A list of reputable shops... good & bad

[psm127_dad]

Hi,
I searched around a little, but did not find anything quickly. It seems to me that whenever a truck needs work, we are always scrambling to find the nearest shop or mobile repair place. It is especially bad for any reefer repairs after 5:00PM or a weekend... forget it!

Recently we have had more repairs than usual and the work has had to be redone on different issues more than once. I am getting tired of all the extra costs & lost revenue because a shop has failed to fix a problem (either when they promised or just flat out not correct the problem).

There are good shops out there; & I know a few I prefer to use. The problem comes from NOT knowing for a given area where to take my truck/s without getting taken. There are some shops I will absolutely never go back.

Here is my question: Is there a list here on the forums where EVERYONE can refer to and update for all of our benefit? I know I certainly am very happy to share with someone both a recommendation or a warning. Is this something that is even allowed on these forums?

thanks

 

[pandora2112]

I could use such a list! I believe after this week I would add Scranton Petro to the avoid list...had air compressor replaced and they left did a horrible job spent all day yesterday at another TA getting it fixed right. The seals were missing, all the bolts were loose, etc, etc...was not a happy camper!

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[Slo-Ride]

Is this something that is even allowed on these forums? thanks

Lets find out..

Jackson Mich:
Home Page

Good spot for dead work..Running repairs maybe hit and miss depending on how busy they are.
Great spot for parts inventory..Also has a store in Lansing mich not sure if there is a shop there or not.
No driver facility's..If broke down you will need local hotel or bus ticket home..

(I dont see any value posting the bad shops because if broke down I would need a list of good ones in a hurry..Buts its your thread and your rules..)

 

[psm127_dad]

OK.

Let's see...

I am creating a list (perhaps a spreadsheet) of different types of work (APU, reefer, A/C, engine,etc) and then sorted by state. Perhaps listing only places that have good recommendations. However, there are shops out there that are great at 1 thing like general engine work, but horrible at A/C.

Perhaps if we get enough response, we can create a fairly good list & make it available via a link or something.

The is a fairly new shop in the L.A. area, (Bloomington) called J & R Fleet Services
J & R fleet services

Their labor rate is quite a bit lower than the usual shops around. They have showers, internet, phone/copy/fax service a 50 seat theater style movie room, a quiet room, restaurant, shuttle service, a game room & more all unlimited & free for customers. There is also a great detail shop next door. These guys have worked on a couple of my trucks & do great work in a timely manner.

As I wrote above, I am creating my own list. If there is enough response here or private msg, we should be able to create something that everyone here can get good use from.

thanks

 

[davekc]

We have used J & R several times and they did a good job for us. Shops are hard to tell. We are currently dealing with a Cummins dealer in Cincy. Had to replace a leaking exhaust manifold and they either forgot to install the "O" ring at the turbo or put in the old one. Of course it is now leaking oil. Had some good repairs there and this week a bad one.
Most of what we see is that it seems they are getting worse overall and their prices keep climbing. When looking at our fleet, we basically waste forty cents on the dollar with repairs.
Most are redos, but all the costs certainly add up.

 

[ATeam]

A list would be helpful but not the end-all, be-all. At the same shop you might get a good mechanic once and a bad one later. Or the good mechanic may be having a bad day. Management changes, staff changes. It would be difficult to keep the list current and accurate.

You are already developing a list of your own which is something many truckers do by default if not by specific effort. Another aspect to look at is communications. If you do not already know how, learn the best ways to talk to a service manager and mechanic. Learn what to say that they will respond to.

Whenever you get the chance, hang out at the service counter and listen to drivers and service managers interact. Note what seems to work and what does not.

When working with a shop that I am not familiar with, my strategy is to be the poor driver who needs help and is grateful that they are there to provide it.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, sir, you sure can. Your help is very much needed."

-------------------

To the mechanic: "This truck is the only truck I own. My wife and I live and work in it. It is our life and it is now in your hands. This is our baby and we keep it up. I know you see a lot of trucks, but would you mind working on this one like you want it to last ten years? That is our goal. If you see anything wrong, anything at all, please let us know."

--------------------
To the service manager:

"Thank you for getting us in like you did. We're on the road all the time and we appreciate your help in getting us back out."

-----------------
To anyone within earshot in the shop:

"We are so glad you are here. Living and working on the road as we do, it is not always easy to find a place to get the truck fixed. Needing it fixed now, we're glad to have found you. You probably did not thinik about it when you got up this morning, but it is a blesing to us that you are here."

Most truckers I know bend over backwards to serve and treat extra special the customers who recognize and are grateful for their efforts. Service writers and mechanics are no different.

