Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback [resolved]
Page: 1, 2, 3  Next
Forum Index -> Vanagon Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:23 am    Post subject: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback [resolved] Reply with quote

Forum members,

I'm having a moral dilemma and want perspective. I'm not attempting to drive clicks to my blog however I've documented my interactions over there fairly extensively. I can cut and paste if needed here (rather lengthy). https://vwvandiesel.com/2021/07/13/as-the-pandemic-continuesso-does-the-work/

Long story short is that I had to wait 2 months to get an appt at Westy Motorwerks, only to be pushed back to right before rotator cuff surgery then couldn't get to it until after my surgery. I dropped it off pre-surgery so they'd have 6 weeks to work on three items. I was told in July it'd be ready (never touched it during those 8 weeks post surgery). I went up and they still weren't done (3.5 hour drive one way). He was sure they could sort it out, so I asked if I could let my driver loose so he could get back while I waited around several hours. They were good with that. Well, 6 pm that night and it wasn't sorted. Thus, he gave me a loaner vehicle until it was fixed.

Now he wants to pick up loaner however after 15 weeks, van still isn't fixed. I told him to just bring the van down and swap. I told him to give me a call and now he's playing the email game wanting my address to pick up the vehicle. I call the shop and his guy is like, "What's your address? I was told if you call to get your address.". I was like, Tell Wes to give me a call and then I followed up with an email to him saying to call me. Nothing but more email.

Am I being a jerk by holding back my address until I get my van back? Honesty, please! (Don't be a jerk with flame comments on either party) I just think I'm being WAY fair after 15 weeks of it not being done AND then I'm stuck getting a driver to bring me up AGAIN whenever it may happen to be done. Thanks all!
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
4Gears4Tires
Samba Member


Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 2982
Location: MD
4Gears4Tires is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:29 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

I mean, it might have legal repercussions if you're holding on to a van that isn't yours. So yes, I would give your address ASAP.

I would also tell them you want your van back and they have 2 options. Drop it off at your house or you will send a service to pick the van up and you will bill them for it, in small claims if necessary.
_________________
'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Steve M.
Samba Member


Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6798
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
Steve M. is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:34 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

Give them your lawyers business address.
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
zimflux
Samba Member


Joined: September 30, 2015
Posts: 189

zimflux is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:46 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

I didn't read the complete blog, but either a company wants to work with you and is fair (just like a customer would need to be), or they are not. If you don't like how you are being treated, then you either take their blows because you have to or you go elsewhere.

EX: Have you articulated your frustrations fully to them? Have they provided you with a satisfactory response and a timeline to complete? If they can't complete it, why?

Sometimes as a customer, I will ask them for feedback. What can I do to help the shop? How can I be a better customer?, etc
_________________
84 1.9 Westy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:14 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

zimflux wrote:
I didn't read the complete blog, but either a company wants to work with you and is fair (just like a customer would need to be), or they are not. If you don't like how you are being treated, then you either take their blows because you have to or you go elsewhere.

EX: Have you articulated your frustrations fully to them? Have they provided you with a satisfactory response and a timeline to complete? If they can't complete it, why?

Sometimes as a customer, I will ask them for feedback. What can I do to help the shop? How can I be a better customer?, etc


Zim, I'm TOTALLY with you! I've attempted to be fair (my opinion) and articulate my expectations. However, in this day and age, I need to protect myself as well. Thus, (and I left this part out of the blog) when he asked me to pay half my bill up front when I was there, I gladly paid and stated exactly what my expectations were in the receipt. Goals which we both agreed to. Now he's not happy with me because of what he wrote on the receipt. I've learned over the years to get or put everything in writing. I think that's fair for both sides.
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
space
Samba Member


Joined: November 19, 2017
Posts: 669

space is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:29 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

seems strange
their goog feedback is stellar
best of luck to you
T
_________________
82 westy
w:
2.5 JDM Subie
Rear discs
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:33 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

space wrote:
seems strange
their goog feedback is stellar
best of luck to you
T


As I stated in the beginning, I was looking for feedback on my own conduct / expectations... not attempting to slam anyone. However, someone in the community might have specific feedback about this service provider and experiences they've had with them. Thus, perhaps adjusting my expectations if they are out of line.
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
shagginwagon83
Samba Member


Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3786
Location: VA/TN
shagginwagon83 is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:39 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

Wiring/electrical engine issues are no joke. I bet he underestimated the job. I have heard good things overall from Westy Motorwerks, but just know that job to me sounds pretty difficult - a 1.9 TDI with AHU block and AFN ancillaries.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead


Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16802
Location: sticksville, ct.
skills@eurocarsplus is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:00 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

i'm going to give you my 0.02 as a 30+ year mechanic turned shop owner.

i looked at your blog real quick. not sure what you wanted them to fix (again, just glossed over your blog)

your van looks pretty modified. there are shops that really and truly know these things but all bets are off when they are NOT STOCK anymore. engine swaps, heaters, a/c, solar etc all added after the fact are a giant nightmare to deal with.

shops by and large work on stuff they can make a profit on....they have to. not knowing exactly what you wanted done (again, i may have missed it) could have been a disaster for the shop to even get involved with.

the only thing i can think of is you dropped the van off, they took a look at it and said "fuck me" and really didn't want to get involved....which is fine had they called you immediately and said "come get it we are not interested in doing the work" pay the bill for the time spent (usually 30mins/hour) and move on

in my opinion they should have said "no thanks" to whatever you wanted done and should have done that in a reasonable amount of time. why they decided to start the work is beyond me.

here is the situation you'd possibly be in if you were in CT. they can report the loaner car stolen seeing they have asked for it to be returned. IF they followed SOP (at least in CT) you'd have filled out a loaner car agreement and they would have your license and insurance on file, and your address would be on that paperwork.

i see no reason for them to chase their loaner car back. the only reason they would do this would be as a "goodwill" gesture and nothing more.

playing devils advocate here after cruising your blog link real quick that photo of the electrical mess would have had me on the phone with "come get it" because to sort thru stuff like that is an absolute nightmare for a shop.

the biggest mistake i see the shop making is getting involved with your repairs. it is pretty clear to me they knew it was a mess and didn't want to get involved once seeing the van. they should have told you within a day or so they didn't want to work on it.

EDIT just breezed over your blog again....

why you didn't furnish wiring diagrams in the beginning (or why they didn't ask) is beyond me when you were having electrical issues.

by your own admission in your blog, your engine is a mishmash of parts....which is FINE if you were the one that built it. being upset at a shop for trying to comb thru a mess like that is kind of unrealistic. like i said a stock van vs a custom one changes things a lot.

honestly, they shouldn't have gotten involved with it. as a shop owner work like this never ends well for either party. from the sounds of it your harness came from the UK and 99% of the time stuff like that is different from US spec cars. they wouldn't have had a chance in hell sorting that.

anyway i think the lesson here is if you buy something custom that you had no hand in building make dam sure to get the VIN from the donor and a list of everything used in the build. present all of this to the shop beforehand to see if they even want to take on the job.

sorry for your frustration but imho this was a huge communication breakdown between both parties involved. i think they should have said no thanks, but they did get you a loaner so they were trying to do the right thing but in all reality they should have told you they weren't interested in sorting out your issues in a day or 2 from your scheduled drop off date
_________________
gprudenciop wrote:

my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese.......
[email protected] wrote:
most VW enthusiasts are stuck in 80's price land.

Jake Raby wrote:
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public.

Brian wrote:
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history


Last edited by skills@eurocarsplus on Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:19 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:01 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

shagginwagon83 wrote:
Wiring/electrical engine issues are no joke. I bet he underestimated the job. I have heard good things overall from Westy Motorwerks, but just know that job to me sounds pretty difficult - a 1.9 TDI with AHU block and AFN ancillaries.


