I'm about to be kicked off. See ya at DTR.

[WadePatton]

So I missed the memo about being all nice and kissy with the folks that sell DC products and services.



Somebody posts asking why the DC place gets 44 dollars for an filter that goes for 10-12 dollars ANYplace else. I used the forbidden term in my reply. That got "reported" by the secret police to the moderator. And is the first thing I've had to deal with this morning.



I went back to the post and found words changed. YEEHAW that was irritating. Blanked out or ***'ed is better, changing the word changes the meaning. I don't post to have meanings changed. I'd rather have the whole thing dumped. (Hurry read this one while you can. )



I can appreciate that there is a "relationship" that the TDR management and maybe many members would like to cultivate with DC. And apparantly somebody is afraid of really thin skin. So thin that we have to be watched like kids.



If DC wants to use our collective experience to help improve their product, then I'm all for it. But I see them as a large multi-national corporation and we're a very small bunch of diesel truck nuts. Although YOU and I know that we could help them with this market, THEY ain't ever going to believe it. They may give the idea lip-service, but the reality is that the engineers are paid too much for the number crunchers to go along with FREE advice on how to make the product better. Also many of our ideas would be nixed purely on that premise of COSTS. Because when it comes right down to it, the beancounters and secretaries have all the power in companies like that.



We're also just a wee tiny part of their global market, although it doesn't feel that way when you plunk your money down.



Putting the Cummins in their P/U's was probably just a happy mistake, and one that we've all benefitted from. But I'm not holding my breath to see if it continues. So I'm not worried about cultivating a relationship an being chummy with DC.



Back to the parts dept. I've been told by folks in the OEM replacement parts business that DC routinely keeps their parts unavailable (DC store only) longer than the other two players. Draw your own conclusion.



Of course I thought every hillbilly knew that every product sold at *any* automotive manufacturer controlled store was usually priced two or three times higher (the filter is 4x) than anywhere else on the free market. At some point in life one might be naive enought to think that the expensive part is somehow better than the reasonable one. Over my short 37 years I've learned that it ain't.



I/we probably wouldn't be so offended by this pricing policy if it weren't so OUT OF LINE. Like 150% of street price. That'd be okay for small items. Then the filter would be 18 dollars and I think they'd sell a couple more.



So I now publicly apologize to all the folks at DC and the TDR that I offended by referring to the DC stores collectively as one-who-takes-by-force.



Thank you.



(steps down from box)



Wade Patton

591 Petty Gap Road

Woodbury TN, 37190

615-765-5522

-- email address removed --

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Wade, I think your overreacting just a bit. The TDR has never restricted anyone from complaining about the TDR or about DC. We have never stopped anyone from complaining about filter prices, etc. As a matter of fact Geno's garage (which is owned by the same people as the TDR) stands to benefit from filter price discussions as they sell filters at a drastically cheaper price than even Cummins. What we do ask is that you not use the term stealership when talking about dealerships. We received a number of complaints from members asking us to do this both from those that work at dealerships and those that do not. You can get your point across without having to use that term.



Also, it takes a LOT to get booted off of this site. We have booted less than 10 people from the site in the entire history of the site and every one of those cases involved many instances of breaking the guidelines, many warnings, and no willingness to avoid doing so in the future.



While I would hope that this wouldn't be the case, if you feel disatisfied with your TDR subscription because of this policy you can email rpatton@ix.netcom.com to request a refund of your remaining subscription.



-Steve St. Laurent

Lead Moderator

 

[Shovelhead]

BTW we don't allow the "ST" word on the DTR either.



We also have a few Dealer personnel on our membership rolls.

 

[Whitmore]

Wade,

Blow it off dude, no biggie, now you know not to use the S word anymore, this does not have to change your thoughts and oppinions on the dealers or their prices just the way you express them, You are a valuable member with much to offer keep posting and dont worry about it.



