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Terredax

Banned
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Nov 1, 2015
Messages
892
What's the point? All we have are incompetent, lazy people that want ungodly wages.

I went to the Ford dealership to get an oil change. I've done this for several years for many reasons. It saves me the hassle of disposing of the waste oil, the price difference compared to doing it myself is very little, I don't have to crawl under the vehicle, and they have the only oil I use...Valvoline Durablend and full synthetic. There are other reasons, but I'll just list these.

The last time I was in for an oil change, they have all new people, including the service mgr. Anyway, when I got home, I checked the oil as I do every time, and it was low. Strike one.

I went today, and again, all new people. After returning home, I once again checked everything, and the first thing I noticed, was the oil fill cap wasn't even put back on. Then upon further inspection, the dipstick wasn't seated all the way down. Both of these will allow water into the engine and destroy it. Precisely what oil is intended to prevent.
Then I looked underneath, and there was grease all over the A-Arms, wheels, tires, and chassis. It seemed as if the person was shooting the grease all over, rather than greasing the zerks. After cleaning all of the grease, I realized they didn't even put the zerk caps back on. This peeves me, since they help prevent moisture and debris from entering the zerks, and accumulating gunk on them.
I just replaced all of the suspension and steering components a little over a year ago.

I can say... I will NOT go back. I can do the job myself, and I KNOW it's done correctly.

I apologize for the lengthy post, but I had to vent.

Rant off.
 
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EBorraga

Passed Away July 17, 2022
In Memoriam
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
4,049
Location
Louisville, KY
What's the point? All we have are incompetent, lazy people that want ungodly wages.

I went to the Ford dealership to get an oil change. I've done this for several years for many reasons. It saves me the hassle of disposing of the waste oil, the price difference compared to doing it myself is very little, I don't have to crawl under the vehicle, and they have the only oil I use...Valvoline Durablend and full synthetic. There are other reasons, but I'll just list these.

The last time I was in for an oil change, they have all new people, including the service mgr. Anyway, when I got home, I checked the oil as I do every time, and it was low. Strike one.

I went today, and again, all new people. After returning home, I once again checked everything, and the first thing I noticed, was the oil fill cap wasn't even put back on. Then upon further inspection, the dipstick wasn't seated all the way down. Both of these will allow water into the engine and destroy it. Precisely what oil is intended to prevent.
Then I looked underneath, and there was grease all over the A-Arms, wheels, tires, and chassis. It seemed as if the person was shooting the grease all over, rather than greasing the zerks. After cleaning all of the grease, I realized they didn't even put the zerk caps back on. This peeves me, since they help prevent moisture and debris from entering the zerks, and accumulating gunk on them.
I just replaced all of the suspension and steering components a little over a year ago.

I can say... I will NOT go back. I can do the job myself, and I KNOW it's done correctly.

I apologize for the lengthy post, but I had to vent.

Rant off.


I would of jacked it up and done it myself. Even in 115 degree heat. But that's me
 
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
267
Location
Kansasville WI 53139
Well, I will say part of your problem here is staring back at you when you look in the mirror. If you didn't immediately bring your vehicle back to your Ford service garage and complain to them, and ask them to make it right, how would they know? And, after the first incident, why didn't you check out your vehicle BEFORE leaving and driving home? Did you put the dipstick all the way in,put the fill cap on, and drive straight back to the service garage and show the owner/ manager the grease all over the place? You didn't mention that. Its highly unlikely the Ford service manager will see your rant on here, but if you pulled it up to their garage and showed him why your frustrated, maybe they will change their ways.
I know, it helps to vent now and again, I do it too, but you would get more out of it by confronting the source . Sorry if it sounded like I was lecturing, not my intent, just trying to offer a suggestion to help fix your bad situation.
 

Curly

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
4,828
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
Ernie you like working on the dirty beasts. ;) I can do it if I have to and will once it is off warranty but I don't enjoy it. :( I would have also gone back to the dealer and showed them the poor work they did. The problem in this city is that there's only one dealership for Nissan so I can't vote with my feet if it is something I can't fix.
 

Terredax

Banned
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Messages
892
Well, I will say part of your problem here is staring back at you when you look in the mirror. If you didn't immediately bring your vehicle back to your Ford service garage and complain to them, and ask them to make it right, how would they know? And, after the first incident, why didn't you check out your vehicle BEFORE leaving and driving home? Did you put the dipstick all the way in,put the fill cap on, and drive straight back to the service garage and show the owner/ manager the grease all over the place? You didn't mention that. Its highly unlikely the Ford service manager will see your rant on here, but if you pulled it up to their garage and showed him why your frustrated, maybe they will change their ways.
I know, it helps to vent now and again, I do it too, but you would get more out of it by confronting the source . Sorry if it sounded like I was lecturing, not my intent, just trying to offer a suggestion to help fix your bad situation.


