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Junkyard's work thread.....maybe haha
- Thread starter Junkyard
- Start date
Raildudes dad
Senior Member
Same thing, different business - engineering. I'm dealing with a consulting engineer for a year now. I'm volunteering my time to a all volunteer organization helping with their civil engineering stuff. I have to argue with him over every detail. I eventually win becasue I know what I'm talking about but it's getting real old. I want it done correct for my organization and the local government who he's working for. What is so hard about saying "that's a good suggestion, thanks for suggesting it". Nope, I get "we are not doing it that way". A few weeks / months later the contractor is doing what I suggested ...............
Birken Vogt
Charter Member
Wait a minute...bad hose on the compression tester but the dirt around the injectors was not disturbed?
Did they put the dirt back once they finished testing it? Did they test a different machine? Did they even get the tool out of the box?
Did they put the dirt back once they finished testing it? Did they test a different machine? Did they even get the tool out of the box?
Junkyard
Senior Member
Truck Shop
Senior Member
It's fairly common work around here. Nothing shocking about JY's story.
DB2
Senior Member
They charged for that test ?
Junkyard
Senior Member
They did credit back all the diagnostic charges related to the compression test and hard start issue. About $800 or so if I remember correctly.
The former field tech foreman is back there now in a higher position. I plan to chat with him off the record to see what he has to say. We’ve dealt with each other on and off for quite a few years and see things eye to eye in most cases.
The more I think about it the more I feel like a good independent shop could put the squeeze on dealers. Just seems to get worse. When times were tough the let all the seasoned techs go and what they’re left with shouldn’t be changing oil at Jiffy Lube, no offense to their guys. I have worked with one tech from Cat that’s a good hand and one from Cummins that I’d hire in a heartbeat. That’s rare around here.
The former field tech foreman is back there now in a higher position. I plan to chat with him off the record to see what he has to say. We’ve dealt with each other on and off for quite a few years and see things eye to eye in most cases.
The more I think about it the more I feel like a good independent shop could put the squeeze on dealers. Just seems to get worse. When times were tough the let all the seasoned techs go and what they’re left with shouldn’t be changing oil at Jiffy Lube, no offense to their guys. I have worked with one tech from Cat that’s a good hand and one from Cummins that I’d hire in a heartbeat. That’s rare around here.
theironoracle
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 5, 2012
- Messages
- 940
- Location
- PACWEST
- Occupation
- OWNER/OPERATOR MOBILE HEAVY EQUIPMENT REPAIR
Every year I fix or follow more dealer bad repairs or diagnostics. I am going to guess from my observations that the dealer average experience is around 10-ish years. It only makes sense that myself or someone with more experience fixes or diagnosis their failures, just numbers. The shady stuff is pure BS and has zero tolerance. TIO
John C.
Senior Member
It doesn't much matter which dealer it is anymore either. I've been hearing bad about all of them in my area. A client recently bought a grader and the adjustments on the seat were stuck. Asked for a quote to free up the slides for fore and aft and loosen up the hinges in the seat back. Dealer said the suspension was worn out and it needed all new. Then they quoted 8 hours labor and $1,200 for a new seat. The sales rep was all apologetic hoping my client wouldn't tell him to keep the grader.
From all I'm told, that's pretty much standard operating procedure, especially that brand, might even be on the low side of costs. Just remember, that's only one instance that they got caught, most times they'd have swapped engines and installed a reman and away they went, nobody the wiser, with enough time, they'd have pulled the engine, sent it to one of their rebuild centers and waited, got it back and installed it, the customer never seeing anything or knowing any different. Pumps, finals, transmissions, torque converters, all the same way, but cheer up, it then comes with a warranty, which is a perk worth something...............right??
John is right though, they all do it.
John is right though, they all do it.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
Even though they returned the money for the diagnostic tests, wouldn't it be considered fraud? You hear lots of stories where auto repair shops tell customers (usually women) that they need a bunch of stuff done that isn't necessary. Trying to scam a customer for a complete engine is far worse and they obviously never even looked at it. Maybe it's another case where Cat corporate needs to get involved? In the most infamous thread ever Cat got involved and surprise surprise the dealer properly fixed the machine instead of making the customer pay money for the dealer to keep it.
