As a former technician, I am now a service advisor due to health issues and the shop I work for also does a 3/36 warranty and I personally look for the best part I can to fix the vehicle. I stay as far away from dorman and Cardone as I can.
Thankfully, my employer rarely, almost never, installs the wings of failure. We also offer a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. I have worked for the shops that are concerned with a quick buck too, and I am much happier where I'm at now. Well said, and need to be said. Thanks!👍👍
I refuse to use dorman or cardone. We had a part supplier rep come in trying to tell us about their whatever junk they were trying to sell and I told them I won’t use anything but ____ parts. They looked at me and said “well you have to use whatever parts the service writer orders” well my service writer burst out laughing and said “no he doesn’t, and he won’t” I will not sacrifice my integrity for anyone. I’ve left multiple shops for using cheap parts. The shop I’m at have given me the freedom to tell them what parts I think are best
That’s one thing our father taught us in this business. Do the job right the first time treat your customers like family don’t worry about making it big on every job they will return over and over again. I love your take on the management groups 😂 😂 I feel the same !!!! If you need someone telling you how to run a business you need to find something else to do.
Being at a shop where I write my own parts lists, I write mostly for OEM parts from the dealer. I do primarily diesel engine repair. I've had the upset customers and service writers tell me we need to do it cheaper and save money. I just explain that a diesel engine is a huge investment and repairs are often labor intensive. A sub par part can cost you the engine in many cases. We will either be doing the repair with OEM parts and fixing it correctly or, unfortunately, I'm going to have to pass on the repair. My situation is different than some because my name has gotten around my area. We get a lot of customers who put my name out in front of the shop's name. I try to not say anything because I don't want issues with management about that, but it is my name and I'm not going to use cheap parts and start having things come apart. Like you said, quality repairs are important.
With how the world is today.they are damn sure lieing if oriellys making stuff let me go apply at the oriellys fuel pump factory oh wait guess what it doesnt exist
Only about 1 in 5 of my customers are willing to pay more for oem parts. The other 4 want the cheapest parts they can get. I think a lot of these people don't keep a car long enough for the dorman part to fail
When I started at my current shop there were 3 guys and the boss always pushed the quality. Now we have like 10 techs and I have noticed it’s hard to push quality when there is so much going on. Guys will order cheap parts because it’s available and people over look little things like tire pressure because they are lazy. I see this happening and there is not much I can do.
Question for techs to ask in job interviews: "What is your philosophy and practice on parts sourcing?". How they answer and what they answer should tell you A LOT about that shop.
I work also on the parts side and take it from first hand these after Market parts are " JUNK" I don't care what anyone says we have warranty coming in ALL THE TIME PERIOD!! If you what those repairs to last use OE parts only Trust Me.Great video Mike and I am glad you made this video because it needs to be done!!!!!
The only Dorman part on my car is the battery vent kit I installed. It's a tube and a grommet, what can go wrong? Well the grommet tore when I inserted it...
As a Mopar Dealer Tech I feel this, It's a problem both dealer and manufacturers sides all the way to the top and hurts my morale severely. Something I've adopted lately is to do EVERYTHING I can do, I'm the only person I control. Thankfully we have a guarantee (flat rate, 32 hours a week guarantee), so that as far as needing to work overly fast to get paid. This may sound wild to some as they think every tech should and do, but they don't. I ACTUALLY verify a problem on every car, every time. No matter the concern, I'll drive the car a mile or 2 to know what driving felt like before any repair (unless you know, undrivable) and at least 5 miles after. A little wipe down of the radio and cluster, shifter and steering wheel before returning the car. SUPER detailed repair notes, as ours are given to the customer (Thankfully). I also track ever job, line, ticket, vin time, everything separately for myself and 2-3 times a week verify it with our digital system. You'd be amazed how many "mistakes" happen after you finish your job as a tech in completing RO's. Also, seriously do not be afraid to say no to doing a repair or using a part you don't believe will work, took me years to realize that. Yes there's is times more or less when those thing happen, and that's where I'm 100% honest in the repair notes saying why and what was done, even if that means it says "despite recommending repair A, was advised to do repair B instead." If that doesn't end up on the RO, that's fine, there's digital receipts of all edits to stories, along with me having all my info saved personally. Has already been a discussion once between Me, Management, and Owners, and I can tell you I wasn't the one beat red when I pulled out my info. CYA Techs, and put your work above your pay. It's your honor. Do everything YOU can to do the customer right. Let other people be idiots, everything comes around.
Flat Rate Master, Don't take this the wrong way, but since you have been fired these have been some of your best, most focused videos. You are so right in these videos. Keep hammering the message, keep the videos coming.
JUST because of this post...... I just gave away a free tensioner with a BMW alternator, He could not afford the tensioner, but I want it right... He is going to get a nice surprise upon pick up. Thanxx to you.
Shop I was at had a 3yr/unlimited mile warranty. Not uncommon for cheap parts to be ordered unless we really pushed for better quality or OE. They were so concerned about margins that they used to give the techs 4 hours labor (example). And charge the customer 5.
I just replaced the wiper switch on my own truck with one from BWD(broke when delivered). Works so far. Of course the new switch laid in my passenger seat for three years before I had time to do the install.
