If you guys have any land rover issues let me know
Nick

Originally Posted By saturnstyl: Today sucked.  Was busy until about 3pm...  Nothing but shit jobs all day though.  I'm sick of never having work, and when we do have work, I bust my ass for 4 tenths at a time.  This shit is rediculous.  I have all this training and money tied up in tools and it seems I do fucking oil changes and inspections all damn day.   I think my jump box is dead.  Has 13 volts but won't jump off a car.  I need to load test it.   I did a service on my own car, (just so I would remember how to do one ) and that ate up my afternoon.  I didn't have enough money to buy all the oil for it, but I had some left over from last time and I scrounged a quart in the shop.  2 bottles of STP, about 6 quarts of Rotella 15w40 and another quart of 5w40 Mobil1.  Then I had to buy a new radiator cap, so I had to hit the lottery fund up for $15.  After eighteen years, the cap wasn't holding pressure anymore.   I've got a bad control arm bushing and a bad idler arm.  They will have to wait.   It only used a quart in 3,000 miles.  My leaks have slowed down a lot too.  I flushed out the brake fluid and rotated the tires also.  This thing runs so much better after an oil change.  After 281,000 miles its probably got a little piston ring wear.

looks like an 89 or so 300 ? Idler arm bushing kit oem is under 20.00, not too bad for a safety related item. Let me know if I can help somehow

Originally Posted By NickoGlock: If you guys have any land rover issues let me know Nick

We don't want this thread to hit 100 pages and get locked.

12 hour day.  Biggest project was seat cushion covers on an SLK 32 AMG.  The heaters had stopped working.  My hands hurt.  The upholstery shop will be doing the driver's backrest cover.  We know when to let an expert handle a job.  They are super tight fitting, and prone to tearing during installation.  We won't mess with them anymore.  The shop stayed fairly busy today.  I worked until about 4:30.

Originally Posted By ga41: looks like an 89 or so 300 ? Idler arm bushing kit oem is under 20.00, not too bad for a safety related item. Let me know if I can help somehow

I appreciate the offer.  Its a 1990 model 300E.  Its got the "big block" 3.0 straight six as I like to call it.    No stinkin' 2.8 badges on this unit!  The power steering fluid leaks right on to the rear control arm bushing on the left side.  Its swollen and mushy.  Not bad enough to make it loose or anything yet, so I'm gonna ride it a bit longer.  

No records set here today. I am in Nashville (spring hill) Tn for 2 days of hands on classes for the new 6 speed auto trans. Should be interesting, 1st day front wheel drive second day in rear wheel drive.

I am on the wait list for the hybrid trans class, if I am still working here that will be a neat class to go too.

Originally Posted By Quintin: Do you guys run CVTs in your hybrids?

The Hybrid Two-Mode 2ML70 is a fully automatic, variable-speed, rear-wheel drive, electronic-controlled transmission. It consists primarily of a torque dampener assembly, an integral fluid pump and converter housing, 3 planetary gear sets, 2 friction (rotating) and 2 mechanical (stationary) clutch assemblies, and a hydraulic pressurization and control system, and 2 internal concentric 60 KW electric motors.

The planetary gear sets provide 4 fixed gear ratios and the 2 EVT forward modes rations and reverse. Changing gear ratios is fully automatic and is accomplished through the use of a transmission control module (TCM) located inside the transmission and the hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM) located under the hood. Both the TCM and HPCM receives and monitors various electronic sensor inputs and uses this information to shift the transmission at the optimum time.

On and off kinda day.  The guy next to me found a S&W 9mm loaded and ready to go in the glovebox.  I dropped the mag, removed the chambered round, and he took it to the cashier for safekeeping.  Fucking dumbasses.  

Well we went through the front wheel drive trans today, the rear wheel drive trans is tomorrow. We were told that both Ford and GM developed the trans. Each spent $750 million ($1.5 BILLION) and 1 1/2 years. All clutch to clutch, no bands in it. Really cool. The front wheel drive version almost fell apart.

14 hour day, not bad for a half day's work.  

SBC pump to start the day off with.

Upsell on a blower motor, regulator, housing, dust filter on another SL.

Shifter on a C class.

