CornwellTools
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2014
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- 30
What's the funniest thing that's ever happened at your shop?
Best Shop Story
- Thread starter CornwellTools
- Start date
FigureItOut
Well-known member
Several years back my brother was training me on how to remove headliners and trim in general. I'd graduated to the German cars and we were disassembling a newer BMW 7 Series, I want to say it was a 745il, pretty expensive car.
For whatever reason the guy showed up, we didn't hear the bell and there was no one in the front. He decides to walk through the back office, into the shop. All I heard was a choked gasp when he saw the inside of his car, and next thing I know he's throwing up all over the floor.
My brother gave him no sympathy and no explanation, just tore into him for walking into the shop. I didn't hear the conversation after my bro escorted him to the front room, but I stopped laughing as soon as I realized who was going to be cleaning up the mess.
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For whatever reason the guy showed up, we didn't hear the bell and there was no one in the front. He decides to walk through the back office, into the shop. All I heard was a choked gasp when he saw the inside of his car, and next thing I know he's throwing up all over the floor.
My brother gave him no sympathy and no explanation, just tore into him for walking into the shop. I didn't hear the conversation after my bro escorted him to the front room, but I stopped laughing as soon as I realized who was going to be cleaning up the mess.
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chris142
Well-known member
Had a sales man try to sell us a tire balancer. We were practicing on his own car while his car was on the lift Somebody snuck some heavy tire weights onto his driveshaft and secured them with hose clamps.
After his speil he left. Only to return a few minutes later. He said that his car was shaking so much that his emblem on his hood was spinning in circles.
After his speil he left. Only to return a few minutes later. He said that his car was shaking so much that his emblem on his hood was spinning in circles.
quattroJoe
Well-known member
www.reddit.com/r/justrolledintotheshop has some good ones and is very active
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
The best I have experienced is when someone at my dad's work zip tied a coworker's tools to a ceiling beam.
BonzoHansen
Well-known member
A simple one but it always makes me laugh is we had an older tech in the garage, nicknamed grumpy, although he was really a decent guy. Anyway he fell asleep in a customer car once. It was in his bay and the lift was set. So someone ran the car up the lift while he slept. I think it was probably an hour later when we heard him start yelling from above lol
Then there was the time they sent me out to bring in an older customer's car, which was also old. I had never seen a 3 on the tree before. In my defense I was 21 and it was 1991 and it had been many years since a car like this was made. Little did I know they all came out to watch me be totally confused when I saw a column shift and clutch pedal. Yeah, they all got a good laugh out of that lol
I guess that was a fun shop now that I think of it
Then there was the time they sent me out to bring in an older customer's car, which was also old. I had never seen a 3 on the tree before. In my defense I was 21 and it was 1991 and it had been many years since a car like this was made. Little did I know they all came out to watch me be totally confused when I saw a column shift and clutch pedal. Yeah, they all got a good laugh out of that lol
I guess that was a fun shop now that I think of it
wornoutoldman
Well-known member
I once farted in a customer car and it went wet Of course the vehicle had cloth seats 
The entire shop found it rather amusing 
Of course the vehicle had cloth seats The entire shop found it rather amusing redmondjp
Well-known member
When I was taking an auto body shop class at the local community college, one of the advanced students was rebuilding a Ford ****** EXP (this was in 1983), and was using a cutting torch to remove the damaged front end. Suddenly there were a bunch of loud pops and bangs which caused the guy to stop cutting.
The teacher came out of his office and asked what was going on. The student said that he didn't know, but maybe the torch was popping back.
It turns out that somebody had taped a whole string of ladyfingers inside the panel where the cut was being made.
That somebody turned out to be the teacher!
Different times back then; everybody had a good laugh.
The teacher came out of his office and asked what was going on. The student said that he didn't know, but maybe the torch was popping back.
It turns out that somebody had taped a whole string of ladyfingers inside the panel where the cut was being made.
That somebody turned out to be the teacher!
Different times back then; everybody had a good laugh.
gdocktor3
Well-known member
As a plumber we would get fittings and stuff delivered to job sites. So, being that we're plumbers, there's no plumbing in the house yet. To ****, we'd go somewhere and do it in a bag, bucket, etc. Well one day I decided to **** in one of the empty boxes from the supply house and hand it to the guy I was working with. The guy started gagging and yelling like a maniac. Luckily I'm nimble like a cat and dodged the box as it was thrown at my face.
