Ranting and Raving!

[Commodus]

Thanks to everyone that responded. That's what I get for posting and then taking a nap. I didn't post this is the original, but I do plan to install an aftermarket kit myself. Maybe with a hand from a friend. If I can find one. Now, I have a selection to choose from. As always, my group here is amazing. Even the ones that told me I was an idiot.

Lin

Great attitude, sorry we are on separate coasts I love working on mine as long as it's still in my lifting capability and love to teach others what I have learned through my years as a technician.

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[Snzzbry_Ovrlnd]

Trigger Switch system

I just watched the video. That looks like a great piece of equipment. Do you know what frequency it operates on? I would hate to get interference from something else. The price was $380 and some change, btw.

 

[Blade1668]

Thanks to everyone that responded. That's what I get for posting and then taking a nap. I didn't post this is the original, but I do plan to install an aftermarket kit myself. Maybe with a hand from a friend. If I can find one. Now, I have a selection to choose from. As always, my group here is amazing. Even the ones that told me I was an idiot.

Lin

S### happens...
Now a long winded response.
I ordered my MJ from factory it was delivered late... Was supposed to be waiting for me when I got home from Germany after Desert Storm, my next 4 Jeep's was used. My LJ I went to dealership and told them what I wanted no if's or but's the dipshit didn't do the paperwork after I spent half the day working it out, I found out the next day when I went to pick it up.... "Me" WTF it was sold and gone. A different salesman located another one (LJ, non Rubicon " ad valorem in Liberty Co, GA sucks" , M.T. soft top and color I wanted) "Rubicon's was easy to find" it took rest of week to get transferred there. My JT I went to dealership with list of what I wanted to order (and FCA JT program on current deals) dealership didn't even know about. Dealership asked me how I was financing it then made me a ok deal located one but had one thing I didn't want (factory spray in bed liner) and not the tan seats. My demands was Sport S Max-Tow, Gobi (first choice)or Gator, Aux switch, hardtop, tan seats and that I was going to get Line-X bed liner after I bought it. I would bend on bed liner and seats but nothing else.
Now my salesman at dealership didn't know as much as I did about the JT's. In fact I probably knew more about the JT's than anyone there. Why I was focused on it, they have to try to know general information on all Dodge, Jeeps, ect available plus try to get the sale, their main focus. The salesman I had Jim Calhoun is a good guy I know I've put him though hell on my sale a few years before I started to get a Renegade and backed out a few days before delivery, I decided to hold off hoping for another Jeep truck. I've been waiting for one since the MJ's went out of production. I knew in advance I would use up all 4 Aux switch's and want more, now if a company would make another one to fit where the Rubicon lockers and sway bar disconnect switch is in that's not red I'd probably buy it, for when I install lockers and maybe on board air ECT.

 

[TgreeneJT]

 

[TgreeneJT]

Wired my 4 KC lights and lux lights to this yesterday. Linked remote to my Homelink on visor. Works great, and have a remote, for $35

 

[redrider]

If you add the black grille to the order it should be a zero upcharge as the factory deleted the standard grille that was already added to the initial cost. All paint colors other than white now cost extra? Caveat emptor.

 

[Jaydebe]

I paid about that for the switches and install. I didn't wanna do it myself because I simply didn't have the time to pull apart my whole dash.

Dealer was about 3 hrs, $330 +/- and the switches about the same.

Personally, I am and have been 100% DIY my whole life (mostly because I've worked at a small VW/Audi/Porsche shop & motorcycle shops most of that time).

But... over the past 10 years, I want to spend my money to buy the time to enjoy my stuff more and work on it less. For others, they like to spend their time working and spend their money on other stuff; and that works too!

I prefer bringing my stuff to the dealer. Over the last 2 years, I've travelled the US Coast to Coast and border to border; approx. 65k miles in total and I've had service work at about 10 different dealerships; my experience has been amazing at each one.

It should come as no surprise that they each have different labor rates and fees, IE: While in Cali (near SC) ; an oil change and tire rotation was $118 (w/full synth); but while in Tx, (somewhere off of I40) the same was $52. YEAH, (synth oil change & rotation, $52)

I get the frustration about dealers though, my local dealer and now MOPAR CARES are both MIA with my warranty stuff. My rear window has been leaking since last Oct. and the glass ETA moves another month out each month. I have a locker light issue since last Nov. and now realized that my steering box might actually have an issue...

