Old Fart Rant at Tradies
OK so it's not about fishing but it is about the vehicle I use to get there. FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To cut a very long story short my Disco has developed over-heating problems for a while now. Me being me I have stressed about this and done some credible reasearch and had some paid professional opinion. The advice I got was that the radiator was blocked. OK so now I have to spend some bucks. I call in a radiator specialist to look at the problem and it quickly turns out without even so much of an effort that my radiator was fucked so I needed to spend $900 on a replacement. OK, so fuck it. It has to be done.
Ok so now it gets interesting. The labour charge is over $100 per hour for a guy who looks like his last shower was a week ago. I live 60kms from where I work. The cockhead drives off after taking out the radiator and rings me saying he will see me tomorrow. FFS!!!! Like I want to sleep in my warehouse???? Anyway, he comes back after a few threats and installs a new radiator. I only have 50% of the cash so he threatens to do something as his boss will not be happy. Anyway, that's another story LOL. He was paid at 7:30am next morning. A bit like a late payment on drugs albeit I haven't been in that situation but I do have Foxtell LOL.
OK so since then my Disco has been running sluggish and burning fuel. Also still overheating. The dickhead cretin radiator man suggests I need to rip off the head and get it fixed/replaced. Not a small task as it requires about $4000 if the head is fucked like he suggests. I panic and book an appointment with my favourite guys as Discovery Automotive to further diagnose the problem. On the way there my car shits itself on the Mitchell freeway with no power and black smoke pissing out of the rear. A bit like James Bond with his smoke screen up LOL.
So I limp to Wangarra at 20kms with smoke. Guys take a look and confirm that the problem is most likely turbo related (I thought this initially). Booked it in for a $400 hose replacement fix. FFS!!!!!!!!! 2 hoses and 1/2 hour of work?????? Anyway. Missus is spewing so I put on my superman cape and go in for the kill. Investigations under the bonet in my driveway taking 10 minutes and a lot of swearing reveal that the cockhead radiator man has left a hose clip off the turbo pipes! FFS!!!! 100 liters of diesel and a lot of fucking stress and embarrasment on the freeway. Intially it would seem that air was pissing out of a loose connection and then ultimatley, the hose blew off and I had fuck all turbo boost at all and an engine that needed ventoline!
Anyway, it's a good laugh for you lot but take heed. Do not trust these bastards and do not be misled. I needed a degree to charge what they charge and my trade is blue-chip so to speak. What gives the tradies to right to charge what they do now and not provide a quality of service????????
OK fuck it.. The rant is over and I am going to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
strike_zone
Posts: 403
Date Joined: 09/09/10
THAT SUX
unfortunatly there are a few bad eggs out there but they are not all bad hopefully karma comes back to bite them
DieHard
Posts: 1823
Date Joined: 06/10/08
ahahhahahahwell least it got
ahahhahahah
well least it got sorted in the end ;)
DieHard – The Official “Ray & Shark” Chaser!
Yewiefish85
Posts: 792
Date Joined: 02/01/11
no disrespect but have you
no disrespect but have you thought that this "radiator specialist" may infact not be a tradie?, many people that work in this type of job (so called specialists) just get shown how to do the job a couple of times and hey presto "specialist"
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
A/C
I got an air con guy that is gonna get some "bad karma" if i see him again lol
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
forget the tradies
your issues started when you decided you could beat the odds and buy a LD disco that wouldn't cause you grief.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Bullshit!!
That's the biggest load of crap HuggyB and you know it. It's poorly researched and untested opinionated crap like yours that sets me off. You sound like a Toyo salesman. Are you?
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
Perry Home
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 07/10/10
"My Disco"
There's your problem man. Any vehicle that has a service fee of $800 plus ( work colleague I knew had one briefly) is gonna be a drama when things head south. BTW we all have moments with our vehicles - if you choose expensive vehicles to repair then you just gotta suck it up when it comes along. FFS!!!!!!!!!! Oh Yeah -forgot to mention I feel for ya cos we all get caught at some point or another & I've had my fair shair over the years!
