RoadLife

New Mexico

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Joined: 03/28/2009

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Last week our coach would not start. Good Sam found us a repair shop and they sent a tow truck. We were towed to I 35 Auto & Truck in Lamoni Iowa. We spent two nights in their parking lot (they provided an electrical hook-up while they worked on it and ordered parts). We had a leaking fuel lift pump and bad sensor.
The guy who owned the place was very nice - kind of the silent type but really dirty (covered in oil stains). You could tell he was a very hard worker. Their sign said they closed at 5, but the guys were there everynight til at least midnight working on vehicles - mainly semi trucks. They did fix our coach and it runs really well now - it purrs. They know their diesel engines.
You will do well there if you never go into the office for any reason. There are women there behind a desk. If you do venture beyond the front door, do not mistake these people for workers. They are female dogs. Do not ask these apparitions a question. There are too many horrible examples to list here, but my favorite response from them was "I already told your husband. You go ask him." I never got an answer to any question I asked.
I have never come across the variety and abundance of RUDENESS and ENMITY that I found in this one spot. Despite the great work the guys did on our coach, I would NEVER return.
And I cannot advise anyone in their right mind to give them their business either.
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MichDoc

Michigan

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Doesn't it make you wonder exactly what it takes to turn someone into something like that? I can get snarly too, but someone has to say or do something to turn me that way. But some people just seem to wake up like that every morning. Must make for a miserable life for them and anyone NEAR them!
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past-MIdirector

Michigan

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They gave you free hook ups and only took 2 days to get you back on the road. They worked to midnight to get vehicles fixed says a lot for the shop. I don't know any mechanic especially on diesels that is not covered in dirt and oil by the end of the day. This is the kind of shop I'd like to do my work since they get the work done and didn't park you out back and forget about you.
As far as the office goes if this place has as much work as you say with big semi trucks than these office workers are use to trucks coming and going, not a couple in an RV.
Welcome to the other side of the repair business. I'd rather have a bunch of dirty hard works do my work then someone in a suit and tie. If they took care of you and got the work done fast and put you back on the road, then why not recommend them with a warning that there're a hard working all American shop.
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MichDoc

Michigan

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past-MIdirector wrote: They gave you free hook ups and only took 2 days to get you back on the road. They worked to midnight to get vehicles fixed says a lot for the shop. I don't know any mechanic especially on diesels that is not covered in dirt and oil by the end of the day. This is the kind of shop I'd like to do my work since they get the work done and didn't park you out back and forget about you.
As far as the office goes if this place has as much work as you say with big semi trucks than these office workers are use to trucks coming and going, not a couple in an RV.
Welcome to the other side of the repair business. I'd rather have a bunch of dirty hard works do my work then someone in a suit and tie. If they took care of you and got the work done fast and put you back on the road, then why not recommend them with a warning that there're a hard working all American shop.
It sounds to me like she was more than fair in her assessment of the facility. She praised the mechanics, and the job they did, but complained about the attitudes of the female employees. A lot of posters would just lump everyone together and damn the whole place. Quit trying to make excuses for a couple of bitter, antagonistic office employees.
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five'er

Canada

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Joined: 09/25/2006

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I think the error would be assuming you're walkling into a walmart service centre or expecting that same type of greeting. If you stop and think about their day to day operations, their "regular" customers and the pressures they face vs your situation (broken RV) it may be a bit easier to dismiss the "attitude".
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RoadLife

New Mexico

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I think I was more than fair. Others reviews of this place found on the net:
2011: "Billed twice for the same thing because it was not fixed right the first time. Very unprofessional staff and the garage was a mess with old parts and junk cars crowding the building. Office and garage was filthy. Looked very disorganized. Also it took 5 months to get my vehicle back!"
2012: "Billed for services that were never provided. Lied when confronted with proof. Woman in the office was extremely rude and arrogant. Facilities were filthy."
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RoadLife

New Mexico

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M GO BLUE wrote: past-MIdirector wrote: They gave you free hook ups and only took 2 days to get you back on the road. They worked to midnight to get vehicles fixed says a lot for the shop. I don't know any mechanic especially on diesels that is not covered in dirt and oil by the end of the day. This is the kind of shop I'd like to do my work since they get the work done and didn't park you out back and forget about you.
As far as the office goes if this place has as much work as you say with big semi trucks than these office workers are use to trucks coming and going, not a couple in an RV.
Welcome to the other side of the repair business. I'd rather have a bunch of dirty hard works do my work then someone in a suit and tie. If they took care of you and got the work done fast and put you back on the road, then why not recommend them with a warning that there're a hard working all American shop.
x2...sounds exactly like a shop I would not hesitate to take my truck to
X3 I certainly hope you get the chance.
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M GO BLUE

Southgate, MI

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past-MIdirector wrote: They gave you free hook ups and only took 2 days to get you back on the road. They worked to midnight to get vehicles fixed says a lot for the shop. I don't know any mechanic especially on diesels that is not covered in dirt and oil by the end of the day. This is the kind of shop I'd like to do my work since they get the work done and didn't park you out back and forget about you.
As far as the office goes if this place has as much work as you say with big semi trucks than these office workers are use to trucks coming and going, not a couple in an RV.
Welcome to the other side of the repair business. I'd rather have a bunch of dirty hard works do my work then someone in a suit and tie. If they took care of you and got the work done fast and put you back on the road, then why not recommend them with a warning that there're a hard working all American shop.
x2...sounds exactly like a shop I would not hesitate to take my truck to
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answerswillvary

eastern washington

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turninghawk

Orlando, FL

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Why would you go back in the office a second time (or third or fourth) once you were treated that way? All-in-all it sounds like you came out pretty much unscathed in the whole repair process. Let it go.
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