Can I Not trust any garage anymore? :(

[Cold Chuck]

I am still ASE master certified medium and heavy duty tech with L2 endorsement. I worked for Kenworth, Peterbilt, International and Mack dealerships for decades then I left to work for fleet shop (mining) and now I am no longer wrenching, I'm one of those few guys working in managment and still have full set of tools in 90 something inches long toolbox. I have more than few guys in 60's and 70's years of age still wrenching on large equipment. Granted they don't do much of electrical/electronics work but they still work with their arthritics hands and back.

 

I am always grateful for their years of exeperience and care in doing the job done right the first time. The higher ups in management always wants to increase productions but reality hits that in order to keep the overall cost down and increase reliability, we must take the time to do the repairs and preventive maintenance properly.

 

In dealerships, I pretty much have seen them all as mechanic, lead mechanic and foreman. Some of things really disgust me more than service writer lying to the customers in order to 1) save company's face or 2) increase the bonus of service writer. Most of the truck dealer mechanics are not flat rate and they don't earn bonus at all. And yet, they have tool truck accounts, uniforms fees, safety boots, some of them have to pay off student loans, insurance premiums (believe me insurance rates for blue collar jobs are lot higher than white collar jobs!! ).

[hatchsub]

wow i forgot about this thread. To update myself a bit i have not been to a mechanic probably since the first post in this thread. All ive done is gotten alignments and tires mounted. I dont really consider that going to a mechanic since anyone can do it with the right tools (which i dont have). Every other repair i have done myself mainly cause..its an subaru. They are simple to work on so why pay someone else when im more than capable of doing it myself.

[bheinen74]

the only car i own that i would let any shop touch is my 06 outback.

 

when i had the exhaust work done on my Brat, I swear they put it on a lift using the floor pan as a lift point on the lift pad. And, they drilled a exhaust mount strap to the frame rail. Mind you, I don't like any extra holes drilled in anything I own.

 

 

My last real time i took any car to a shop was when i lived in New Orleans and I had a midpipe on my CRX rust out. I didnt have time, or tools to replace it, and took it to a Meineke or something like that. I watched them torch cut off the old pipe, seeing the sparks flying. Wasnt but about 2 weeks later, and i had bearings going out on the transmission. Reason, the sparks had put holes in the axle shaft seals from their torch cut of the exhaust, and let all my gear oil drip out enough to cause bearings to go dry and eat themselves.

 

Anyhow, i trust no one to fix anything on my cars, now, the 06, its replaceable with the equivalent or better any day of the year just going to cars.com.

 

Can't do that with my SVX, Civic Si, or Brat, the replacements of the condition they are in would take YEARS to source, as I have spent years finding my collection of cars. I dont settle for the off the lot cars, i want one owner cars, and not rusted, garaged with service records, never painted not even a single spot respray, i wont settle for that. etc.

 

 

I wish there were more good shops around, and here in Iowa we have some of the better ones that do care about doing the job right, compared to places in other states that screw you over more.

Edited February 5, 2010 by bheinen74

[Txakura]

Unfortunately most of the people I see working on cars are Ftards that couldn't amount to anything (druggies, dropouts and the like), think of a "beauty school" but for guys.

 

Now once in a while you will see someone who has a passion for it, who really likes to see a project through, unfortunately these people are few a far between. This type of person also tends to overextend them self and under quote on time (take what they say and times it by 1.5).

 

My suggestion, hunt for someone who knows their chit.

One idea go to a small airports and try to find a A&P (this is a FAA licensed aircraft mechanic), they tend to be a more on their game (as the result of half azz work is grave for them). Allot of times you can get them to help out on their off time (I've had work done for 20-35 per hr). The only problem is they don't have access to lifts and automotive only tools. Just a thought!

 

I am an A&P and was a Master Mechanic... there are degrees of A&P and I think you are referring to small shops or T Hanger environments.

 

It's a different world of thinking, the consequences of any failure are high and their is no statute of limitations on the work performed. I am still liable for any work I performed on hundreds of aircraft from a variety of carriers...

 

that being said, it's unlikely you'd find an A&P that wants to deal with someone else's greasy car problems. A small shop may take the work if they really had nothing better to do, but I think that'd be the exception, and not the rule and I'd wonder why they were taking car work

[xoomer]

I worked as a Parts Tech at A Large Honda/Kia Dealership, (Bob Lanphere Renton Honda/Kia) And For the Most part the Techs were Really Professional and did the job they were supposed to do. I remember one job, It was a 92 Accord- it Desperately needed a new motor. The tech said he was reluctant to just replace the Head Gasket because it needed rings and other things but the customer didn't have the money and or didn't believe him. So he did the Best he could on that Head Gasket. He went above and beyond the Call of duty on that engine.

 

There are still Dealerships out there That I trust. Auburn Subaru, Renton Honda. Then The Little Guys, Although I hate to admit it, Tom at Aarons Auto Wrecking, Rob and Steve at Superior Subaru in Burien.

 

But then again I wont go Near Carter Subaru. And Am reluctant to do business with Walkers or Chaplins.

 

I just bought my JDM engine for my Brat, And guess where its going on Monday to get the Valves adjusted, Superior Subaru. Because they Care and they Do the Job right.

[WoodsWagon]

Well - there's many factors.

