[Shawn855]

Seems like a respectable video, however it's one of the least watched videos on the first page or so of results for "Cruze 1.4 water pump". He does mention replacing the mount bolts, but he inaccurately says you need to replace the 2 mount-to-body bolts, and doesn't replace the 3 that are required anyway (regardless of his excuse...its a video, he could have easily "lied" and said they were new and gave proper sepcs instead of making up his own from nowhere)and doesn't acknowledge it's required to replace the 2 bolts on the water pump ITSELF.

My assessment of YouTube mechanics and videos in general,and my critique of your view of videso on this job specifically, remains the same. Never seen a single one get it right. There's a reason there's so many Cruzes with repeat repairs, and it's not always GMs fault

I respect your opinion but I myself disagree wholeheartedly. It's youtube videos and sites and service manuals and the ability to research, research, research, that has led me to be able to change my lower control arms, tierods, balljoints, stabilizer links, struts, coil springs, mounts, engine mounts, wheel bearings, etc etc etc etc myself, all torqued to spec, and working great, saving myself a lot of money.

The dealership isn't my primary place to go to for repairs that I can't do myself (-30 celcius weather makes it uncomfortable to do my own work) because I know how much they charge and it's a lot. $450 to change a thermostat housing? The OEM housing is $100. The job takes an hour at most. And you sound like a good mechanic which is great, but unfortunately the chevrolet dealership mechanics out here leave nothing but frustration in their wake.

 

[Ma v e n]

Again, I never questioned YOUR abilities, nor the possibility of saving lots of money doing things yourself.

My criticism is of the YouTube content and the belief by so many that it is accurate. This is a fact, you can choose to disagree with facts, but that puts you in an untenable and illogical position

 

[Thebigzeus]

Again, I never questioned YOUR abilities, nor the possibility of saving lots of money doing things yourself.

My criticism is of the YouTube content and the belief by so many that it is accurate. This is a fact, you can choose to disagree with facts, but that puts you in an untenable and illogical position

I never consider youtube to be accurate and the law of the land. I just use it to learn and infer how to do my own work. It's like going to the library in the old days.

 

[MB2014LT2]

There is an extended "special" warranty by GM on these water pumps. Mine (also a 2014) got done at 60+000 miles. No charge, if it's leaking. Someone here might give you the recall notice number to check out.

Yes, I was aware about that special coverage and even took a print out of it to the dealer. Unfortunately it states "some" and my particular vin # was not included. It seems GM is very aware of the water pump issues but decided not every Cruze out on the streets would be covered.

 

[goochman]

View attachment 290142 Sounds like

I love how the book rate makes the consumer pay for 3.5 hours of labor but if its warranty work then they only pay for 2.6 hours

 

[Ma v e n]

I love how the book rate makes the consumer pay for 3.5 hours of labor but if its warranty work then they only pay for 2.6 hours

Yeah...I love how GM gets to screw me by paying me less than everyone else would make for doing the same job too....

All depends on which side of the coin you're on.

Again that's a discussion regarding flat rate pricing as an industry that takes up many many pages on forums across the interwebz.

You say you're getting screwed because you have to pay 3.5hrs when it takes 1hr. I say I'm getting screwed because I only get paid 1.6hrs to do the job under special coverage warranty, when it used to pay 2.6hrs, and customer pay is 3.5hrs....

 

[Ma v e n]

Now when you're in to get XXXX done, and your quoted a flat rate time of 3.5hrs and it ends up taking me 5hrs because your car is a rusty **** box....do you think I get paid 5hrs? Nope. Still get 3.5 because that's how flat rate works. It's INTENDED to be of benefit to all 3 parties involved. Customer doesn't get screwed because a tech is slow, shop benefits from industry standard pricing, and being able to accurately and repeatably quote prices on most jobs. efficient, skilled techs make money by being quicker than quoted billable hours.
Everyone loses because customers think the billable hours should equal time spent on job, shops lose because they piss of techs when they can't pay more time after a job is quoted and lose jobs because they don't want to undercut labor times and devalue the flat rate system, techs lose when times are inaccurate, or the jobs takes longer than quoted due to unforseen issues.

 

[AutumnCruzeRS]

Also causes techs to race the clock and take short cuts just to make money. Imo just a horrible system all around. It's the reason I myself am not a service tech. I started at a dealer as a oil tech right out of high school and saw it first hand how the flat rate system worked and as I'm a too honest of a person I knew it wasn't for me. Can make some horrible techs but there are great techs just far and few to come by.

 

[AutumnCruzeRS]

The best investment for the diy mechanic is a Helm Inc service manual for your specific year/model vehicle. It has everything you'll ever need to know about any repair your vehicle should ever need.

 

[Ma v e n]

Also causes techs to race the clock and take short cuts just to make money. Imo just a horrible system all around. It's the reason I myself am not a service tech. I started at a dealer as a oil tech right out of high school and saw it first hand how the flat rate system worked and as I'm a too honest of a person I knew it wasn't for me. Can make some horrible techs but there are great techs just far and few to come by.

