Gonzo

I started out .. 30 or so years ago, by myself. Then one helper, then two, then three, then apprentices and more help. The shop got huge. I was working more hours than I did when I started out. Sure, I made a good paycheck but the stress was unbearable. When the economy tanked years ago guys moved on and I didn't replace them. Now, in the last 5 years I've been by myself with my daughter handling the phones. It has been a blessing in disguise. I go home when I want, I work as late as I want, and I have the weekends for myself and family. Personally, I prefer doing the work myself. No payroll to speak of, no comebacks, and little to no stress. Quite a difference than when I ran the shop with a big crew. Yes, I don't make as much, but I make enough. Can't say I'd ever go back to a full crew again. Ain't happening.

It's been a long standing argument whether or not to have pricing the same at each shop or some sort of standard price for each job. Starbucks doesn't care that the diner down the street is selling a cup of java for a dime, or any other places prices. It really isn't the price that keeps people coming back it's the quality and whether or not that particular person fits the atmosphere of "that" particular shop. Selling yourself short by offering discounts (especially to those used car dealers) just invites more frustration. Set your standard price, offer discounts as you see fit, but the bottom line is........ make a living. I'm not a bargain hunters repair shop by any means, and I'm constantly asked to lower a price or do something cheaper. Ah, Starbucks isn't going to negotiate the price of a latte, and I'm not going to change my prices because you don't want to spend the cash... and YES... it really is the same thing, different products, different services, but it's still business between the shop and the consumer.

This scenario is playing out more and more. We've come to a time when the electronic age is affecting the lower income people with their transportation needs. At any intersection I see cars with the windows down and no air conditioning, or at a fast food drive up window and they can't roll the window down. A lot of them want the prestige of driving a fancy...older car, but find out all too quickly that they can't afford even a small repair.

Sometimes Advice is the Best Help Another day at the shop and the phone rings. It’s a DIY’r asking questions. “Say, do you program computers?” “Yes, I do,” I answer. “I got one from the junk yard, because I can’t afford a new one.” the caller says. On other occasions it’s someone asking how much to fix their brake lights, because they already changed the bulb and checked the fuse, so it must be something electrical, but they don’t have any money for repairs. In both cases my first response is not to shoot them a price or chase them away, but to ask a few questions. Nine chances out of ten they have no clue as to what’s wrong with their car. (I’d like to say ten out of ten, but I’m giving at least one of these callers the benefit of doubt for they might be right for a change.) I know I probably shouldn’t categorize these types of callers, but after three decades of doing this same job, and answering the same questions from the same type of people, I’ve got a pretty good idea who is on the other end of the phone. They all have the same things in common. One, no spare cash to properly fix their car, and two, very little knowledge of today’s cars. Here’s how I see it (from a professional mechanic’s view). As of 1995 the computer systems in cars started to involve more than one aspect of the vehicle. Meaning, the engine, transmission, HVAC, security, and other systems were all combined into a mass of confusing electronic pathways. Factory security systems were the norm, and OBD II became the standard as well. Yes, there were plenty of vehicles with sophisticated systems prior to 1995, but this was a big turning point across the board for all manufacturers. With that said, the problem is those cars are old, the systems are old, the technology is dated (compared to today’s standards), and those cars are more or less past their prime. Most of these callers are familiar with the early years of electronic systems, the ones where all you did was swap an ECM, or change a bulb or two. Those cars from the mid 80’s are all but in the scrap yard, and the cars from the 70’s and older are now in the hands of collectors and/or people who are restoring them. Thus, the average Joe is more than likely driving around something with a sophisticated computer controlled engine system in it. I suppose it’s something all the engineers and manufacturers didn’t think about once these electronic marvels of modern society became the average Joe’s transportation. Let’s face it, cars reach a point where they are not entirely worn out, but are still in some working order. However, years ago an aging car could be kept going for a lot less money than today. Sure, the older cars might find that the corner discount parts store may carry a cheap knock off part for them, but a lot of times those cheap parts just add to the problem. There’s also parts availability to worry about, too. Most manufacturers won’t stock certain components after the ten year mark. Salvage may be the only option, but even then… electrical parts can be a little tricky to deal with, especially when it comes to reflashing a used PCM or BCM from the salvage yard on some models. This is where some of those questions I’d like to ask these callers come into play. It seems some of these individuals are still under the impression that you just unbolt a part and stick another in like you could on those early electronic cars. I guess they think I wave some magic machine over the hood and all is right with the world again. Just for my own sanity, I spend a lot of time on the phone educating the caller on the process of reflashing, diagnosing, and repairing their car… probably too much time actually. After all is said and done, the all mighty dollar usually turns out to be the bigger issue, and not the reprogramming for most of them. With all these elaborate systems aging away on these older cars, it’s not uncommon to have shocked and frustrated customers at the counter. Especially after they pull up to the front door with a 12 year old car, and have HID headlamp problems and are thinking that it’s “just a bulb”. Or after diagnosing their failed wiper system their wiper switch has to be programmed to the car. When I inform them of the steps and the costs involved, the outcome is almost always the same. I already know from past experience just how frustrating all of this is to the owner, and I try my best to soften the blow. It doesn’t help much though, I’m still going to hear all about it, and I know they are not directing their frustration directly at me… but it’s still hard to deal with even after all these years. I understand their predicament, believe me. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, either. I spent my younger years struggling along trying to move off of the lube rack myself. Low pay, a broken down dilapidated car, and no money are no stranger to me. Let’s face it, business is business. It takes cash and plenty of it to keep a shop going from day to day. As much as I would like to help each and every one of them, I know it’s just not possible. I’ve known a few who have tried, but as a professional in the trade I know all too well that ya gotta keep the bays full of paying customers and not the ones that can’t. The best thing I can think of doing is to refer those individuals to the numerous agencies in the area that offer assistance in these matters. I hope things improve for them, but for now, advice is all the help I can offer. View full article

