Gonzo

I recycle no# 2 plastics, cardboard, and metal. All of them I don't make a dime on. I've got a junk collector that takes most of the metal. Then, a little wierd, the art class from the college will come by and sort thru the metal parts and take choice pieces, ie. rotors, gears, odd shaped control arms...etc... Then they make sculptures out of it. They come by a few times a year and grab a load of worn out parts, sell their creations and raise money for school events.

If you mean my book.... yes if you mean this story... yes Most people when they read my stories that are not in the business read them with a chuckle. As one customer put it.... "It's amazing how the author has caught the customer out of their comfort zone and they don't even know it." (They didn't know it was me that wrote the book... even though my name is on the cover... go figure I compare it to: why do people watch police reality shows, why do people watch a car race, demolition derby's, boxing,etc... Why? To watch somebody other than themselves screw up.... That's where having the book in the lobby will get your customer to think, maybe even be more appreciative of your work. Once they see "the other side of the counter from our point of view" that customer who always thinks this business is out to screw them, may actually walk up, hold out their hand, and say "Thank You" ..... and mean it..... Gonzo and yes... of course I have a copy in the lobby... LOL

Sure it'll be signed... the book is free ... your just paying for the autogtraph... LOL Hope you like the book. Gonzo

As long as we're sharing.... sure.... Come on xrac....quit counting the small change... grab a cup, I'll pour... how do ya like it ?? cream and sugar? LOL

Well put...... it makes perfect sense.... nice article...

Thanks for sharing .... I'm glad the story touched you in a way to make everyone think about the customer and ourselves in a different light. And Joe, starting this website, and letting me introduce you to my stories is something I'm very proud of. As if you couldn't tell, I have a story for just about every situation. I try to write these stories so that each and everyone who works in the business can relate to them. I'm not writing them to be the next "Steven King" I'm writing these to help "tell the story of the repair business from our side of the counter" too many times the evening news wants to portray the repair place as something to fear, I'd like to change all that. Change it to the point, that it's a highly respected trade and less of the "jerk/rip off places" Well, I can dream can't I?? .... but with effort each and everyone of us can help put something in motion for the future techs and business owners. In the mean time.... xrac... you can collect the money... I'll sit back with Joe with some coffee and sign those books. Gonzo thanx again...