Fuel filter on an ML diesel.  

That was my whole day.

Boss is uber pissed about CSI scores or something.  Had a meeting with the porters and "non-advisor" up front people.  It was a closed door session in his office, they were packed in there like sardines.  I'd have liked to be a fly on the wall in there.

Originally Posted By jeep450: Well we went through the front wheel drive trans today, the rear wheel drive trans is tomorrow. We were told that both Ford and GM developed the trans. Each spent $750 million ($1.5 BILLION) and 1 1/2 years. All clutch to clutch, no bands in it. Really cool. The front wheel drive version almost fell apart.

Well the rear wheel drive was even easier to go through. You have to measure clutch to clutch clearence. Not hard at all. There were 4 of us in a group, only one was a trans guy. We started at 9:00 and was done at 11:00. No band in that trans either, really easy.

Super suckage today.  I don't think I did anything after 10 AM.  I spent so much time bullshitting and surfing the internet I can't remember what I did today.  Obviously it was nothing important.  

Well right now I'm saving up for some Stance coilovers for my 350Z.

I'll post pics...maybe a new thread w/ a walk through...not b/c you guys need a walk through but b/c I knew fellow wrench monkeys love seeing pics like that.

Originally Posted By fivepointoh: not b/c you guys need a walk through but b/c I knew fellow wrench monkeys love seeing pics like that.

Details man, details


I installed my magpul trigger guard in my spikes lower today, not much else. Gun show this weekend so I hope to buy the stuff to finish it.

Spent 2 hours this morning getting the rest of my ASE certs done on the CBT. Woohoo, now I can say I'm an ASE master hate doing those things. They don't make me smarter or mean I'm smarter. Doesn't even get me a raise. But management insists that they be done. Shit, I've been doing this 35 years and have been lead tech and shop foreman at 3 stores and never bothered to get all of them done before, and NOW they make an issue of it.

Anyway, after that I had to go back to the shop and finish up the rear main and exhaust manifold job I started after lunch yesterday.

Thank God tomorrow's Friday. Saturday is the big Reno gun show!

Originally Posted By Pthfndr: Spent 2 hours this morning getting the rest of my ASE certs done on the CBT. Woohoo, now I can say I'm an ASE master hate doing those things. They don't make me smarter or mean I'm smarter. Doesn't even get me a raise. But management insists that they be done. Shit, I've been doing this 35 years and have been lead tech and shop foreman at 3 stores and never bothered to get all of them done before, and NOW they make an issue of it. Anyway, after that I had to go back to the shop and finish up the rear main and exhaust manifold job I started after lunch yesterday. Thank God tomorrow's Friday. Saturday is the big Reno gun show!

Wait a minute...

CA location, Reno gun show...

Truckee? Quincy? Portola? South Lake Tahoe?

Edit: Lived in Reno, Mogul, Verdi, Galena, Incline.

Originally Posted By Toiyabe66: Originally Posted By Pthfndr: Spent 2 hours this morning getting the rest of my ASE certs done on the CBT. Woohoo, now I can say I'm an ASE master hate doing those things. They don't make me smarter or mean I'm smarter. Doesn't even get me a raise. But management insists that they be done. Shit, I've been doing this 35 years and have been lead tech and shop foreman at 3 stores and never bothered to get all of them done before, and NOW they make an issue of it. Anyway, after that I had to go back to the shop and finish up the rear main and exhaust manifold job I started after lunch yesterday. Thank God tomorrow's Friday. Saturday is the big Reno gun show! Wait a minute... CA location, Reno gun show... Truckee? Quincy? Portola? South Lake Tahoe? Edit: Lived in Reno, Mogul, Verdi, Galena, Incline.

I'm about 30 minutes from S.Lake Tahoe, off Hwy 50. Somewhere up in the mountains where I can shoot from my deck

Originally Posted By Pthfndr: Doesn't even get me a raise. But management insists that they be done. Shit, I've been doing this 35 years and have been lead tech and shop foreman at 3 stores and never bothered to get all of them done before, and NOW they make an issue of it.

If you work for a GM dealer, GM is putting the pressure on the dealers for it.

