How to deal with "Runnables" and I'm not mechanically inclined to fix? - Page 3

Time to move on IMO you now run the risk of him putting a half hour in it so he can charge you for "his time invested" and lose more potential profit, I'd call it quits there pick it up and move on with plan B. Good Luck.

Originally Posted by Bear

Why couldn't you go ahead and pick it up?

Funny you should mention it. He had the key.. it would have been locked in his shop. Funny thing is.. When I opened the door to look at the "progress" of the blazer.. he left the key in it. THE ONLY key I have and all anyone would need to literally just drive it away now that there is a fresh battery in it. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Going to make calls and see if I can find someone else.. make arrangements.. hopefully to pull it out this week.

Agreed but that does not stop billing for "diagnostics" "ordering parts" ect.. Took the minivan to a dealer on vaca once when we had an electrical problem, they hooked it up and said there was nothing wrong and handed me a $150 bill (I wish I was making that up) I had some nice phone calls with their manager and called Dodge and told them what I thought of their "5star dealership" didn't get me anywhere but I felt better. again above advice is just my $.02 based on my own experience up to the OP how to best proceed.

Ironhunter:
Well to clarify.. he is a body shop guy, sole proprietor, he has far more years of mechanical knowledge than I. We've done some swapping of items over the years, I bought a junk car off him and he sends some car scraps to me from time to time. Generally, I go over to shoot the poop with him.. so the deal was and is- he fix it, I sell it, I make the deal, I give him a cut. Thus far, he has not ordered any parts (he is to clear any part ordering through me) he has put my battery on a charger and hooked 5 harnesses back together- the ABS that holds all of it is still not affixed. Nothing else has been put back together either. So really, he hasn't done much of anything in 8 days! Unless you count the fact he left the key in the ignition and set it up to be possibly stolen. Sledge = NOT HAPPY!

Thank you for the update, really only you know your exact position, I obviously err to the side of caution after being burnt a few too many times, usually due to my own actions (or inactions..) Again it is up to you to proceed whatever way you think best. I wish you good luck in getting it turned over and getting your money you deserve.
-Iron.

Ironhunter: No worries to err on the side of caution. I appreciate it. I work to be cautious of what I say as well, and the poster is really the only one who has given the details- all of them or some things possibly omitted, so it is hard on a forum to have the in-depth knowledge of his and my past dealings.


SirScrap: Well I took the blankety blank key with me. So I'll wait to see how long it takes him to figure out it is gone. If he calls me Wednesday and says "Uhh I can't find the key" then I'll know when he began "working on it" again. That is if it hasn't been arranged to be moved somewhere else and gone by my doing by then. I'm patient, but I am basically now just storing it there. No sense in going out on tornado day (Central Indiana got a whoopin today) to haul the car, in the rain, and being pissed, so I'll let it sit until I want to get it and have arrangements for it to go elsewhere.

Basically, this incident validates my point of starting the whole thread. This is the type of B.S. I'm running into- empty promises by idiot people who talk a mean game but can't even begin to do what they say they will do. Maybe I'll just scrap the sucker, get my cash and move on. At this point I really don't care if the vehicle lives or dies! Although it should be a nice payday at the end if it gets fixed.. if I have no one interested in wanting $ to fix it- then maybe its time for it to go to the crusher!?

Most people aren't motivated by "Future Money" but are by "Immediate Money" find someone that appreciates your business, and is willing to cut you a price break for being patient, but will diagnose it and set an estimate immediately. Find a mechanic that's allowed to work on side projects at the shop after hours, and tell him when you need it done by. The guy with the "Dead shop" is dead because nobody goes there anymore...You have to ask yourself why? Now I think you know.

I'd find a shop that i like, and bring them repeat business. And as a side note, I only work with repair shops that fix run race cars or Demo Derby on the weekends. Those guys seem to get more done, with less $$ and are better mechanics IMO.

On a side note...How much will you take for it As is? I've been looking for something like that, and I'll just put a Battery cut off connector on it!

