Confessions of a Service Writer

"Stephen Rivers" (stephenrivers)
11/11/2019 at 08:15 • Filed to: Confessions of a Service Writer, Service Shop, Repair Shop, Tires, Clean

1. We know how dirty you are.

If you care at all about how the tech working on your car will view you, it may be a good idea to clean your car before bringing it in. You may also want to find your wheel lock key and place it in an obvious space (Think cup holder or on the dash pad). If we can’t find that object in particular we’ll end up having to look for it. You probably wouldn’t be surprised to hear about the sex toys, illegal substances or sticky surfaces we’ve found in some of your cars. The ant infestation in one though, you didn’t expect that did you? Keep it clean.

2. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.

You know that one weird noise that your car makes? That pop or squeak or other feint unidentifiable sound you hear randomly. We know you hate it and we know that it’s frustrating but sometimes those noises are hard to find. There’s good news though, if a shop tells you they can’t find the culprit, there’s a good chance that they’re trustworthy. They don’t want to sell you something that may not fix the problem. That’s great but please realize while you may be frustrated at the noise for another few weeks, it just has to get a little worse before we can make it better.

3. Recommended service intervals are just that.

If you check your owners manual you’ll usually find a bevy of things that your car is going to need a certain mileage checkpoints. Not everything in there is necessary, they’re simply recommended. Many companies intermix the two categories. Cabin air filters and transmission services are drastically different priorities though so do your research as to what you actually need versus what you may just want to replace. Sometimes the small stuff can go longer if you need it to. Filters in particular are typically easy to remove, clean and replace. Pro tip on cabin filters… drip a couple drops of your favorite essential oil on it before installation. You’ll thank me later.

4. Light bulb replacement is more expensive than you think.

I wish this wasn’t a thing but let me tell you now that truthfully there are some headlight bulbs that take an hour to replace. Most of the really long ones are GM products. For instance the Buick Rendezvous calls for over 2 hours in some trim levels. All this is to say a couple things. When you replace one, just go ahead and replace the other, and don’t be so shocked. It’s not gouging, it’s a sad reality of the way some cars are made now.

5. That irreparable tire might be repairable.

So this one will be controversial. There is a designated area in which reputable shops will not attempt to repair a tire and that’s roughly within a thumbs length of the side of the tire. There’s a good reason for this. We use patch plugs for most repairs. The patch part needs as flat a surface as possible to have the best chance at sealing and going down the road like nothing happened. The thumbs length area is curved inside that tire and there’s a great chance that it may not hold. That would result in a much larger leak than you came in with so we won’t risk it. Really you don’t want to be halfway down the road and deal with that large leak and we don’t want you to either.

DISCUSSION (19)

Just Jeepin' > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 08:23

One nice side-effect of driving topless all summer: my Jeep is certainly a bit dirtier inside (no, rain isn’t a great cleanser ) but it’s vastly less cluttered than my cars always used to be.

First time I drove my grandmother anywhere it took me a few minutes to clear a spot for her. More than a little embarrassing.

Stephen Rivers > Just Jeepin'
11/11/2019 at 08:45

Great point. If you can’t drive with your windows open or your top down without losing stuff... it may be time to clean.

Tripper > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 08:56

I started my “actual” career installing car stereos at circuit city... Obviously I have been in similarly dirty cars, and I have told this story on here before. However, one day I laid across the back seat of a really dirty (in a bad and actually “dirty” way) E30 to run an antenna for Satellite radio. The seat was slightly moist and sticky.....with ...yep that’s dog piss!!!!

First and only car that I have thrown the keys back to the owner and said “ see ya” with things half installed.

After my boss and co workers were finished laughing. They let me go home and paid me for the day.

Fuckin’ people man.

facw > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 09:05

Yeah with the biohazard level dirty cars, it seems like shops should just refuse to do the work (or charge a fee and have it run over to a detail er first).

I drove on a tire that places didn’t want to patch for a year or so (before my car was flooded ). Had plugged it myself as a temporary measure and it was holding so I left it alone. It was on a rear tire though, I wasn’t especially enthusiastic about rotating it to the front.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 09:09

Another issue with repairing punctures at the edge of the tread is that’s where the sidewall belts meet the tread belts. There is overlap, sure. But the puncture creates a weak spot in that “seam” which you then ream out to fit the plug. There’s a very small chance of issue from this, but that’s too much. People's lives matter too much to risk that over the cost of a tire. Not only that but people are so inclined and ready to bash shops over the slightest issues. All we have is our reputation. Without that, we're nothing.

Svend > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 09:14

That is downright inhuman, to drive a car like that, you have no self respect and to take it to be looked at, every shop should turn it away or say, ‘were going to tack on four hours work at mechanic labour rates and remove as much of the crud as possible, if you don’t agree to this, take it away as we will not risk the health of our staff on this vehicle’.

Okay, this is me and yes I go to another level to most (the vast vast majority of people), but that truly is disgusting.

Stephen Rivers > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/11/2019 at 09:18

Couldn’t agree more. Maybe I need to do these for a more niche audience. I’m trying to be broad so that anyone could understand.

Stephen Rivers > Tripper
11/11/2019 at 09:19

Gross dude. Wow. I’m always amazed at what people will drive around in.

Stephen Rivers > Svend
11/11/2019 at 09:20

Yea I think the vast majority of shops are so scared of bad reviews that they simply won’t turn something away if it’s in their minds just an inconvenience.

Stephen Rivers > facw
11/11/2019 at 09:23

Yep, it’s just so tough to say how the tire will react to a patch/plug in some situations that the business won’t take on the liability. Doesn’t bother me, but I can understand both sides.

As for dirty stuff, I mentioned it in another comment but I think shops are too afraid of bad reviews.

benn454 > Tripper
11/11/2019 at 09:28

Back when I was a porter, I got an early ‘00s Impala trade to clean before it got put on the used lot. The seats were so encrusted with dirt(?) that they were pitch black and looked like you could grow vegetation on them. The steering wheel was similarly encrusted with gunk and the dash and console were sticky to the touch. Thank god for latex gloves.

I was spared from having to do more than sit in the damnable thing though, because about 5 seconds after I turned the key, the CEL came on. Off to Service it went. I never saw it again.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 09:36

Totally get it. Just offering further perspective. And since this is an enthusiast community with quite a few experienced professional techs; not getting completely roasted by us is a pretty big thing! You know how techs and service advisors can be with each other

Stephen Rivers > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/11/2019 at 09:41

I really appreciate your thoughts. You’ve been consistently helpful so thank you for that. Yeah the service writer/tech battle is wild. I’m lucky to have a bunch of great guys to work with.

Nick Has an Exocet > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 12:32

Sounds like you do your job unlike most. The last time I went to the dealership, I walked out with a $ 2500 quote for a fix that turned out to be something that cost $5 because despite me paying for 2 hours of diagnosis, all they did was pull and clear my codes.

arl > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 13:01

I always try to bring a clean car to the shop for service. It somehow makes me think the service guy/gal will see my clean car, appreciate me as a car guy, and do a better job of servicing my car.

Stephen Rivers > Nick Has an Exocet
11/11/2019 at 13:05

I try to mate. It’s rough out here trying to prove that not all shops are crooked. I have heard more horror stories than I can tell.

Stephen Rivers > arl
11/11/2019 at 13:06

We absolutely notice. Thank you

AestheticsInMotion > Stephen Rivers
11/11/2019 at 18:28

I like these posts

Stephen Rivers > AestheticsInMotion
11/11/2019 at 18:46

Thanks so much mate. Really trying to work hard to get into the writing world