there is a pictures at my Mercury/ Lincolin dealership

[Deafautotech]

Hi, I just like to post where i am work for Crossroads Mercury/ Lincolin and Cheapercar.com dealership.

I am supposed to stay with Chrysler and Jeep dealership but when business don't make good sales while service and parts depts make good sales and services a more vehicles (less hours than before). they decided to closed the Chrysler/Jeep dealership building. they already laid off 7 employees. they want keep me work for them. so they did transferred me to next door (different building that same building for since 1963... i have no problems to work on Mercury and Lincolin vehicles while i am work for Cheapercar.com... my service manager dont want me to leave even he knew i was looking for other jobs... No jobs open for me yet... so i am stuck with Crossroads for now...

it made increased my hours to put in as average 10 to 20 hours in chrysler dealership. now i made almost 25 to 40 hours a week (sometime 6 days a week)... but i am still hourly employee... Even Owner of Crossroads requested my service manager to monitor my clock in and clock out sheet because i was work a lot of overtimes. that reason is i work for 6 days many times which over 50 hours a week... I did told my parent about that issue and my parent said it is stupid because they keep ask me to work on saturday. But my service manager told Owner that i work on 6 days a week many times and earn the paid. my service manager told me to dont worry about it.even he said if it is problem then i may take a day off sometimes... i almost tell him if Crossroads try to save money and they dont want pay me to work then i am gone! but i keep it myself.

[LoneGunman]

I don't understand what the problem is, are you not wanting to work the OT or do you want the OT and they are trying to take it away? The owner can complain all he wants if you are working the hours and your manager tells you to come in for those hours then they have no choice but to pay you, you are getting time and a half, right?

[justinmc]

Deaf,

Glad they kept you around. Seems like you work hard and pull your weight and know your stuff. These days with dealerships folding up and laying folks off its a good sign they kept you. So you are hourly and were only booking 10-20hrs on the Chrysler side? OUCH... at least you'll be getting close to a 40hr week on the Lincoln/Merc side. Alot of dealerships are overstaffed.. have 30 guys getting 15-25 hrs a week vs. having 20 guys getting 40 hours a week. Its smart to trim out the "fat" if you will but the bad thing is some good folks get hurt in the process.

Looks like thats certainly an older shop... pretty dark in there? It seems it from the photos you took.

[justinmc]

I don't understand what the problem is, are you not wanting to work the OT or do you want the OT and they are trying to take it away? The owner can complain all he wants if you are working the hours and your manager tells you to come in for those hours then they have no choice but to pay you, you are getting time and a half, right?

He mentioned them watching his clock punches.. I'm guessing they must think he was getting too many hours while they are trying to cut back or keep things on a more even scale. I know with work scarce in alot of shops service managers have to work hard to try to keep an even amount of hours going to each tech so there isn't one guy getting all the "gravy" work and the hours while other guys aren't getting anything.

[krusty the clown]

service managers have to work hard to try to keep an even amount of hours going to each tech so there isn't one guy getting all the "gravy" work and the hours while other guys aren't getting anything.


never seen that happen before............every shop i've ever worked in tickets were hidden from the rest so they went to the golden boy's.

[krusty the clown]

andy, don't sweat it. most shops cut out overtime for hourly guy's when it's slow. it's obvious they like your work and want to keep you.

[SpiderGearsMan]

if you think it is easy to break 40 hours in the current climate , you don't know our business
good luck deafautotech
fords blow up more than chrysler

[Deafautotech]

I don't understand what the problem is, are you not wanting to work the OT or do you want the OT and they are trying to take it away? The owner can complain all he wants if you are working the hours and your manager tells you to come in for those hours then they have no choice but to pay you, you are getting time and a half, right?

i was supposed to be work for 5 days but sometime i have to work 6 days a week because my work open Saturday from 8 to 3. my work prefer me to show up at work before 7:30am everyday until 5pm or 6pm(if have waiting vehicles to fix). most of time i have to work through the lunch time. so most of time i work for like about 9 hours a day. i always get overtime. 5 day X 9 hours is 45 hours. so i got 5 hours of overtime paid. but when i got like 55 hours which i got 15 hours of overtime paid. so it is considered as too much money for owner to see that paid to me... my service manager told me not worry about it but i feel like i should be.. i rather to have job instead no job. i won't work at my work if they refused to pay me for overtime. i dont understand why my service manager told me that i am one of best technicians that crossroads have... Even they want me to stay there instead lay me off????:headscrat:headscrat