Ot same way in automatic transmission industry I had shop owner tell me once that fixing transmissions like selling warranties just hope u make it out of warranty period without it coming back
Bigger ticket items like radiator, starter motor, alternator, a/c compressor should be replaced with oem if possible. They last 5+ years and 100k+ miles and shop owners want to put cheap junk in and theres no way that the part will last more than 2 years . Ive seen a few cheap radiators leak just after the 1 year warranty ends
At the shop I work at we’ve gotten aftermarket stuff like you said cuz it’s much cheaper. But after many comebacks from aftermarket parts if the part fails, yes they can get the part warrantied, but now ur asking the tech to replace it for free. A good tech will decline that, & tell em to pound sand. Or they bite the bullet, & pay the tech then go to OEM like they should’ve done the first time. Hopefully you get lucky, & the part isn’t on national backorder. Pretty much if OEM don’t have it then aftermarket cuz then u got no other option than aftermarket.
It's bad enough that I literally would have to get into arguments with the service writers, the manager AND foreman about throwing Dorman parts at cars @Ford Dealership. Someone had brainwashed them as an aftermarket company Dorman met quality spec or even exceeded it. My first career was as a machinist for a rare US based airspace defense manufacturer that is mandated by Federal Law for everything from the forge to fighter jet be manufactured on US soil.
Even being in a fleet operation we don't like seeing Dorman options by any means. Luckily we do all our own parts ordering so we can pick and choose for the application. As long as we stay in budget nothing is brought up.
Dorman 🤢. I work for a large police fleet, mainly all Ford. We mainly use all Ford parts, every once in a while a Dorman part will slip through the cracks and nothing but problems.
Im in the diesel industry and I’m always getting pushed on AUTOMANN from my parts dealer, crap won’t last. Work for a fleet and have to replace the “new part” for an original within the same month. I have to remind them to send me original or I’ll look for it else where. I don’t want to do the same job twice
This industry is about the long term win. Putting junk parts on at a cheaper price and then having to infantly warranty it out because it fails at 6-8 months or 6-8k miles only losses you money and eventually a customer. Putting an oem part it that will run another 90k+ miles may be more expensive but you and the customer win in the long run.
Thats what pisses me off at my current shop. So much dorman and cardone parts! I understand the dealership is 30 minutes away and "time is money" BS. Oriellys is literally 5 minutes away too, but if that part keeps failing why keep buying the brand. I rather wait extra time to fix it right the first time. But what do i know, im just a tech right.
I work for a chain shop that install the worst parts on newer vehicles that dont last the year and are paying well over 1k for installation. Its bs and it needs to stop in every shop.
I really miss being a automotive technician and the team I had at Sears we even did timing chains diagnosis and head gaskets even though Sears didn't advertise it. We ran our location efficiently now Sears is gone! Been in the airlines since 2006 and miss automotive. Auto technicians don't get the recognition and proper pay like aircraft technicians. Things need to change because in my opinion having done both, automotive has a huge responsibility and safety factor for a customer. Almost 20 years later and watching flatrate masters videos... man I miss Automotive!!!
@@mrmurdx8956 Been in the Airlines since 2006 as a aircraft mechanic, just really miss those days as an auto mechanic. If I could clone myself I would do both.
The shop I worked couldn't resist buying the cheap parts considering the mark up they could tack on. Then the poor customer was back every couple months causing a big inconvenience in their lives.
About six months ago I replaced front brake calipers and hoses on a Subaru. I got the hoses from the Subaru because they weren’t available anywhere els . The right from hose was bad out of the box . It was in a sealed package and it was restricted badly . No fluid through it. My coworker recently got a defective mass air flow sensor from the Nissan dealer. Also right out of the box , defective . Just saying .
Back around 2001 when I worked at Sears before getting into the airlines... we used Sears in stock Wagner, raybestos, moog parts that Sears carried. If Sears didn't have it I requested Napa and Carquest only. Too many time I said no to the service writer to use autozone and Murrays/O'Rileys! Unfortunately when others were closed or didn't have it I was forced to used autozone like alternators or starters :( Failed when running checks after installing or comebacks from premature failure. Cheap parts equals lost time for new or other customers, just not worth it! Back then we use to turn drums and rotors and even had a on the car brake lathe. We had a 14 bay shop with two alignment rack only 5-6 techs on shift with only 1 or 2 certified for ASE work in Michigan... Sears just didn't understand. I could work on 8 cars at a time because I managed work load and was the only few technicians with Certs bc Sears wouldn't hire enough techs. Rather then turn customers away me and my experienced buddy with certs split our commission with non experience techs and taught them alignments, brakes, steering, rear ends, half shafts, ect. and let them use my tools as I would oversee their work as I took accountability for them. I was only 21 or 22 at the time having went to a aviation mechanics high school and flew Cessna's and then to the community college earning a degree both in auto and aviation and a certificate later on in life in Diesel technology here in Illinois. I understood customer service and even worked the sales floor when service writers disappeared or were too lazy to answer the phone. In any business for it to survive customer service must be #1 and must be able to change with the times. In Aviation our 787 aircraft we have actuators/drive units manufacturered by moog. That being said, the quality from the good parts suppliers are not as good like back in the day when I worked in automotive for example... these rotors rust too fast cheap metal now as I even went with Toyota OEM for my wife's Sienna; two years and throw aways can't turn em! I never pad slap with out turning , thats asking for trouble! Runout, pulsating pedal and noise due to pads riding on rust. When I was working on shift we never turned customers away bc we were trying to destroy the competition and be the best Sears in our district bc we could see the other stores numbers on the computer. I knew the lower performing stores always close first. We looked at it like a team, we all made good money doing commission an hourly (hybrid) and I even learned better ways fo fixing cars from junior techs bc I was hard headed and always thought my way was the best. I learned real quick I don't know everything from that day and changed to become more efficient as a tech. We all made good money bc we were a efficient shop and some of our service writers were a team managing work load. 4 tires and a alignment two tie rods. 15 minutes 3 guys working together... test drive, shakedown, two on tires and one guy on tierods/ alignment. done running like NASCAR, keep up or your off the team,lol.