Today I was wound up.  My first job was a total bust.  The customer complained the "battery warning" was coming on in the cluster, but it didn't do it this morning.  The only reason a message like that would be displayed is if the Keyless Go system needed new batteries in the transponder.  Of course he didn't bring the fucking things with him.  Funny how it said "Chip Card, check batteries" but HE DOESN'T BRING THE FUCKING THINGS.  Mysteriously, when you start the car WITHOUT the card, there is no message displayed.  How on earth do these rocket scientists ever earn enough to buy a Mercedes?  Naturally, it paid ZERO.

Next winner, a waiting oil change on another S class.  Gimme a fucking break.  Yeah I might be a prima donna or something, but when you have a car that costs that much money, shouldn't you make some effort to take care of it properly?  I slammed a new filter in it, sucked out and refilled the oil, set the tire pressures and threw it outside.  

Only to get ANOTHER four tenths state inspection.  Well fuck me till I'm stupid.  I guess its "four tenths friday" for me.  

Next winner:  Customer smells fuel after it rains.  Well it hasn't rained in weeks.  Same complaint almost two years ago, and of course nothing is leaking.  I'm sure it was raining gasoline, and only on her car.  I think I might start smoking now.  
CPO warranty = ZERO pay.  

My "big" job for the day was a warranty replacement of a Satellite radio module that failed.  After finally getting it diagnosed properly, (it whooped my ass ) I got the new module in.  I spent a half hour on the phone with sirius waiting on someone to answer the phone, only to find the lady doesn't even have an account.  Wasted time.  

Every upsell declined.  Ran out of work way early on.  

I'm disgusted with my life right now.  I've got all this training, all this equipment, and no way to use any of it to make a living.  I decided years ago I didn't want to change oil and do inspections for a living, yet thats the majority of the work right now.  The people that should have the money won't come off a dime, and those that don't have the money are only looking to get anything done for free.  I did so well for myself in the past, and now I'm just surviving.  If Quintin is right about the winter, I'm truly fucked.  Santa won't be getting any cookies from me.  

Dang, that is a kick in the nuts. If it makes you feel any better I have 7 years of college under my belt, I am a certified elementary teacher who is male, two years of experience, and I am looking at getting a part time gig at autozone or something while I go back to school to pick up a couple of middle school endorsements.

I haven't even been able to beat out the younger college kids for a job on campus working in the library, gym, or fricking recycling center. Hang in there and you will come out on top.

Originally Posted By Quintin: Originally Posted By saturnstyl: I'm disgusted with my life right now.  I've got all this training, all this equipment, and no way to use any of it to make a living.  I decided years ago I didn't want to change oil and do inspections for a living, yet thats the majority of the work right now.  The people that should have the money won't come off a dime, and those that don't have the money are only looking to get anything done for free.  I did so well for myself in the past, and now I'm just surviving.  If Quintin is right about the winter, I'm truly fucked.  Santa won't be getting any cookies from me.   You gotta keep your head up, bro.  You know as well as I do that this business goes in cycles, especially for us dealer guys.   You just gotta hang on tight for the good times and the bad.  All things being equal, I'm barely keeping my head above the water right now, but this time last year I was rockin' and rolling.  You gotta plan ahead and roll with the punches, 'cause nothing is certain about this field.  One week you can be on top of the world, the next week it's peanut butter and crackers for lunch.  This is what we do and what we live.

Yup.  As much as it sucks back there right now, just remember that it's not much better up front for the sales guys.  There's a reason I quit selling Land Rovers a year ago.  All of those people that were using their house as an ATM can no longer buy cars... and the ones that did are declining upsells because they're 60 days late on both mortgages.  

When I decided that the commission lifestyle wasn't working for me, I climbed out of the trenches, and found a field job for an F&I software services company.  Maybe there's something similar in the world of wrenches?  Instructor for a manufacturer's service training center?  Field adjuster for warranty claims?  If you want out, then think outside the box a little and good things can happen.

Originally Posted By saturnstyl:  I've got all this training, all this equipment, and no way to use any of it to make a living.  I decided years ago I didn't want to change oil and do inspections for a living, yet thats the majority of the work right now.

