Another mechanics are F!#*ed thread

[Low_VX_Taxi]

No, that makes for a poor workshop.

true, but in any managerial position the poor work of fellow workers reflects badly on the manager (head mechanic in this instance), most stores in my area are family owned run businesses as well, so the mechanic who you deal with is usually the owner of the workshop.

 

[KRUPTD]

Hi guys,im a motor mechanic by trade and have been doing this for over 8years.I have witnessed unhappy and appreciated customers over my time.I can understand what customers have complaints.I also do believe there are other motor industry repairers out there that have poor workmanship.Where i work we have plenty of customers who appreciate the quality and speed of our workmanship,i work in a small business with my boss qualified for more than 25years,myself,a 3rd year apprentice and a 1st year apprentice.On an odd occassion you do have a complaint about the workman ship,but we go out of our way to rectify this.If customers like to complain about poor service or workman ship stop taking your car back to that place of service and go somewhere else it is simple as that.At my establishment we get plently of work from local panel beaters/companys/customers and tow ins.When i work on a car i always take pride in my work,to make sure it is done right the first time and in the shortest time possible.
These days mechanic's should be able to work on all aspects of cars from wiring in the dash through the drive train,suspension,fault finding,repairing,fixing,also observing a car to let the customer know that whats goin on with the car are there any faults to be fixed.When we do a service we check the whole car over to make a list of faults which need attention.We also let the customer know how important it needs to be fixed and if its only small we tell maybe the next time they come in for a service we can fix or repair it for them.We dont lye in a our shop,its not a good work practise.But like i said people can blame and complaint about where they took there car but if they are that upset take it somewhere else or even go to consumer affairs.
What makes me laugh reading this thread,that a licenced workshop didnt have a simple grease gun.How pathetic is that.Also i like to mention that motor repairers might get abit upset in some cases where you provide them with parts and they just charge for the fittment.Most places have suppliers for there parts and may like using there suppliers/(known suppliers meaning there products they use must be good).Im sorry to offend those people who do supply it may be easier for you to supply ther parts.But also what happens when you have supplies the parts and the mechanic has fitted the parts in the proper manner?????then that means the supplies parts were faulty.And in my shop we have come across this i wouldnt say numerous but we have come across this and customers have tried to blaim us for the wrong fittment.

 

[KRUPTD]

I like it when people pick there car up from us and have noticed a difference in there car meaning how better it feels to them.For example 2 weeks ago i worked on a manual VR SS sedan it came in to check the tune,service and overall check over,the customer was a good friend from a near by panel beater (just around the corner) and mentioned our business to them so they brough there car to us.So here we go did a normal service check/top up all fluids/diff and gearbox,adjusted hand brake,replaced oil filter/oil.Checked all steering/suspension joints front and rear.replaced all drive belts,pressure tested the cooling system,did a compression test on the engine,checked the resistence in the spark plug leads,checked for buildup/cracks in the rotor cap,checked the fuel pump with our flow/pressure gauge,replaced the fuel filter,spark plugs,air filter,cleaned out the throttle body,readjusted the timing,also used our carmen scan tool to see how the sensors are working and for any codes.Before i serviced the car i took it for a quick spin around the block to notice the feel of the car.Then i took it for another drive and noticed myself of a noticable improvement in the overall feel of the car.The customer picked the car up and mentioned "did you find anything worng it the car."We tested the cooling system,fuel system,and had a general check over and replaced these components(showed customer).We mentioned that the fuel pressure was good and found no coolant leaks.But the customer had mentioned earlier that the car would surge.When i took the car for a road test i drove it many ways i drove it hard(not stupid),i drove it easy and drive it like a baby.but didnt notice anything.So the customer picked the car up.
A week later the customer came back and said what ever you had done to the car was like (magic),it drives just as good but even better than the first date he bought it (mind you its all original with 394,000kms/no oil leaks and never opened up).But driving back from melbourne (a 500km drive) he noticed it would surge in 4th at light throttle.So he left the car with us over night,took it for a drive noticed it was alittle harse throughout the car,hoisted it and checked the engine/gearbox mounts,checked all the front and rear end components,checked for play in the universal joints and noticed there was some play in the front uni.So removed the tailshaft,once removed checked for stiffness in the front and rear uni joint and found the front uni seized,checked the center uni and felt fine so replace the front and rear unis and then refitted the tailshaft and road tested.The problem was fixed,but the surging wasnt a good description it felt more like a harshness in the call but to a person that isnt mechanically minded/or weekend warrior wouldnt know.Once the customer came to pic up the car i had a word with him and said take me for a drive,so he drove the car as he would and he said the surging was gone,once back at the shop i showed him the cause of the harshness and comended us on the workman ship of his car,now he also mentioned we will be working on his ute and sons and daughters cars.Which was really good to make one customer happy with the good workmanship we have now got more customers.
Sorry guys for my on goin story,but one last thing is that there are many young mechanics around today(im not saying it is a bad thing/but with the younger age there isnt that much experience),but what makes a good mechanic is experience the more cars you work on the more hands on stuff and mores years i reckon makes a good mechanic.cheers

 

[Scooter79]

KRUPTD, I notice you live in Griffith. I grew up there. Who do you work for?