That time a customer's 'simple' brake job turned into a full rotor replacement in the middle of a Friday | Auto Mechanics - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
That time a customer's 'simple' brake job turned into a full rotor replacement in the middle of a Friday
I was in my bay in Spokane, swapping pads on a 2012 F-150. Got the caliper off and saw the rotor was way past minimum thickness, with deep grooves. The customer had only approved pads. I called him, explained the safety issue, and gave him the quote for new rotors, which was an extra $240. He was not happy, but agreed after I showed him the old rotor. Ever have to make that call on a job that suddenly gets bigger?
Honestly, that "waste of time" photo might save you later. I've seen customers swear their rotors were fine when we quoted them. Having that picture right from the start shuts down the argument. It proves the condition before any work was done. It just covers your butt.
Yeah, that "waste of time" photo... I get why someone would think that, but how do you handle it when the customer still pushes back? Like, you show them the clear picture of the cracked rotor and they still say "it was fine when I brought it in." Does your manager back you up, or do they cave to keep the customer happy? That's the part that would stress me out more than taking the picture.