Yep, that is standard shop practice. It's how they keep the lights on and pay the mechanics and insurance, etc.

 

If any one knows were to get and how to install that shaker scoop on my ram I'd like to know. I WILL do that mod and most likely hood paint.

 

Hey look, i really have no problem with someone earning a living....But i think $80/85 dollars an hour, for a job that they will complete in less time is a little excessive....Now i think, and this is only my opinion, that many people who feel the way i do about this issue will eventually do their best to stay away from dealerships (They're probably doing it already). I mean dealerships are having a tough enough time now just selling their vehicles, and to charge these excessive fee's for mechanical work, is only going to alienate them even more....
as i mentioned in another post, most of my coworkers, and friends drive imports..Granted many of them are made here in the US, but again they are still foreign made vehicles..two of them drive BMW's which are high maintenance vehicles..and these guys have no maintenance costs at all with there vehicles for a full 4 years...and that include brakes....NOW THAT'S
STANDING BY YOUR PRODUCT...WHEN A COMPANY CAN DO THAT, YOU KNOW THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR PRODUCT.
You know, I try and buy American so the jobs stay here, but when they continue to try and screw you at every chance...you just have to say enough is enough.....I really feel for the people working at these plants that make these vehicles, because in the end, they will be the ones hurting...But i think GREED is responsible....On these forums i have read time after time, about individuals who purchased these trucks, and encountered one problem or another...Then when they take the vehicle to the dealership, they get the run around.....I mean why is this necessary? These trucks aren't cheap..if someone has a problem with a vehicle the dealership should take care of it, and if its a nationwide problem there should be a recall, whether or not its a safety issue or not......If the company knows there's a problem then fix it..keep the customer happy..and he will come back. But,No they don't do this. they do their best to pass the buck, and tell you its not their problem. Look I'm just venting a little because all of this is crap......and mark my word,,AND I'LL GIVE ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME PERMISSION TO SLAP ME IF I DO....I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE..PERIOD.

 

I have also had bad experiences with the local Dodge dealer's service and parts department. About a year ago, I needed to have the rear differential rebuilt because something broke in it and there were chunks floating around in it. That alone put a bad taste in my mouth regarding Dodge. I do mostly highway driving and don't use it for pulling or hauling much. I also have a light foot, so there's no reason that the differential should fail like that. Yes, I changed the fluid regularly. That's how I found the chunks of metal. Anyway, I spoke to the service department and they said to bring it in on a Wednesday night so they could fix it on Thursday. It sat in their parking lot all day Thursday and they didn't even look at it until Friday. Another time, I needed to order those special light bulbs for the dash gauges that you can only get from the dealer. They didn't have them in stock, so I had them order some for me. When I went to pick them up, they had sold them to someone else earlier that day and had to order them again. I do most of the work on my truck, so I have limited experience with the dealer, but it's all been bad, which is why I will probably not buy another Chrysler product. The salesman sells the first vehicle, but the service department sells the second, third, fourth, etc.

 

kinda dissapointed to hear it, but i really can't argue with you. my family has had nothing but toyotas since 1996, and i decided to go get a ram. now i'm happy with the truck, but i've never heard so much negative about dealerships on a forum before.

Hawkeye, that problem you had is a very well known problem with the ram LSDs, good thing you caught it before it grenaded the rear end. But I agree, I wouldn't buy a second vehicle either if the dealership and manufacturer treated me like crap.

I had some work done on some emissions stuff on my yota a couple years back. found out there was a TSB with an extended warranty issued, and my camry barely squeezed into the warranty. stopped by the dealership one day, got a check in the mail. somehow i don't think dodge would make it that easy.

 

I think most dealerships/manufactureres rely on the fact that most people want to buy American. So they rely on this patrioticness of most individuals, but as you can see, as well as read daily that is no longer true, because manufacturing plants are closing all of the time....Don't get me wrong, I am not happy that people are losing jobs, but if you make a quality product and STAND BY IT, then they wouldn't have these problems...
Another example about my vehicle...My vehicle is a 2002. I take care of my vehicle, which means making sure that it's washed and waxed............Now, on the top of the door, as well as the hood, the paint is starting to wear...I mean its actually turned white......When i mentioned this a couple of weeks ago on this same forum, someone mentioned that i should never take my vehicle through a car wash.........NOW WHAT KIND OF STUPIDITY IS THAT? my wife has a Mercedes benz, which is 3 years older than my truck (1999) and that vehicle goes through all of kind of car washes, and there is not even a sign of wear.....she doesn't even need touch up paint, because there are no nicks on the hood or anything........quality workmanship.....
its funny often time when i go to a dealership, i see that alot of the employees parking spaces are filled with vehicles that are imports...now thats funny..
If you work for a company/dealership that makes such a quality vehicle, then why would you drive anything else?????????

 

Up here in Mass. there is a very high turnover for mechanics. There working one place then the next as say "Kelly Dealerships "own a dealership for every make. My buddie Scott went from Acura to infnity to Jeep to Dodge and is now at Nissan. All the while driving his neon. Might just be when a mechanics buys and pays for a car out right he has the ability to keep itrunning longer than the rest of us at far less cost. Why take on a another car payment if he doesn't have to? Just a thought. I'm thinkingif you look at an employee parking lot say at dodge at there is some old ones out there. That would mean it a good car because it lasted that long. Justthinking that with mechanics. things are a bit different.

Best bet is to have some good mechanics as friend and give your ride to them as side work to them. It's best for both in the long run.
My buddie picks my truck up at my houseand leaves his car for me , then drives to work just as Iwould , finds the problem , as I would, and then has all day to figure out the best way to take of it.

I'm a welder but Iknow damn right to take care of my mechanics. If you don't know one ask to meet the one working on your car , once it's personal ,he'll take of you. A little thing like a coffee gift card goes along way when he pushing the service writer to warranty something over making you pay.