Susan and the list,

Susan asked:

> i don't have much cash now, so does anyone have good ideas
> about how i can thank him for it? his brother helped out a bunch, too,
> and gave me a discount on his labor costs. both guys are worthy of mucho
> kudos.
>

As a former mechanic, I can offer a few suggestions based on my
experiences.

1.) Call (or better yet, write) the local BBB and laud the business.
Good references help when one gets the inevitable "unsatifiable
customer." (Send a copy to the business.)

2.) A rose and a thank you card.  (Cheap and you'd be surprised how
touching.)

3.) A bottle of decent wine and a note. (I still have the bottle and the
note.)

4.) Show up at closing with a six-pack of good imported or micro-brewed
beer. (Works especially well if the customer in suggestion #1 has just
left.)

Believe me, ANYTHING out of the ordinary will be remembered fondly years
later.

Jim Arnott
Union, OR
'77 ASI Riviera II