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yuck !!! These kinds of people make my blood boil. That being said he fits the majority of the common sector out there.. We have been and probably always will be looked down on , as the guy that couldn't make it so he settled on being a mechanic , an easy mindless job... I turn purple in the face daily at work trying to explain to people about diagnostic charges and why I don't go off of others diagnostics and why I don't like to use their parts.. The funny thing is most honest good mechanics live a basic life where most dentists live a lavish life , hmmm go figure

very true, but now you see even more of the ones you would not expect like the older women with a emissions fail in hand with the code on it or the parts store print out , saying they know what is wrong and hand you the paper and ask how much to fix it, when I tell them there will be a diagnostic charge, then I can tell them how much, they get angry and start saying things like " fine you don't want my business I will go somewhere else " or " your trying to rip me off I already know the problem it is here on the print out " I can go on and on but I won't LOL.. I am getting to the point where I tell them what the diagnostic will be and if they want me to look at it drop it off and at that point I have said my peace and go back to work.. Of course you always get the ones that " I have a tiny problem " and " let me show you something " ... I always tell them I have done this a long time and you aren't going to show me something I haven't seen before. So .......... " if you want me to look at it drop it off "

Now a days with YouTube, google and the parts houses it’s not just the geeks it’s just about everyone 🤪

now that is funny and true LOL 🙄😂

LOL , you could probably twist this story just a little bit and it could apply to a lot of mechanics out there LOL !

don't forget they even give you the "buy and try" list for free !

Well said Frank! " but can't you just plug that thing in under the dash that tells you what is wrong?"

HAha, this thread will continue on and on.. Easy said 110% a diagnostic charge needs to be charged, the diagnostics is the hard part of the job a set price to start is how we do it. Customers are told there is a set charge and it will be adjusted depending on what is found more added if more time is needed and some taken off if it is a simple easy find such as something left unplugged etc. If you have to question it next time you go to the doctor ask him or her if you can just pay for the medication given and not the x rays, bloodwork, ct scan or any other tests done, see the answer you get .

I use my sharp stick to run some of the idiotic customers off ! LOL

LOL , just like the dreaded check engine light you diagnosed and fixed last year ! lol... If the customers only knew the monitor and checks these sophisticated machines they drive around actually go through and the amazing number of things that can set this light off , they themselves may come to the conclusion they may have another problem , not the same problem.. There only seems to be two lights that resonate to the average operator. One the dreaded tire pressure light and the second that funny little thing that looks like a gas pump LOL !!!! 😜

HAHA ! come on now, the customer is always right LOL

Very on point Joe, Where I work we actually had the opposite happen. Our service writer has been ill in and out of hospital for months now and now at the point where there is a 99.9% chance he won't return. I have taken over his roll on top of my mechanical duties so making less money since I am commissioned. HeThe owner came up to me yesterday morning after he got there about 10:30 I start at 8 . He asked me if we were working tomorrow the 4th . I told he we have never worked the 4th , he has owned the station about 4 years now. I have been there almost 27 years . He said we have every year , well he had a few back yard guys that came in because they were able to rip customers and pocket money . I told him no way we are closed so he went behind my back and asked the other two guys if they would work they both turned him down.. The end of last week and this week have been horrible extremely hot heat index of 105-110 no a/c no offering from him for breaks or early dismissal . He then comes to me and says to not let anyone have gatorade from the store up front if they want anything they can have water. I told him that was unacceptable we need something to keep us going and water does not have the salts etc we need for this kind of heat. After being in the shop he went back to his a/c office saying it was to hot in the bays.. Then a few hours later a customer came in for a MD inspection , I had been in the heat all day and had a bit to finish up so I told him no. He is an inspector (don't know how he got a license he is not a mechanic by any means) I told him he could do it if he wanted to, his response "it's too hot for me to work in this heat" WOW!!! He just purchased about 30 grand worth of cars from auction for his self 3 top of the line siennas 2013 . So he is no crying he is not making money well this time of year we don't make that much , school just out and the holiday. It just kills me just shows that all his employees are are robots (slaves) to him , and beneath him. Yes there is a cultural difference he is (Pakistani Muslim ) but we are after all human .. So take care of one another if it hard for you to do something or be in a situation it is probably just as hard for your employees . A happy comfortable employee is going to be more willing to work hard and not make mistakes vs someone that is not appreciated or treated as a lesser of a human being . Everyone have a Safe, fun and relaxing 4th everyone ... HAPPY 4TH !!!!!

yes they are more interested in attendance than training... A sad state of affairs, money money money .. I could go on and on ranting about this kind of stuff but will spare everyone

reality and the magic of TV, got to love it. All this plays into our customers as well. TV, internet all have a slightly negative effect on our customers. Like the guy that brings his car in that needs a simple starter installed. You quote him book time and he or she replies " how much ?! " I saw a video on the internet took the guy like 5 minutes it is easy " my reply is them is, why are you here then? Some of those reality shows are good some not so much. I get the feeling that if you were to put a majority of those guys out in the field they would fail big time. A lot of " Master mechanic" or " Master builder" self proclaimed and the later one, is there really such a title? LOL

Well said Joe, I have been through a few owner's, most have has the same type of attitude as this, but a few including the current one are quick to attack or push when things are slow. When things are going great though you never hear a peep no thanks no appreciation at all , but a bad week or stretch of time and you hear about it on a constant basis even if in a common well known slow period.. It is as if they forgot about year past where the same thing happened. Morale is something missing from a lot of shops I am sure.. I think that the morale of the shops starts and stops with it's leadership ! Happy comfortable employees will be more willing to work hard than ones with a chip on their shoulders.

