Waiting on the tow truck

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:12 am

$129/hr for a Jeep tech?! Holy crap! The rate here is $69-$89/hr. at the dealerships. We have a few decent ones within 100 miles too...

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:36 pm

MRausch82 wrote:

$129/hr for a Jeep tech?! Holy crap! The rate here is $69-$89/hr. at the dealerships. We have a few decent ones within 100 miles too...

You should see what the higher end vehicle dealerships charge per hour here in CO.Heck in SD they charge well over $100 per hour at the dealerships.The shop I work at charges $100 per hour and I only see a 1/4 of that.Insurance,upkeep,and "people that work the system" put alot of drain on profit and why the labor rates go high.

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

MRausch82 wrote:

$129/hr for a Jeep tech?! Holy crap! The rate here is $69-$89/hr. at the dealerships. We have a few decent ones within 100 miles too...

The sad thing about this dealership is that the owner retired and gave the business to his two sons. They immediately raised labor rates to $129/hour, increased parts mark up to 100% on each item, and cut employees pay to include that of the maintenance technicians. They had a record year in profits last year as a result. I won't spend a penny of my money with this dealership due to their owner's greed and how poorly they treat their associates.

What's funny is that they offer a "military/veteran" discount which lowers price of parts to a level that is still above full MSRP. I saved $200 by buying a part online instead from them.

This dealership's motto is: We have built our company on integrity, loyalty and love which means that we stand behind our customers and our products long after the sale. The only reason why they stand behind their customers because it is easier for them to reach into their customer's wallet this way

TJ, I won't deny Firestone's $100/hr labor rate but Firestone on North Academy lost my business last year when I got charged $150 to turn my new brake rotors (they were 3 months old and true) instead of diagnosing and replacing my right side drive axle that was bad. I had just started my new job and was working 70 hrs/week and didn't have time to fix it myself. Another disappointment shop experience getting charged $$ and not fixing the problem the first time.

jinstall · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 5:46 pm

Dealer called and said they cannot replicate the problem. They want to start charging me hrs to trouble shoot the problem. Said it started fine and that no codes were found.

droptop · **Posted:** Sun Mar 31, 2013 11:16 am

Since they gave it a clean bill of health, they should have no problem giving you a good trade in value for it.

jinstall · **Posted:** Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:10 pm

Ugh not I have a P0700 on it. Have not tried the Vagcom on it yet. I'm done as I have been looking at 2 different vehicles already. Ford and VW both completely different from the jeep.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:37 pm

P0700 is the generic "you have a TCM code" message. IIRC only a dealer scanner can read but it's sometimes nothing and goes away after several drive cycles.

kjjet · **Posted:** Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:19 pm

jinstall wrote:

Ugh not I have a P0700 on it. Have not tried the Vagcom on it yet. I'm done as I have been looking at 2 different vehicles already. Ford and VW both completely different from the jeep.

I have a new VW Jetta TDI. Great car. But they have a EGR & DPF. So...with a Malone tune and a new RawTek exhaust none of the bad stuff will be installed long. At 4k the new parts arrived. Will increase the MPG another 6-7MPG.

My coworker's have Cummins & Ford Diesel, Both Great engines. No issues like the Jeep CRD.

jinstall · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:10 am

New car loan approved. Looking at a Toureg TDI or a Ford Focus ST right now. Might go big if I can get a good deal on a new 2012 Ram 2500 Cummins. Dealer has 3 Cummins in 2012 and a 2011 Jeep GC V6 on the lot all new never titled.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:11 am

I love my CRD, and even went so far as to purchase it back when the wife traded it in on a Subaru (Subaru #1). Both Subarus have had major mechanical issues... the first lost the motor at 16K, the 2nd lost the manual tranny at 7500, and the rear at 10K, now it is chugging oil like crazy at 16K. No more Subarus for us. That said, I have recently considered trading it for a Wrangler or Patriot (manual tranny models) given the problems we have had with her Outback(s), and the issues I have seen on here with the CRD's. So far, I have not been able to bring myself to part with it. I really like what it can do and the MPG it delivers. So far I have had good luck with mine. I'd love a TDI, but those, too, seem to have their own issues. Seems no new car is immune from issues... it is sad.

Hexus · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:46 am

We may all be a lot happier next year if the 3.0L CRD in the RAM pickup line is successful.

Time will tell. :ALONE:

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 1:24 pm

Hexus... I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. This is Chrysler after all.

I'm amazed jinstall, that you kept banging your head against the dealer after they gave you MULTIPLE examples of their weapons-grade stupidity. That, and your repair bills putting you over the 40k mark total. Oof.

My family is now on the (unwanted) hunt for another vehicle, after some halfwit with 2 COMPLETELY bald rear tires managed to get sideways on I-95 in Jacksonville 2 weeks ago. Pouring rain for days, severe storm warnings... And this idiot had a car that could spin in heavy humidity, out in traffic. Joy. Of course it was a shitbox and she has no insurance to speak of.

Everyone is OK, but our Mercury Mariner hybrid isn't. I'm pissed. Why? Because that car (bought it new) had 190,000 miles on it WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. Only one repair of a recall for an electronic cooling pump ($150 fix) and that was it.

That was a solid car, and proof of what quality looks like. Does Chrysler even know how to approach that level? I doubt it. We are considering (for the first time in our family's history) a GM product. The rental Equinox we have is a solid ride, but at NO POINT is a Chrysler anywhere on the radar. Nobody in my family wants to deal with them ever again.

