck. Mechanics Lien. Sell it. Spend time with the family. Sorry that some people can be so very selfish.

Best of luck on your medical issues.

Larry

PS - you have my permission to show my response to your question to these people if it will advance your cause.

[Rick Lee]

How easy is it to get a mechanics lien? And if you go that route and sell it, are you only allowed to keep the amount due to you and must pass the remainder along to the former owner?

[SiberianDVM]

I agree, mechanics lien and sell it. Maybe send certified letter first.

But the respect should work both ways. I took a top of the line A/V receiver in for repairs to good local shop that I had used many times before. Gave deposit and waited. I did not know that the business was now in sharp decline, partially due to illness of owner.

Called after 3 weeks, still in queue. Called later, parts of order. Called later, can't find parts. Called later, still looking. This goes on a while. Call one day and no answer. Same the next day. Finally go by there, and business is locked up with no note on door. Went by again a few days later, and the same. Walk around a bit and find a business a few doors down and ask them. They say the owner died and family is trying to clean up the place. I leave my name and number on door and with neighbor and I never get a call. So I'm out a $2000 receiver and my deposit.

[recycled sixtie]

That is awful Fred. You need that situation like a hole in the head. There are some incredibly pathetic people in this world. How is your daughter doing?

Guy

[aschen]

Yeah that is a bad thing to deal when you obviously have some more important things to take care of.


I would leave a polite message on every form of communication you have: "I regret that it has come to this, but I will keep the car for one more week. If you don't pick it up by XXX, I will take out a mechanics lien and sell it imidiately"

[Steve Carlton]

Fred- I have a feeling it's a bit of psychological payback for you dragging your heels on taking the car and starting on it (although you were swamped with family problems). How bad do you really need the $1K back? You've got their car. They probably are short the cash to pay you in addition to not feeling too guilty for treating you the way you treated them. What's the upside to lien selling their car, besides getting paid on your bill? Unless you need the money really badly, the downside in ill will seems greater to me.

[fastfredracing]

Not really about the money, I'm just sort of bitter that they lit the fire under me to hurry up and finish, and then when I was done, not just, a week, not two weeks, but 2.5 months have gone by. I was straight up with then about how much time I needed, and the cost before I could start.
No shame in being busy, and having big work booked out for a month.
I really just want it off my parking lot. I like to try to clean up all the stragglers mid summer, to do some maintenance on the lot, and keep it clear heading into winter so that I can plow .

[craigster59]

Advertise it for sale on Facebook, bet they'll see it and contact you.

[Steve Carlton]

Get a plow attachment for the Xterra.

Customers often suck. I suggest being the bigger man. Maybe park it somewhere else (especially so they can't take it with another key) and let it slide. I'm sure they need the car and would prefer to have it back. If they don't have the money, they don't have the money. I don't think having bad feelings between you after you sell it is going to help your business. They'll bad mouth you.

[fastfredracing]

You are 100% right. I always try to take the high road, although in my younger years, a few abandoned customer cars did end up in the woods.
I am sure it is about the money for them , but then why the urgency for me to get it done with no plans for making payment, or letting me know that they did not have the jack?
And while it is not really about the money for me, the 1k is what the job cost ME. I paid the machinist, and purchased parts. So I loose 4 days and and grand.
On a side note, little girl is doing well. She is on her 6th day out of her last chemo treatment and is still in remission. Hopefully , she will be home, and we can have our family whole again in 2-3 weeks. The whole treatment has been pretty smooth, and uneventful.She looks great, and seems happy and healthy. Cute as a button.
This was from a few weeks ago when she was last home

[Deschodt]

In the grand scheme of things, I wouldn't lose a moment worrying about the effing car and those people. They do not deserve your time... I sincerely hope your daughter continues to do well, that's the only important thing here. And yeah, she's cute ! Good luck !

[vash]

That is a cute kid!

You know the Nissan 's owner ? I'd knock on their door and ask them what the urgency was. All polite-like.


Sent via Jedi mind trick.

[Baz]

Fred - thanks for the awesome photo of your little peanut. I'm so relieved to hear that her treatments are going so well. Keeping her and her family in my thoughts and prayers...all the very best, Baz

[greglepore]

Fred-go to district magistrate court, you probably know the drill. Get a judgment for the full cost, court costs etc. Hold possession of the vehicle. Once the judgment is obtained, have a constable (court will do this for you) lien the vehicle and schedule a sale. Either they show up or you buy the vehicle for peanuts.

Yes, this just is more angina. But you've given them the opportunity to explain, and they've not stepped up, so f'em.

This is why self employment sucks much of the time.

[Bugsinrugs]

In the whole scheme of things your daughter being healthy and happy is what it is about. Everything else is just s-it. Your daughter is a doll. May she grow up and torture all the boys!

[wildthing]

When was their last Facebook post? Maybe they're dead. Or missing.