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
I worked with the automotive industry
for 5 years mate, both here and overseas. I did 3 month research trial with landrover in england and a 2 month one in South Africa. While not a complete expert, I know what I know and wouldn't touch them with a barge pole - people who work there won't even drive them despite being offered heavy discounts. And make sure you keep an eye on the gearbox, expensive problem that pops up a lot.
What is your "tested and researched" opinion based on?
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
honsu chin
Posts: 2086
Date Joined: 20/09/05
Lol....I think he drives a
Lol....I think he drives a holden and a Bell helicopter.......
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Shuddup you
Back in you box son!
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
I am lucky with my tradie that works on the hungy
I just had the whole front end as in wheel bearings steering, damper, shocks and all the diff oils changed and it and the brakes redone and he charged me very little.I hope to get a bit more than the 400000 i got out of the last lot.The new clutch i got at 360000 is working a treat though $800 bucks well spent.
I may get someone to look at the radiator soon now i have heard of yours crapping itself.The only thing i need doing now is my injector pump and the injectors and i should get another 300000/400000 out of the old battle wagon.
The only bad thing about the toyotas is the new 200 is too expensive at the moment.They are a bit soft but still kick most others ass.No offence intended Vince but i know a fair few disco owners and they have all had issues unfortunately.They are a good car when they are going but you need to keep the wallet full for when they are not.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Back to the thread
It's amazing really. How people can hijack a subject based on their opinions. My thread relates to my discontent with trades people who cannot do what they are paid to do and give poor advice. My choice of vehicle brand is not what I was eluding to and not my original intent of this thread. HuggyB, take a look at the situation and tell me why Land Rover have such a huge presence in the 4 x 4 market globally. This problem is over I hope and no thanks to those who puport to be experts. It comes back to the basics regardless of the make.
My vehicle (bless it) is 10 years old and requires TLC as my wife does. I am OK with that.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
I will ask my mechanic today
if he works on land rovers.Mine is a 99 model and he has worked on it from new and will continue to until i move it on.It drives almost as well today as the first day i got it .It has been to hell and back twice and is half way back again
He maybe able to help you out in the future.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
meersy
Posts: 278
Date Joined: 20/04/10
You may have paid a bit more
You may have paid a bit more for the repairer to come to you as i have a workshop and have a differant rate for mobile work.Never the less if the job was done right you wouldnt even be mentioning the price.I would be giving the bloke a call since it was his fault with the turbo pipe:)
stoltzy
Posts: 17
Date Joined: 18/10/10
You will find that the tradie
You will find that the tradie doing the job will only get paid maybe $35-$40 per hour the rest goes to the boss from which he has to pay Workers Comp, Pub Liab, Payroll tax, fuel, vehicle costs and probably rent. Doesn't not take much to reach the $100/hour that the boss charges. Had the hydraulic steering repaired on the outboard recently, labour charge $100 per hour for a guy that looked like he just left school.
Colt_Striker
Posts: 624
Date Joined: 26/07/09
Spot on Stoltzy with why
Spot on Stoltzy with why trades charge so much, also gets my goat when so called Profesional people that sit behind a desk sprout off about what some one who did a 4 years apprenticeship to learn their craft verses them that sat in a uni lecture theatre can charge. Aside from that poor service is not acceptable that is also why I upgrade both mine & the Mrs to new cars every 3 years as the warranty period comes up, you know what services cost each time & any breakages are covered so no out of pocket. If you do the maths it actually works out cheaper than keeping cars longer, especially if you buy ones like toyota that hold their value better than others.
dodgy
Posts: 4578
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Toyotas hold their value
Toyotas hold their value because of a reputation for reliability.
If your car has poor resale it's generally because as they grow older they become less reliable.
