Summit Truck Group - Be Careful !

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by izifaddag, Dec 15, 2018.

  1. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    They still matter, but here is the rub, most in this business do not want to develop anything, they want their stuff and move on, ignoring the means to leverage a relationship into saving money or making more money.

    In this case, the salesman wasn't doing anything wrong, he presented it to the OP and the OP found out he could save more money directly.
     
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  3. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Thank you.
    Finally someone who can read.
    I just read through the original post again and it makes perfect sense. It isn't written badly at all. It is clear and concise.
    Tupelo salesman deliberately recreated the ad for the truck and substituted the price with a little Microsoft Word magic. I have the print out. Unfortunately for him I know how to use a computer and the internet. I am also conversant with the use of a phone. I looked up the truck using the stock number at the main Summit website and then called the Joplin branch to confirm that the truck was still there and what the price was.
    In the car returning to Joplin from inspecting the truck in Springfield I revealed to the Joplin salesman why I had driven there and done what I had done.
    The thing with the sensor and the $700 is completely unfair. The ethical thing to do was as I said in my OP. They didn't know there was a deductible, the light returned 70 miles away, I had to move forward so splitting the cost was a fair compromise.
    They preferred that I blow away. That is a disgusting way to treat a customer. Even an email explaining why they feel they are not responsible would have been better than being completely ignored. It's called manners and respect.
     
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  4. Socal Xpress

    Socal Xpress Road Train Member

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    Couple of things. Did you do a ecm dump to verify any recent issue with the truck? How about an oil sample or have an independent local mechanic look over the truck?

    Also did you let the dealership know that the mil light returned? Of course this dealership would want you to return to them to correct any issues with them first. But going ahead with repairs would be on your dime. If it's out of the way to.go back how is that dealerships fault.

    Hopefully you simmer down and answer with a lil less machismo since we are too stupid to understand you.
     
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  5. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    It is so true everything that you have said.
    Here is a little background.
    My original truck was a Freightliner Century that I bought for $40,000 cash, used, from Crete in Lincoln NE. It was a very good deal at the time.
    I was under the misapprehension that I would keep that truck for the rest of my life continually fixing it and improving it.
    Several times in my life I have seen this. Notably a Peterbilt in Atlanta that was amazing and a very old Freightliner from I think the 1960s in Oregon. That last one had been passed from father to son and to grandson. I was super impressed.
    I failed to take into consideration several things with the Century most notably the ps poor service the truck had at Crete. It was like peeling an onion for 6 years.
    Nevertheless I thought I could keep that truck. Trouble was that it ended up like running up a hill made of sand. I kept sliding.
    I was really hoping that I would not have to buy another truck because I know what rats ALL truck salesmen are. I didn't want to go through the lies and cheating that inevitably happens.
    The only time I didn't have a problem was when I bought my minivan new in 2004. The process was as smooth as silk and the salesman was a pleasure.
    Some things were revealed during the course of 2018 that caused me to start to think that I was going to have to lose the old girl. I literally cried at the thought. It was more than just a truck to me.
    Unfortunately I had to start considering buying a replacement. I spent about 3 months mulling over what to do when fate took over and I rocked into Tupelo.
    I was torn, should I repair - again - or replace? There was no 'impulse' about it. The sales process took over 3 weeks and 2 trips to Missouri with all the accompanying hotels, rental cars and other expenses.
    Many things were looked at and weighed up before I decided to buy.
    Fortunately selling the truck was easy. I had 2 customers immediately. A local trucker and my mechanic. They both loved the idea of a DD60 and all the spare parts. They both were completely aware of the trucks problem. It was an honest and straight forward transaction. The trucker couldn't put the money into my hand fast enough.
    SO at least I can say that during this change over I was honest and ethical.
    ALL truck salesmen are pond scum. ALL truck sales companies are horrible. They are to be avoided at any cost.
    This could have been much, much worse. I got lucky.
    Thank you for your comment and understanding bzinger.

    p.s. When I bought the truck at Crete I had to deal with the nastiest bottom feeder you can imagine WHO WORKED FOR CRETE!! His last name was Phillips and he reminded me of something I have had to scrape off my shoe once or twice. Crete weren't forthcoming with info about the vehicle and not at all happy about me taking the truck for a test drive.
    Despite me telling this underwear stain over and over again that this was going to be cash he ignored me. He was stunned when I went into Lincoln, got a cashiers check and handed it to him. Just was bound and determined to get me on payments and I think we all know how that goes. I was just a worm - you know a truck driver - so I needed to be ignored and treated like the non entity I am. :)
    So a $40k truck that provided me with a living and a home for 6+ years. Sold for $5k and the APU (a ThermoKing) rescued onto the new truck for $3k. Not bad. New truck $55k and all paid for. Again not bad.
    I have 2 APUs a battery one and the diesel one. I have forgotten what idling looks like. MPG is great and eventually the truck will be home just like the old one.
    As I said this could have been much worse. Fingers crossed.
     