I really am an advocate of sharing found knowledge or procedures/short cuts. If it wasn't for the internet and it's many sources of information there are many, many cars I probably wouldn't have been able to repair. But, the sophistication of the modern car and the internet seem to go hand in hand. The more complicated they engineer things the more research and information is needed, and the internet (with all it's failures and good points) is the place to go and find that info.

The shop in question had been around since the 60's but under several different owners after about the 80's. From what I could find out the last couple of owners were young and no experience in shop management but what they did have was family money. Which of course is all gone now. They guys they were hiring in were rejects from other shops. So the whole thing was a fiasco from the start. This time instead of finding a buyer the last owner just sold all the equipment they did have, which amounted to nothing more than over used, well worn out original type equipment from the 70's. Not even worth my time to buy anything. It was a great location and that was the best part. Some convenience store will probably snap up the property now. Besides, the location is worth more than what those guys were turning out in the shop. LOL

Not one of my usual stories but after the recent closing of several shops in the area I did some checking as to why they closed. All for the same reasons... no work. Then a little more checking it was clear as to why they didn't have any work, they all didn't want to deal with the newer models. go figure.

Going Out Of For Business The vocation of an automotive repair person is one of those trades where you might find you have the knack for it at a young age, or you might be one of those people who have the ambition and drive to learn this trade by attending a trade school or on the job. Even though you might know a lot about what you’re doing today, there’s a good chance you haven’t seen it all, and more than likely you will encounter something new and different tomorrow. This is definitely not one of those trades where you learn a couple of procedures and they remain the same for a lifetime. It’s an always changing and always improving career. To stay current with the latest innovations and techniques, today’s mechanic spends a lot of time reading, studying, and learning those latest improvements. Without it, there’s not much chance of making it as a professional mechanic. From time to time, I hear about shops closing up, or mechanics selling their tools and thinking about going into a different line of work. With a national shortage of qualified technicians out there, how is this possible that shops and mechanics are calling it quits? Are they getting tired of the constant negativity from misinformed customers? Could it be that today’s cars don’t break down as often? Perhaps they broke their only ½ inch socket and can’t find a replacement. Maybe it’s just time for certain individuals to move on, or it might be retirement that’s on the agenda. Maybe it’s health or family issues, divorces, or partnership breakups. All of which are a possibility, but I think there is one more thing that is an even bigger part of the problem…. Training. Recently a shop not too far away shut their doors for good. This particular shop had been around for a long, long time. But, their quality of service had dwindled to a very noticeable and unsatisfactory level over the past few years. They were still doing A/C work without a recovery machine (no section 609 either), and no scanners or code readers. How they got by with that for as long as they did is beyond me. Neither the owner, nor the guys he hired wanted to learn anything new. They wanted to keep on doing what they’ve been doing for the last couple of decades, and only work on cars from those eras… and nothing more. Obviously, those types of cars are few and far between these days, but there still out there, and yes, a few shops and technicians have managed to make it a viable market for them, but seriously... there’s not enough of that type of work out there to sustain more than a few