Re: RC: Re: trucks

[David LeBlanc <dleblanc@mindspring.com>]

At 02:15 AM 12/16/99 -0500, Teddy Lancaster wrote: 
> I just resent having been used as a guinea pig and had AWFUL service!!! 

I used to work as a mechanic, and know this one from the inside.  The awful service is a function of your dealer (and whether they keep good mechanics) and the factory rep.  I've seen factory reps who were focussed on keeping the customer happy, and those that are so cheap they squeak, and often out of the same company.

A really _good_ dealer will look at your vehicle and try to find things that warranty will fix BEFORE it completely dies on you (possibly taking more expensive parts with it - u-joints are lots cheaper than driveshafts).

The other thing is to make sure a good mechanic looks at your vehicle often - some people take it to the cheapo oil change places, and the only time a real mechanic sees it is when it is on the tow truck.  That isn't a good idea when you're hauling precious cargo.

Something else to consider - mechanics will often see things and not tell you because they're afraid you'll think they're going to rip you off (this is assuming a good, honest mechanic).  They'll just fix what you brought it in for and let you go.  Tell them you're going to use it for a long trip and to tell you about anything they see.  If you have questions, get them to walk you out to look at it on the lift and explain it to you.  Anyone that won't do this is probably a cheat.  If it is expensive work, or seems strange to you, don't hesitate to get a second opinion.

Lastly, when dealing with a dealership, if you get poor service, go to the factory rep.  I have seen times when the dealer couldn't fix something on their own, but if you beat up the factory rep a little, they'd happily do it (and would sometimes even tell you to beat up the rep, because they want to help but can't).  If the service rep is being a pain, take it up to the factory - go as high as possible, and then let the s**t roll downhill.  Make sure you've got everything documented - service records, dates, times, etc.  If it is a new vehicle, and you've got a lot of problems, learn what your lemon law is - dealers HATE to get hit with this, and if you're close to being able to call them on it, you've got a LOT of leverage.

Lastly, I know that lots of folks won't do this, but it is best - get to know your vehicle as well as you can.  Get a flashlight and spend some time under the hood looking at things.  Look for leaks, old hoses, cracked belts.  Get to know what's normal - a seep that turns into a gusher is more noticable that way.  Walk around it, get on your knees and look at the inside of the wheels.  If it is 4x4, look at the CV joint boots - a broken boot is going to mean a broken joint in not too long.  Check _all_ your fluids yourself - pay attention if something needs to be filled more than rarely.

Anyway, not meaning to say Teddy wasn't doing things right, just some advice from an ex-mechanic.



David LeBlanc
dleblanc@mindspring.com


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