I am a DIYer , you definately validate the reason I am a DIYer ! Do you really believe that OEM parts are always better ? I do try and find out who is the manufacturer of the OEM part.
I try to buy alot of OEM parts. Unfortunately sometimes the budget or availability does not match up. So I go higher end aftermarket. I do get a surprise sometimes when you get OEM parts in aftermarket boxes. Standard Motor Products VVT sprockets, I have gotten a few OEM ones for 1/2 the price of OEM. The OEM part number is right there on the part😀
Things like sensors, solenoids and evap stuff and computers best to go oem. While i understand Doing the job right i don’t see any shop buying oem Honda plugs and selling them for 20 bucks a pop either. There’s stuff you can make high margin on and theirs stuff you just gotta make due with the margin you got.
Dorman is decent stuff for some things. Sometimes you gotta one shredded on the hoist and it's eating you alive and something stupid and unexpected breaks holding up the entire job. Gotta do what you gotta do. But yeah, avoid if at all possible.
Had a shop in my city that would put in the cheap parts and charge for the expensive stuff. At least when vehicle came back for warranty he ate it. But put the cheap part back in.😂
What your describing is not the right mindset to be a flat rate. Automotive repair shops and dealerships are 150% about profit and making money not quality repairs. I was a flat rate tech for over 15 years at a dodge dealer. I am coach tech at a union fleet shop now and all we are told my the foreperson at the beginning of our shift is work safe and take your time. There is no rush. All they focus on is quality work maybe your should consider fleet with the way you think
What your describing is a union attitude. A FR tech is never compensated in proportion to the shop labor rate. The shop labor rate goes up $15 in 5 years and my FR stays the same. PARTS let's talk about getting stiffed on the warranty labor by the shop owner. When you demand quality parts so you don't have to do the job twice you get mass kickback. If I made a % off the crap parts they want to install or any parts for that matter that would be GREAT! Fact of the matter is the parts wouldn't be identified as needing to be replaced without a tech, they certainly won't get installed without a tech so I can do what the service writers do sell a repair. What are they good for? In closing techs are great thank you very much.
@@webreakforsquirrel4201 after well over 15 years of being a flat rate tech and making constantly less money every year I decided to stop complaining about it. No shop owner cares about tech. Your only as good as the last CP job you completed. I went to a fleet shop with fully paid benefits, fully matched pension plan and guaranteed hours. I became a mechanic to fix things not to be a sales man selling labour and parts. No small shops or dealerships resort their techs and that’s just facts.
Here's what the company part's room guys are getting our part's. Amazon! OMG! about 70 percent of the time,wrong part, what a shocker. What happened to the part's guys who were retired mechanics, knowledge,experience and wisdom.
Cheap parts and cut-corner mechanics are why "older" vehicles become so unreliable. People get sick and tired of replacing the same parts time and time again and having their vehicle break down multiple times a year. I've sold jobs that were initially declined by talking to customers about spending EXTRA money on all OEM parts from the dealer. When they understood that they would be getting the same quality parts that had lasted over 100K before wearing out, the repairs didn't sound expensive anymore. Most people are willing to spend money if they believe they will have a reliable car in the end.
There is only 1 Dorman part I’ve ever had success with. Mazda rear shock mounts. OE are aluminum and always break the east off. Dorman has the aluminum ones and they offer them made of steel. I’ve never had issues with the steel ones
Where do you source quality parts? You have to go OEM dealer, even though everything is TAIWAN ,CHINA MEXICO and they only give 1 year warranty,it's a gamble with today's parts.
It's nowhere near the same quality as OEM or very good aftermarket parts. If you don't mind doing the job over again, Dorman is an option. I do use some Dorman stuff because its 1/3 to 1/2 the price of quality stuff. Just run the risk of failure.
Even if you get a good part from them, look it over really good to make sure its the correct part for the application. They mis-box things, and make mistakes with part numbers. Always assume its the wrong part until you prove otherwise.
In a way, most parts are aftermarket. Toyota uses Denso for a ton of their oem parts. Aisin makes oem parts. Ngk and Bosch make a lot of electrical components and sensors. So not all aftermarket is bad, however i think the focus here is that Dorman doesnt have a reputation for being oem quality.
