I have a related question of an ethical type.
I'll try to be brief.
As my signature says. I live not far from the Ass End of Nowhere. So, I don't have a huge choice of mechanics hereabouts.
I have a very personable mechanic on my doorstep, who can do auto electrics and bodywork also.
He's changed the roof pump on an Alfa 939 and tidied up bodywork and alloys for about £300. Bodywork and alloys look lovely.
I bought the Range Rover and Alfa at decent prices and have tidied both up for resale. Now COVID19 is doin' its thang, luckily I can
dry store my cars at no cost, until the used / classic market bounces back.
I have three other cars, that I'd like him to lightly restore for resale. Each ought to fetch north of £15,000 in a decent market. All are rare. Double that, if I was to hold onto them for a few years. That's the background.
When I bought the Range Rover (pictured) it had to lining on the underside of the sunroof. At this point the headlining was fine.
Tight, clean. We didn't know the board was rotten above the 'cloth'. To fit the material to the sunroof blind and replace the sunroof motor, he said he had to take the headliner off. I said fine. When I picked up the car a week or so later, the sunroof blind was recovered in material to match the grey teddy bear seats etc and the motor was working.
But, all around the sunroof and along the headliner edges, were black finger marks. Oil presumably. And the headliner backing has been removed because it was rotten apparently and the headliner material, which was perfect, is now hanging like the aforementioned bedouins tent.
I've said nothing so far. Just acted pleased as usual. The Rangey is back with him to fix the headlight switch(es) cause he forgot to do that last time. This is now done, so am collecting it again this week.
My question is. Should I take this on the chin? The headliner problems he's created? In the interests of getting good work done on the rest of my cars? In other words, bear the cost of buying another one and the enormous ball ache of getting one.
Should I buy a replacement, but expect him to fit it and cover the cost of labour? Or, should I say, you broke it, you fix it.
As an aside, my manner is hail fellow well met, but people don't tend to dick me about. I'm 6'1" and although my health has gone seriously downhill over the last several years, am ex-special forces and although I don't talk about it to strangers, or anybody really; when I slip back into my old mannerisms, well, I know from experience that not many guys would start a rumble with me.
The laugh of it is. I'm reskilling to become a trauma psychologist and work with and for the types of guys I used to work alongside, so I'm working on my interpersonal skills, like you wouldn't believe!
My own thinking on this. For an easy life. I find and buy the replacement headliner. Moan about the cost a little.
And when I get it, politely say that I don't expect a labour bill for attaching it.
Sorry for the essay. I do have friends locally that I could ask, but most of them I worked with and they'd insist on violating his human rights to soften him up. Waterboarding probably. Jump leads to the nads, not ruled out
