Some things never change
 

After figuring out the park light sockets were the culprit of my lighting problems on my van, even though I had them working, I thought I would stop by the junkyard today and pick up some more off a van they had. My passenger side taillight is busted so I decided to take one off the same van. I asked the guy how much they wanted for it before I took it off. He told me to pull it and bring it in and they would as he said, "treat me right".

Anyway, I pulled the taillight and looked at three vans but never could find any sockets. Someone must have needed some before me. So, I take it in and said, here it is, how much. He asked one of the owners, who is, before I forget, a dickhead. I heard him say 25. I asked, did he say 25 dollars. His son spoke up and said, that's what he said. I told Bill, the owner, hell, I can buy a new one for that. Then I heard Bill say, throw it in the trash then. This pissed me off. I said is this the best you can do? Answer was yes. I said nope, I don't want it then and walked out.

This place has always been this way. Even 30 years ago. They seem to have the best selection of vehicles to choose from, but damn, why do they have to be such aholes? It's not only this one though. It seems all of them around here are this way.

He would rather not even sell than to sell it to me at a good price. Keep the damn thing then. I can do without it.

Some thing never change.

you should have said, I will throw it away......outside for you.....LOL

Junkyards think they have buried treasure.

I'm not a thief by any means. As a matter of fact, I can't stand thieves. But times like this make you start thinking, I should have told them the one they had was bad and drove off with it. But, I can't do this. Stealing is stealing. If it ain't mine and I take it, it's stealing.

Here's a little story about how honest I am. :D

When I built my 24 x 30 garage, I went to Lowe's to pick my insualtion for the ceiling and walls. Then the Lowe's here had their insulation outside in sheds. I paid for it at the outside counter. Told the girl plainly what I wanted. A guy who worked there helped me load it. I loaded full rolls for the walls, can't remember right now how many sq. ft. was in these rolls. After I got it all in the truck, I drove off. I get about a mile up the road and told my wife, let me see the receipt. The price she charged me seems awful cheap. It was. She had charged me for half rolls, or in other words, half as much as it should have been for the R13 wall insulation.

So I turn around and go back. I tell her that she didn't charge me enough money. She said why. I told her what she had done. About the same time the guy who had helped walked up and said what's the problem She told him what I had said. Both of them asked why I came back. They said you were gone and no one would have known. I said you are right, but I would have known. Both said this was a first for them. No one had ever said they didn't pay enough. Quit a few had said they pain too much. :)

I made her give me credit for what she first charged me and then let me pay the correct amount. Now I know some of you will say I am crazy. Maybe so, but that's just the way I am. I sure wouldn't want anyone to steal anything of mine, and I don't want anything that don't belong to me.

When they said to just throw the tail-lense in the trash, you should have complied.... after compacting it of course. Do your part to help keep their trash can from overflowing.

As far as the insulation deal, that would be considered a 'clerical error' not stealing. You had no intent of fraud or deception so there would have been no theft. Do you think they would come to your house if they 'accidently' overcharged you for your insulation & you didn't realize it (say it was on sale for 50% off but was not marked @ the store for you/the clerk to see/know about)? No, they wouldn't. It would be a 'clerical error' as they had no intent to cheat you out of your savings.

At least someone else has morals still! I was thinking I was the only one left! I can't stand thiefs. Those junkyards are only there to make a buck now. Not just one buck though - any amount they can get from you. :mad:

I like to hear stories like that there are soooo many people trying to scam everyone. Its actually kind of sad that they asked you " Why did you come back?" That exact thing shows what kind of people you deal with on a day to day basis. I've had cashiers give back too much change before and I always give it back. Alot of people dont know that if your cash drawer comes up short they take it out of the cashiers pay. I look at it this way if a few dollors makes or breaks me I shouldnt be in there spending any money anyway. Besides why compromise your character for a few dollars.

Some people are just in business cause they are bored or inherited it. Probably paid for years ago and they dont give a chit. :( Its sad.

Oh man......I wasnt tellin you to steal it.......everybody always takes my posts the wrong way on here. :(

Mike youre an honest guy and its a rarity these days . as for the jerk in the junkyard just dont go back to him sooner or later this thief will go out of business he who laughs last is he who laughs best

It doesnt matter what anyone else says or does...it's only YOU that has to look in the mirror at YOU...every morning.

Kudos Mike!!!!

Billy G

Mike, his turn will come. Just remember that, and enjoy the thought. I am the same way as you. I don't know how many times people have thought I was stupid for returning money or correcting errors.

Just remember even if you don't tell your story on the internet, God still knows. Your a good man, and junkyard Joe is an @sshole. From everything I read, God likes the goodguys...

I cant believe he told you that if you werent going to buy it to throw it away!!:eek:

that's impressive about the insulation man, i work in a lumber yard myself for the summer, and if that happened to me (someone comin back like that), i think i'd shat myself, lol

loweredd,

I knew you were't telling me to steal it. Sorry if it sounded like I meant that.

