Why you don't want to go to the Dealership

[Regcabguy]

Put your feelers out for another 6. 5 Suburban and rebuild it. Sounds like they work for you. You've obviously had your share of Dodge issues.

 

[BIGNASTY]

TG



PLEASE!!!! DONT TAKE THIS AS A FIGHT STARTER



Do you think that the problems with the Dodge started with the chip and extra power products that you have, that added to the RIGHT FOOT syndrome. I know of several that this was the case, including our Son now that he has taken control of his right foot and removed all the power goodies (that are fun) and became (in his case) responsible for his actions (in the wallet) he has had no problems with it. I have NEVER added any more power products to my Dodge and have at time abused it (pulling way to much weight) and except for the OEM trans that was working fine, when I had an opportunity to have a Full on DTT the truck has done everything that I have asked and more.

 

[brods]

My '02 has been in the dealership twice, for warranty issues - a leaking vacuum pump seal, and a passenger side mirror that steadily drifted out of adjustment. Yeah, not huge service items, but BOTH were handled quickly, efficiently, and with no associated, new issues after the work was done.



Other than that, ALL other work, mods and maintenance has been done by me, other than new injectors and the 4 inch exhaust system done by Rip Rook...



I don't necessarily distrust the dealerships, I'm just too cheap to pay someone else to do what I can easily do for myself!

You better hang on to that 02. Luckily our 05 pickup has not had anything fail which has required a trip to the dealer. On newer vehicles there may be no choice. Take the wife’s 08 Dodge Caravan for example, you can’t even check the transmission fluid level without a dealer probe. They did recalls on the trans and power steering and ever since the car whines and gurgles for quite a while at start up. It sounds like a pump is cavitating. Since there is no way to check the trans level it was back to the dealer just to make sure the trans fluid was not low. It bugs me every time I start the car.



Same vehicle the rear hatch safety module would not allow the hatch to open. No way to manually override it and open the hatch. While the vehicle was at the dealer yet again for even more recalls, I asked them to check if there were any stored codes in the hatch safety module so I would have an idea where to start digging into it. When they called to say the car was ready they mentioned they found and fixed a corroded connector, oh and that’ll be an additional $200 thank you very much!



We’ve always bought vehicles with the intention of running them until they are scrap. Judging by our 08 and other people's newer vehicles (and their associated problems) cars now have such designed in unserviceability that it is hard to justify keeping them after the bumper to bumper warranty expires.



FWIW the Caravan was never chipped or modified in any way :-laf

 

[TGVET]

TG



PLEASE!!!! DONT TAKE THIS AS A FIGHT STARTER



Do you think that the problems with the Dodge started with the chip and extra power products that you have, that added to the RIGHT FOOT syndrome. I know of several that this was the case, including our Son now that he has taken control of his right foot and removed all the power goodies (that are fun) and became (in his case) responsible for his actions (in the wallet) he has had no problems with it. I have NEVER added any more power products to my Dodge and have at time abused it (pulling way to much weight) and except for the OEM trans that was working fine, when I had an opportunity to have a Full on DTT the truck has done everything that I have asked and more.

To reiterate from way back posts, I am a very conservative driver. I didn't go with a programmer to drag race. I don't off road. I tow a boat, a toy trailer and a job trailer none of them weigh more than 3,000 loaded EVER. I drive freeway, 150 miles RT daily, set cruise to 1800 or 1950 RPM and rarely the need to exceed 2200 in OD. I am a VERY CONSERVATIVE driver. WHY ? Because I want my truck to LAST WITHOUT ME breaking it.



The ONLY thing I will submit to possibly being MY fault. Three summers ago my coolant return elbow on the HE burst, I had to make repairs in a grocery store parking lot. In the process of trying to remove the hose I had to literally slice and pry off the hose from the fitting on the HE as carefully as I could. In the process of doing that, I may have weakened it (HE) causing premature failure AS TOLD by another TDR member. (See old posts Re; HE failure and transmission failure. )



Nuff said on that.

 

[TGVET]

Put your feelers out for another 6. 5 Suburban and rebuild it. Sounds like they work for you. You've obviously had your share of Dodge issues.

When funds are available I will be installing a new Peninsular Diesel 6. 5, 400HP and replacing the L804E with a L85 trans. My Suburban other than the engine is in mint condition with many added comforts. I bought the Dodge 1-because I wanted another pickup and after test driving the GMC 1st, then a Ford (sucked) then lastly the Ram. I was VERY impressed with the Ram and heard so many good things about Dodge and the 5. 9 CRD and 2-I needed another vehicle STAT.

 

[rashwor]

I tried, but I just cannot pass up commenting on this. Bob and sag get it; what I would give for one of you to be local to me. Unfortunately, the local dealers I have dealt with don't. I don't have a local qualified dealer and it is not worth going into all the details. All I really want is for the dealer to care about what I need fixed and get it right the first time for a fair price. I have to in my job or I have to hunt another job.

