I picked up my repaired cylinder.
Here’s what was on the receipt word for word:
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“Manufactured new cylinder rod as per sample
Replace 1 Tie Rod
Replace Eye Assembly
Replace Head Bushings
Hone Tube Clean
Complete cylinder rebuild to include:
Degreasing of entire cylinder, disassembly, sand blast head and piston. Inspection & re-measuring of all seal grooves, inspect bore of cylinder for scores, inspect pin eyes wear, polish rod and check for straightness and imperfections. Reseal/reassemble and test external as well as internal leaks (by-pass). Job is then stamped with your invoice number & painted **1 year warranty**”
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IT WAS ALMOST $1K. !!!
But after I quickly informed him that a new one was less than $600, the price was magically reduced to $375.00
I must say, in his defense that he truly felt (knowing that this is a charter boat and I cannot afford down time) that he did the right thing and he was justifiable in his original price and wanted to make sure he did a top notch job.
He did admit that there was a large lack of communication to me on his part and that he would have told me to buy a new one from the start if he had known the price of a new one, he also stated that the rod was pitted and had to be replaced. (although I don’t recall it being pitted)
He also stated that after investigating the new Teleflex version, that it would not be as heavy duty and alluminum with a tiny shaft vs. the heavy duty origial Hynautic. (He did have a point).
The moral of the above story is, get IN WRITING an estimate of any work you’re going to have done. My fault, amateur mistake, I knew better than that. It is my fault for once again assuming that other small businesses run their businesses the same way I have ran all of mine.
Chalk it up as another “learning experience."
