What if it Snows?

Yeah the place is spendy

 

Doc visit revealed early onset of arthritis in shoulder. Shocking. I think there is something else going on as well.

Got a paying gig to start tomorrow. Painting cousins living room. At least its inside work lol -

 

1 of favorites was Corner Cafe in Visalia CA. Never left hungry. Not sure if it exists anymore.

 

Truckers flooded the market during Covid. Now they struggle to pay their bills.

 

Have to agree, both times I went felt it was overpriced. Food was very institutional/flavorless I think hospital food is better tasting.

Should not feel the need to roll through the BK drive through after paying that much for diner.

 

Most name brand equipment dealerships are regularly in the thros of change. Sometimes its the line they carry or too many trying to carry.
Sometime just inept management; mostly like a large % of truck companies, the just fly too high in business circles and fail to keep the customer base depending on them..
I have lived thru a Clark operation which had an excellent base. An officer with Clark itself (Battle Crick-how they pronounce it ) the national; rental manager got some backing an bought it. Began to morph it into a textbook factory branch op,. Pricing, delivery of new/used, and scheduling , everything. Two, three up to 5 truck customers do not want to be scheduled by an office girl for a service call. They want to tell the service manager or the shop foremen what they need, and probably what is wrong and need to bring.
In some instances, they have a favorite mechanic they prefer to discuss it with. He lost sight of the end user base and what they demanded in service levels.
So some customers went to other brands, some others come to him. That is why there is such a mixed batch of stuff in the shop. No longer servicing his, and wholesaling the trade ins, but get that last $ from the stuff he is caught with. Trying to be everything to everybody.

I sold to a Nissan dealer. The selling price included about 60K of goodwill, 14 years of being the shop in Tupelo...
Same with them.. Within 6 month they had "streamlined" the operations and peed away most of the goodwill. He too had every type machine and even down to "Factory Cat" sweepers. Bobcat, JLG, and Genie. Five year non compete paid me well. He would ask, can we get in Rockwell or Penn Tire???. I asked, why would you want to? They will require an assigned mechanic, want a reduces labor rate and parts price. Plus, be complaining all the time but you can't control the operation out of your direct oversight. Then next trade off, go to another dealer. Musical chairs..so stand and hold you junk and wallet.

I would suggest you look around for a lesser dealer who might pay well, but be smaller in scope. Not knowing your age, but I know of 2 or 3 mechanics in this area who quit the dealer and went independent. Beauty of this is all you need is a decent service truck, your personal tools and build a following. You can build this in one year by becoming a field mechanic for where you are. Parts... If the dealer has them, go get and install, but have them billed to him.
They jump at this, they are beating you out of markup.. But paying you your hourly rate to go pick up. Lots of opportunity for a good decent mechanic.
Don't have to do the transmissions or engine rebuild, but swap in a crate or rebuilt job he bought. Lotta bucks can be made on wire, hose fittings, ignition switches.. NAPA is your friend. You can wrap a wire harness for some of the older machines with 4 colors of 10 or 14 and 10 feet of loom. New one not available, or $300.00. If he has another truck to hoist, then some major can be done in his space. Have him price trucking to and from dealer shop to make that deal.
How to be successful in the forklift business in 14 years of opening one, running it, and making our money when we sold. Will take more pages for detail.

 

Found some kangaroo hide at the saddle shop today... Mrs. Cattleman said, "You better buy one of those!" So I didnt hesitate...


I think it will make better wallet interiors than sheep or goat hide, albeit at a bit of a price hike.