Truck @ The Garage Anxiety

[rusted nuts]

I dropped the truck at the garage it's always been taken to but I have a weird feeling about it.They are really backed up from prior to the Memorial day holiday. I told them no rush. I should chill right?

I used to say No Rush all the time,,, Know what,, Everyone thought I meant,, NO RUSH....I never say it anymore,, got tired of waiting on stuff.

 

[JamesSam]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will follow up with the garage next week, kindly ask for an update, and won't be a b!#%* about it. Unless they have contacted me by then first.

I'll never say "no rush again". You all have brought me back to the conclusion that I did not mean that when I said it.

 

[Redfish]

So you lied to the man about "no rush" but you expect him to be honest with you?

That was meant to be a joke so don't get mad yet!

I am in complete agreement with @Itali83 , if you can replace a window motor, an oil change is no issue. You do realize that an oil change and a fuel filter replacement are two of the simplest and easiest things to do to one of these trucks? The only routine maintenance that gets easier than that is...putting gas in the tank!

If disposing of used oil is a big issue just do what I do. Get a cheap garden sprayer, mix some diesel into the used oil. At night sneak into the your neighbor's front yard and use the sprayer to "write" in his lawn. Since my neighbor is an LSU fan, I write things like "Go BAMA" and "Roll Tide". The grass stays dead for at least a month and he stays mad for months.

You have to remember that there are a LOT of decent folks that work in and run mechanic shops. All of them are not trying to steal your money, in fact most of them are trying to do good work for a fair price. Many of us have at some point (myself included) worked for a shop. I know I personally treated each oil change, each tire or battery replacement like I was working on my Mom's vehicle and I would guess that most folks honestly do the same. @SirRobyn0 runs an auto repair shop, that sort of man can be trusted to do The Right Thing. He could probably provide some insight into what a mechanic or shop manager wants to hear from a customer.

I personally like knowing how much oil came out of my engine, knowing how much actually went back into my engine, and exactly what container it came out of when I poured it in. There is something about watching clean, fresh oil going into that funnel that gives me a sense of happiness and confidence. Paying a little for maintenance instead of a lot for repairs...

Good luck.

 

[JamesSam]

Go Tigers!!(CU)

 

[Itali83]

Ben I like the pep talk. Tell more.

Im here all day.

Ben

 

[JamesSam]

Im here all day.

Ben

Your original statement is literally my inner thoughts on the whole situation.

 

[SirRobyn0]

So you lied to the man about "no rush" but you expect him to be honest with you?

That was meant to be a joke so don't get mad yet!

I am in complete agreement with @Itali83 , if you can replace a window motor, an oil change is no issue. You do realize that an oil change and a fuel filter replacement are two of the simplest and easiest things to do to one of these trucks? The only routine maintenance that gets easier than that is...putting gas in the tank!

If disposing of used oil is a big issue just do what I do. Get a cheap garden sprayer, mix some diesel into the used oil. At night sneak into the your neighbor's front yard and use the sprayer to "write" in his lawn. Since my neighbor is an LSU fan, I write things like "Go BAMA" and "Roll Tide". The grass stays dead for at least a month and he stays mad for months.

You have to remember that there are a LOT of decent folks that work in and run mechanic shops. All of them are not trying to steal your money, in fact most of them are trying to do good work for a fair price. Many of us have at some point (myself included) worked for a shop. I know I personally treated each oil change, each tire or battery replacement like I was working on my Mom's vehicle and I would guess that most folks honestly do the same. @SirRobyn0 runs an auto repair shop, that sort of man can be trusted to do The Right Thing. He could probably provide some insight into what a mechanic or shop manager wants to hear from a customer.

I personally like knowing how much oil came out of my engine, knowing how much actually went back into my engine, and exactly what container it came out of when I poured it in. There is something about watching clean, fresh oil going into that funnel that gives me a sense of happiness and confidence. Paying a little for maintenance instead of a lot for repairs...

