Recommended FG Mechanics

[yabanja]

I would like to compile a list of Mechanics who know how to work on the 4x4 Fuso trucks. Perhaps even make it sticky. It would be a great resource to have if traveling globally. I would love to add one to the list but don't know any! I understand that all the non 4x4 related repairs will be the same as the other Fusos. Maybe recommends for good standard Fuso mechanics as well.... I have heard a bunch of stories of bad experiences but there have to be some good ones out there as well?

Allan

 

[Czechsix]

One good group I've found locally is Southern California Fleet Services, aka SoCal Truck Center, in Escondido, CA, 450 Corporate Drive, (760) 233-1383. They're an authorized FUSO service center.

There's another FUSO service center down in San Diego, can't recall the name but they're in Kearny Mesa. Haven't heard good things about them, but I can tell you first hand their sales staff is absolutely useless.

ETA: this kind of list has been done for years for Unimogs, Pinz's, etc. I think it's a great idea...I nominate Allan to be head scribe

 

[kerry]

longmont co fuso dealer

They rebuilt my transmission. Very good work and reasonably priced.

 

[Buckstopper]

Portland Mitsubishi Fuso in North Portland has helped me a bunch with my truck. I think they like working on something other than the usual commercial customers rigs so they take very good care of my rig.

Buckstopper

 

[sprucemonster]

DS Truck Center, Hodgkins, IL. Don Schure and his employees were a great help after purchasing my FG and before driving home to AK. I call them for help and parts still.

There are no Mitsubishi dealers in AK. However, there are Isuzu dealer service centers in Anchorage and Fairbanks. I use Interior Mechanical Services, Inc in Fairbanks for my trucks servicing. They are not associated with any brand or dealership, but extremely helpful and friendly.

 

[Howard70]

Pacific Commercial Truck Solutions in Sacramento

Heidi and I have had some intermittent issues with the emissions system of our 2014 FG for a couple of months. We had similar problems in the first couple of thousand miles of the trucks life back at the beginning of summer 2014. Off and on we've been to several Fuso Service Centers and dealers.

Last month we had the great fortune to take our truck to Pacific Commercial Truck Solutions in Sacramento, CA. Gene Hedbany of Fuso recommended them to us (we were in Northern CA at the time). The team there spent several days checking the emissions system electronically and by dismantling various sections. They also drove our truck repeatedly while hooked to a diagnostic computer to gather and evaluate "real time" data on the system to replicate the conditions potentially causing our intermittent problems. In short, they did what I would expect from a dealer's service center - but I'd begun to fear would never happen. To make a long story shorter, they replaced several sensors, protected many of the electrical connections within the system and detected and repaired a problem with the DEF modulation system that may have been troubling us for a long time and through several visits to other service centers.

I highly recommend these guys if you need service for your Canter - especially if you have a 2012+ model. They are very familiar with the trucks - they maintain a fleet of them as part of their business. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and quick. One of the simple things they did for us was to tell us when they would have time to work on the truck - that way we spent several days camping & having a great time before taking the truck to their shop. A refreshing change from previous experience where a shop would have us bring the truck in and then let it sit around in their yard until they wanted to deal with it. I honestly had the impression that the Pacific Commercial Truck Solutions crew cared about our time and actually wanted us to spend as little of it without our truck as possible.

Adam Tobias is the service writer/shop foreman we dealt with. He knows the trucks, spends time camping & wandering about in 4x4 vehicles so he's familiar with our issues & concerns. I asked him if I could post his business phone and email here and he welcomed the opportunity to help Canter owners with problems and advice even if you're unable to take your truck to their shop. They can also provide & ship parts for our trucks. Adam also knew exactly which of the possible transmission remapping options would work best for our truck and off-highway driving - it's like having a new truck.

Adam Tobias
Service Writer/Shop Foreman
PMHSI, Inc.
Ph: 916/383-1547 ext. 1211
atobias@pmhsi.com

We were lucky to have family in Grass Valley so that we spent time visiting, hiking & kayaking while our truck was being worked on. If we have problems again, or when we need major servicing, we'll likely head their way - possibly even from Albuquerque.

Howard L. Snell

 

[SkiFreak]

It is always good to hear from people about their good experiences.

I am totally unimpressed with my local Fuso dealer, as they have missed numerous things on my truck on the two occasions I have had it in there. That and the fact that both times it was in for servicing that work was done by their junior apprentices. I have nothing against apprentices, I used to be one (a very long time ago), but I have real concerns when they are left to their own devices to resolve issues.
I will never go back to my local Fuso dealer, I just don't trust them with my truck.

I only wish I knew of a service center like the one you have described Howard, as I would not hesitate going to a company like that.

 

[pugslyyy]

It is always good to hear from people about their good experiences.

I am totally unimpressed with my local Fuso dealer, as they have missed numerous things on my truck on the two occasions I have had it in there. That and the fact that both times it was in for servicing that work was done by their junior apprentices. I have nothing against apprentices, I used to be one (a very long time ago), but I have real concerns when they are left to their own devices to resolve issues.
I will never go back to my local Fuso dealer, I just don't trust them with my truck.

I only wish I knew of a service center like the one you have described Howard, as I would not hesitate going to a company like that.

I've been completely unimpressed with my Fuso dealer as well (North Carolina). I was genuinely interested in a newer model but they seemed completely disinterested in selling me one, and seemed incapable of engaging in a true discussion of the merits and issues with the newer vehicles, etc. It's a shame because these are great vehicles but I really think the dealer network is pretty poor in most cases.