 

[RustyJC]

I guess I'm lucky. My dealer is just north of Houston and moves a LOT of trucks (this is Texas, after all); therefore, he has an excellent full-time lead diesel tech on staff who knows his stuff. Apparently he pays him enough to keep him around, as he's been at the dealership for a long time.



I've never had any major problems on my trucks, but the service department has handled all my routine service, updates, etc. with no problem whatsoever. No complaints from me about my dealer's service department.



Rusty

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

WELL, giving due credibility to the many in threads like this one reporting significant issues of poor dealership treatment, it's a shame that so frequently, proper service devolves down to a "put down your $$$, and spin the wheel of chance", then see if you win, or lose...

AND, the trucks just keep getting more and more cluttered and complex with electronic gizmos and gadgets to fail and let the owner down, and at the mercy of "profe$$ional" help...

 

[Bill Stockard]

I guess I'm lucky. My dealer is just north of Houston and moves a LOT of trucks (this is Texas, after all); therefore, he has an excellent full-time lead diesel tech on staff who knows his stuff. Apparently he pays him enough to keep him around, as he's been at the dealership for a long time.



I've never had any major problems on my trucks, but the service department has handled all my routine service, updates, etc. with no problem whatsoever. No complaints from me about my dealer's service department.



Rusty

The same experience here and I've owned four RAM CTDs and used two different dealerships since mid-1992. One is small town dealership northwest of the DFW area when we lived in the DFW area, and for the past 7 years in our present location, small town Mt Pleasant, TX. Both dealerships sell mostly trucks to many commercial and farm and ranch customers and depend heavily on their reputation for repeat business. Being a retired dealer person (considered a member of the "brotherhood"), they allow me to walk out in the shop and talk directly to the techs. I have been completely satisfied with the services provided including engine oil changes, warranty, and non-warranty serivce work.



Bill

 

[rbattelle]

I know lots of stuff about my Dodge. The 2 or 3 times I've had it in the dealer for service, I was disappointed with something that they did.

I know almost nothing about the 2 Hondas I own. When something breaks, I drop it off at the dealer, and a day or two later I get it back. Never had a lick of trouble.

So I've decided there are a couple things going on here:

1. My expectations are so high for the Dodge dealers, on account of how much I know about the vehicle, that no dealership would ever meet them. Which is very unfair to the dealers.

2. Hondas are a lot simpler and more common than these diesels, which partially explains the Honda dealer's ability to fix things without a big fuss.

I'll echo everyone else's comment that if Sag2 or Bob4x4 were close to me I'd never touch the truck. I'd even pay them to refuel it.

-Ryan

 

[BDaugherty]

A good part of my time is spent repairing vehicles that have been hacked at independent shops or in some cases I am guessing a dealer or 2 cracks

I am the owner as well as tech at my business and the statement made by Bob has been 100% true for me. I focus on repeat business and only work by referrals and word of mouth. Over the years of working on trucks and equipment, I have run into all sorts of problems either caused by or not repaired by both dealers and other local independents.



One thing that really bothers me is the stigma (I think I used that word right) behind upselling repair work. When I fixed helicopters in the Marine Corps, we had a rule that you always looked everything over within a few feet of whatever you were working on. I really base my business on that rule. For example, a little while back I was in the field troubleshooting a Mack truck that had suddenly lost power steering. I determined that the splines inside the pump that turn one of the vanes had worn enough to strip completely off. I also noticed that the main serpentine belt had 2 grooves worn off and the whole belt had shifted to the side. The reason was the pivot part of the tensioner was worn out. On my way to the dealer for a pump, I called the customer and told him about the belt and asked if he wanted me to fix it while I was in there. He said that he had just been to a repair shop a few days prior to have that belt put on because the old one had broken and he was seriously upset that they didn't tell him about the tensioner. I replaced the pump, belt, and tensioner and have been doing his work ever since.

I understand that there are techs/service writers/owners that try to sell unnecessary repairs. I've even taken old parts off that were supposedly replaced very recently. It's a shame that there are dishonest people out there and it sure makes it tougher for those of us who are honest... or maybe it doesn't make it tougher. I have enough repeat business that I've been working six days a week since last summer and I'm still 3 weeks out before I can get to anything new. So, thanks again to all those who either don't stand behind their work or aren't honest with their customers because now your customers are my customers.

 

[Wingate]

Every dealership experience that I have had with the local Jeep/Dodge dealership service department has been an utter failure. Its to the point that I will not take my truck in for the repeated recall letters that I receive in the mail. I simply do not trust them to inspect the front suspension for a tie rod end binding situation. When they installed that update, they left bolts loose and the steering linkage fell out in the pasture, tried to sell me an air filter when I had replaced my filter just that morning before dropping the truck off. Told me that I had to have a battery maintenance service performed on maintenance free batteries... . etc... . Not to mention leaving the filter box lid off my wifes Jeep GC... !
I am a technician for a living, there is absolutely no excuse for ANYTHING being left loose! I wil say that the Mazda dealership we purchased my wifes CX-9 from has been FLAWLESS. So was the Honda dealership where we purchased my daughters Civic. .

