A clean vehicle

I think the best thing a scrapper can have is a clean vehicle and a clean and neat workplace. for me it just makes keeping track of everything so much easier. obviously things like a magnet and hammer are important but im just thinking outside the box a little.

I agree 100%! Professionalism goes a LONG way and while I think almost all of us started with very modest means of transportation or hauling things (heck I see people bringing in bags of cans or small scrap loads on a trailer behind a bicycle all the time), try to at least be halfway clean cut looking and keep your ride reasonable looking. I started with a BEAT up truck and a trailer that the scrapyard thought I was hauling in for junk, but I worked my way up to a pretty fair lookin rig now and not embarassed to pull up to a 1/2 million dollar house with it if the occasion arises. It's still paid for and not the nicest but all things considered I wouldn't have anything much nicer or it'd be a waste...

First impressions last a lifetime, make sure it counts!!!

Blue, apparantly you havn't seen my car...LOL

My cars actually a mess...and i'm fine with that...but the workplace is key...my garage was a mess for awhile and it sucked having to crawl over stuff, haing 8 hammers and not knowing where one was...yup.

Nice... my garage is usually somewhat of a mess... The tools are always organized but it's all the freaking crap that's just all over like useless junk! I clean it out every week or two and I don't understand how my garage generates so much JUNK LOL

First impression mean alot...show up to buy in a clunker or nice rig..see who comes up first!

Originally Posted by mechanic688

kinda like rabbits,,, lol

rofl!!

I do keep my truck clean, not only because it makes a good impression but my work space is cluttered enough when working I like to get into my truck and know where my gloves are and where my wire cutters are without having to search for stuff. My flashlight isn't buried under stuff, its in reach.

Plus, my mom rides with me once a week and she is always quick with the ''Why don't you swipe the dust off the dashboards?'' and ''I tried to put my coffee in your holder but it had something in it so I'll just hold this hot cup of coffee in my hand and hope I don't spill it on my lap''

Lol, gotta love the moms!

Kinda on the same lines impression is key. i had a meeting with a used car dealer today he wanted me to check out some cars that are not in sellable condition. i let him know i had to pick up another vehicle (the sebring i tipped over on the day of scrapper forum ) and his place was on the way to my place i would stop on the way back. my buddy wanted to take the car to the house so we would have an emtpy trailer but we decided to go with the car to make an impression made a deal for 2 cars and maybe a 3rd he is doing a repo tomorrow that the dude wrecked. now i don't recommend driving around with a trailer loaded but i think today it worked out in our favor

Originally Posted by sjones99

First impression mean alot...show up to buy in a clunker or nice rig..see who comes up first!

Only if you're buying from well off people. If you live in a poor area like I do, you might not do as well if you're always pulling up in a nicer rig and trailer then the people you're buying from.

I agree, showing up in a nice new rig in a poor area is the kiss of death for you scrap load. Every poor person knows the rich already make a killing from their sweat and toil, and they are not going to give up anything they had to break their back to get in the first place. I say an older,paid for truck that is presentable for as long as possible. Face it, this line of work beats trucks (and our bodies)to a pulp over time. I looked like a total wild man(still do) with long hair and a big beard and had good success in richer areas by being friendly and professional with good eye contact and sobriety. I have never enjoyed dealing with that segment of society to be honest.

Well area you have to admit if you showed up in any area and climbed out of your little VW truck like it was a clown car you wouldnt have a hard time getting people to be friendly with you when you know on the inside they are trying not to laugh for fear of being beat to death by bigfoot Sorry couldnt resist love ya man hows the computer scrappin going down in florence?

So busted...maybe that has been my secret all along!! I am waiting on 2 big clients to "get it all together" ,nothing gets done over the holidays..Fremont County has a terrible "phase delay" between inception and actualization. I have some tables set up and trinity is learning more every day. I am not quite ready to start a recycling stream..so we will be talking. A laugh goes a very long way in any interaction