When your gut tells you "STOP" after 1000 hours
Discussion
I had a dream of restoring a 1930s vehicle and hoped that one day that I would be able to drive it down country lanes... I found one and the romance began...
But then I took a job abroad and decided to leave the car with someone I trusted - a friendly classic car restoration workshop. The alternative would be to garage the car for several years, and that wouldn't achieve the dream would it?
Every few years I visited the UK and when I did the car was in the workshop being worked on - progress was being made, albeit slowly.
And now with just 2 years before I retire back to the UK, I find that I have been charged a huge sum of money by the restorer, but still have an unfinished project with no end in sight... just the restorer asking for more money.
"How did I get into this situation?" Well, the fact is I enjoyed the idea that I was saving a car from the scrap heap... I was its saviour and that meant something. And then, because I was out of the country, I liked the idea that someone would be moving the project along in my absence.
But now, after trusting my restorer for so long, my gut tells me that I have been over-charged and I am angry with myself for allowing the restorer to claim for work done without offering any evidence.
I don't want to admit defeat, but my gut tells me to stop and accept the life lesson, but like a gambler that spends more trying to win back what has been lost, I find myself wanting to keep going...
Perhaps what I need is a restorer who is able to give me a fixed price to complete the project, rather than continue to pay an hourly rate whilst the car is siting in the workshop, or perhaps I should listen to my gut and find an exit from this obsession...
I am sharing this in case there is someone out there, who is about to begin a restoration project... as I did 25 years ago. Think very carefully about what you are doing my friend.
But then I took a job abroad and decided to leave the car with someone I trusted - a friendly classic car restoration workshop. The alternative would be to garage the car for several years, and that wouldn't achieve the dream would it?
Every few years I visited the UK and when I did the car was in the workshop being worked on - progress was being made, albeit slowly.
And now with just 2 years before I retire back to the UK, I find that I have been charged a huge sum of money by the restorer, but still have an unfinished project with no end in sight... just the restorer asking for more money.
"How did I get into this situation?" Well, the fact is I enjoyed the idea that I was saving a car from the scrap heap... I was its saviour and that meant something. And then, because I was out of the country, I liked the idea that someone would be moving the project along in my absence.
But now, after trusting my restorer for so long, my gut tells me that I have been over-charged and I am angry with myself for allowing the restorer to claim for work done without offering any evidence.
I don't want to admit defeat, but my gut tells me to stop and accept the life lesson, but like a gambler that spends more trying to win back what has been lost, I find myself wanting to keep going...
Perhaps what I need is a restorer who is able to give me a fixed price to complete the project, rather than continue to pay an hourly rate whilst the car is siting in the workshop, or perhaps I should listen to my gut and find an exit from this obsession...
I am sharing this in case there is someone out there, who is about to begin a restoration project... as I did 25 years ago. Think very carefully about what you are doing my friend.
The restorer says he only has a record of the time the car was in the workshop, but I replied that I wanted to know the exact details of the work performed. I think that is fair and reasonable. I am waiting for his response.
We had a verbal agreement that he would store the car for free when it was not being worked on. I set up a standing order to drip feed money into his account and he said that he would bring it out of storage to work on it as and when the balance allowed. I trusted the restorer and realise it was a mistake not to protect myself with a contract, although I have not heard of anyone getting a legal document to cover work on a car before.
The car has been with them for 25 years and I had expected them to have the car finished by now, but I was okay with the project taking longer as I was continuing to work abroad for longer than I had originally planned and so I was not ready to enjoy the car, even if the dream became a reality. I simply could not afford to allow them to keep working on the car until finished, so I thought I was making the right decision by the course of action I took. Once you get into that type of arrangement, it is much easier to keep paying, little by little every month, than to face a huge bill. Looking back, I did not appreciate how vulnerable I was making myself, with a handshake.
We had a verbal agreement that he would store the car for free when it was not being worked on. I set up a standing order to drip feed money into his account and he said that he would bring it out of storage to work on it as and when the balance allowed. I trusted the restorer and realise it was a mistake not to protect myself with a contract, although I have not heard of anyone getting a legal document to cover work on a car before.
The car has been with them for 25 years and I had expected them to have the car finished by now, but I was okay with the project taking longer as I was continuing to work abroad for longer than I had originally planned and so I was not ready to enjoy the car, even if the dream became a reality. I simply could not afford to allow them to keep working on the car until finished, so I thought I was making the right decision by the course of action I took. Once you get into that type of arrangement, it is much easier to keep paying, little by little every month, than to face a huge bill. Looking back, I did not appreciate how vulnerable I was making myself, with a handshake.
Edited by Forever59 on Tuesday 8th August 18:27
Edited by Forever59 on Tuesday 8th August 18:28
I am returning to the UK next week and plan to visit the restorer to see for myself what work has been done and take photos.
If I settle the bill, I will move the car somewhere.
I do not believe the car has been painted or trimmed.
As far as I know, all works performed are on rebuilding the bodywork.
I will know more when I get to see the car.
If I settle the bill, I will move the car somewhere.
I do not believe the car has been painted or trimmed.
As far as I know, all works performed are on rebuilding the bodywork.
I will know more when I get to see the car.
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