I enjoy it when to try to warn someone...

[mrsilv04]

I enjoy it when to try to warn someone... and then politely get told to shut up.

I took the 2003 Coachmen motorhome (on a Ford F53 chassis) in for an alignment, to get all of the tires re-balanced, and to get the rear sway bar bushings replaced. One of the (Ford OEM) rear sway bar bushings looks like it has been through a meat grinder, so they'll need to be replaced.

Research showed that the rear sway bar bushings are difficult to get. Apparently Ford only sells the bushings as part of a $300 kit that includes the sway bar, and for some reason, they're not an easy item to find in the aftermarket.

As soon as I learned this, I called the shop last Thursday morning, and told them to go ahead and source some rear sway bar bushings for it, that the old ones are obviously shot and I definitely want them replaced... with a warning that the bushings are difficult to obtain.

And of course, the mechanic told me in a not-so-polite way to leave the heavy lifting to the experts, and to just bring my motorhome in, and not bother them on the phone any longer.

OK... so be it. I tried.

I took it in yesterday morning. Right after lunch, I get a phone call from the shop, telling me that they're having a difficult time sourcing the rear sway bar bushings. They tell me that they're only available through Ford as a sway bar kit that costs over $300, and that they'll need to keep it most of the week because the bushings that they finally found will take two or three days to arrive.

Of course, the mechanic who smarted off to me last week didn't have the courage to call me with this development. He left this phone call to the guy who works the front desk.

I politely responded that they weren't telling me anything that I didn't already know, and that they could have it as long as they need it, as long as they park it inside the shop at night.

I can't wait to see if the bushings are bright blue...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F53-Class-A...7aa&vxp=mtr

 

[jeepman3071]

Sounds like you need a new shop. I use a local mom and pop shop. If I give them a heads up on something, like the fact that Cherokee rear shock bolts are pretty much guaranteed to break, they greatly appreciate it.

Bad attitudes won't get return customers.

 

[Fleetmon]

Off topic but I HATE those bolts on a Cherokee!

 

[LeakySeals]

There are a few old timers on here that think like that. Arrogantly clinging to prior experience, mind closed to any new learning.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04

I can't wait to see if the bushings are bright blue...

You know you don't have to be such a wise guy on here...leave the posting of this kind of stuff to people who know how to post it correctly.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm not going to toss the shop 'underneath the bus' because of the attitude of one mechanic. This a locally owned 10-12 bay shop with a good reputation on working on heavy trucks, who apparently has one guy who doesn't quite have the proper skill set to deal directly with the customers.

I just found it ironic that I tried to warn them, but the choice was made to figure it out themselves.

I've seen it before, with the guy who used to work on my motorcycle until he retired. He was a really, really good mechanic, but had absolutely *no* 'people skills'. He finally had to hire someone to work the front counter, to act as a 'filter' to keep the customers away from him.

It didn't bother me, I could take the mechanic's verbal abuse. And once he figured out you could handle his attitude, and not take it personally, he was a great person to know.

 

[BubbaFL]

Uhhh, maybe a stupid question but, if you knew it would need those bushings and that they are hard to find, why didn't you order them yourself and take them in with the vehicle?

Seems kind of senseless to let the shop order 'em off ebay and mark them up 100%...

 

[SuzukiGoat]

Eh, nearly every shop is like that these days.

Brought my zuke in for new tires, told them there is antisieze in the cupholder and to use it on the threads, or it will be very likely that they will destroy the new lugs.

Little did they know its next stop was one bay over in their alignment shop. They ignored my request, and they broke 7 of 20 lugs when removing.

Made them pay for a different shop to replace them that used antisieze. Went to another shop to have the alignment done, told them about antisieze

Not only did they screw the alignment up, they didn't use antiseize and a week later I went to remove the tires and found the lugs messed up. Made them replace and went to another shop.

Left the antiseize in the cupholder and didn't say a word. About ten minutes after going in GE back, the tech walked in and asked if I wanted it to be used on the lugs. Handed him a ten and told him yes and thanked him. Just found myself a new shop. They are a little high, but their techs are actually intelligent and not just wrench turners.

 

[bdcardinal]

They don't use anti-seize because so many manufacturers say expressly to NOT use it on wheel studs.

 

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted By: SuzukiGoat
Eh, nearly every shop is like that these days.

Brought my zuke in for new tires, told them there is antisieze in the cupholder and to use it on the threads, or it will be very likely that they will destroy the new lugs.

Little did they know its next stop was one bay over in their alignment shop. They ignored my request, and they broke 7 of 20 lugs when removing.


Your post does not make sense.

How in the world were they supposed to put anti-seize on the threads before they even remove the lug nuts from the studs?

You should have blamed the previous shop that installed the lug nuts if they broke when they were removed, for cross threading the lug nuts.

