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How Dead Is It?

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Keith Browning

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It is so dead here in Jersey that for the FIRST time in my career I have just about no work. It is not just us, I have been hearing from the parts drivers, suppliers that many other Ford dealers in our area have been dead for months. What sucks is that we just hired some truck guys this year... and now there is no work for them. Well, I have all day to replace a DPF... s'pose I should get to it. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

 

How are you guys doing out there???

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We have been pretty fortunate that we stayed relatively busy through all the recent shake-ups. A considerable part of our business is discrecionary, "toy" modifications or RV work, and so it would be expected that people would hang onto their money for fuel rather than repair work that can be put off. What I see is that it is easier to get a next day appointment and the sales part of the jobs more often hangs things up.

 

One big thing that has spanked us is a combination of unfortunate events (employee illness, child illness, elder care issues, accidents) running through the staff. It is amazing how disrupting it can be when half of the time people are covering someone else's job.

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Dead here in Vermont. We only had two guys Saturday and we ran out of work today at lunch, worked on my own car the rest of the day. Tomorrow doesn't look much better. Thank the Good Lord I have my part time job at the mountain. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

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got enough to keep everybody in the shop doing something all day, but not enough to require anybody to rush anything /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/coffee.gif..

Sales is kinda slow so anytime anybody expresses an interest in a car/truck the sales goons want to deliver it on the spot /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/fouet3.gif before they can think about it.

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In the NJ Indie world we're steady slow, sometimes dead.

 

We seem to have 2 weeks a month where we actually get busy-ish. Then twiddle time.

 

This has been going on since October '07. We were super busy then, all of a sudden, nothing.

 

The only trucks (up to 550) that actually are coming in are ARI managed units and they'll spend money.

 

Everyone is very tight on money and wants quotes for even the smallest jobs.

 

We always know when the dealers are dead, when we call for parts and they show up within 20 minutes, that's a real good clue.

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I think were doing OK. We did slow down a little bit in the last couple of weeks, but there is still enough work to last all day. Heck, last night I went back to work after I put my kids to bed and I was there until 11:45PM. These guys are saying that we are slow, but they don't know what slow is. Slow is punching in at 7:30am and getting your first job at 9:00am. Or spending all afternoon on the internet because you were done working at 1:00pm.

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I'm so friggin far behind, I think I'm first. I've got one engine ripped apart for a camshaft and lifters, another ripped apart for head gaskets, four more head gasket jobs waiting to come in the door and two no starts when hot. And then there is what they have booked for me in between. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crybaby2.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/tired.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whattodo.gif

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Well, we aren't hurtin' for work though we are only booking a few days in advance rather than a more usual 2 weeks... OT is there to be had if you want it... They took me back out of the schedule again which may affect scheduling somewhat.... but I'm still doing 15 to 20 OT hours a pay period...

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