Nine Things Your Mechanic Wants You To Know

"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
06/01/2015 at 18:00 • Filed to: None

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I’ve been working on cars professionally for the better part of ten years and in that time I’ve encountered a whole host of interesting people and situations.Many of which would have gone easier for myself and my customers if they knew a few of the “secrets” I’m about to tell you.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Thanks to Steve Lehto, both for inspiration and letting me use his format. Please check out the article that inspired this one.

1)We [probably] didn’t break your car (I say probably because we all know that some mechanics’ abilities leave something to be desired and some are... unscrupulous. The difference is that good technicians will take responsibility for what they did). Don’t yell at us expecting us to fix it for free. Nor did we engineer whatever happened to break. Getting angry with your mechanic will not help your situation. We don’t expect that you not display emotion, even anger, just don’t direct it towards us. We have enough crap to deal with on a daily basis, and more often than not we genuinely want to help you.

2)We’re just as frustrated as you that some engineer who probably doesn’t even know what a wrench looks like decided it was a good idea to put your Audi’s timing setup on the back of the engine causing us to spend a week fixing your car thus charging you an exorbitant amount of money. We would much rather be able to finish the job in an hour or two. Many of us are also frustrated by the “flat-rate” pay system and would prefer either straight hourly or salary. Unfortunately, employers don’t like this idea even though it would drastically increase customer satisfaction and technician morale, not to mention decrease comebacks.

3)A good technician cannot diagnose or fix a difficult problem as easily as a simple one, and diagnostic fees/rates are not where the big money is. We would much rather do a 30k service than figure out why your vehicle is running rough and stalling once every three months at 12:02am but only while driving up this one hill at exactly 24mph. Those more difficult problems could cost you a lot of money, but we’re still losing money compared to what we would have made doing “normal” work. These things can take time, and unfortunately Snap-on hasn’t come out with a magic wand yet, nor does “the computer” just tell us exactly what is wrong most of the time.

4)Like most people, we can’t afford to work for free. There are a lot of costs associated with running a shop. And individual technicians have some costs of our own such as $20k+ in tools, insurance for those tools, education (for many of us), and worst of all is that most of us won’t be able to make anywhere near $30k/year until about 5 years in despite already racking up $30-50k in debt just to do this for a living. This is not a particularly lucrative career. Most of us will still go out of our way and sacrifice a bit of our paychecks to help people out if they really need it though.

5)I know it’s tempting, or sometimes even financially necessary, to work on your own car. But sometimes it’s in your best interest to at least consult a professional. That thermostat you just put in? Yeah, it’s backwards. Now you’ve overheated your engine and cracked the block, that’ll be $10k please. But hey, at least you saved $50 by replacing the thermostat yourself! I encourage you to learn about and work on your own vehicle, but if you’re not sure about something, at least consult a professional (this does not mean check the forums).

6)Oh, so your friend had the same thing happen with the cracked block but was able to fix it with a $15 bottle of “head gasket sealer”? That’s wonderful for him. But let me guess, he didn’t keep the car long after that did he? That’s because this is a temporary bandage at best, see item #5. Super cheap repairs and short cuts rarely work.

7) The forums are usually active with people who have no idea what they’re talking about and all advice must be taken with a grain of salt. Don’t come in telling us what part you want replaced, because if you were wrong then you’re out much more than you would have been by just bringing in the car to diagnose in the first place. We don’t warranty someone else’s parts or diagnosis.

8) Don’t omit embarrassing details from your story, they may be more relevant than you think. Yeah, we may laugh briefly about the details amongst ourselves, but we’ve done stupid things before and heard worse stories in the past. This is another thing that could cost you money because it wastes out time.

9) Some of us consider the term “mechanic” to be derogatory and prefer to be called technicians. The thinking here is that mechanics replace parts and technicians diagnose and actually repair things. So please be aware of this possibility and show your technician some respect, it will pay off for you trust me.

AMGtech doesn’t have a fancy about paragraph byline thingy because he is not a professional writer and quite frankly doesn’t think you would care anyways. He occasionally writes “articles” that receive little to no attention or are completely eaten by kinja.