shops in a given area. So, what should a mechanic or shop do? I’d say it’s time to step up to the world of electronics, internet, and the sophisticated automobile. Today’s cars are not what they used to be, and the technical knowhow of the modern mechanic has far exceeded anything that I could have even dreamt of even 10 years ago. Yes, that right, the stereotypical mechanic of the past has left the building a long, long time ago. Today it’s a whole lot different. Now it’s college educated, or trade school graduate, or a lot of off hours training, and it requires a highly skilled craftsman to make the repairs. But, along with good training, good equipment, and a good attitude today’s shops and mechanics alike spend plenty time getting the word out to those potential customers. Uses what else? The internet, from social media pages to videos, to instructional lessons and chat groups they’re getting the word out… they’re going out for business. Mind you, there are still a lot of throwback customers and mechanics out there who believe the world of automotive repair should consist of a dingy, dimly lit small shop with grease covered floors, and a mechanic who still carries his grease rag in his back pocket. (No offense to those who still do.) Some of these customers and mechanics haven’t figured out that computers have taken over everything yet. They’re about 40 years off of today’s pace. Today’s modern shop is clean, well kept, and anything but those early dirt floor shops. That’s not to say you won’t find a small older shop with a few rough edges here and there that has all the same modern technical information, and a mechanic that knows how to use it all just like the large volume repair shop does. There are still plenty of those types of shops out there as well. For the most part, gone are the “swap-til’-ya-got-it” repair days. For example, back in the 70‘s and early 80‘s electronic ignition systems only consisted of a few components, and it was common practice for a mechanic to have a few known good ignition modules lying around that were used as test pieces. (I’ll bet, if I dug around a bit I might even still have some of those old modules still hiding in a drawer somewhere.) These days a good scanner not only reads codes, but allows for bi-directional control of a lot of systems, as well as letting the mechanic see just about every facet of the car by simply plugging it into a laptop. From power windows to the transmission, with the right tools and training you don’t even have to turn a wrench (most of the time) to do any analysis on a given system. Instead of going out of business maybe what some of them need to think about is “Going Out for Business”. Simply put, it’s using today’s internet, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc... to their advantage. There are so many sources for information and videos there is no excuse for not being able to repair today’s vehicles. Along with that, websites for the shop and even an individual mechanic are useful to gain knowledge and a reputation for quality work by showcasing what he/she does. It’s all about communication and getting the word out to the masses that you’ve got what it takes to repair today’s cars. Sure, word of mouth is still a tried and true method of exposure, but the tech savvy mechanic and/or shop will find an even better response from using the today’s technology to draw in new customers. As a shop owner myself, keeping the bays full is a premium, and taking advantage of the internet is a must. You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Doing the same thing, but expecting different results is the definition of crazy”. As mechanics, shop owners, and even as a customer we all can fall into that trap of doing the same thing. So instead of making yourself crazy by doing the same old thing...or giving up and going out of business… try going out for business instead. View full article

First I would check is the tps. The next is the control pressure hard shift can be a result of high line pressure. Usually either caused by a voltage drop. But there are plenty of other causes. But those are the usually problems I've run across.

