FRUSTRATION IN THE LAND OF BLUE OVAL

dieseldog · March 30, 2011

LOOKING FOR ADVICE TODAY. I'VE ABOUT HAD IT WITH MY JOB. THE DEALER I WORK AT IS A CAR DEALER WITH A TRUCK CENTER THAT IS OFF SITE OF THE CAR CENTER AND SHOW ROOM. THIS HAS TURNED THE TRUCK CENTER INTO THE LAND OF THE LOST. WE ARE THE LAST TO GET OUR JOBS APPROVED AND PARTS TAKE FOREVER. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM STARVING TO DEATH OVER HERE. I LOVE WORKING ON TRUCKS BUT IVE NEVER MADE LESS MONEY IN MY LIFE. IM YOUNG GUY WHO DOSENT WANT TO DO SOMETHING STUPID AND END UP IN A WORSE SITUATION. ANY AND ALL ADVICE IS APPRECIATED.

lmorris · March 30, 2011

By the sounds of it you are not the only one in the shop with this issue, am I correct?

Get together with your fellow techs and get on the same page as far as wants and needs to increase productivity. Then take it to your manager. If need be, as some managers just don't care, go higher in the chain of command.

Good luck.

Keith Browning · March 30, 2011

Good advice but be sure to do it in a respectful and professional manner.

rlchv70 · March 31, 2011

How far away is the car center? Could you periodically "drop by" to remind them of your existence?

Jim Warman · April 1, 2011

While you are doing all of this.... get as much Ford training as you possible can.... Classroom time is immensely important, but if you can print off as much web based training wall paper as you can.....

Web based courses are chock full of proprietary info that you cannot and will not get if you aren't a memebr of the "flock". You can use the knowledge you gain here to develop an insight into the way all things run. Master that...

It is your life and your career. To a point, you do have the ability to influence it's direction. Knowledge is power. Direct that knowledge wisely - develop the skills to enhance it - develop the customer relations to support it - and the jobs will come looking for you.

Matt Saunoras · April 2, 2011

I'm in the same boat, can't decide if anywhere could be any better or if all shops are like the one I'm in. I really need to get into an diesel apprenticeship somewhere and stop trying to handle every single kind of problem that could roll in through the door

So tired of the store I'm at, so tired of the GMs constant attitude, acting like I'm not earning my paycheck and trying to treat me like an hourly guy. I work in a shithole that's not even close to being equipped to handle trucks and I get questioned about productivity by the higher ups. I'm not an experienced diesel tech and I don't get paid like one......so we shouldn't have a problem

What's good is we're not on speaking terms right now. It's nice not having fake friendly chit-chat with an asshole GM

Mbl35 · April 2, 2011

You should go to a fleet shop, youl be working on diesels all day every day. If it's a decent shop there would be factory scantools and access to factory repair info plus training.

Also you wont care about what tickets are on the dispatch desk.

You get your hourly pay for the time you work and usually there is some overtime. I recall you posting something about a fleetshop that was hireing with a bunch of 6.4's, thats sure to keep you busy.

Brad Clayton · April 7, 2011

I see you're situation a little differently. I would kinda like being out of sight. The fact that you are working on diesels should make things better. The average broken down diesel is good for 4 to 5 hours on a ticket. The average car ticket is 2 hours or less, so working on trucks means you don't need to be bouncing back and forth to the main lot a hundred times a day.

Pull the ticket, head to the shop and diag it, head back for parts quote and approval and take another ticket back while they fiddle fuck with the first ticket, rinse and repeat, no?

mchan68 · April 7, 2011

The only reason I remain at the shop where I'm at, is because I have the luxury of being the only tech that has two bays to work with (our tranny guys don't even have that). I am the ONLY guy that works on diesels at our store. The other guys run away like scared cats when they roll in. ALL engine jobs end up in my bay. My SM has no problem with me bringing in the odd side job (heck he even asks me to work on some of his buddies' vehicles for cash). The downside being space is extremely limited where I'm at and I get paid the same hourly rate as the other ball joint and brake pad changers in our shop. To tell you the truth, I prefer doing a set of out-of-warranty EGR/oil coolers on a 6.0L over trying to struggle to make a day's pay bringing in only 0.8 LOF/Rotates on vehicles with less than 20,000 kms.

Matt Saunoras · April 8, 2011

I would be much more tolerable of my shop if I could make an honest hourly rate. I don't work well as a flat rate guy, I'm too meticulous and too cautious of my work, it may be due to the fact I'm not entirely experienced but I think it's mostly just the way I am. I do understand that diesel jobs need done as quickly as possible though, I'm usually doing 10hr days when I'm on a truck

I would love to be in a shop small enough for me to be the only diesel guy but big enough for steady work

Randy_B · April 8, 2011

Dieseldog, I really feel for you. I was just visiting your dealership for parts and was catching up with some old co- workers.

I was surprised to hear that all trucks went down the street to the "Truck Center". I think if you guys could get together like Kieth says and speak up, Jim Brown sounds like a kind of owner that would listen.

If not, Mullinax down the street was looking for a truck tech. Again, I don't know if it would be worse or better at an Autonation dealership. I'm pretty sure that they are union if that matters to you.

dieseldog · April 19, 2011

so i still cant decide if iam an asshole or not. i stayed off the sight for a couple of weeks to keep my head clear. the other week the main tech in the shop took vacation. i made 59 hours that week. the week after he came back i posted 32. the work load never changed. just the guy next to me. im not expecting a killer week every week but 40-45 would be nice. like i say im just a young guy with a wife and two kids who works 80 hours a week for nothing and is sick of it