ford wet belt engines??

[Ubique]

I am an Indie garage owner - I have never got my head around this "main dealer bonus thing".

Dealership workshops looks to me like hell from what I have seen - stress hell - sales reptiles - warranty work.

Does not look like "my cup of tea" mate...

We've discussed this by other means, as long as you're happy with the basic, then the bonus is a 'bonus'. I've been self employed and run myself into the ground chasing job after job. I realised I could earn a bit less without the stress due to my qualifications by working in the dealers. Honestly, I've never been pressured to upsell or take shortcuts - I echo what kiethski122 says, the management will look after you - because it pays them to, it's not in their interests to be massively over-performing (targets will be raised) or under-performing (questions will be asked) - the biggest differences I see are a) I can go home and not think about work until the next working day b) I can take holidays without worrying about losing customers c) If anything goes wrong, it isn't my pocket (but maybe my reputation) that takes the hit, and finally, d) whatever the problem, there's other tech's to bounce ideas off.
Oh, and the money is good too.

ETA - warranty work is no different to out of warranty diagnosis, same process maybe just a bit more narrative to write up and the customer is the manufacturer, not the driver - in essence, you diagnose it, develop a remidial plan, order the parts and carry out repairs -once done, confirm the concern has been rectified, job done. Nothing really different to driving into an indie with the EML illuminated, possibly more in-depth diagnostic equipment?.

 

[premmington]

We've discussed this by other means, as long as you're happy with the basic, then the bonus is a 'bonus'. I've been self employed and run myself into the ground chasing job after job. I realised I could earn a bit less without the stress due to my qualifications by working in the dealers. Honestly, I've never been pressured to upsell or take shortcuts - I echo what kiethski122 says, the management will look after you - because it pays them to, it's not in their interests to be massively over-performing (targets will be raised) or under-performing (questions will be asked) - the biggest differences I see are a) I can go home and not think about work until the next working day b) I can take holidays without worrying about losing customers c) If anything goes wrong, it isn't my pocket (but maybe my reputation) that takes the hit, and finally, d) whatever the problem, there's other tech's to bounce ideas off.
Oh, and the money is good too.

ETA - warranty work is no different to out of warranty diagnosis, same process maybe just a bit more narrative to write up and the customer is the manufacturer, not the driver - in essence, you diagnose it, develop a remidial plan, order the parts and carry out repairs -once done, confirm the concern has been rectified, job done. Nothing really different to driving into an indie with the EML illuminated, possibly more in-depth diagnostic equipment?.

I was talking about this with another garage owner last week.

Up until about ten years ago - lots of indie garage enterprises were being started up by "ex main dealer techs" - now from what we hear - lots of main dealer techs are jumping ship and going into "renewables"

 

[Ubique]

Well if they've had the EV training, I can see why, round here there is the occasional 'raid' by RR Aero which thins the herd of the lazy & feckless, that said, there isn't much new blood coming in that will stay in the trade for long. We have recently taken on a couple of techs from indies (not 'west') that are very happy to be here and feel the work environment is less stressful than they were used to - neither are under 30, one was on minimum wage...

 

[Robotstar5]

We had bonus if not taking unreasonable time off over a three month period, ie throwing a sicky. Parts target and labour target. Service mangager had a few warrrenty jobs always held back (not many, it was mazda) that he could call and get in if we were close, then jobs could be invoiced either early or late to suit achievement and once or twice fake jobs were booked out and paid for by us so we could get that magic target.
The thing is it wasn't a stressed job, mainly servicing or pdi's due to the cars being ultra reliable.Morning get a few services done, afternoon a couple of pdi's.

That reminds me of the production manager that was a dozen cars short of getting his bonus before the summer shutdown, he sent someone back down the track to scan the VINs on a dozen unfinished cars so he hit the magic target as far as the computer was concerned, the problem came when we tried to start up again after the shutdown, the build stations refused to process the VINs because as far as they were concerned those cars had already been built so the track didn't move for a couple of hours while we sorted it out.

 

[Trevorleach]

Well if they've had the EV training, I can see why, round here there is the occasional 'raid' by RR Aero which thins the herd of the lazy & feckless, that said, there isn't much new blood coming in that will stay in the trade for long. We have recently taken on a couple of techs from indies (not 'west') that are very happy to be here and feel the work environment is less stressful than they were used to - neither are under 30, one was on minimum wage...

Truck wshops are stealing the car mechs, as the trucks pay more

 

[premmington]

Truck wshops are stealing the car mechs, as the trucks pay more

Heavy stuff does pay - was talking to our new Snap On man - £50k a year is starters in a truck workshop (they gotta pay them more than the drivers).

Start doing shift work - nights - it can be a real good job on the spanners money wise.

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Snap On man - also told me - he only supplies 5 or 6 apprentices on his whole round - and he will be going into loads of establishments.

 

[Bornfree]

Heavy stuff does pay - was talking to our new Snap On man - £50k a year is starters in a truck workshop (they gotta pay them more than the drivers).

I wouldn't do it for double that now. I had several years of working all weekend getting a truck ready for Monday morning and working all day and night for the next days testing.

 

[premmington]

I wouldn't do it for double that now. I had several years of working all weekend getting a truck ready for Monday morning and working all day and night for the next days testing.

The thought of "trailer fitting" - all the big hammer work - makes me sweat too...

 

[Bornfree]

The thought of "trailer fitting" - all the big hammer work - makes me sweat too...

I didn't mind trailers. 8 wheel tipper's were my least favourite. So much work and usually covered in muck.

