Rant: Got dumped by a job site after my diagnostic took too long

Was working a mobile repair on a 2020 Freightliner outside Atlanta and the owner started timing me on his phone. Took me 45 minutes to track down a bad ECM ground and he told me to pack up and leave. Any other mechanics dealing with customers timing your every move?

3 comments

3 Comments

barbara_grant41mo ago

I read a forum post last week where a diesel guy in Texas had a farmer do the same thing with his phone timer, and the mechanic just stopped mid-bolt and walked off without saying a word. Some customers don't get that diagnostics are half the job (especially on these new trucks with computers everywhere) and that rushing it just leads to comebacks. If they want speed over quality, they can find someone else to chase their tail on a ground fault.

davidkim1mo ago

Buddy of mine had a customer do the same thing while he was fixing a hydraulic leak on a tractor. Owner stood there with a stopwatch and started complaining after 20 minutes even though the job was clearly complicated. He just finished the repair, took his tools, and told the guy to call someone else next time.

owens.anthony1mo ago

The stopwatch thing is wild but honestly lol 45 minutes for a bad ECM ground on a 2020 Freightliner is pretty good timing. Those newer trucks have grounds hidden in the dumbest places like behind the firewall or under the battery box. The owner probably didn't realize that a simple ground can take forever to find cause you gotta trace the whole circuit sometimes. If he wanted it done faster he should've taken it to a dealer and paid 200 an hour.