Thortek-
That is great advice.. I am constantly hunting for a side mechanic.. hopefully I can find one soon! I'll send you a PM we can discuss.

Originally Posted by CollinsHaulin

Sounds like you need some new friends...I personally have trouble being friends with unreliable people.

It is a standard cycle for me, I meet people, things like this tend to happen, and then I tend to pull away. It is why my circle of true friends is very small. Most people cannot keep up with my drive and ambition. Other just outright lie, cheat or steal. I write those folks off immediately. I only have a set amount of time to live "between the dashes" and time wasters, or negative folks.. just don't fit into my "life plan"

Update:
Well here is the latest. Basically, traced back and found that their is no short in the wiring as the owners thought. If you put a meter on it and jump from battery to cable off battery.. you come back at reading nothing. The door hasp on the drivers side is a bit messed up- I personally think they didn't close the door all the way and it drew down the battery. Battery itself has held a charge for over a week- still full charge.. so YEEEEES!

Did find out that the shifter problem is the "Neutral safety switch" that needs to be adjusted. Also a minor fix.

So with that- I basically threw it up on CL- AS IS and listed all of its flaws. Said in the ad- scoop it up now at a discount and repair it yourself- but if I get it fixed, truck will be re-listed at a higher price. Just put the ad up about 10 minutes ago.. so we will see how it goes!

Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Good luck with the fishing buddy, an hope you get a catch.

Sirscrapalot - Dinner on Sledge!

Me too... Looking to catch a whopper fish.. not a turkey!

Well this seems to be the story that doesn't want to end. Hoping to draw to a conclusion soon.
It has been 3 weeks of promises and missed deadlines.. so the Blazer ended up coming home on my trailer today with nothing fixed on it. I'm sure there will be many a stabs and jabs but here is my plan of attack. I pulled the battery out of it, I pulled the wheels off and the alternator and posted it up as "Parting out" on CL. Earlier in the week I posted a lengthy ad and attempted to sell it "AS IS" for $1500 bucks- and got not one nibble. Today after getting it home- I listed the blazer as "Parting out" and have had 9 phone calls in the past 2 hours regarding it- 8 of the 9 want the whole thing. I tell them all the same story- yep it runs and drives, but I'm over it. Some of these calls are telling me "Why the hell are you parting this out.. it looks good- it runs and it drives with some issues" Yeah.. where the blankety blank were these people all week when I had it for sale AS IS.

I have probably 1 really certain gentleman who really wants all of it- because he wants the doghouse off of it. I told him- tell you what- you let me keep the alternator, battery, converter, AC pump (which is seized) and I'll sell you the rest of it for $1200 bucks. He seemed delighted at the price and I'll still make $ off core parts sans the rims. Hoping he ends up coming through. Regardless, I put a date in the ad that this thing- if not gone- by Thursday 12-5, goes to the crusher.

As I said- probably going to get some flames on this one- but it seems that after the 3 weeks of hell trying to get this repaired, I just have absolutely no desire to attempt to find another mechanic to fix the problems, I'd just rather cash out and move on. Not sure if this has ever happened to others.. but I just feel like "Who gives a crap what happens to it" Yeah it ran, it drove, probably had about $100 in parts to fix- if that and it could have continued its service life. But when you don't have anyone to come through- it just gets to the point of "blank it"

I'll keep ya all posted!

Bear-
No worries.. I'm trying not to let this eat at me. In my experiences.. it always seemed like the more PITA the car was or the deal was- the better it seemed to turn out. And this one may as well.. it remains to be seen. I just get REALLY frustrated. I try one thing (getting it fixed) that doesn't go well. While still at the shop- I post the thing to sell AS IS with all of its problems.. and nothing.. then all of a sudden I'm getting calls from everywhere in the state- Literally!! We have 3 major area codes in Indiana- 317, 812, and 765- gotten calls from everyone of them tonight. Dammed if you do.. dammed if ya don't- try to sell it as a mechanics special and nada- tell people you are parting it out and get calls telling you are an idiot for not selling it as a mechanics special.