Are all Dealerships Getting this Bad?

[rkhodges21]

So I was putting new cab lights on my truck. No surprise, they leaked the first rain. So I take them off to seal them up, and I accidentally short them out and blow a fuse. Could not figure out which fuse it was so I call up a dealership to ask them. The guy says he has no idea and cannot find anything that could tell him. Gives me this BS about how if they leaked I probably have a bad wire and need to bring it in and let them look at it. Seriously? I told them I was not paying $100 for them to tear into my truck and fix a fuse. BTW the cab lights run to the INTPARK fuse.

I was looking at getting an LBZ mp for my truck so I call another dealership and they couldnt look it up unless I had a VIN. I get the VIN off my moms LBZ and call them back, then they have never heard the term mouth piece. But the worst thing was a friend of mine took his truck to yet again a different dealership becuz his 4x4 light was coming on. They hook it up to their diagnostic system and it brings up some code that they said could mean that any of 4 different things could be the cause. The most expensive fix is like $700 and the guy just swears that will fix it. So my bud shells out the money and a month later same code comes up. This time they say well it must be this other problem which will be $450. My friend asks what the other potential issues could be and how much they will cost. They say that the next thing they would try would be $250 and then the other fix would be $200. So it appears that they are trying the most expensive fixes first to milk him for every penny they can. These dealerships are supposed to have the best equipment and the best servicemen and they can't narrow down a problem to one fix really? Are all dealerships getting like this or am I just happening across the worst ones?

 

[cafryer]

Ive never had a good experience with won.

 

[Bryce418]

Damn, I would have asked you for an email or fax number to send you a schematic. I guess we're. Not a typical dealer though, that's why I have been there ten years though.

 

[rkhodges21]

Damn, I would have asked you for an email or fax number to send you a schematic. I guess we're. Not a typical dealer though, that's why I have been there ten years though.

Yeah, I should have just been patient and thrown up a thread asking about it, but I figured surely this dealership would know. Now that you have told me, I will just pm you any time I have another electrical issue. :hug: Maybe there is hope for dealerships out there after all.

 

[MACKIN]

Most dealers (parts department) ask for the vin which is a pain in the ass. Sometimes for the simplest things. I guess it's their system for parts look up or they are lazy. What more info do they get besides year model engine can they get that you can't say? It's not like it list options.

It's like going to Auto-Zone for spark plugs and they ask if you have power windows!

As far as the improper diagnostic/repair I would have blown up a stink on that and the dealer IMO should have fixed it under the first complaint and repair. Unless they were very specific with him telling him that unfortunately we cannot pinpoint it and you might be back and it'll be additional costs. Right on the paid slip they warranty guarantee their work for 30 days or 1000 miles or something like that so since it was the same complaint it should have been fixed by them.

I don't get it.

 

[madmatt]

not all are like that but most are. I was in a good dealership but when the auto industry went south they started bitching about my pay (was on a guarantee+ commission and had the highest hourly apy rate in the shop) and were telling me I'd have to take a cut or get laid off so i bailed out the first chance i got. Greed is what kills them. usually most have some damn good techs they just refuse to utilize or compensate them properly.

 

[duramatt05]

i bought my truck from a gm dealership used. it was supposed to be safetied have all the fluids changed etc. pick the truck and i blew a brake line the second day i had the truck. none of the fluids were changed. i took it back and caused a scene and they fixed the brake line and once again said they would change the fluids. didnt happen. i was so pissed i just went and changed everything myself. should of taken the truck back and said keep it. i have never walked through there front door again. and tell every person who ever mentions the place to stay the hell away!!

 

[i_keyser]

Greed is what kills them. usually most have some damn good techs they just refuse to utilize or compensate them properly.

i could not agree with this more. i have been at a couple different dealerships now and both have been good about taking care of the customer but the one i left recently was not good about taking care of employees (the greed part). a lot of dealerships dont want to pay good techs the money they are worth so they hire kids straight out of tech school who think they know everything and dont pay them much. that is where you get the "shotgun" diagnosis on a lot of things. i have noticed that a lot of new techs in the industry arent good at actually pinning down a diagnosis without really going into the problem. im not that old (only 23) but i apprenticed with an old guy for two years and learned way more from him than i did at wyotech. he really taught me how to properly diagnose things which i think is what a lot of dealers are missing with the people they are hiring now.

as for the vin thing with parts, they way they have to look things up in the program that dealer parts departments use it uses the vin to filter the options that a vehicle has. i agree that it is frustrating but i dont see that changing anytime soon.

