>>>*That is a good article, Margi. A customer really should take the time to check out their machine shop, ask a few questions, get to know the people.

I would hazard a guess that 99& of all shops want their customer happy, average shops will have a quarter million bucks bolted to the floor and in cabinets, perhaps more.

Of course if you arrive and see a mountain of engine blocks and heads and the crew scurrying around looking somewhat in mayhem, sometimes it might be best to keep it short.

I have seen times when folks walk in with piles of questions and I might be looking at a 4:00 deadline with three hours of work to do in two.

This of course is when the phone will also ring and some nice person begins to explain about the good deal they got on the rusty blue 4 Runner that their wife doesn't know about...yet....

Still, a good relationship is the key, and trust matters. If you don't feel it, then there is usually another shop not far away.

I do know I have turned down work because the consumer seemed suspicious and untrusting, so the opposite is true...You should sticky your own post....*EB