For the most part. You just have to understand the relationship. I have used some quality aftermarket parts on cars that just don't work. NTK o2 sensors on my personal Tahoe. Chased a code forever. IT was a parts issue. Denso part fixed it.
There's three issues here; one the quality of parts; two what is available; three , what the replacement part costs. Sometimes, especially with older vehicles, the only replacement is a "rebuilt" part from A1cardone. It is what it is or the only part you can get on a weekend or holiday is a Dorman from a mass merchandiser. Finally, there's the cost issue. Its hard to sell a client on a OEM replacement when a hub/bearing replacement is $275, when they see a no name or third rate part for for $85. Even getting a quality aftermarket replacement, i.e., NSK, Timken, BCA or whatever is twice the cost of the third rate part. I've worked in shops that would only install OEM or quality aftermarket parts and watched tons of jobs drive out because customers thought we were ripping them off. Finally, one other issue about parts is increasingly becoming a problem; items today are being sold as assemblies with servicable replacement repair parts being easily available. There was a time when i would repair a starter, alternator/genetator rather than replace an assembly. But, try and get a starter end cap assembly w/bushing/bearing these days. Years ago, id go to the parts house or dealer and parts would be on the shelf. I'm glad im 95+% retired now; you're right, these days its all about what it costs.
Long term profit suffers from garbage repairs, if you focus on doing it right you establish long term customers and require no marketing budget,that’s a return on investment
Dorman is truly terrible, but I always had good luck both selling and installing A1-Cardone. Had some problems with their reman distributors, but often they were the only game in town to get the distributors on older models. I will say I’ve been out of the industry for 10 years, maybe their stuff has gotten worse.
just get the right parts and right quality then add your margin to the cost of the part and if the customer wants to do it then great and if they don't move the f on
That's only if you stand for it. Why would you allow yourself to get ripped off? There's plenty of money to be made at a dealership, but you have to know what you're doing.
Been in the business a long time and know a thing or two also. It's not that people want the cheapest fix they need it. Not our choice. You can't be suggesting charging the same for the quality parts are you? That's ridiculous.
customers are cheap and want the lowest priced fix because they think we are all scammers. they'd rather have the 200 dollar start with 1 year warranty than the 500 dollar starter with life time warranty. in 8 years they are gonna need 3-4 starters. good riddance.
I will not use aftermarket parts on my vehicles. Period. Full stop. Aftermarket parts are garbage. Shop owners are short sighted. They don’t care about customers or the long term. Sad.
Anyone starting to see why this guy may have been let go from his shop. Can you imagine being a service advisor/writer dealing with this guy. The tech backseat driving the office? I wonder if he would appreciate it flipped with the service writer coming in a telling him his job.
@@kalecastaneda I actually do both. Imagine being a tech and having to explain and justify you fixes to service writer. Now imagine the flip side. Being a service writer and having to explain/justify your parts order to tech. Then getting sighs and eye rolls.
@@shawnbauman5463 No, I just disagree with the premise, Dorman brake pads(No integrity) Akebono brake pads(Integrity). He can't know the pricing, availability and acceptability on every interaction that happens with customer. No does it always have to be justified to him. How efficient would that be. My guess is he is an eye roller and that gets a little tiring to deal with after awhile and could possibly have become toxic in the shop.
Or maybe just offer them the option. That way you can have both customers who wamt it done cheaply or the customer who doesnt bother spending more for quality parts and work
As a former technician, I am now a service advisor due to health issues and the shop I work for also does a 3/36 warranty and I personally look for the best part I can to fix the vehicle. I stay as far away from dorman and Cardone as I can.
Dorman can easily last three days or 36 miles
Thankfully, my employer rarely, almost never, installs the wings of failure. We also offer a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. I have worked for the shops that are concerned with a quick buck too, and I am much happier where I'm at now. Well said, and need to be said. Thanks!👍👍
I refuse to use dorman or cardone. We had a part supplier rep come in trying to tell us about their whatever junk they were trying to sell and I told them I won’t use anything but ____ parts. They looked at me and said “well you have to use whatever parts the service writer orders” well my service writer burst out laughing and said “no he doesn’t, and he won’t” I will not sacrifice my integrity for anyone. I’ve left multiple shops for using cheap parts. The shop I’m at have given me the freedom to tell them what parts I think are best
That’s one thing our father taught us in this business. Do the job right the first time treat your customers like family don’t worry about making it big on every job they will return over and over again.
I love your take on the management groups 😂 😂 I feel the same !!!! If you need someone telling you how to run a business you need to find something else to do.
Being at a shop where I write my own parts lists, I write mostly for OEM parts from the dealer. I do primarily diesel engine repair. I've had the upset customers and service writers tell me we need to do it cheaper and save money. I just explain that a diesel engine is a huge investment and repairs are often labor intensive. A sub par part can cost you the engine in many cases. We will either be doing the repair with OEM parts and fixing it correctly or, unfortunately, I'm going to have to pass on the repair. My situation is different than some because my name has gotten around my area. We get a lot of customers who put my name out in front of the shop's name. I try to not say anything because I don't want issues with management about that, but it is my name and I'm not going to use cheap parts and start having things come apart. Like you said, quality repairs are important.
