Its been a strange year here so far.

[KE4AVB]

Just wondering if anyone else is having a nightmare with this year''s startup.

It seems everything coming needs major repairs; although, there have been a few simple repairs. Boy this is killing my turn around times. Now I got a Z950R that losing oil pressure when hot. Got to pull the engine for tear down inspection for the root cause (3000+ hrs on engine). Just finished a CC ZTR that someone no idea of how to repair it but they made many redneck repairs that I had to undo. Boy those fuel solenoid expensive at $150 for the Kohler engine.

I am currently running at least two weeks behind with some repairs being even longer.

[hanz63]

I'm much the opposite though it seems that a day will pop up every once in a while that seems like little headway was made. Two weeks isn't much for turnaround in this business when you think about it, so don't beat yourself up about it. Maybe you are thinking that you are losing out on good jobs by the crappy ones taking all your time. A thought might be to focus on the jobs that either make you money or are more of what you like to do. Your choice. Just be sure to make the choice or it will be made for you. You obviously have lots of talent and a desire to delve in much deeper than the typical parts replacer. If that's your reason for doing what you do, you are in your element. I can tell from where I sit, that you are a better mechanic than I am.

For me, I'm OK with a good mystery but I more focus on maintenance and more standard repairs. Example, I don't have a desire to have a transmission lay apart so I can scramble to find parts in these days- then remember which way something went when I put it together weeks later. So my customer base is pretty loyal and decent to deal with. They will mostly wait for me, catch up on what's happened since I've seen them last. They love my wife. That's the way I groomed them. Yep, I'm one of those guys that sometimes says, I didn't build it, I didn't sell it- take this one to the dealer. And many times, I see them the next year because their dealer experience wasn't what they were used to. Here's to a better season for you.

[KE4AVB]

It is the research and procurement times that are killing me. I am more on the net than working on equipment. Like you it is a pain to remember how thing came apart at times. I got a Remington string apart right that been in the box for the last two weeks as I had to figure to get the broken carburetor intake screw out from the cylinder. They had red Loctite those M5 screw in. What worst is I broke off an extractor trying to get them out with heat. Neighbor gave me a bunch of carbide bits so I able to cut out the extract tip and resize to M6. I should be able start back together later this week.

Now I have ditched a few my customers for being PITAs. I currently got one that I probably just tell go somewhere next time, He is squeaky cheap. The latest is bring in a mower with so little gas it ran out on the second start-up. First start-up was to find the problem and the second was to verify the repairs. He expects my to put gas in it for free. Well it not happening as gas is now $4.15 / gal yesterday. It was under $3.75 two weeks ago. Now of course I paid less with my fuel points knocking off forty cents two weeks ago. Still I got gas at 4.12 / gal yesterday. I save my .20 plus / gal discount until I fill up my vehicle.

Besides yesterday the station attendant looked scary with all the metal piercing he had along with all the tattoos. He would set off the metal detectors at the courthouse if he was to try to enter.