With gas at $3.09/gal, and the distance to return to the dealer, no I didn't return. No I didn't inspect it at the dealer, as we were on our way home from having lunch, and I didn't want to crawl under and around a vehicle in my better clothes.
I don't really think going back would do much anyway, since the people seem to be changing regularly. That might be from other complaints, and if so, it isn't getting better.
I paid for a service, at a professional business, so I had certain expectations of the job being done properly. Maybe they would have wanted to make it right, but if they couldn't do it correct the first time, there is no way they are going to touch the vehicle to "make it right". Do you send food back, and expect it not to have a little "extra" on it when it comes back? Anytime someone complains, and gets it corrected, the chances of something else being done goes up significantly.

This is not the only establishment that this has been noticed at. It is becoming the normal. No one knows how to, or doesn't want to do their job, and they expect ridiculous compensation for incompetence.
These places wonder why they are loosing business and filing bankruptcy.

Yes, I could have done it myself, and I plan to in the future (I depend on our vehicle), and I also could have went back, but is it worth going back? Not for me. Ever. So here is another business loosing a customer, and potentially others, I'm sure. It only takes a few, and word of mouth.

I got off track a little, but yes a vent sometimes helps with frustration.
 

JimB

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Messages
4,683
Location
West Henrietta, NY, USA.
The dealerships around here, as well as all other types of businesses, all seem to be very customer focused and responsive to customer complaints. On the rare occasion I have an issue I speak to a manager and the issue is resolved. The one time I had a minor issue with a dealership service department I contacted the manager. He was extremely nice and did more than I expected to resolve the issue.
 

leehljp

Member Liaison
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
9,314
Location
Tunica, Mississippi,
John, I hear you. I had a problem with my wife's car. Took it back and it was worse. I spelled out (printed) in detail and bullet points; didn't help. I had to do it myself and it was/still is in warranty.

In some areas, it is better to do it yourself.
 

EBorraga

Passed Away July 17, 2022
In Memoriam
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
4,049
Location
Louisville, KY
Ernie you like working on the dirty beasts. ;) I can do it if I have to and will once it is off warranty but I don't enjoy it. :( I would have also gone back to the dealer and showed them the poor work they did. The problem in this city is that there's only one dealership for Nissan so I can't vote with my feet if it is something I can't fix.

Curly, my dad is old school. We never had anyone come repair anything. It was always me and him fixing stuff. Now I did grow up fixing cars, and now I mess with race engines. I'm 40 and I have never had anyone work on my car. I hear people complain all the time, yet they take their car back to the same place. It's mind boggling to me. If you keep getting bad service, it's on you.

I do a little work on the side, but have to screen my customers first. If they say every place they've went to ripped them off, I pass on fixing their car. You can never please those people. I once had a lady tell me i poked a hole in her muffler. She was a member of my grandma's church. All i did was put front brakes on and didn't charge her anything but parts cost. That was my last straw fixing stuff for everyone.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
I too use to do all my own oil changes and alot more on my vehicles but not any more. Getting to old to crawl around under there. But whenever I go in for an oil check I always leave myself telltale signs such as marking tires if rotating. Putting a mark on dip stick and so on. I also check before leaving the dealer the color of oil and make sure all fluids were topped as suppose to. Did have a problem once and would never have seen it but when they changed the oil filter the old gasket must have stuck on the block and did not come off with filter. When they put the new one on it did leak. Now this happened to me when I use to change my own oil so I pretty much knew what happened. Good thing I parked in front of house and not driveway. Went right back and they fixed and gave me coupon for free oil change next time. Mistakes happen but incompetent is no excuse. This happens in life no matter what we do.

You can go to another dealer but no guarantees it does not happen again. I am sure as heck you have done dumb things too and of course you would not call it incompetent but it was. Same thing when people cut their fingers off using a tablesaw. Yes they were incompetent and stupid. But no one blames themselves. We pass that onto all others. My rant is over now too.
 

BKelley

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
891
Location
Tucker, Georgia, 30084
Went to a Hyundai dealer for a recall which required draining the oil and checking for metal shavings. They charged me for the oil change. They said an oil change was not included in the recall. I only got my $40.00 back after a call to corporate headquarters and six week wait. Same dealer charged me 160 bucks for a stinking Korean tire and mounting. Automobile dealers are bad news. I would never trust one to honest and truthful.

