Thread: Rip off of the week

i have to love the home handyman who works on modern car electrics. had a young fella turn up with the engine management unit he had tried to re-chip himself. circuit print torn off the pcb etc. didnt use static protection let alone flux to remove it. told him no way am i touching it.
he was almost teary when he told me the replacement was $3k.

or the all time classic. guy brings me the powered mixer from his band (has audio mixer and amps in one unit). complains of hug humming noises and distorted audio.
spend bloody forever on it and wasnt the easiest thing to work on . asked him if he had taken it anywhere else or had a go himself and he replied no.
8 hours later i find an insulating washer is missing from behind a power transistor. this meant someone had undone the m3 screw, removed washer and then reassembled it.
10 cent part later and i tried to charge him a days labour. finally he admitted an electrician had "taken a look".
if he had told me in the first place the job would have been a whole lot cheaper.