You help one neighbour with their car and it snowballs.

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Woodys_Cuda

Woodys_Cuda

Ontario, Canada
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I'm lucky to have a neighbour that is an automotive engineer. He started out by helping me with a car issue and now most of his spare time (and mine) is going to helping our neighbours. We live in a townhouse complex so everybody knows everybody. Brake jobs are the most common jobs we get from neighbours of course. My neighbour ( and friend) helps people for free but it's nonstop for us now. Luckily he does most of the work because of my age.

So the question is does this happen to any of you that are not in business?
 
Oh yeah. People at church are constantly asking me car questions, a little less often for actual repairs though. I'm happy to help when I can, but I make it clear that I'm not a mechanic, I only do it as a hobby.
 
GTSDart340 said:
Oh yeah. People at church are constantly asking me car questions, a little less often for actual repairs though. I'm happy to help when I can, but I make it clear that I'm not a mechanic, I only do it as a hobby.
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Yeah I hear ya. Just yesterday while working on my car a lady neighbour called my friend away. He spent a bout 15 minutes looking at her little problems. I just walked away and took a break *sigh*. He has a hard time saying no and I warn him about taking on too much but he's just a nice guy.
 
yes; but I charge cash.
to all but my family. I have three married with children kids plus their; parade of cars, recreational vehicles, lawnNgarden equipment, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, drywall repairs, painting, renos, appliance repair, bicycles; you name it....
Then, when I can fit them in, neighbors and friends.
I recently turned 71; retired for, going on 1 year now. Busy, busy, busy.
 
AJ/FormS said:
yes; but I charge cash
to all but my family. I have 3 kids plus their; parade of cars, recreational vehicles, lawnNgarden equipment, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, drywall repairs, painting, renos, appliance repair, bicycles; you name it.......Then, when I can fit them in, neighbors and friends.
I recently turned 71; retired for, going on 1 year now. Busy, busy, busy.
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I wish my friend would charge cash. I bet you things would slow down in a hurry!
 
I work on a very few friends and neighbors cars and sometimes a good friend ropes me into one of his projects that he feels to be a bit overwhelming for him. There are times when I just have to say no, especially with the heat the way it's been. I usually charge about half of what the shops around us charge and I tell them that I work at my pace. If they want it quicker than I can turn it, I tell them to take it to a shop. I also give them a copy of the parts invoice and I mark it up 10% because I get really good pricing from my parts house. I'm not out to gouge anyone, but it sure helps to supplement my SS and saving.
 
I don't want to turn this into a long drawn-out discussion, nor hijack this tread, BUT
Just keep in mind that you are not a Licensed Auto Facility with Professional Mechanics (not sure in Canada) and its possible that you can be sued if there is an accident.
Here in the states, once an insurance company finds out a "friend" performed repair work they will try to deny the claim and the other party will try to sue especially if injuries are involved.
 
pa340dart said:
I don't want to turn this into a long drawn-out discussion, nor hijack this tread, BUT
Just keep in mind that you are not a Licensed Auto Facility with Professional Mechanics (not sure in Canada) and its possible that you can be sued if there is an accident.
Here in the states, once an insurance company finds out a "friend" performed repair work they will try to deny the claim and the other party will try to sue especially if injuries are involved.
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Actually I never thought of that! Thanks for the heads up. I guess I better check our laws.
 
not much of a problem anymore..

be glad they are asking for help instead of complaining about you working on them though.. :)
 
I don't help my cheapskate neighbors but I used to. It's always on a 95 degree day working at the curb at 5pm right after I get home. They don't have money to fix the car but can afford to buy the teenage daughter the latest $1100 iPhone
 
pa340dart said:
I don't want to turn this into a long drawn-out discussion, nor hijack this tread, BUT
Just keep in mind that you are not a Licensed Auto Facility with Professional Mechanics (not sure in Canada) and its possible that you can be sued if there is an accident.
Here in the states, once an insurance company finds out a "friend" performed repair work they will try to deny the claim and the other party will try to sue especially if injuries are involved.
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I was thinking the same thing. A set of brake pads could go wrong when a brake hose blows. Something you didn't see as an issue or replace. Now all of a sudden, it's your fault. You know how crazy people are now days with lawsuits.
 