DISCUSSION (100)

Opposite Locksmith > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:08

The crazy thoughts of a mechanic

JK nice writeup and entertaining

thebigbossyboss > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:09

In regards to #7, my mechanic actually prefers that I tell him what I think is wrong since I am not too bad with cars. He still diagnoses it, but he says it gives him a “good starting point”.

pauljones > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:12

This is a great little article, and I would encourage you to do more if you are willing. For example, what are specific things that we, as customers, tell you about the problems we see that will help you? What might be some fairly simple, but not-so-well-known basics about the work that you do?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Opposite Locksmith
06/01/2015 at 18:16

Thanks, glad you liked it.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > pauljones
06/01/2015 at 18:18

Thanks. I will keep that in mind and see what else I can come up with. Actually wrote this while half asleep last night around midnight so I’m sure I can come up with something without too much trouble.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > thebigbossyboss
06/01/2015 at 18:20

Yeah, that is completely fine and can be helpful depending on the customer. What I meant was telling us to fix part X because you just know that is what’s wrong instead of saying that you think part X may be the culprit because reasons. Guess I should have clarified a bit better.

RallyWrench > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:32

Thank you, I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a long time. All my stars for you, sir. Since I’ve gone from being a tech to running the shop (for better or worse, mostly for worse...), maybe I’ll do something from that perspective.

thebigbossyboss > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:38

It’s a good article. Last time, I may boast I was right on the money in suggesting “part X” hehehe. However there was the time I thought fuel was leaking in a weird spot and it’s because some paint varnish or something was leaking in my door cubby lol.

desertdog5051 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:42

I have the greatest admiration for the techs. They are generally straightforward and honest. It is the service writers or whatever they are called. Example: A friend rode her HD Sportster from Edmonton to my place in NM and we went to New Orleans. On the way back, her bike began a short burst of misfires and died. Had it towed to the Baton Rouge HD dealer. I explained the problems.

Side note: I have been working on HDs for more years than many of you have been alive. I am not a certified HD tech, but I have seen and experienced and repaired a lot of ailments. I am not a clueless rookie.

I asked that they replace the ignition module as these were a very weak part in the year this bike was and it had all the symptoms of a faulty ignition module (I had seen it before).

Anyway, they did their repairs and charged $350 and 30 miles away the bike did the same thing again. Towed it back a 2nd time. I asked the Service writer if they had replaced the ignition module. He said it did not need one and ran fine for the 10 minutes they idled it.

I happened to see the tech that I had seen working on it earlier and pulled him aside and asked why they did not change the module. He said they did not have one in stock. He said he knew that it was was surely the fault but the powers that be would not let him say that. My story.

muwenk > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 18:46

It’d be nice if this somehow gets caught on by mainstream media. While useful, I bet most jalops around here already have a pretty good idea of how to properly interact with mechan-, oh I’m sorry, technicians.

BigBlock440 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 19:38

That thermostat you just put in? Yeah, it’s backwards. Now you’ve overheated your engine and cracked the block,

I know this is just an example, but I kind of feel like anyone that’s competent enough to diagnose and change a thermostat, would realize it was overheating before it got to that point.

Nobi > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 19:56

I wish I could give this more than just one star. As a dealer tech of over 15 years, you hit the nail on the head with every point.

ViperGuy21 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 20:19

Great article! I hope this trend inspires more articles of this type because I quite like them!

69montego > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 20:43

you know it’s funny, some of us also consider “Technician” to be a dirty word right up there with “Engineer”. Technician to me means some kid fresh outta trade school who thinks he has to hook up a computer rather than using common sense. Don’t get me wrong, computers have their place and are indispensable for some problems. But you gotta know when to use them.

we had a kid in the shop who couldn’t figure out why a truck wouldn’t start in the lot, and spent half a day hooking up the laptop and trying to figure it out. Truck was out of fuel.

the same kid hooked up the laptop to another truck to figure out the reason why the L/R turn signal wasn’t working....... spent most of the day trying to figure it out. truck had a blown bulb.

a lot of "techs" today think that the computer will give them all the answers when it just isn't going to happen.......I'm proud to refer to myself as a "Mechanic"

69montego > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 20:46

I’ll agree with #2 especially, I’ve said that for years. Needless to say, I don’t work flat rate anymore.

and if you make the “engineers” work on their own designs for a couple of years, that silliness will most likely stop.

