Trim not working

[TOXIC]

Odd, I have found that for my truck, the dealer is very close to any other shops in price and the mechanics are pretty good.  Always cheaper to do it yourself but I’m pretty much done turning wrenches.  Used to be fun, not anymore and I’ll gladly pay someone else as long as they are honest.  

[Justbass11]

I thank ya’ll very much for all the advice given. The good news is that it was the battery and was covered by the warranty. I’ll be back fishing on Sunday. Thanks again for the input 

[Way2slow]

I agree, dealers are "usually" the best place to get repair work done, they generally have the knowhow and special equipment most run of the mill shops don't have, but don't think for a second, they are all honest and upfront about their repairs.  Seen and heard too many horror stories of what dealers tried to do the customers.  For instance, about 10 years ago, I was with my son in a chevy van, traveling in Florida to pick up some furniture he bought.  Van died on the expressway about five AM and had it towed to a dealership about 10 miles away.  I told him it acted like the crankshaft sensor went out but I had no tools or anything to check it with.  I was watching though a large window as they did their thing.  The mechanic spent about 20 minutes working on the van and two hours working on anouther vehicle in front of it, then comes back, closes the hood down and backs it out.  Then they hand my son a bill for $500 to replace a crankshaft sensor.  They were charging $180 for the sensor and three hours labor to replace it.  I called their hand on that one.  I told them to show me in their computer where that part list for $180 and explain how I stood there and watched their mechanic working on another vehicle for over two hours of that three hours labor.  They finally reduced the bill to $260 which was still more than it should have been but not the total screwing they were trying to do.  

[Bankc]

16 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Odd, I have found that for my truck, the dealer is very close to any other shops in price and the mechanics are pretty good.  Always cheaper to do it yourself but I’m pretty much done turning wrenches.  Used to be fun, not anymore and I’ll gladly pay someone else as long as they are honest.  

I've got a couple of friends who are mechanics.  They always say to avoid dealerships unless it's under warranty (because then you usually don't have to pay).  They told me that dealerships don't pay mechanics well, and they usually hire kids fresh out of trade school.  Then, when the kids get some experience, if they don't get promoted, they often leave to open their own shop or work for an independent shop that pays better.  So you're usually paying more for less.

 

Now, all of that being said, finding a GOOD independent mechanic isn't always easy.  Some of those shops can be dishonest and others won't do a good job of keeping up with the changing technologies.  And dealerships are at least good about keeping up with new tech.  As far as the honesty thing goes, that's hard to say.  I know I've had issues with dealerships in the past wanting to do unnecessary work, but I can't say how much of that is dishonesty and how much of it is just them not knowing any better and misdiagnosing the problem.  Your best bet is to ask around and see what other people's experiences are.  One of your friends knows a good mechanic.  

 

Either way, moving into a house with a concrete driveway instead of gravel has allowed me to completely remove myself from that dilemma.  With my instructor, Dr. YouTube von Google, there's not much I can't fix myself in less time and for less money.  

 

[WIGuide]

My father had similar crooked experiences when he took his old boat in when it wasn't running right. It was bogging out, guttless, and idling like crap. The local marine dealership took a look and told him it'd need a full rebuild because the compression wasn't even across all the cylinders. At the time I think their estimate was $3k. While my dad mulled over what to do, he talked with a neighbor who was a little more knowledgeable when it came to motors and he suggested getting a second opinion since the variation in compression was within tolerances for brand new motors at the time. My dad took it elsewhere and found out the carbs needed to be cleaned. A few hundred dollars later and his motor was running good as new. 

[Deleted account]

LOL. We don't charge labor by the hour, we charge flat rates based on the service. Some things we charge $25-$50 take a few seconds, but depending on what it is and the specifics, sometimes it becomes a project. With the advent of electronic shifting, hydraulics, and tight carbon fiber torque specs, (not to mention E-bikes) It's as much the know how as much as time spent that is being charged. 

[casts_by_fly]

On 1/24/2023 at 11:11 AM, Justbass11 said:

Or could be my batteries are completely dead. For some reason when I plug in my charger it keeps tripping the GFI outlet. I’m hoping that it’s just my battery‘s dead. I plugged in a non-GFI breaker controlled outlet so I hope this Solves the problem. If in fact this is the problem any thoughts on this?