Fact is landrovers have terrible resale for this reason.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Rodrat
Posts: 1672
Date Joined: 13/01/07
mmmmmm
Customer service seems to be a thing of the past unfortunatley theses days. Don't get me wrong there are a few good places that still treat you like a customer and not like a giant walking wallet! lol. As for the cost of things, it is hard to understand the overheads and other aspects that businesses have to pay out to be able to offer a service unless you run or own one urself! I do and the margin that is put on a product or service has to cover a lot. Also there is a lot of dodgey people out there who claim to be specialists or qualified but the truth is most aren't! Anyone can register a business and call themselves a pro! Anyway good to hear ur probs are solved, personally i would be ringing the "radiator specialist" and telling him what he did or more so what he didn't do.
FISH FOR THE FUTURE
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Cheers guys. It was a laugh posting and good retoric
Those who know me will see the humorous side in this. I still love my baby and it still ticks over. After fixing the turbo hose problem I had a good run today but I will still take it to my good friends at Discovery Automotive to further check out a few things to put my mind at rest. I think the core problems are with the turbo system and boost. That can happen with any model especially when some dickhead can't get things right after expensive necessary repairs like a radiator (again, this happens to all makes and models).
My rant probably wasn't that fair on the tradies in general so excuse me for that. I am quite analytical and think things through. My thought processes get totally screwed when I see "experts" quoting various different opinions at dramatically differing prices.
Oh my... my head hurts again...
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Happy
You'll be happy to know Vince that I actually saw a disco in the flesh today in Kununurra. Did have NSW plates on it though.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
PJAY
Posts: 1005
Date Joined: 12/05/09
that disco got to kununurra
that disco got to kununurra on the back of a truck big john....lol
The Kimberley....perfect one day and more perfect the next!!!
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
i saw one last night
the disco 4 parked halfway around a roundabout with bonnet up and hazard lights going was going to offer to tow them to the side but they had left the car there.I would say they had walked to the shopping centre to call a towie.
The older ones seem to last longer.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18030
Date Joined: 11/03/08
good to hear you got the
good to hear you got the disco fixed despite the hiccup with the mobile bloke. NOW STOP YOUR WHINING your sounding like a pom.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Vander72
Posts: 433
Date Joined: 20/10/06
toyota landcruisers
cant beat em......diesels just keep going
mines done the trip across oz 5 times and never misses a beat........gotta love that sort of reliability.......
profish540
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 28/03/09
What crap
I have a Defender 130 never had a drama not sure where all the experts on here get there info from.Holds its value and works its guts out up here in the Pilbara where there is no suport.
Hey Vince bad luck with the Knob head mate no one likes that kind of service
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Sounding like a POM LOL
I am a POM Russ. Only been here 45 years though. Doesn't stop me from dumping fom time to time. LOL. It's good for the system. All is well that ends well. I certainly know a lot more about the vehicle now and can save massive bucks avoiding the "specialists". More comfortable trips to my favourite spots now without any worry. I can't wait for the next opportunity to recover a Toyo.
and believe me, I have recovered a few (haven't I Steve 
).
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Lol
Steve can't drive though Vince, come to think of it, can he even see over the steering wheel?
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
Vince, you had a look at Wilf
Vince, you had a look at Wilf Chamber's for Disco? I bring mine up to him, certainly get charged for the service & don't expect much in way of PR but shit a brick they do a cracking job.
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Thanks for the heads up Lamby
The guys at DA do a geat job too. The problem I have is paying them LOL. That's the problem with older vehicles and older farts driving them. We tend to worry a bit and try to shave a buck here and there and quite rightly so.
Hey Big John LOL I see where you are coming from. It's a shame Steve is not around to Defender himself (dare I saY it LOL). He has begrudgingly taken a trip to see the olde folks with his wife.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
Hey vince
i hope it wasnt your car near the casino today with the rac working on it.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Nope
If anyone works on my car on the side of the road it's generally me LOL. And I certainly can't afford to be around the casino! Middle lane is my target now after a few hickups.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
It looked like it may have been terminal
they looked like the rac guy was calling for back up
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
RAC calling for backup?
It must have been a Landy then. The old term NFI comes to mind LOL
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.