First customer

[Dballard87]

This weekend was pretty exciting been trying to get work on some quads in my area lately probably talked to about 14 people and a dude finally brought one to me on Saturday morning. It was a 96 kawasaki lakota 300 had been sitting Ina field for 6 months with the boot off the carb... After 5 or 6 hours of work 5 sodas a nap and a lot of swearing a lot of rust and lime removal and good disassembly and rebuild of the petcock I put the thing back together. Had to black tape the crap out of the air boot since it was dryroted but I got it all together and it fired right up since it was the first one I had done I charged him 30$ tomorrow he's picking it up after work and bringing his z400 needs some motor work so now im actually making money off this crap and it's cool he's got two or three more after the z:iagree:

 

[lbjamm]

Cool

 

[Beastmode17]

I love reading posts such as this, Awesome post Dakota. Just some food for thought, charge a little more. I know you want to get a lot of business but be fair to yourself and customers. You said 5 to 6 hours for 30 bucks. Local shops here charge $70 an hour. Or do a turn key job meaning they drop it off to you and you fix it and they have to pay a certain amount, Give them a quote before drop off.

 

[alex456123]

Just a Suggestion, do it right next time, and you won't get a bad rep.
Instead of trying to fix a Dry rotted carb boot replace it next time. Tape is never a long term solution and is only good for a on trail quick repair.
I realize you did it for cheap but ya shoulda asked him if he wanted to replace it. Lol

 

[Dballard87]

He said anything he didn't have to buy he didn't want to this thing was a pos it's a farm bike it's beat to pieces he said he just wants it to run lol

 

[Dballard87]

The z I'm gonna charge a little more for because the motor is rusted to piss lol

 

[Beastmode17]

smart man, you should be able to get at least 50 to 100 for the work done on the Z.

 

[Dballard87]

Gonna try to ask about 70 or 80

 

[Dballard87]

Maybe more it depends on how long it takes me cuz I have to do the carb on the z too

 

[Dballard87]

Just a Suggestion, do it right next time, and you won't get a bad rep.
Instead of trying to fix a Dry rotted carb boot replace it next time. Tape is never a long term solution and is only good for a on trail quick repair.
I realize you did it for cheap but ya shoulda asked him if he wanted to replace it. Lol

It was the boot that connects the carb to the air box not the head too

 

[alex456123]

Oh, ok. Makes a little more sense.

 

[Dballard87]

:tup:

Oh, ok. Makes a little more sense.

 

[YAMAHAULER]

what year Z? and what do you mean the motor is rusted to ****?

 

[Dballard87]

Well you know how the z's have the problem with the bolts on the magneto flywheel being loose from the factory and shearing off well he did that and put in new bolts and didn't get harder grade bolts or locktite so it did it again and he left the side cover off and put it at the end of his porch so it's all got surface rust

 

[nukacola]

Hell I charge more than that for computer work where I sit on my butt. You can get more. Friends/family discount is another thing though. They expect to pay almost nothing.

 

[DeadLastRacing]

Gotta start somewhere!

 

[Dballard87]

Yeah well that's kinda the deal here he's also gonna let me hunt on thier land this year and going to let me come ride on the trails in a land owners association deal so I'm happy

 

[warriorgirl09]

back in ga when i owned my shop i use to charge $40 a carb to take em off, clean/rebuild, and re install.. just for the carmmm i loved working on carbed crotch rockets lol. then again it was a pain to sync 4 carbs together. charged $30 a barrel on automotive carbs. but i had a 5 gallon carb vat that made it alot easier and 1/2 the time

 

[Dballard87]

what year Z? and what do you mean the motor is rusted to ****?

It's an 04 and the magneto wheel and the starter and gears are rusty