Shaggin, I understand that point. However, I would contend that it didn't have an electrical issue prior to taking it up there 15 weeks ago (after sitting for 9 weeks before being looked at). I drove it up there under its own power. The only issue, mechanically, I brought it up there for was it going into limp mode when going hard up a mountain in 3rd gear. Other than that, I could drive it around town all day long. Now, it doesn't run under full power, tach doesn't work and I don't know what else until I get it in front of me. *sigh* I LITERALLY have connected him with the guy that created the wiring harness for the vehicle as well as the guy that built the engine after refurb. So, I've attempted to unblock all the barriers as I could as a customer. To a previous poster's point, I've tried to do everything that I could to be a "good customer" but ALWAYS open to feedback.
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
zimflux
Samba Member


Joined: September 30, 2015
Posts: 189

zimflux is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:06 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

chrismsnt wrote:
zimflux wrote:
I didn't read the complete blog, but either a company wants to work with you and is fair (just like a customer would need to be), or they are not. If you don't like how you are being treated, then you either take their blows because you have to or you go elsewhere.

EX: Have you articulated your frustrations fully to them? Have they provided you with a satisfactory response and a timeline to complete? If they can't complete it, why?

Sometimes as a customer, I will ask them for feedback. What can I do to help the shop? How can I be a better customer?, etc


Zim, I'm TOTALLY with you! I've attempted to be fair (my opinion) and articulate my expectations. However, in this day and age, I need to protect myself as well. Thus, (and I left this part out of the blog) when he asked me to pay half my bill up front when I was there, I gladly paid and stated exactly what my expectations were in the receipt. Goals which we both agreed to. Now he's not happy with me because of what he wrote on the receipt. I've learned over the years to get or put everything in writing. I think that's fair for both sides.


What were those last agreed goals/expectations?

If the shop is well respected, part of the community, and you need/trust their work (normally), might I suggest giving them a couple of days or until the end of the week (if you can) to let things cool down (if heated, unsure...). After that, reach out and try to get a plan in place that works for both. Either they will work with you or they won't.

I assume this is work you can't tackle yourself or don't wish to. It seems you have a custom conversion from another vendor, and you're asking another shop to support it. That's ok, but there is potentially a long learning curve there with many man-hours are spent on it and they are not getting paid. Do they get to change for all of it? It's a tough call.

I strongly suggest you become intimately familiar with your conversion and know the into and outs of it. You will be your best advocate.

FWIW: You should expect them to gain knowledge of this thread...
_________________
84 1.9 Westy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
zimflux
Samba Member


Joined: September 30, 2015
Posts: 189

zimflux is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:11 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

skills@eurocarsplus wrote:
i'm going to give you my 0.02 as a 30+ year mechanic turned shop owner.

i looked at your blog real quick. not sure what you wanted them to fix (again, just glossed over your blog)

your van looks pretty modified. there are shops that really and truly know these things but all bets are off when they are NOT STOCK anymore. engine swaps, heaters, a/c, solar etc all added after the fact are a giant nightmare to deal with.

shops bay and large work on stuff they can make a profit on....they have to. not knowing exactly what you wanted done (again, i may have missed it) could have been a disaster for the shop to even get involved with.

the only thing i can think of is you dropped the van off, they took a look at it and said "fuck me" and really didn't want to get involved....which is fine had they called you immediately and said "come get it we are not interested in doing the work" pay the bill for the time spent (usually 30mins/hour) and move on

in my opinion they should have said "no thanks" to whatever you wanted done and should have done that in a reasonable amount of time. why they decided to start the work is beyond me.

here is the situation you'd possibly be in if you were in CT. they can report the loaner car stolen seeing they have asked for it to be returned. IF they followed SOP (at least in CT) you'd have filled out a loaner car agreement and they would have your license and insurance on file, and your address would be on that paperwork.

i see no reason for them to chase their loaner car back. the only reason they would do this would be as a "goodwill" gesture and nothing more.

playing devils advocate here after cruising your blog link real quick that photo of the electrical mess would have had me on the phone with "come get it" because to sort thru stuff like that is an absolute nightmare for a shop.

the biggest mistake i see the shop making is getting involved with your repairs. it is pretty clear to me they knew it was a mess and didn't want to get involved once seeing the van. they should have told you within a day or so they didn't want to work on it.

