What to say to garage owner when you find Nuts/Bolts after completed work??
 

I try to do as much work as I can on the car - I really enjoy it like most people here. Occasionally I'll need to take it to a shop for whatever reason: time, tools, expertise. I always take a look at the finished work / work area for anything that might be out of place, fasteners, etc. I work in aviation and this not just encouraged but often required so it's a habit.

Over the years I have found a few things, nuts,bolts,washers, tools, rags. It is rare thankfully. Recently, I've taken my car to a long established and respected Porsche only garage here and found two items after one visit. I understand that techs are human, we all make mistakes but how do you confront the shop owner with tact and at the same time ask him to be a little more careful.

I'd like to use the shop again if needed. Any replies appreciated...

"Just so you know, after i picked up my car, I found these these two nuts/bolts (hold out hand to show) sitting here (point to where found)."

Any extra tools you find you get to keep. And Porsches have lots of extra parts. :D

I still have an extra alternator nut that just turned up after a day of DIY.

Aye- whoos nutz r deez?

Kidding aside; tell them "hey, I found this hardware- what's it's from?". They may have had new hardware that came with a replacement part or they may have missed something important. Definately worth while asking...IMO

If he has a sense of humor and you really like their work otherwise, maybe:

"I found these extra nuts and bolts after you repaired my car. Thanks for the extra fasteners. Do you think I might need them?" Wink. wink and smile.

If he doesn't get the subtle hint and doesn't offer you something at no cost, I'd go with the direct approach, "Your tech was probably busy. Can you put these back in my car where they belong?"

Sherwood

So, this is that hardware you are charging me for. I always wondered where all that hardware went and now I know.

or, so this is that rattle you cannot replicate.......

I agree with the tactful approach mentioned above by a couple of posters, but the real question is, what are they and where do they go? If it's something from an external part like a sheet metal screw and you can find the lacking attachment point, no big harm. But, if it can't be determined what it is or if it looks like something from a concealed point, I'd ask for the car to be examined. You don't need 3 of the 4 nuts on the back of your alternator, for example, you need all 4. Same with intakes, etc.

Show us the parts.

It obviously depends on what type of relationship you have with the shop, and depends on the 'humor' in the shop. You know, do they like to joke around, are they 'serious' all of the time, etc. Can you give them a hard time about it, would they take it as an insult, etc.

Either way, I think the's response is quite appropriate. Not rude, yet tactful. I like it.

If it's a rod bolt I would find a new shop.

Thanks guys,
One of the items I had mentioned was addressed when I picked the car. The stray bolt was found several days later and I knew where that had come from. I hope these are just isolated incidents - I like the response that 'the' had the best.

Hilarious!

Really. Sort of a get-to-the-point kind of guy? Can't disagree, I'm a bit that way myself. But... it didn't come naturally, the world as it is has made me more so. I guess that's why I'm not going to be much longer in a service business. (contractor)

I have come across this a number of times over the years. I see strange kinship with Milt.... I'm getting to be more of an old crumudgeon than I care to admit....but some of this stuff just rankles me.

One time, as I was pulling up to the garage to pick up my (non Porsche) car, I could see... from a distance...that my hood was "bulged" but closed on the driver's side . When I parked and walked over to the car, I popped the hood ( "jumped" was more like it...not "popped")...because a 6" long x 1" diameter brass fitting ( A/C work?) was still resting in my hood "channel" that formed the inner fender...as the hood was "forced" closed. Plus....a few razor blades and a 1/4" ratchet was found still on my air cleaner, with some cut-off hose pieces and other eflua !!!

Ya gotta wonder..yeah, I had a few words with the shop owner telling him he was lucky the hood was not permamently deformed during this escapade..otherwise my demeanor would not simply have been "angry" at the time!

- Wil

A mechanic I know used to work in a dealership. For fun, these guys would do stuff to mess each other up. One of the most dastardly was to place a wrist pin circlip on someone's work bench just as they finished installing a newly rebuild engine back into the vehicle.

What makes me laugh, because I'm tired of crying, is that it is so hard to find a good technician, when you finally do find the guy who sees things your way, you don't want to do any possible thing to scotch the relationship.

I think that you just have to put on your most sincere face, keep your voice even and relaxed and ask if you should be concerned about this problem you just noticed. No funny business, no feigned anger, just a business deal.

Makes me wonder about the cars on the road where the folks who pick up the repair job don't ever think about it again. Just drive off on their merry way.

PS to Wayne - I'm liking what I'm seeing with the new interface.

mo

My father was down on vacation and was very concerned by a 'thumping" noise in his Carrera. I dropped the sway bar and had a neighbor weld the mount.

Dad doesn't work on cars, so stuff like this can be a tad overwhelming for him. He watches very carefully, and although he doesn't really understand what's going on he is a bit of a nervouse nellie and asks a lot of anxious questions.

Just before I set the car back down, I slid the biggest, longest bolt & washer I could find right under the area I had been working on. Then I backed the car out and sure enough, his eyes go to the big bolt.

him: "What the HELL is THIS for?!!"
me: "huh. I dunno"
him: “Well it looks pretty important!!”
me: “well the car sounds fine… I wouldn’t worry about it.”

I let it go on for a while

That is effing cruel !!!

I have disassembled engines to the grounds and brought them back up, and there will always be left over old nuts-bolts where I have had to replace them with new ones. No sins, no harm there.

But, if the remaining items are critical, and you know it, then find a new shop after you make them replace the items.

One more reason to do things yourself. That way you know who to blame when the extra wrist pin circlip is found after the engine test run.

a few years ago after having my old VW golf worked on, i opened the engine lid a few days after getting it back and found a pair of long...like 15 inches long, needle nose plyers sitting on top of the motor. how it didnt fall into the serpentine belt i will never know. i liked the plyers so much i never said anything because i was afraid they would demand them back :-) ive since used them a ton

I'm just an amateur, but am so anal about my 911, that I've never HAD to take her to a shop (yet). I've eliminated the "need" by acquiring the knowledge and tools as I go along, but YMMV. Unless "time" is the biggest factor, with your background, why not do it all yourself?

I once found a screwdriver on TOP of the IO-320 engine in my Citabria after I removed the cowling to check for oil leaks following a very comprehensive annual inspection.

This was AFTER the 20 minute flight from the mechanic's airport to my own. The screwdriver remained in place the whole time.

So I politely said, would you like your screwdriver back, I found it on top of my engine when I got home. I then watched the mechanic for his reaction.

A guy with professional pride who's made an honest mistake will react in a certain way.

Needless to say I developed the habit of removing the cowling BEFORE taking off following the annual.