  6. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    No 'machismo', self defense.
    Instantly I have had one guy accuse me of impulse buying and another taking the side of the dealership without reading the OP. That annoys me.
    No ECM dump. That was wrong of me. I should have done that.
    No oil sample. The only way to do an oil sample properly is to send it away to a lab. Speedco is unreliable. I am not aware of any other way to do this. It is a good idea, definitely, if you have time.
    Yes the dealership was notified immediately. I wish you could have been there. They had no clue what to do. They just kept saying well take it in for repair you have some warranty. I said ok fair enough. Neither of us knew that there was a $700 deductible. That being the case it should have been 50/50. They decided it was better to ignore me 100/0 was more to their liking. Nice customer care.
     
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  7. Socal Xpress

    Socal Xpress Road Train Member

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    Good deal!!

    You have understand we get alot guys coming on these boards thinking they know better then anybody on here. All they want is reassurance about a decision they already made.


    And by no means am I an expert..... still learning in fact.
     
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  8. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    I understand what you are saying. I do know how to buy a truck but the enemy is usually time. When I bought from Crete it was easier in some ways. I was a company driver already ensconced in a truck. Pretty easy to get myself rerouted back to Lincoln and move from one truck to the other in the yard. I am sure you know exactly what a nightmare that is. This was a completely different deal.
    I will explain a tiny part of this process so as to give a taste as to the upheaval involved.
    The APU. Not the truck I know but it illustrates the insanity.
    Tupelo is about 100 miles away from the TK in Memphis. So I had to move 2 trucks, one of which only had top range, up there. I paid a guy a $100 to act as a ferry in his car. We did this twice. Then once more for luck because the TK guy left a wire off.
    It took 3 days.
    I throw this out there just to give the flavor of what went on for a month during the buying process. That APU stunt happened 2.5 months later. August, September and October were consumed with this insanity mixed in with some other stuff. It is always a lot of fun to watch your savings dwindle and the credit card rise ever upwards as you work through this stuff.
    Then the light appears and you start towards the surface. That is where I am now.
    A visit to Rawze is on the cards and an Eco Pure. Thanks for your input it is appreciated but as I think you can see I have been around the block a couple of times. :) Sure wish I knew more but I do my best with what I have got.
    I swear to god every time you buy a vehicle either new or used you roll the dice on the table. You just pray it isn't your turn in the barrel.
     
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  9. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Just a quick word about getting an oil sample on a second hand truck.
    It is a brilliant idea. Unfortunately it has one major flaw.
    The majority of 2nd hand trucks are bought in from fleets all coming up to their 500,000 mile birthday.
    The first thing that the dealership does is run them through its shop to give them curb appeal. An oil change is the first thing they do. So if you take an oil sample you are whistling dixie. It is a waste of time.
    An ECU dump is a good idea but it is a bit of a stab in the dark. A LOT of stuff can happen that doesn't show up there. Likewise a service report, they are usually doctored.
    About the only thing you can do is to use your skills as a truck driver and general observance. My truck pulled a bit. Excellent gear shifting, looping and floating beautifully. Good clutch movement. Brakes like a car. Revs topped out due to computer profile same with top speed.
    Frame unbent etc etc.
    So anybody new to trucking who ends up on this thread be aware that an oil sample won't help with a truck purchase. It does help with onward maintenance. I prefer Polaris Labs in Houston.
     
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  10. JonJon78

    JonJon78 Road Train Member

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    Why not pay to have the truck put on Dyno?
     
  11. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    That is a great idea but it isn't the same as an oil sample. I want to do that at Pittsburgh Power as part of a tune up / analysis. An oil sample will tell you if you are throwing off ungodly amounts of metals and if there is a terrible amount of soot. In most modern engines soot on the top end is a killer. Rawze has a video on that.
     
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