Its most unfortunate these days...you help a person out and now he feels that its obligatory you do it again. He is an *** for even suggestion you do such an expensive maintenance procedure for free.

I second the wrapping the timing belt about his neck idea!

 

I say your an ***... but my vote is all in good fun.

I say you don't do it or help at all. If someone expects something for free but you charge them for it, they are only going to complain about the job when you are finished. No matter how good of a job you do, they are going to find something wrong. Just do yourself a favor and walk away from this job. Its not worth it.
Some people like to haggle, and they are ok. They will "hee haw" on a price, but once it is agreed upon, everything is fine. When you throw out a number (like 250) and they come back with FREE, just drop the whole thing there. Even if they offer above your first price just give it up.
Further more, don't do timing belts for people. There is too much risk involved. Something that important you should do for your self. Then if something goes "wrong," you have no one to blame but yourself.
I tension all of mine by hand. I would never tension someone elses. I may feel the belts and give a " that feels pretty good to me," but thats it.

 

I understand your point Travis. I only told him about once or twice about it and didn't even push him to take me up on the offer. I just told him to get the timing belt done and I tell him a lot about that to have it done at a shop or by himself but just get it done. I won't do it now even if he offers me more. I just wanted to give him a really sweet deal for something that needs to be done ASAP but he turned it down and tells me I'm an ******* and a ******** for not doing it free for him.

Travis I still owe you good German beer let me know if you are heading up my way anytime soon so we can work something out like stopping by here.

 

I am going to try to make it to the meet at the end of this month, but I don't know if I can. I will get with you if I end up being able to make it up there.

 

That will be great man. Let me know you can meet up at my house first then head out there. PM me once you have a better idea if you are going to make it.

 

Seb and Adam are both very good people.

I can see why you would be angry seb. Id pay 350 total for my belts, i know that. You gave him a good deal and he wanted it for free.

The way you guys are slamming on Adam is unfair. I doubt Adam has done anything bad to any of you guys. Adam has 2 cars, and he may have lots of money, but that doesnt mean he is willing to pay full price for a belt job. He knows Seb and thought he might be able to get the job for maybe some beer and some pizza. I know i would sure try that.

You people sit here and talk about respect, when all you do is turn around and throw **** out at Adam. I cant belive a bunch of "grown up" or "civilized" porsche owners would say stuff like this. Especially since you dont even give Adam a chance. The only person here who has a right to be angry is really Seb. The rest of you should be ashamed of yourselves. You have nothing better to do than to sit here and call Adam an *******. Adam has done countless things for me, and i cant believe you guys sit here and say crap about him.

I never though id be ashamed to hang around with other 944 owners, until now. Im 16 and seeing a bunch of grown up people act like this is crazy.

 

I'm not anger I'm just having a blast since someone really thinks I'm an *******/******** for not doing his belts for free. He has the links to the forum so he can reply anyway he wants. Just calling me names isn't going to get that job done for free and I wouldn't even do the job for him anymore. I tried to help him out but hell he doesn't want my help. I did this job on my own when I first started I just asked a lot of questions from Speedwag many know him. Then I did the work myself without anyone to help me hold a tool in my hand or what not. Anyways it's his fault for trying to find a sucker to do something a shop would charge 500-1000 depending how good the shop is and what is done to it. I gave him the information for a good shop in town Eibell Performance he can have them done there or he can have some sucker do his belts for free but I tell you it won't be me.

 

well, its late, and i don't feel like getting in a huge argument so i'll just reply with my basic take on what's going on.

first i'd like to start by saying that i dont care who it is on the board, if someone asked me (locally) to help them work on their car i'd def. be there to do it for free. thats cause i like to work on cars and porsches especially. i wouldn't mind being compensated, especially if i needed money, which we all do, but still, i'd do it for free.

now, you have offered to sit there and help him do it, free of charge, without touching the car but offering advice. why can't you just help him out here and there, and guide him through it for free? if you REALLY needed that money, i'm sure you'd be out at a job instead of hanging around adam's house helping him out - so that story is shot.

the fact that he has two p-cars is irrelevant. adam has used up every possible cent he could get his hands on to purchase the 951, and he is trying to get the 944 in order to sell his car - forget to mention that, did we seb? can i blame him for trying to get his 944 in order for the lowest possible price? heck no, in fact i plan on doing that on the '83 this summer... i will be doing the timing belt on it at the local shop, my own labor, but i will be getting help from them. we have 3 p-cars at the house here, one is non-roadworthy, but that is also irrelevant. do i have $400 or so to shove at a shop to do my timing belts? no way! just because we have three pcars doesn't mean that we're loaded! this part of your discussion is also shot.

now, the reality of the situation
adam would like to get his belts done so he doesn't ruin his car. he doesnt want to spend a lot. he's willing to do the labor himself, but would like a hand doing the job.

you insist that you need to get paid for the job, but you say you'd hang around and give him verbal guidance anyway for free.

i have to ask you this - suppose he buys parts, and pays you 250 for labor... then 1000 miles later the car tanks due to timing belt being improperly tensioned. are you going to warrantee the work? if not then its not worth the 250 on top of parts to get you to do the job.

basically its boiling down to the fact that you have the time to help but you won't really unless he pays you. you have the time, and could readily do it for free, since its not like you'll be taking a day off from work anyway. i'm gonna call it the way i see it - if it were me i'd help him. in essence, my level of respect for you has just dropped a few points.

