Do shops ever fix something on the first try?

Has anyone ever been to a shop where the mechanic admitted he doesn't know too much about your type of rig and may just have to throw parts at it, that you pay for, to hopefully fix the problem?
Or gone to a shop that has offered to charge you way less than their normal hourly rate while they undergo "on the job training" on your coach?

Kayteg1 wrote:

Trap wrote:
I just got done yesterday draining a gallon of oil that they over filled on my last service.

Wonder If I can get them to refund me for the extra oil they charged me for and didn't need:S

It is not the gallon that they overfilled. They used manual for capacity.
It is the gallon that they did not drain as "time is the money"

You are most likely correct, but getting them to admit to that one would be tough.

as one of those guys that can't fix anything right for the last 50 years(army and truck dealer) let me offer a different point of view. we are expected to be experts on every engine/transmission combination from the older mechanical engines to the latest ones that have particulate filters and scr catalyst using def. also be able to diagnose any electrical problem, particularly on motor homes without service manuals or wiring schematics. yes we make mistakes, sometimes our fault sometimes the customer insist that a part be replace because a friend told him that was the cure for his problem, or put a bandaid on it so he can get home, diagnostic troubleshooting trees for some fault codes on the newer engines can take 8 or more hours, at $150 an hour it adds up quick if not under warranty and with age and miles the more likely there is corrosion in the wiring and connectors causing fault codes. and as TNGW1500SE said there is the infamous $9.99 oil change
hope I didn't offend too many people with tis post thanks for letting me vent

I recently had a cat 3208t engine replaced by a local bus mechanic. He done the replacement within 4 weeks, putting in a remanufactured engine. When picked up, all gauges worked and never had to go back or ask for anything else. This gent is in his fourties and maintains 70 + diesel buses. And my job was done at a reasonable rate. And an excellent job.

If any fellow rv's need rv service near extreme western NC, use Rick' RV Service in Murphy, N C. Rick, the owner and tech Dusty are excellent rv techs and reasonable rates.

Nothing frustrates me faster than a bad mechanic. Not only do they screw things up, but then try to tell you that, "oh yea, it's supposed to make that noise." Luckily I have a good place to take my RV. My problem is with my fleet of trucks for my business. Had a great mechanic that decided to go into real estate. That was 3 years ago, I'm now on my third mechanic since then. Something that was never a problem is now a constant source of stress.
8 months and counting until we execute the sale of my business and I am done. 32 years of 12 hour days, 6 days a week. It can't come quick enough.

Yes, the ones who really know how to troubleshoot, usually been around awhile.

Fortunately I've found a good shop to work on my autos. The RV has been hit or miss, more miss unfortunately. There have been the exceptions such as the time a ford dealer in Lewisburg Pa fixed a broken brake fluid line without an appointment on a Friday before Labor Day and apologized for charging me $120. Just want a job done right for a fair price.

Shops would "fix it right the first time" more often if MOST customers didn't want a $9.99 oil change. Most people want it done cheap. Most mechanics are not paid as much as they should be. Many of them have thousands invested in tools and training. They're always too cold or too hot. They're dirty, aggravated and dealing with people at their "worst". Their vehicle has just broke, they don't have the money or the time and they think you're out to screw them. So the next time you go in for a $9.99 oil change, think about the guy out there covered in your waste oil. Most of them make maybe 40K a year and by the time he (or she) is 50, all the heavy work will have taken it's toll physically. Most mechanics are paid by the job. They have to hurry through your repair in order to get on the next one. The whole system sucks. If a shop pays their mechanics better, they have to raise their labor rate to the customers. Then most of their customers will go down the road to the "less expensive" place. If you want better service, people are going to have to be willing to pay more for it.

Yes.

wa8yxm wrote:
I have had this motor home in the shop for several repairs

Air conditioner (total failure) fixed (replaced) in one try
Leaking oil seal, rear axle,, Fixed first try
Misfire, turned out to be nibbled ignition wires,, First try
Broken Serp Belt (Well half of it, First try

Not so lucky with my car.. So far A/C two tries (Slow leak, the first time they made it a much, much slower leak (They found 2 out of 3 leaks) too soon to tell if they fixed it completly last try.

Evaporative Emmissions System leak.. Still working on that one. We know the problem but the funds are not yet present. Had to spend them elsewhere.

No luck on my evap. leak either..takes a special kind of mechanic that stayed awake in class to work with this system...