Problems with obtaining maintenance service
 

I'm having a hell of a time out here with these shops. Atlantic Trucks in Pompano Beach Florida is the biggest rip off I have encountered yet. I needed my fifth wheel adjusted and they call me and tell me that I need a new one for $1300. I tell them no (I can get it done cheaper) and they tried to charge me over $200 as they had to completely reassemble the fifth wheel. Why was it disassembled? The service manager told me that they just meant put the pin in. Why over $200 then? I don't know he tells me.

Anyway then I take it to Wabash in Miami to have a new fifth wheel put on. Nice people there and several hundered dollars cheaper but then I start wondering why it's not under warranty. Nobody knows even though I got the contact at Hollander who is in charge of warranty for all Freightliners. Long story short it is now at Atlantic Trucks of Miami where they are replacing the whole thing (the plate ended up being cracked) under warranty.

But the reason for this post besides warning people about Atlantic Trucks of Pompano Beach, is I have been asking the dealer to flush and change the power steering fluid as well as the air dessicant filter. I read that needed to be done at my mileage. They keep trying to tell me not to do it. Pompano Beach told me not to do it and then charged me to tell me that.

I'm wondering is it me? Should I not be following the maintenance schedule in the book? Why do these people keep trying to dissuade me from doing this stuff when I am going to pay for it.

From what I read here it seems like people take care of their equipment but these dealers are acting like I'm crazy and wasting money.

I know why go to a dealer? Well for instance I wanted to get my coolant system flushed but the TA said they will change the fluid but they don't have the machine to flush it. I'm just trying to go by the book.

The worst part is I feel like everything is a rush and I obviously don't know mechanics. They adjusted the fifth wheel at Wabash (why did it need to be adjusted if Atlantic trucks supposedly did it?) and this time I asked them to show me this pin that everyone is adjusting and while he was doing that by chance he noticed the crack in the frame. Very nice people at that Wabash place. Good thing they noticed that caused supposedly I needed a new fifth wheel but that weren't going to replace the plate. Now they are replacing everything and for free. What a pain this stuff is.

A mechanic who isn't a complete idiot is a rare find indeed - at least up here in New England. :sad:

Well up there at least my friend owned a shop for cars anyways so I was always good there. Also he owned trucks so I'm sure he knew where to fix them. He doesn't own the trucks anymore but I'm sure could point me in the right direction.

The thing I don't get is the people that are telling me not to get the work are not only the mechanics but those that write up the tickets too. You would think they would want to right up as much as they can.

double post sorry

As far as flushing your coolant system, you dont need a machine

Drain all the coolant out

Fill it back up with straight water, insert garden hose into coolant tank, open petcock, run engine.

There you just flushed your coolant system. Takes 10-20 minutes and you will be good :wink:


As far as finding a good shop, good luck. I know the freightliner shop around here, Barloworld, is worthless :roll:

double post