My best butter-'em-up victory of all happened at a Volvo dealership during the night shift. I was at the counter while an irate driver literally screamed at the service manager about this, that and the other thing, all of it having to do with problems he previously had. This shop had not yet looked at the truck.

After letting it go on for a while, I finally butted in and said to the driver, "Shut up, stupid." If you had any idea who you were talking to, you would not be talking like that. This one of the best Volvo dealerships in the country. My wife and I just drove 400 miles past other dealers to come here. They're that good."

And I meant every word of it. We had indeed driven 400 miles to get there. The driver calmed down. And now, whenever the night manager sees me in the shop, even though it might only be once a year, he greets me by name, gives me a warm welcome, and is easier on the bill than he might otherwise be.

There are certainly other dealerships that are as good as this one. It's just that we have become familiar with this one over the years. They have done right by us and we let them know how much that means. They love hearing that we drove past others to get to them and we love and trust them enough to do exactly that. I'd much rather drive half a day to get to them than trust our truck to a stranger.

 

[Bruno]

We have used J & R several times and they did a good job for us. Shops are hard to tell. We are currently dealing with a Cummins dealer in Cincy. Had to replace a leaking exhaust manifold and they either forgot to install the "O" ring at the turbo or put in the old one. Of course it is now leaking oil. Had some good repairs there and this week a bad one.
Most of what we see is that it seems they are getting worse overall and their prices keep climbing. When looking at our fleet, we basically waste forty cents on the dollar with repairs.
Most are redos, but all the costs certainly add up.

We have a small shop at our office that we have let Expedite truck owners use or pay us to do the work. We mostly do lights, and service work nothing big.

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[gotta go]

A good resource is: NTTS Breakdown. I needed to use this website again recently and have never been disappointed with the mechanics I have found through them.
How do you determine if you have found a good mechanic or not? Hopefully it isn't too costly finding the right one for you.

Due to the fact that I have an older truck, long out of warranty, I generally avoid dealer shops and those affiliated with truck stop chains. I prefer to find the smaller 2-3 person shop, where they are more interested in teaching me what I should watch for, rather than having me stay out of the way, in the dark.
Over the years I've stopped dealing with shops as they have grown and left that business model behind.

Sometimes the amount I communicate with the mechanic can make a big difference. If I have a budgeted amount for a repair, I let him know up front. I would hate to have work done and find out that it costs double what I planned on spending. When I have a list of projects, I don't schedule a p.m. and once the work is started say, ''oh yeah, I need a complete brake job, all the hoses replaced, and will you rewire the chicken lights while you are at it?''

One of my valued resources is a mechanic who is willing to get on the phone and speak mechanicese if I am having a hard time communicating with a shop.

 

[psm127_dad]

You are already developing a list of your own which is something many truckers do by default if not by specific effort. Another aspect to look at is communications. If you do not already know how, learn the best ways to talk to a service manager and mechanic. Learn what to say that they will respond to.

Yes, I already have developed a list of my own; as you say... by default. However, I do not have your list, nor you mine. In fact, I would bet that of the 100's who regularly read these forums, few if any have a clue beyond their own list of "in general", what shops are ok/good or what shops to avoid.

Also, you are right about communication! I should not have to coddle a mechanic or "butter up" the staff with false flattering. However, I have learned the following to be true: "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

thank you for your thoughts!

 

[psm127_dad]

A good resource is: NTTS Breakdown. I needed to use this website again recently and have never been disappointed with the mechanics I have found through them. .....

Due to the fact that I have an older truck, long out of warranty, I generally avoid dealer shops and those affiliated with truck stop chains. I prefer to find the smaller 2-3 person shop, where they are more interested in teaching me what I should watch for, rather than having me stay out of the way, in the dark.
Over the years I've stopped dealing with shops as they have grown and left that business model behind.

Thanks for the website! I have never heard of that before.

I too have an older truck & have learned that for the most part, the smaller shop (not franchised dealerships) is much more inclined to have reliable mechanics & because they are small, truly appreciate our business.

thanks

 

[davekc]

You can also use Truck Service & Repair Near Me!. Some locations have a rating on them but not all.

 

[HighwayRover]

Whenever possible, don't allow your truck to break down anywhere near El Paso.
My own experience proved that it would have been cheaper to tow my Volvo to Midland for repairs.
Fortunately for me, other Volvo dealers quoted numbers I could use to negotiate my way towards what was just an unreasonable bill instead of completely ridiculous one.

 

[gotta go]

Whenever possible, don't allow your truck to break down anywhere near El Paso.
My own experience proved that it would have been cheaper to tow my Volvo to Midland for repairs.
Fortunately for me, other Volvo dealers quoted numbers I could use to negotiate my way towards what was just an unreasonable bill instead of completely ridiculous one.

I had no complaints with Rocky Mountain Cummins in El Paso.