# Repairs... Done In-House or go to Repair shop?



## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

Hey guys

Just wanted to see if you guys did all your repairs In-house or if you sent them out to the service center?


I do 95% of every thing In-house, but I know some guys send there trucks to the service center for everything.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Yes...........


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

we were probably 50-50 before, but have a mechanic starting on monday, thank god.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

It's just me and a couple of trucks. Did everything myself for years. Went white collar and started going to the garage. Back to doing it all myself.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

2COR517;826350 said:


> Went white color and started going to the garage.


You related to Michael Jackson?


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## ABES (Jun 10, 2007)

I do as much as I can myself only the really big jobs I take to a mechanic I just dont have the tools and shop space to do everything myself.


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

For me alot of it depends on the weather- I'll try to fix just about anything but if its 12 degrees with 4" of snow on the ground off to the shop it goes. Its alot nicer working on a truck in a heated garage; someday I hope to have one...payup


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Mark Oomkes;826351 said:


> You related to Michael Jackson?


Guilty as charged......

Do me a favor and edit that before I get labeled a bigot:laughing:


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## dellwas (Oct 16, 2005)

I've only got the one truck, 97 F350 diesel. My trade used to be pro mechanics, but small engine and motorcycle.

I have a fairly good equipped garage so I do my own repairs wherever possible. From tire changes to welding, and most stuff in between.


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

I Spent all day in the shop on my truck, Wenching might not be my favorite thing to do but I could think about taking it to the repair shop and paying the high bills.

I spent all day in working on my 2001 F250's front end

All new:

Ball Joints, Wheel Joints, Axle Seals, Wheel bearings, Shocks, and Fluid change in the front.

To have that done at a shop would of been nuts to pay.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

In house.........also fix others too


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

If you're running older equipment, you really need to be able to do it in house/yourself.


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## Sydenstricker Landscaping (Dec 17, 2006)

I do everything myself. From my lawn mowers to the truck and everything in between. Only thing I really couldnt do is a transmission, although I may try. I bet I have saved thousands by doing this stuff myself versus paying someone. 

Only part that sucks is I have a three season garage and a four season driveway, lol


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## f250man (Jan 28, 2005)

Well Clap weres my consultation fee every 10 mins you called with a new question while fixing your front end on your truck.. LOL Glad I could help Buddy.


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

f250man;827906 said:


> Well Clap weres my consultation fee every 10 mins you called with a new question while fixing your front end on your truck.. LOL Glad I could help Buddy.


Were hook you up lol....

It was more like 15mins.... GEEZ....


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## shott8283 (Feb 17, 2008)

everything in shop/in house except majors like transmissions etc etc


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## camconcrete (Sep 14, 2008)

poor folks have poor ways. Unless I've got something under warranty, its off to the shop for some busted knuckles and miller lite. thank god my wife and just bought a place with a barn large enough that I can pull my truck in with the plow on and still have plenty of room to spare all the way around. now I just gotta get moved in so I can go thru the whole front end from wheel joints to the rotors and everything in between.


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## f250man (Jan 28, 2005)

Clapper&Company;828423 said:


> It was more like 15mins.... GEEZ....


Your right what was I thinking xysport


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## partsguy08 (Sep 1, 2008)

f250man;827906 said:


> Well Clap weres my consultation fee every 10 mins you called with a new question while fixing your front end on your truck.. LOL Glad I could help Buddy.


If he gets a consult fee, I should too. lol


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## APLC (Nov 25, 2008)

do most everything in my power (with the help of you guys) in house, and my uncle is a master mechanic with a sweet A*$ lift in his pole barn and about 30k in Snap On and does everything in there.


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## Elite Property Services (Oct 28, 2008)

I do as much as I can. ITS A ***** BEIN POOR.


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## MSS Mow (Mar 19, 2006)

While I enjoy the thought of being able to do repairs in-house, I simply need my stuff to actually "work" after being worked on, so it typically goes to the shop for any maintenance. Auto mechanics is not something I know. Fortunately, my employee does have some basic knowledge so starting this summer, we started doing some stuff in-house. Felt pretty good to get some of the "projects" completed that I didn't really want to pay someone to do.


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## cubicinches (Oct 19, 2008)

Both... we take them to a repair shop, but it's my repair shop... sooo, I guess we're doing the repairs ourselves.


