What do you hate/love about mechanics?

Hi WWW, 1st, you are going into a field that, I feel, is wide open. There are fewer and fewer people doing that, and you may find yourself quickly overwhelmed. 2nd, as these new generations of truck drivers come along, they know less and less about the truck they are driving, and the relatively reliable trucks made today, that's entirely possible. Years ago, you drove a truck, you better know a little something about them. 3rd, and probably most important, is getting your money. You'll find customers will cry and moan for you to get them going again, but when it comes time to pay, you'll get every excuse in the book why they haven't paid. Also, I don't think I'd concentrate on PM's as much as more involved repairs. PM's are usually something just about anybody can handle, but clutches, (if any) brakes, engine stuff is pretty much out of their reach. Good luck.

 

I'd think about equipment to....Pms on mid sized equipment is where the money is......

A larger company with big iron will have their own truck/mechanic. But a smaller company with one 426 or a D4 probably won't ....

Call a cat dealer and ask what a on site oil change goes for on a machine ....

 

Good luck, but don't get greedy. Be fair and you will have customers for life. Also, don't be afraid to ask older mechanics a question. My guy will call someone right away if he doesn't know right in front of me even. The main thing is to be mindful of the drivers time. If you don't have time to do a clutch job or something else, just tell him. He will, more than likely, find someone else for that job then call you next time. Also, make sure to steam clean the motor every time a truck leaves.

 

I just opened my own shop 6 months ago and this is a field that you will always make a good living. My personal moto is that i do not sacrifice quality for quantity and every job i do i do it to make me happy as far as how the work looks and how everything goes back together. like "semi" said, with the drivers that are coming along now days you will be quickly overwhelmed i've been in business for 6 months and im sitting on a 2 day wait on average just cause i can't catch up. My own personal thing is that when a truck leaves my shop i make sure it doesn't come back for the same problem again and so far it's been going pretty well by just paying attention to the work i do and at the end of the day you have to make people understand what you are charging them for and be fair with them and not greedy. I had about same amount of experience as you but only on semi truck and that's all i work on. The other thing i would highly suggest is, if you are going to offer services to newer trucks make sure you get a laptop with the proper software. Forcing regens and doing basic maintenance work on newer truck is usually good money and not really hard. A lot of these trucks get stuck on the side of the road for Soot levels most of the time if you force a regen a couple of times you'll be able to get it back on the road. Best of luck to you.

 

Hmm?..well mobile mechanics should show up with tools..
I actually had one show up and look the job over and not even have pliers with him..then said ok..i know what I need I will be back in 2 hours with tools..
Shop mechanics?..the one thing I love the most about those guys is their ability to Always find a way to blame the driver..its actually quite a talent.

 

i feel shop rates are too high. When cars labor rates are half. Granted we're talking semi's but still. Mechanics are mechanics and engines are engines. Pickups and motorhomes can get their diesel engines worked on for half the cost at any auto shop.

I also don't like when i send my truck in for repair. I want a quote. And i get a lump sum. They REFUSE to tell me what the part costs and the labor costs. Heaven forbid you should ask for 2 or
more quotes. It's all one lump sum. Parts are 1 lump sum and 3 times higher then buying yourself.

My truck got fixed. The labor wasn't bad. But the parts. That freightliner installed. was 3 times higher from their own parts counter then what I could have picked up the parts for myself. From that same freightliner counter. $250 for me to purchase. $800 for them to purchase.

With todays drivers, knowledge is less then less. And that is true. BUT ALSO, with todays trucks They get more and more complex. Truckers are taught to drive a truck, NOT fix electrical issues with sensors and ecm and what not. Anyone can still diagnose breaks or oil leaks or what not. But no one is packing around a simple laptop with a $20,000 program for the ecm.

I carry around a plain jane test light and a voltmeter and a 10 lb sledge hammer. But that's the extent of my sophisticated equipment. Along with basic tools.

 

Likes about mechanics: Obviously ones who can diagnose, fix the problem the first time in a timely manner, reasonable rates, amenities for drivers for downtime, and offer to take driver to or from hotel if issues take awhile. Also when you give a rough estimate for work cost.

Dislikes about mechanics: When mechanics do not clean up after they work on your truck. My truck did not have grease, oil, and dirt on floors and it should not be when I get it back.

 

If you give an estimate of doing a job, stick with it. I rarely go to a dealer for work. I don't think that I have ever had them stick to their estimate once the work was done. The only way I go to a dealer is when there is absolutely NO choice. Every time have a local guy do most of my mechanical work. He gives me an estimate and has stuck with it except in one situation where he made a mistake on the cost of parts. When I have had problems I always get a card from the shop or mechanic. Based upon how I am treated and how well the mechanic did his job, I will look them up if I ever need anything when near them in the future. I have actually gone out of my way to find someone whom I consider has been fair with me in the past. If someone doesn't do a good job or treats me unfairly, then I also keep a not on them and will avoid them in the future. I also like to share that information with friends, whether good or bad.

 

Onsite mechanics can be expensive, and often fail to do their jobs properly. I really truly hate coming back to my truck, seeing the form filled out that says they changed the oil, replaced the filters, lubed everything, etc, and seeing that some of that was not done. I hate seeing evidence that the inspections were pencil whipped, when you say you inspected a certain piece of equipment, I'd better not see evidence that it was never touched.


Oh, and keep some basic stuff in stock, too. When you show up to do PMs and can't replace a very common light, or windshield wipers, or whatever, because you don't have them on your truck, it's easy to start thinking that you aren't really all that useful.