Relation with LFS owner turned sour

h2o

h2o

Member
I am in exhaust business, and one LFS owner and I share many same groups of customer. So one customer convinced him to put dual exhaust Flowmaster on his 99 suburban 4wd, so he came to me.
He insisted on putting a 2 chamber flowmaster on his big, 5.9L engine, even i tried explaining to him the consequence of excess noise and others. It's my job to tell him, but he said everyone told him to use 2 chamber. To make the story short, his wife the primary driver said I damaged their suv and want me to "fix it" and the owner is so frustrated why it's so damn loud and activate every alarm he drives by.
So I told him i can give partial credit by taking that "used" muffler out and put the right size flowmaster on for him, but he would have to pay the extras. He think i am ripping him off and would ask his friends and let me know monday.
So here I am at home laughing out loud, I tried to kiss a LFS owner's ass by giving him a flowmaster job at cost to get good prices in return for my reef tank, and he blames on me and said I ripped him off <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
suddenly I think about the blue damsel he once sold to me for $16.99 and a small DTS for $25.99
maybe it's really time to change another LFS.
 
drummerboy

drummerboy

Member
He charged you $16 for a blue damsel?! It's definitly time to change to a different lfs! <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" /> Even the most expensive store in G.R. only charges $5.
People can just be like that sometimes I guess huh? It's really frustrating, sorry to hear about it. If he's charging you that much for a damsel though, not even half off at his store would be a good deal, so I'd say it's just time to take your business elsewhere.
 
kris walker

kris walker

Active Member
Hi H2O,
I don't think you will lose much business if he stays pissed at you (unless it is a very small town). Most of the time, lfs customers don't ask the lfs owner for exhaust advice as you know. And if he comes right out and says "don't get exhaust work done by him" to customers at his counter, it would be so out of place at a lfs that most customers would probably suspect a grudge (and therefore not take the uninvited advice seriously).
If you did explain to him the excessive noise issue, and he chose the 2 chamber system anyway, he should not only pay for the new parts, he should also pay for the labor! You are doing him a huge favor by giving him partial credit. Perhaps you can remind him of that if he stays pissy, if the atmosphere is right of course.
One thing to think about though for future customers, is the guy that came to you just a non-trusting kind of guy, or is it possible you accidently gave him a reason to second guess your good advice?
EDIT: I would change after this issue blows over because of the prices you report. They are outrageous.
Best wishes,
kris
 
kelly

kelly

Member
At his prices I would not have bothered doing business with him in the first place. Secondly, it is not your responsibility to give him partial credit, unless you really want to.
I would be careful dealing with him... you warned him, and if I were you, I would recommend that he takes his business somewhere else. If you do the work, make sure you charge him full price, he charged you about 3 times full price on the damsel.
Do yourself a favor and treat business as business, and don't do favors(related to your business), usually they will come back and bite you!!
 
h2o

h2o

Member
worse yet, i just realized the check he wrote me is bounced. just got a call from the office. what the *(& :(
Yeah.....his price is up and down, you can imagine how much $$$ I spent before I joined this site. I mentioned the price to him and he didn't remember, but said the damsel must had been purchased from his "show tank."
well that fish last 2 years before it disappeared in the tank.
 
predator

predator

Active Member
And his check bounced!!! He would not only eat the service and have to go else where. But I would be on top of the bad check as well.
As for the million dollar damsel su=ituation. There is a lfs store here that is pretty outrageous. And even thery will let you mix&match 3 damsels for $15.
 
blondenaso1

blondenaso1

Member
Was it a business or persoanl check he wrote you for the work? If it was a business check call the bank and see if they can put a lean on his shop until he pays up. That would be the ultimate revenge for the million dollar damsel and all the hassle he caused you. Who knows, maybe he wouldn't pay and you could become a LFS owner LOL!! I have 2 chamber flowmasters and an H-pipe on my mustang and I love um and all the noise they make!! Thank you Florida for no emmissions check!
 
h2o

h2o

Member
<img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" /> <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" /> My bookkeeper just called and shouted at me for this bounced check. Not only the bank charges us a penalty fee for it, the mechanic gets paid on the percentage of job price, but the price is way below reasonable figure. So it's a loss.
All because of my Reef Hobby. :D
 
M

mr.bubble

Guest
GET A LAWYER! i pay $0.50 for a blue damsel at my lfs. find a new lfs and kiss that one goodbye!
 
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