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davethorik
Well-known member
My dad has some funny stories about working in the Seiberling tire factory in the 70s. He said they would get shipments of raw rubber from South America, and oftentimes there would be exotic wildlife in the shipments, such as scorpions, huge spiders, and snakes.
There were large conveyor belts that went floor to floor, and people would try to drop the creepy crawlies on ppl the floor below. If no bugs could be found, they'd dump buckets of water instead.
There were large conveyor belts that went floor to floor, and people would try to drop the creepy crawlies on ppl the floor below. If no bugs could be found, they'd dump buckets of water instead.
bcradio
Well-known member
Lets hear yours
Not a shop, per se, but way back when I was a pizza delivery guy, my boss would hire just about anybody. He hired this guy who turned out to be a drunk. He once got "lost" for like 2 hours on a run. He came back smelling of booze. He was so wasted, he was standing there looking at the map, and he crapped himself. Just let it loose, right into his sweatpants. Needless to say, he was fired, lol.
It started with brake cleaner. We all started carrying lighters, even the guys that didn't smoke. I remember spraying the mechanic while he was welding once.
Then we graduated to airsoft guns. The owner would find them in the truck doors, equipment, office, and shop. We were always packin'.
Then we graduated to airsoft guns. The owner would find them in the truck doors, equipment, office, and shop. We were always packin'.
Heavy Metal Doctor
Well-known member
I dunno about "best" but I have many stories. Most revolve around being in a hurry with customers screaming for **** to be done NOW!!... Some stories with greasy / oily mess, some with fire, some with destroyed parts.....here's one with poo:
Customer wanted me work on a poo pumper truck. Specifically on the door of the tank. I told him to be sure to empty and wash out the tank and let it air out for few days prior to bringing it in. He drops it off and I back it in the shop, hop outta the cab and hit the controls to open the tank door. Then I hear water running at the back of the truck!!...I let about 300 gallons of stinky brown water out before I got it clamped back shut!...then I spent 2 or 3 hours pulling everything out of the shop and cleaning / disinfecting / deodorizing it all...thankfully it was more storm drain debris, rather than true sewage....
Customer wanted me work on a poo pumper truck. Specifically on the door of the tank. I told him to be sure to empty and wash out the tank and let it air out for few days prior to bringing it in. He drops it off and I back it in the shop, hop outta the cab and hit the controls to open the tank door. Then I hear water running at the back of the truck!!...I let about 300 gallons of stinky brown water out before I got it clamped back shut!...then I spent 2 or 3 hours pulling everything out of the shop and cleaning / disinfecting / deodorizing it all...thankfully it was more storm drain debris, rather than true sewage....
4 FN 27
ALLIANCE MEMBER
In a shop I worked in as a kid they only had 1 Toilet Stall. One of the guys put a pair of work boots with pants down around them in front of the Toilet, closed the Stall Door and left. It was about 4 hours later when someone figured it out. It just happened to be April Fools day.
chris142
Well-known member
I was the only tech at our pep boys that knew how to drive a 3 on the tree.A simple one but it always makes me laugh is we had an older tech in the garage, nicknamed grumpy, although he was really a decent guy. Anyway he fell asleep in a customer car once. It was in his bay and the lift was set. So someone ran the car up the lift while he slept. I think it was probably an hour later when we heard him start yelling from above lol
Then there was the time they sent me out to bring in an older customer's car, which was also old. I had never seen a 3 on the tree before. In my defense I was 21 and it was 1991 and it had been many years since a car like this was made. Little did I know they all came out to watch me be totally confused when I saw a column shift and clutch pedal. Yeah, they all got a good laugh out of that lol
I guess that was a fun shop now that I think of it
Schurkey
Well-known member
Thousands of years ago, a certain mass-merchandiser known for building bigass stores in malls, and selling everything from paint to "computers", (Apple IIe!) furniture, and especially women's clothing, also had auto service and various auto parts.