A lot of the auto parts stores now have there name on it but it’s Dorman in disguise
With how the world is today.they are damn sure lieing if oriellys making stuff let me go apply at the oriellys fuel pump factory oh wait guess what it doesnt exist
I used a Dorman thermostat, hvac actuator, a used camshaft/rocker arms and reused antifreeze on a friends 3.6 Dodge 🤣. The guy had no $😂
Only about 1 in 5 of my customers are willing to pay more for oem parts. The other 4 want the cheapest parts they can get. I think a lot of these people don't keep a car long enough for the dorman part to fail
When I started at my current shop there were 3 guys and the boss always pushed the quality. Now we have like 10 techs and I have noticed it’s hard to push quality when there is so much going on. Guys will order cheap parts because it’s available and people over look little things like tire pressure because they are lazy. I see this happening and there is not much I can do.
Question for techs to ask in job interviews: "What is your philosophy and practice on parts sourcing?". How they answer and what they answer should tell you A LOT about that shop.
I work also on the parts side and take it from first hand these after Market parts are " JUNK" I don't care what anyone says we have warranty coming in ALL THE TIME PERIOD!! If you what those repairs to last use OE parts only Trust Me.Great video Mike and I am glad you made this video because it needs to be done!!!!!
The only Dorman part on my car is the battery vent kit I installed. It's a tube and a grommet, what can go wrong? Well the grommet tore when I inserted it...
HA! Aftermarket transmission fill tube gasket sleeves. I have seen more than a few times they leak. Not an installation error either.
As a Mopar Dealer Tech I feel this, It's a problem both dealer and manufacturers sides all the way to the top and hurts my morale severely. Something I've adopted lately is to do EVERYTHING I can do, I'm the only person I control. Thankfully we have a guarantee (flat rate, 32 hours a week guarantee), so that as far as needing to work overly fast to get paid. This may sound wild to some as they think every tech should and do, but they don't. I ACTUALLY verify a problem on every car, every time. No matter the concern, I'll drive the car a mile or 2 to know what driving felt like before any repair (unless you know, undrivable) and at least 5 miles after. A little wipe down of the radio and cluster, shifter and steering wheel before returning the car. SUPER detailed repair notes, as ours are given to the customer (Thankfully). I also track ever job, line, ticket, vin time, everything separately for myself and 2-3 times a week verify it with our digital system. You'd be amazed how many "mistakes" happen after you finish your job as a tech in completing RO's. Also, seriously do not be afraid to say no to doing a repair or using a part you don't believe will work, took me years to realize that. Yes there's is times more or less when those thing happen, and that's where I'm 100% honest in the repair notes saying why and what was done, even if that means it says "despite recommending repair A, was advised to do repair B instead." If that doesn't end up on the RO, that's fine, there's digital receipts of all edits to stories, along with me having all my info saved personally. Has already been a discussion once between Me, Management, and Owners, and I can tell you I wasn't the one beat red when I pulled out my info. CYA Techs, and put your work above your pay. It's your honor. Do everything YOU can to do the customer right. Let other people be idiots, everything comes around.
This is very true especially chain stores. Doesn't help tha O.E parts are always on back order
Flat Rate Master, Don't take this the wrong way, but since you have been fired these have been some of your best, most focused videos. You are so right in these videos. Keep hammering the message, keep the videos coming.
Pandora's box has been opened!
JUST because of this post...... I just gave away a free tensioner with a BMW alternator, He could not afford the tensioner, but I want it right... He is going to get a nice surprise upon pick up. Thanxx to you.
Dorman is like a comeback waiting to happen. Dorman is a four letter word in shop I work at Totally agree with your video.
Shop I was at had a 3yr/unlimited mile warranty. Not uncommon for cheap parts to be ordered unless we really pushed for better quality or OE. They were so concerned about margins that they used to give the techs 4 hours labor (example). And charge the customer 5.
I just replaced the wiper switch on my own truck with one from BWD(broke when delivered). Works so far. Of course the new switch laid in my passenger seat for three years before I had time to do the install.
Did you drive when it rained?
@@TwistedOwen yes. Only works on high. Turns out it's the delay box which nobody has a replacement for.
Ot same way in automatic transmission industry I had shop owner tell me once that fixing transmissions like selling warranties just hope u make it out of warranty period without it coming back
You're nailed it on the head but most of the problem. Is the customers go for the cheaper parts
Use to call them poorman and a1 car done when I work at the parts store. Always tried to sway the customer from these parts companies. 😊
Bigger ticket items like radiator, starter motor, alternator, a/c compressor should be replaced with oem if possible. They last 5+ years and 100k+ miles and shop owners want to put cheap junk in and theres no way that the part will last more than 2 years . Ive seen a few cheap radiators leak just after the 1 year warranty ends
At the shop I work at we’ve gotten aftermarket stuff like you said cuz it’s much cheaper. But after many comebacks from aftermarket parts if the part fails, yes they can get the part warrantied, but now ur asking the tech to replace it for free.
A good tech will decline that, & tell em to pound sand. Or they bite the bullet, & pay the tech then go to OEM like they should’ve done the first time.