LOL , great story ! Got to love those Ghost Mechanics LOL 😉

yes sorry didn't mean to get off topic... I can only give my $.02 be very honest about who you are looking for and your business. Be realistic with your expectations of them and what you want from them and yourself. Don't give in and fluff an ad to get someone. I have seen many people find "greener grass" from reading an ad and then be very upset when either the employee or employer didn't' meet the expectations . Then you are looking again.

A good example of how the electrical age is very helpful as well as hurtful, But honestly those comments are not very far off base are they? I have been at it for over 27 years and can't say I make but a few pennies more than I did 15 years ago.. Of course a major problem is the pay , cars have become way more technical and takes a very dedicated well trained person to diagnose, fix, and confirm the repair. That brings us to the schooling which from what I have heard from many sources that it is still basically the same as when I went to school a long time ago. Of course it is not totally the owners faults , it is the schooling, the people ( willingness to put in a lot of hard work and learning) , the industry , and the general public. It was stigmatized as a job for the "losers" and "rip offs" we know that is not true , but that stigma has not changed why pay "losers" and " rip offs" good money ? The way I see it is this industry is like any other, It booms and it crashes, We are defiantly in a crash period and have been for a long time and it is only going to get worse before it gets better. There are a lot of things that need to change in every aspect from schooling, the industry , and the public. That is a huge feat to change all this and it will take a very long time once it starts, but I don't think it will start till the "shit hits the fan" and that will be when the industry is at rock bottom and techs can't be found.. The only silver lining to this is that the ones in the field and are good will benefit since they will be more sought out and be able to make a better living for themselves.. Years ago I use to make money working on cars and was able to put money away and save, now I pay bills that is all ! The cost of living has gone way, way up over the last 10-15 years but our pay has only crept up. How do entice someone into an industry like that? I know I would not do it again knowing what I know now, but that being said I will not give up and I will continue to be the best I can and keep learning all the new stuff the industry throws at me.. If I never get the financial reward at least I will have the pride in knowing I was the best I could be at what I did ! Put simply there needs to be a HIGHER STANDARD across the board in every aspect of this business !

seems like a daily thing now a days... I had one leave a car hanging on the lift after two days called them asked if they had decided what they were going to do , of course they needed more time so I told them they had till noon tomorrow if I had no answer I would get a tow truck to get it off my lift and I would have it dumped in their driveway . ( of course I wouldn't do that since I wanted the money for the work already done) With in two minutes of me telling them that I had the approval for the job to be completed LOL.

Great article , Great points. One problem is as the cars get harder and harder to fix we buy more and more expensive equipment to fix them. Isn't it funny how the guys that can fix them are the poorest and the ones that BS their way through drive the nice cars, go on long vacations, and eat out all the time .. oh yea and make youtube videos LOL.. 🤔

I am the same way , I am very firm on pricing . I may however if badgered enough drop say 5% off of the parts mark up, but i am a firm believer in standing firm on the price. The reason being I believe in what I am selling you . You get what you pay for if you give in on pricing, in my mind it shows a weakness in what you think of your business , standing firm shows you believe in what you are selling.. When it all boils down most good people are looking for HONESTY even if they have to pay a few bucks more for it..

hmmmm maybe time to find a new job 🤔😂... very good article ! Definitely applies to the new students as well as a lot of seasoned guys and gals .

good story so true.. With the good long time customers the diagnostics fee is never an issue, but with the new arrivals from 90% - 95% you still get the "why do I have to pay for diagnostics I can get that done free at the parts store" (when pertaining to check engine lights) ... That being said you still find some places that are a little overboard.. Had a little old lady (one of my good customers) who's husband died a couple of years back , I always dealt with the husband, but she now has no option but deal with me LOL.. anyway she was going to go out of town just for a night but she has a 300 mile drive and wanted to make sure her car was good to go.. she was a little afraid since her check engine light had come on .. So it being a newer toyota she went to the dealer for the lifetime oil change and the check engine light.. then she came to me with the results since she didn't have the time to fix it and wanted to know if it was okay to drive the car, they said it would need more testing.. so I looked at here paperwork, p0442 (small evap leak) diagnostic charge 180.00 bucks, will need smoke test 156.00 customer declines any further diagnostics at this time.. I said well small leaks can be hard to find but sometimes it is a simple as a loose gas cap sure enough I took a look her gas cap was just set in place.. tightened it cleared codes and sent her on her way.. no charge . I understand sometimes more diagnostics are needed , but if you are charging 180 bucks at least do the basic diagnostics before trying to get an extra 156 bucks..