[Deafautotech]

Deaf,

Glad they kept you around. Seems like you work hard and pull your weight and know your stuff. These days with dealerships folding up and laying folks off its a good sign they kept you. So you are hourly and were only booking 10-20hrs on the Chrysler side? OUCH... at least you'll be getting close to a 40hr week on the Lincoln/Merc side. Alot of dealerships are overstaffed.. have 30 guys getting 15-25 hrs a week vs. having 20 guys getting 40 hours a week. Its smart to trim out the "fat" if you will but the bad thing is some good folks get hurt in the process.

Looks like thats certainly an older shop... pretty dark in there? It seems it from the photos you took.

that true! Crossroads already lay off the two techs that has over 25 years of exp mechanics. but they lay off other two techs who dont make a good effort or even took too long break like too many smoke breaks and too long lunch break...

Crossroads Mercury and Lincolin have 5 techs included me. before closed down the chrysler, Mercury/Lincolin has 4 techs and Chrysler has 5 techs. right now it is 5 techs.

the pictures that i took was shop that lights were off so they can save money. i cant turn it on again to make better pictures.. that service dept are same since 1963 even paints on ceiling are fall down and when rain, roof are leaking a bit.. i did saw some of Ford Rep from Ford company came in and told the Master tech that crossroads are one of worse dealership in Indiana so master tech got offer from other dealership that Ford Rep make good offer to master tech. so that master tech left... he was great tech but he said he won't work for bad dealership...

[krusty the clown]

andy, the owner wants to cut his costs. his discussion was aimed at the the service manger. they cannot refuse to pay you if THEY ask you to work overtime, but they can if YOU come in and work without. it's simple, untill work picks up work 8 to 5 m-f and take your lunch. only work saturday if they ask.

[Deafautotech]

if you think it is easy to break 40 hours in the current climate , you don't know our business
good luck deafautotech
fords blow up more than chrysler

i dont know what is your business is. but i just follow the Flat rate manual to make right time to bill instead try to overcharge. the tech who work with me made his own flat rate times and he will make over 15 to 20 hours a day really easy!! even he did few time 120 hours a weeks... but what i saw his time was average70 to 80 a week. that tech just do electrical, HVAC, brakes, oil changes, tires rotates, and basic things. i do a lot of heavy line and do most of simple repairs...

i am trying to find other chrysler dealerships but no of them are hiring now unless i am level 4 chrysler certified.... so it is BUM!!:(

[Deafautotech]

never seen that happen before............every shop i've ever worked in tickets were hidden from the rest so they went to the golden boy's.

well i do most of gravy jobs but my boss keep balance the job so all techs can make good flat rate time as most of techs make more then 8 hours a day as average.

[Deafautotech]

andy, don't sweat it. most shops cut out overtime for hourly guy's when it's slow. it's obvious they like your work and want to keep you.

thanks. the owner just dont like pay too much for someone who make too much money than other tech who is on flat rate... so well...

[Deafautotech]

andy, the owner wants to cut his costs. his discussion was aimed at the the service manger. they cannot refuse to pay you if THEY ask you to work overtime, but they can if YOU come in and work without. it's simple, untill work picks up work 8 to 5 m-f and take your lunch. only work saturday if they ask.

true. but my service manager want me to be at work first so work can be ready if customer pop up that need oil change now or have check engine light on which i can diagonsic almost anything. if my work want cut my times, fine then i have day off!! but if they want me to work 5 or 6 days then pay me that way or i am leaving...

[Merkava_4]

I read through the whole thread. I sounds to me like there's a disagreement between the owner and the service manager as far as necessary hours and Andy is getting caught in the middle. I'm thinking if Andy is asked to work on Saturdays by the service manager, then the owner needs to shut up and go fly a kite.

[Deafautotech]

I read through the whole thread. I sounds to me like there's a disagreement between the owner and the service manager as far as necessary hours and Andy is getting caught in the middle. I'm thinking if Andy is asked to work on Saturdays by the service manager, then the owner needs to shut up and go fly a kite.