Hopefully you get lucky, & the part isn’t on national backorder.
Pretty much if OEM don’t have it then aftermarket cuz then u got no other option than aftermarket.
It's bad enough that I literally would have to get into arguments with the service writers, the manager AND foreman about throwing Dorman parts at cars @Ford Dealership. Someone had brainwashed them as an aftermarket company Dorman met quality spec or even exceeded it. My first career was as a machinist for a rare US based airspace defense manufacturer that is mandated by Federal Law for everything from the forge to fighter jet be manufactured on US soil.
Even being in a fleet operation we don't like seeing Dorman options by any means. Luckily we do all our own parts ordering so we can pick and choose for the application. As long as we stay in budget nothing is brought up.
Dorman 🤢. I work for a large police fleet, mainly all Ford. We mainly use all Ford parts, every once in a while a Dorman part will slip through the cracks and nothing but problems.
So no Dorman Cats or Ptu's🤣
@@mph5896 Lol 😂 nope 👎
Im in the diesel industry and I’m always getting pushed on AUTOMANN from my parts dealer, crap won’t last. Work for a fleet and have to replace the “new part” for an original within the same month. I have to remind them to send me original or I’ll look for it else where. I don’t want to do the same job twice
This industry is about the long term win. Putting junk parts on at a cheaper price and then having to infantly warranty it out because it fails at 6-8 months or 6-8k miles only losses you money and eventually a customer. Putting an oem part it that will run another 90k+ miles may be more expensive but you and the customer win in the long run.
Our shop gives 3/36 warranty so things have to be done properly & with good parts...
Thats what pisses me off at my current shop. So much dorman and cardone parts! I understand the dealership is 30 minutes away and "time is money" BS. Oriellys is literally 5 minutes away too, but if that part keeps failing why keep buying the brand. I rather wait extra time to fix it right the first time. But what do i know, im just a tech right.
I work for a chain shop that install the worst parts on newer vehicles that dont last the year and are paying well over 1k for installation. Its bs and it needs to stop in every shop.
I really miss being a automotive technician and the team I had at Sears we even did timing chains diagnosis and head gaskets even though Sears didn't advertise it. We ran our location efficiently now Sears is gone! Been in the airlines since 2006 and miss automotive. Auto technicians don't get the recognition and proper pay like aircraft technicians. Things need to change because in my opinion having done both, automotive has a huge responsibility and safety factor for a customer. Almost 20 years later and watching flatrate masters videos... man I miss Automotive!!!
Have you tried looking for a new shop????
@@mrmurdx8956 Been in the Airlines since 2006 as a aircraft mechanic, just really miss those days as an auto mechanic. If I could clone myself I would do both.
good to hear you miss it when alot of guys bitch and hate it lol
The shop I worked couldn't resist buying the cheap parts considering the mark up they could tack on. Then the poor customer was back every couple months causing a big inconvenience in their lives.
About six months ago I replaced front brake calipers and hoses on a Subaru. I got the hoses from the Subaru because they weren’t available anywhere els . The right from hose was bad out of the box . It was in a sealed package and it was restricted badly . No fluid through it. My coworker recently got a defective mass air flow sensor from the Nissan dealer. Also right out of the box , defective . Just saying .
Back around 2001 when I worked at Sears before getting into the airlines... we used Sears in stock Wagner, raybestos, moog parts that Sears carried. If Sears didn't have it I requested Napa and Carquest only. Too many time I said no to the service writer to use autozone and Murrays/O'Rileys! Unfortunately when others were closed or didn't have it I was forced to used autozone like alternators or starters
:( Failed when running checks after installing or comebacks from premature failure. Cheap parts equals lost time for new or other customers, just not worth it! Back then we use to turn drums and rotors and even had a on the car brake lathe. We had a 14 bay shop with two alignment rack only 5-6 techs on shift with only 1 or 2 certified for ASE work in Michigan... Sears just didn't understand. I could work on 8 cars at a time because I managed work load and was the only few technicians with Certs bc Sears wouldn't hire enough techs. Rather then turn customers away me and my experienced buddy with certs split our commission with non experience techs and taught them alignments, brakes, steering, rear ends, half shafts, ect. and let them use my tools as I would oversee their work as I took accountability for them. I was only 21 or 22 at the time having went to a aviation mechanics high school and flew Cessna's and then to the community college earning a degree both in auto and aviation and a certificate later on in life in Diesel technology here in Illinois. I understood customer service and even worked the sales floor when service writers disappeared or were too lazy to answer the phone. In any business for it to survive customer service must be #1 and must be able to change with the times. In Aviation our 787 aircraft we have actuators/drive units manufacturered by moog. That being said, the quality from the good parts suppliers are not as good like back in the day when I worked in automotive for example... these rotors rust too fast cheap metal now as I even went with Toyota OEM for my wife's Sienna; two years and throw aways can't turn em! I never pad slap with out turning , thats asking for trouble! Runout, pulsating pedal and noise due to pads riding on rust. When I was working on shift we never turned customers away bc we were trying to destroy the competition and be the best Sears in our district bc we could see the other stores numbers on the computer. I knew the lower performing stores always close first. We looked at it like a team, we all made good money doing commission an hourly (hybrid) and I even learned better ways fo fixing cars from junior techs bc I was hard headed and always thought my way was the best. I learned real quick I don't know everything from that day and changed to become more efficient as a tech. We all made good money bc we were a efficient shop and some of our service writers were a team managing work load. 4 tires and a alignment two tie rods. 15 minutes 3 guys working together... test drive, shakedown, two on tires and one guy on tierods/ alignment. done running like NASCAR, keep up or your off the team,lol.