EDIT just breezed over your blog again....

why you didn't furnish wiring diagrams in the beginning (or why they didn't ask) is beyond me when you were having electrical issues.

by your own admission in your blog, your engine is a mishmash of parts....which is FINE if you were the one that built it. being upset at a shop for trying to comb thru a mess like that is kind of unrealistic. like i said a stock van vs a custom one changes things a lot.

honestly, they shouldn't have gotten involved with it. as a shop owner work like this never ends well for either party. from the sounds of it your harness came from the UK and 99% of the time stuff like that is different from US spec cars. they wouldn't have had a chance in hell sorting that.

anyway i think the lesson here is if you buy something custom that you had no hand in building make dam sure to get the VIN from the donor and a list of everything used in the build. present all of this to the shop beforehand to see if they even want to take on the job.

sorry for your frustration but imho this was a huge communication breakdown between both parties involved. i think they should have said no thanks, but they did get you a loaner so they were trying to do the right thing but in all reality they should have told you they weren't interested in sorting out your issues in a day or 2 from your scheduled drop off date


I second this coming from a customer's view.
_________________
84 1.9 Westy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
zimflux
Samba Member


Joined: September 30, 2015
Posts: 189

zimflux is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:13 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

chrismsnt wrote:
shagginwagon83 wrote:
Wiring/electrical engine issues are no joke. I bet he underestimated the job. I have heard good things overall from Westy Motorwerks, but just know that job to me sounds pretty difficult - a 1.9 TDI with AHU block and AFN ancillaries.


Shaggin, I understand that point. However, I would contend that it didn't have an electrical issue prior to taking it up there 15 weeks ago (after sitting for 9 weeks before being looked at). I drove it up there under its own power. The only issue, mechanically, I brought it up there for was it going into limp mode when going hard up a mountain in 3rd gear. Other than that, I could drive it around town all day long. Now, it doesn't run under full power, tach doesn't work and I don't know what else until I get it in front of me. *sigh* I LITERALLY have connected him with the guy that created the wiring harness for the vehicle as well as the guy that built the engine after refurb. So, I've attempted to unblock all the barriers as I could as a customer. To a previous poster's point, I've tried to do everything that I could to be a "good customer" but ALWAYS open to feedback.


Your doing the right thing and agreed that you are truly helping unlock those barriers... to flip it, do you know what their barriers are? Just a thought...
_________________
84 1.9 Westy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joetiger Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5068
Location: denver
joetiger is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:21 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

When all of this is resolved:

Go to the next large VW/Vanagon gathering as near to you as possible. Open your hatch and your slider door and invite everybody to have a look. Find the diesel guys. Shower them with praise. Buy ALL of their beers. Build relationships.

With a very unique conversion that you're not totally familiar with, you're going to need to immerse yourself in the community. You may get lucky with a shop but I think you'll have better fortunes with fellow enthusiasts.

My van is definitely an oddball and as a result, I've benefitted from the services of a welder, several carpenters, inline VW guys, Syncro folks, my local Vanagon squad, and of course, more than anything, this place right here.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:25 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

[quote="zimflux"][quote="chrismsnt"]
zimflux wrote:
I didn't read the complete blog, but either a company wants to work with you and is fair (just like a customer would need to be), or they are not. If you don't like how you are being treated, then you either take their blows because you have to or you go elsewhere.



What were those last agreed goals/expectations?

If the shop is well respected, part of the community, and you need/trust their work (normally), might I suggest giving them a couple of days or until the end of the week (if you can) to let things cool down (if heated, unsure...). After that, reach out and try to get a plan in place that works for both. Either they will work with you or they won't.

I assume this is work you can't tackle yourself or don't wish to. It seems you have a custom conversion from another vendor, and you're asking another shop to support it. That's ok, but there is potentially a long learning curve there with many man-hours are spent on it and they are not getting paid. Do they get to change for all of it? It's a tough call.