Correct! i has discuss with my service manager and he said sometime he noticed that owner want to do different path while service manager do the other path... both of them never will get work out right in first place... the owner always decided to come to work and complaint about everything even told my service manager to closed secondary garage doors inside so saving the heating (my work used the oil to heat the shop. but my service manager said it will used a lot of electrical if keep open and closed the secondary garage doors.

my service manager like to have me to work on Saturday but costly for crossroads to pay me for overtime... the flat rate techs always grumpy to work on Saturday if dont make good hours..

[billymade]

This is definitely the downside to working in a shop; all the political BS you have to put up with... Andy, hope everything works out regardless; I am glad that you still have a job! :)

[bchee]

i am trying to find other chrysler dealerships but no of them are hiring now unless i am level 4 chrysler certified.... so it is BUM!!:(

What else do you need to do to get to level 4 certification? Is it a lot more money?

[autoace]

Dealerships and service writers, could ruin a day at the Playboy mansion. The political bullshit is too deep. I'm not the kind of guy; that deals well, with ass kissing, golden tech BS. I went off on a service writer so bad, he told the GM to fire me, or he wouldn't come back to work. I didn't lose my job, but I was told not to make empty threats to any other service writer, if I could help it. I told the GM, the threats were not empty, if he kept up his dishonest cut rate BS. They pretty much steal from you, and expect you to eat it and smile. Glad those days are over for me.

[Frank Elson]

Andy, it sucks that you're having a bad time under the new set-up.
We have a saying over here "keep your head down".
So, just do what your service manager tells you and keep looking for another position.
Can you make that next level qualification in evenings?

Good luck to you mate.

[Merkava_4]

I never could quite figure out why dealerships need service writers anyway. If I'm gonna have some work done on my car, I want to talk directly to the guy that's gonna be touching it, not some paper pushing bastard who knows nothing about cars.

[Deafautotech]

I never could quite figure out why dealerships need service writers anyway. If I'm gonna have some work done on my car, I want to talk directly to the guy that's gonna be touching it, not some paper pushing bastard who knows nothing about cars.

i am agree with you! if service advisor are suck then dealership are suck! my service manager and i dont like one service advisor as that guy are suck! he always screw it up even make bad talk with customers sometime and worse he refused to do any call or file the paperworks! the problem is that guy is Owner's son!! damn it! my service manager tried to kick him out but owner keep tell him to stay work for daddy... he already have a bad history as drunk or being act like high during day time!! even he was upset and slam the door but hit customer by door... so my work have to keep tell customer that we are very sorry...

[Deafautotech]

What else do you need to do to get to level 4 certification? Is it a lot more money?

it need to access the chrysler training website to sign me up for more in class trainings and more website trainings. the reason why i need be level 4 are more knowledge, know what i am doing without "part swap", and more money on flat rate or better pay...

the level 4 are consider as master Chrysler technician...

[eschoendorff]

andy, don't sweat it. most shops cut out overtime for hourly guy's when it's slow. it's obvious they like your work and want to keep you.

That was my gut feeling, but I must plead a degree of ignorance here....

[eschoendorff]

I read through the whole thread. I sounds to me like there's a disagreement between the owner and the service manager as far as necessary hours and Andy is getting caught in the middle. I'm thinking if Andy is asked to work on Saturdays by the service manager, then the owner needs to shut up and go fly a kite.

But it also sounds like the service manager is on Andy's side... which could be an advantage, especially if Andy and that service manager need to look for other employment.

At this point, Andy, looking to the future.... do you really expect to work at that place for the rest of your life??? Having a service manager out there who knows your work could be advantageous when looking for a new gig. Just a thought...

[Elroy]

Andy: Remember "they" will ride a good horse right up until it drops.

[jay50]

Andy, before long you will be a Ford Certified tech at the rate you are going.
Good luck.
How about a pic of you muscling out one of those Ford Expedtion trannies...LOL

[davestlouis]

Unfortunately, good service writers are a necessary "middleman". The store where I used to work replaced guys like me with 21 year old bimbo's who know nothing about cars...the techs had nobody reining them in and they started going nuts overcharging on repairs, and charging for unnecessary repairs. The bimbos just acted like parrots, telling the customers what the techs told them. Had one tech telling a service writer that MB cars need front brake pads and rotors at every oil change, told her to explain that stop and go driving destroys the brakes...she sold a lot of brakes for a while there.

[bgott]

How about a pic of you muscling out one of those Ford Expedtion trannies...LOL

Better yet, how about pictures of you pulling the cab on a diesel F- 250 to do engine work.