Oil change disaster advice needed

I think that would be the best case scenario for a true swap but i doubt that will happen

 

Hard to weed through everything, but last I saw, it hasn't been resolved. He gave them 2 avenues to look at as far as a solution that he'd be happy with, and last we heard (I think) is that they haven't been able to talk about any numbers on a new truck (likely bc they can't get their hands on one).

 

I have wondered this in the past, so if a dealership gets the job done in half the "allotted" time, the customer still pays for full "allotted" time?

 

Yes, it's called "flagging hours" and is the same in auto body repair and painting. There are books that are followed that provide "standard" times for each job. It's the service writer's job to make sure all the jobs are covered in the estimate, and then they apply their hourly rate. The mechanic gets paid for those hours (his/her flagged hours) regardless of how long it takes. It can go the other way as well, though, and take longer than what the book says. For standard services like oil changes with flat rates, this doesn't always apply. Lube techs that are not certified mechanics likely just make flat hourly pay. Note also that most mechanics are responsible for buying their own tools. The shop provides the lifts, compressed air, and possibly things like spring compressors and bearing presses.

 

This thread is dull without updates.

 

Yup.... all bs, and speculation.

 

Hope this doesn't become one of those threads where the OP disappears after nearly a month and 57 pages, stringing us along, leaving us with no closure!

 

I took his last update as confirmation he was good with a trade. No way the dealership wants to deal with his other options compared to a simple swap. However, what’s got me holding on are the details regarding that trade-in option and what the OP does if they try to make him pay the difference in vehicles.

 

I think thats the only reason we haven't heard a true resolution. Seems OP is definitely okay with trading vehicles, but until they locate a truck, and have accurate numbers to work with, we (and OP) don't know what to expect quite yet. I'm sure he's gonna settle with the new vehicle, upcharge or not, just to not have to deal with going the legal route. I imagine the options are:
new truck + pay a little extra in difference OR go the legal route and end up with a half assed engine replacement and alot of time/resources wasted/still be unhappy at the end of the day.

 

Yes, Rich did a very nice job explaining how things work. In reality, it is not a bad system as it rewards technicians for their experience, training and expertise. The system can "encourage" a mechanic to take a short cut or not do a good job but if a vehicle comes back that they have worked on and requires additional time to fix right then they MAY be required to complete the repair and they would not be compensated for their time. I have seen mechanics take longer than what was allotted for the repair and that results in them getting paid less per hour. There are also times when mechanics learn a "work around" that can speed up the process extensively. My current 2006 MINI has a notorious oil pressure sensor O ring that often leaks. The factory process for replacement is quite extensive and can be very expensive. A good MINI mechanic who has done a number of those O ring replacements can squeeze their hand up into the right place, feel their way(since you can't actually see where the sensor mounts) and replace the O ring without going through the rest of the extensive tear down and be done in 5 minutes. And now you know why the quote is so high for cabin air filter and windshield wiper replacement.

 

That’s exactly what’s going on. With the current supply situation, it could take a while to get one allocated.

 

are you still in the loaner until it gets resolved? I didn't hear.

 

Yes.

 

Sounds like they are taking care of you.

 

I hope so. Current supply issue is real and not their fault.

 

This..my brother in law has done auto body over 40 years now. And as you mentioned there will be jobs taking longer than booked for so it will perhaps hurt as well as help the tech, though someone with experience especially on a particular situation eventually will have a better shot at coming out ahead

 

Thanks for the update. Gets quite amusing in here when there is no new news.

 

If they really wanted to make this go away, they have ways to get a truck in these times. They know who to ask!

 

That’s my belief too. They’ll move quickly as possible.

 

You're probably right; they have ways to get A truck. But it always takes time to find THE truck. I'm sure Ranny isn't looking to be shoved into just any truck. He'll either want a truck with the same options, or more, likely in a certain color/trim. Current market doesn't exactly make it easy to find the perfect truck. They have him in a loaner for the time being, and both parties have probably agreed its not super urgent to resolve it, so long as it does actually get resolved to Ranny's liking. If he's happy being in a loaner and waiting for THE truck, I'm sure the dealer doesn't feel pressured.