Tipping your Mechanic

[anthonydesmet]

Happy Holidays!

Hey, I’ve been wondering this for sometime.  Do you folks tip your mechanic during the Holidays? If so, money, bottle of their favorite beverage?
Or do you wear the University ball cap your mechanic’s kid goes to because your considered a private donor and figure, “ehhh,he’s good”

 

[dkkim73]

I brought donuts this morning. 

[Rwsavory]

I sent my mechanic a gift basket for checking off the elevator weight AD for me without charging for it. Had nothing to do with the holidays.

[Flyler]

I brought a big, beautiful, extra thick, grass-fed steak from a local farm.

[EricJ]

Like cow tipping?   Probably.   I have to watch out for that.

 

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, anthonydesmet said:

Hey, I’ve been wondering this for sometime.  Do you folks tip your mechanic during the Holidays? If so, money, bottle of their favorite beverage?

I probably would if I knew him well enough to select a meaningful gift.  It never hurts.  This year I just gave him enough money for a new car.  Not a very personalized gift, but still ...

[ElkoRandy20J]

I’m taking my local team (4 or 5 folks) to lunch tomorrow. 

[Marc_B]

I’ve usually reserved things for big ticket items, a job well done, or worked in quickly. After my avionics were done, I brought my shop a brisket I smoked overnight for lunch as a thank you.  I’ve brought doughnuts and pizza before.  The intent wasn’t payment or a “tip” but a sincere thank you for their service  

In my mind the best tip is an invoice paid quickly in cash and vocal positive referrals. 

[Pinecone]

I did donuts and coffee for the avionics shop a couple of times during my major project.

[Ed de C.]

+1 on the new car's worth of business this year.  Plenty of doughnuts during the projects, life coaching for the young A/P asking about 529's (I hang out in the shop a lot when my plane is in), pointed out to the owner he forgot to invoice me for a load of fuel for the CIES calibration...  Nonetheless, this thread reminds me I should send well-wishes to the shop (and the SAVVY account manager).  God has blessed me and this community with the resources to have and maintain our planes.  In the end, it's about people and relationships. 

In that spirit, Merry Christmas everyone  

Ed

[Jim Peace]

After my new panel install at XXX services I tipped each mechanic and the logbook sticker girl a 200 dollar gift card at the best steakhouse in town.  1000 in total...in return I was almost killed twice and also suffered a most embarrassing mx failure flight cancelation.  

The Japanese have the right idea.....

[SoccerCA]

15% at actual restaurants with table service, otherwise no.

[1967 427]

He gets a tip after every annual.  As in every profession there are guys that graduated with the mentality of “C’s get degrees”, and there are guys that take pride in their profession and their work.  I’m just glad that I got a guy that cares about every part of his job.  And no he doesn’t read or follow mooneyspace, not a suck up post.  And I can say that I feel like my regular doctor just barely got her degree so I don’t use her for my medical exam.  I suspect she was a C student.

[Ned Gravel]

Tipping your mechanic?

If I offered Clarence a tip, he might be a little disappointed in me.  His work is not "tip for great customer experience" work.  It is "keep Ned alive" work.  For me, every other aspect of his work is absolutely secondary to that and some of you already know what quality he puts into his work.  He sets the price and I will never complain about it or try to negotiate - and he knows this.  If he wants more money, all he has to do is set a different price.

I like this arrangement and it is not about the money.  When it gets too expensive for me, it is time to sell the Mooney.

[icurnmedic]

I usually give the 4 staff members a little cash at the holidays. They seem to really appreciate it. 
‘Mechanics each get a $50 bottle of booze as I pay them plenty thru the year.

[bcg]

I feed my mechanic, the avionics shop and the line guys throughout the year.  At Christmas time, they all get tamales.

 

I also keep some lottery scratchers in my flight bag and give them to line guys when I'm away from home when I get especially good service.  I like to show appreciation for people that go above and beyond.

[hubcap]

For the shop that takes care of Myrtle, I always give a $50 gift card to a local Italian restaurant to the owner and all his mechanics. The family that owns the Italian restaurant are also friends, so I end up buying $500 worth of gift cards from them every year to hand out to folks I appreciate.

[M20F]

I was just with my mechanic Carl Spackler (he also takes care of the grass runways).  I told him no tip but on your death bed you will have total consciousness.  He seemed to be appreciative, it isn’t always about the $$.  

[dkkim73]

1 hour ago, M20F said:

  I told him no tip but on your death bed you will have total consciousness.  

"So [he's] got that going for him, which is good..."

[DonMuncy]

3 hours ago, M20F said:

I was just with my mechanic Carl Spackler (he also takes care of the grass runways).  I told him no tip but on your death bed you will have total consciousness.  He seemed to be appreciative, it isn’t always about the $$.  

I don't think I understand that. Am I just slow?

[EricJ]

20 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

I don't think I understand that. Am I just slow?

No, you probably just forgot who Carl Spackler is.   I'm glad to see he still has grass to tend. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9XcXniI3JQ