Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

   Just wondering how you all are holding out.  It's been almost dead here at my work. I'm hearing the same around town from other mechanics. 

I know people have cars breaking down still. Where are they? We've been here since 1974 and it's never been this slow. I'm on my 11th year at this shop.  It's getting depressing. 

Good luck to all of you.

Came up here to manage the Fleet transmission shop on N. Western in Jan. of this year, & so far we've stayed about average. Trans buisness is good, in the back we do engine/chassis work & it is down a little.

The worst part right now is the parts dept. Looks like people are wanting to do a lot of patching right now, instead of major repairs.

I believe things will probably pick up after the first of the year, hang in there, Jim

I didn't realize you were at Fleet. I reccomend you all to all my customers for trans. work. Used to call Dave for advice alot.

I think the same about people patching but I just don't reccomend it in most cases. I get alot of customers wanting to carry they're own parts in and have us install em. Hard to make money doing that but I understand where they're coming from too. I am poor also.

Hanging by thread. lol

Dale

Skeesiks;For the most part the economy in bad shape,peoples are scared to spend money with the holidays approaching.My full time job is in the oilfield business and that work has really hit the skids,then my part time work building and repairing chassis has been slow all of this season.This has been a weird year,A while back Devon Energy announced it was to build a tall 50+story skyscraper in downtown OkC.That was cancelled.Now Chesapeke is rumored to have been sold to BP.Now that the elections are all over,all of the polititions we were seeing on almost every street corner waving to everyone as they drove by, will go back into hiding like Osama Bin Laden.It looks like things will start getting better around the first quarter.Hopefully.

Steve Moyer CKS Fabrication & Welding                  
CKS Chassis                                            
I want my last words to be "damn this is fun"

I hate to tell you, but you have been miss informed. The Devon Corporate Tower is going to happen. Currently construction set to begin sometime 3rd quarter of 2009 and be completed some time 2012. Unlike Chesapeake, Devon is not leveraged to its eye balls thats why they will build their corporate headquarters.

Here is an artical for the Daily Jokelahoma about the economic impact the skyscraper will have.

http://newsok.com/devon-impacts-oklahoma-city-economy/article/3318005

Yeah it is on as scheduled as okstatehuck mentioned. I like what they are doing and appreciate them better than Chesapeake and idiot/crook Kaeding. Devon will have no cafateria as they want their employees to go eat at businesses in the city and give back to the economy.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

okstatehuck I hope you are correct,That is info I recieved from a Devon employee,That I occasionally do business with.It would be nice if it is misinformation.

Steve Moyer CKS Fabrication & Welding                  
CKS Chassis                                            
I want my last words to be "damn this is fun"

I have some pretty good sources that say things are underway and on schedule for the timetable i gave above. They could be wrong, but id bet not. They have the capital to build, and this recession will help to lower building costs. Then under the increased taxes with obama they weill be able to depreciate the building to help. FYI the building is to be a "green" building by many standards.

Devon as a company is set up to weather these types of storms when natural gas prices drop. Unlike ole Chessapeak. When Chesapeak tanks I wonder what Junior college will by the campus and start classes there? OSU-OKC? OU-OKC??

The difference is between the two CEOs. Larry Nichols is the slow and steady conservative tortise. Mclendon is the gunslinger from the west taking on large amounts of risk. He has already been shot on his margins call. Sure he may make it all back, but with high risk.

Devon made it through the entire 80's without laying off on person. They are a great company. Especially during times like this. If anybody has any high up connections there let me know, I would love to work for them and I graduate in December from OU with an Energy Management Degree.

Sorry Dave and Skeesiks, I highjacked another thread.

That's ok. I hope you can find a good job that is secure for your future is all.

Cheese, maybe you could make some good money so you could get a good motor........... No thats not it...

I applaud Cheese for going to college and making something for himself and hope he finds that secure, permament job for life. We give him a hard time but he does have his priorities in order and I love to see that in todays youth.

We better watch out what we say. One day he may give up trying to race in this game we call sprint car racing and want to become a bigtime sponsor for somebody.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

One day he may give up trying to race in this game we call sprint car racing and want to become a bigtime sponsor for somebody.

David he is a Jennings. He would never give up on driving a sprint car

Having the secure, good paying , long time job AND racing is the trick. I always found myself on one side of the river looking at the other. Down here at the tire plant it is slow too. Not bad, just slow.

People have been worrying about our future as a whole, what's going to happen, how bad is it going to be. Something basic dawned on me- Rich people quietly want other rich peoples money. The way to get it is through us. Things don't work if money isn't circulating. We are the largest conduit,the consumers who give a big reason why, money has to pass through our end of the food chain as well.

Thanks for the good words guys.

David, I don't see myself getting out of racing, as I have about 4 years worth of only 6 races a year to make up for. I don't believe I'll lose my drive like you see in other people towards the middle-end of their careers (and I'm not talking about any one in particular, I have seen it many times). I've had to miss out on too much already to lose my drive.

I really do appreciate what you guys have said though. Of course I had to sacrifice racing wise (and dad has too) to go to college, but on the other hand I was blessed with the ability and chance to do it. I just can't wait now to be able to put new tires on the car and actually afford to buy some working bleeders (not one of our cheap black ones work). Actually, I probably shouldn't be dreaming of too much racing stuff as I still have those student loans to pay off lol.