 

[MNWillys]

First off, please don't move this to another forum. I just spent almost an hour calling 2 dealers and chatting with Jeep online. I found out that none of them know shit. Not knowing the absolute details of what my JTO included when I bought it was my fault. However, I hadn't bought a new vehicle since 2002, when I bought my Tahoe. So, excuse me for overlooking the fact that my truck didn't have the auxiliary switch group. The auxiliary switch group is a $295 add-on option that comes with a larger battery, a stronger alternator, and the switches prewired.

After finding the part number myself, because NEITHER dealer part employee could find the part number, I was told just the switch bank was $375 plus tax. Also, it was on backorder. Also, it would be 3 hours of labor at $130/hr. So, $790 just to get the switch bank installed and no larger battery and no stronger alternator. And $130 per hour for labor? Are you shitting me? Exactly what year was it that mechanics charged as much as doctor's per hour?

I did the same thing, but realized there are way cooler options out there if you have the time to look around and not that hard to install yourself. Sure some of them are more expensive than the stock but totally worth the extra $. here's what i'm going with.

https://www.lasfit.com/collections/...1-auxiliary-switch-kit?variant=37561999589555

 

[danielspivey]

First off, please don't move this to another forum. I just spent almost an hour calling 2 dealers and chatting with Jeep online. I found out that none of them know shit. Not knowing the absolute details of what my JTO included when I bought it was my fault. However, I hadn't bought a new vehicle since 2002, when I bought my Tahoe. So, excuse me for overlooking the fact that my truck didn't have the auxiliary switch group. The auxiliary switch group is a $295 add-on option that comes with a larger battery, a stronger alternator, and the switches prewired.

After finding the part number myself, because NEITHER dealer part employee could find the part number, I was told just the switch bank was $375 plus tax. Also, it was on backorder. Also, it would be 3 hours of labor at $130/hr. So, $790 just to get the switch bank installed and no larger battery and no stronger alternator. And $130 per hour for labor? Are you shitting me? Exactly what year was it that mechanics charged as much as doctor's per hour?

$130 per hour in labor... is about right for them to actually make money.

It’s just like hospitals... why do they charge so much? Because they have a crazy amount of overhead and profit margins aren’t what you would think.

Back to the dealer... they are paying the tech/mechanic probably an average of 30 bucks an hour. That employee, really costs the company 50-100% more of their salary in taxes, liability insurance, health insurance etc. Lets say we are at $60 an hour. Then you have company overhead... leadership salaries, advertising, computers, building cost and or rent, electric bill, maintenance of the building, shop tools, I could go on and on... overhead is a ton.

When you look at it for a business perspective it’s not as much profit as you think.

Little mom and pop shops... what’s the difference? Less overhead. They can charge less.

At the hospital we pay CT techs $30 an hour, but they do scans that we likely bill over 10k an hour. But we have crazy overhead... the building, 2.5 million dollar machine etc. Add the studies we don’t get paid for. If we didn’t bill that much... money wouldn’t be made. If a business isn’t profitable.. the service wouldn’t be offered.

 

[FloridaMan655321]

If you think they are charging too much, maybe create a business doing it and show them you can make money and charge a lower price?

 

[aldo98229]

Part of the reason it costs so much to get any work done on modern vehicles is because they are so freaking complex.

For instance, to get to the head unit on these trucks you need to disassemble half the dashboard.

It used to take 1-3 days to get any warranty work done; it now takes 1-3 weeks.

Modern vehicles are designed to be easy to build, not easy to repair. Automakers have basically passed the buck over to dealers.

 

[eaglerugby04]

Part of the reason it costs so much to get any work done on modern vehicles is because they are so freaking complex.

For instance, to get to the head unit on these trucks you need to disassemble half the dashboard.

It used to take 1-3 days to get any warranty work done; it now takes 1-3 weeks.

Modern vehicles are designed to be easy to build, not easy to repair. Automakers have basically passed the buck over to dealers.

So true. I wanted to install my z-automotive camera. Repainted the dash while I was in there because honestly it was like a few additional screws by that point.

 

[sdk131]

I did the same thing, but realized there are way cooler options out there if you have the time to look around and not that hard to install yourself. Sure some of them are more expensive than the stock but totally worth the extra $. here's what i'm going with.

https://www.lasfit.com/collections/...1-auxiliary-switch-kit?variant=37561999589555

What is that phone or network cable looking plug in the bottom center?

 

[mellendic]

What is that phone or network cable looking plug in the bottom center?

I was wondering the same thing, maybe a programming port, but that is really odd.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I would guess it is for a remote unit or expansion maybe?

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