That's not flat rates fault though. Those same techs that cheat and do shitty work to make more hours flat rate, would be the same ones who do shitty work are are lazy and unproductive if they were salaried. I'd wager I'm more conscientious, precise and first time accurate than a huge portion of salaried techs out there. I've been flat rate for 20years, and can't imagine working at a shop, where production is the goal, and not being rewarded for my production. If you're only being paid 40hrs or whatever to be in the building, why would one do anything after they earned the shop 40 billable hours? Personal pride and work ethics only go so far, eventually you're working to pay for someone else's quality of life, but not seeing an improvement in your own.

A larger problem is techs aren't required to be certified or licensed in any way in most of the country. There's no Federal level testing, certification or licensure for automotive technicians, and there no State level in most of the country (USA) either. Yet to be a Master Plumber, theres 4 years of apprenticeship or baccalaureate degree work, minimum 12 months of journeyman level work and criminal background checks involved before you can even register to take the NJ(and most states) plumbing certification testing.

 

[Ma v e n]

It's the reason I myself am not a service tech. I started at a dealer as a oil tech right out of high school and saw it first hand how the flat rate system worked and as I'm a too honest of a person I knew it wasn't for me.

I hear this ALL THE TIME. Its bullsh!t and it pisses me off to no end. You're "too honest" to be a flat rate technician, implying that every flat rate tech is dishonest and in some fashion more morally devoid or ethically corrupt than you are.

You're not a flat rate tech because: you didn't like the work/liked something else more, didn't want to make the required investment in tools, thought it was too hard,didn't like getting cut/dirty, didn't like being low man on totem pole, thought it was beneath you, you weren't capable of turning hours, the old guys in the shop told you you were stupid to want to be a tech because they were old and miserable, the productive guys in the shop didn't wanna teach you anything , or some combination or variance of those scenarios. And theres NOTHING wrong with any of those reasons. Those are all perfectly fine...all reasons that made being a technician a poor fit for you. But to backhandedly put down and entire industry and thousands of people and to say you won't be a mechanic because you're superior to everyone in the field is some seriously arrogant and pretentious posturing

 

[SVogels]

Hi all,
My 2013 Cruze showed engine overheating message so took it to the mechanic who found no coolant + water pump broken. Says he has to replace the water pump and it will cost about $850

The breakdown was $450 in labor (He said it'll take 3.5 hours) + $150 in parts + ?$$ for coolant flushing +$60 for diagnosis

They seem reputable but still wanted to make sure if this number sounds normal or too high? Thoughts?

I thought they usually wave thr diagnostic fee if you have the work done, and pay it if you dont have the work done?? Id definitely get a second quote!!!

 

[Ma v e n]

I thought they usually wave thr diagnostic fee if you have the work done, and pay it if you dont have the work done?? Id definitely get a second quote!!!

I know everyone would want to save money, but what's the reasoning/logic behind being okay with free diagnosis?

What's the value of it if it's free?
How quality is the diag if there's no money involved? Who has any skin in the game for it to be right? Customer has no room to bitch if it's wrong....it was a free guess. Shop doesn't lose anything because they didn't charge you for free guess, and they'll just guess for free again.
Shops that don't trust their techs, and shops that are hurting for money use that tactic to get business (some shops it's not actually free, they just inflate the repair cost)

Edit... shortened /rant. LOL

 

[JLL]

What's the value of it if it's free?
How quality is the diag if there's no money involved? Who has any skin in the game for it to be right?

That was my speech to customers in defense of paid diagnostics for 10 years. I never waived a diagnostic fee.

 

[AutumnCruzeRS]

Maven you seem to be the exemption here. Maybe I have it wrong about techs and it's all the service writers that give them such a bad name at most dealerships.

 

[Shawn855]

I actually feel bad for the service desk people. It's a lot of stress having people coming in bitching at them like they're the reason the vehicle has issues. In fact, the dealer down the street from my work lost all 4 front desk people the past month. I went in there to have warranty work done this week (3 times.....sigh..) and saw all the new faces. I always try to be the nicest I can be, so long as they don't try to d|ck me around.

 

[AutumnCruzeRS]

They probably just moved on to the next dealer. When I worked at a dealer I was there for little over a year and saw the service writers constantly coming and going like 3 different times. Same with the service managers had 3 different ones the time I was there. Should mention same with the mechanics too as I think about it.

 

[NoChance]

There is an extended "special" warranty by GM on these water pumps. Mine (also a 2014) got done at 60+000 miles. No charge, if it's leaking. Someone here might give you the recall notice number to check out.

Question regarding these, I have a 2012 (just made a post about it) that I have a coolant leak and the more I look into it the more I think it is the water pump, I moved away from the dealership I bought it from, is this something I could go to any GM dealer and they would take care of it, if it is in fact covered by the "special" warranty?

 

[Snipesy]

They probably just moved on to the next dealer. When I worked at a dealer I was there for little over a year and saw the service writers constantly coming and going like 3 different times. Same with the service managers had 3 different ones the time I was there. Should mention same with the mechanics too as I think about it.

Ours rarely have a service manager or writer. Usually one of the reception ladies does it (finacial idk) or the techs themselves do it.

 

[Shroomie]

Of course I do, but you know what? I sleep like a baby at night, because I know I fix my customers car properly

I recall you saying you jack the car from below and support the engine via the oil pan.

that is not what GM would call properly. you do it to save time... I get it, but don't act like you also don't take shortcuts 😉