If your list of FRIENDS includes Helder Dapont, you CANNOT possibly be an honourable person, as you are closing your eyes to wrongs.
You know, I was staying quiet about this whole thing until I read that.
Ziggy, I have no problem with anyone on this board, at all.
But I also won't judge anyone based on the people they may know.
If I did that, I would have a very sorry life.
So and so smokes weed, I'm against it, but my friend hangs out with that person, do I decide, ok, they aren't my friend anymore just because they hang out with someone who does something I'm against? No I don't. I'm a people person, I always have been and always will be.
I'm not saying the interaction you had with Helder was good, I'm just saying I don't think it's right that you're now judging the rest of us based on one person, realistically what have the rest of us done to you?
If you knew what I've been through in my life you wouldn't think I'm honorable which is actually the complete opposite of the truth. I'm a man of my word, I stand on my own two feet, I'm my own person, and how dare someone else judge me because of someone I happen to know. The police do that all the time, "oh, you know this person? Well, you must be a criminal too!" That utterly disgusts me period.
Ziggy I don't blame you for being upset and wanting to warn others, but to judge the rest of us for one persons actions I think is going too far. I would have bought stuff off of you but life got in the way (paying debts, and rent, etc) but I do hope that I can do business with you sooner than later once I find a job.
As for Helder, in MY opinion, he's been a great help to ME, there is no reason for me to not go back to him since he hasn't done anything wrong to ME. In your position, I would just shake my head for the next person who may as you put it "get screwed" by him. What ever happened to judge others as you would judge yourself? I'm sure growing up you've had some shady people you knew, we don't judge you for that, at least I wouldn't since that's them and not you. Guilt in association is a very damaging way to look at things in my opinion. I've been labeled all kinds of things which none are true, but I was labeled anyways. Technically I'm labeled for life since I'm part black and have a darker skin tone, do I go around hating people that are lighter than me because some (not one, but more than) lighter people judge me? No, you know why? Because I know who I am and what I'm about, and as long as I know I haven't done any wrong, it doesn't bother me.
I look up to all you guys, who know DSM's inside and out/sell parts/have businesses etc, I'm actually upset at the amount of hate towards everyone who happens to know a local to Toronto/GTA mechanic that knows his way around a DSM.
I'm one of those guys who if I had a garage at my place I would try to learn my car inside and out (as I did with my last car when I lived at home) but I can't do that since I park on the street. I don't have the money to pay $100/hr or whatever at a dealership every time something goes wrong with my car.
After reading this, if by myself and others just knowing Helder and bringing our cars to him because he does good work and is reasonably priced is really that bad for you (which it has nothing to do with you, so I don't get it) then I don't know what to say. I'm sorry, I guess would be all I could say to you in terms of being so bitter that it's clouded your judgment into a ballooning effect that has now spread to others that haven't and would not do you wrong.
And yes I would say the same to Helder if the roles were reversed.
I don't know the whole story to be honest, there are two sides, and I've only read one.
I still give Helder 2 thumbs up for the service work he does bar none. And if that makes me a bad person, so be it, I know I'm not, and that's all I need to know.