BEWARE...Had my 2003 Sprinter 2500 serviced there, trans service, fuel filter change and coolant flush. When I went to pick up my Sprinter I had to wait for a couple of hours while their so called sprinter mechanics tried to get it restarted. They were running around with their heads cut off, calling the guy where they got fuel filter from to check to see if it was the right one, as far as I know there's only one for the that model year. They then proceeded to go through all the electronics to see if that was the problem and had to call their parts supplier to find out where the fuel relay was located. Now I knew I was in big time trouble and they turned their attention to me, asking me if I fueled it up yesterday and what the wire from the battery was that leads to the auxiliary battery. At one time they had all four people in the shop uselessly looking at it. I finally asked the owner if the guy working on it if he primed the fuel filter, and he said yeah yeah they did all that. Now they tell me they have to have it over night so they can figure out what's going on. I'm in a panic trying to figure a way to get my car out of there. I walked away wondering just what else they screwed up. I get a call as I'm waiting for my wife down the street from the shop, because I couldn't take watching them anymore and they tell me they got it running. The problem was the guy working on it didn't prime the filter and tried to start it causing a vacuum block. I think trained Sprinter mechanics would know how to change fluids on a Sprinter. Now I worry if the transmission was serviced right because when I look where the dip stick goes the plug that covers it is broken because they used something to pry it off. So AVOID and I can't stress this enough AVOID this place.
As a shop owner (and I am not defending shoddy work) as they say "crap happens"!
In many cases guys won't follow procedures and do things that are against shop practices.
In some cases I let it go , then on the other hand I have fired techs for doing their own thing, especially having been given clear cut instructions on what is needed to be done. Instead however they do their own thing--its a microcosm of America.
"Doing your own thing".
Once when I first worked here for a big US bus making corporation I heard the expression I had never heard before!
"Guys can we get with the program"
"Hmm a curious American expression!"
I didn't quite get it at first, but after 6 months providing tech bus service support across the USA I got it all right!--- Oh I got it alright!
An apt expression!
In England we have an expression for it!
The biggest "expletive" screw up since Dunkirk!--Nowadays when they hear
"Good Morning Vietnam" they know I am on the warpath about screws ups!
I get accused of micro-managing jobs but I find unless I keep strict vigilance on what going on things go sideways!
Simply put Jim will be Jim, Fred will be Fred and Art will artfully do crap work unless you are right behind his backside.
I even have had mechanics who purposefully have set out to do a crap job on a customer's vehicle so that they can get fired and claim unemployment!
As with most small businesses like Certified the buck stops at the owner's desk.
Instead of complaining publicly (which is justified) have you passed your concerns to the owner?
This happens in all sectors of many service enterprises including the medical field.
In that environment of course you don't get to see procedures, and the system closes ranks on screw ups!
Believe me even in that area there are monumental screw ups too!
It explains
in part again why the USA doesn't get the health care it needs in spite of paying double what other industrialized countries "enjoy".
The other area of inconceivable poor service and quality is the food industry.
Poop dressed up as pudding!
I once went to a chain Italian restaurant with my family and I selected "Chicken Parmigiana".
What I got was pre-prepared breadcrumbed chicken by a well known grocery food chain well bathed in Parma grated cheese quickly whacked under the heat lamp then bathed in olive oil!l
Yuk!
In short a total crap and not worth 25 bucks a platter!
Disgusted I went straight into the kitchen "a la mode Francais", and told the manager and guys in charge of the cooking this is crap & "how dare you foist this on the unsuspecting public"!
The manager asked me if I was a chef? ---No professional diesel mechanic!
My advise is to pick the phone up and vent your concerns!
If the response is negative then its worthy of a follow up post.
If on the other hand the business owner values your business he /she will do whatever it takes to gain you confidence and make you a repeat happy customer.
Let us know how you get on.
Dennis
