Re: Grand Cherokee Owners - Fight back!!

Sounds to me you should have found a new mechanic...3 times in 6 months leads me to believe the repair wasn't done correctly. Not unheard of to need new bearings at 90,000 miles.

Yes, Matt. There's some truth to that. The third repair was done by another shop. /they did tell me that very few mechanics are able to set up the Dana 44s correctly particularly if they use the specs from Chrysler. Chrysler specs them too tight. This particular shop does a lot of these rear ends and they were very critical of them.

Do you like to xplain your logic ????

How about fix it right the first time or you will be doing it for free the second time.....

Thats better then sit on your lazy ass, F*ck up again, and get your 8 hours anyway

Johan

Oh, now I remember, you are too freakin busy billing for 20 hour days at flat rate to actually fix anything!

I do remember you posting the above fact.

And then some folks wonder why we all think dealer 'mechanics' are slimy rip off artists.

LOL! You make the point perfectly!

Mike

mic canic wrote:

The above slimeball has admitted he charges for 20 or more hour days on the flat rate system and goes home early every day to boot!

Mike

The flat rate system is simply the easiest way to bill a customer. Service A costs $thismuch, rather than parts and actual time.

Think of it this way, if you were paying the actual time of someone who can do the job quicker/better, your probably going to be paying a higher hourly salary as well. The faster you are, the better you are, the less you f*ck something up, the more you get paid. I see nothing wrong with that. Don't believe for one second if a mechanic screws up it isn't noticed by the shop forman.

Say if body work costs $800 no matter where you go would you choose Chip Foose or Bubba? When in reality Foose is going to cost you $BIGbucks and Bubba kin whomp dat dent out wit a hammah gonna cost you $50 youm'betcha.

Ok.. bad analogy, but I'm only on my fist cup of coffee and second cinnamon bun. ::)

Try this..

Your playing pool. Would you rather pay 50c per game or 10$ per hour. If you suck at playing pool and take forever to sink any balls, 50c isn't that bad. But if your good the hourly rate is better.

Ok.. so the second cup of coffee doesn't help.

I'm gone.. time to mow the lawn.

Doug, I recently got into the business where I have three different shops lifting trucks and Jeeps, installing accessories, and adding big tires and wheels. Believe me, I've discovered that the shop foreman doesn't catch half the stuff the mechanic screws up... my customers and I do though.

Jerry

-- Jerry Bransford PP-ASEL N6TAY See the Geezer Jeep at

Jerry Bransford did pass the time by typing:

Should have said is "eventually" noticed.. I presume the foreman gets notified about rework or customer problems?

Good luck with your buisness.

"Geezer OffRoad!" :-) Sounds like you're living my dream...

Heh, I have discovered that the dream and reality are different Matt. :)

Doug, yes the shop foreman eventually finds out about most of the bad work but not all. However, I too feel that the flat rate system encourages the mechanic to hurry too much in an effort to make more money for both himself and his shop. Trying to do a job in 3 hours that the flat rate book say should take 6 hours so he can make more $$$ is just asking for shoddy work if the mechanic is less than totally conscientious... as in tending to think "that's good enough" when he hasn't really checked everything all that closely.

Jerry

It usually is....of course, we all know the real reason why you opened an off-road business...to get parts at cost...

;-)

I wish. :-)

we mechanics need your help to change the system! it is exactly like jerry describes and thats were the problem lies and you the customers loses when i worked in a dealer that paid me hourly, no flat rate i would only have 2

-3 comebacs a year and all the cars went out fixed no matter what! now i'm flat rate and could care less i,m forced to work fast and turn hours regardless of the satisfaction of you the customer and my boss has warned me turn hours or get fired! i have to work within the system i'm given help change the system

Jerry Bransford wrote:

You dont have to change the system, just your additute about having pride in your work instead being a gravy sucking pig.

I "only" flag 10-12 hours a day and make a good living out off it and hardly have any comebacks.

johan