 

[Evan@InglewoodTrans]

i could not agree with this more. i have been at a couple different dealerships now and both have been good about taking care of the customer but the one i left recently was not good about taking care of employees (the greed part). a lot of dealerships dont want to pay good techs the money they are worth so they hire kids straight out of tech school who think they know everything and dont pay them much. that is where you get the "shotgun" diagnosis on a lot of things. i have noticed that a lot of new techs in the industry arent good at actually pinning down a diagnosis without really going into the problem. im not that old (only 23) but i apprenticed with an old guy for two years and learned way more from him than i did at wyotech. he really taught me how to properly diagnose things which i think is what a lot of dealers are missing with the people they are hiring now.

as for the vin thing with parts, they way they have to look things up in the program that dealer parts departments use it uses the vin to filter the options that a vehicle has. i agree that it is frustrating but i dont see that changing anytime soon.

Well said :thumb: the problem with 99% of people who claim to be mechanics or techs is they have no diagnostic skills. The first thing they see that could be the issue the dive right in.

 

[stacks04]

Most dealers (parts department) ask for the vin which is a pain in the ass. Sometimes for the simplest things. I guess it's their system for parts look up or they are lazy. What more info do they get besides year model engine can they get that you can't say? It's not like it list options.

It's like going to Auto-Zone for spark plugs and they ask if you have power windows!

As far as the improper diagnostic/repair I would have blown up a stink on that and the dealer IMO should have fixed it under the first complaint and repair. Unless they were very specific with him telling him that unfortunately we cannot pinpoint it and you might be back and it'll be additional costs. Right on the paid slip they warranty guarantee their work for 30 days or 1000 miles or something like that so since it was the same complaint it should have been fixed by them.

I don't get it.

On the contrary. It lists everything including the plant that specific parts were made at. Some of the good parts guys can look stuff up without the vin, but some parts just cant be narrowed. Take shocks for our trucks, if you went under 05 silverado and shock, you have 300 choices to choose from. There is no way to narrow the search without a vin.


As far as asking for "mouth piece" unless you have a parts guy that is on the diesel forums, I am not shocked they could not find it.

 

[jmaz268]

I generally never call the parts department at my dealers, always face-to-face.

I just go in tell him about where the part is, he prints the schematic. I say i want this, I either pay and get it or he orders it and calls me when its in.

They are very nice to me, gives me the printout and writes the part number on it for me.

The other dealer in town though, is exactly the way you describe. I don't go there often, unless its an emergency and I know part numbers before I go.

 

[madmatt]

flat rate,,, it wipes the new up and coming techs out or teaches them to throw parts at it hoping for a quick fix and more money in their pocket. I did this in extreme cases only but most start out flat rate and are not taught to properly diagnosis.
The VIN thing sucks but it's about how GM sets things up in their parts system more then it just being a lazy parts dept. Some parts won't even show up without the vin entered.

 

[jrkrace]

Yes they are getting that bad. Ford too...Just brought an F-550 rescue to have a recall (reflash) and a loose headlight socket fixed under warranty. After a day and a half, I call them to pick it up and they tell me that they haven't got to it and they might get to it the next day. All of this with an attitude. Mind you, this is a mini rescue that goes out almost every day. I'm still pissed....

 

[MACKIN]

On the contrary. It lists everything including the plant that specific parts were made at. Some of the good parts guys can look stuff up without the vin, but some parts just cant be narrowed. Take shocks for our trucks, if you went under 05 silverado and shock, you have 300 choices to choose from. There is no way to narrow the search without a vin.


As far as asking for "mouth piece" unless you have a parts guy that is on the diesel forums, I am not shocked they could not find it.

Well certainty I have no experience behind the counter as you do I was speculating and asking what they gain from a Vin and you explained it.

I'm just going by what a VIN number means to a consumer ,not much. They only ask for the first 10 most of the time. The first 2 are meaningless and the 8th is engine. Years ago they never asked so I just figured that it was a new system they had and was easier to just punch in 10 digits. Hence I said lazy.

Anyway if you want a part you gotta comply. For what you pay for the parts I want them to work for getting my INFO!

SHOCKS? Who the hell buys shocks at the dealer? You gotta be nuts! They suck anyway,stock shocks unless there Bilsteins.

 

[gl4787]

The reason they ask for a vin number is to get the exact part you're looking for. In a lot of cases if you just tell them what model and year a list of ten or more part numbers will come up for diffrent options. Whenever i go back to my parts department looking for pricing i always bring up the vin, otherwise you're just getting their best guess.

 

[rkhodges21]