Cross threading the lugs nuts is what causes the problem, not installing the lug nuts onto dry studs. What you really need is a shop that has mechanics that take the extra 2 minutes to start the lug nuts by hand, and doesn't use impact guns to tighten up lug nuts.

BC.

 

[eljefino]

I get that when I say, "It's pretty rusty, going to take a while" then they come back with "sorry we're behind, it's a real mess under there", which is preferable to "some stuff broke, and it's your fault, and you need to pay to fix the ancillary problems as well."

 

[01rangerxl]

According to the eBay page, that one seller has sold 505 of those sets. At $50 a pop, that's $25,250 in sway bar bushings for one model! That seller figured out a pretty good niche.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: BubbaFL
Uhhh, maybe a stupid question but, if you knew it would need those bushings and that they are hard to find, why didn't you order them yourself and take them in with the vehicle?

Seems kind of senseless to let the shop order 'em off ebay and mark them up 100%...


Let me ask you this... when you go to McDonald's, do you take your own hamburger patties along with you, and then hand them over for the cook to use, when you place your order?

I don't.

 

[SuzukiGoat]

Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Originally Posted By: SuzukiGoat
Eh, nearly every shop is like that these days.

Brought my zuke in for new tires, told them there is antisieze in the cupholder and to use it on the threads, or it will be very likely that they will destroy the new lugs.

Little did they know its next stop was one bay over in their alignment shop. They ignored my request, and they broke 7 of 20 lugs when removing.


Your post does not make sense.

How in the world were they supposed to put anti-seize on the threads before they even remove the lug nuts from the studs?


BC.


Agreed. But my post did make sense. They ignored my request. It moved one bay over, they then broke 7 out of 20 removing what was just installed.

I like anti seize. Why?

Me see water, me go splash!

There are a few sections of local highway that flood in heavy storms, they close.

But I know the depth, and its always less than half my safe fording depth, so dotd let's me around the barrbarricades.

This of course can lead to rust, I anti diesel, grease, degrease, and wd40 EVERYTHING

 

[mrsilv04]

Here it is, Thursday night, and no word from the shop.

Gee, I'm glad that I called them a week ago today, and tried to warn them that this would happen...

 

[antiqueshell]

I noticed that many shops are decidedly UNreceptive of informed tips or suggestions from customers EVEN when they know the customer has a reasonable knowledge of their cars and how they work.

And I'll tell you, I am freaking tired of this cold shoulder because as long as I don't make unreasonable demands I resent it when a shop ignores my input.

This entire industry has a horrible reputation among consumers that ranks right down there with used car salesmen and politicians...and they absolutely deserve it.

In my 30 plus years of using various shops it is extremely rare to find ANY shop that deserves a positive review. 90% of them are awful and 8% are marginal.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Here it is, Thursday night, and no word from the shop.

Gee, I'm glad that I called them a week ago today, and tried to warn them that this would happen...

Not only would I have a word with them, I'd voice my complaint to the shop foreman and the gm.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
I noticed that many shops are decidedly UNreceptive of informed tips or suggestions from customers EVEN when they know the customer has a reasonable knowledge of their cars and how they work.

And I'll tell you, I am freaking tired of this cold shoulder because as long as I don't make unreasonable demands I resent it when a shop ignores my input.

This entire industry has a horrible reputation among consumers that ranks right down there with used car salesmen and politicians...and they absolutely deserve it.

In my 30 plus years of using various shops it is extremely rare to find ANY shop that deserves a positive review. 90% of them are awful and 8% are marginal.


I don't know, the shops I have used are generally receptive of my self-diagnosis and will do what I ask without a bunch of "I been doin' this fer 30 years..."

When my truck started chewing up it's cam synchro, I took it to a local Ford dealer because it was cold outside and I didn't have tools available. The day I took it in, the truck decided to be quiet. I told the service writer "it's not making noise now, but the cam synchro is shot and if you drive it later today it probably will make noise." He said "are you sure that's what it is?" I said "absolutely," and they replaced it within an hour, and the truck hasn't made the telltale noise since.

I went to the same dealer for brakes. I had a set of new EBC rotors that had been sitting in the back of the cab for some months at that point. When they put them on, the ABS light came on, so the service writer came to me and said "has the ABS light come on before?" I said no, and he just kind of went "hmmm," then I said, "maybe one of the tone rings is bent?" The tech checked, and sure enough a tone ring was slightly bent. Thankfully he was able to tap it true again, and no more ABS light.

With my Explorer, a Firestone store told me that my transfer case was leaking from the two halves of the case, and that it would have to be removed a resealed. I didn't buy it...I thought it was the output shaft seal. I took it to a hole in the wall Ford-only shop, gave them the back story, and they put a new output shaft seal in. Never leaked again.

I have found that when a good shop knows you KNOW the vehicle, they are fine with taking some advice or being pointed in the right direction.