I strongly suggest you become intimately familiar with your conversion and know the into and outs of it. You will be your best advocate.

FWIW: You should expect them to gain knowledge of this thread...


Advisory Notes: Client is paying $1200 now and $1200 upon completion of the van. Includes plumbing of the furnace and getting the tach and oil gauge working. Excludes diagnosing and repairing electrical issues. Estimate in electrical repairs could be between $200 and $500. Please notify if over.

Again, full disclosure that I gave him that first half upon his request after he failed to have it completed on his given date and taking a 3 hour drive up there. I told him that if I were to give him money that day, we'd put the rest in writing. He agreed and he typed up the Advisory Notes above.

To your point about giving him a few days or week to let things cool down... I have been attempting to let it cool down since July 2nd after I made the trip up there. Are you suggesting that now he understands that I'm REALLY serious this time and behaviors might change? I spoke to him on the phone about an hour or so ago to explain my position. He says he has a lot of hours in it and still doesn't know what the issue may be. However, he really needed the loaned car because it was another customer's car and they need it back. (I'm going to let that one stand on it's own and not going down that road at ALL.) I felt, at this point, he's frustrated, I'm frustrated and obviously headway isn't being made to resolve the issue. Thus, flatbed it down and pick up the loaner (since he needed to pick up the loaner anyway). Thus, we both are rid of each other's headaches.

As far as the custom setup, it's just a conversion from mTDI to electronic TDI. That's why I called to see if he's up to work on it. I do that with every shop. If they're not comfortable or have diesel experience, then that's fine. I did the same in this instance. He felt that he had that type of experience. That's why I made and waited 2 months to get into his shop.
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:41 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

skills@eurocarsplus wrote:
i'm going to give you my 0.02 as a 30+ year mechanic turned shop owner.

i looked at your blog real quick. not sure what you wanted them to fix (again, just glossed over your blog)

your van looks pretty modified. there are shops that really and truly know these things but all bets are off when they are NOT STOCK anymore. engine swaps, heaters, a/c, solar etc all added after the fact are a giant nightmare to deal with.

shops by and large work on stuff they can make a profit on....they have to. not knowing exactly what you wanted done (again, i may have missed it) could have been a disaster for the shop to even get involved with.

the only thing i can think of is you dropped the van off, they took a look at it and said "fuck me" and really didn't want to get involved....which is fine had they called you immediately and said "come get it we are not interested in doing the work" pay the bill for the time spent (usually 30mins/hour) and move on

in my opinion they should have said "no thanks" to whatever you wanted done and should have done that in a reasonable amount of time. why they decided to start the work is beyond me.

here is the situation you'd possibly be in if you were in CT. they can report the loaner car stolen seeing they have asked for it to be returned. IF they followed SOP (at least in CT) you'd have filled out a loaner car agreement and they would have your license and insurance on file, and your address would be on that paperwork.

i see no reason for them to chase their loaner car back. the only reason they would do this would be as a "goodwill" gesture and nothing more.

playing devils advocate here after cruising your blog link real quick that photo of the electrical mess would have had me on the phone with "come get it" because to sort thru stuff like that is an absolute nightmare for a shop.

the biggest mistake i see the shop making is getting involved with your repairs. it is pretty clear to me they knew it was a mess and didn't want to get involved once seeing the van. they should have told you within a day or so they didn't want to work on it.

