Car and Truck Repair Skyrocketing Costs

[ultrarunner]

I was the building property manager and went after the tow company and driver and said I will make it my life’s work to have your professional license pulled for damaging the complex automatic gate and I had it all on video.

The short of it is the tow company reimbursed in full as I was not letting it go.

I grew up around the car business and went along on many repossessions and while I had the right to pick up the car I did not have the right to damage the property of others.

Local Police were always notified as required by law but civil standby never happened…

Only if done with malicious intent and not in the presence of a bona-fide police officer, which is SOP when there is a possession issue. Been there, did that and while the plaintiff may sue, they won't win. Case in point, the removing of the garage door to access the vehicle and no, I didn't carefully remove it either.... Was a long time ago and one of the reasons I quit doing it. Too much stress for not enough compensation.

 

[ultrarunner]

Finally, I was always armed myself and possess the required by law concealed carry permit. Even today, when I'm not home, I'm carrying all the time. Has to do with the 2nd Amendment last time I checked.

Good luck with that in California… a city with 450,000 and a Chief that does not issue permits… even Reserve officers not allowed to carry when not in uniform.

The county Sheriff was more understanding and had about 200 out and required annual certification and 8 hours at the department range and the permit only applicable to weapon you qualified with…

The kicker is each year the newspaper published the name and home address along with the weapon permitted to carry for each holder.

 

[Hay Dude]

About 15 years ago I needed a new radiator in my 1990 Ford F250. I was quoted $700.00, paid in advance, with no delivery date and not cancellable. The alternative was a chinese made unit for about $150.00 which is still in my truck with no problems. Don't know what they cost now.

And that was 15 years ago. I bet 2-3 times that now

 

[4570Man]

Just installed a radiator in my dump truck. Radiator, mounting hardware, upper hose & thermostats

$1,286.

I’d actually be happy to get any medium duty truck or larger piece of equipment going for $1200. I had to take the radiator out of my D5 and rod the cores. 40 or so out of 250 holes were permanently blocked. Replacement would have been better but an aftermarket core is $1500 or so and that doesn’t include the top or bottom tank or a gasket kit or hoses or a new fan belt or 7 gallons of antifreeze. I’d hate to see what an actual cat radiator would cost. Getting the radiator in a hard nose dozer is no small task either.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’d actually be happy to get any medium duty truck or larger piece of equipment going for $1200. I had to take the radiator out of my D5 and rod the cores. 40 or so out of 250 holes were permanently blocked. Replacement would have been better but an aftermarket core is $1500 or so and that doesn’t include the top or bottom tank or a gasket kit or hoses or a new fan belt or 7 gallons of antifreeze. I’d hate to see what an actual cat radiator would cost. Getting the radiator in a hard nose dozer is no small task either.

That was with me doing the work. Parts, no labor.
I fix something every week. Parts prices are disgusting.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Just installed a radiator in my dump truck. Radiator, mounting hardware, upper hose & thermostats

$1,286.

You were smart to replace it instead of trying to have it fixed.

We still have a radiator shop in our town. That always surprises people.

I brought in the radiator from my pickup to be cleaned and repaired. They stopped me in the parking lot.

"You can get a brand new radiator for what we have to charge you to repair and rod it out."

I appreciate their honesty and did buy a new one online.

They told me that radiator shops make money from those instances where a new radiator is not available anymore. Hot Rods, older farm equipment and older heavy equipment.

It's a shame that we are at a point where buying new is cheaper than repairing.

 

[Snobdds]

I was the building property manager and went after the tow company and driver and said I will make it my life’s work to have your professional license pulled for damaging the complex automatic gate and I had it all on video.

The short of it is the tow company reimbursed in full as I was not letting it go.

I grew up around the car business and went along on many repossessions and while I had the right to pick up the car I did not have the right to damage the property of others.

Local Police were always notified as required by law but civil standby never happened…

We had a lady get her car repossessed while it was parked on our companies parking lot. We told the tow truck driver he was not premitted to come onto our property to haul it off. He got all 5030 on us and said he was able to do anything he wanted. We didn't stop him and in the process he did some damage to other cars.

We not only did we sued the tow truck company, but sued the bank for willful negligence. That tow truck company is no longer in business and we basically put that bank in such a financial bind that they had to sell themselves to a bigger bank.

Car repossessors do not have carte blanche to do whatever they want. Also, banks have a duty to train their subcontractors that they can't do more harm than good...hence the willful negligence.

I approved all of legal's request to go after that bank and tow company. Greedy bastards.

 

[Oaktree]

Just installed a radiator in my dump truck. Radiator, mounting hardware, upper hose & thermostats

$1,286.

Radiators for commercial generators can get stupid expensive. We were quoted ~$2500 about 5 years ago for one at one of my worksites. Pulled it and got it fixed for a couple hundred at a radiator shop. Fortunately, there was one nearby. 2 man job to pull/replace it.