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I just flat out say "I don't work on other peoples cars anymore. I don't even want to work on my own."
One of my drag racing buddy's son is waiting for me to put a turn signal switch in his 67 Plymouth.
He said "When you can" I did tell him how to do it.Musta fell on deaf ears I guess.
I said I will when I feel like it. That was 4 months ago. Hope he got the message.
 
Law suits aside I find that you end up being the blame for everything else that goes wrong with it afterwards. Not worth it. I get asked a lot of renovation questions and do know the answers. A few times you can instruct people what and how to do it, but when they **** it up because of their poor interpretation I get the blame. Not worth it
 
I used to work on family, friends and neighbors' vehicles when I was a lot younger, everyone except family members paid cash, and even family paid for the big jobs. I no longer do any of that, but I will do home repair jobs that are in my skill set and don't charge for them.
 
Yes. Our neighbor Lisa's brakes, tire plugs, did an entire top end rebuild on a 05 Chrysler 300 v6 for Robin, Wiring some squirles chewed for Ally....On n on n on...them my fam, motor mounts, bmw intake n starter, brakes, tune ups, rebuilt a 327 and 7.3 idit Ford... on n on..
Last one was 2 days ago, 09 Mercedes ML350. Changed the drivers door and transferred all the inerds, glass, switches panels etc to the purchased door shell..then plugs, oil, filter , cabin n intake air filters.
 
Woodys_Cuda said:
I'm lucky to have a neighbour that is an automotive engineer. He started out by helping me with a car issue and now most of his spare time (and mine) is going to helping our neighbours. We live in a townhouse complex so everybody knows everybody. Brake jobs are the most common jobs we get from neighbours of course. My neighbour ( and friend) helps people for free but it's nonstop for us now. Luckily he does most of the work because of my age.

So the question is does this happen to any of you that are not in business?
Click to expand...
If you develop a good relationship with all the neighbors fixing their stuff, then you could be in a very good position and have earned their respect. They will look at you as an automotive blessing from God rather than a grease monkey playing with junk.

Then your next step is, world domination.
 
No,no,no!

I’m not a auto mechanic. I don’t fix stuff.
I’m a hot rod guy. I make stuff. I soup stuff up.

No, I will not soup up your stuff, my stuff has to be faster than yours.
 
I do a lotta neighborhood non-puter stuff, cash no receipts.
I still maintain a lotta classics from my business, old, good customers.
Biggest mistake my wife and I found, was when anchored in a quiet bay with a buncha other boats, . . don't even whisper the word "mechanic" for any reason/discussion.
If you do, there will be an immediate splash of dingys dropping in the water, and thrashing of oars/outboards from hoards of folks eager to have a repair done 100 miles from nowhere, lol
shhhhhh . .
 
I solved the problem by moving 2 hours away, where no one knows us, way outside of any town. Most of the people around us are Amish. Problem solved, but I do work on stuff for the kids, but it is all sb Mopar. That's more like playing than work.
 
Welll,,,,,the Amish have buggies that need work,,,,and horses that need to be re shod .
You could take some farrier courses and be right in business !

Just trade it out,,,,,they could pay with produce,,,or help with your barn raising ?

Just kidding,,,,,

Tommy
 
I used to do that for friends and family when I was in my teens-twenties but right now I hardly have time to even work on my own cars. No way I'd do it for free either unless it's family or close friends. A few times I got in a bit over my head and spent way more time than expected. I realized my time is worth more than that and when people don't know what it's like to do repairs or maintenance themselves they tend to be greedy and impatient.

Plus anything made in the last 15 years or so is just so damn complicated, I wouldn't even bother if it's more than an oil/filters change or brake job. I'm happy to do a little diagnosis though and give some advice on what's wrong.

Just because I rebuilt the engine for my 1970 Plymouth doesn't mean I can fix the transmission in your 2016 Toyota Tundra lmao.
 
I often get people who ask me how much I would charge them to paint their car. My outrageous I-don't-wanna-do-it standard answer is $25,000. But now that it's actually getting close to that in the shops I may have to double it :p
 
Can you help me build a 650 hp engine? yea for $150 an hour I can.
 
Sometimes I'll help on things that would have no negative impact on safety.....Usually getting them started. I don't charge because I feel that you have a responsibility if you are taking remuneration. When I am done, I tell them I'm not a mechanic and don't warranty my work. If you have another problem, don't bring it back.
 
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