Since I had the bodywork done on my van and it’s looking pretty , the last real flaw I needed repaired was the drivers seat vinyl on the outside next to the door was ripped and peeling but the rest was in fine shape . The top cloth is fine . When I was at the body shop I asked if they knew of any decent upholstery shops as the one I used to have a set of highjet jumbo seats completely redone with new padding and heavy vinyl burned to the ground 2 days after I picked them up ( so glad I didn’t wait till after the weekend to pick them up) They have a shop they use around the corner and got a price . The place had a backlog but gave me a appointment 3 weeks out for me to drop it off and with an appointment they would not “ put it to the back burner “ . I pulled apart the seat , took the back off , pulled the swivel off the bottom, removed the front leg boaster that flips up so you can spin it around . So all that was left was the seat bottom Dropped it of at 9am , didn’t ask when it would be done as I was figuring a day or so 11:10am that day I get a cellphone call from a number I don’t recognize but answer it and it’s the shop saying it was done already . It came out perfect , unless you were told you wouldn’t notice it as they had material the was pretty much a perfect match. Plus fixed up the foam too . Trying to find the before pictures but of course they are hiding somewhere Will add to thread when/if they are found
$190 . living here in the northeast (I’m sure you’ve seen it being here in NJ too) finding places willing to do anything that is not bolt on , plugged in or can be ordered and there in under a half hour from a local supply house ,it’s “not available “ researching is unheard of and bringing your own parts is forbidden cause they don’t get their 60% markup on the cheapest part they can buy . If it’s not a grand slam every time “ it’s not worth it” I’m to the point as I’m getting ready to start the second half my century of living I’m sick of the games of “Great deals”paying a deposit , dropping stuff off , not seeing it for months, having to keep calling ,and finally when it is done it was rushed (Cause you kept calling) and looks as such . Yeah I saved $60 but payed insurance and registration for those 3 months and unable to enjoy it. Just not worth my time and the hassle
Koffer, I agree with you whole heartedly!!! I refuse to accept mediocrity! My word is my bond, even if it might cost me more, out of my pocket or what ever! I ran my business for 30 yrs. very successfully, never advertising, word of mouth always worked for me! Most of the old time, old school people that I dealt with, are either gone or just not doing it any more, whatever it may be! My two sons one friend, used to always say that I had a guy for just about everything, it was pretty true, we would recommend some one and it would never come back on you in a bad way! That's all changed in our throw away, lazy society today! I'm almost glad that I'm getting up their, and I won't have to see how much worse that it's going to get! Sorry, but I just won't accept it! I miss the old days, but it's my nature to say the glass is half full! Let's keep helping each other, and do are part to make it better! Limestone
We have a couple of generations now who have no interest in being craftsman. You can not find young people to come into the trades, which are not just losers. I have a friend who’s Company does remodeling and maintenance work on the buildings at an. airbase. All the work is prevailing rate, in the neighborhood of $50/hr. He can;t recruit people under fifty. The ones younger than that, who are in he trades, Have felony conviction, or are unable to pass a drug test. I have a nephew who is in his late thirties who lost his CDL for failing the piss test twice. The journal of Light Construction, did a survey of 17 to 25 year olds. Less than five percent would go into the trades for any amount of money.
Exactly, one of the many reasons I sold my business! Jigs, I agree with All of the above that your saying! Crazy!!!
Thanks Limestone I’m enjoying the hell out of the little van this summer . Took a few months to get it up to snuff ( damn virus shutting down a lot of overseas supply chains) Hoping for the cooler temperatures to arrive so I can get the other one done and sold as I think I’ve already found my next toy
I do definitely feel you on the struggle trying to a shop that'll do decent work. I remember back when I had my Del Sol (a civic mechanically) a shop somehow fried the distributor fixing the AC! Junk like that is what got me started working on cars cause I literally couldn't trust anybody else would do the job right!
Koffer, I'm not asking you to let the cat out of the bag yet, but I am anxious to hear what your next toy will be! I have a very good friend who just retired from the Heavy Equipment shop, he's 64, and in good health, loves his golf game, and was able to set himself up pretty well financially, with his retirement. He's been leasing him and his wife's two vehicles, planing in the near future to go down to just one vehicle, but continuing to lease, so he doesn't even change his own oil! God Bless him and his plan! He's happy and it's working for him! Limestone