EDIT just breezed over your blog again....

why you didn't furnish wiring diagrams in the beginning (or why they didn't ask) is beyond me when you were having electrical issues.

by your own admission in your blog, your engine is a mishmash of parts....which is FINE if you were the one that built it. being upset at a shop for trying to comb thru a mess like that is kind of unrealistic. like i said a stock van vs a custom one changes things a lot.

honestly, they shouldn't have gotten involved with it. as a shop owner work like this never ends well for either party. from the sounds of it your harness came from the UK and 99% of the time stuff like that is different from US spec cars. they wouldn't have had a chance in hell sorting that.

anyway i think the lesson here is if you buy something custom that you had no hand in building make dam sure to get the VIN from the donor and a list of everything used in the build. present all of this to the shop beforehand to see if they even want to take on the job.

sorry for your frustration but imho this was a huge communication breakdown between both parties involved. i think they should have said no thanks, but they did get you a loaner so they were trying to do the right thing but in all reality they should have told you they weren't interested in sorting out your issues in a day or 2 from your scheduled drop off date


Thank you for your feedback and perspective!! Seriously! Just for clarification's sake, this is a 1.9 mTDI which was converted to an electronic TDI. I am not mechanical so I'm on a learning curve as well. So, as I approach each shop that I'm attempting to partner with, I ask them:
1. if they've got the diesel background to work on this
2. I wanted to partner with a shop long term to keep ongoing projects / maintenance. My first ask was an assessment of the vehicle and priority list of what the 1st, 2nd, and rest of work to be done should be.
3. Appointments / booking times

I agree with all that you're saying. However, communication back was the key, in my opinion. Such that, a priority list for work to be done actually meshed up with EXACTLY what their website stated they did for work. However, that was never given to me. It was ALL priority. So, I turned around and said okay, let's do it. Then "additional" work popped up that I didn't approve (i.e. working on my diffs because that was work I was going to tackle.) Their response was that "we were down there doing the clutch slave so we just addressed it". Okay... whatever, so I agreed to pay.

Then when I went to pick it up, stuff was "broken or not functional" as to when I dropped it off. Who's responsible for that work? (i.e. tach and oil gauge working because it was functional when I dropped it off)

In the end, I would respect a shop that would turn me away or say they're over their head. I've actually had shops turn me down and I'm good with that. My issue is that they still feel like it can be fixed by them and the weeks continue to rack up with little forward movement. I understand they need to pay bills and so, "easy jobs" are coming before mine now. However, I'm still paying the same bill rate as the other customers and can't help that some of this mess was induced by them. Thus, I've given them the "out" by disengaging. This is what this thread is all about... the customer side and am I being unrealistic?
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
space
Samba Member


Joined: November 19, 2017
Posts: 669

space is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:45 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

"I felt, at this point, he's frustrated, I'm frustrated and obviously headway isn't being made to resolve the issue. Thus, flatbed it down and pick up the loaner (since he needed to pick up the loaner anyway). Thus, we both are rid of each other's headaches."

that sounds like the best resolution to a bad experience
Good Luck
_________________
82 westy
w:
2.5 JDM Subie
Rear discs
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead


Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16802
Location: sticksville, ct.
skills@eurocarsplus is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:03 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

chrismsnt wrote:


Thank you for your feedback and perspective!! Seriously! Just for clarification's sake, this is a 1.9 mTDI which was converted to an electronic TDI.


i understand the conversion and i'm personally not well versed in what that conversion entails.

again, to play devils advocate....

so say someone brings me a car that was originally carbureted and now has a supercharger on it running a ECU from a datsun. where do you begin diag?

or another example.... I'm a trained Volvo tech. so i know what stock is...that's how i was trained. not that i can't figure out the puzzle but the question is....do i want to? my answer to that is usually no.

i 1000% believe he has a ton of what we call "non billable hours" into you van. that is the point where we feel guilty about charging hours spent when we couldn't solve an issue.

the problem is for many shops is knowing the 'jumping off' point. if i don't have a solid direction to run in within an hour, hour and a half....the game gets called.

often times shops/techs WANT the answer, so we keep burying time in something hoping we're close to a solution. then we look back and say "fuck, there's 9 hours i can't bill for"

anyway, i'd see if he would be willing to split the cost of transport....the answer is probably going to be no....it's going to be a HUGE bill.

the other option would be split the cost of a uhaul and you drive the loaner back and tow it home.

what's really (most likely) going to happen is you will drive the loaner back and foot the bill to drag it home
_________________
gprudenciop wrote:

my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese.......
[email protected] wrote:
most VW enthusiasts are stuck in 80's price land.

