so today i go back up to the shop that f---ed up my exhaust and ask them if they would be willing to cut off the rear of their exhaust and weld the rear portion of my new OBX/Motoria exhaust in. they had no customers. easy pickens since the midsection aligns. I figure since they f---ed my exhaust up 3 times in the first place it wouldn't cost that much. i tell him i don't work, i go to university and as a student it's difficult and need to have a finished exhaust to pass emissions. i ask him to do this for me as a friend not a customer. thought they would weld the rear section into the glasspack and call it a night. any seventh grader can unbutton his sweatshirt and hang clothes in a closet.

i thought it would be some $50- $75. nope. guy stood firm at $150, knowing of the possibility of losing a customer. for shitty work? no way. so i was so surprised. i negotiated, but guy was so firm that i just told him i've got friends that can help me out but thought to come here because they know me.

i went in cautiously thinking i'd get some respect, especially for the good heart and respect i give them. instead i got treated like an old granny. if you look at my car, i know about cars and it's quite clear i know what i'm doing, and it's funny of them to think they could rip me off. since when did welding two pieces of pipe cost so much money?

that's not my issue, because i found out long ago people who may seem your closest friends can backstab you like a nightmare. nothing new here. but what gets me is what happened to classic America? i went to SEARS today and the elder American lady knew exactly what i was talking about, and gave me employee discount on my torque wrench!!! the elderly guy working there was sooooo nice and knowledgeable in full English. that is the America I love. The U.S. Military of the 1940's who devoted so many of their lives for this once dreamy country, and the fine auto services of the 50's (you pay for good quality work and nothing less is tolerated) and when most American police would actually help you instead of beat you. Maybe I'm perceiving this essence from old movies (when American actors one gave talented performances) Instead America is getting replaced by people who have zero respect and zero class and it's getting real bad. It's sad when I have to drive up far, far north just to speak to a decent human being who knows craftsmanship, can do a promising job, and is willing to help. Instead we landed some third world-like scammers.

It's the same up here in Canada. Nobody helps anyone else out. Everyone is in it just for themselves. Greed. That's what happened. Pretty much everyone is out to make themselves richer at any cost, no matter who they step on. It's kinda depressing.

I've found that when I go to someone else for work, such as when I had my muffler put on this morning, it's best to treat them as the expert.

I will walk in there with a good idea of what I want done, having things as ready as possible. Today, I showed up at Midas first thing in the morning asking for a few things. I told the guy what I wanted.

"This muffler is the best of the best. I know someone who has it and I've seen videos, it sounds awesome. I want it put on where my old muffler is.... I stripped a nut under my subframe when putting in my clutch, so I cut a hole and put on a new nut. I need that nut welded in place so it can be tightened more, and a plate put over the hole for structural stability and rust proofing.... Also, I would like a quote on possibly putting a resonator in the section of pipe where the exhaust cuts from the center of the car to the muffler."

He put it on the lift and started looking at it, I showed him exactly what I wanted and he said a few things.

him: "it might be best if I cut this hole you made larger so I can get my welder in there"

me: "um... ok... can't you just tap the nut with a arc welder rod?"

him" "we don't have an arc welder"

me: "ok, well, you're the expert."

him: "I think a hard mount would be best because of these tight clearances"

me: "sounds good... I shouldn't have any problem with noise because I've dynomatted my trunk to the extreme"

him: "I don't have a resonator"

me: "ok, well give me a quote when you get one"

He did all the work. I went to burger king and got him a sausage, egg, cheese muffin while he was working. He finished up while I sat on a bench outside the bay eating my breakfast in case he had any more questions.

He welded my new muffler in place, attached my muffler tip, mounted it, cut out the subframe mount, welded the nut in place, made a custom plate, welded that in place and even painted over to make it black again. Then he tightened up my subframe bolt and he charged me $67 for all of that.

Blaire at my local Midas is the man. When I go to someone for help, I want them to do the work and I'll pick up after them. That's my feeling.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>It's the same up here in Canada. Nobody helps anyone else out. Everyone is in it just for themselves. Greed. That's what happened. Pretty much everyone is out to make themselves richer at any cost, no matter who they step on. It's kinda depressing.</div>

exactly!!! i just don't get it. i wouldn't think of Canada to be like that, but from the Canadians I've met, it came to my surprise. we don't only see this in local business, but in banking as well. it's really shameful. i might have to emo-burn their business cards. i know in Europe if you go to any business whether it's building materials stores or food stores, all the cashiers KNOW their information like it's their Major and go out of their way to sacrifice everything they have to make you happy. i would think of Canada as having some European influence, but i guess not.