Cheers, Kevin

 

[Peter Campbell]

And if you review threads here discussing the DTR you may find that the moderator there is even less tolerant of negative reviews of advertised products. Even the guy at the parts counter at a dealer knows the deal. I am sure that wholesale from DC ( what the dealership pays ) is also out of line. You just have to know that if you are lucky it is a repainted fleetguard, If you are unlucky it is a repainted fram. If you know something is a ripoff do not buy it. Garages used to know what they wanted for a certain service. Where the charges went on the bill was just window dressing. That is why the independent garages are a little more accurate on the parts itemization now a days- some people look at what the parts cost. That is why shop hours are so expenive- can not "steal" money from the parts part of the bill to make the labor look better. What microsoft would call "bundling" Some companies have not gotten it yet.

 

[PLaFrombois]

Wade,

Don't let this become personal. Even before the "ST" word was told to be stopped in the treads, it was common knowledge that they had higher prices.

Paul

 

[Shovelhead]

There are several ways to communicate the same thought.



We must be diplomats.



Definition of diplomacy:

The ability to tell a person to go to **** in such a nice way, that they look forward to the trip.

 

[WadePatton]

Yeah, I'm cooler now. The moderator and I have discussed it a bit. When I started my rant I wasn't sure where I was going to go, that's why I was worried about my posting rights.



Yes there are fine service departments out there. I don't mean to imply that there aren't. Not every one is. But due to their relationship with DC they have no control over an absurd pricing policy. And no matter how good the service, they've gotta charge those outrageous prices.



That's how the term in question came into common use.



I was PO'd about being edited, I'd rather have a post fully deleted.



SSL- I'd never stop taking the rag, but getting booted would free up lots of hours of time. .



Heck I ran into a 1G truck today with gauges and smoke and thought more about forming this MID-TENN chapter all the way home. Well, except for the part of the trip where I was blowing off a CHUBBIE boy.



So is there a list of stuff we're not supposed to say now? Can we still say stuff like Maxipad and PoSD and Durapuck and FlowerPoke and etc.



Hey, my oil is better than yours. :-{}



See, I'm right back into the swing.



And THANKS for asking me to stick around.

 

[Whitmore]

ATTABOY Wade



We would rather take to you than about you



Cheers, Kevin

 

[MUDDY]

Originally posted by Shovelhead

BTW we don't allow the "ST" word on the DTR either.



We also have a few Dealer personnel on our membership rolls.

yep,,,,,,,that no lie. dtr mods will ban ya for using the word stealer. not only that they WILL ban you wife too. and from ANY ip. gestapo tactics. ask me how i know



the only request here at tdr is to not use stealer as a generic term. all the dlrs aint stealers and it aint fair to call em all that word. theres at least a few good ones out there. the comparison with dtr is if ya use the word at all ya get yo pepe whacked even if ya say its a specific dlr w/o even using the name publicly. the dtr is also frightend if a member says stealer THEY will be sued by dc and dc dlrs. this new policy came about after dtr acepted advertising dollars from a big dc dlr. the censorship there is totally rediculous





glad ya stickin around wade. its much more enjoyable here

 

[C. Harlan]

So... What about the NakedDiesel.com site??

Is it still a go??? I figure we could have some really laid back moderators on there!!



-Chris-

 

[WadePatton]

NakedDiesel.com

Has a ring to it huh?



It was more of a suggestion for you fellas with real HTML capabilities. It is inspired by Drunkcyclist.com (don't go there if you are underage, have kiddies around, or the wife is looking. ) It's just a completely uncensored running dialog (base on cycling, drinking, and other things of interest to the young fellow who runs it. ) down the middle with frequent links to uncensored female photos, and lots of good links down the margins. I _have_ been published there.

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by Whitmore
ATTABOY Wade

We would rather take to you than about you

Cheers, Kevin

Speak for yourself, Kevin. Some of us find it fun to talk about people. At least certain people.

Fest3er

 

[fkovalski]

sticks and stones...

I have always said that the term "stealer" (which I am NOT- it is the context of the debate) was hitting too close to home for those whom it offended! I have alway said that if the shoe fits...



We are all big boys here and to those who do not like the term: "Grow up!"

Glad you are staying, Wade. I have enjoyed reading your posts anf replys. -frank.