Moog,wagner,raybestos were good parts at one time...I worked at" Big A "those were good parts.
Hi Guys!!! I had a buddy tell me "When you buy quality, you only cry once." 👍
You make Wok Auto reery reery MAD!
I am a DIYer , you definately validate the reason I am a DIYer ! Do you really believe that OEM parts are always better ? I do try and find out who is the manufacturer of the OEM part.
I try to buy alot of OEM parts. Unfortunately sometimes the budget or availability does not match up. So I go higher end aftermarket. I do get a surprise sometimes when you get OEM parts in aftermarket boxes. Standard Motor Products VVT sprockets, I have gotten a few OEM ones for 1/2 the price of OEM. The OEM part number is right there on the part😀
Things like sensors, solenoids and evap stuff and computers best to go oem. While i understand Doing the job right i don’t see any shop buying oem Honda plugs and selling them for 20 bucks a pop either. There’s stuff you can make high margin on and theirs stuff you just gotta make due with the margin you got.
Dorman is decent stuff for some things. Sometimes you gotta one shredded on the hoist and it's eating you alive and something stupid and unexpected breaks holding up the entire job. Gotta do what you gotta do. But yeah, avoid if at all possible.
sometimes you don't have a good choice, you have to what is available, like Dorman!
Had a shop in my city that would put in the cheap parts and charge for the expensive stuff. At least when vehicle came back for warranty he ate it. But put the cheap part back in.😂
Some parts you can only get at dormans no other company make it.
Mike, perhaps you should consider becoming a coach for this industry.
Dorman "we don't make auto parts" as a tech I fully agree that they don't make auto parts!
What your describing is not the right mindset to be a flat rate. Automotive repair shops and dealerships are 150% about profit and making money not quality repairs. I was a flat rate tech for over 15 years at a dodge dealer. I am coach tech at a union fleet shop now and all we are told my the foreperson at the beginning of our shift is work safe and take your time. There is no rush. All they focus on is quality work maybe your should consider fleet with the way you think
What your describing is a union attitude. A FR tech is never compensated in proportion to the shop labor rate. The shop labor rate goes up $15 in 5 years and my FR stays the same.
PARTS let's talk about getting stiffed on the warranty labor by the shop owner. When you demand quality parts so you don't have to do the job twice you get mass kickback. If I made a % off the crap parts they want to install or any parts for that matter that would be GREAT! Fact of the matter is the parts wouldn't be identified as needing to be replaced without a tech, they certainly won't get installed without a tech so I can do what the service writers do sell a repair. What are they good for?
In closing techs are great thank you very much.
@@webreakforsquirrel4201 after well over 15 years of being a flat rate tech and making constantly less money every year I decided to stop complaining about it. No shop owner cares about tech. Your only as good as the last CP job you completed. I went to a fleet shop with fully paid benefits, fully matched pension plan and guaranteed hours.
I became a mechanic to fix things not to be a sales man selling labour and parts. No small shops or dealerships resort their techs and that’s just facts.
If only shows looked it at this way
It's tough going when you're putting straight junk on the car hoping for the best
Here's what the company part's room guys are getting our part's. Amazon! OMG! about 70 percent of the time,wrong part, what a shocker. What happened to the part's guys who were retired mechanics, knowledge,experience and wisdom.
Cheap parts and cut-corner mechanics are why "older" vehicles become so unreliable. People get sick and tired of replacing the same parts time and time again and having their vehicle break down multiple times a year. I've sold jobs that were initially declined by talking to customers about spending EXTRA money on all OEM parts from the dealer. When they understood that they would be getting the same quality parts that had lasted over 100K before wearing out, the repairs didn't sound expensive anymore. Most people are willing to spend money if they believe they will have a reliable car in the end.
There is only 1 Dorman part I’ve ever had success with. Mazda rear shock mounts. OE are aluminum and always break the east off. Dorman has the aluminum ones and they offer them made of steel. I’ve never had issues with the steel ones
This is the ONLY product I’d recommend from Dorman though 😂
Where do you source quality parts? You have to go OEM dealer, even though everything is TAIWAN ,CHINA MEXICO and they only give 1 year warranty,it's a gamble with today's parts.
Is Dorman really that bad? I recently ordered a window motor for an old Toyota Sienna.
It's nowhere near the same quality as OEM or very good aftermarket parts. If you don't mind doing the job over again, Dorman is an option. I do use some Dorman stuff because its 1/3 to 1/2 the price of quality stuff. Just run the risk of failure.
Even if you get a good part from them, look it over really good to make sure its the correct part for the application. They mis-box things, and make mistakes with part numbers. Always assume its the wrong part until you prove otherwise.
