Life at the Kia dealer

[Cuervo25_1]

Since starting at the Kia dealer my outlook on working on cars has greatly improved thanks to My service Manager and here is why.


When I worked at the indipendant Goodyear dealer the owner was always pushing to get things done faster than possible, always yelling, never appreciative of what you done, and God forbid you joke around with your co workers, which created a hostile work enviroment. Not to mention he would never let anyone that wasn't an A tech try to better themselves by working on something different, even with supervision of or working with an A tech. He also expected you to know everything about every car out there. Finally mistakes or accidently breaking something got you yelled at for the better part of the day.

My service manager now is the complete opposite. The day I was hired he said to me I don't expect you to know everything because I sure as hell don't, but I do expect for you to ask for help if you need it. If you don't know how to do something and are uncomfortable with trying it by yourself let me know I will find someone to help you. My first week there I was set up to pull out a transmission and install a new one in an Izusu rodeo ( we also service izusu and do warrenty work for them) , Which I never done in anything newer than an 82 monte carlo which was mine. so a couple hours later with the old trans on the floor next to the new one I made the discovery that they was not the same that the one that Izusu sent. the sent us one that was mislabled. The service manager was pleased in the first place that I had it out in the first place in such short time and was getting ready to put the new one in, but he was more happy when I made the discovery of what happened before trying to install it. He definatly his the type that lets his employees know that they are doing a good job as well. He has faught and continues to fight hard for the techs. which I will elaberate on later.

Now we techs are a bunch of crazy misfits that work amazingly well together. There are the two A techs that been there for well over 20 years when it was also a pontiac dealer and lord knows what else (the owner of the dealership has been in buisness for over 50 years).And a third one that was hired in the big hireing when I was .

The first one was born in a bomb shelter during a bombing in berlin, so yea we give him crap about being a nazi and he says nope I rebelled against that crap. he is the electrical guru and quite funny as well. He is the one everyone runs to with electrical issues that they can't figure out.

The second one is a peruvian that is quite tiny we use him alot for places we can't squeeze into ,he is quite the comedian as well, along with the shop foreman. He makes sure that we are doing our online courses and tests and is the mechanical guy. He guided me through the transmission job as well as my first timing belt.


The third is a little younger than me and formerly worked for a paving company. He is outright crazy funy, boderline insane. He has no specialty in automotive really but when it comes to small engines he is a genius. He helped me get my Chainsaw running again after it was under 2 foot of water in the flood.

then there are the c techs, which is another guy a little younger than me and myself.

The other gentle man should be a freaking comedian, he always has some smartassed comment, a joke to tell, or just says something funny. He was formerly a plumber. He says he gets mad about not enough work then calls a bunch of plumbers, the realizes how easy he has it and how much he likes the co workers and don't follow through with plumbing jobs. His specialty at the moment is the Izusu frame recall that is caused by salt in the winter where he removes the old frame mounts for the trailing arms and puts new ones on and seals the inside of the fram and undercoats the outside.


Then me lets just say I fit in with the rest of them as personality goes. I seem to be getting two specialties which is an older optima subframe recall. That is a total subframe replacement due to salt used in winter as well, and transmissions.


there was 3 other guys that was hired in the big spree. one was fired when he got mouthy with the Service manager (he was being layed off due to lack of work) the service manager was being nice by just laying him off even though he disappeared for hours and had a crappy attitude. He then used the crappy attitude and got fired.

The second one was layed of due to the lack of work, and the third......well we are not sure what happened to him.

He was going to bring his car to work on thursday before last without it being written up, or permission. The service manager told him tthe rules and why they were like that, which we all agreed that he wasn't mean or rude about it. Friday the kid was off but has not returned since. there are several theories going around. one is that since he is a firefighter he may have got hurt or worse. two is he just quit. three is that he since he was getting sick he may have got pnemonia. but what don't make sense is why no one has called the service manager in the first place or returned his calls.