Good luck.

Thanks for bringing me into the thread. Part of the job of the service advisor at the front desk of an auto shop is to get information from a customer. If a customer dropped a car off at my shop on Monday and said "no rush" myself or my service writer would get from that person what they mean. No rush can mean keep it overnight or keep it for a week. Without that question being asked who knows. @JamesSam instead of saying no rush it would be better if you stated a time frame, for example I'd like it back by this weekend, ect.

@Redfish What I really want to hear from my customers is thank you for taking care of my car, I hope you enjoy your retirement you deserve it lol. I'm kidding. But the better and clearer a customer can be about their problem and timeframe the better. Likewise the service writer needs to ask. Thanks for thinking of me as a good guy. I try to be.

Without getting to deep, but for some general knowledge for folks that don't know, a lot of shops pay their mechanics on something called flat rate pay. Which is the mechanic is paid for book time. Book says a job pays 1 hour, mechanic gets paid 1 hour whether he's done in 30 minutes, or it takes him 3 hours. This gives good guys incentive to rush, and will push some otherwise decent techs into doing poorer quality of work than they are capable of. One of the reasons each and every guy at the shop I manage is paid on a normal straight hourly pay, and quality of work is empathized over quantity. Even our sales guy is hourly and does not get a sales based bonus, so he has no incentive to over sell.

 

[JamesSam]

@SirRobyn0, Thank you for the insight. I did actually drop the truck with confidence in the garage and the mechanics. I also was thinking a few days to a week when I said "no rush", but I did not specify. I couldn't stop thinking about my truck, well because I just think about it all the time, and looking out in the drive got me to where I was when I started this thread. No disrespect to anyone here or any mechanics anywhere. I really appreciate the knowledge you all drop and will definitely let the guys at the shop know I appreciate their time and service as always.

Thanks all.

 

[skysurfer]

I've had to leave my truck at my local mechanic's shop just once or twice. Fortunately, he's also a squarebody owner and gets it. When I asked if my truck would be left out overnight, he immediately replied "No way! We'll roll out one of these Toyotas or something and make room for yours." And that's why he's my mechanic.

 

[SirRobyn0]

I've had to leave my truck at my local mechanic's shop just once or twice. Fortunately, he's also a squarebody owner and gets it. When I asked if my truck would be left out overnight, he immediately replied "No way! We'll roll out one of these Toyotas or something and make room for yours." And that's why he's my mechanic.

Ya, we see a fair number of squares at the shop too. I think it's because other owners see mine sitting out front all the time.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Where I live I can't get rid of engine oil so easy. It costs money.

How much does it cost to dispose of engine oil in VA? Can't possibly cost as much as a half hour of labor...

Surely you can hang onto it until one of those "household hazardous waste disposal day" events or the like? Also, if the jurisdiction you live in makes it such a hassle to dispose of it the right way, screw them throw it in the trash. I know that's not exacly "eco friendly", but hey you would have done it the right way, it's kind of their fault at that point. Nobody should ever be charged for doing the right thing when it is easier and completely free of charge to do it wrong. If they really cared and wanted to make sure this stuff stayed out of the trash/soil they would make it easy to do so, almost sounds like they want you to pour it in a storm drain or something. They can't honestly expect people to pay to recycle used engine oil? Hell, I guarantee your local public works garage uses the stuff in a waste oil burner to heat the shop, and here they have the balls to make you pay them?

 

[JamesSam]

Sometimes it happens

 

[JamesSam]

Damn comonwealth.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Most auto parts stores will take used oil and automotive fluids. Some also take used oil filters. In Texas it's a $500 fine for EACH oil filter found in household garbage.....

 

[72velle]

As I get older I find there are more things that getting harder to do. Finding a good shop is a necessity. Even simple stuff like crawling under the truck to change the oil isn't easy anymore.
As for "no rush", I just ask the shop when they can have it ready. If it goes 24 hours past the time I will give them a call.