jamesw6810 80 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Right, i need to vent so you guys are going to hear it Gets a call at 1pm today, the mother in laws crappy mk4 tdi has broken down and wont start, so being the caring son in law i down tools and go and help her. After 10 mins i diagnose a starter motor issue, as in its goosed. I tell her to ring her aa,rac or whatever to tow it back to mine and ill look at sorting it, well she doesnt have any of that cover so i use my green flag bearing in mind i pay for that. I then use my car to go and get a new starter from ecp, £65 plus a £24 surcharge when you return the old part, i pay for this as i have kindly collected it for her. Take the part home, fit the new part and the car is up and running again, turnaround time of 3 hours which im being realistic to say a garage would have been more like 3-4 days minimum. Anyway, part fetched ,recovery used and fitted all by me, she then drops the cash round, £65.....so im like erm its £89 not £65, she then says which near enough knocked me over " well youll get the surcharge back wont you when you go and take it back where you got it from", now im a nice guy but if the little one wasnt there id have pretty much planted my boot in her mush. So after totally sorting her out for free, using my cover for free, fetching the part for free i have now technically payed her £24 for the pleasure of fixing her car for her. Now familys family but oh my god!!!!! Rant over VR6Pete and damian8588 2 Link to post Share on other sites
VR6Pete 1,455 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Sorry I lol'ed at the last sentence You can choose your friend, but you can't choose your family Link to post Share on other sites
Reaperx 181 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Unfortunately that's normally the case when working on a family members car. I remember fixing one of my cousins cars I replaced half the exhaust every single break component pipes, shoes, pads even the compensator valve. I spent a week staying back after work in a dark garage with a dodgey back. I never charged a penny labor only the main parts at trade discount showed him all invoices. I even loaned him my spare car for a week to get to work. My car came back with a smashed rear light and he told everyone I over charged him and ripped him off. Moral of the story don't work on family cars or as someone once told me favors cost fivers and cash up front. Link to post Share on other sites
jamesw6810 80 Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 I didn't expect any labour cash at all, I'd never charge family for anything but also didn't expect to pay £25 to fix someone else's car!! Bloody mother in laws, at least their daughters don't end up like them usually, oh wait!! Bealieboy 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Reaperx 181 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) They say the turn into their mum eventually Edited March 11, 2014 by Reaperx damian8588 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Bealieboy 1,625 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Sounds good. This is a good one too, but not vehicle related. My mum calls me to collect a three piece sweet and on a separate occasion a washing machine. "Yes" I say, "no problem both times. Here's the lesson to be learnt. Always ask after saying yes, have the items been paid for, or else like me you'll fund the fuel for The 100 miles to collect and deposit plus you'll actually buy the items for her too!!! Left me best part of £200 down. Good old family eh! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites
The Monk 50 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 You learn which family members to help out and which ones to "assist" with cash for parts before hand.This is one of the reasons I steer clear of a lot of old friends and family. Something for nothing with a kick in the happy sack as a thank you. Bealieboy 1 Link to post Share on other sites
damian8588 11 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 i Agree with you the monkSent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites
Bealieboy 1,625 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 The monk has hit the nail on the head. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites
jamesw6810 80 Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) It made it worse as i dropped the machine polishing to sort it out for her aswell, so double hit...£25 out of pocket and lost 3 hours on the vr6!! Feels like ive had a good day, i want to kick her in the fangita!! Edited March 11, 2014 by jamesw6810 daveyboy 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Bealieboy 1,625 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hahahahaha.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites
Jakeyb 23 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 id get a valve removal tool... take the core out her valves on the drive... wait for the phone call .. go round take the wheel off.... go back home have a brew ... re insert core .. blow tyre up ... take the wheel back and say u had the puncture repaired or a part worn fitted ... charge her X amount for the service ... all is well Link to post Share on other sites
Lukey. 381 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 I too learned this lesson years ago, don't do anything for nothing cos they won't do it for you. Link to post Share on other sites
Reaperx 181 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 I have also just been informed by one of my mates from work a smart repairer. That after servicing his v6 vectra and putting front end back together after a bump. Plus I also fixed his van (wich he needs for work). That he now doesn't want to refurb my wheels moral of the story fuck everyone else and you will have time to do your own thing. Nex and Daverse 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Daverse 175 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 True dat. Link to post Share on other sites
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