P.S. can you ungrey me, please?????

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > desertdog5051
06/01/2015 at 21:00

Very true. I’ve quit working at shops that won’t allow me to tell the customer the truth. Service advisors can be good, honest people, though unfortunately they’re a bit more rare.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > BigBlock440
06/01/2015 at 21:03

Unless said vehicle has no warning light or gauge to indicate as much. Or if the temp sensor is downstream of the thermostat and thus reading colds. Both of which are unlikely I know, but there are a lot of different cars out there. But yeah, I would hope so too.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > ViperGuy21
06/01/2015 at 21:03

Me too, that would be very cool!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > RallyWrench
06/01/2015 at 21:14

Thanks. I think it would be great if you were to do it from a managerial perspective, most of us have no idea what it’s like to breathe that rarified air.

ViperGuy21 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/01/2015 at 21:14

I would love to contribute, but I’m just a HS student so I don't have much of a basis for an article of this type

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 69montego
06/01/2015 at 21:18

Interesting perspective. I wonder if it’s a regional or generational thing, like pop versus soda.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 69montego
06/01/2015 at 21:22

I’ve worked on a lot of different makes and have found that some seem to hire better engineers than others, Mercedes has actually been my favorite. But then again, yamahog made a good point a while back that often the engineers are basically hamstrung with how they’re allowed to design something due to costs and regulations. Obviously expensive makes allot larger budgets than, say, Tata (not talking J/LR).

You sir, have been ungreyed.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > muwenk
06/01/2015 at 21:25

That would be great! But, especially since our break up with the ex, we’re even further off in our own little corner of the interwebs so I think it’s unlikely. Oh well.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > ViperGuy21
06/01/2015 at 21:29

Oh come on! Most of us don’t remember what high school was really like and I think a lot of people would go back if they could. If you did it in just the right voice it could be great.

Maximum Ecoboost > 69montego
06/01/2015 at 23:28

Nearly half of the design engineers I’ve known should have spent at least 6 months in the shop for whatever they’re designing. Putting things together should be a prerequisite for designing them. This applies to pretty much any product.

AdverseMartyr > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 05:15

I changed the thermostat on my 1990 Pontiac Lemans once while I was in college. I swore never again. Who puts a thermostat underneath an intake manifold that is inches away from the firewall? Daewoo! I had to hug the engine in order to do it and could barely fit my just over average size mits into the space. Yes, I’m sure the proper procedure was to disassemble the engine, but it was a couple of bolts... I still get angry about thinking about that.

AdverseMartyr > AdverseMartyr
06/02/2015 at 05:16

I might need therapy...

MM54 > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 06:50

On the rare event I take my car somewhere I’ll typically tell them “It’s doing [symptom], I think it’s the [part] doing [failure mode]” and it seems to be pretty helpful.

69montego > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 07:09

it could be a generational thing, I never really thought of it that way. I’m a gen Xer by the way.

it just seems to me that the millenials can’t diagnose anything without a computer involved.

or even worse, their smartphones. the guy with the taillight is a prime example.

69montego > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 07:10

thanks for the UnGrey!!!

ViperGuy21 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 07:21

Yeah, but I'm not a cool high schooler. I'm in band and do all my hw lol!

thebigbossyboss > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 07:42

I wish I could do one for my job tooooo. Maybe if my contract isn’t renewed in October we will see.

thebigbossyboss > MM54
06/02/2015 at 07:47

Yup. Confessions: I don’t work on my car in winter time. It’s too dark, and too *#^@!&^*&!^ cold to be bothered. How cold you ask? Oh quite cold. This past Feburary the avg temp was 1.3F.

I prefer life.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 69montego
06/02/2015 at 09:29

And I’m gen Y, but on the older side so can relate to a lot of gen X stuff. Interesting.

I agree about a lot of those younger guys, but at the same time some of them are really good and know how to use their brains. I think tech schools might be putting too much emphasis on computer diagnostics. Just yesterday I had a car on its 4th comeback for the CEL, been through multiple techs (some younger, some older) before coming to me. Using history I found it was an ambient temp sensor plausibility fault, which is what everyone else concentrated on. They did that sensor, and software in multiple modules because no one ever found anything wrong. I went straight to the intake air temp sensor (which the system uses to determine plausibility) and found that it wasn’t even installed in the intake duct. Had the problem fixed before the computer finished scanning the faults. I guess my point is that anyone can be a dumb ass, young or old, but there seem to be more young dumb asses than old ones.

EL_ULY > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 09:30

and clean out the inside of your car, especially if we are doing interior work! lol, perfection buddy. We gotta stick together homes! Also, help these rad OPPO peeps out as much as we can

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 09:31

You don’t have to mention specific details, just a broad generalization. That should be safe for your contact I would think. But, then again, I don’t know the details of your contact or what you do, so it’s really up to you!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > ViperGuy21
06/02/2015 at 09:32

Cool is overrated. Get that stupid notion out of your head! Or maybe you’re just too cool to be associated with all those losers?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 09:35

Especially if we’re doing a fuel pump and your car is full of dirty socks and underwear and garbage!

Glad to see you’re alive! How’s the weather treating you? Someone did a post, I think it was flowergirl, checking up on Texas oppos.

thebigbossyboss > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 09:38

I don’t leave food or wrappers in my car...but you guys will have to live with the perma salt stains. Sorry! hahaha.

thebigbossyboss > ViperGuy21
06/02/2015 at 09:40

What do you play? I play trumpet. I learned in HS and have never stopped really. 27 now.

EL_ULY > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 09:49

lol :]

EL_ULY > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 09:53

I was down in Mexico DF all weekend for the ol’ wedding but I was getting alerts on my phone. As if we didn’t have a trillion flood cars in the shop already, we got twice as much as soon as I walked in today since then. Insurance companies are getting worse.

Yes on the fuel pumps. So many mummified Goldfish crackers and McD fries

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 09:56

Sounds like a nightmare. And in the coming months some of those flood cars are going to start making their way to other parts of the country, without disclosing their history. Yay.

EL_ULY > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 09:59

100% TRUE!!

thebigbossyboss > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 10:04

Believe me, compared to my friends cars it’s like you can eat off the floor in mine haha.

Mattbob > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 10:07

#notallengineers but seriously, from your name I imagine you work on German cars.... Oh let me count the ways that German engineers frustrate me. They work awesome when they work, but man do those guys make things complex to get them to work just the way they want them to for no other reason than that is what they decided was the way it should be.

thebigbossyboss > 69montego
06/02/2015 at 10:14

I am a millennial (1987) and I used a youtubes to change the suspension of my car in my yard. I demand an achievement medal. Just kidding. :p

thebigbossyboss > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 10:15

Experience is the antidote to dumbassery. There is a reason that teenagers do idiotic things!

LongbowMkII > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 10:18

Generally young dumb asses turn into old smart asses by experience. some continue to become old dumb asses.

thebigbossyboss > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 10:22

Maybe. When I leave here, I will do one. I might do an AMA.

Hey look. It’s where I work. :D

Kinja'd!!!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > LongbowMkII
06/02/2015 at 10:26

That is a fact.

EL_ULY > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 10:30

I used to really keep mine clean but I have been slacking. Nothing major at all, but just some things like not vacuuming it for more than 3-4 weeks and random papers or receipts here and there.

functionoverfashion > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 10:31

I worked at a marina for years and all these points apply for marine techs, too, of course. There are a few unique ones for boats:

1. People think that “because it was working when I put it away, it should still be working now, 6-8 months later.” No, storing mechanical things is not a time-warp. Things stick, discharge, leak, rust, corrode, gum up, and the like. Just from sitting. I remember a brand-new boat, the guy bought it in October, used it maybe twice and stored it (we winterized it). In the spring he just launched it himself, “It’s new, it should run perfectly.” It didn’t. There was a little moisture in the distributor cap which corroded the contacts over the winter. Very easy fix, but it ran like CRAPOLA until we swapped out the cap and rotor.