Ben
 

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
I would look in your owner's manual and contact the district or regional office with a nice long letter, detailing your situation. With all the brands of cars, competition is stiff and I would think that a company would want to keep customers, not drive them away.
Edit- My son has traveled to China for checking on vendors for his company. Hard to justify $500 a week when you can get products from a place that has a wage of $500 a month. I know of a third generation furniture manufacturer. He said it is cheaper to have the furniture made in China, pay the shipping and import duties than have it made here in town as it was for over 50 years.
 
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Oldfolks

Member
Joined
May 8, 2017
Messages
73
Location
Cross Plains, Texas
Well might as well throw in my $0.02. We live outside a small town and the closest Ford dealer is 25 miles away. My wife works in Abilene and used to take her car there for service until she got so fed up with their attitude and shoddy service. I contacted the service manager in Coleman, which is 25 miles away, and he offered to meet me on a Saturday to change her oil and fix some minor problems. Since then I take both vehicles to Coleman when I need help. They have towed my truck in at no charge and even met me on a Sunday afternoon to do a oil change. Living in the country is not only peaceful, the people are more concerned about helping each other than screwing you out of a dollar.
Thats my vent and I'm sticking to it.
 

Gary Beasley

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
1,326
Location
Marietta, Ga. USA
I think one thing that has messed up the upcoming workforce is teens no longer have the opportunity and often a reason to have a summertime job or afterschool work in which work ethics and the ability to think your way through problems are learned. Too many people Ive had to train at work were totally clueless of the routine of problem solving and paying attention to whats going on, getting by on going through the motions without checking results. This is something thats learned and needs to be a basic part of any training.
 

MSpringer

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2018
Messages
40
Location
Alabama
I know what you mean. For the last 5 years i have been struggling to find a competent warehouse helper. I keep getting stuck with 20 somethings who have no concept of what hard work is. With any luck ill be doing interviews soon and i already know anyone under 30 is probably going to have a hard time impressing me.
 
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
3,036
Location
Wolf Creek Montana
Sounds to me like a lot of us have purchased cars through the dealership Lithia. Bought my wife's Jeep through them and had nothing but trouble with them. I get my oil changed at the local Great Falls Firestone tire store, full synthetic and they do a great job. Tires and wheels I get from Costco and they do a great job. Costco probably saved me a bunch of money after finding out the wheels I had were rated at a max PSI of 60 and were not off road rated. My truck tires are supposed to be 65 in front and 80 for the rear. Les Shaub sold me the wheels and could have been a big problem when towing the trailer. I've been blessed with a son in law who was Air Force trained as a heavy equipment mechanic and he and I do all the other work to our vehicles. I did contact Chrysler/Jeep about Lithia and all they said was that they were sorry. I probably won't buy another Chrysler/Jeep product again, at least not through Lithia.
 

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
With gas at $3.09/gal, and the distance to return to the dealer, no I didn't return. No I didn't inspect it at the dealer, as we were on our way home from having lunch, and I didn't want to crawl under and around a vehicle in my better clothes.
I don't really think going back would do much anyway, since the people seem to be changing regularly. That might be from other complaints, and if so, it isn't getting better.
I paid for a service, at a professional business, so I had certain expectations of the job being done properly. Maybe they would have wanted to make it right, but if they couldn't do it correct the first time, there is no way they are going to touch the vehicle to "make it right". Do you send food back, and expect it not to have a little "extra" on it when it comes back? Anytime someone complains, and gets it corrected, the chances of something else being done goes up significantly.

This is not the only establishment that this has been noticed at. It is becoming the normal. No one knows how to, or doesn't want to do their job, and they expect ridiculous compensation for incompetence.
These places wonder why they are loosing business and filing bankruptcy.

Yes, I could have done it myself, and I plan to in the future (I depend on our vehicle), and I also could have went back, but is it worth going back? Not for me. Ever. So here is another business loosing a customer, and potentially others, I'm sure. It only takes a few, and word of mouth.

I got off track a little, but yes a vent sometimes helps with frustration.

I have to say that I'm very familiar with situations as yours and I have to agree on 2 important points, the first is in regards to your comment about the type of work we get from our own people and their charges, secondly I also agree that, if you pay good money to get a job done (regardless if you could do it or not), you have the right to expect things to be done right, you shouldn't have to check it.

There is off-course in a perfect world, we are far from it and yes, complaining and pi$$ing them off, may only work if you never let them touch your vehicle again because if you do, there is a very good chance that, and as you so well pointed out, something will be done to the vehicle as retribution, costing more money to have it fixed, I had that done to me more than once...!:mad:

Cheers
George
 

jjjaworski

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Messages
914
Location
Las Cruces, NM
I work at a university and find that lack of vocational training in schools and the importance of preparing students to pass tests for accreditation,etc. is killing the education they should be getting.

