How do you deal with mechanics?

Make sure they check your headlight fluid.

 

Maybe you do, but I need to get my old one repaired.

The new ones required DEF (dimensional energy factor) which always seem to fail at the worst time.

 

Here is the thing, drivers are not getting raped, owners are. Many drivers are either too lazy to talk about problems and don't want to get them fixed, or they are too much in a hurry and don't want to wait.

This is one of my biggest B********es with the CDL program, it fails to make the technical end of things important and no testing of what different parts of the truck are and what they do.

I have interviewed drivers a quite of few times that they are clueless to which engine is in the truck, I got a few times "that's a ford" and a couple times it looks like a hemi - it would be funny if it wasn't a serious answer. Had one guy who drove for 14 years and he could not tell me if the engine was a cummins or detroit - hint, it said Cummins on it.

A bunch of times I helped people out with simple things, checking the oil is one of the most problematic issues I see. I took advice from a buddy who said he charges $30 a gallon for oil if he is asked to help and find out they can't check the oil and he has made a lot of money.

 

Depends on the situation. Had one injector go out on truck engine pulled into a cummins dealer checked in with service writer and he flat out told me,
I have a mechanic that can do this job in one hour but im still going to have to charge four hour labor.....
One hour later I was on my way....

 

Find a mechanic by your home base and develop a relationship with them if they know you will send 80% of your business and they are honest you will get treated differently. I get favorable rates 75= instead of 95 an hour priority service and and net 30 days on bills.

I can also send a truck or leave my truck now and know it will not have phantom repairs but will be fixed right and he will stand behind his work

He gets about 20000 a year min of tire and mechanic work from me and I have sent considerable business his way by word of mouth but that type of relationship takes time and effort ...

 

Here's a few things that will make life easier for you when dealing with mechanics:

-Don't tell them how to do their job
-Don't hover around while they try to work
-Don't diagnose the problem while they're trying to work
-Try and describe the issue you're having. Have truck and engine info (including S/N) available. Note fault codes and the conditions that the problem occurs under.



Now if you want to avoid being taken for a ride:

-Find someone trustworthy
-Educate yourself on your truck. How the systems work, what's involved in typical repairs etc.
-Ask for the old parts back. They're yours and you have every right to look at them/keep them (unless its warranty)
-Keep up on PM work. When I say PM work I don't mean every 25k miles when you drop the oil. I'm talking daily and weekly. Grab a grease gun and hit every fitting every week (I usually do cross shaft and release bearing every 2nd week). Inspect stuff as you go. You can catch so much little stuff before they become big problems. (IE failing u-joint is cheaper to replace before the driveline comes apart, taking out air bags, ABS valves, air tanks etc).
-Bring the shop coffee once in a while. Stuff like that boosts shop morale and makes the guys on the floor want to prioritize your equipment.

 

Or carrier does not pay for breakdown to drivers.
Side note, start telling your employees to start checking fluids. Put $100 bills or fake ones on dip stick, hub oil caps, washer fluid cap, surge tank cap, oil fill cap, and or light sockets, u joint, and such places you deem necessary. Than tell drivers to check those things and report if they find anything unusual. You will find you honest drivers are capable, and your lazy drivers are crooks, or stupid.
Not sure where I read this before.

 

It’s next to the belt welder and the cans of polka-dot paint

 

I can quietly say that the State has made me a little bit dangerous later in life what with rebuilding engines, doing old school alignment and balancing plus brakes. (I was not very enthusiastic about brakes, but understand them)

It's really hard to hand the keys over to a mechanic but you can be sure that we will check his work when he or she is finished. Believe it or not there have been a few that really did well. We'll be back again. (That will generate one of two reactions. Cheers to the money coming from the sky or crying tears of anguish that they have to endure our visit again.)

It's really bad when computers came along in both big trucks and cars. Fault codes I understand and can trace. But anything to do on them? Shop gets to do it. And THEY HATE being told "Do this" please. They really, really hate that. It's almost a short circuit to them.