Yeah, I was blown away when my friend was telling hsi story about his 4x4. I can see where experience would pay off in this instance, but at the same time, when I saw that almost every dang light on my truck had its own fuse (which is great so every light doesn't go dark on you), I would have just figured that the diagnostics they have at dealerships would be good enough to pinpoint the problem for a mechanic instead of just giving a "shotgun" code. Got another one for you guys I just remembered. Anybody familiar with what I call the "paperclip trick" on I think like 88-94 GM trucks? My 94 would show a check engine light, and I would take a paperclip and jump 2 of the pins on the computer port, and the engine light would flash in a certain sequence, and you could take that and find what the problem was. Well, my truck liked to show up an EGR code, so I replaced it, but it would still show up the code every once and a while. I called the service dept. of a dealership (not one of the ones mentioned earlier) and I talked to a "mechanic" and told him that I kept having egr codes after I had replaced it. He asked "how do you know what code it is?" I said I used what I call the paperclip trick and it flashed a 32 code. "What are you talking about a 32 code?" he replies. I said its a code that comes up and I know from experience that its an egr related code, but I want to know what else could be the issue cuz I don't think I need to buy a new unit. "Son, I have no idea what you are talking about." I ask how long he has been working with GM. He says twenty years so I say "you've been working on GM vehicles for 20 years and you don't know the paperclip trick? I can understand you might never have to use it but as a mechanic surely you know the little quirks of these vehicles." Says he, "No, I have never heard of that, and that sounds like something you shouldn't be doing. You just need to bring it in and let me hook it up to my computer." I said "Fat chance! I'm not paying you to tell me what I can probably find out online or thru Autozone for free. If this is the way you guys do people, it's no wonder GM is going bankrupt." I hung up the phone. I really don't want to bash dealerships, but I just can't seem to ever find one that is fair and honest with me.

 

[MACKIN]

I'm confused too. Which vehicle were you talking to him about the Paper Clip trick? Yes I've heard of it on early model vehicles but it wont work on the late model vehicles that I'm aware off. Never tried it and I wouldn't either

 

[madmatt]

I would have just figured that the diagnostics they have at dealerships would be good enough to pinpoint the problem for a mechanic instead of just giving a "shotgun" code.

Common misconception. no code will tell u the exact problem. it will only tell you what circuit the fault is in. It's up to the tech to decide if it's wiring, sensor issue or a mechanical issue that is setting codes. it only becomes a shotgun code if the tech chooses to proceed that way.

 

[68skylark455]

As far as the code for the 4x4 we chase them for ever. There has never been just a code for the specific problem. Most are either the switch in the dash or the encoder motor on the transfer case. You can by just the sensor for the gas engine encoder motors and replace it. Blackie has set the encoder code and I have checked all the wires, replaced the entire encoder, switch in the dash and still have the same code. Sometimes its frustrating when you think you know what it is and can't seem to fix it. Especially when you replace a part, clear the codes and it does fine for a month then comes back, same code, but no actual 4x4 engagement issues. Should have left the damn manual levers for 4x4, at least if it would not engage you can fix it with a hammer and some bailing wire on the linkage:roflmao:

 

[durallymax]

I wouldn't say any parts person is lazy for needing a VIN. If you own a larger class 8 truck that is how it works. You always need the last 6 or7 of the VIN. Its there so that you can get the exact part. Now otr trucks are much more componentized with different engines transmissions etc so with them the vin is a must. That vin also tells them all of your components serial numbers. Ever notice how there usually are a lot of serial number breaks? This way you don't have to call them back with it after you find it.

I've got our fleets year make model and Vin on the spines of each one of their binders. I also highlighted the last "x" number of characters that manufacturer needs. GM usually wants 8, Kenworth wants 6 or 7 sometimes, Mack wants the model year and last 6, freightliner wants 6, VW wants the whole enchilada. I also have all of them stored in our Napa prolink account online soI I can access them from my phone from anywhere. The vehicles that get fixed alot I even have memorized, which would be the freightliner.

Now on the contrary if you call and ask for an lb7 injector, a good parts guy should be able to find that but not all of them know diesel's, or the engine codes or our terminology. What we call something on here they may have a different name for. Plus trying to figure out how they have.it all organized can be a huge pita.

From what I have seen in the business we deal with on the farm (construction equipment, farm equipment, commercial trucks and passenger vehicles). Passenger vehicle dealers are way behind when it comes to parts and service.

Commercial truck dealers usually run a minimum of 16 hour days most around here are 20hrs and some are 24hrs. And their guys are smart. If they aren't they get fired. They have to know their stuff and get it done fast. They also have the most on hand parts. Its also nice how different OEM dealers all have the same cknponent parts (Eaton , meritorious, Bendix, Cummins, cat, etc etc) and if they don't have it on hand they usually give you the part number right away without you even asking so that you can call the other dealers. They k ow you need it fast and theyre there to help.

Construction equipment follows. They have smart fast guys as well and keep a lot of parts on hand too, they don't run as long of hours though and parts aren't interchangeable. Volvo has a nice online parts program as well.

Ag equipment is next. They have eliminated the parts guy and put it all online and are making it better everyday. They Are trying to progress it to the point where you can search for the part then search every dealers inventory and price and order it online for will call or delivery. One dealer even has an app for all of their stuff. Its awesome. However Ag parts places aren't the greatest for stocking parts but can have most if it within a day. Their hours are also shorter but they do have emergency parts numbers to call.

And then there's auto dealers. They kind of suck all around.prices are too high, not many parts are stocked, offended if you asl for the part number enough times and sloe to get parts. Only good thing going for them is that there are usually many dealers of the same brand nearby.



When it comes to service. Yes they are getting pretty bad. $5,400 for injectors? I couldn't sleep if I charged that.



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