La Jolla Independent hooked me up today!

[Dave]

OK. THANKS FOR GUIDING ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT, ALMIGHTY. JESUS SAVES.

Fuck man, it's okay to have grudges against certain things in life. Like say uh, Lowen Design--I don't need to shop there to know that they run a fucked up company.

So its a "personal" reason - nothing you'll share that reflects on their service.

So why comment?

If you are saying that this shop, that has a national reputation in some respects, is like Lowen? If so, man up and tell why!

Or did they sell you an ill fitting part that everyone and their cousin on r3v knew was ill fitting?

[2002maniac]

OK. THANKS FOR GUIDING ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT, ALMIGHTY. JESUS SAVES.

Fuck man, it's okay to have grudges against certain things in life. Like say uh, Lowen Design--I don't need to shop there to know that they run a fucked up company.

You say they suck, yet you wont explain why. Why not just STFU?

[Dave]

You say they suck, yet you wont explain why. Why not just STFU?

Its kind of like the know nothings on that other forum who will spout out that they "heard" something and quote it as Gospel truth.

[DEV0 E30]

Its kind of like the know nothings on that other forum who will spout out that they "heard" something and quote it as Gospel truth.

It's not a hearing thing Dave, certain people just don't want to explain. They don't want to damage their reputation, yet they won't praise the company either. I'm not going to explain, because it's none of my business.

[permit]

They literally stole the company/shop/customer base from a certain friend's dad. Ask the current owner about it, he'll probably tense up and change the subject asap.

[Dave]

Devon, I understand your point, but Jeremy's "they suck but I can't/won't tell you why" sounds like a cowardly attempt to sully their reputation. It'd have been better if he just said nothing.

Fact is, they treated the original poster right here - like someone in the service business should.

[WlknGenius]

They're good if your car is stock. They are firm believers that BMW did everything perfect the first time.

If I ever took my car to the shop, they would tie me up, charge me of heresy, and burn both me and my e30 abomination atop a pile of scorched aftermarket parts.

I haven't gotten wind of that. I've looked around their shop and they seem to do a fair amount of motor transplants.

I had them replace my timing belt since they're cheaper than the dealership. When I was there I was asking about my suspension and he made suggestions of doing race set-ups and various things that don't involve OEM parts.

You could probably be right, but it doesn't seem like they are as fanatical as you imply.

[delatlanta1281]

Its kind of like the know nothings on that other forum who will spout out that they "heard" something and quote it as Gospel truth.

I heard on another forum that if you bought bolt ons for fifty bucks each you could increase you bhp on a beeter and make everyone look stoopid for buying good parts. I KNOW THAT IS TRUE B/C I READ IT!

[RedBaron86325]

I feel the same way as you do permit, but you shouldn't have brought it up.

As for the originator of this thread, they didn't do you a favor, they simply did business. They know that you will be back and have told all your friends; thus, you'll spend money there and some of your friends will too. It is just simple business that is done by many shops. $10 of retail price coolant and 5 minutes diagnosing and solving a simple problem will pay for itself 10 fold over the long run.

[shiftbmw]

As for the originator of this thread, they didn't do you a favor, they simply did business. They know that you will be back and have told all your friends; thus, you'll spend money there and some of your friends will too. It is just simple business that is done by many shops. $10 of retail price coolant and 5 minutes diagnosing and solving a simple problem will pay for itself 10 fold over the long run.

That's true and that's not true to some degree.

Being one of the most cynical bastards on the planet, I see the business end of things, but I think in this particular case doing a favor was the aim and business was an afterthought at best.

I think there was an understanding based on the nature of my conversation with the owner that I was my own mechanic, and accordingly, my frequent repeated business would be unlikely.

[RedBaron86325]

doing a favor was the aim and business was an afterthought at best.

If business was an afterthought, they have no business being in business.

You think that you are cynical, I think that you are just young.

[delatlanta1281]

I think there was an understanding based on the nature of my conversation with the owner that I was my own mechanic, and accordingly, my frequent repeated business would be unlikely.

Look I really feel they helped you out, but that statement above makes no sense. If you were a mechanic, and someone came in with a problem, you would fix it. I watch this happen all the time with my friend's shop. He fixes jags, He will pry an exhaust back, fix a hose, fix a flat, but when some shadetree land rover disco kid comes in with a problem, no matter how small it is he charges. Why? Because if you don't charge them, they will be back. They will tell their friends, and their freinds will show up looking for advice and a handout. Mechanics HATE giving advice to guys who do their own work. "If you have to ask my advice you souldn't be working on your car, I should" My friend said that to a kid one Saturday while we were installing my 4.10. That kid never came back. Mechanics and shops are here for one reason. To make money off customers. So while they "hooked" you up, I am 100% sure they had business in mind. Maybe B/C they worked on your buddie's car and they wanted to show him how helpful they could be, maybe there were other customers there they were quoting, but you gotta understand most mechanics in shops get paid by the job, not by the hour. So sitting around is like being a waitress. It's quoting jobs and helping with the little things that makes them money.

[mspiegle]

They literally stole the company/shop/customer base from a certain friend's dad. Ask the current owner about it, he'll probably tense up and change the subject asap.

That's a pretty shitty thing to do, but unfortunately business is business. You either gotta come up with something new or take someone else's idea.

Dude, someone just called you a dickface

[sdcabrio]

I've had nothing but positive experiences with LaJolla Independent. I don't go there for service due to the fact I live 30 miles north and I use an independent closer to my home. The body shop guy there, Rob, did my bumper conversion. He has kind-of a surfer attitude (surfs up...he doesn't come to work) but he is an awesome paint & body guy. My understanding has been that the owner used to be a professor at University of San Diego and decided to open and run the shop because BMWs are a passion to him. He owns some kick ass '02s and there are always a few CS coupes hanging around.

The vibe I get from them is that they are the ideal shop for old school BMWs, that they have a good book of local regular clients, they could give a shit about the appearance of their shop, and they do good work at typical price. Sounds perfect to me. I think they helped you out figuring it was no big deal and that next time you got yourself into smething that was over your head you be down there as a paying customer.

[shiftbmw]

Look I really feel they helped you out, but that statement above makes no sense.

It makes no sense if you assume that business was the sole angle of the owner and that he based his actions accordingly.

He will pry an exhaust back, fix a hose, fix a flat, but when some shadetree land rover disco kid comes in with a problem, no matter how small it is he charges. Why? Because if you don't charge them, they will be back.

There is truth in that. I would argue that I fall into the shadetree BMW disco kid category and it was obvious to the owner. Despite that, I wasn't charged. That's why I feel like it was more of a favor than a business move.



We could beat this to death but when it comes down to it, its just a difference of opinion. Nobody is really wrong here.

Business is business, favors are favors, and sometimes they happen to coincide.