So you dont feel you should have been compelled to tell them up front it may not match well, or you didnt have the experience at the time to tell them… Its all about communication. and I never said “free”, I said limited sum. Shops fault they didnt explain that what the conumer may want, might not be possible. Same held tru in your cases perhaps. As for the Jag, that was just bad…but could have been explained away up front on what to expect perhaps. But, I agree, some people are hard to satisfy with a beer budget.
It all come out in a wash at some point anyways. You’ll get that job that comes in that pays well and EVERYTHING goes perfect and you make GOOD money on it.
I was thinking about this today and wanted to wage my thoughts. For the sake of CRC I think it’s a bad idea to take on any “cheap” jobs. The thing is if someone comes in and only has x amount to spend but a perfect job cost y then they settle for x. Then they go down the road and when other people see the work it has your name attached to it. Other people won’t know it was a “cheap job”, they’ll think that’s your everyday work. I realize you have to take business and make money where you can, but for your reputations sake, (if it was me) I don’t think I’d be doing cheap jobs. I would only want my best work out there with my name on it.
Just my 2 cents, I don’t know your business enough to know if that’s even possible to get by on financially
I always tell them panel painting probably wont match. Especially on older cars. Example I have a hood for a 68 camaro I need to paint. I told the customer 3 times now panel painting probably wont match. They dont even know the color code, if the car is original paint or it has been reshot. I had it scanned on a paint scanner and its an 80% match to a dupont color so thats what I am shooting. The front of that car should be blended no way around that… Just one example. And by free, you pay for materials only or money off the top… on jobs this small add up the labor spent its 100% probably going to be for free, if not money out of my pocket.
Exactly. Constantly undercutting your own work, just to put work on the bench is like drilling holes in the bottom of your boat at sea.
That being said, this is why I refuse to paint “all the body works already done” cars. Those are even WORSE than panel painting on a budget. I could put $10K of the best paint and my best work ever over some shitty ass body work and the moment that car rolls up to a show and someone asks who painted it they say CRC. Which is true, but do you really think they will claim the shrinkage, waves, pin holes, and poor body work as their own when its pointed out? Hell no! “I already did the body work” cars get charged body labor to block them out. Actually we shoot a quick rattle can guide coat down and take a long block and 600 grit to the side of the car with the customer standing there. The waves in their body work jump right out then they understand.
As a business, or a person in society… you will only get better if you constantly raise the bar.
I am not claiming to be better than anyone, stop putting words in my mouth please. I am saying how I roll and giving guidance thats all. Infact I just sent someone’s inquiry their way because its more than I can bite off at my shop right now.
Please people, read my replies and assume they are for the sake of sharing knowledge… not putting Mike Wood on a high horse. I dont know everything but I know alot and have done/seen alot, I’m just trying to be a messenger 99% of the time.
I had the car at Hart’s in East Greenbush, and they did outstanding/professional work. They spent a lot of time getting it just right, and explaining every step of the process. Just wanted to give them the shout out- car looks perfect now. Price was more than reasonable, and the turn around was quick. Couldn’t be happier.