DTN: i did exactly that! I explained everything in full detail! I asked him how he was doing, and that everything fits and aligns up together, it was just a matter of cutting off and joining the ends. the nice guy said "ok let's see it on the lift and try it" but then the manager came, which i thought i was on good terms with since 2004 came and turned it around. so i explained it to him too. f---ing guy tried to tell me he would need to see if it fits. so i said it will fit because i know it will, it's OEM over-axle and everything lines up nothing needs to be bent. i then said, "ok, say you look at it and it fits, can you bring down the price knowing it doesn't need modification?" jerk replied, "no, $150 and it needs fitment". i thought i was going to have a nice smoothie at my Panera Bread and come home happy like you!

a few minutes of this went by, and that's when i couldn't believe i was still talking about this mindless exhaust connection to this guy who denies me my knowledge and trust. i just don't believe a paying, visiting customer should be treated like this, especially when the shop f---ed up multiple times in the first place, and i already have the damn exhaust with me so all that's needed is a simple weld.

it upsets me when America used to be looked up on. Now it's the opposite. The definition of America used to mean something. now it is a big shake up of everything and you really don't know what the hell is going to happen. Fear, scams, corruption, shadiness, no respect, overpopulation...etc. It really sucks now.

i'm glad you guys agree on my exhaust issue here. like if that whole job cost you $67, DTN, I was expecting my simple joining of two pipes to be somewhere around there, if not cheaper. What irks me is you can't get 1 simple thing done in the highest GDP in the world country because sh-t miserable people bring their sh-t miserable lives into the economy.

That sucks man. Tough luck with that. I actually generally dont have an issue with that sort of stuff at all here in Canada. I get cut deals and stuff quite commonly and people are happy to oblige.

For example, sometimes when I get a haircut, i dont get a difficult cut or too much cut off so the lady drops the price like 5 or 10 bucks. I love stuff like that. Or, if your buying something big from a store (like over $100), they will usually find any deals they can get you cause they want to give it to you as cheaply as possible. Me and my family knows alot of people in my city and have good connections and are lucky with our friends so no matter what we need, we can usually strike up some sort of deal with someone.

Good luck dealing with people in the future!

Well, my job was as simple as cut and weld for my muffler. Your muffler would probly be a few cuts to get it up over the axle. You should have asked them for an hourly rate. I just have them work and let them do their thing. If it takes 1.5 hours, then I'll pay for 1.5 hours, or whatever they tell me. I'm sure he knocked off a bit for the breakfast wink1.gif

it was a simpler job because it's the OBX. all they had to do was cut the old midpipe. remove old exhaust. put in OBX. weld two together in cut spot. nothing else! that's right though, i should have asked for the hourly rate, but i feel good now that i don't have to have lousy walks of life do something on my car.

i tell ya... it sucks that you have to be firm and mean all the time. only successful people are like this. no that i was all nice about it, i was firm, but i'm saying if you don't be a b---ch then you will lose in life...

I know, that sucks.

Whatever happened to "The customer is always right.", Huh?

Anyway, hopefully there's some other company that is willing to do the job for you.

Kinda weird though, you'd figure that during this recession these businesses would be doing all they can to keep customers and business going......

What a strange time we live in.

^the shop i'm thinking of does good work. it's about 1 hour north of here. next is midas, also an hour up. i've talked to them before, and they seemed like genuine people. i'm going to take my exhaust out, cut the SS pipe myself, then use an exhaust hanger and hopefully that will hold up until i get to the shop. that way i know i'm not spending much to begin with.

yeah what the hell is up with that? we've got a recession and you'd think business would be desperate. i guess not with the auto shops though because if anything i've noticed there are more cars on the road. i always see shops packed with cars everyday driving through. the recession has not affected driving one bit. still the same old Expeditions on 2fo's.

UPDATE

wow ok wholy cow i just royally screwed myself by not listening to a few of you guy's warnings. the OBX muffler is way too loud. my magnaflow was so much better and pleasant. and the car was faster with the under axle. so i'm putting the silencer in to shut it up and will have to accept an even slower car.

no joke, even with the crush bent half crushed rear section i had before, the car was so much more responsive. in sense i should have just told them to weld some hangers on my custom exhaust and problem solved.