Some Chicago Boyz know each other from student days at the University of Chicago. Others are Chicago boys in spirit. The blog name is also intended as a good-humored gesture of admiration for distinguished Chicago School economists and fellow travelers.
Man that “fix” is worse than bad. Hasn’t this guy heard of wrecking yards? With a little patience you could find a matching color undamaged part.
That almost belongs one one of those internet circulation “redneck” fixes emails, although personally I think they disparage rednecks.
A lot of them are pretty car-savvy.
On a somewhat related note I had an experience with a guy I will call the “world’s worst salesman”.
I bought this 16 year old car and the PO had hit something with the bumper. Not hard enough to cause structural damage but it tore the fascia covering the bumper. Just cosmetic damage requiring a new fascia and paint.
(OTOH what kind of door hinges are those? ;-) )
Anyway I take it to a body shop that my family had dealt with in the past with satisfactory results.
First question “Is this insurance or will you pay for it”
Me: “I’m paying for it”
A few minutes later a fellow, I’ll call Michael, strolls out with me to look at the car.
He looks at the bumper and says “You’d be better off taking it to a Mom and Pop shop and let them just respray over it”.
First Rule of sales: Qualify the customer.
The guy didn’t have to look for me – I was there – wanting a price. Ready to buy.
Second rule of sales: Ask for the sale.
I left a bit perplexed and finally figured out the guy was too indifferent/lazy to even look up the parts and labor costs. Either that or they were used to gouging the insurance company and knew someone paying out of their own pocket might object.
I’ve written them off my list.
Whether in the future I have an insurance claim….or not.
And I do have my eye on the wrecking yard although this particular fascia was good for only 2 years out of a 12 year production run – and then finding the color…odds not good.