A Day to Reflect Sometime ago I had my first book signing at a local book store. Steve’s Sundry – Books and Magazines. It’s a landmark bookstore in town, everyone knows Steve’s place. It’s been in town for more than 60 years. It’s a great place for a large malt at the soda fountain, or browse around to find your favorite book. I’m not a well known author; I’m a mechanic/technician that wrote a book. I really didn’t think there would be a crowd of potential buyers and admirers at the book signing; I’m not that naive to think I would be bringing in a flood of new customers to the book store. So instead, I used the time to study the people that came in and out of the store. What a wonderful place, a book store. In the back of the store is an old counter with a bar and several bar stools. The counter, the soda fountains, and the bar stools are all original 50’s decor. With malt shakes and great sandwiches. You could take the whole day to browse for books while sipping on a shake or coffee. A very pleasant place, nostalgic and modern at the same time. One regular customer sitting at the end of the bar was sipping away on his coffee while texting messages on his Blackberry. On the other end there was an old couple who appeared to be in their 70’s reading the paper and browsing a book or two. I could see this Norman Rockwell painting of them pictured there for probably the last 40 years doing the same thing. My place for the day was at a little table next to the register. A large stack of my books was neatly spread across the table. People would walk by .. glance… and smile. The owner of the store would make short little references to my book and try to get people interested in talking to this so called “author” sitting there all solemn and quiet. The register was busy with small book purchases and a few patrons from the bar. Very home spun and relaxing, a lot of hello’s and “how’s the weather” comments throughout the afternoon. Some people would ask about the football game coming up and others would want to know where a certain book was. All this was going on while I sat there patiently waiting for the clock to roll around to my designated leaving time. Not that I wanted to leave, oh no, I was enjoying the atmosphere and the quiet nature of the daily workings of the store. That brings up the thought that came across my mind. Are these the same people that come to my shop with an attitude and misconceptions of the auto industry…..probably so. I have often wondered for many years that it must be my attitude that brings out the worst in people, but, the whole time I was sitting there I was still the mechanic, I was still the guy they needed to fix their car….however…these people didn’t know me as such…. I was an unknown author signing books. When someone would ask about my book I would tell them that it was a book about people and the daily happenings at a repair shop. That it was funny, but informative…and you would definitely get something out of it. If you knew a person in the auto industry this would make a great gift and they would get a great kick out of reading it too. Well, something like that anyway. Most of the time I would get a disagreeable - hmm. Others had that pondering look as if they were going back into their memory trying to find what was so funny about getting the oil changed on their car. And then walk away shaking their head. I didn’t find that in anyway offensive, or disrespectful. I found it to be a logical, and a very intelligent way for a person to state their opinion without saying much at all. I admire folks like this, the ones that can speak their minds without uttering a word. As each and every one of these patrons would checkout at the register they gladly paid for their things and gave a big thank you to the person behind the counter. I never heard one person ever ask “why does this cost so much”, “I think you shouldn’t charge so much for this sandwich”, “I know a place down the street that can do the same thing for half of what you’re charging.” Now that’s funny, that’s pretty much what I hear every day. What gives….? Oh, now don’t get me wrong… it’s not every customer that complains about the prices. I have many, many customers that are eager to pay for my time and service…even a few that think I’m not charging enough for what I do. I even have some that feel the need to leave a tip. It’s those that want to complain and complain and complain that irks me. I have even had them tell me that I should give them the part for what I paid for it. Does the book store give you the book for what they paid for it? Come on people…. I wish I knew why it is the way it is, but for some reason perfectly sane people arrive at an auto repair shop and become tyrants of evil forces. Is it the smell of 90 weight oil in the air? Could it be the constant groan of pneumatic tools in the background? I wish I knew. Maybe after I retire I’ll take a job somewhere pleasant…. Quiet, reserved, and ever so nostalgic…. Yea…. Like a book store. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As soon as that type of customer stops treating me as a professional... I stop treating them like a customer. I'm posting a new story today with similar topic, a light hearted look at it of course. Oh, and I don't negotiate... negotiations is a compromise of two different parties.... the original negotiation was that I would fix your car for "X" amount of dollars... enough said .... negotiations are over.

You'll fit right in. If ya ever need a few laughs... go to my website. www.gonzostoolbox.com

That MOTOR Magazine article says it all. I laugh at the old saying: "I'm telling all my friends that you're a rip off... etc.. etc.." My answer... friends like that... keep em' and I'm happy they are not going to be coming to my shop. On the other hand... I'll bet your friends know exactly what your like... so it's no surprise to them that "you act like a jackass".... I'm grateful to them all.... glad your gone ... FOOL! !

Nice to see ya here. I've ran a shop for over 27 years now. At times I've been by myself and at times I've had as many as 5 techs and several interns working at the same time. I'm not sure if it's the large number of techs that's important.....BUT.... do quality work, get to know your customers.... stand behind all that you do. Then again the most important thing is to enjoy what you do.... when the work isn't fun... it's work just to get up and go to work.... Need a laugh, need some advise, hang around here long enough you'll get both. Right now I gotta get back to work.... trying install a helicopter landing pad on top of a Yugo.... dang customers... always wantin' somethin' Later Gonzo

I use them here. I don't buy parts directly from them... I have the customer buy the part and let them deal with the warranty side of it.

Never figured out why that switch is there on those cars. But I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that takes the simple to difficult approach. Thanx for the post.

