Debate: Should you quote a full repair cost or just a diagnostic fee first?

I had this guy come into my workbench last week with a Nikon F2 that had a stuck mirror. He wanted a quote upfront before I even touched it. I told him I could give a rough ballpark but not exact until I opened it up. He got annoyed and said another repairer in Austin always gives a fixed price over the phone. I see both sides because one wrong estimate can lose you money or scare off a customer. But I also feel like diagnosing first saves headaches later when you find extra issues inside. What do you all do when someone pushes for a hard number before you've seen the full problem?

3 comments

3 Comments

parkera2216d ago

Honestly, that reminds me of the time a guy asked me to rebuild a transmission without even wanting a fluid sample first.

lindaowens16d ago

Why do people think you can just skip the basic diagnostic steps like that?

lane.eric16d ago

Totally agree, I had a guy once refuse a simple compression test and wonder why his engine blew a week later.