Thursday evening I was delivering a load in the Greenville SC area. After I had spotted the trailer into the unload bay, I placed the transmission shifter into neutral...but the tranny stayed in reverse.

Needless to say..I needed a mechanic...in a town which I had only been to once before. After talking with International (whom does not make service calls) and calling the road service company they recommended...I waited over an hour with no call back..from Fleetmaster. I called Freightliner (whom also does not do road service calls) then contacted the service company they recommended...A-Tech.

Not only did I get the call answered by the third ring.....there was a service truck sitting in front of my truck within 1 & 1/2 hours (10 PM eastern)..it was one of three service trucks the company runs at night...and was the first to get finished with a service call...and came straight to me, instead of going to the shop for "supplies & coffee". Before the mechanic even pulled the rear door of his unit open, he told me that he had a good idea what happened...one of three springs that stabilize the shifter had broken...hence leaving the tranny in reverse.

20 minutes later he had the tranny unstuck and the bill made out..$127.00! I followed him out of the plant and to their facility..where friday they rebuilt the bottom end of the shifter, and fixed an A/C problem...which has been a running nightmare for the past year. The tranny repair cost me $689.00 including the night service call..and with the parts for the A/C, which included a replaced hose that had been kinked the entire time I have owned the truck, my full bill was $847.98.

I expected to pay over $450 just for the road call, like so many other shops charge! A-Tech has a $125.00 minimum, at $65 an hour (which is their standard shop rate).

I don't usually recommend any service company...just for the reason that so many other's don't have the same experience that I may have had...But I wanted to let those of you whom may get stuck in the Greenville SC area, and need a mechanic..road call or not.

Their name is; A-Tech Services, 1321-B White Horse Road (exit 44 off I-85 then south 2 lights, on right), in Greenville. Phone number is 864-236-9997. They run 2 full shifts, until 10 PM, with 14 mechanics each shift. Their facility is the former service shop for Cranston Trucking..and has 5 full length service bays. Road service is operated 24 hours a day, with separate mechanics. They don't pull a mechanic out of the shop to make a road call.

I have used more shop's than I really would have liked, this last year and a half. These guy's have been the best I have run across, with reasonable shop rates, at $65.00 an hour, and quick service.


Just so ya know.

 

Your experience have not been like mine.In 2 yrs I have been stuck at least 3 times and crawled to a shop 3 times.9 months ago my fan clucth, solenoid and temp sensor went out in Hayden, AZ up a one lane road for 9 hrs.I kept crawling up the mountain until the buzer light would shut off the engine.It took me 3 hrs of slow driving and cooling to drive to the Eloy in , AZ.They then hung me with a $2300 bill to fix that.
Two weeks ago my clutch started acting up in NJ.Whenever I took my leg off the clutch pedal I would have this vibration(the whole truck) and when I depressed the clutch it stopped.The clutch pedal height started getting worse when I got to Louisiana.I hauled an OD load from LA to SC.On my way to SC I stopped in Ga(my state)because I felt the truck would get me stranded on the road but I also didn't want to get ripped off like I was in AZ.The agent/shipper got pissed off because I had his load for 4 days before I delivered it.Where in the US can you get a clucth replaced for $1175 with a heavy duty "soft feel clutch" when your CORE is bad?.Luckily, when I have problems it is gradual and it gives me signs to start heading towards home.
My Bull gear also went out on the highway in GA and it cost $1500.There is no where in the US I can get those rates.
Whites Truck stop is another good repair facility in Raphine, VA off I-81 They are knowledgeable and reasonable with their rates.They fixed my air warning buzzer last week for only $80.

 

HB.... I was just so relieved to find a truck shop that wasn't out there to rape & pillage the truck! Their professionalism and service were a surprise. That is why I put them out here. Good shop for someone whom lives in the area and didn't know about them..or for someone whom travels I-85 a lot.

 

a good tire shop in the area is grand central station I-77 exit 48. They do other stuff but I have only had tire work done there. they were fast and reasonable, also very friendly which always helps..

 

Why hasn't someone started a Google Earth API, that drivers could post recommendations.

I've just updated added this to my Google Earth, but that is only one entry.

I had some other places marked on the old computer, but it lost its good health, rather suddenly.