2. A boat is expensive to maintain, compared to a car. That is not our fault. The guys who got especially irate, I’m guessing their wife/gf/so has already told them not to spend more money on the boat, because it’s a toy. We had waterfront real estate to pay for. And a $120k forklift. And all the other costs mentioned in the above post.

3. People didn’t understand the difference between “winterizing” and “spring make ready service.” See #1. We winterized your boat. In the fall. Now it’s been sitting for 8 months. It probably won’t magically start and work perfectly. I cannot tell you how many calls we got, every year, “Can you put my boat in? It shouldn’t need anything, you guys did that all in the fall.”

4. Boats are not cars. They do NOT have the same quality control. They do not make very many of your boat, compared to your car. The parts may not be available for your boat, especially if it’s a part that the actual boat manufacturer made, even though it’s “only” 10 years old. That’s ancient history for a boat manufacturer. The engines and accessories are much better in that respect, but parts that an actual boat company makes? Good luck beyond about 5-8 years.

5. (I’m sure this is true for cars too...) Your boat “just needs one little thing?” Great, we’ll get to it right after the 25 other boats that just need one little thing that came here before you. Your weekend/vacation is not more important than the other people who came before you.

6. When it comes to technology, boats are about 10 years behind cars, more in some cases. You think the auto shop can plug in a computer to diagnose your car? Yeah, that’s even less likely with the boat. And speaking of tools, we had to have about 5 different cables for our dedicated laptop, among several other electrical diagnostic tools, for the variety of standards that exist across manufacturers. There’s no OBDII for boats.

Anyway, great write up. I’m just venting on the many things that would irk me every day at the marina... our techs were great and I do miss following their diagnostic trails, it was fascinating.

thebigbossyboss > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 10:31

That’s about the worst mine gets. March and April are the worst months due to all the mud from melting snow. Gotta get here cleaned up good though, the girl is coming and we are taking a 3000 mile road trip together!

EL_ULY > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 10:40

he’s got a point. I think maybe it should be an evolution. A tech had to be a mechanic first. They gotta be able to rebuild a diff, pull an evap out, do engine bottom end work, etc. first, then take the necessary training to do the brand specific diag work. A kid can literally start from the lube line, learn how to do some brand specific repairs, but not be able to do fault tracing or rebuild a transfer case. A lot of mechanic fundamentals (car repair and tool knowledge) need to be in place before getting into modules and networking

EL_ULY > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 10:43

duuude heck yeah!!!! Check in over really good while your in there buddy. Belts, fluids, brakes, tires, all that biz.

My worst months are June-August. That heat and humidity is just too much

thebigbossyboss > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 10:56

Brakes and tires are good. Just replaced. Good advice though.

69montego > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 13:56

there’s a place for things like that, it’s just you can’t make it your only source of diagnostics.

Like I tell people, you really need to understand how things work. Until you do, you are going to have a hard time fixing things.

I’m fresh out of medals, would a cookie do? they’re double chocolate chip :D

69montego > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 13:57

unfortunately not all of them outgrow it with experience :D

69montego > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 14:01

ya I hear what you’re saying. . Not everyone is cut out to work in this field, and not everyone realizes this. It just kills me how much guys will rely on the computer without understanding how things actually work if that makes sense

thebigbossyboss > 69montego
06/02/2015 at 14:02

Yes.

Kinja'd!!!

thebigbossyboss > 69montego
06/02/2015 at 14:03

No, no quite clearly the suspension was shot I had three mechanics tell me so.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > functionoverfashion
06/02/2015 at 15:42

Great points. I’ve never considered what it would be like to work on boats all the time. I’ve worked on a few buy never enjoyed it.

As far as #5 goes, I have that problem more with my service writers. They expect they’re customer’s cars to be finished before other writer's.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > EL_ULY
06/02/2015 at 15:49

Hmm, I guess I did it backwards then. I learned electrical stuff before mechanical stuff. It just came really easy. Taught myself a lot on electrical systems back in high school before even changing my own oil. Even weirder still, I’ve never been a lube tech. The first shop I worked in was the owner and myself, we split the work right down the middle and worked together on whatever I didn’t know.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Mattbob
06/02/2015 at 15:58

Agreed, definitely not all engineers. But I actually love working on Mercedes-AMG, it just makes the most sense to me. The other Germans I definitely do not feel the same way about. The biggest issue I think, is getting past preconceived notions of how something is supposed to be. For example, just because you can change the oil on a Honda in 10 minutes doesn’t mean you can on an SLS with having to drain them from 4 locations after removing a bunch of panels underneath. It’s quite easy, it’s just different from what most are used to.

