Tried to fix a knock on a customer's F-150, ended up having to tell them the engine was toast
So I had this Ford F-150 come into my shop in Phoenix about two months ago. Owner said it had a light knock on cold starts, figured it was maybe a lifter tick, common on those 5.4s. I pulled the oil pan first and found glitter, like a disco ball in the bottom. That pretty much sealed it. I told the guy he needed a full long block, quoted him around $6,800 with labor. He didn't want to hear it. He was convinced it was just an exhaust leak, said another shop told him that. So he paid the diag fee and left. Two weeks later he had it towed back in, engine seized on the 101. Now he's looking at a used motor swap for like $5,200 instead. My question is, how do you handle the customer who fights the diagnosis? Do you push harder, or just let them find out the hard way and come back? Because I feel like I should've made him sign something, but maybe it's just me.