[PetesPonies]

don't misunderstand me to think I , in any way, agree with this shop. But,in regards to running down parts...well that can be billable time to me. Typically a shop charges retail for parts, but they buy wholesale. They make money selling you parts. If I am looking for and buying used parts..I either have to raise the price past what I charged you or charge for the time involved. Hell lawyers charge you to talk to them on the phone. Same difference here, it is time I have to spend because of the job I am doing for you. Again..don't think that I think anything, in this situation, sounds realistic )

[Geeto 67]

Originally Posted by PetesPonies

don't misunderstand me to think I , in any way, agree with this shop. But,in regards to running down parts...well that can be billable time to me. Typically a shop charges retail for parts, but they buy wholesale. They make money selling you parts. If I am looking for and buying used parts..I either have to raise the price past what I charged you or charge for the time involved. Hell lawyers charge you to talk to them on the phone. Same difference here, it is time I have to spend because of the job I am doing for you. Again..don't think that I think anything, in this situation, sounds realistic )

Yeah but you wouldn't charge a customer for a weekend of running down parts without calling him and telling him that is what you were going to do, would you? Not to mention that he didn't come back with any parts.

I used to work in a shop that did 100 point restos on corvettes. My boss would buy wholesale and charge retail. Even with used parts there was a retail markup. However if a part was really rare and he needed to do a search for the part that required him to leave the shop, he would have the customer come in, he would explain the situation, and have the customer sign an agreement that it was understood he would be billed for the search time. Billing for search time in a resto shop is not all that common , and when it does happen there is a lot of communication between the shop and the customer.

If you look at standard business practices, this is not one that is common (unlike an attorney where his advice is the product and a common business practice).

["Puddles the Pontiac"]

searching for parts all weekend and not finding them is like a waitress expecting a tip for going to get your food but not bringing anything back. and anybody that can see should be able to find those panels. jeeze '77 i believe was the largest production year for those cars wasn't it? and don't the camaro stuff match as well. light a litigious(sp) fire under that boys a$$. no paper work? no communication? this is almost cut and dry. best of luck.