More Truck Dealership Fun

[mwilson]

I know some of you are interested in our happenings here at the dealership so I just have to share this with all...



We can order complete cab and hood assemblies in the event that the price of parts / pieces plus labor to repair a wrecked truck is not cost effective. They are called "Per Serial Number" cabs and hoods. They come down the line and are dressed just as they would be when building a new truck. Interior is complete, all exterior parts are attached, painted as well.



We ordered this one in a royal blue which was a color change from the black that the truck was painted when new.



No big deal, they make the change on the spec sheet and off you go. 90 days later you get a new painted cab.



Well, something went awful wrong at the plant... ...



See next post...

 

[mwilson]

This is not blue, boys and girls... ... ... ...

Yuck... ... .



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

Now this is really not funny as the body shop has to take that brand new cab and hood all apart to repaint it the correct color. That snot green is inside of the door jambs, up under the visor, etc.



No small job. Daimler will pay it as a warranty claim but still a HUGE project.



Just another day... ...

 

[mwilson]

Here are more shots of the cab and the frame that is waiting for the cab...





Firewall area of new cab

Interior shot of new cab

Frame awaiting its new cab

Mike.

 

[NIsaacs]

Dang!! Send it back! At least it looks like it is just a day cab, but yes the work to re-paint will be horrible. For a fleet the wait would be fine but for an owner opperator with one truck, that might not be an option.

Nick

 

[mwilson]

Dang!! Send it back! At least it looks like it is just a day cab, but yes the work to re-paint will be horrible. For a fleet the wait would be fine but for an owner opperator with one truck, that might not be an option.



Nick

We talked about that this morning, but will set us back an additional 90 days waiting for another cab.



Painting it will be faster but we are going to lose some money warranty or not.



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

This is what the truck looked like when we towed it in here.....

 

[NIsaacs]

So discount the cab the amount you will loose, and show the truckers wife a picture of the lime green cab, maybe they will jump on it, and throw in a set of dark glasses for the driver:-laf



Nick

 

[mwilson]

So discount the cab the amount you will loose, and show the truckers wife a picture of the lime green cab, maybe they will jump on it, and throw in a set of dark glasses for the driver:-laf



Nick

The picture does not do that green justice, in person it is even more nasty looking.....



Mike.

 

[TFucili]

By golly, that is a special sort of ugly!

 

[Bill Stockard]

Hmmm, someone punched in the wrong paint code into the robotic paint booth computer. We've ordered complete replacement cabs like that for wrecked trucks too. It's much less expnesive than trying to order all the necessary parts to complete a new cab and then assembling the parts. Fortunatley, we never had that problem.



Bill

 

[RustyJC]

Mike, that green is real purdy!! NOT! Who in the world even put that color in the production catalog? What were they thinking?



Rusty

 

[mwilson]

Mike, that green is real purdy!! NOT! Who in the world even put that color in the production catalog? What were they thinking?



Rusty

Probably some Mexican Taco Company (guacamole?) or Austrailian Outback Freight Transporter (makes the poop blend in that splatters on the hood during a Kangaroo strike with a Road Train bumper??).



Only a theory.....



Mike.

 

[BILLUA]

What type of wreck was that? Rollover?

 

[rscurtis]

I'm no class 8 expert, but I'm surprised that was even worth repairing.

 

[mwilson]

What type of wreck was that? Rollover?

Laid it down in a ditch, then the cab fetched up against a culvert as I recall... .

 

[GCroyle]

Mike,



Just put some big Euclid or Terex stickers on the doors, all is well.



FWIW, I worked at Euclid (the earth mover truck and hauler company b-4 I got into clutches) really cool place.

 

[jgillott]

Sorry, but I don't mind that color. Hang some chrome and stainless and all will be good.

 

[mwilson]

I'm no class 8 expert, but I'm surprised that was even worth repairing.

No more that a year old and less than 100,000 miles. Frame did not get twisted, oil pan stayed on and was not broken. Chassis really didn't suffer much. Not much oil around it so it didn't run very long on it's side.



Replacement cost of the whole truck at $135,000 FET in for example makes for a lot of repair options that were not feasible 15 years ago.



They don't like to total those if they can help it.



Mike.

 

[JR]

I bet the person who was responsible for the mix up turned that exact same color when he realized what he had done :-laf I think I remember seeing something similar to that in my sons diaper a time or two when he was younger