69montego > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 16:15

Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that I doubted you. I’ve used youtube myself if I run into a job I’ve never seen before. It's kind of nice to see how things generally come apart and go back together.

ViperGuy21 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/02/2015 at 18:18

That’s it! I’m just such a cool hipster that I’m just too cool! Cars are the next cool hahaha!

I was being kinda sarcastic when I said I’m not “cool”. I really do not care...

ViperGuy21 > thebigbossyboss
06/02/2015 at 18:21

Trombone! Overshadowing the trumpet since its conception!

Haha, just kidding...but not really:)

brianbrannon > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/04/2015 at 11:56

I often charge a “tax” for lying or being stupid

Admiral Picard > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 18:42

Just about every auto enthusiast forum I’ve ever visited, especially those for specific cars that don’t cost over $30K or so, seem filled with kids who don’t know shit about shit. I can’t tell you the number of absurd things I’ve read on the various Mazda3 forums, which was actually disappointing because after getting the car I was hoping to connect with some knowledgeable folks and maybe learn a thing or two. Nope.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Admiral Picard
06/05/2015 at 18:47

Trust me, it doesn’t really get any better when the cars get more expensive. The main difference is that a lot of those people feel entitled and are way too picky about stupid little things that aren’t actually problems.

polobunny > thebigbossyboss
06/05/2015 at 19:11

Yeah #7 is totally bogus. Surprise surprise, some enthusiast forums are full of actual mechanics... and some even better than actual mechanics. They’re not enthusiast forums for nothing... some of us know everything there is to know to a certain model of car. Only really applies to people who have no idea and read something on a forum and think their situation applies.

Tom McParland > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 19:17

Nicely done...small little tip- just try to find an image big enough so it take up the entire space above your 1st paragraph. If your format mimics the FP format you have a better chance of getting it promoted.

Bippity > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 19:31

Words are funny. In my line of work a technician is the bottom.

timgray > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 19:33

“Don’t yell at us expecting us to fix it for free. “

Like hell I wont. Car now has a 6 inch gouge down the door, you bet your ass the mechanic is going to fix it for free, and give me an apology. OR better yet, what happened to my mother once, the “mechanic” stuffed a rug up under the car to hide that he stripped out the oil pan drain plug. so he siliconed it in. Yes you replace the whole pan for free, and the court made the mechanic pay the dealership costs to do just that.

That “not responsible for damage to your car” sign does not hold up in court.

Honest mechanics fess up to damage they cause and get it fixed on their dime. The scum lie and try to wiggle out of it.

timgray > 69montego
06/05/2015 at 19:39

The biggest question is. did you happily charge the customer 8 hours “diagnostics” for the worthless kid’s time? Dishonest shops do just that.

timgray > functionoverfashion
06/05/2015 at 19:41

A boat is a hole in the water you throw money into constantly. and the richer the boat owner the bigger the cheapskate. I used to do High end AV system installs on Yachts. Multi millionaires love to stiff on paying. One yacht I was installing a whole boat video system on the mechanic told me that I needed to grab my gear and get off the bat in 30 minutes as he was locking it down and putting a mechanics lien claim on it. It seems the rich doctor owed him close to $10,000 and bounced a check twice.

timgray > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 19:45

BMW is the same way, you need to think like they do, then suddenly it all makes sense. Buddy of mine only works on Porsche and he feels the same way, you have to think like the engineers and get in their heads, then suddenly it makes sense. Although AMG tends to make more sense, I agree on that.

jeffrygoines > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 19:46

Good article. I’ve learned 1 or 2 of these the hard way. In my business I rely heavily on what people tell me. Occasionally they are correct in their diagnosis which might save us both time. Some, though, go into a great deal of irrelevant detail, calling on my reserves of patience.