Yes, 3 working days after they are notified that the car is finished we start storage... it's 25.00 a day including weekends. We will not except personal checks on over due accounts. Credit card, bank draft etc... Most of the time you never collect it... then it's a title 42 (mechanics lien)

I want to clarify one subject in the story for all you techie guys out there. Mode $06 is mainly for emission systems.. BUT there is some CAN on it... it does not (at this point) talk to any body controlled systems... Gonzo

This story was relayed to me from one of my customers just the other day. We got on the subject of dogs, big ones, little ones, and the ones we had as a child. My customer, Mike, was standing there ... in my lobby... with this half grin, half shock look on his face.... He said, "Gonzo, let me tell you a story" This is how it went. My brothers wife has this habit of thinking she is going to save the world and every living creature from harm no matter what it takes to accomplish this task. She was driving by an old cemetary when she noticed a large dog with no collar, full of burrs and looked like it hadn't eaten in a week. "Must be a stray honey, I'm stopping the car," she said. Now my brother who was sitting in the passenger seat has learned over the years not to say much about his wife's activities. Because eventually things always end up back as his problem. This didn't seem like such a bad thing ... it's just a dog you know. His wife got out of the car and opened the rear door. She yelled over to the dog, "Come here boy" and the dog took off for the car, jumped in the back seat .. puts it's paws on the back of the front seat and licks his face. So far things are looking good. They got home and took the leash off the dog and put him in the backyard. My brother and his wife walked thru the house and out the back sliding door to see where the dog had gone to. In a flash the dog whipped between the two of them and right into the house. My brother ran in after him. Just in time to find the dog in the corner with the family cat sticking out of both sides of its mouth. He ran over straddled the dog who by now was thrashing the poor cat from one wall to wall. He reached with both hands and pryed the cat out of the dogs mouth. By this time he has a sever gash on his right leg from the claws of this unkept dog and an even worse bite that nearly took of the tip of one of his fingers off. Mad as can be, and partially bandage up he grabbed the dog and threw him back in the car. Of course by now the poor dog was wimpering and for the most part realized he had done something wrong. But my brother has already had enough. So back to the cemetary he went with the dog. When he got there he opened the car door and said "GET"... the dog jumped out and he drove off.... That is until the police officer turn on his sirens and pulled him over... "Ah, sir, is that your dog?" "no" "Well, there is an ordinance for abandaning animals in the city limits.... that will be a five hundred dollar fine." "WHAT! the dog bit me, damned near killed our cat... my wife spotted the dog here just hours ago... Look, I've got to go to the emergency room for stiches." "The dog bit you, and it's not your dog... well, we have to call the vet... you'll need checked for rabies" At the vets office he was informed that he will either need weeks of shots and the dog will have to be put down... which will cost quite a bit. Or, you can have the dog put down, the dogs head sent off to have the brain stem checked for rabies and it will only take two or three days. That'll be another $500.00 to add my brothers ever growing bill.... After finally getting to the emergency room, with the stiches, x-rays, medication, vet bill, state exam for rabies, the ticket no less for abandaning an animal... His wife cost him nearly 3000.00 dollars for picking up some stary dog that licked him in the face. I think that'll be the last time that ever happens at his house again.

First off "HAPPY ANIVERSARY TO MR. AND MRS. MARCONI" ! ! Sounded like a great evening with the Mrs. But that doesn't mean I'm pulling out a camera ... taken pictures of my customers... or leaving notes on the dash board.... Great at a resturaunt... I'm not too sure it would work at the shop. LOL But, hey, I'm game for anything... once. You know the big thing about the evening at the resturaunt... was the feeling you left with... no matter what mood you were in when you got there. that's what counts. Maybe that's the thing to work on at the shop.... or maybe we should all just hire Henry.... LOL

I appreciate that... 100 aye? No wonder I've got sore fingers... I've got plenty more ... as long as I'm not boring everyone... I'll keep it up... thanx-a much-a Gonzo.