We are currently in the process of negotiating a buy-back on the Mariner, to potentially use it to replace the 97 Grand Cherokee as the family "truck" beater... The 97 has 250k miles on it, and it is falling apart, but that is still the ORIGINAL engine. What happened to Chrysler in the years since?

kissfan79 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:28 pm

Geordi,
Sorry to hear ab out the accident. Glad to hear no one was hurt. How much damage was done to your Mariner?

jinstall · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 4:02 pm

geordi wrote:

Hexus... I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. This is Chrysler after all.

I'm amazed jinstall, that you kept banging your head against the dealer after they gave you MULTIPLE examples of their weapons-grade stupidity. That, and your repair bills putting you over the 40k mark total. Oof.

My family is now on the (unwanted) hunt for another vehicle, after some halfwit with 2 COMPLETELY bald rear tires managed to get sideways on I-95 in Jacksonville 2 weeks ago. Pouring rain for days, severe storm warnings... And this idiot had a car that could spin in heavy humidity, out in traffic. Joy. Of course it was a shitbox and she has no insurance to speak of.

Everyone is OK, but our Mercury Mariner hybrid isn't. I'm pissed. Why? Because that car (bought it new) had 190,000 miles on it WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. Only one repair of a recall for an electronic cooling pump ($150 fix) and that was it.

That was a solid car, and proof of what quality looks like. Does Chrysler even know how to approach that level? I doubt it. We are considering (for the first time in our family's history) a GM product. The rental Equinox we have is a solid ride, but at NO POINT is a Chrysler anywhere on the radar. Nobody in my family wants to deal with them ever again.

We are currently in the process of negotiating a buy-back on the Mariner, to potentially use it to replace the 97 Grand Cherokee as the family "truck" beater... The 97 has 250k miles on it, and it is falling apart, but that is still the ORIGINAL engine. What happened to Chrysler in the years since?

Why are you in my home town? Lol

I might fly back to JAX to buy a car I'm not sure yet. Depends if I sell or trade. My CRD knows the inlet well and even saw a fellow green lifted CRd there on day while we were fishing.

jinstall · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 8:13 pm

Lol $4000 trade lololololol

I'd sell it for $7000 here before I'd give it away for $4k

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Apr 02, 2013 8:25 pm

Here are pictures for the curious:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wdvemkqp4iiv9rj/HTAYxixxUl

Taken right from the side of the road, sorry about all the water on everything - including my almost-drowned iphone.

As for why we were in Jax, it involves practically LIVING on the highway over the last few months - this was yet another trip between Savannah and South Florida, after a fashion show gig for my sister in Charleston. Point of interest: I bought my new ride (03 Jetta Wagon TDI) with 244k on it on October 7th. It has 266k on it right now, and hasn't been driven that much in the last 3 weeks. I'm WELL on the way to 50k miles driven this year.

Looking at the pictures, bear this in mind: The SUV (Mariner) was hit FIRST by the driver's front corner of the red car. That little shitbox was backwards and sideways at 60mph in the rain, our impact speed was (IMHO) barely above the airbag cutoff. Both front bags blew - the passenger one into my face. Yea, I didn't appreciate that much.

Then the red car was flung back across toward the outside lane and was T-boned in the passenger door by the white BMW. They came to a stop together. The white nissan (little girl driver) I *think* bounced off the red car's driver-front wheel, last.

The damage to the Mariner... One fender, the front plastic, and the box beam for the bumper is pushed into the two radiators... NEITHER FAILED. No fluid leaking and the engine still drove it to the side of the road. But the idiots at the car place want to charge $2100 for JUST the two airbags, and without even opening the (broken) hood... have added up $9800. We can't afford to replace what was a perfectly running vehicle, and their answer is basically... "tough bananas."

This is why I hate insurance companies.

jinstall · **Posted:** Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:56 am

Worked a deal last night, $6000 trade and good price on the car. Should have it finalized tonight. Very sad to see it go as I loved it so much, but it was getting too costly on a monthly basis.

BTW all my extra parts I did not have time to install will be up for sale. I will post in the FS once the deal is done.

kjjet · **Posted:** Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:25 pm

geordi wrote:

Hexus... I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. This is Chrysler after all.

Everyone is OK, but our Mercury Mariner hybrid isn't. I'm pissed. Why? Because that car (bought it new) had 190,000 miles on it WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. Only one repair of a recall for an electronic cooling pump ($150 fix) and that was it.

That was a solid car, and proof of what quality looks like. Does Chrysler even know how to approach that level? I doubt it. We are considering (for the first time in our family's history) a GM product. The rental Equinox we have is a solid ride, but at NO POINT is a Chrysler anywhere on the radar. Nobody in my family wants to deal with them ever again.

We are currently in the process of negotiating a buy-back on the Mariner, to potentially use it to replace the 97 Grand Cherokee as the family "truck" beater... The 97 has 250k miles on it, and it is falling apart, but that is still the ORIGINAL engine. What happened to Chrysler in the years since?

I would replace that Quality Mercury with a partner Ford. I have a few myself very little issues.

jinstall · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:56 pm

I should be getting my Ford tonight and leaving the CRD with Ford.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:00 pm

jinstall wrote:

I should be getting my Ford tonight and leaving the CRD with Ford.

Finally got some common sense :2cents:

Waiting on the tow truck

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