Got the bad news today

[Freems]

Show me a body shop employee who could do what I did and remove all of the dents in my Eagle's valance and remove the dent from the roof - and use NO filler at all, not a bit. It's an art I won't claim to have mastered or even be half-way there, but many would have either used some filler or replaced the part (well, good luck finding those parts for a 1982)
You can buy many body parts for less than the cost of a skilled person ( should you find out) removing the damage.

Some of us have no choice - there are no new parts, anywhere in the world, and probably never will be.

I couldn’t afford new, so I learned on old beaters that people just threw away. I’ll bet if I count it out, I’ve owned a half a dozen cars/trucks that I paid $500.00 each for over my early years.

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[ChrisNLA]

I couldn’t afford new, so I learned on old beaters that people just threw away. I’ll bet if I count it out, I’ve owned a half a dozen cars/trucks that I paid $500.00 each for over my early years.

The kids want a four wheeler. I hear about this around birthdays and Christmas.

We don't have the place to justify several thousand on a new one.

But $400-500 for one that needs work? I'll do that.

So, if they get one, I hope they don't mind learning how to fix it.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

The kids want a four wheeler. I hear about this around birthdays and Christmas.

We don't have the place to justify several thousand on a new one.

But $400-500 for one that needs work? I'll do that.

So, if they get one, I hope they don't mind learning how to fix it.

If they do mind you’ll have a pretty cool yard ornament though!!!!

 

[ChrisNLA]

If they do mind you’ll have a pretty cool yard ornament though!!!!

I'm petty. I'd fix it myself and make up excuses every day about why they can't use it - or simply move it to my buddies property where we can use it to ride back and forth from the target stands to the shooting stand.

I'm also fine with yard ornaments.

Kinda like their RC trucks. When they break them doing something obviously dumb? It's funny how the parts don't seem to show up very quickly.

Something more accidental? I gotcha bud.

Nerf gun darts, if they make an attempt to pick them up out of the yard, I'll replenish them. Never pick any up AND expect replacements? Nah fam.

You get out what you put in.

 

[Lost1wing]

They know I push snow, they knew on my other JTs that I'd made mods and pushed snow, they knew I'd made a lot of electrical mods or additions, never batted an eye.
Heck, I drove into the dealership with the snow plow on it before and told them of the lift and mods on it.

They probably know that you can outsmart and outrank their most knowledgeable techs they have. They know it's best not to challenge you.

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

They probably know that you can outsmart and outrank their most knowledgeable techs they have. They know it's best not to challenge you.

I had an experience like this, took my Outback to the dealer for a wheel bearing which I scheduled almost a month ahead. Got there and 4 hours later I still didn't have my key back. I go and ask what's taking so long, they give me the run around "your car is so rusted out we need to replace the LCA/knuckle (for a rear bolt-in wheel bearing)". This was in Surprise AZ and the car had NY plates still, I told them There's no rot or rust on my vehicle because I was just under it doing the oil and an inspection (after off-roading) and the ONLY place that has surface corrosion is *points HERE*, and the sticker on the frame is still shiny (2008 model in 2021 at 170k miles), so if you can't find technicians that know how to do their job, I'll happily go back there and show you how to do it myself because it's a 4 bolt job after you take the wheel off.

Needless to say I had my keys and the work done and discounted less than 40 minutes after that conversation.

Dealers don't want to pay out warranty claims if they can make it look like it shouldn't be covered "that's how we get paid". And as a retired technician who left just before they cut flat rates in HALF...yeah you couldn't pay me enough to work in that field again. I had an offer at one of my local Jeep dealers, and I turned it down even needing money because of the lack of pay/parts supply.

If you find a dealer that's genuine and cares about their customers, keep it on the low. Seems when they get too much reputation they rely on that reputation instead of the quality that got them there.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had a "discussion" with a service advisor and was getting a bit frustrated with a situation - I went over and saw my sales guy who took me right to the service manager....... the sales guy told him "this guy knows what he's talking about and needs a problem addressed.".
It was resolved pretty quickly after we walked back together and looked at the underside of the vehicle, we made a verbal agreement that I'd take it home and if when I got there, the problem still existed, they'd come and pick it up and leave a loaner. I got home, it dripped fluid on the floor, I made the call and in a week, had a new transmission.

I'll never forget the tech and service advisor at another dealership who told me my battery issue was because of the winch............. with that big RED switch sitting next to the battery that said OFF - and their fix was simply to move the winch ground. Seriously?!