It's a shame that reports of good service are such an exception to the rule.

 

[david506th]

I've been completely unimpressed with my Fuso dealer as well (North Carolina). I was genuinely interested in a newer model but they seemed completely disinterested in selling me one, and seemed incapable of engaging in a true discussion of the merits and issues with the newer vehicles, etc. It's a shame because these are great vehicles but I really think the dealer network is pretty poor in most cases.

It's a shame that reports of good service are such an exception to the rule.

Exact same in my location, I have found them to be most off the street mechanics and uninformed salesman. Sadly, our Isuzu dealer is considered one of the best on the Gulf-Coast and will engage you for hours with Q&A. The other bane of the Mitsubishi seems to be that every mechanic or diesel shop recommends going to the dealer rather than taking on a job due to parts.

 

[bobar]

My Experience

We had ok but limited service experience with the Fuso dealer in Las Vegas, NV, and very good service from Ry-Den MF in Fresno.

Our experience with our local dealer in Albuquerque, Bruckner's, has been mostly poor. They have three Fuso mechanics (the dealership mostly does Volvo and Mack big rigs) but only one, Jared, has been truly competent. Problem is he is usually doing the big stuff like engine rebuilds.

I spoke with the northwest regional sales for Fuso, told him about our dilemma with getting good Fuso service, and asked for dealer recommendations. He quickly, and first, highly recommended Portland MF and specifically named Darren and Vidal to talk to. When pressed further he also recommended the Sacramento shop that Howard has had great experience with, Diamond MF in San Jose, and Rush MF in Salt Lake City. I have no personal experience with these, but there it is for your use.

 

[steve4wdaus]

My experience with my local Brisbane Australia Fuso dealer is also unimpressive. I would love to know someone that does general Fuso servicing in Brisbane. Have found Carroll Springs in Brisbane excellent, but this was for spring work only.

 

[fg4oz]

My experience with my local Brisbane Australia Fuso dealer is also unimpressive. I would love to know someone that does general Fuso servicing in Brisbane. Have found Carroll Springs in Brisbane excellent, but this was for spring work only.

Yea i agree. Picked up my fg649 from a Brisbane fuso service centre. My wife drove the truck home and I followed behind. Noticed brake lights not working as we headed out the drive and their invoice in my hand said they were checked. So I checked the other items on the invoice. None were complete. Questioned them and they said they carried out the work. absolute rubbish.

Was recommended by another canter driver to Brisbane tuning at east Brisbane. Rob and westie are awesome. Always spot on. Just mechanical and turbo. Service it through them a few times a year and they always do a great job. Thorough, detailed and know their stuff.

 

[SkiFreak]

I am of the firm belief that most mechanics/dealerships work on the theory that the customer knows nothing about the workings of their vehicle, so they can say and do pretty much whatever they want, and charge accordingly.

When I took my truck to the local Fuso dealership for its first service the job was assigned to a first year apprentice, who had been working there for about three months. I will not rag on him personally, as he was a nice guy, but obviously he had very limited trade skills at that point. There was no obvious supervision (other than me, as I arranged to be there during the service) and he was pretty much left to his own devices to do the job.
Foolishly, I had left the service book at home, so did not have the check list of things that should have been done on that service in front of me. It was only when I got home and checked that I noticed about 25% of the things that should have been checked weren't checked.
When I broached this with the service manager the following week his attitude was quite benign, simply saying that I should book the truck in again and those things will be done. No apology or reasons were given as to why these things were not done, just that they would be done if I wanted to come back.

For anyone who has no trade or technical background they would simply assume that everything that should have been done would have been done.
Sadly, as others here have highlighted here, that can be very far from the truth.

History has proven to me that very few mechanics/dealerships can be trusted. I am not a mechanic by trade, but have decided that all future servicing of my truck will be done by me. At least that way I will know exactly what has or hasn't been done.

 

[Alastair D(Aus)]

modern systems

I am not as negative about mechanics in general as SkiFreak but am certainly very sceptical about dealer services. One problem I see is that with modern vehicles there are fewer things that need to be greased etc and great reliance is made on the readout of the ecu to say if there is a problem. In most cases services are about replacing fluids/filters etc and little about careful scrutiny looking for the unexpected. The problem of unsupervised apprentices is a major one and I am sure is just about cost. Pragmatic cost minimisation.
I had my truck serviced soon after I bought it to make sure all was good. I had noted a few issues but did not say anything to see what was reported. This was a major dealer for Isuzu. No mention was made of the torn front LH rubber hub boot nor the dented shock absorber casing. When I pointed these things out as having been missed I just got a shrug and nothing else. I said that the fact they had missed these meant I would never return to them for servicing again. They said nothing. One truck in thousands I guess.
By contrast when we had our Subaru Forrester serviced recently (fixed cost) the report listed all the major things, plus a note that there was a cut on the inside of a front tyre and a soft drink can had wedged between the engine and the subframe and rubbed down to the metal. They had removed it and painted the area with cold gal paint. I was impressed. This was a dealer but apparently they care what they do. Unfortunately we are moving away from this area next year.

 

[david506th]

I am heading into Salt Lake City Utah and taking a flight to NYC for a few days. I hope to get the truck into the shop for some maintenance. Does anyone have recommendations for that area?