We Work on Everything: Why S&S Auto and Diesel Never Holds Your Vehicle Hostage

Last Tuesday, a frustrated truck owner walked into our shop with a story that made my blood boil. Let me tell you what happened to him, and why it'll never happen at S&S Auto and Diesel.

Not Jake's vehicle....this is another older vehicle that we got the pleasure of working on. Complete engine swap.

The Week That Changed How We Talk About Vehicle Coverage

Meet Jake (not his real name), a local rancher who drives a 1995 Ford F-350 with the 7.3L PowerStroke diesel. It's not pretty, but it's been reliable for hauling feed and pulling trailers around his property near Graford.

Two weeks ago, Jake's truck started having some rough idle issues and losing power under load. He needed it fixed fast, hay season waits for nobody. So he took it to a shop in a neighboring town that advertised "diesel repair specialists."

Day 1: Jake drops off his truck, explains the symptoms, and is told they'll "take a look and get back to him."

Day 3: Jake calls for an update. "Still diagnosing," they tell him. "We'll call you soon."

Day 5: Another call from Jake. "We're waiting on some parts to come in," comes the response.

Day 7: Jake calls again, getting worried. This time: "We'll have our guy look at it tomorrow."

Day 8: Finally, the call Jake had been dreading: "We've looked at your truck, and honestly, we don't really work on anything that old. You need to come pick it up."

Eight days.

Eight days they held his truck without being upfront about whether they could even work on it.

Jake was furious, and rightfully so. His truck sat in their lot for over a week while hay needed to be moved, and they knew from day one they probably couldn't help him.

Why This Story Matters to Every Vehicle Owner

This isn't just about Jake's truck, it's about respect. Respect for your time, your property, and your situation. When someone brings us their vehicle, they're trusting us with something that's often essential to their livelihood.

At S&S Auto and Diesel, we believe in transparent communication from minute one. If we can't help you, we'll tell you immediately—not after holding your vehicle hostage for a week.

Why Vehicle Age Doesn't Scare Us

Some shops avoid older vehicles because they're more complicated to diagnose or parts are harder to find. We see it differently:

Older Vehicles Are Often Simpler

• Less complex computer systems

• More straightforward mechanical problems

• Often easier to diagnose once you understand the basics

The "Will You Work On My..." Question

We get this question daily. Here's our standard response:

"Bring it by, and let's take a look. We'll give you an honest assessment within an hour of whether we can help you, and if we can't, we'll point you in the right direction—no charge, no games, no holding your vehicle while we figure it out."

Questions We Ask Ourselves:

1. Do we have the right diagnostic equipment for this vehicle?

2. Does our team have experience with this make/model/year?

3. Can we get parts reasonably quickly?

4. Are there any safety or liability concerns?

5. Will we be able to stand behind our work?

If the answer to any of these is "no," we'll tell you immediately.

The Bottom Line: Respect and Honesty

Jake's story isn't unique—we hear similar tales regularly. Shops that hold vehicles without clear communication, that string customers along without being upfront about their capabilities, that prioritize their convenience over customer respect.

At S&S Auto and Diesel, we built our business on a simple principle: treat every customer's vehicle like it belongs to a neighbor, because in Mineral Wells, it probably does.