I was a part-time employee. Due to our nearness to the Great White North, we in the Seasonally Frozen Wastelands sold a giant, heaping pile of...everything...to Canadian Nationals. Including stuff that wouldn't be declared at the border, such as vehicle service. You really think Customs looked under the hood to see if you had a water pump installed in the 'States? Spark plugs? Battery? Americans would go to the Canadian border on Canadian Holidays, and there'd be a sign posted: "Canada is closed for Victoria Day". The WHOLE FRIGGIN' COUNTRY was in my hometown, and the local Chamber of Criminals would encourage the business members to take Canadian dollars "at par" (dollar-for-dollar, despite the unfavorable exchange rate. Essentially, a discount to Canadians of whatever the exchange rate was--ten to twenty percent was pretty typical, sometimes more, and rarely less.) The local businesses lived on Canadian traffic. Without them, they'd go broke.
So, one hectic day we're slamming four new tires onto a vehicle with Canadian license plates. It was company policy that the greenish film of the white-side-wall protectant was to be washed-off the sidewalls before the customer got the car back. We hated this as is was both extremely labor-intensive and messy to scrub the sidewalls to remove what seemed to be a dried soap-scum "protectant".
The owner of the car comes back early, wanders into the shop where he sees us getting ready to scrub the tires to make them look "like new" which new tires don't because of the dried greenish **** on the sidewalls.
My boss catches up with the guy just as he gets to his car. "Would you like us to scuff-up the sidewalls so you can "get them across the border"?" he asks.
"No, that won't be necessary. I'm on holiday, but I work for Canadian Customs."
I didn't see my boss leave his office the rest of the day.
Same boss, different customer. Years before ABS became popular.
Customer (US military, not from "around here", just assigned here for a year or three, due to being very unlucky. This is his first real winter in his whole life.) has a brake-job done on the rear of his 4X4. Truck still doesn't stop worth a **** (No sh!t. It's January, the roads and parking lots are nothing but compacted snow (if you're lucky) or outright ice. NOTHING is stopping worth a ****.) There's not a thing wrong with his brakes.
Of course, in the name of "Customer Service" we have already test-driven the vehicle and pulled the wheels off looking for some hidden problem the first two times he came back complaining. Again, not a thing wrong with the brakes...but here he is again, expecting us to "fix" something on his truck when what he really needs is some magic solution to crappy, poorly-maintained icy roads in the dead of winter. Or an anchor.
So we have tried logic. We have explained that the brakes are fine, it's the roads that are ****. That everyone's car has the same issue, and it happens every winter. Nope. Customer is not satisfied.
My boss finally asks the guy why he bought a four-wheel-drive vehicle. "To go through snow and mud!"
"You bought four-wheel-drive to GO. Did you also order four-wheel brakes to STOP?"
"Well...no...I don't remember...probably not."
"That's the problem. Goodbye."
I was a part-time employee. Due to our nearness to the Great White North, we in the Seasonally Frozen Wastelands sold a giant, heaping pile of...everything...to Canadian Nationals. Including stuff that wouldn't be declared at the border, such as vehicle service. You really think Customs looked under the hood to see if you had a water pump installed in the 'States? Spark plugs? Battery? Americans would go to the Canadian border on Canadian Holidays, and there'd be a sign posted: "Canada is closed for Victoria Day". The WHOLE FRIGGIN' COUNTRY was in my hometown, and the local Chamber of Criminals would encourage the business members to take Canadian dollars "at par" (dollar-for-dollar, despite the unfavorable exchange rate. Essentially, a discount to Canadians of whatever the exchange rate was--ten to twenty percent was pretty typical, sometimes more, and rarely less.) The local businesses lived on Canadian traffic. Without them, they'd go broke.
So, one hectic day we're slamming four new tires onto a vehicle with Canadian license plates. It was company policy that the greenish film of the white-side-wall protectant was to be washed-off the sidewalls before the customer got the car back. We hated this as is was both extremely labor-intensive and messy to scrub the sidewalls to remove what seemed to be a dried soap-scum "protectant".
The owner of the car comes back early, wanders into the shop where he sees us getting ready to scrub the tires to make them look "like new" which new tires don't because of the dried greenish **** on the sidewalls.
