Timing Cover Leak; Oh Well

[Deleted User 38384]

Hey look, it's another timing cover thread!!

I've been doing a bit of research on it for the last day and a half, and getting up under there and really seeing where it's at. It's most definitely a timing cover leak, and I'm not going to do a damn thing about it.

Between poking around the RAM forums and talking to my dad about it, the leak is so minor that I will hit my next oil change before I even have to add half a quart.

I don't trust any of the dealerships around me. So worst case scenario, if the leak does get bad at a later date, I'm going to take it to a 4x4 shop somewhere near me and have them do the work. You know someone I can trust who isn't being paid a commission based on how much work they do to my vehicle.

As of right now there is no oil on my timing belt, if there was I'd probably be looking up 4x4 shops right now.

Is it under warranty?

Hell yeah it is!

I'd still rather pay a 4x4 shop $1,000 to go in there and put a nice bead of RTV on the timing cover over risking it going to a stealership and having them rape my vehicle.

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[Ratbert]

Good luck finding someone who isn't being paid a commission based on how much work they do to your vehicle!

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Good luck finding someone who isn't being paid a commission based on how much work they do to your vehicle!

No, I agree. That's how mechanics work.


I know of at least two shops in the area, one over in Princeton where I know the shop owner, and he's had the same 5 mechanics since he opened the shop.. However when his shop gets busy, he has some temporary mechanics he brings in to help out with the workload. His main mechanics are paid a high hourly rate, however the temporary mechanics are paid a commission. He also swears by the fact that he's been using the same temporary mechanics off and on, and that if someone causes issues or does shady work, they don't come back.

These small shops have to live off the their name and the work they do, the dealerships live off of contracts.

I actually work with a guy who was hired out of technical school by Frisco Jeep Dodge Ram, and told me that some of the mechanics there would fix the thing they were getting paid to fix but would leave a couple screws out so that the problem would continue to persist, and knowingly and purposefully damage something else so that when the customer came back they would automatically get the new invoice because it was their work originally. They would add screws back to the first thing they did not complete, and then they got to work on the new thing that they just broke, and they got paid the commission on that too.

All I know is, every time I go to these dealerships, they have different kids fresh out of technical school, who are learning all the bad habits from their coworkers.

I'm sure not all 4x4 shops are great, but the reviews and the experience are significantly different!!

I mean check out those one-star reviews, tell me which shop you would rather take your vehicle to!!

Collin County Off-Road

Jeep of McKinney

 

[TheNewGuy]

No, I agree. That's how mechanics work.


I know of at least two shops in the area, one over in Princeton where I know the shop owner, and he's had the same 5 mechanics since he opened the shop.. However when his shop gets busy, he has some temporary mechanics he brings in to help out with the workload. His main mechanics are paid a high hourly rate, however the temporary mechanics are paid a commission. He also swears by the fact that he's been using the same temporary mechanics off and on, and that if someone causes issues or does shady work, they don't come back.

These small shops have to live off the their name and the work they do, the dealerships live off of contracts.

I actually work with a guy who was hired out of technical school by Frisco Jeep Dodge Ram, and told me that some of the mechanics there would fix the thing they were getting paid to fix but would leave a couple screws out so that the problem would continue to persist, and knowingly and purposefully damage something else so that when the customer came back they would automatically get the new invoice because it was their work originally. They would add screws back to the first thing they did not complete, and then they got to work on the new thing that they just broke, and they got paid the commission on that too.

All I know is, every time I go to these dealerships, they have different kids fresh out of technical school, who are learning all the bad habits from their coworkers.

I'm sure not all 4x4 shops are great, but the reviews and the experience are significantly different!!

I mean check out those one-star reviews, tell me which shop you would rather take your vehicle to!!

Collin County Off-Road

Jeep of McKinney

The majority of those 1 star reviews seem to be complaints about no rental and/or time to repair due to service backlog complaints?

 

[Deleted User 38384]

The majority of those 1 star reviews seem to be complaints about no rental and/or time to repair due to service backlog complaints?

Honestly it looks like it's just a general modge podge of complaints. Everything from no loner, to poor customer service, to not fixing the problems that they went there to get fixed, all the way down to breaking the vehicle.

Whereas Collin County off-road has two one star reviews only.

If you read a couple of the five-star reviews, they actually match what the owner response is to this one-star review.

But it's not just these guys, there are a ton of 4x4 shops around that specialize in jeeps and other off-road vehicles that provide awesome amazing service compared to the dealerships.

 

[TheNewGuy]

Honestly it looks like it's just a general modge podge of complaints. Everything from no loner, to poor customer service, to not fixing the problems that they went there to get fixed, all the way down to breaking the vehicle.

Whereas Collin County off-road has two one star reviews only.

If you read a couple of the five-star reviews, they actually match what the owner response is to this one-star review.

But it's not just these guys, there are a ton of 4x4 shops around that specialize in jeeps and other off-road vehicles that provide awesome amazing service compared to the dealerships.

I love the guy who brings in his 17 year old 100k mile Ram and gives them a bad review because it needs more than just an alignment ?

 

[Deleted User 38384]

I love the guy who brings in his 17 year old 100k mile Ram and gives them a bad review because it needs more than just an alignment ?

Agreed. 95,000 mi, what did you expect!

On the flip side I would never let the dealership touch my vehicle for an alignment. At minimum I would go to a place that sells tires, or more than likely my trusted local off-road shop. But that's also probably part of the reason why The guys at the dealership couldn't turn a Chrysler alarm off. People there are fresh out of technical school and it seems to know how at the dealerships is pretty low.

Shoot I had a guy recently try and tell me how to copy my PCM they had to completely remove it from the engine bay and had to remove a bunch of other parts and then the head diesel mechanic told me he's never done it before. I tried to tell them what they have to do and they told me otherwise. You'd think the guy who is supposed to be in charge of working on diesels if he didn't know how to do something would say let me look into it, not it's going to take half a day and cost you $400.

I think the general sense is that the dealerships just don't give a shit, and they know they get away with that because a lot of people are under contract and warranties and don't have a lot of other choices. The second you're out of warranty, if you're still going to the dealership, you either are really good friends with the people in charge over there, or make it some really bad life choices.

I guess it depends on the dealership too though, because some people on here say there are some really good dealerships. I myself have never been to one. ?‍

This is the place I'm going to tomorrow to get my new pizza cutters installed.

https://www.theliftshop.com/

I think a lot of it is just getting to know the company and the employees that you are handing your vehicle and your money over to. I mean I went to go purchase my pizza cutters from these guys and the dude who is the head mechanic/salesman told me that they could get it but I can get it cheaper, so I should buy my tire separate, and bring them in and they'll install them.

I've also given them a somewhat complicated install request. Something I wouldn't trust another more mainstream automotive shop to take care of. However these guys said they would do it, and not charge me any extra. So I've got them messing with my beadlock rims and then swapping everything back over to my OEM Mopar rims. All for $225.

Can't beat that!

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