I know what you are saying, myself and one other guy in the shop is carying the shop in training. It really pisses me off, nobody cares about it either. The new owner told me when he took over that "I will fix everything that is broken, I promis." Well guess what, the former "Airborn,Ranger,Snipers" word is worth JACK SHIT. Hell,the roof exhaust fan RIGHT OVER MY STALLS has been broken ALL SUMMER.


All dealers word is worth CRAP in my opinion, I would think that an auto dealer would be the best place to work, well no it is not. The best place I have worked was PepBoys, thats right. That is sad also.

I was attending some training in St.Louis and those guys have it MADE!!!! I know eveyone has bad opinions of unions but guess what, The have a guarentee, plus the dealer PAYS 100% of the workers HEALTH CARE!!!!$600 bucks per month in a pension.

Originally Posted By saturnstyl: I'm disgusted with my life right now.  I've got all this training, all this equipment, and no way to use any of it to make a living.  I decided years ago I didn't want to change oil and do inspections for a living, yet thats the majority of the work right now.  The people that should have the money won't come off a dime, and those that don't have the money are only looking to get anything done for free.  I did so well for myself in the past, and now I'm just surviving.  If Quintin is right about the winter, I'm truly fucked.  Santa won't be getting any cookies from me.

Business goes up, business goes down, it's the industry.  However, I have noticed a trend over the years, and that is during a presidential election year, business starts to take during election season.  I don't exactly know why, but it does.  So that may be part of it.  However, just keep your chin up and remember that as long as cars are driven, and babies are born you will always have a job.  Car's are going to break, but they all don't always break at a consistent rate, it will get better.

It may also be where you live.  Here in the DC area we are about to head into our busiest season.  It may slow down a bit in September, but October through January are our busiest months.  Right now business is very steady, and we are on track to have a record year.  Sure there are slow days, but the biggest thing that holds us back right now is the time it takes the techs to get the jobs done as most of them are fairly new.  But that being said, I wouldn't trade any of them for the world, as I have a wonderful group of guys.  


Mike

11 hours today.  I spent a good chunk of that time doing nothing.  I had an advisor look after me this morning and I was able to get a phone install that paid well.  

I got my jump start box battery replaced, very simple and I saved a ton of money!  I load tested it, and the new battery will work great.  

They raised the labor rate today, but I doubt I'll see any of that on my end.

I had an interesting day.

Originally Posted By Toiyabe66: I had an interesting day.

That rhymes with "fucking ghey".

Originally Posted By Toiyabe66: I had an interesting day. i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb195/toiyabe66/Shop%202/DSCN2378.jpg

How much do you charge to replace the missing sequins? Your normal "per hour" rate?

Originally Posted By saturnstyl: 11 hours today.  I spent a good chunk of that time doing nothing.  I had an advisor look after me this morning and I was able to get a phone install that paid well.   I got my jump start box battery replaced, very simple and I saved a ton of money!  I load tested it, and the new battery will work great.   They raised the labor rate today, but I doubt I'll see any of that on my end.

I bet the customers will on theirs.

Originally Posted By asknight: I bet the customers will on theirs.

Not really.  You would need to actually pay to have something done first.

12 today.  It was dead after about 1 pm.  

Of course I draw a ticket with a brand new car (1400 miles) and the customer has no fewer than 15 lines on it complaining about stupid shit.  They damaged the door panel and claim the "seam is separating", they got pen marks on another seat and complain "its discolored", they claim a light doesn't work on the drivers door, and its nothing but a reflector, all four doors have them, but you know logic just doesn't apply when you have all that money.  The flip side is that this vehicle is the very first I have ever seen with the off road package.  Its still gonna suck offroad with the long wheel base, low ground clearance and shitty tires.  

I had to put a trailer hitch on it, and that was a nightmare all its own.  From terrible, imcomplete directions to having to hunt down another GL with a hitch to prove I needed a part that didn't exist, it was just a bowl full of joy.  

Maybe tomorrow I'll get my blazer fixed.

Hi everyone his
As for the shop:  We are steady but people are still being a bit cheaper then normal.

