Done with Jeep Dealer Maintenance

VACRD · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:08 pm

My 2006 with 71,000 miles started running rough a month ago and getting poor mileage. My Jeep has a 85,000 mile warranty. I brought it in to a Jeep Dealer in Alexandria Va and they said it was the EGR and wanted over $1,800 to fix, and it wasn't covered under my warranty.

Decided it was time to make the upgrades I had been planning for at 85,000 miles - the GDE Eco Tune, Euro Torque Converter, and replacing the water pump and timimg belt. There is no way I would trust any Jeep Dealer to do the any major work. Everytime I bring it they mess something else up. I also wanted a qualified diesel mechanic who had the electronics and tools to good checkup of the entire engine. Like many others on this board, I love my CRD, but am in constant fear of something breaking. I was lucky to find Scott at United Diesel in Alexandria, Va. His main expertise is diesel turbos and diesel fuel systems. He replaced the water pump/timimg belt, did the GDE Eco and checked out the engine and turbo. The only thing he found that was strange some dirt that had got past the air filter. He said my turbo was in great shape and did not recommend I upgrade the turbo. I got the Euro torque converter installed at Merv's in Springfield, they also do a lot of work diesels. Total cost for all upgrades (parts/Labor/GDE) - $3,000.

Just towed my 5,000 lb boat this week end. Between the GDE Tune and the new Torque Converter I was able to go over several hills without the constant downshifting I had before. Can really feel the extra torque when towing. I am anxious to see what my mileage will be when not towing.

Bottom line is for $1,200 more than what it would cost to fix the EGR I made major performance upgrades to the CRD and got the confidence that my CRD is in great shape from a real diesel mechanic. Will not bring my CRD to Jeep Dealers anymore.

TJ2 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 11:37 pm

Well,

Your story seems to be common experience witht dealers. I bought an '05 a couple months ago and it seemed very clean.

It had new CAC hoses and just yesterday I contacted the dealer who said at 60k they serviced the transfer case, both diffys, new fuel filter (had done the trans at 30K) and they gave it a 'diesel flush'. I guess that's something they do to the Dodge trucks.

This Jeep came with an OEM bug bra complete with stained paint (I did get it rubbed out). The guy bought everything the dealership threw at him and even at 60K miles intended to keep it. The thing was throwing a P0299 code when I bought it at a good price. It seems like that was the last straw for him.

They hadn't cleaned the boost pressure/MAP sensor and apparently didn't know to do it. ?????

Anyway, a couple newb mods and GDE tune later I own a very nice CRD. And no, it will never again see the inside of a dealership.

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:18 am

Which dealership was it? I can never remember the name, but was it on Columbia Pike & Glebe? Thanks for the info on United Diesel!

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:59 am

My Jeep has only been in the dealers shop I bought it from once for an issue they fixed with starscan. They are 40 miles or so from home so I don't plan to go back. I don't know about our local dealers in town here. They seem to sell lots of Ram trucks w/Cummins engines so maybe they are ok. I did find this other Diesel shop not far from me and talked to Seth there. He says he would like to work on my CRD. not sure if they ever had one in but they claim to work on anything diesel. http://www.eisenhartdiesel.com/

I may give them a try if I need anything done to the engine.

RAF 3829 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:17 pm

I've met Merv a few times. Nice guy, and he knows diesels.

Guess I'm lucky with the dealer I've been to. Since they work on the Cummins & Sprinters, they have diesel experience.

Last time the Lib was in it was for an EGR valve. Got done, no problems, was covered under the extended warranty. It was a $100 deductable. If it's not under warranty, I'll do the work myself.

VACRD · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:04 pm

RTStabler51 - The dealers I have dealt with in the past were in Fairfax City (Route 50) and Alexandria (Route 1). I never had service by the one in Arlington you mentioned.

I bought my CRD new and at 71,000 with some modifications, I am very happy with it.

I haven't see any other vechicles in the market place that can tow a 5,000 lb boat and also get 30 mpg on the highway during regular driving. Hopefully with regular maintenance by a qualified mechanic I will get the 200,000 or 250,000 miles on it that I have heard about.

jinstall · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 10:47 pm

Great to hear. What was the cost for the TB/WP? Was i t all labor or did he gett the parts as well?

RTStabler51 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 1:26 am

VACRD wrote:

RTStabler51 - The dealers I have dealt with in the past were in Fairfax City (Route 50) and Alexandria (Route 1). I never had service by the one in Arlington you mentioned.

I bought my CRD new and at 71,000 with some modifications, I am very happy with it.

I haven't see any other vechicles in the market place that can tow a 5,000 lb boat and also get 30 mpg on the highway during regular driving. Hopefully with regular maintenance by a qualified mechanic I will get the 200,000 or 250,000 miles on it that I have heard about.

I could have told your Farrish sucked donkey balls. They replaced a 'sparkplug' the first time, the 2nd time they tore my leather and forgot to reinstall the support bracket on the alternator. I will never take my business to them in any shape or form, and they are a 5 start dealer too IIRC.

VACRD · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 5:48 am

Great to hear. What was the cost for the TB/WP? Was i t all labor or did he gett the parts as well?

The $3,000 included all parts, labor and the GDE tune. I got the parts list for the waterpump/tiiming belt and the torque converter from the sticky on this site. I ordered the parts myself from moparpartsamericaonline.com. The only parts that United Diesel got were a couple of hoses thar Scott recommended that I replace, since he had the water pump off.

Don't know what the the price of all the work & parts would have been from a Jeep Dealer, probably more.

The key thing I got was to talk to a qualifiied diesel mechanic who took an interest in the engine, fuel system and turbo and could let me know if every thing was working correctly. Never got that confidence from the Jeep Dealers I went to. Most of them seemed to know less then me about the CRD.

tworock · **Posted:** Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:27 am

Hey VACRD, your post concerns me. What type of warrantee do you have? Chrysler??

VACRD · **Posted:** Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:14 pm

Quote:

Hey VACRD, your post concerns me. What type of warrantee do you have? Chrysler??

I have the Chrysler warrantee.

Done with Jeep Dealer Maintenance

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