Any general impressions on dealers? I went to one for several years, but would never recommend them. I’ve gone to other shops over the years I trust much more.

I was unaware of the mechanic vs tech thing. And who'd have thunk it? A mechanic who can write well and even use the Internet!

Vincent Wright > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 20:10

So now we have to be “PC” with the mechanics (see #9)? First, it was secretaries. Who’s next?

g101010101 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 20:12

There must be some great stories you can share?!

fireupabove > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 20:13

The shop I take my truck to (which I absolutely love and will never stray from) encourages folks to read the owners manual, get to know what service codes mean, maybe even peruse a Chilton, but points out that doing these makes you an educated user, not a professional serviceperson. I think what they’re trying to get at is that having a knowledgable customer who’s willing to leave the actual work to the professionals is best for everyone. The customer knows he/she is not getting ripped off or having something wildly unrelated to the problem worked on, and the shop is able to explain the work to someone who can (on at least a cursory level) understand it.

Boo Boo > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 20:40

I have never heard or read anywhere that people that own or work at automotive repair shops find the word “mechanic” a derogatory term. I have never heard someone say they were taking the car to their “technician”. Maybe YOU find being called a mechanic derogatory, but I think 99% of people that make a living working on cars are fine with being called a mechanic, and in fact are proud of being a professional mechanic.

Tohru > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 21:16

Many of us are also frustrated by the “flat-rate” pay system and would prefer either straight hourly or salary.

[citation needed]

I don’t know a single technician or mechanic that prefers hourly over flat rate. My dad’s a technician and works 40 hours a week, but with flat rate he routinely books 60 hours or more with no comebacks.

My personal opinion is if you prefer hourly over flat rate, you’re either lazy and don’t want to work hard, or you’re a crap mechanic that can’t book 40 hours at flat rate weekly.

kis_ev > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 21:43

I sometimes contemplate opening a garage with the thoughts that I could make wiser financial decisions than the average garage owner, but the reality is running a garage is almost as difficult and high cost as running a restaurant.

I purposely buy cars that I can work on myself, but take my cars in to my trusted mechanic for the big stuff, like timing belt changes, transmission service, and other major jobs that require special tools.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Tom McParland
06/05/2015 at 21:52

Thanks for the tip!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Bippity
06/05/2015 at 21:55

That’s a good point. Personally I think offense comes more from tone and inflection in this case.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > timgray
06/05/2015 at 22:01

Oh I completely agree. What I meant was that if we didn’t break it, don’t expect us to pay for it.

vwbeamer > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/05/2015 at 22:05

As both a former commissioned mechanic and an avid do it yourselfer now, I would like to say I find the forums very helpful. Yes, there is some idiot who is parroting information incorrectly, but usually you can find a sticky thread with the correct info in there. especially helpful for repairing common problems.

Honestly now, I work on my own cars not because I want to , but because I don't trust other mechanics. Especially with the timing belt on my Tdi.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > jeffrygoines
06/05/2015 at 22:50

Dealers to me seem hit or miss. Honestly I’ve only ever worked at two. Left the first one because I didn’t agree with their practices, still work at the second. Obviously they’re all about the money (what business isn’t?), but some understand the importance of treating customers properly and some don’t seem to care at all. If I’m trying to get a feel for a place (dealer or not, automotive or not, as a prospective customer or prospective employee) I like to talk to multiple employees, especially if they’re not directly involved with why I’m there.

As far as having work done at a dealer, that will vary greatly depending on the franchise owner and manufacturer. But you can always be certain they will have (or at last be able to get) all of the latest software, repair instructions, and tools needed for any given job. They also tend to have more factory trained techs with more up to date training (usually, not all dealers like to send their techs to training regularly). For a make like Honda, this isn’t so important but for a make like Mercedes where one car has more computers and networks than the average city in Africa it may be crucial. Now, that doesn’t mean your car will be worked on by one of those top guys. However, some places will essentially let you “shop” for your tech. By that I mean they may let you talk to your guy, and if you don’t like him simply request that someone else work on your vehicle until you find someone you like, and keep requesting that guy every time you go in. Don’t turn down a specific tech or cycle through them if you don’t have to, it may give you a bad reputation as a customer. And if you think the service advisor is feeding you line, ask to talk to the tech and get the story straight from the source, contrary to popular belief we’re generally good people.