Anyway, the name of my shop is Dynamic Motorworks and my name is Drew.  I know more about cars than most any other girl I know and I think it's pretty sweet that this forum exists on the ARFCOM boards.  Talking guns doesn't always go over well on the car enthusiast boards I frequent so this is the best of both worlds for me his
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m241/gliboostie/mail.jpg

Originally Posted By DynamicDrew: Anyway, the name of my shop is Dynamic Motorworks and my name is Drew.  I know more about cars than most any other girl I know and I think it's pretty sweet that this forum exists on the ARFCOM boards.  Talking guns doesn't always go over well on the car enthusiast boards I frequent so this is the best of both worlds for me

WTF.... a girl shop owner
just kidding,, welcome

21 for me today



42 for the week though

So what do you guys do when you have your service writers "feeding" a tech while all the others are standing around with their thumbs in their ass?

If he gets one more 60/100K service I may just fucking SNAP!!


I mean, the guy is a great tech with over 25 years experience, but he in no way is more deserving than the rest of us.


He gets the high paying customer pay work, while the rest of us are stuck with warranty shit and LOF's.


WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Computer dispatch.... yet even as "fair" as it is, it aint.  

It does not care how many hours you don't have, it does not care if you are good at a particular job or not.  It gives you what is next.  it also has a nasty habit of putting you on the "waiter train".  You get one waiter, you will get four in a row, because it will always give you the waiter first.  Waiter = oil changes and state inspections.

height=8

Originally Posted By prybar: So what do you guys do when you have your service writers "feeding" a tech while all the others are standing around with their thumbs in their ass? If he gets one more 60/100K service I may just fucking SNAP!! I mean, the guy is a great tech with over 25 years experience, but he in no way is more deserving than the rest of us. He gets the high paying customer pay work, while the rest of us are stuck with warranty shit and LOF's. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it gets bad enough I think the only option would be to raise this point with the SM.  I am not a fan of the flat rate system, even as a shop owner I don't use it to pay my techs although the kind of work we do does not always warrant flat rate either.  In a dealership setting it is the most profitable billing structure for the company but in times like this it can certainly be shitty for the techs.

Did you talk to the SW about this yet?  Maybe you need to just say "hey, it is fairly obvious you favor a particular tech and while I don't want to make a big deal of things, I am sinking over here.  You need to spread the work out or I will need to bring this to management."  The records should speak for themselves.  

Here, we are on a lateral support team. We have dedicated writers for each group and the writer gets paid off what his team does. We don't have a shop foreman so each team leader acts as their team foreman. The team leader also dispatches the work to their members.

Happened again today.....


Been here three fucking hours 1 LOF, ! warranty radio and fought the parts department for half an hour to get the right parts ordered.

In the mean  time , Old Man gets another 100K service..

We are a small dealership with only 5 other techs.

I'm staring at 4 empty bays.


He's old maybe he'll break a hip "accidentally".

This morning started gloriously.  I mean I could do no wrong!  For one example, it usually takes three people to install a shock absorber on a GL.  One to work the lift, one to watch the holes from inside the vehicle, and one to wiggle the shock.  I just dropped the truck down and the shock went right in all by itself!

I had a DVD install that went poorly.  The system hadn't arrived yet, and didn't show until 4pm.  Also has a broken storage cubby.  I'll get rolling on it tomorrow.

Did a few PDI's, one on a C63 AMG.  It was an odd color, with a very strange combination of interior/exterior colors and it was a total stripper model.  Not even navigation.  $62K  Man it is fast though.

I got my axle seal in my blazer.  I found out the way to get work in the shop is to need something done on your own car.  You won't have time to do it when you need to!

Originally Posted By prybar: Happened again today..... Been here three fucking hours 1 LOF, ! warranty radio and fought the parts department for half an hour to get the right parts ordered. In the mean  time , Old Man gets another 100K service.. We are a small dealership with only 5 other techs. I'm staring at 4 empty bays. He's old maybe he'll break a hip "accidentally".