We supervise students in building and erecting sets for the school plays. A very high percentage cannot read a fuller, add or deal with fractions. They seldom check their work so I can see how that filters out into the real world.

If you can separate them from their cell phones you have accomplished something.
 

Woodchipper

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
Young people now are more interesting in computer work or designing video games. I had an offer to manage a fast food restaurant several years ago. I turned it down as I didn't want to deal with kids who decided when they got up if they wanted to go to work or not.
 

MRDucks2

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Messages
3,215
Location
Bristow, IN
Quality of vehicle service is very dependent on how the service provider executes that part of their business. When incentives are paid on finishing something in less than book time, finding additional service needs or selling add-on parts or service, the service organization suffers. If only hourly wages are paid and the company does not value its service revenue or margins, the wages actually are too local to keep good talent.

I have not trusted dealerships for decades. But, finding a solid local mechanic is also getting tough. I find they are becoming not only rare, but only available in two general stereo-types: old white guys who still own a service business and younger non-white often first or second generation US Citizens.

If a young person has solid mechanical skills I will probably pay him more, with better benefits to work in heavy industrial service for my company than he will make working for a dealership or auto service company.

20-25 years ago I was part of a couple of industrial maintenance professional groups who went around the country harping on the fact that we were losing skilled maintenance people in industry at an unsustainable rate and it would be critical 15 years from then. This was just the translation from the baby boomers to my and the next generation. Guess what? We are there and it hasn't just affected industrial maintenance.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
 

leehljp

Member Liaison
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
9,314
Location
Tunica, Mississippi,
There are some young people and in some areas of the country many young people who do not know what work ethic is, nor did they grow up learning observation skills. But I know middle age and old timer office workers that don't have a clue either.

We have some young people on this forum that are top notch, observant and skilled. Shucks (an old country term) Some of these young guys teach me.

Another thing I see on this forum and a couple of other forums is that woodworking and handyman/mechanical focused forums draw like minded folks. Overall, we have observational and intuitive skills that other personalities do not. I can't castigate a whole segment of society that is different from me, but I will jump on a service oriented place or organization if the same negative thing happens consistently.
 
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Rick_G

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
1,994
Location
Bothwell, Ontario, Canada.
I made the mistake of going in to one of those jiffy lube places because I was away from home and the car needed an oil change. After the oil change they brought the bill, instead of $34 it was $355, good thing I looked closely at the bill. The numbers weren't even right let alone the amount. Took them over half an hour to fix the bill and I sat there and tied up their bay until they did. My jeep dealership gives pretty good service, they used to be Pontiac until GM screwed them over and dropped the line. They gave great service when a Pontiac dealership so when I needed a new vehicle I went back to them and got a Jeep. Not much difference in brands any more as they are all built by robots and to me good after market service is worth more than the nameplate on a vehicle.
 

Woodchipper

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
The shade tree mechanic has gone the way of the dinosaur. When I was a pastor in KY, the local repair shop owner was debating on deciding if he needed to spend a ton of $$$ on a diagnostic system for the new electronic ignition systems. Now it takes a $100K computer to work on a car.
 

sbwertz

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Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
3,649
Location
Phoenix, AZ
As a business owner and a manager for someone else's business once upon a time, I know that if you don't know you have a problem, you can't fix it. You should have at least called and talked to the service manager every time something wasn't done properly. If people don't tell the manager there is a problem, the problem will never be corrected.
 
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dogcatcher

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
2,359
Location
TX, NM or on the road
With a statement like this you lose all credibility.
All we have are incompetent, lazy people that want ungodly wages.
So everyone is lazy and wanting ungodly wages? I really like the use of "everyone", because that includes the author, me and everyone else in the good old USA. I should not even discuss the ungodly wages, because I am sure we all sell our pens for a lot less than minimum wage.

Because of physical disabilities, I have not changed my oil in over 35 years, I have not had a problem, not a one.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
With a statement like this you lose all credibility.
All we have are incompetent, lazy people that want ungodly wages.
So everyone is lazy and wanting ungodly wages? I really like the use of "everyone", because that includes the author, me and everyone else in the good old USA. I should not even discuss the ungodly wages, because I am sure we all sell our pens for a lot less than minimum wage.

Because of physical disabilities, I have not changed my oil in over 35 years, I have not had a problem, not a one.

A++++++ on this statement. I am glad someone else said something because it was what I was thinking when I first read the title but I know if I said it many people here would be all over me. They wait for my comments like that. been there done that. Look in the mirror people and take a long hard look. :eek:
 
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