Dealers often have other incentives, like a free wash, fancy waiting rooms with free snacks, brand new loaners, and partial or full factory assistance for problems outside of warranty, especially if you’ve been a good customer.

I done did look at dat der dikshun-hairy-thingy fer two wrote some crap. Musta werked real good! Seriously though, I know what you mean, pains me to read things other techs have written. Thanks for the kind words.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Vincent Wright
06/05/2015 at 22:57

Sanitation specialists (janitors), row-crop removal technicians (field workers), associates in charge of customer service and account management (call center employees).

Personally I couldn’t care less (unless I’m trying to “impress” someone (come on, who doesn’t do this at least once?), but really I still just fix cars, big deal). But you don’t really want to anger the guy fixing your car, do you?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > g101010101
06/05/2015 at 23:01

There’s a few I’m sure, probably nothing as glamorous as what’s in your head though. I’m going to think about it and maybe make another post asking those lines in coming weeks.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > fireupabove
06/05/2015 at 23:06

I like that policy. Might start using it myself. Already do anything I can to educate my customers, including spending a total of probably 3-4 hours with one guy over the course of maybe 4 visits talking about the intricacies of his AMG V8 all the way down to a metallurgical standpoint.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Boo Boo
06/05/2015 at 23:17

I don’t care about the term. It’s the tone and inflection that bother me. Call myself a grease monkey all the time. And I don’t mean to imply that it’s as bad as racial terms, not even close, but instead off-putting to some, I suppose. I know it isn’t that common, but I figured it’s common enough that people should be aware. Apparently, some of us can be put off by “technician” and prefer “mechanic”. You probably don’t want to annoy the guy (or girl) fixing your car.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Tohru
06/05/2015 at 23:32

What about the guys who left flat rate jobs to work in Tesla shops? They’re mostly top talent. There are definitely lots of guys who are lazy or inefficient but some of us with on a lot of weird trouble cars that require hours of open ended diagnostic testing. That kind of job can destroy your paycheck on flat rate and can lead to “shotgunning” parts. Personally, I’m consistently the highest producer in my shop, with the fewest comebacks; I didn’t put this in because I’m lazy or bad at my job.

There would have to be checks and balances to root out bad seeds of course. Let’s say tech A makes $25/hour flat rate. Well, let’s say then that he should be paid $35/hour for straight time so that he makes about the same overall. Productivity, comebacks, and customer satisfaction (based on surveys) would have to be checked regularly.

Sometimes, business is slow causing techs to stand around for a few hours of the work day not making any money. We’ve all had days where we ended up losing money because lunch cost more than how much we brought in. It happens. It sucks. But that’s how the industry goes.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > kis_ev
06/05/2015 at 23:35

I’ve had the same thought. But startup costs are ridiculous, especially when you start considering the cost of computer equipment for European vehicles. Sometimes, often, greater than $20k just for the hardware needed to read fault codes not to mention monthly subscription fees to have access to the latest software. It’s crazy.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > vwbeamer
06/05/2015 at 23:39

Very true. But stray too far from a normal problem and you could end up backwards very quickly. I’ve used, and actually continue to use forums myself, you just have to be careful with how you use the information.

Sorry I can’t really help with the trust issue. It’s a hard one to get over.

Loganapolis > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/06/2015 at 00:22

You can. Pretty much swap some nouns mad lib style and this translates for repair techs in technology (phone/computer repair) too. I know that feel.

Bob The Builder > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/06/2015 at 01:35

I worked as a computer tech in college, and a lot of this could apply to that field as well.

Yes, I’m sorry that your hard drive broke and it will probably cost you $1000 to get your priceless data back, if it is even retrievable, but we are not the ones that failed to make copies all these years and we are not the ones that caused the head to crash onto the platter and the fact that we just happened to be working on it when it happened does not make us responsible, especially since we offered you the chance to pay extra to back it up beforehand.

Pete_Zero > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/06/2015 at 02:01

Sometimes I start my car, it makes a zippy crunching noise. Any idea what it is?

The car is red btw, incase that helps.