Parts availability

bull958

bull958

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Mar 4, 2009
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Just wondering how everyone else is coping with getting parts these days? Case in point, had a truck break down in TN yesterday afternoon. Got towed to the dealership and they have narrowed it down to a bad fuel filter, according to their computer last night the closest one is in Las Vegas. They say the best they can do is try to overnight it tonight but no guarantees. This is not some old clunker, it’s an 06 Pete. This is not an isolated incident either, last month we had a control valve on a trailer go in Indianapolis. Just a plain old 53’ air ride van less than 5 years old and the closest one was in Salt Lake City and would take 3-4 days. Luckily sourced one in Toronto and had it over-nighted by FedEx for $300. Our local division has an 04 Freightliner straight truck that needed a muffler, the dealership told them 4-6 weeks!!!! They got lucky and found a place in Mississauga that made one up for them on the spot. I understand inventory costs money, but what about customer service? Looks like another industry where the almighty dollar rules and everything else goes out the window.
 
We suffer for the same issues, in our case its turbos for 2006 Cummins ISX engines...
OEM dealers have no accountability to the market for pricing or availability. I would gripe about it more if I had the solution....
 
without starting something too big....why is the trucking industry EVERYBODY'S whipping board? gotta laugh to keep your sanity in this sess pool!! hopefully you will get them rolling soon!
 
Freightliner Parts

For whatever its worth, everybody is complaining about Freightliner parts availability these days. They apparently closed down their Toronto parts depot and everything comes from the states now. Freightliner dealers and service people have been raising quite a fuss for a while as all of us have had equipment down longer than it should be while parts come in from the states
 
We had a truck into Kenworth Mississauga and needed a part (which was in stock) out of the Brampton warehouse but wouldn't get it for 19 hours because that was the next scheduled delivery. Asked if they would put it in a cab and they said for $30 which we replied "let's see truck down for 19 hours when we have work or $30" easy decision. We own half our fleet and lease half, seriously considering leasing all the trucks and let the Penske's of the world worry about parts. When you analyze it you can save owning your own trucks but is it worth the hassle.
 
lowmiler.....Penskes of the world are all well and good until they give you a retroactive rate increase.......I wouldn't even rent a straight truck from those shysters.
 
We have been dealing with Penske for 14 years with no issues and if one of our trucks is in for more than a service we have a replacement unit and are back on the road in less than an hour. You have to decide if you can have a truck down for 3 days without affecting your customers then owning is definitely the way to go.
 
and here I was thinking I was just singularly unlucky.... no solution but at least I'm in good company
 
lowmiler88 said:
We have been dealing with Penske for 14 years with no issues and if one of our trucks is in for more than a service we have a replacement unit and are back on the road in less than an hour. You have to decide if you can have a truck down for 3 days without affecting your customers then owning is definitely the way to go.
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Lowmiler - we are in the same place where we own half and lease/rent the other half.....we find the Nationalease/Idealease/Paclease independent franchises much better to work with than the national guys: ie Penske Ryder etc. Local ownership of account has meant local ownership of problem solving which is always a bonus.
 
Wiley One said:
Anyone dealing with Truckers assist? 24hr deal that they find you a service provider.
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I saw their ad, but thought that as they are just a third party "middleman" I could end up paying more. I usually use Truckdown.com .... I have had great success finding nearest repairs. I have a really good mobile repair guy called Dewey in Michigan if anyone ever gets stuck... he rocks!!!
 
I also use truckdown.com and have had success most of the time other times not so much. I'll take the Mich guys name as the last wheel seal repair in MI was $$$$$$$$$$$. Have found 2 pretty good guys in NJ and 1 good one in Indy. I think you would lose a bit of control using a repair broker.
 
I have been on both sides of that parts desk as well as the leasing end and an owner of a fleet of power units
On the parts side most dealers inventory on a part use base if they sold 3 in the last 1/4 they will stock 1 of that item > yes its a cost control thing everything is about money !
You get you best deals from sticking with not only the same vendor but stick with the same sales guy or girl ( find a good one thats certified ) It saves down time they will get to know your fleet.
Some will get you to the point of being at cost +10% .
On the leasing end of things there is lots of pros and cons Ryder seems to have the best program out there. They will keep you moving but as with anything you will still have units down . Ryder has a unit replacement , you pay for it in the lease but you do have some insurance that it you break down you can give a time line to your customers.
That said if some one gets into a real crunch with a unit down PM me. Some of the stuff that drivers report in can be fixed over the phone to get the load delivered and then arrange repairs to keep thing moving.
 
Bad fuel filter,

All trucks should carry spare fuel filters so the driver can change it or the guy doing the service call can change it on the side of the road. Other than waiting for the service guy they or it (some engines have 2) can be done out in 10 minutes. Cheapest way to go even if you don't use them. But I can't figure out why the place where you had your 2006 Pete didn't go to UAP or NAPA or take 1 off a truck in the yard. New or used filter would be better than what you had. Especially since they already made enough money off of you at this point. Maybe I didn't read it right but he did say it was just a fuel filter right?
 
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Wiley One said:
I also use truckdown.com and have had success most of the time other times not so much. I'll take the Mich guys name as the last wheel seal repair in MI was $$$$$$$$$$$. Have found 2 pretty good guys in NJ and 1 good one in Indy. I think you would lose a bit of control using a repair broker.
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I'll send you Dewey's tel #... He sent out a mobile repair unit, fixed my truck & .... wait for it.... sent him on his way!!!!! No payment, just told the driver to "see how it runs" & for me to call him the next day! A real genuine guy :)
 
jreid said:
Bad fuel filter,

All trucks should carry spare fuel filters so the driver can change it or the guy doing the service call can change it on the side of the road. Other than waiting for the service guy they or it (some engines have 2) can be done out in 10 minutes. Cheapest way to go even if you don't use them. But I can't figure out why the place where you had your 2006 Pete didn't go to UAP or NAPA or take 1 off a truck in the yard. New or used filter would be better than what you had. Especially since they already made enough money off of you at this point. Maybe I didn't read it right but he did say it was just a fuel filter right?
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I have no confidence in Peterbilt... I needed a new rad for a 2005 Pete... gave them the vin # & they managed to send me 3 rads, none of which fit. Then I was told it was "unique". Ended up getting one custom made. Every time something goes wrong with this truck, I hear the words I've come to dread... "it's a unique part". Seems like they made this truck with all the oddball parts lying around the warehouse. It wasn't bought to be a "designer" model :(
 
We had Pete's for our top drivers and got rid of them because of a bad dealership and went to Kenworth after 2 years we just dumped the KW after 2 years and got Freightliners. The Kenworths where way to costly (not all Kenworths fault Cummins was a big problem). Freightliners you can get them fixed anywhere and loaded up the drivers love them so don't tell Freightliner but that is the only truck we will buy from now on.
PS: have had Volvo's over the years and same wiring problems over and over.......love the trucks hate the wiring.
 
Wiley One said:
Anyone dealing with Truckers assist? 24hr deal that they find you a service provider.
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I used them once, it was a very strange encounter.

Had a truck breakdown in Hamilton, he was blocking an intersection and Hamilton's finest called me to have it towed out of the way immediately or they would start issuing tickets.

My regular guy was too far away to get to it in a timely fashion, so I called Truckers Assist. Having never dealt with them before, I was not sure of their service level. They found me an outfit who was in Hamilton, they got my truck on the road within 30 minutes, and charged me directly. No middleman through Truckers Assist.

Truckers Assist didn't even bill me for anything. They just sent me their package with a membership card. No invoice, no membership dues, nothing.
 
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