2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission have you ever had a problem with a shop when you drop off your truck ?

[VHolloway]

we don"t drop them off

we learned the hard way

plus they try to milk the clock on you

but if your there it's hard to do

call me crazy but where I live we have had more than one shop try to give us the high hard one

I can't be the only one

 

[nps]

Nope - no problems because I never drop it off. In fact I won't let any shop touch my truck.

 

[VHolloway]

smart man keep up the good work

 

[VHolloway]

people need to open there eyes to whats really

going on

if your not there to keep a eye on whats going on the shop is not going to look out for you.

some people are dumb as a box of rocks

I see it all the time

if a shop has a problem with you keeping a eye on there working on your truck then tell them your out of there

most good shops don't have a problem with it

thanks

 

[Nate]

I've had that before. Owner was all paranoid about me watching my truck get worked on. Kept making excuses why I couldn't watch. I said ok... I'll take my truck back then. Bye.

 

[tshort]

Just had an experience with a shop. In short I work 2 jobs and go to college full time, so to find the time to work on it is really hard. Had my transfer case start going out, took it to a shop on Thurs. last week, said they would start the next day. Well they didn't. Next Wed. rolls around called, they said they just started on it will be tomorrow. Call Thurs. and no answer, so I left a message. Call Fri, no answer, go down there, they hadn't even got the truck inside :-{} , took it back and am going to pull everything tomorrow.

Ryan

 

[jmeehan]

I wish I had an alignment rack, I think that's the only thing I can't do myself. I don't take my vehicles anywhere for work.

I do worry about being on a trip and needing work done. That's what the TDR and the travel companion is for

 

[CumminsPower98]

The only thing anyone does to my truck are things like windshield and tires (and my last windshield didn't even go well cause I took it to the wrong guy). I got a flash done under a TSB since I can't do that and had a bad experience. I hate to let anyone near my truck because so many places just don't care and I'm pretty anal about everything. I even set my own tow now, which really isn't that hard with a helper. I can't do caster and camber though.

 

[J.Post]

The only thing anyone does to my truck are things like windshield and tires (and my last windshield didn't even go well cause I took it to the wrong guy). I got a flash done under a TSB since I can't do that and had a bad experience. I hate to let anyone near my truck because so many places just don't care and I'm pretty anal about everything. I even set my own tow now, which really isn't that hard with a helper. I can't do caster and camber though.

Get yourself an angle finder and you would be able to do caster and camber. Unless you have done a lift those are preset at the factory and can't be changed very easily anyway.



Not sure about the specs but tow can be done very accuratly w/ a tape measure.

 

[Wdoucet]

Last time the deaker worked on my truck, they filled the frame with yellow expansion foam to curb the 70 mph vibe. Ended up costing them a full Buy Back. Now I stay.

 

[2-ND TIME]

since new!

Yes a part was flown in and ...

The courier doesn't work Saturdays.

Can't talk to the air port.

Another service advisor won't write a message for my service advisor who doesn't work Saturdays that the part is in the local air port and should be delivered Monday and could they try for installation Monday please.

I have a job to go to and need (need the money badly )to be working again as soooooonn as.



Toyota was soooooo much better to deal with in 1977 then Chrysler is now. It seems that Lee Ia Coca didn't teach the company anything. No wonder they are behind.

 

[JPike]

I don't have a problem letting customers observe the repairs done to their trucks in my shop. I ask 2 things of them, do not go inside the shop, they can get injured. And that they do not delay the tech by conversing with him or asking to do things not on R. O. Simple rules, I understand what it is like letting somebody work on my baby.

 

[VHolloway]

when you talk to the shop that is going to do work on your car make dam SURE the guy that is going to do the work is there to hear what you have to say

plus I tell them if the car needs a test drive do it with me in the car

the owner of the shop may be ok

but who knows how the guy that works on your car will drive it when he gets it down the road

and I bring a lawn chair and set outside the bay and keep my eye on my car and the time if the guy is working on two or more at one time I tell the owner look i'm not paying lift rent work on my car and get it off the lift or i'm out the door DON'T LET THESE SHOPS MILK THE CLOCK ON YOU THEY WILL IF YOU LET THEM but there are some great mom and pop shops out there just keep your eyes open AND SPEAK UP if the shop will not do it the way you want somebody else will

AND CHECK FOR LEAKS BEFORE YOU DRIVE OFF

IF YOU FIND A GOOD SHOP THAT WILL DO YOU RITE STICK WITH THEM

 

