I would like your thoughts on this repair.
Guy drops a rider off at the shop, and due to normal shop flow, you determine that the rider needs a new battery, new drive belt, new bearings installed in the right spindle, and due to the engine stopping on the compression stroke when cranked with a boost charger determine the valves need adjusted which is typical of the OHV single briggs engine.
While you are working up what needs to be done to repair the mower, the customer calls and insist on a rough estimate right at that moment in time, and won't let you complete the estimate of repairs. With the knowledge that you have at that time you toss the customer an estimate of $175. Which he agrees to, and ask is the mower repairable, and your answer is yes. OK, so you install a new battery, and still won't crank correctly even after adjusting the valves, You start diagnosing the starting issue, and determine that you are loosing voltage through the solenoid. You determine that the solenoid needs replaced to to internal corrosion. and the mower starts and runs like a new mower.
Now shortly after shutting off the mower, the carb starts leaking and fills the crankcase with gas. After removing and cleaning the carb, and installing new gaskets, the carb continues to leak, only after starting and shutting off. Carb can set for over 24 hours without leaking after repair, but will leak shortly after starting the mower, multiple times. Which leads to having to replace the carb.
Now the question is, do you stop the repair at the $175 estimate and leave the owner with a bill, and a mower that they can't use, or complete the repair which comes to $300 but leaves the owner with a mower he can use.
Guy drops a rider off at the shop, and due to normal shop flow, you determine that the rider needs a new battery, new drive belt, new bearings installed in the right spindle, and due to the engine stopping on the compression stroke when cranked with a boost charger determine the valves need adjusted which is typical of the OHV single briggs engine.
While you are working up what needs to be done to repair the mower, the customer calls and insist on a rough estimate right at that moment in time, and won't let you complete the estimate of repairs. With the knowledge that you have at that time you toss the customer an estimate of $175. Which he agrees to, and ask is the mower repairable, and your answer is yes. OK, so you install a new battery, and still won't crank correctly even after adjusting the valves, You start diagnosing the starting issue, and determine that you are loosing voltage through the solenoid. You determine that the solenoid needs replaced to to internal corrosion. and the mower starts and runs like a new mower.
Now shortly after shutting off the mower, the carb starts leaking and fills the crankcase with gas. After removing and cleaning the carb, and installing new gaskets, the carb continues to leak, only after starting and shutting off. Carb can set for over 24 hours without leaking after repair, but will leak shortly after starting the mower, multiple times. Which leads to having to replace the carb.
Now the question is, do you stop the repair at the $175 estimate and leave the owner with a bill, and a mower that they can't use, or complete the repair which comes to $300 but leaves the owner with a mower he can use.