 

[Trevorleach]

The thought of "trailer fitting" - all the big hammer work - makes me sweat too...

I cannot stand trailers, but as I get older I cannot stand the trucks either!

 

[Ubique]

Truck wshops are stealing the car mechs, as the trucks pay more

There's no appetite for working on trucks around here, just the usual 'magic roundabout' of moving round the dealerships, some of the lads where I work travel 30-35 miles a day to work & back, passing truck workshops that are advertising for tech's, not quite £50k, nearer £38-40k which is car Diag/Master tech money.

 

[8ob]

Nope, chains do fail, become noisy and lose timing relationships due to wear - they're also a relatively heavy system so carry a weight penalty vs. the friction penalty of dry belts. Also, chain manual adjustment is very old tech - a bit like Grandad 'doing his tappets' on a Saturday afternoon. These days (post turn of the century) if you can hear a chain - which I often do, it needs replacing. I've worked for manufacturers and dealers of manufacturers where there is a preference for chains, dry belts, wet belts or a mix. The engines with belts were/are by far the better running and more refined ones - again, going on engines from the current century. Probably the worst performing and most repaired chain-driven engine IMO is the Audi 3.0TDI.

Seems to be true of the transit 2.4`s, ignore that death rattle on start up at your peril. Some of ours have let go at less than 80k, others are ok at 150k so god only knows whats going on with fords.2.8 mitzy chain in my truck is still quiet at nearly 300k.
Often wonder if service intervals wouldn't be better gauged with hour meters, 10k of city driving involves considerably more engine time than a reps car on a motorway.

• 

 

[James1979]

Often wonder if service intervals wouldn't be better gauged with hour meters, 10k of city driving involves considerably more engine time than a reps car on a motorway.

• 

Often wondered the same. I’ve got a meter to go in my truck when I get a minute.

It’s ex utility so although 120k when I got it, it’s probably done nearer 150k ticking over. Spends a lot of its life on tickover here - running rooflights, inverter, etc etc. summer if I’ve got pup with me, which is daily most of the year to be fair, I leave it running all day with the ac on for her if it’s hot.

 

[Robotstar5]

It’s ex utility so although 120k when I got it, it’s probably done nearer 150k ticking over. Spends a lot of its life on tickover here - running rooflights, inverter, etc etc. summer if I’ve got pup with me, which is daily most of the year to be fair, I leave it running all day with the ac on for her if it’s hot.

The same as emergency service vehicles, they even have "run lock" devices fitted so they can leave them running with no danger of them been stolen.

 

[James1979]

They will be lucky - I heard Fords had run out of replacement engines - back order to factory in Dagenham - vans now made in Turkey but engines still made in UK (I think?)

It’s here and in I’m told!

Dunno where it came from other than ‘Ford’ but I’ve a feeling they ordered it before pulling the old one. Equally I’m not sure how long it had been out before i went by. I only go there every few weeks.

 

[James1979]

The same as emergency service vehicles, they even have "run lock" devices fitted so they can leave them running with no danger of them been stolen.

Mine has too

Confuses the fk out of people

Run lock won’t run AC though. I am tempted to turn the AC pump into a compressor and put a 12v fan in the roof, which run lock will run.

Low oil pressure on tickover worries me but I don’t think L200s had that issue.

Some police cars had run lock remotes, like a pager type thing, the officers wore. If they had to jump out and run the run lock would activate as soon as the remote was out of range.

 

[Robotstar5]

Some police cars had run lock remotes, like a pager type thing, the officers wore. If they had to jump out and run the run lock would activate as soon as the remote was out of range.

I bet they loved that, they already carry enough kit on their vests without adding weight when they have to chase "runners"

 

[James1979]

I bet they loved that, they already carry enough kit on their vests without adding weight when they have to chase "runners"

That’s a whole other thread. You would not believe it to be honest.

 

[Ubique]

Purely by chance, had a 68 plate diesel with loss of power issues, been to an indie and had the low pressure EGR valve replaced - no different, lots of low boost related DTC's and they reckoned the EGR was leaking or losing it's position reference which is why they changed it....
Service history - first service at dealer, after that, no records although the SII had been reset sporadically and no indication of what oil specification had been used (the current owner bought at three years old but didn't bother keeping service records or receipts), mileage is circa 55k. Anyway, drove it in, definite loss of power, EML illuminated and a tell-tale turbo vane screech, sure enough, turbo bushings failed but very little oil around - this is why:-


The cause could be any or all of:-
Extended service interval
Incorrect specification engine oil
Predominantly low speed/temperature journeys.

It's not a failure we see often so it's unlikely to be an inherent defect.

 

[m_c]

Purely by chance, had a 68 plate diesel with loss of power issues, been to an indie and had the low pressure EGR valve replaced - no different, lots of low boost related DTC's and they reckoned the EGR was leaking or losing it's position reference which is why they changed it....
Service history - first service at dealer, after that, no records although the SII had been reset sporadically and no indication of what oil specification had been used (the current owner bought at three years old but didn't bother keeping service records or receipts), mileage is circa 55k. Anyway, drove it in, definite loss of power, EML illuminated and a tell-tale turbo vane screech, sure enough, turbo bushings failed but very little oil around - this is why:-
View attachment 400607View attachment 400608

The cause could be any or all of:-
Extended service interval
Incorrect specification engine oil
Predominantly low speed/temperature journeys.

It's not a failure we see often so it's unlikely to be an inherent defect.

Classic "I have to have a premium car", but can't afford to service it type owner?