Dealership work? nah, don't think so rant

[MikeInNH]

Dealerships can be good or bad. I have a Nissan dealership not too far from me that I drove 20 miles past to another Nissan dealership when I bought my 98 Pathfinder. It's the same with independents...there are good ones and bad ones.

I do find that good independents are usually better and cheaper then most dealerships. And then there's the LARGE dealerships. We have a Honda dealership in NH that's owned by a huge conglomerate. They own something like 100 dealerships across the nation. I like dealing with the local dealerships.

I do all my own maintenance (as most people do). But I don't do the big stuff anymore...and there are some things like alignment that I can't do because I don't have the special equipment. I know a couple of local mechanics that are very good that I deal with. They are honest and the mechanics have far more experience then any dealer around. One place the owner use to be a NASCAR mechanic. He's been working on cars for over 40 years. And he keeps up on all the latest technology. He LOVES his work...and it shows.

 

[ebg18t]

He LOVES his work...and it shows.

These are the people I am willing to pay. I feel better supporting so done who enjoys and takes pride in what they do.

 

[corradovrt]

After I do a T-belt I personally over fill the customer's coolant a little to compensate for some air bubbles that may not have been bled out.

always do this as well. no matter what you do the level always seems to drop a little over the next few days

 

[Atlanta_man]

Things change over the years as well.
My dealer's service was excellent up until about 4 years ago.
Several horror stories since...I've finally learned my lesson.

 

[KBToys]

I am also a toyota tech. i have seen my fare share of broken skid pan bolts. most of the time i drill them out and tap them. then replace bolts with stainless bolts we keep in our pars dept. im always ammused as to how fast someone is to bash a dealer but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. just dont give them a hard time for misplacing 5 bolts that do their job no mater where they are put in the skid pan.

I am in total agreement with boostaddict. I'm sure there are reason's to bash a dealership but the skid plate bolts would not be one of them. After dealing with these bolts in the last three 4runner's I have more angry at Toyota themselves then the dealer. It's just a crappy self tapping bolt that Toyota uses and stripping the bolts is going to happen. If anybody buys a new 4runner they should replace them with some SS bolts ASAP.

 

[corradovrt]

I am in total agreement with boostaddict. I'm sure there are reason's to bash a dealership but the skid plate bolts would not be one of them. After dealing with these bolts in the last three 4runner's I have more angry at Toyota themselves then the dealer. It's just a crappy self tapping bolt that Toyota uses and stripping the bolts is going to happen. If anybody buys a new 4runner they should replace them with some SS bolts ASAP.

this is the 1st thing i did with mine, tapped the holes and ran up some ss bolts

i also replace all of the ones i do on customers gx470's so next time it comes in i have nothing to worry about. BUT being flat rate, if bolts break off and its more then 1. i dont fix it unless the customer agrees to cover labor on me drilling them out. i get paid pennies compared to what the dealer charges and cant afford to spend a bunch of time drilling bolts out for free

 

[lambohaha]

I am in total agreement with boostaddict. I'm sure there are reason's to bash a dealership but the skid plate bolts would not be one of them. After dealing with these bolts in the last three 4runner's I have more angry at Toyota themselves then the dealer. It's just a crappy self tapping bolt that Toyota uses and stripping the bolts is going to happen. If anybody buys a new 4runner they should replace them with some SS bolts ASAP.

If it was just the bolts, no problem but what if it were something else? My rant is if I can't trust them to get something so "minor", as everyone likes to call it, right, then how the hell could I trust them on a bigger more "major" job? You guys make it sound like its an easy fix and all, if that be the case why didn't the dealership think along those same lines? Huh?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

If it was just the bolts, no problem but what if it were something else? My rant is if I can't trust them to get something so "minor", as everyone likes to call it, right, then how the hell could I trust them on a bigger more "major" job? You guys make it sound like its an easy fix and all, if that be the case why didn't the dealership think along those same lines? Huh?

I agree with you for the most part, but you need to realize the way the work gets divided at a dealership. You bring the vehicle in for an oil change and the most under paid, under skilled, and under trained Lube Technicians are the ones who actually do the oil change service. Some of these guys aspire to be real mechanics and try their best, others are just in it for the money and don't have a sense of pride in their work, and even worse both guy often get forced, rushed, and pressured to turn out cars in almost impossibly fast turn arounds that have them cutting corners.

 

[lambohaha]

I agree with you for the most part, but you need to realize the way the work gets divided at a dealership. You bring the vehicle in for an oil change and the most under paid, under skilled, and under trained Lube Technicians are the ones who actually do the oil change service. Some of these guys aspire to be real mechanics and try their best, others are just in it for the money and don't have a sense of pride in their work, and even worse both guy often get forced, rushed, and pressured to turn out cars in almost impossibly fast turn arounds that have them cutting corners.

That makes sense, and seeing it from that lens helps me to understand better than the way it was being put across otherwise. Thanks.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I'm not trying to excuse your frustration, you have every right to be upset and even to have an expectation that good work will be performed. I also will concede that the customer doesn't know who's working on their vehicle and so they are going to subject the entire dealership to their opinion based on the quality of work they receive, which is probably very fair. I don't think master technicians should working the Lube Line, but I don't think its right to have your Lube Techs be barely knowledgeable in vehicle repair either, but you can't fight city hall like my shop foreman says.

 

[lambohaha]

Holy Thread Revival Batman!!

So ... It's been about a year and a half since I've seen/made this rant. I have some serious apologies to make.

Shortly after making this thread I started attending an Automotive Technologies school and have learned a great deal, from every angle. I am very humbled now. I never really knew what all went or goes on in a shop environment. I know it's been awhile since I've been on here, school hasn't really afforded me that much time BUT the T4R is still kicking it!! Shouldn't be too much longer before she gets her 2nd timing belt, looking forward to that ....

But anyways, to those that I may have offended, my apologies. I was rather ticked by the scenario at the time but after getting a taste of it myself I now have a greater understanding.

I now hold 3 ASE's and going for 2 more in a few weeks (I know that means nothing to some but that's why I understand more now) and I'm not bragging, just glad that I'm gaining a better understanding of this new technology.

Now ... back to those skid plates .....