I fell for ya, your advisor should try harder to spread the work out more. BUT....... there are certain truths to business, and one of them is you have to keep the people you can't afford to lose from leaving, even if it means you lose a few others.  If he is a senior tech, knows his shit, brings in the most money, and the shop would suffer financially without him, I would feed him too.  It sux, but it's reality.  This may not be the case at all in your shop, I don't know.  But instead of bitching, sit back and try to figure out what he's doing so much better than you, that get's him all the work.  If after a few days of objectively trying to figure it out you come up with nothing, then start looking for another job.  Because if a 5 tech shop is only doing 1 car a day, then does it really matter if the advisor likes you?


Oh, and BTW if one of my technicians ever gave me an ultimatum that I had to do something or he was going to talk to management.  He better be a 150hr/week tech that is the model of perfection, and hope that management is in love with him, because if not that would be his last day on the job.  You can talk to me man to man, you can even call me outside to fight and I won't tell a soul, but if you want to pull office cubical bullshit you ain't working with me.

But it's irrelevant, as I do my best to make sure the good work is spread around..... but everyone has to do their fair share of the shit work too.

Then again, maybe the old guy gives great head


Mike

Originally Posted By mktopside: Originally Posted By prybar: Happened again today..... Been here three fucking hours 1 LOF, ! warranty radio and fought the parts department for half an hour to get the right parts ordered. In the mean  time , Old Man gets another 100K service.. We are a small dealership with only 5 other techs. I'm staring at 4 empty bays. He's old maybe he'll break a hip "accidentally". I fell for ya, your advisor should try harder to spread the work out more. BUT....... there are certain truths to business, and one of them is you have to keep the people you can't afford to lose from leaving, even if it means you lose a few others.  If he is a senior tech, knows his shit, brings in the most money, and the shop would suffer financially without him, I would feed him too.  It sux, but it's reality.  This may not be the case at all in your shop, I don't know.  But instead of bitching, sit back and try to figure out what he's doing so much better than you, that get's him all the work.  If after a few days of objectively trying to figure it out you come up with nothing, then start looking for another job.  Because if a 5 tech shop is only doing 1 car a day, then does it really matter if the advisor likes you? Oh, and BTW if one of my technicians ever gave me an ultimatum that I had to do something or he was going to talk to management.  He better be a 150hr/week tech that is the model of perfection, and hope that management is in love with him, because if not that would be his last day on the job.  You can talk to me man to man, you can even call me outside to fight and I won't tell a soul, but if you want to pull office cubical bullshit you ain't working with me. But it's irrelevant, as I do my best to make sure the good work is spread around..... but everyone has to do their fair share of the shit work too. Then again, maybe the old guy gives great head Mike

See, that's the thing, if it wasn't for the "gimme" jobs, he wouldn't produce shit.

He's all sbout "common problem cars". If it doesn't fall within that realm it gets passed on to others.

He's a Master Tech, same as me, but electrical problems, complex diagnosis, even heavy work gets passed on (guess who gets that shit).

In our shop, electrical repair pays straight time, I've yet to see him get any.

He also has one of the highest comeback rates of anyone here.

I'm at a loss, tomarrow I'm moving to our other shop (same building/different area) just so I don't see this shit anymore.

BTW: his comeback rate has been explained as "at his age, we expect him to forget some minor things."

He forgot to put fluid in a manual trans, it burned up as soon as the customer got on the interstate. Someone else got to warranty it for him because he "was to busy with other jobs".


AND I have proven to management that I can produce 30+ hrs a day.

Kind of a light day, I stayed busy until about 4, but I wasn't rushed or anything.  

DVD player install in an R class while trading insults with a co-worker, B service on a C class, used car check out, I don't know what I turned.

At four, pulled in the blazer and began tinkering.  I added an extra 8 gauge wire from the alternator to the battery, and another from the battery to the block.  I'd like to run another over to the fuse box but I ran out of wire loom and I'm not dumb enough to want a 6 gauge wire to chafe through and burn my shit to the ground.  

I also toyed with an inductive ammeter.  My Hella lights draw 10 amps, my fan draws 5.  My ground wire I added has 8 amps through it at idle, my altenator wire I added measured 25 when I checked it.  The original is also pulling around 25, so 50 amps at the time I checked it.  GM doesn't seem to do much more than "barely adequate" on wiring and such.

Axle seal is dry today.  Yay I fixed it.  I'm gonna try a trip to Uwharrie on Sunday.