General Chat
Q:
Hi folks,
One of the things that restoring or putzing on a car has kept me in touch with, are the services needed to get things done. Case in point, I just got back from a week out of town, a week prior to leaving I left parts off at a powder coating shop that assured me they would be finished upon my return in two weeks. So I get back yesterday, go down to the shop today and, you guessed it, parts were right where I left them. The owner looks at me and says, "Sorry." I asked them if they remembered that I had a car show on Saturday and all that stuff and they said, "Yep, sorry, just didn't get to it."
Then I ordered some chrome parts that came in while I was away. I opened them up and they are rusty. Who doesn't notice rust on chrome?!! Didn't anybody look at these parts before they put them in a box? What the hell is going on?
Maybe I'm just looking at things differently lately, but it seems to me that this crap is happening a lot more in the last few years.
Oh well, just blowing off some steam. Everybody have a good one.
John
77280Z (Spooky), 83ZXT (Garage Queen), 86ZXT (Bulldog).
Proud owner of 10/03 Z car of the month.
A:
The PC shop probably put you off because a bigger (higher paying) job came in. The little guy gets left out a lot in these instances. Doesn't matter that you are paying full retail for the service and the bigger job is getting a better price per part. My media blaster is the same way. I drop off parts and say I'll be back in 3 days to get them. I get assurances that they will be done, no problem. I show up in 3 days and have to wait while they do them as I stand there..... I wasn't getting a super deal or anything, I could have gone to any one of 4 blasters in the area (which I will do next time). It's sad, but you get used to it. I travel a lot for work, so I don't have time to wait for stuff when I am home. I try to get everything out for prep while I'm gone, then pick it up for assembly or finishing when I get back. NEVER works.
1972 240Z 4-speed, header, 3.54 R200, Crane XR-3000 Ignition, 280Z tach, Tokico Blue Struts, Suspension Tech Springs, Poly Bushings. Visit me at my website for your custom EFI & restored Datsun parts
A:
What you can do is if you need a part, just call then every few days and get status. That way you won't be surprised 2 weeks down the road when you go and try to pick it up...
A:
Easy solution to this. Don't just change shops , which you must do, but tell them why. You can not work on a deadline with people who fail to fullfill their promise to you.
1993 300zx NA
A:
People are just generaly lazy.......Why powder coat something today when I got 2 weeks to do it, I mean what the hell I'm only getting paid $8.00 hour & if the boss doesn't bug me about it I'll just ignore it till it becomes a problem. Hey lets go out back & blow a hoola.
This whole world smells bad, I'd buy another if I had
back what I paid for another mother@#$%@# in a motorcade
A:
You gotta do it yourself these days unfortunately. Declining Western Civilization is in it's death throes and the lemmings are everywhere.
Injector Cleaning Service
THE FREE ONLINE INDEPENDENT Z STORE
Email me to add your product
A:
Hi folks,
Wow, I'm kind of happy and sad all at the same time. I'm not alone and it's crappy for everybody. Sounds like a theme for a Woody Allen movie. I called the guy later and expressed my discontent. His response was exactly Jmanz6 said, he can't sacrifice the better paying jobs for the little ones. I agreed with him but asked him the next time to just say that he can't do it. I told him that I understand, "I can do it," and I understand, "I can't do it." Both statements at the same time confuse me. Blue, I hate to say it, but unfortunately, I think you're right. If you get a chance, listen to George Carlin's latest CD. It's pretty funny and addresses that very issue.
Oh well, better luck next time. Thanks again for the responses.
John
77280Z (Spooky), 83ZXT (Garage Queen), 86ZXT (Bulldog).
Proud owner of 10/03 Z car of the month.
A:
Contractors often have large repeat customers they need to take care of at a moments notice. Sucks for the small fry but that's the way it is.
Here in CT when they wanted to decentralize emissions testing they ran in to a problem. Most all the gas stations have dumped their repair biz. Most just sell gas and transformed the bays into snack shops. Very cooperate in my particular area.
People just think of transportation as a monthly payment & just take it to the dealer. Very few parts stores abound as well for that matter. All but one of the speed shops are gone. That one stocks very little.
As TonyD has touched on past threads the overall “state of the art” of mechanical skills is disappearing in my estimation. To bad, CT during WWII pumped out lots of aircraft engines and had tons of capable machinists at one point. Hence the duel meaning of “Bridgeport”.
I have to almost mail order everything.
-Pete
1978 Z ATK F54-P79
Drink Sobe No Fear Gold
Tokico Illuminas, Poly bushings,Techno Tuning TC rods. Bad Dog frame rails. Toyota 4 piston calipers & power slot rotors. MSA 2.5” turbo exhaust & K&N cold air intake. H4’s
A:
"Most all the gas stations have dumped their repair biz. Most just sell gas and transformed the bays into snack shops. Very cooperate in my particular area."
"I have to almost mail order everything."
Ditto for here in the great white north. It's all gone downhill. I think there is good money to be made in servicing the lemmings though.
Injector Cleaning Service
THE FREE ONLINE INDEPENDENT Z STORE
Email me to add your product