After the flood the Service manager went into an epic war with the owner over protecting us, paying us , and getting the required stuff replaced. Our service manager won we had nitral gloves, resperators, all of the equipment being replaced( lifts, alignment rack, tire macines ect) and we was paid 40 hours for 2 weeks. So basicly we are getting a "new"shop

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I could have used a bit less brevity and some more detail, however, I'm getting the impression things are a-okay. =P

 

[Cuervo25_1]

I could have used a bit less brevity and some more detail, however, I'm getting the impression things are a-okay. =P

LOL I actually had to stop writing because of a misunderstanding at the bank I had to go straighten out. there are alot of details I left out because I felt it was too long as is. However I did find out that my Sev Mngr does smoke cigars so I told him about a couple places and he looked at me like I had 3 heads and asked if I smoke cigars. I told him no that I only smoke pipes and cigarettes. he then got this look of comple shock and said with a laugh "Pipes? the only kind of pipes I know of that people smoke at your age as the "green tobacco in it." then he says it is nice to see the younger people getting into fine tobacco and pipes. so now we have something to discuss besides Kias and when the hell all the new "toys" will be there.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry, Cuervo, I just have a hard time finding people who have more to say, typically, than I do. 8) I had to give ya some guff--from a fellow wordaholic.

People find it odd I smoke pipes too, and they say I want to become an old man early.

Hell yes I do. I've been waiting to grow into my brain for 70 years. The aches and pains might suck, but that's just more fuel for me to yell at kids on my lawn, drink, smoke and have a good time in my own cantankerous way.

I've known plenty of "dealership mechanics," they are a tolerant breed, putting up with bullcrap from the company, customers and sometimes the ill-conceived design of the things they work on. Good luck, I hope it's a place you can fit in and be happy.

 

[Cuervo25_1]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry, Cuervo, I just have a hard time finding people who have more to say, typically, than I do. 8) I had to give ya some guff--from a fellow wordaholic.

People find it odd I smoke pipes too, and they say I want to become an old man early.

Hell yes I do. I've been waiting to grow into my brain for 70 years. The aches and pains might suck, but that's just more fuel for me to yell at kids on my lawn, drink, smoke and have a good time in my own cantankerous way.

I've known plenty of "dealership mechanics," they are a tolerant breed, putting up with bullcrap from the company, customers and sometimes the ill-conceived design of the things they work on. Good luck, I hope it's a place you can fit in and be happy.

My wife says I have multiple personalities, sometimes I act my sons age, sometimes mine and the rest a 80 year grumpy old man. I already have the aches and pains from football and activities that got me injured such as fights and lifting heavy car parts by myself because I felt I was young and immortal. Now I find my self gripeing about kids in their loud mustangs and camaros and having no manners or concederation for others.......same thing my parents griped about when they was my age lol

 

[riff raff]

Most people leave their jobs because of their boss, sounds like you have a good one!
We bought an '05 Kia Optima for our college. She graduated and moved to New Orleans with it. She beats the snot out of it, but so far it has held up beautifully. I'm impressed with the Kia quality compared to Honda or Nissans's I've owned.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I was afraid Kia was going to be to us what Hyundai was to the 1980's, but strangely, both cars companies are making some good stuff. They aren't robust enough for my work, but they're great cars.

 

[Cuervo25_1]

I was afraid Kia was going to be to us what Hyundai was to the 1980's, but strangely, both cars companies are making some good stuff. They aren't robust enough for my work, but they're great cars.

There are rumors that the two comapanies are planning to merge. At this time they do exchange some parts simular to Izusu/ GM did. One thing is for sure with the new optimas having a new type turbo on their four cyl. engines that belt out 276 HP and the quality that KIA's are they will be breathing down the neck of Honda and Toyota soon. They also are producing a V8 with twin turbo for their Berrago. If they decide to get into sprot cars they may have a heavy contender in that engine.


Yes I have a great boss, he will fight for the techs if he needs to or feels like we are not getting treated fair.Not to mention he has a great sense of humor.