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Dealer vs. independent shop?

294 messages,  Last post on Feb 12, 2008 at 5:09 PM

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#276 of 294 True... by isellhondas Sep 04, 2007 (3:07 pm)
And this stuff can quickly become outdated as the models change. The other day, I ran across my old Fox Valley Dwell-Tach Volt Ohmeter. What a dinosaur!   People wonder why labor rates are so high! Replies to this message: im_brentwood (Sep 05, 2007 10:13 am)
#277 of 294 Re: True... [isellhondas] by im_brentwood Sep 05, 2007 (10:13 am)
Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 04, 2007 3:07 pm) Yep!   A MODiC 3 (Factory Scanner) from BMW was $14,000 7 years ago.. 4 years ago you needed to upgrade to the GT1 for $17,500 now the new G3 setup is coming out for $30k+
#278 of 294 A Saab Story by ponderpoint Sep 10, 2007 (5:52 am)
We bought a Saab 900se brand new and had dealer maintenance throughout it's warranty. After the warranty our habit is to let the car stay in the livery just as long as it doesn't strand us anywhere - one stranding and it's turned in to whoever wants it.   We were delighted to see it go through 100k miles with just minor problems and then it finally happened. It was dying at lights... Whenever you hit a point where the car had to idle - a stop sign or a light, the engine would sputter and quit. We figured this was a good time to give it one last dealership visit (a selling point to a buyer) and remedy this stalling problem.... They couldn't fix it... This was a dealership with a seasoned Saab mechanic too. Parts were flying and diagnostics were hooked up... At one point they thought they would have to rip out a circuit board!   They finally gave up, refunded most of our money and said it was good for salvage if we wanted to try that route.   We told a friend the story and he HOWLED obscenities towards that dealership saying things like "those idiots couldn't fix a flat tire that still had air in it!". He urged us to take it to a local rural mechanic he knew.   The car was fixed in minutes... It was a simple evap purge valve that got clogged up. I asked him why the dealership didn't see it and he said the "kids" there are not mechanics - they're technicians, they want to plug junk in and make machines go beep. I laughed and told him that I had remarked to the "kids" at the dealership that it seemed like fuel or air delivery and they just scoffed at me saying it was electronic.   I would specify the name of the dealership but I don't know if it's against forum rules. Let's just say that I live in South Central PA in the York/Lancaster area and leave it at that.... After events like this, sometimes I think the Amish are doing it right with their lifestyle..... Replies to this message: Mr_Shiftright (Sep 10, 2007 6:28 am)
#279 of 294 Re: A Saab Story [ponderpoint] by Mr_Shiftright HOST Sep 10, 2007 (6:28 am)
Replying to: ponderpoint (Sep 10, 2007 5:52 am) It's not the machines' fault of course. A diagnostic machine is utterly useless to those who don't know how to read it, and a great tool in the hands of the right person.
#280 of 294 Re: it really depends on the individual shops [swschrad] by bristow1 Nov 03, 2007 (1:28 am)
Replying to: swschrad (Nov 10, 2003 8:05 pm) It sure does depend on who you get to look at your car or vehicle. I have been so dissatisfied over the years with various mechanics. I spent a lot of time and effort trying to get something (even minor) fixed. I started looking into auto mechanics as a side hobby and found that there might be money in it after all. Needing to rely on someone and it might as well be me, or at least someone I know of that has the education part of the automotive world. http://www.used-car-resource.com/?loadblog=771 Replies to this message: Mr_Shiftright (Nov 03, 2007 7:37 am) isellhondas (Nov 05, 2007 1:53 pm)
#281 of 294 Re: it really depends on the individual shops [bristow1] by Mr_Shiftright HOST Nov 03, 2007 (7:37 am)
Replying to: bristow1 (Nov 03, 2007 1:28 am) It's a decent living if you get into the right shop with the right boss, etc. But it is a young man's work, and there is the danger of monotony unless you branch out later in your career. I think the pinnacle of an automotive mechanics' career would be to build custom, hi-tech vehicles. Check out this shop I visited:   http://www.newmancarcreations.com   As for dissatisfaction with the work you get, here again it's a matter of proper training and lack of licensing and apprenticeship.   A friend of mine was approached by a gentleman in his Masons Lodge I guess it was. Wanted his son to apprentice at my friend's Rolls Royce/Bentley restoration shop.   So my friend said: "Sure okay. That will cost you $1,500 a month"   The man was shocked. What, I pay YOU to have my son work for you?   He replied: "Well you'd easily pay that for a college education wouldn't you?"   Replies to this message: isellhondas (Nov 05, 2007 1:53 pm)
#282 of 294 Re: it really depends on the individual shops [Mr_Shiftright] by isellhondas Nov 05, 2007 (1:53 pm)
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Nov 03, 2007 7:37 am) Yes, it is a young man's job.   It is very rare to see someone still working the line after about age 50. It takes a toll on the body.
#283 of 294 Re: Dealer vs. independent shop? [hest88] by sam89 Nov 05, 2007 (3:10 pm)
Replying to: hest88 (Nov 10, 2003 11:48 am) Go to the independent, dealers service departments inflate the price and stay away from Stokes-Trainor Ford they are just thieves and incompetent.
#284 of 294 Re: [0patience] by dmedjmed Nov 22, 2007 (7:42 pm)
Replying to: 0patience (Nov 10, 2003 1:32 pm) Well, let me start from the beginning, my 2005 Dodge Ram overheated and broke on the way to Monterrey, Mexico. we were in the middle of nowhere 22 miles into laredo so we had the truck towed to a mechanic shop and it was our water pump, he fixed it. the truck drove perfectly fine to monterrey and back home to san antonio, texas. during the next two weeks, the truck was fine. On my way to a doc appt sat morning, the truck overheated again and died in the middle of the street so i led it slide into the first parking spot i saw. one of our friends towed it to Ancira Dodge, san antonio, texas but it was closed so he towed me home. Within the next two or three days i called a tow truck and had it towed to Ancira Dodge, San Antonio, Texas. They put it on their diagnostic machine and are charging me 78.00 for that to find out that it was my radiator and it would cost 440.00 because it was not covered under warranty. so that was a big money blow to me but i said fine. Then this serviceman calls to tell me that the radiator blew a gasket and could have blown a head so the estimate was now around 2140.00. They did not call me during the next three days so i called them because i needed my truck fixed. So i tell this man that i am a DJ which we do as a hobby and he sees dollar signs in his eyes. He says, oh that 2140 was just an estimate, if the head is cracked you are looking at thousands more. then he calls to tell me that the heads are fine and they will have the truck ready by Wednesday. Then thursday comes around and he calls and says , we put the truck back together but it is still leaking water from the motor so now it is your short block and you are looking at 6000.00 and that is just an estimate. WOW!. these servicemen get around 10% commission on service jobs. so the short block is not covered under warranty either.   please comment back and let me know if i have a chance fighting this, this is a 2005 dodge ram still new. 41,000 miles. it has a 70,000 mile power train warranty. Replies to this message: 0patience (Nov 23, 2007 8:53 am)

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