Rule Number 1 {The vehicle is not to be degraded through the process of repair} intentionally breaking this rule is grounds for removal.
In a way, most parts are aftermarket. Toyota uses Denso for a ton of their oem parts. Aisin makes oem parts. Ngk and Bosch make a lot of electrical components and sensors.
So not all aftermarket is bad, however i think the focus here is that Dorman doesnt have a reputation for being oem quality.
I agree !
For the most part. You just have to understand the relationship. I have used some quality aftermarket parts on cars that just don't work. NTK o2 sensors on my personal Tahoe. Chased a code forever. IT was a parts issue. Denso part fixed it.
@@mph5896 my 300zx likes Bosch O2 sensors, but my old 1997 Grand Cherokee didn't and had to use the mopar (ntk) sensor to rectify
@@mph5896 ok
Absolutely true
Definitely CarMax will put the aftermarket on your car.
Dorman parts are junk but many times it's the only option if you're in a hurry. I'd be surprised if the FRM used Dorman on the wife's ride.
This is truth at Honda they did not believe in quality.
There's three issues here; one the quality of parts; two what is available; three , what the replacement part costs.
Sometimes, especially with older vehicles, the only replacement is a "rebuilt" part from A1cardone. It is what it is or the only part you can get on a weekend or holiday is a Dorman from a mass merchandiser.
Finally, there's the cost issue. Its hard to sell a client on a OEM replacement when a hub/bearing replacement is $275, when they see a no name or third rate part for for $85. Even getting a quality aftermarket replacement, i.e., NSK, Timken, BCA or whatever is twice the cost of the third rate part.
I've worked in shops that would only install OEM or quality aftermarket parts and watched tons of jobs drive out because customers thought we were ripping them off.
Finally, one other issue about parts is increasingly becoming a problem; items today are being sold as assemblies with servicable replacement repair parts being easily available.
There was a time when i would repair a starter, alternator/genetator rather than replace an assembly. But, try and get a starter end cap assembly w/bushing/bearing these days. Years ago, id go to the parts house or dealer and parts would be on the shelf.
I'm glad im 95+% retired now; you're right, these days its all about what it costs.
Long term profit suffers from garbage repairs, if you focus on doing it right you establish long term customers and require no marketing budget,that’s a return on investment
Dorman is truly terrible, but I always had good luck both selling and installing A1-Cardone. Had some problems with their reman distributors, but often they were the only game in town to get the distributors on older models. I will say I’ve been out of the industry for 10 years, maybe their stuff has gotten worse.
Same in Automotive exhaust...quality versus chinesium.
just get the right parts and right quality then add your margin to the cost of the part and if the customer wants to do it then great and if they don't move the f on
i always wondered about this
Your the uncle of the automotive
Car dealers are the same way..ripped off there techs
That's only if you stand for it. Why would you allow yourself to get ripped off? There's plenty of money to be made at a dealership, but you have to know what you're doing.
Not in the business, so why is Dorman considered junk? Poor quality control, materials used, made in Chiner or all of the above?
G Jerry ain't gonna like this video😂
Unless something has changed in recent years, the same goes with Airtex fuel pumps. Trash.
you are 100% right frm. But you are preaching to a wall
👍👍💯
Commenting on the video for the algorithm
Been in the business a long time and know a thing or two also. It's not that people want the cheapest fix they need it. Not our choice.
You can't be suggesting charging the same for the quality parts are you? That's ridiculous.
customers are cheap and want the lowest priced fix because they think we are all scammers. they'd rather have the 200 dollar start with 1 year warranty than the 500 dollar starter with life time warranty. in 8 years they are gonna need 3-4 starters. good riddance.
I will not use aftermarket parts on my vehicles. Period. Full stop. Aftermarket parts are garbage. Shop owners are short sighted. They don’t care about customers or the long term. Sad.
FIRST!!! 🎉🎉🎉
Dorman is garbage unless u are using gm actuaries then both are aflip lol
Anyone starting to see why this guy may have been let go from his shop. Can you imagine being a service advisor/writer dealing with this guy. The tech backseat driving the office? I wonder if he would appreciate it flipped with the service writer coming in a telling him his job.
You sound like a service writer lol.
Why because he has integrity?
Screw people who don't respect that.
@@kalecastaneda I actually do both. Imagine being a tech and having to explain and justify you fixes to service writer. Now imagine the flip side. Being a service writer and having to explain/justify your parts order to tech. Then getting sighs and eye rolls.
If you listened to the video, his most recent shop didn't use cheap parts.
@@shawnbauman5463 No, I just disagree with the premise, Dorman brake pads(No integrity) Akebono brake pads(Integrity). He can't know the pricing, availability and acceptability on every interaction that happens with customer. No does it always have to be justified to him. How efficient would that be. My guess is he is an eye roller and that gets a little tiring to deal with after awhile and could possibly have become toxic in the shop.
Or maybe just offer them the option. That way you can have both customers who wamt it done cheaply or the customer who doesnt bother spending more for quality parts and work
Dam I knew that a long time a go
Dorman parts are junk but many times it's the only option if you're in a hurry. I'd be surprised if the FRM used Dorman on the wife's ride.