My boss catches up with the guy just as he gets to his car. "Would you like us to scuff-up the sidewalls so you can "get them across the border"?" he asks.
"No, that won't be necessary. I'm on holiday, but I work for Canadian Customs."
I didn't see my boss leave his office the rest of the day.
Same boss, different customer. Years before ABS became popular.
Customer (US military, not from "around here", just assigned here for a year or three, due to being very unlucky. This is his first real winter in his whole life.) has a brake-job done on the rear of his 4X4. Truck still doesn't stop worth a **** (No sh!t. It's January, the roads and parking lots are nothing but compacted snow (if you're lucky) or outright ice. NOTHING is stopping worth a ****.) There's not a thing wrong with his brakes.
Of course, in the name of "Customer Service" we have already test-driven the vehicle and pulled the wheels off looking for some hidden problem the first two times he came back complaining. Again, not a thing wrong with the brakes...but here he is again, expecting us to "fix" something on his truck when what he really needs is some magic solution to crappy, poorly-maintained icy roads in the dead of winter. Or an anchor.
So we have tried logic. We have explained that the brakes are fine, it's the roads that are ****. That everyone's car has the same issue, and it happens every winter. Nope. Customer is not satisfied.
My boss finally asks the guy why he bought a four-wheel-drive vehicle. "To go through snow and mud!"
"You bought four-wheel-drive to GO. Did you also order four-wheel brakes to STOP?"
"Well...no...I don't remember...probably not."
"That's the problem. Goodbye."
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bert1913
Well-known member
while the boss and his assistant were in his office we started to play frisbee. i over threw my coworker and the frisbee crashed into the big plate glass window, so i go running out the side door and came back in the back door, only to hear my boss cussing everyone out. when he was finished yelling, i asked him what happened? he left in a huff
Chevy-SS
Well-known member
Back in the 70's I worked at big shop and tech working on lift next to me had hair-trigger temper. He was removing right side lug nuts of a Chrysler (which in those days had reversed threads on right side). He used impact wrench and snapped one after another, cursing and getting madder (and face redder) as each one broke. I was rolling on the floor laughing and finally told him to reverse the ******* impact wrench, before he snapped the final one. Dumb ****.......
Tony G
Well-known member
When I was a kid working at a Chevy dealer we sold and serviced cars from a Catholic Nun religious order in the next town over. They took delivery of a new Chevelle and came back to us a day later because the drivers window would not go down. I had the door panel off and saw that the window regulator was busted. Next to me is the service manager who is telling the mother superior that it will take 2 days to get the part. The 3 nuns were wearing habits and the mother superior says to my boss Your shitting me!
redmondjp
Well-known member
High school auto shop: Removing a head from a small-block Chevy motor. All the head bolts out, head wouldn't budge - tried crowbar in intake passage, and finally removed the hood and hooked onto a bolt for the lifter with the overhead chain hoist. Picked up the entire front half of the car!
You guessed it: one of the head bolts (hidden underneath a puddle of dirty engine oil) was still installed.
You guessed it: one of the head bolts (hidden underneath a puddle of dirty engine oil) was still installed.
AldeanFan
Well-known member
Working in a truck shop.
Guy putting clearance lights on the top of a dump truck in the parking lot, decides that's a great time to take off all his clothes and sunbathe ****, then falls asleep.
5:00 comes and the shop manager sees the customers truck outside and not finished so he drives it in to the shop for the night. When he hit the brakes, the **** sunbather rolls off the roof on to the hood, red as a lobster, which of course scares the hell out of the unsuspecting manager.
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Guy putting clearance lights on the top of a dump truck in the parking lot, decides that's a great time to take off all his clothes and sunbathe ****, then falls asleep.
5:00 comes and the shop manager sees the customers truck outside and not finished so he drives it in to the shop for the night. When he hit the brakes, the **** sunbather rolls off the roof on to the hood, red as a lobster, which of course scares the hell out of the unsuspecting manager.
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Teenager with old tools
Well-known member
High school auto shop. Guy who talks about how much he knows cars brought his in to change oil. "What the hell did you do" the teacher said when he put the oily drill down. Apparently he drills a new drain plug hole each time and his car has 9 drain plugs in it now.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk