Your experiences and resultant self-protection methods seem like so much hard work, when putting that time and effort into finding a scrupulous shop to begin with, is so much easier, economical.

We have several such shops here in Salt Lake, with business history's going back into the '40s and '50s because they don't have deceit and deception in mind. These shops do business with other shops they trust to do specialized work so it's very easy to "pick their brains" about who they'd suggest for other special work.

my van broke down in Montrose, CO due to a repair failure done by "my shop". They drove 6 hours each way to trailer the van back to SLC, then installed a conversion engine, taking the very valuable TIICO in trade for the conversion labor charge.

Reputable businesses do stuff like that, and make lotsa $$ doing it. A local bike shop owner (in business since the mid-80's) made-good on aluminum framed bikes that kept breaking (Crotch Rocket, went belly-up) even though he didn't have to, and his business took off and is still flying today. Wild Rose Mountain Sports, Tim Metos.

Bob Stevens
'87 Syncro Westy