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Thu Apr 27, 2023 11:29 am

Does anyone know how to contact Matt Steedle? [The transaxle guy]
email or phone?

I had no luck finding a website and the number that keeps coming up for his company [everywhere] 856-809-2466 has a recording, "If you are calling about a transmission this is the wrong number".

I feel sorry for whoever has that number.

I did find FB and Instagram but I would really like to speak with him.

Thanks
robj

Thu Apr 27, 2023 11:37 am

It might be that he no longer works on transaxles and that is in fact the correct phone number for his business.

Thu Apr 27, 2023 11:38 am

Matt does all of my transmissions and I speak to him often

I don't want to post his number but I will ask him if it's ok.

Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:09 pm

I just spoke to Matt

He said the best way to get him is thru facebook or instagram. Bottom line is he's just too busy for random calls and communicates thru the above mentioned

He said he'll get back with you ASAP after he sees the message. He didn't want his # floating around and basically told me he won't answer a # he doesn't recognize

Hope that helps

Thu Apr 27, 2023 3:26 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: I just spoke to Matt

He said the best way to get him is thru facebook or instagram. Bottom line is he's just too busy for random calls and communicates thru the above mentioned

He said he'll get back with you ASAP after he sees the message. He didn't want his # floating around and basically told me he won't answer a # he doesn't recognize

Hope that helps

Thanks, that does help. A bit unusual for a guy in business to not want their number "floating around" but if he's busy enough... Who am I to say?

Thanks again.
robj

Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:02 pm

with some bus owners being the cheapskates they can be, it is not all that unusual. Half a guy's day can go to answering questions that don't lead to a bit of business. On top of it transmissions are such that until one is apart and inspected it is impossible to know what items are excessively worn. So the only real questions are

"can I get on your waiting list?"
"what is the minimum charge if the transmission needs parts and labor I can't afford to pay so you ship it back as a box of parts...?"
"what is the range it costs to rebuild a transmission?"

Time is money. When they spend all day answering questions it costs them money. No one, including them, fully know what parts are worn out in a transmission until it is apart so plan on spending $1000 to $5000 depending what is worn. There is no "average cost" or "average repair." That is why they don't want to take calls. People want a set cost, and because they can't answer that question any better than $1000 - $5000 or $600 if I ship it back to you in pieces... calls end up in an argument.

Thu Apr 27, 2023 6:12 pm

When do you want my transmission in your shop?

What’s your remit to?

With Steedle reputation, any other questions wank.

Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:20 pm

Had the pleasure of meeting Steedle this past winter when I drove my transmission down to him for rebuild. I get why he can't take random calls, he is a busy guy. But a super nice dude in person, so don't be alarmed if he is terse over Instagram :D

But yeah hit him with the DM and he will get back to you.

SGKent said it all, you won't know what you're looking at til he gets it apart.

Last I heard he was booked 5-6 months out - I messaged him last summer to book a time to bring my trans in this past winter so it worked out well.

Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:28 pm

"Last I heard he was booked 5-6 months out - I messaged him last summer to book a time to bring my trans in this past winter so it worked out well."

I'm guessing that's why he's not too worried about dealing with phone calls. Business is great. Good for him.

Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door...

robj

Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:30 pm

His reputation is stellar and he is literally a one man shop. Only so many transmissions one man can build in a day.

He does shit the right way and that's why he's busy. It also helps that he's like the only guy on the east coast who is doing quality VW trans work. :D

Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:48 pm

SGKent wrote:
Time is money.

you nailed it.

yes, he's a 1 man show and literally works 7 days a week, 6am to sometimes 7pm to keep things moving

I didn't want to hand out his number until I spoke with him so he told me to post the above message.

It may seem like an odd way to do things, but taking a "quick question" usually ends up in a 40 minute conversation just to find out someone is kicking tires so it's easier to IM him and he can answer in 4 seconds instead of 40 minutes of listening to some story about how in 1978 you fingered Betty Rottencrotch at the movies in the back of your bus.

He is always backed up, so expect a wait. he's done probably 10 transmissions for me and never a problem. If you can wait, he's the man to do it.

Thu Apr 27, 2023 10:44 pm

i have a friend who is a speciality brand mechanic , its amazing how much time/aggravation he endures from people without compensation.

not only is time=money but its got to get old listening to people wank

Fri Apr 28, 2023 12:31 am

I understand. A bit off topic but here goes;

I was a business owner for 35 years and in the business for 47 years.
What happens is when you are a sole proprietor, and good at something, word gets out and business comes in. My motto was, always give the customer/client more than they expect. Go the extra mile. Be fair and be honest.

Eventually you get more work in than you can do yourself. Who do you turn away? So you hire people. And you try to instill in the people you hire your work ethic.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But there is always a slight loss in quality as few employees care like you do. My job was to make sure the loss in quality didn't make it's way to the customer/client.

