Speedco or TA/Petro?

I've had to correct too many of TA's (foul) ups to ever want them touching any truck of mine. No experience with Speedco, but I'd be wary of them, all the same.

 

i go to the dealer $289 always done right

 

I just had to replace a transmission due to TA not checking my fluids. The last time they did a pm they did not grease any of my drive train. I stopped at a Petro so they could finish the job. I wish that I had asked them to check my fluids. I would likely have saved the cost of a transmission. I won't be going to TA for a pm any time in the future. Petro or Speedco is probably the best. I also have a local truckstop that used to do my pm's. My last pm was at Speedco. They caught a leaking wheel seal.

 

B Line in Sweetwater, Tx, Brookshire, Tx & Odessa/Midland, Tx area.

 

Right before the brake blitz in September I went to a south Texas TA and asked for brand new brakes and drums all around. The tech walks me out and shows the brakes and drums are all good and charges me $48 bucks for doing nothing.

Same trip out of there the ABS light comes on and off so stop in eastern North Dakota TA to have them look at it. Kid brushes off a sensor and replaces it and charges $160 some bucks. Get into Missoula Montana and these guys find the leaking wheel seal which is causing the ABS problems. These guys were pros although the cashier was spewing all day long how she hates truck drivers and how stinky they are.

Another time I saw an exhaust leak up under the hood, brought it into the TAPetro I was parked at and the guy looked high and low and could not find the exhaust leak and charged me half an hour labor.

Had some steers put on one time and the guy forgot to put the Centramatics on first.

About half the time when they put the dual wheels back on they misaligne the valve stems.

Had an air leak on tractor leveling valve they worked on it for a couple hours but determined it needed a new valve which was a day away special delivery. Paid $150 bucks for the time as I had to leave.

Went in for an alignment and they couldn't get the tie rods loose (turns out they forgot to loosen the little set bolts first) and got their torch out and heated up the tie rod red hot. I came back from the shower and told them to cancel the job.

Even this last oil change they did, the oil filter has a slow drip. it is tight alright, but the kid must have forgot to put a thin layer of oil on the rubber before screwing the filter on.

Needed a jump start on lot deep south hot humid Petro, they sent 2 techs in the air conditioned truck to plug in the jumpers then they sat back in the truck. Truck started in 60 seconds and they drove back to the shop. Cashier says I have to pay for 2 techs half hour each. I said I'm gonna buy 4 new batteries, can you give me a break on the jump start, she said no so I left with rotten egg batteries and got new ones later.

 

For all of those reasons and the ones others pointed out that's why I do my own oil changes and even tire work now. Takes me a little longer but it gets done right and saves money.

 

Once you see a mechanic at the TA truck stop trying to weld u joints into a Driveshaft you'll never want to let them touch your truck ever again.

 

Was getting a service in Ganado Tx at the TA. Kid did okay, I watched like a hawk. When he finished I asked him about the second fuel filter, the one with a screen that just needs to be cleaned and rinsed out, he said they were not allowed to clean them because someone had stripped one before.....oh but if it shut me down on the side of the highway they could come out and clean it then. Whenever I have had bad fuel or water in my fuel this is the filter that has to be cleaned. So done with TA. Sometimes go to Rush in Mobile you better have 3-4 hours.

 

Well I tried the dealer once and got burned real bad, Peterbilt for an oil change. I asked them to put in a new crankcase filter as well. Several hours later they hand me the bill-- $700+ bucks. I was like why so much? they didn't have the CC filter in stock and sent two techs out to find one. Figure these guys had a liquid lunch down at the topless steakhouse because they charged me to 2 techs 2 hours each to gopher a CC filter. Ever since I've been doing my own CC filter.

 

Took a trailer to speedco leaking air. Tech replaced a brake chamber and put leaking air line into new brake chamber. Sent me on my way. I wound up fixing the air line while waiting for a door at my next pickup with the assistance of an O/O with a really cool old cabover.