Jake Raby wrote:
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public.

Brian wrote:
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
chrismsnt
Samba Member


Joined: March 06, 2018
Posts: 247
Location: Cumming, GA
chrismsnt is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:23 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

skills@eurocarsplus wrote:
chrismsnt wrote:


Thank you for your feedback and perspective!! Seriously! Just for clarification's sake, this is a 1.9 mTDI which was converted to an electronic TDI.


i understand the conversion and i'm personally not well versed in what that conversion entails.

again, to play devils advocate....

so say someone brings me a car that was originally carbureted and now has a supercharger on it running a ECU from a datsun. where do you begin diag?

or another example.... I'm a trained Volvo tech. so i know what stock is...that's how i was trained. not that i can't figure out the puzzle but the question is....do i want to? my answer to that is usually no.

i 1000% believe he has a ton of what we call "non billable hours" into you van. that is the point where we feel guilty about charging hours spent when we couldn't solve an issue.

the problem is for many shops is knowing the 'jumping off' point. if i don't have a solid direction to run in within an hour, hour and a half....the game gets called.

often times shops/techs WANT the answer, so we keep burying time in something hoping we're close to a solution. then we look back and say "fuck, there's 9 hours i can't bill for"

anyway, i'd see if he would be willing to split the cost of transport....the answer is probably going to be no....it's going to be a HUGE bill.

the other option would be split the cost of a uhaul and you drive the loaner back and tow it home.

what's really (most likely) going to happen is you will drive the loaner back and foot the bill to drag it home


To your devil's advocate: VCDS - it's VW all around, however I understand what you're saying. Smile

It's a 1.9 TDI Passat engine. They just switched from mTDI to electronic. Standard ECU. So, it's not a "custom" build. In fact, he was leaning on a potential "bad ECU" so I had one shipped from the UK. It's a stock part.

Again, understanding ALL of your points and seriously wanting to compensate him for his time. Thus, he quoted the $200-$500 and I told him I had a budget so that's where the "Please notify if over" came in. He's throw parts at it that we've never had a conversation about (nor approval) and any time he had questions (such as the wiring harness), I tried to be Johnny on the spot with answers of the resources who "did it". He never reached out to one of those resources (I know this first hand because I asked the UK guys). If he wants to wander blindly, I feel it's on him. However, I'm pulling the plug and not him. He still believes he can fix it. I just feel it's unrealistic at this point given he's "taking a bath". That's why I think it's only fair to both step away.

As far as swapping out vehicles, I'm not sure on that one. Honestly, I don't have the time to take 6 hours to drive to NC today given a last minute's notice this morning. Unfortunately, I'm on call for the next two weeks for my job and can't just "run up there". He stated he needed his vehicle today just this morning. So, are you saying that I am obligated to run up there when he says jump? Again, I'd say within reason given a good working relationship. Thus, why I just came to the conclusion that if he's already coming down for the vehicle; cut the loss and bring it with you. That's what he's asking me to do if I were to come up and drop off the loaner. I'd need to find a way back as well as tow a vehicle which I drove up there. I don't know... it's just all bad and not any real good conclusions. However, I appreciate everyone chiming in with thoughts! Seriously appreciate ALL the angles.
_________________
Chris
1989 T3 Vanagon 16" Syncro
1967 Squareback
https://vwvandiesel.com
Instagram @VW_VanDiesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
kamzcab86
Samba Moderator


Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7892
Location: Arizona
kamzcab86 is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:24 am    Post subject: Re: Westy Motorwerks, Asheville, NC - issues and feedback Reply with quote

skills@eurocarsplus wrote:
what's really (most likely) going to happen is you will drive the loaner back and foot the bill to drag it home


Except, come to find out, the loaner is another customer's car! Shocked I wouldn't want that liability... no way, no how. Put the loaner on a flatbed and send the van back on same flatbed... done.
_________________
~Kamz Anxious
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
Blue Vanagon 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Vanagon All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.