Quite a challenge to say the least. At one point I had 20-25 employees. I always said I went from a really good, [fill in the blank] to a really mediocre administrator, as I no longer had the time to do the work myself.

I think I was really having more fun, [and enjoying work more] when it was myself and 3-4 guys and I was still doing the actual work and was, more or less, "one of the guys".
So, hats off to Matt for keeping it manageable, keeping the quality high and being able to actually do what he enjoys, [hopefully] and is good at!

Many times I wished I had taken that route. But again, who do you say no to?

Thanks to everyone for the heads up and I hope you don't mind me sharing my 2 cents.
robj

Fri Apr 28, 2023 6:50 am

I fully understand why he does not want his # listed.

It's because it HIS # and probably not some dead end message line.

The other issue thst leverages the problem is what has changed in the past 7 ears or so with the endless computer generated robo-call phone banks.

If he is good at VW transmissions.....that means that he has customers in states all over the US right? That also means that he will be receiving robo-calls and auto-dialer sales queries from every single state and area code he does business in and/or has recently spoken to.

I do business in all states and numerous countries. I speak to clients in an average of 5-6 states or more every day. Within 24 hours of speaking to anyone in any state....I start receiving robo-calls from that area code and others in that state.

You should try tracking this.....its shocking!.....I just finished a regional trip to a client two states away earlier this week. Spoke to people on blue tooth the whole way in both directions.
I just happen to know virtually no one in any towns anywhere near where I passed through on the major interstates.

Within hours of getting home on Wednesday.....I start getting robo-calls from every area code I passed through in three states.

They pull your information right off the cell networks you are passing through.....and sell it. Been tracking this for about six years now.

I do not answer any number that is not programmed into my phone. I tell all clients in advance via email or zoom/teams meeting that if we are going to speak on phone (which i am happy to and it's very good for business when I can speak while I drive or work).....I need the # they will call from in advance.

It's a sad state of things. Ray

Fri Apr 28, 2023 8:06 am

Put an ad up on this site or Craigslist and you’ll see the level at which most people now operate.

Evolution works by injecting large amounts of mutation into the genome,
In the hopes that the tiny fraction of adventitious mutation will be beneficial.
The vast majority of deleterious mutation is selected against in nature;
The unfit rarely reproduce, and if they do, their offspring are not viable.

Until now…
Selective forces have been eliminated by society.

The mutants are breeding,
And at a higher rate than the general population.
It’s the zombie apocalypse.
Expect more walls.

Fri Apr 28, 2023 8:25 am

Somewhat peripheral:

Interesting word, "adventitious"; I thought you had meant "advantageous" 'til I looked it up... Zoological/botanical term... Cool. Learned something today 🙂...

Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:03 am

This is why I never got into opening my own shop. I worked at enough independent shops, and saw enough of the pitfalls to keep me working for someone else. I do all of my own transaxle work and sometimes for my friends too but that's pretty much it. Even when you do this sort of work on the side you still get a percentage of "tire kickers." None the less I'm eternally grateful I have the tools and knowledge to do this sort of work myself.

It's kind of a Zen thing with me. When I do it, it’s with a certain mind set. It tends to center me and, in some fashion helps keep me sharp. :wink:

Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:11 am

lots of insight here. Kudos to all of you.

Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:25 am

tricyclerob wrote: I understand. A bit off topic but here goes;

I was a business owner for 35 years and in the business for 47 years.
What happens is when you are a sole proprietor, and good at something, word gets out and business comes in. My motto was, always give the customer/client more than they expect. Go the extra mile. Be fair and be honest.

Eventually you get more work in than you can do yourself. Who do you turn away? So you hire people. And you try to instill in the people you hire your work ethic.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But there is always a slight loss in quality as few employees care like you do. My job was to make sure the loss in quality didn't make it's way to the customer/client.

Quite a challenge to say the least. At one point I had 20-25 employees. I always said I went from a really good, [fill in the blank] to a really mediocre administrator, as I no longer had the time to do the work myself.

I think I was really having more fun, [and enjoying work more] when it was myself and 3-4 guys and I was still doing the actual work and was, more or less, "one of the guys".
So, hats off to Matt for keeping it manageable, keeping the quality high and being able to actually do what he enjoys, [hopefully] and is good at!

Many times I wished I had taken that route. But again, who do you say no to?

Thanks to everyone for the heads up and I hope you don't mind me sharing my 2 cents.
robj

When your business becomes successful, to the point that you have more work than time, raise your prices. Your business doesn't have to compromise, you become more profitable, your customers will be YOUR customers.

Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:31 am

While we are on transmissions, I just got an e-mail from Weddle that the late Sachs TO bearing has gone NLA. INA is the only one they can get now.