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## jhook (Jan 24, 2004)

I do a lot of the stuff myself. I have a nice shop and enough tools. Not a pro, just like to play around and have learned a lot after 17 years in this biz. But in the winter when we are busy, stuff just goes straight to the mechanic. It isn't worth my time. I use the summer to get everything up to speed, overhaul the plows and all that kind of thing. Once the snow flies i am billing out 2x or 3x what I pay the mechanics by the hour so just isn't worth my time unless we get more than a couple days in a row off.


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## Bossman 92 (Sep 27, 2006)

My mechanic works so damn cheap I take everything to him. 

Last bill I had, 
Upper and lower ball joints ( both sides)
New U joints
New CV joints 
New tie rod ends
New lock-out hubs (one of the old ones was seized up and didn't turn anymore) 

Total $800 I would have spent half that in beer and bandages! 

Bossman


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## JohnnyRoyale (Jun 18, 2006)

All maintenance and small stuff in house. Any big stuff goes to the mechanic.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

I do everything in house. Just got a great new shop that I will be posting pics of soon. My back ground is in auto repair, now its landscape/snow. I hate to work on them, but I know how and it saves me huge time and money. My knowledge and tools allows me to purchase less than perfect vehicles, knowing that I'm able to repair them my self.


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## toby4492 (Dec 28, 2005)

Clapper&Company;827132 said:


> Wenching might not be my favorite thing to do but


Well post up some pixs of the wenches....................maybe we all could help you out


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## Injunfarian (Oct 17, 2009)

I am just starting this year but plan to do as much as I can inhouse unless its a long storm something goes wrong I need sleep to go out and work again then I would hire or for any welding etc I would hire but all else I will try to keep in house.


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## 02DURAMAX (Dec 27, 2006)

Everything I can I'll do In house.....anything that needs to be fixed in a hurry ill take it to a good shop I know!


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

I used to have everything done by a mechanic. But I recently hired this kid who seems to be very good at everything he does. And it just so happens he worked with a mechanic for 3 years and also restored a couple camaros. SO, since he started working for us he has been fixing everything for us. Its so nice having a guy in the shop that knows how to handle most any repair.


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## mullis56 (Jul 12, 2005)

Full time mechanic on staff, helps out a lot! He also has assistant that is available if need be during events. We offer help fixing our subs equipment during events also at a discounted rate vs normal shop.


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## RODHALL (Nov 23, 2005)

Transmissions are out of shop but everything else is in house...

Fixing others cars for living is an advantage...


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## Moonlighter (Mar 31, 2008)

I fix and rebuild everything in house, used to work as a mechanic at a shop so I have all my own tools and equipment. Big welding jobs I am starting to send to a fab shop, and I don't do trannys, I switch um out but can't stand the smell of burnt tranny fluid.


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## asps4u (Sep 16, 2009)

Everything goes to the shop. But I own the shop too, so I guess technically it's in house


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## M.McDaniel (Oct 29, 2004)

As told to me by a professional risk management consultant; "all fleet vehicles (corporate owned) must be serviced by a licensed state mechanic to shed liability and stay legal. If an unlicensed person works on a vehicle that is not their own, it's illegal (thus the "license"), and if an unlicensed person repairs vehicle components that fall into a licensed category (brakes), they are responsible for the outcome whether negative or positive. If the brakes they repaired fail and it's deemed to be faulty craftsmanship, there could be civil penalties and/or, if someone gets hurt, criminal charges." I have all repairs beyond light maintenance performed by a licensed mechanic.


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## cubicinches (Oct 19, 2008)

M.McDaniel;845950 said:


> As told to me by a professional risk management consultant; "all fleet vehicles (corporate owned) must be serviced by a licensed state mechanic to shed liability and stay legal. If an unlicensed person works on a vehicle that is not their own, it's illegal (thus the "license"), and if an unlicensed person repairs vehicle components that fall into a licensed category (brakes), they are responsible for the outcome whether negative or positive. If the brakes they repaired fail and it's deemed to be faulty craftsmanship, there could be civil penalties and/or, if someone gets hurt, criminal charges." I have all repairs beyond light maintenance performed by a licensed mechanic.


Please define "licensed mechanic"


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## Shop's Lawn (Nov 9, 2008)

We are mostly in-house but during storms repairs go to my buddies shop that he owns. Its usually a trade off- less down time but repair cost is more- I always put that driver of the truck onto shoveling duty until his truck is fixed. I think its kinda funny everyone complains about mechinic repair bills, they charge 65/per hour upto 110/hour at the dealer here. If you think its pretty much what we make a hour snow plowing and us snow plowers hate low ballers plowing for 40/per hour or less! They charge what they need to make ends meet and still make a living.


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