 

[In3briatedPanda]

just to touch on some topics while currently in the industry, 18 years and counting. While im no shadowspapa or lostwing1 guy, i want to expand on some topics that interested me and i wanted to add my nickel to the forum (pennies are discontinued so my two cents is a nickel now)

Replace vs repairing. Replacing the failed item is fixing the problem in turn 'repairing' the vehicle. I just quoted a 4500 transmission for a shift solenoid D failure. a 4500 dollar transmission for a 500 dollar solenoid. My experience knows six months to a year, Im seeing that vehicle again and it will NEED a transmission now. I have limited experience with gm, ford, jeep but i am highly experienced in toyota/lexus. That solenoid is a bandaid and the transmission has more damage than you can see with a scan tool. Ive replaced solenoids on tundras, ES, and GS transmissions......all failed eventually.

You know why i think the biggest reason is for repairs like this? bc management does not want comebacks and its a higher percentage of profit for the business. Advisor CSI''s are not affected either. As to rebuilds, the reason no one rebuilds transmissions anymore is bc no one is training us AND thats because no one could make money doing it that way. bottom line, no one makes money rebuilding/repairing. add in propriety software updates (LG is a good one not automotive related) it is hard for consumers to repair things. I had to pay an LG tech to reprogram a compressor for my fridge. its BS.

to end, being in this industry for so long, I can say that customers are not always innocent or give the whole story. the OG techs are hit and miss. You either get the hot head prick that is productive that doesnt play well with others. a cancer to ruin everything/ or a great tech thats a team player that cant beat the clock and leaves for another industry.

 

[JTGuy]

I don't know of anything being built today that will become a classic that can be restored 40 years from now like the old Bronco and jeeps. Buy new , sell and repeat. With the new ones something that's not working could be caused by something not even connected . then you got to locate that thing.

 

[Sweetums]

Charging you $3700 for a teardown to see if it's a HEAD GASKET? He can tell if it's internal (ie, a head gasket) with a system pressure test. If it's a Mopar warranty take it to another dealer.

I tell you, having made a living in the automotive service indudtry, when I read stuff like this I want put a bag over my head. And it's only getting worse because competent, ethical people are leaving the business in droves.

Or test the coolant for exhaust chemicals.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Or test the coolant for exhaust chemicals.

Like this -

There are a lot of ways - including testing for combustion gases in the cooling system, checking spark plugs, borescope, cooling system pressure testing...............

 

[biodiesel]

The bulk of auto body shops made this turn years ago, they replace everything with new parts they don’t repair anything more.

That seems to be the truth. I'm getting a new fender, new hood, and of course an entire new front (fascia, bumper, grille, headlights, etc.). They said the hood could have been repaired, but they decided to replace it.

 

[brsnow2585]

This replace instead of repair reminds me of several instances of my over the years.

Re-building the gauge cluster of my 2005 Silverado many years ago (replacing the stepper motors on the circuit board).

More recently, a Vizio 55" TV I have died. Through some research I determined the power board for the backlighting had died. I took the TV apart, re-soldered the power board, and put it back together. TV still works five years later.

Door on my microwave broke. Took it apart, rebuilt it, and put it back on.

Two burners on my glass top stove were performing erratically. I replaced the rheostat controls - back going! Stove is many years old. Should work many more.

We really try to repair where it makes sense. I know this is slightly off track from cars, but still...

You're not off track, everything has turned to the disposable mindset. Every vehicle I've owned I've maintained myself aside from major repairs and drove them until it wasn't practical and had to let them go.

 

[Stan H]

You're not off track, everything has turned to the disposable mindset. Every vehicle I've owned I've maintained myself aside from major repairs and drove them until it wasn't practical and had to let them go.

Its exactly the mindset that Car and Truck manufacturers want , they want you to do 2 things believe you can't fix it and go buy a new one.

 

[N6WT]

Just off the phone with the Service Adviser. It took them 3 weeks to get to the problem (yes, it was over the holidays, so I kind of understand).

The engine block was cracked at the #4 and #6 cylinders, allowing coolant in. The fix is a completely new engine. They are sending the findings to the warranty department to see if they will cover it.

I asked the SA what she thought would cause an engine block to crack at 40000 miles. " It must have overheated". is what she said.

The truck has never gotten hot. I have towed things, but the truck has never overheated while doing so. I think that is just crazy.

Of note, they are going to charge me $400+ to remove and reinstall my aftermarket Genesis Offroad Dual battery system.

I asked how long. She said a few weeks.

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