 

back to this problem- what type of charger do you have, specifically how many banks and what amperage?  A standard outlet is 15 amp.  If you have a 3-bank charger that will give you 5 amps per battery being charger.  However, if you have a 10 amp per bank charger and 2 or 3 banks then you're pulling more power than the outlet can supply.  On a GFCI that will trip all of the time.  We learned that the hard way the first time my dad came to fish.  He had a 2x10 charger and had put a 20amp plug at home to charge it.  When we got home from fishing we plugged it into my garage plug (15 amp GFCI) and left it over night.  In the morning it only had what charge was left from the previous day but we didn't know that until we were a LONG ways from the ramp on an electric only lake.  Fortunately I had grabbed my 80 ah lithium from the kayak just in case and we made it back fine.

[TOXIC]

Dealer for my truck (where I bought it new) has been good about doing just the service I need.  I am super picky about it and I get my tires rotated free with every oil change and I get free inspections every year.  I told them if they ever scratched a rim, my days of bringing it to them would be over.  I originally got 12 free oil changes so I figure I’m still ahead.  Last oil change I had them put a new ACDelco battery in just because of the age and as the old saying goes, “they never break down in the driveway” and I am leaving for Florida on a fishing trip Sunday.  I checked prices and the dealerships price on a new top of the line ACDelco gold battery was better than any of the parts stores lesser batteries.  The other advantage is that all of the service records for my truck are at the dealer and if I ever were to trade that helps trade in price. My last truck I traded for this new one in 2016 (2004, 2500 HD) never made it to the lot, one of the mechanics already bought it.  The pic is from Wednesday.  I keep my trucks spotless as possible, it has 75k on it right now.  

14 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

back to this problem- what type of charger do you have, specifically how many banks and what amperage?  A standard outlet is 15 amp.  If you have a 3-bank charger that will give you 5 amps per battery being charger.  However, if you have a 10 amp per bank charger and 2 or 3 banks then you're pulling more power than the outlet can supply.  On a GFCI that will trip all of the time.  We learned that the hard way the first time my dad came to fish.  He had a 2x10 charger and had put a 20amp plug at home to charge it.  When we got home from fishing we plugged it into my garage plug (15 amp GFCI) and left it over night.  In the morning it only had what charge was left from the previous day but we didn't know that until we were a LONG ways from the ramp on an electric only lake.  Fortunately I had grabbed my 80 ah lithium from the kayak just in case and we made it back fine.

Also remember the length and quality of your extension cord plays a part in the charging cycle.  I had problems getting my 3 TM  batteries and my cranking battery up to full charge and it was because my extension cord was to light duty and too long.  

[casts_by_fly]

17 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Also remember the length and quality of your extension cord plays a part in the charging cycle.  I had problems getting my 3 TM  batteries and my cranking battery up to full charge and it was because my extension cord was to light duty and too long.  

 

very true.  This was not the case for us (my dad carries his own extra heavy cord from his construction days) but a very important reminder to all.

[WRB]

17 hours ago, Justbass11 said:

I thank ya’ll very much for all the advice given. The good news is that it was the battery and was covered by the warranty. I’ll be back fishing on Sunday. Thanks again for the input 

You own a bass boat buy a battery load tester $30 or less.

Good news, enjoy you day on the water?

Tom

[Way2slow]

TOXIC, I'm just the opposite, my wife's car, I take very good care of, but my trucks I buy to use, and abuse.  I keep my vehicles maintained, but I don't concern myself with keeping the nice and pretty.  I will only buy 4WD trucks because I want them to be able to go through places I don't want to walk.  A lot of times that means driving over small tree and through limbs hanging off bigger trees.  Doing that I not very beneficial for keeping a keeping scratch free, shiny finish on one.  My 2500HD is a 6.0 gas engine and only needs one battery, but I run two and a 350-amp alternator because of the 12,000-lb winch that can draw 400 amps, and has saved my butt a number of times.  I properly maintain them, but don't hesitate to use and abuse them.

 

As for shop using flat rate manuals.  That's common practice.  They are geared toward an average mechanic that is probably doing that repair for the first time so an experienced mechanic will get it done much faster.  Before I retired, the company I worked for used them but they doubled the hours.  The owner said half his mechanics were so bad, they usually had to do the repair twice so he built that into the billing.