911 marcup - help finding adjustment valve

Porsche_911s · Porsche_911s's Garage

I have searched and searched and even read Wayne’s books looking for either a manual or automatic adjustment for the 911 marc-up but I cannot find one. Does anyone know how to cap or lessen the 911 marc-up?

So here is what happened… I get a plumber to come out to my house to give an estimate on replumbing a water softener that the PO f’ed up. I ALWAYS cover my car when people I do not know are around. The plumber never says a word, gives me an estimate of $400 to $500 estimate on the work. I do not like ranges so I ask the guy to nail down his estimate. He does this all the time, be a little more specific. So he winks at me and says $425 to $450. This company was recommended by a friend who says they are honest and do good work… So I make an appointment ask the guy if mind making a “T” in one of the connections and install a ball valve. Basically, I wanted a future water source. NO PROBLEM the guy says.

They come out today to do the work and I am forced to back the car out of the garage to get the work done. These two guys hoot and holler over my $9,000 SC. Even though I tell the story of blood, sweet, tears, and little money invested in the car, the guy gets done with my work and hands me a bill for $700. “$700???” I ask him? Well yeah, he proceeds to tell me that he gave me a quote for $500 to $700, and the extra work pushed it up.

Oh I was pissed… I reminded him of the conversation and the “wink” he gave me the first time. So he wants to knock it down to $600!! HA, I remind him I may be a poor County government employee but I know that 5’ of PVC and a ball valve does not push a quote up $150. I also reminded him that I work my ass off for everything I own. So we agree at $500 for the work done. $450 plus $50 “change order.”

This crap really pisses me off. Our cars are beautiful and should be admired but lets face it, not all of us are stock brokers. Some of us have to actually get dirty and earn our car.

So if anyone can point to the manual or automatic 911 marc-up control valve, I’d like to make some adjustments on mine. Apparently my “$9,000 SC” is out of adjustment and currently reads “$30,000 SuCker.”

sagolfer · 05-16-2008, 11:16 AM

Nice post.

The "911 marc-up control valve" must have a cloaking feature so the car cannot be seen when repair men are around. If you covered it up they would have thought it more valuable so that would not have worked I think.

dshepp806 · dshepp806's Garage

Actually, it's the idiots doing the work and their need for a "911 mark-down control valve".

HarryD · 05-16-2008, 01:29 PM

Check here. They may have exactly what you need.

Zeke · 05-16-2008, 02:32 PM

I don't know what the contractor laws are in your state, but I've would have been reminding him not about the verbal estimate, but about the whole picture and what was wrong. IOW, time to file a formal complaint for illegal contracting, that is, not presenting the up charge in writing before finishing up (if not before that). It's tantamount to "bait and switch."

And, you can always tell a jerk like that he has enough money in the truck he drives that you could have THREE SC's for the price. It's predictors like this that caused me to not re up my license. I don't want anyone to know that was what I did for 38 years.

Housemaids get more respect.

HarryD · 06:49 PM

Stephen,

Sounds like you got hosed.

Take as a lesson to be learned and figure out how to keep it from happening again. I have paid for this lesson as well and I think many of us here have. Like Milt said, the guy is a classic example of how to hose the buyer. Say anything to get the job, forget the verbal promises, and cream them on a change order.

I help manage construction contracting for my employer. Always, always, always get it in writing. The truth is that a wink and a nudge do not constitute a contract. If you are not sure of the exact scope, do not agree to the work. A quality contractor will always give you a detailed breakdown of what they are doing, how much it will cost and how long it will take. If they do not give you that info, walk away. If the info makes no sense, challenge it and decide if they are reasonable.

Milt, FWIW, I know not all contractors work this way and I go out of my way to seek those that play fair.