Crossed a "local" machine shop off my list...

[bugnut68]

So I called a shop in the nearest town to me (100 miles west of here) regarding balancing and cylinder honing work.  Twice I left messages asking for a price quote, as some of the local racers (all American car guys) recommended this guy's shop.  Twice my calls went unreturned, but I kept trying and called before the shop closed on Monday or Tuesday.  I get a guy on the phone and tried yet again to get my inquiry answered.  He proceeds to tell me he and the shop's owner had talked it over, and apparently the owner had been preoccupied with health issues.  But he says he'll give me a call first thing the next morning, which he never did.

Why on earth, in the economy the U.S. has right now, and Oregon is no different, anybody would seemingly discriminate against earning my money is beyond me.  It's a complete pain in the ass for me to get this work done given that I live, quite literally, out in the middle of nowhere.  My options are wait until I go on vacation to my old hometown this summer, which is about 250 miles away in Eugene, or else mail order the balancing and honing work, for which I would get seriously raped on shipping charges.

I'm sorry for the rant, but it's just really frustrating.  At this point, I'll just wait until July when I'll be in Eugene for a week.  I'll be able to drop my parts off and pick them up before I head back home again.  Just slows down progress on the engine project, I guess, but hell with these Klamath Falls guys.  Lol.  They don't want or need my money, too bad (or good, depending on how you look at it) for them.   

[Jim Ratto]

are you near Medford @ all? Call Larry @ 541-773-4240, tell him Jim Ratto sent you. He'll take care of your needs.

[Dan Mazur]

Health Issues??

Perhaps you should try to have at least one at some point in your life.

[bugnut68]

Health Issues??

Perhaps you should try to have at least one at some point in your life.

I'm sorry, allow me to clarify.  I wouldn't have made the insinuation that I did without the fact that whoever I spoke to gave me his word he would be in touch.  Believe me, I would never take something like health issues lightly! 
But the fact is the guy I did talk to, whether he was the owner's right-hand man or just a lackey, or whatever, didn't seem any too eager to help me out with any information.  I thought my request was pretty fundamental and basic, as my needed services are basic machine shop practices.  All I wanted were prices, but I sort of picked up on the impression these guys couldn't give two shits about Volkswagen engines.

[bugnut68]

are you near Medford @ all? Call Larry @ 541-773-4240, tell him Jim Ratto sent you. He'll take care of your needs.

I'm about 160 or 170 miles east of Medford.  Medford's basically the next step over from Klamath Falls, about 75 miles east of K. Falls, to be precise.  I do know guys in Eugene I've used before, it's just a matter of when I can get there.

[bugnut68]

I'd also add that part of the reason my feelings are what they are is I previously posted on here asking what to look for in a machine shop, and I'd been told to look for someone else if the shop acted as though it were a big deal or an inconvenience to work on a VW-based engine, so that's why my instincts are a little on the bitter side.

[Cornpanzer]

Health Issues??

Perhaps you should try to have at least one at some point in your life.

A good business owner would never let "health issues" cause him to give BAD service.  Granted, bad stuff happens and if this is the case, you simply have a phone message that says that due to health problems you will not be accepting new business, that you will only be returning calls on a specific day, or some other compromise.  To ignore multiple phone messages and then then fail to follow through on what you promised is lazy and just bad business.

I run into this all the time.  Many businesses are successful in spite of themselves.

[Jim Ratto]

Health Issues??

Perhaps you should try to have at least one at some point in your life.

A good business owner would never let "health issues" cause him to give BAD service.  Granted, bad stuff happens and if this is the case, you simply have a phone message that says that due to health problems you will not be accepting new business, that you will only be returning calls on a specific day, or some other compromise.  To ignore multiple phone messages and then then fail to follow through on what you promised is lazy and just bad business.

I run into this all the time.  Many businesses are successful in spite of themselves.

Along the same lines as the apathetic, blank warm-body that checks you out @ Target, etc. Most of them don't even address you, verbally give you your total or say "thank you", amazing with so many out of work right now.

[bugnut68]

Health Issues??

Perhaps you should try to have at least one at some point in your life.

A good business owner would never let "health issues" cause him to give BAD service.  Granted, bad stuff happens and if this is the case, you simply have a phone message that says that due to health problems you will not be accepting new business, that you will only be returning calls on a specific day, or some other compromise.  To ignore multiple phone messages and then then fail to follow through on what you promised is lazy and just bad business.

I run into this all the time.  Many businesses are successful in spite of themselves.

That's exactly my point.  Even if the owner is having health issues, there's obviously somebody there running the show.  The guy I talked to said, "Karl and I were talking it over, blah blah blah... let me write your number down off the caller ID and I'll give you a call first thing in the morning."  Think he called back?  Lol.

[Bryan67]

A LOT of American car guys don`t give four shits about a VW let alone two. Youare better off not going there in that case since they will not show any interest in doing a good job either.

[dannyboy]

hes probably been nailed at the track by a vw and doesent want to help make another one go fast 

[bugnut68]

The good news is a local buddy here has offered to hone my cylinders for me... I have also since found a guy who emailed me from Eugene that can do the balancing work, so it looks like I'll be square by this summer. 

[Dan Mazur]

I understand your point. I agree that someone there should run interference when the owner takes ill. Sometimes it just can't be avoided. Most businesses are actually run in the mind of the owner. That's an unfortunate fact.

There's another thread on this website regarding Al Reed. He's ill and work is getting delayed.

Please be patient. I'm sure you'll have found another source for machining by now.

Good luck.

[bugnut68]

I understand your point. I agree that someone there should run interference when the owner takes ill. Sometimes it just can't be avoided. Most businesses are actually run in the mind of the owner. That's an unfortunate fact.

There's another thread on this website regarding Al Reed. He's ill and work is getting delayed.

Please be patient. I'm sure you'll have found another source for machining by now.

Good luck.

Oh, totally... in fact, I've got more options than ever before since the start of this thread   No worries on getting the work done at this point.  I've always had a pet peeve about not getting phone calls returned... usually from chicks, but in other areas of life too.  Lol.  All is well.