 

[Tractorat]

When I fixed helicopters in the Marine Corps, we had a rule that you always looked everything over within a few feet of whatever you were working on.

Years ago I worked with a guy that repaired (I forget what parts) of Marine Corps airplanes and helicopters. Quite often the pilots would make him go flying with them just to make sure everything worked right. Kinda made him a little more diligent.

 

[HBarlow]

Wingate,

You're not far from Athens where TDR member Mike Mullenax is the Cummins tech. Mike is knowledgeable and does good work. He's an old school mechanic not a younger generation parts changer.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Wingate,

You're not far from Athens where TDR Mike Mullenax is the Cummins tech. Mike is knowledgeable and does good work. He's an old school mechanic not a younger generation parts changer.

Have YET!!!! to see any Dealership up to and including Class 8 trucks BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN PARTS CHANGERS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS!!!
They dont have time to remove the broken component and rebuild it and then replace it, they REMOVE AND REPLACE WITH LIKE ITEM

YOUNGER GENERATION OR NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wingate]

Wingate,

You're not far from Athens where TDR Mike Mullenax is the Cummins tech. Mike is knowledgeable and does good work. He's an old school mechanic not a younger generation parts changer.

Thanks Harvey... good to know there is someone in the area... . I get calls all the time from people wanting me to work on their trucks... Im a tech for a living, last thing I want to do is work on something when I get home... . Now I have a name to refer them to...

 

[Bob4x4]

Dodge could do well with sharing some of their new found profits with the techs and increasing their training. A bonus for work done right the first time would help too.

In the absence of Bob4x4 or Sag2 and others I'm lucky to have a good independent shop here to use.

We're fortunate to have some of these techs try and help in the light of some owner's attitudes of ignoring the advice of guys who fix these complex machines for a living.

Didn't Joe work at Poway Dodge??

 

[AEdelheit]

Have YET!!!! to see any Dealership up to and including Class 8 trucks BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN PARTS CHANGERS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS!!!
They dont have time to remove the broken component and rebuild it and then replace it, they REMOVE AND REPLACE WITH LIKE ITEM

YOUNGER GENERATION OR NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup, that's how manufactures like to handle thing, just change the whole component, its not worth it to try and rebuild it. Ive been a tech for 10 years, often when I have to repair a small part like a starter by the time you look at parts and labor it would have been cheaper to replace it, and if its a warranty matter they tech usually has no choice, they have to follow procedure. Not to mention that most components these days aren't meant to be rebuilt, just used and replaced when its worn. HypocriteB seems to have very little understanding how anything works. Not to mention "old school" mechanics working on new common rail computer controlled components is often a bad combo.

 

[Regcabguy]

Didn't Joe work at Poway Dodge??

I know he worked at Carl Burger and McCune. Not certain about Poway.

 

[JR]

I generally dont own anything worthy of taking to a dealer, solves that problem!

Last summer I was working 100+ hour weeks on a big turn around at work when my wife started complaining about a squeaking in the front end of her Mustang. I didnt have the time to look at it, so had her take it to the local Ford dealership with the instructions to repair anything that was questionable and do an alignment when finished with repairs. Lng story short, they told her everything was good and tight but said the alignment was way off. I found that hard to believe because the tires were wearing very well. She said the noise was gone and car felt fine so the issue was soon forgot. Fast forward 3 months she pulling out of a parking lot with the kids in the back when the pass side ball joint seperated and jammed the tire up into the wheel well. I was home sleeping from a long nightshift and luckily she was only right up the road so I got there right away. I didnt want to risk winching the car up on my tilt trailer and cause more damage so I called the dealership and asked them to bring a wheel lift. This was after hours for the dealership and after hearing the story the driver said he had to charge me but to call the manager Monday and he would refund me. So 90 bucks later for less than 2 miles I had my car back in my garage. I replaced the ball joints on both sides but took pictures of everything first. Monday morning I walked in and asked for the manager. He was the most uncooperative A**hole Ive ever dealt with. He wouldnt refund me for the alignment or the tow bill. I felt I was owed both because even though a few months had passed there wasnt even 400 miles put on the car from when they had it and I had the receipt from the alignment to prove it and all the pictures of the car. Needless to say I felt better by the time I walked out because I ripped that guy a new *** when I realized what kind of a jerk he was going to be. I spent the whole weekend steaming over the deal but by the time Monday came I was calmed down and went in trying to be as civil as I could. I only wanted for them to admit to their faults and refund me some money and I basically got told to pound salt. The part that really got me was they eliminated the squeak by spraying oil into the TORN balljoint boot. I know this because I found the residue still on the ball joint and control arm. These are CRITICAL components if there so dry theyre squeaking I for one would replace it! I cant even imagine what would have happened if my wife and kids were driving down the highway when that sucker let loose...

Ultimately I took responsibility for the whole situation because I have always taken a proactive approach on maintenance especially when it comes to the wifes cars and I should have found that torn boot before it got to the point it did.

Lesson learned.....

this was whatever they had sprayed to quiet the squeak down, it was very sticky crap and collected a ton of dirt, road grime, etc.