Seattle people: Where do you get your van serviced?

geoffff · 05-01-2009, 02:19 PM

I've been getting a bit frustrated with my local mechanic recently, and was wondering if I could get some mechanic advice from some other Seattle-area Sportsmobile owners...(?)

It'd be nice to find a mechanic who can get the job right the first time. One who is familiar with 4x4, and whose facility can handle an 8-foot high full-size van.

My one experience with Olympic 4x4 Supply up in Snohomish has been good, but getting out there is a project.

-- Geoff

flyfisher · 05-02-2009, 01:57 PM

Geoff, I have a 2005 4X4 SMB diesel. All the scheduled service has been done at Bill Pierre Ford in Lake City. Of course it's only been scheduled maintenance, and they just treat it like a regular diesel van. When I first bought The Van and drove it up from Fresno, I had a little problem with the front axle and tie rod assembly, and I took it to Ballard Frame and Axle (Google for the address) and they did a great job, and SMB picked up the bill. This place in Ballard is a funky old place that's been there since the first Norwegians invaded Ballard, and the owner could probably fix anything.

good luck.

Tom

Velogeo · 05-02-2009, 04:20 PM

I haven't found 'that guy' yet, the one you actually feel good taking your truck to. I did spend a long time talking to a tow truck driver while he tried to jump my van and while we waited for his brother in another truck -- it took both. As a result I can recommend West and Sons Towing in Renton and pass on that they thought a lot of Horizon Ford (near Boeing Field I think) as a dealer. It sounds like a lot of places take their trucks their for service, skipping their local dealers. I've never actually dealt with them. I can also tell you one of the local ambulance companies is always killing the batteries in their vans.

I have taken my van to Riverside Ford in Sumner -- probably too much of a drive for you. They've swapped the fuel filters, fixed a problem with the A/C, done the alignment and a couple other things. I asked them to bleed the brakes (not a DIY thing if you have ABS it turns out) and give them a good going over and ended up talking to the head mechanic. I walked away feeling pretty good about the place.

I replaced the batteries with Optimas so I can't say how any of the local dealers handled a warranty issue.

**BroncoHauler** · 05-02-2009, 06:41 PM

Geoff,

You might have better luck with recommendations, if you post the same question on a place like TheDieselStop.com

You probably won't have any responses regarding 4x4 vans, but you should be able to get recommendations based upon Ford diesels and/or Ford 4x4 trucks.

Herb

ProfessorPaddle · 05-13-2009, 12:56 PM

I wrote this in a PM but , Horizon Ford is great and they do a huge amount of 6.0L PSD work. I work for a trucking company and all of our trucks go there for work. We have a fleet of vans too, although due to owner relationships we buy them from a Dealer in Kent, that particular dealer does not do any maint. on the diesels. Everything is just subbed out to Horizon. They have tall bays for tractor trailers and several ford certified mechanics for 7.3 and 6.0. I don't believe they will touch SMB assembled parts but they do work on Quigley.

One thing to be sure of is scheduling an appointment. They are busy! It can take a couple of days to get the truck in if you wait till the last moment.