[JPike]

One thing I would like to point out to defend my industry, sometimes there are parts issues, and techs may need certian specality tools and have to wait their turn. I have a flat rate shop, so the book time is the billed time. The benefit to that works both ways. If my service advisors quote a job at 2 hours and it takes my tech 3 hours I loose, you still pay Quoted time. Vice versa if he completes it sooner. I will also show the customer the flat rate guide if a question arises. If a shop cannot justify their labor time by the book then don't do buisness with them. I work for a major company and that is how we do buisness. Off the record in my experience I have found the most unreliable pricing from the "mom and pop" locations, mainly because they do not have to answer to anybody. I may not "trust" a lot of people to work on my veichles so I tend to do them myself, but if I need to go to he dealer, I build a relatonship with the service advisor, and treat them how I like my customers to treat me. Shops do not make money by chasing customers off warranty or otherwise, remember if we take care of a warranty customer, they will be a cash customer one day. I don't know of one service manager or general manager that likes to take complaints from customers or from corprate.

Like I said before I do not mind customers watching, but I like to turn those customers into people that trust me to get done what the ask on time and budget, so they can go about their buisness and not "waste" a day sitting outside my shop.

Sorry for ranting, I just don't want my industry perceived as a bunch of crooks and idiots. Thanks.

 

[MCummings]

When I was a shop foreman, I had no problem letting people watch. In the end, it was about them being happy, but, the problem I always had was, we were not as fast as they would like. We did just awesome work, but, because we never half-fast anything, it always meant a quick run to the parts store, which would always add an hour to the job. (We did full custom jobs). After a couple customers got charged 3 hours of labour, for a job that took 5 hours, and they complained it took so long, I stopped letting people "hang out" at the shop.



I did have a few customers that were start customers. Watched us work on their truck, had a few comments to change a few things, didn't tell us how to do our job, and let us take the time needed for the job.



Most customers who wanted to watch, wanted us to work as fast as we could, almost guaranteeing a mistake.



That's my rant,

Merrick

 

[NCovey]

It aggravates me when a few bad shops make a bad image for all shops in general, and then people have too much tunnel vision to see each shop as an individual shop. "The last guy screwed me over, so this guy must be going to do the same thing", mentality is what really aggravates me.

Yes, I understand you worry about your vehicle, it is a very important invetsment. If a person can't trust me enough to do the job, then I don't want their buisness. Trust works both ways. If they think they have to watch my every move, then why would I want work on something that they could take down the road and tear-up just because they can, and then try to blame me. You don't go into a resteraunt, walk back to the kitchen and watch and instruct the chef on how to prepare your food, do you? No, they would throw you out, or have you arrested.

I don't mind at all if a customer ask a question about something they don't understand, wether it be the vehicle, the repair, or the bill, I would be happy to explain. Just leave the attitude at home. You be more likely to get respect as a valued customer, if you give respect. -Nicholas

 

[VHolloway]

Ok I live in WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA

all but 2 shop that I have ever been to have tryed to rip me off

the guys at cummins diesel they are vary good and put you first

freightliner in west has helped me out they are a great bunch of guys

if you need help in west palm beach florida they would be only two shops to let under your hood

we have went thru a big pile of cash and learned the hard way

ps

would like to thank JIM PIKE at freightliner

and and the staff at cummins power in IN WEST PALM BEACH FL

for doing a vary good job

 

[JPike]

Thanks for the props Vaughn

 

[VHolloway]

I just got burned a few times

I am sorry please forgive me I need to just let it go

there are some real good shops out there

in my area there is cummins and freightliner they both have the best service departments these guys are stand up people who do a real fine job

its the guys that charge 5 hours to put in a drive shaft on a lincoln town car

we even picked up the new drive shaft the day before and drop it off at his shop and had the car towed over that night we never went back to that shop we payed and that was that

that was 3 or 4 years back if you have a good shop stick with them

or some one that works on your car and they do good work KEEP THEM HAPPY there hard to come by you know what I mean birthdays holidays

if they do you rite do what ever you need to do to let them know how much you APPRECIATE it and yes tip

it's worth it in the long run just think you don't need to deal with with the rip and skip shops now you have a good shop or a guy on the side who takes good care of you and your car

one hand washes the other

if you live in west palm beach or just driven thru and need service freightliner or cummins would be your best bet

thanks Vaughn

ps if you live in that area and work on dodge diesels give me a call

cell 561-541-3664 Vaughn or Jo ann