DMiller
Senior Member
If Corporate really is watching these threads maybe something will change. BAD publicity has killed more than one shop, more than one dealer and more than one manufacturer over the years
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Most bills we get from far off places for mobile repair like the Dakota's or say Wyoming, Colorado for simple jobs is a rape. Such as replacing a 3030 brake chamber on a trailer.
I buy a 3030 piggy back for $31.00 They charge as much as $140 plus $400 to install a complete 3030 and don't even cut the stem to the right length. Which I end up re-doing
Even along side the road it's a 30 minute job.
I buy a 3030 piggy back for $31.00 They charge as much as $140 plus $400 to install a complete 3030 and don't even cut the stem to the right length. Which I end up re-doing
Even along side the road it's a 30 minute job.
Lets see...........Ive been telling you this for how long now?! LOL
Sadly, this is a waste of time in most cases. But hey!......always worth a try!
I know a FANTASTIC JD guy if I can convince him and his wife to move down here LOL
oh wait!......I know a GREAT Volvo-Komatsu guy up in Chicago land that needs to move here too! LMAOThis crap with CAT has been getting worse. Lets see if you get an honest answer from them................but I will tell you what their biggest issue is..........
They have very little experienced techs. Even their own field guys don't recommend their OWN shop! Those young guys are relying on that dam computer too much. If the computer cant tell them what is wrong they are completely lost. Company moral is at an all time low.
Birken Vogt
Charter Member
Yes, but what are they going to do? Phone all their dealers and tell them if they have been shady in the past to stop and be completely honest now. There that will fix it.
All they could do would be to implement an extensive (expensive) audit program but with everyone's focus on quarterly profits....
However, independent repair shops can be shady too.
All they could do would be to implement an extensive (expensive) audit program but with everyone's focus on quarterly profits....
However, independent repair shops can be shady too.
I have a 289D2 CTL that was down on power with about 600 hours on the clock and less than a year old. I took it to the local dealer. Leaking head gasket. They fixed it and we put it back to work. An hour in the engine blows to the point we have to drag it on the trailer. Take it back. New engine, no they rebuild the blown engine. Never can get a straight answer. My grand daughter and her boy friend. live with me and my wife. The boy friend is a tech at the same dealer on the heavy side. He told me the tech screwed up the head gasket repair causing the engine to blow. They rebuilt the engine under CAT warranty so they did't have to take the hit.
kshansen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2012
- Messages
- 11,162
- Location
- Central New York, USA
- Occupation
- Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Reading this thread this morning reminded me of an experience Norm and I had years ago. Forget the exact details but our company had a DP8000 transmission out of an off highway truck in the shop and someone at Corporate level decided they should have the local Allison dealer come out and work on it in our shop not a major overhaul but replacing something I believe was in the converter or lock-up clutch section.
Now Norm and I had rebuilt a few of the smaller CLBT 5800 transmissions and the only real difference between those and the DP8000 was the physical size of some of the parts. All I can remember is this "factory trained dealer wrench" spent most of the time watching while Norm and I showed him how to disassemble and re-assemble the transmission! This had to be something around 30 years ago so guess these problems are not all that new!
Now Norm and I had rebuilt a few of the smaller CLBT 5800 transmissions and the only real difference between those and the DP8000 was the physical size of some of the parts. All I can remember is this "factory trained dealer wrench" spent most of the time watching while Norm and I showed him how to disassemble and re-assemble the transmission! This had to be something around 30 years ago so guess these problems are not all that new!
Corporate has done its fair share of shady deals as well with legal action that followed, with money handed over to quiet all the trouble down and pay off those in the legal right. I think if you'd a search of the legal system dating back to their inception and even before, they have a very persistent presence in the legal system, I believe it was a judge that suggested Holt merge with and create cat instead of duking it out in court constantly.