 

1. Automotive is very competitive. Dealerships make a lot of money off service, and they pay a correspondingly better wage. They have better training programs, hire/train more knowledgable people, and have better equipment to perform the work.

 

GD

 

While the dealerships making lots of money off of service may still be true, the two parts I bolded are not. Shops are usually divided into "teams" Team leaders make 16-20 an hour, The other guys make 11-17.

 

So, when you're 35 years old you can be looking at making 60k a year if times are good or 45k when, like now, customers aren't coming into the shops for service.

 

So, the dealerships try to push costs down further and hire absolute morons (about all you can get for those rates). After a few big comebacks, they fire and replace with another moron.

[SuperchargedRS]

I am an A&P and was a Master Mechanic... there are degrees of A&P and I think you are referring to small shops or T Hanger environments.

 

It's a different world of thinking, the consequences of any failure are high and their is no statute of limitations on the work performed. I am still liable for any work I performed on hundreds of aircraft from a variety of carriers...

 

that being said, it's unlikely you'd find an A&P that wants to deal with someone else's greasy car problems. A small shop may take the work if they really had nothing better to do, but I think that'd be the exception, and not the rule and I'd wonder why they were taking car work

 

Everyone's got bills to pay, and 30+ bucks a hour CASH is not that bad for a guy to do a simple job after hours. You can find allot of guys working at small strips that are more then happy to earn a few quicks bucks on the side. Doubt they would do body work lol, but a brake job or something sure

[talldude]

Get the best books you can find, get to know a great parts person at a dealership, and do it yourself! Besides, you get to buy tools...

[wagaru]

5. Flat rate pay engenders a lack of concern for quality and a sense of urgency in finishing the job and moving to the next. When you pay people based on their speed rather than their experience, knowledge, and abilities you take away their willingness to do things the right way. Flat rate workers are always finding quicker, cheaper ways of doing things - usually at some cost in the quality of the job.

 

 

quoted from generaldisorder

 

 

thats the truth man, if you are going to take your car to a shop, know the actual tech servicing that sucker and make sure they know their stuff. i have 2 mechanics i trust and only one is readily available. i have a distaste for the flat rate system for the reasons stated by GD. im a professionally trained automotive painter and i did not specialize in body work because of the need to kick em out as fast as possible. im too much of a nit picky perfectionsit to do that, so i went paint, and pretty much no matter what you do, you have to watch paint dry, lol. i felt that in the end ppl want gorgeous paint and will wait a bit longer for that, if you are in a mom and pop type environment. flat rate makes me feel as if i am UNALBE to provide a truly quality job since i am ALWAYS pressed to go faster. thats why i like my flat rate. they job costs _________ it will take __________ and i'll contact you if something comes up.

 

anyway im off on a tangent. if you cant fix it, interview your new mechanics till you find one with his/her head on right.

[akc]

Personally we have had fairly good luck with shops but when my husband drove tow trucks he saw first hand which ones did good work and which ones did not. we go one place sometimes for things he does not have time to fix. (he works sometimes up to 80 hrs a week) which does not leave much time for repair work. BUT yes he only Trusts one shop near us.. the rest he would not touch at all. And at the one family owned shop he only lets certain mechanics work on it. (he usually takes in our ford titan V 10 ford as it is a BEAR to work on) the Subies he fixes himself. we maybe go in once every couple of years... but when we go in we usually get VIP service there. (my sister uses the same shop and does not get as quick turnaround or as good of work.) MOstly though we go over to a relatives house that has a lift and all the tools and get the job done there. and another friend that has a tow truck usually rescues us when we break down..

 

I guess it makes it more fun when you work together with people to fix your issues. nothing like working on something to give you a better perspective on it.. Of course I have really only fixed little things we have a system I find out what is wrong or get a couple of good guesses talk to him I buy the part if it is easy to install I might do it if it is more complex he takes care of it. It has been alot of fun learning about how my little car works. Takes some of the load of his shoulders just researching the issue and getting the part.. I have been amazed at how much I have learned in the past year of owning my subie... they seem so easy for the most part to fix..first real foreign cars we have ever owned other then a EA81 subie when we were first married that we had 6 months..(the lemon of all lemons.. took my spouse forever before I could talk him into another subie and now we have matching ones:lol::lol:he is still not sure about that)

 

Probably the garage issue is why people seem to like sites like this that make it easy to fix there cars.. especially when they have a knack for picking old cars.. (52 dodge, 65 dart, 86 subie, 86 4x4 subie,92 ford van, 98 ford van. I really want a pierce arrow though.. my dream car) THANKS ALL for all the help. you are way better then a shop.

[xoomer]

For us in Seattle, We have Superior Subaru In Burien, (206)-433-1709. These guys are great, I went in for a valve adjustment, and it cost me $100 bucks, but they inspected everything, Tuned it better than I could, Gave me a list of things that should be done, and on top of that the worked on my Exhaust to quiet it down, Because he loves these rigs, and wants to see me get this one right...

 

 

Steve went above and beyond what I expected him to do, so he has won my business on anything I'm not sure if I can do right.

 

There are still good techs out there and These guys are awesome so if your in Seattle or round abouts I would recommend these guys. There prices are decent and if you are a do it yourselfer, you can even ask questions.

 

they help, They Care.