-Mike-

p.s. i am abstaining from voting in this poll.

 

also after reading your last post - i guess i'm a huge sucker. and anyone who pays 500 for just belts is getting reamed hardcore. i paid 700 parts and labor for seals, water pump, and belts. also, i haven't really heard of adam bashing you on rennlist, so i see no reason why you should bash him.

-Mike-

 

Well it's nice of him to just say no dude I don't wanna pay you he doesn't have to go around calling me a ******** and ******* for not doing it for free. I would of warrantee the work if it was my fault something would fail. Mike I have been looking for work applying at auto parts stores and body shops what not. The point is he wants something to be done for free that cost a lot at a shop to do what am I getting out of this? Nothing!!! I'm not doing it. I just tell him he should have it taken care off not by me but someone it be a shop or you Mike. When I needed help I didn't have someone come over my house and give me a hand. Sorry maybe you have some actually friends but I don't I only have a few and I told you who those were. Plus everytime he talks to me he is being an smartass Always. I don't care enough to come out there and help him out. Will he come paint my car for free? I been screwed over by a lot by people so why should I do free stuff for someone that doesn't deserve it? Mike get me a job and I'll be there the whole time. I'm still trying to figure out if I can make this whole week on 10$ of gas looking for jobs and what not. I don't ask for hand outs for anyone I wouldn't even accept but I would do a service or give a product for money. It's nice to be going to school eh Mike and Adam eh?

 

It is nice, i never said it wasn't. i'm very grateful for what i have, and that's precisely why i don't have a problem giving others a hand for free.

my point is (and even the fact that you had no one to help you before is irrelevent) that if you don't help others, then don't expect them to help you in return. props for making due with what you have and being able to keep your car. seriously though man, its time to reconsider what kind of a guy you want to be. if you have the time and ability to help somone, and you don't do it, i'd be hard pressed to help you next time you needed it. not saying that i wouldnt, but knowing that you're the kind of guy that would at least pass the favor on would make it 100% easier for me to help you out. i know it sucks to be screwed by people, we've all had it happen to us or someone we know, but unless you reach out and at least try, then don't expect others to be compelled to jump to your aide.

-Mike-

 

Dude I helped out a lot of guys with there cars being mustangs or cameros. When I needed help just to hold a freaking wrench so I can tighten something on my car I couldn't find anyone on my cell phone that would bother to come by guess what I deleted all there numbers and so screw them I don't need people like that. Also I never asked for some big help like a timing belt job,rollers, and water pump for someone to come by and do it for free. I got screwed over by a meahanic in town when he didn't do the timing belt job right on my car and I was on the to the shop to have it retension and my tensioners decides to let go. I was stuck with the bill and no help I rebuilt the top end by myself with the help of some advice I read all over the net and few calls to speedwag which is a true friend of mine.

 

Also Mike I'm looking for a job each week. I'm still trying to get on a day labor crew doing roofs the guy I know owns the company sometime he can have me help out with doing a roof but it's like once in a while and I get paid around 75$ a day for that if I even do get the job. I haven't done a roof job in sometime now which sucks because I'm willing to do it but he can't give me a job cause he can barely give his own guys the work. The Porsche shop is going to take me in once the whole thing straightens up around there I have a spot and a number just need time before I can get in there and work. I thought for sure I was going to have a job at a body shop but the owner decided to pick up one of his works kid for the job which really blows.

 

well its good to hear you're trying to get a job. i know roofing is no fun - from experience. i was up there last christmas break doing my own. if i've told you once i've told you a hundred times, if i was closer, i'd have no problem coming to hold a wrench. it sucks that your bday fell on exam weekend, but that stuff happens. i'm sure adam would come hold a wrench for you if you asked him... anyhow i'm getting tired, and i'm goin to bed.

good luck with this whole thing
-Mike-

 

I just wanted to point one thing out to you Mike about somethin you said earlier. You said that just cuz Adam has 2 porsches doesnt mean he has a buncha money to drop on paying someone to fix his car. BUT you have to consider the crap adam feeds to seb and myself, b/c i talk Adam too online. Adam tells me that if Seb can afford to maintain his 951, then that means he's got money and shouldnt be requesting any for helping with the car. So YOUR argument in that regard is shot.