Bad part about this junkyard, or for that matter, all the ones I know of, is they usually stay in business for the long haul. This junkyard has been in business for 40 years I guess. Long as I can remember anyway. It's owned by two guys who have been partners the whole time. They started with nothing but some land, which I think one of them inherited.

It's like any of the places are this way. Way back when I didn't have much money to keep my junk going, I used to spend a lot of time in junkyards. It was like they were doing you a big favor to even ask you what you needed. I may not be spending tons of money, but dang, my money is as good as the next mans. If you don't want my business, tell me. I don't like leaving these places feeling like I've been a nusiance to them. They can all kiss it as far as I'm concerned.

OK. I didnt want anybody mad at me cause they thought I condoned (sp?) theft.


:flag: :cool: :metal:

Tha scenario sounds EXACTLY like local yard near me . and of all things the last time I was there , 4 years ago, I vowed never to return because of a tailight issue . And @ $25 to boot. it was for a Dart tailight. about 3x6". Even has his son at the counter. And of course I remember when it got bought FOR him by his mother as the story goes. DAVE

Mike ,
you're crazy :D
I would never have went back to that insulation stuff store.
I've been screwed a lot in my life , so if the guy at the shop is wrong in his price in my favour , screw'em ...

Another story about PITA's :
I went a few years back to the Yamaha store near my door to let change my drive chain on my XS650.
That woman leading the store took a look at my bike , looked at me : " We don't work at such wrecks , leave my shop right now..."
Me : " Why , my money stinks ? "
She : "No , my mechanics won't put their fingers on that , it's too dirty , we only work on newer bikes , sorry..."

I passed by a couple of months ago , it was closed , bankruptcy !
Screw'em !

PITA story 2 :
I know a guy who has a very rare car , a Ford V8 Comète , a french built car , rotting away in a prairie.
I asked him if he wanted to sell it to me , nope , no way , it's not for sale & it never will be.
That car is burying herself into the ground , it shall be now beyond restauration...
Screw'em !

PITA story 3 :
My ex "forgot" to pay her taxes for the year 99.
As we were married at that time & as she has no income for the moment , the tax office came by me to take the money : I'm f***ed for an amount of $7000.00 , that I never will recover
They tell me then : " That's the law"
Screw the law !
If I get the occasion to screw the state , I WILL !

The Baron

Since he said throw it in the trash. I would have broken it first then thrown it in the trash too. :D

Way to go Mike. Hey did you ever solve the idle problem?

no wait a minute... he said throw it in the trash... so that means he doesnt want it anymore, is it wrong to dig through the trash? :D

van
 

Hey Mike,

What's the make and model of the van? I know how junkyards can be. Fortunately we have one up here that is the opposite. They are so cheap you'd feel bad if you did steal something. I could probably pick up a tail light for about 4-7 bucks. Usually if I get a lot of stuff, which I probably would, the tail light would be part of a package deal. That would mean it would be about 2 dollars. Let me know and I'd be glad to look for you. I'd be glad to help.

Mike

One of my closest friends used to own a junkyard that specialized in Chevy Pickups. What was I driving at the time? A car. Now that I have the truck, he has closed the business. It got too difficult to make a living running a junkyard honestly. :(

As usual, my timing sucks! :)

Slonaker

yeah, sometimes junkyards rip you off, but other times the prices are amazing. I needed a cable for my cavalier, for between the stick shift and the tranny. New it was $300, from the junkyard $10.

As for the insulation story. I personally don't feel guilty, it was their mistake, they should eat the cost. If I made a mistake, I wouldn't expect someone to come back and pay more. My mistake, my loss. I guess it depends on how you would feel if you were the one who made the mistake.

Mike you will be rewarded for sure being an honest person. But the junkyard guy would have PO'ed me off as well. Seems like when he said "treat you right" sure don't mean what you would think.

I need to get you to start going to Home Depot. We're much better :D Seems like I hear horror stories about L***'s much more often now. Almost like working in a Chevy house and hearing stories about F***'s horror stories.

Brandon,

I agree. I like Home Depot much better, but the closest one to me is three times as far. Maybe some day they will build one closer. I find prices are the same, especially since they both keep up with what the other is charging for something, but the personel is better to deal with.

Again, as far as me not going back and paying what I should have in the first place for the insulation. You have to remember, the girl made the mistake, not Lowe's. Now I know they make a ton of money on this stuff, but still, just because the cashier made a mistake doesn't give me the right to say, hey, her mistake, my fortune. To me if you know something is wrong and do nothing to correct it, it is stealing. I would expect anyone to come back to me to do the same thing, but I know it wouldn't happen. My conscience won't let me do it though. To me, this is a big reason prices are so high in the first place. It ends up hurting the honest folk, but I can sleep better knowing I've done the right thing. I'm a big believer in what goes around, comes around.


Gerardo,

yes, I finally got the van running good. I think, but I'm not 100% sure, it was the throttle body. The throttle shaft had a lot of slop in it and I got one from the same junkyard and rebuilt it. Again though, I done so much at one time, it could have been something else.