Should I start charging?

[xheat99]

Re: Should I start charging?

I'm no mechanic, but when I need help I've got a buddy who's a GM mechanic and he's really close friend. I try to help out as much as I can, but I always pay him. He usually doesn't charge me much since we are friends, but still I'm taking up his free time so I feel it's important to let him know I appriciate what he's doing.

 

[Syclone#1992]

Re: Should I start charging?

Well, the only downside of charging for your work, leaves you semi responsible for fixing/and or correcting their problem. I wouldn't want to be responsible if something didn't go right...but thats the risk you take.

 

[JHelf]

Re: Should I start charging?

I agree with what others have said. I will help out friends with their vehicles but I do expect something in return, whether it be money, food or a favor.

I have a buddy who used to get me to install stuff on his car for him with nothing in return and I just told him I wasn't doing it for nothing anymore. Since then I have worked on this car a few times, but he has either given me some money or did me a favor in return.

I have limited spare time so I do expect to be compensated in some way. I will work on friends cars for cheap, but strangers I won't. I charge them what I see as fair. No one has complained of the work or the price yet so I guess all is good.

 

[Flyin Ryan]

Re: Should I start charging?

I don't know how someone could get you to take hours out of your days to comeover and fix somthing that they are too lazy or stupid to fix on there own to just give a a thanks and shut the door on you. That's just plan ignorent.. I'd at least have my wife's ass in the kitchen hooking you up with a meal or two and you'd be leaving with a case of beer but that's just me. Besides i'd be there right with you helping to at least see how it's done so if it would araise again i could try tackling it myself possibly. It's sad that it's it's so hard now a days to find good people willing to help without wanting something or excepting something in return.. or benefiting from it somehow and im only 26.. sad times

 

[leroy]

Re: Should I start charging?

It's all about incentives. Money is an incentive for most people. Friendship and syty brotherhood can be an incentive. A feeling of accomplishment for fixing something is usually enough incentive for me.

Jim

 

[TYTILIDIE]

Re: Should I start charging?

Personally money wasnt really an issue for me til recently. When I do some work on my truck or spare car or what have you, I look at my work and think, damn, thats pro quality. I am very proud of the work I do. Thing is when I do something for someone and I am not even offered lunch or a dickin the ass, it makes it hard for me to to wnat to help people out. My nature is just wanting to do it to show I can and improve yet another truck out there. Good example would be Steve from Birghton, I think his name is 93ty or somethign. I went out of my way to make a 30 minute drive from Denver which is 45 minutes from my house, to help him fix his IC pump. He got the Shurflo and we put it in. Now, he didnt pay me but was very friendly, bought breakfast and got his hands dirty. Thats was cool with me totally. And he did offer me money if I remember right. I declined. To me it is just a common courtesy issue that should atleast be offered. Maybe I am selfish but too bad. Its better than getting taken advantage of. Ive said it before that I would do anyhtign for hte SYTY community and I still mean that. Unfortunately, most of the SYTYers in my town can friggin eat one. Its too bad. Ive even tried to get people rounded up for things and never get anywhere. Some just dont care.

 

[Deanzsyclone]

Re: Should I start charging?

I tend to tell help friends out also but not so much on syty, but when I do, I usually say the same old thing, ok bro I'll get you up and running on this but youll owe me lunch. I usually make it sushi, because it's good, and expensive. So it's a nice treat/reward for me. If I don't know them then yah I charge money.

 

[sy]

Re: Should I start charging?

I had a friend that was allways doing things for people. He was a ASC mech. He was allways fixing peoples cars for free. Those same people would turn around and talk Sh@t about him. I was amazed that he would continue to help them even when he new they were jerks. I think he got off on the fact that they were not smart enough to do it themselves. Sadly he died this past year in a motorcyle accident. He was 21......The best and youngest mechanic I ever knew.

I personnally would never except help without:
A. Being as helpful to the person helping me as possible.
B. Making sure there is a steady supply of beer and food on hand.
C. Returning the favor as soon as possible.
People that take advantage of other peoples favors and don't repay them are complete jerks. Those people should be made to pay for the favor with money. Don't feel bad about charging them.

 

[GM TURBO]

Re: Should I start charging?

Depends on the person and the situation.

If it's a woman - regardless of how cute, marital status, rich or poor - I'll do it for free.

Guys - if you're going to hang out - learn and lend a hand - free.

If you want to drop it off - we'll see. The situation hasn't presented itself.

 

[406sbSonomaGT]

Re: Should I start charging?

now this is big thing with me and my dad, mostly because my dad is a mechanic so almost everyone we know comes to him for problems and because i have been working with him for the last 4 years my friends come to me for help.
in my dads case most of his friends are car guys (one friend restores cars for a living and another owns an auto body shop) so with them its mostly favor type stuff because they all have their own specialties.
but with the everyday stuff like friends/aquaintances its a little different. we both usually go with favors from friends/ family for just that reason, they are friends and family. but id say with someone that obviously has nothing like a favor they can do for you in return i would at least charge for time.

but whats needed is people that want help but are willing to learn how to do it or most of it on there own in the future.

i need to give my dad credit because i have learned everything i know about cars from him. not only that but he damn near built my truck so far cuz i dont know how to do all of that shat(but i know a hell of a lot more now). in the last 3 years ive owned a car he has helped me do probably 400 hours worth of work on my miscellaneous cars/trucks so i plan on getting the $2300 fuel injection system he wants to put on the motor for his 55 bell air he is restoring right now. its honestly the least i can do

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Should I start charging?

For simple things, I don't charge and don't mind looking at local SyTy's. But if its going to take me awhile, yeah I will charge. I am pretty cheap labor wise for SyTyers. I enjoy working on my vehicles, but that takes enough time as it is. Sometime I will help another non SyTy vehicle if they are in bind, but I am very careful, but in those situations I hate when some doesn't offer food, drink or even a few dollars. I have a good friend of mine that is taken advantage of many times with his generousity of mechanic work and he end up working on 150K POS for free...