I get stuff like that all the time, and I mean... all-the-time. Usually the customer calls and wants a price on a controller (or whatever it is) and I tell them that I want to test it first, they usually say, "I already had it tested." If I can't convince them to let me test it I tell them flat out, "Take it back to where they told you what part it needed and have them do it." It's like that almost every single day. seriously....

I had several cars in a hail storm many years ago. I ran into this very same problem. The results were that my insurance company would cover cars that were in the shop and or damaged by any means that we caused while the car was parked outside our building. NOT natural disasters. Their conclusion was that if the car would have been in a mall parking lot or any public parking area (Such as the outdoor parking area at the shop I had) anyone could park there even if they were not a customer at the time. So it becomes their risk and not yours. Their personal insurance had to cover any natural catastrophe or act of god. I had one guy bitch me out, but after talking to his insurance company the matter was taken care of by them. All ended well.

This scenario is one of my biggest pet peeves. If you had enough thought to conjure up a solution to a problem and your idea doesn't pan out ... "go the distance" figure it out! ! ! Why is it some techs want to be spoon fed a problem but when whatever it is they are working on doesn't work, they throw their hands up and send the car packing??? The worst part is the customer is paying again, and THAT'S the real kicker here. Now I've got to deal with the old, "I just paid somebody to do it!" or "Why does it cost so much the last guy didn't charge nearly that much!" It never ends....

Great story, and a great man. Thanks for sharing

Go the Distance It’s no wonder the average consumer fears going to the repair shop for anything. With the way some people diagnose problems on cars I don’t blame them. I run across more botched attempts than I care to remember. Hey, I’m not perfect by any means, and I certainly didn’t know what I know today back when I started. We all learn from our mistakes, but letting a mistake walk out the door of the shop isn’t smart. It’s one thing for a shop to tell a customer that a part has failed, but it’s an entirely different thing to replace the part, then throw their hands up and say, “You’ll have to take it to somebody else, because I don’t know what’s wrong with it.” Even though prior to installing the part they probably told the customer that it would fix their problem. And of course, somehow, some way the customer will have to cough up the cash to get their car out of that particular shop. Is making the fast buck with the quick diagnosis their preferred method of operation? It must be. How about thoroughly testing the problem beforehand? Instead, when their guestimation doesn’t work they bail out of the repair. No wonder the automotive repair business has such a bad reputation. But, I can’t blame just the shops that do shoddy work for all of this; ya have to blame the customer as well. Just because there’s a sign that says, “Mechanic on Duty”, or the marquee says “Thrifty Repair and Lube”, doesn’t tell me a whole lot about who’s going to be tinkering around with the second-most expensive thing in most peoples’ lives. Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Consumer, cheap oil changes are not the same thing as engine diagnostics, and there is a difference in skills of mechanics too. Oh, wait a second, I forgot about that one factor that dictates the answer to most everything, cost. Bargains are bargains, but risking your car for a bargain priced repair may be dangerous or even more costly in the long run. The penny-pinching customer’s thought process, (as I’ve heard from different sources), goes something like this: “If I use the cheap shop and they get it wrong, I’m not out a whole lot. If I go to a reputable shop and they get it wrong, I would have to spend a whole lot more, and still be looking for someone else to fix the problem.” In all fairness to reputable shops, the qualifications and skills of those individuals aren’t based on guess work or throwing a dart at a wall. Even if a shop looked at the problem and determined it wasn’t something they felt comfortable with, they would know the most reputable shops that could handle it. Believe me, all the shops in a given area know exactly the quality, or types of work, the other shops do in their area. They also know which shops to stay away from. Training has a lot to do with what separates the mechanics who actually fix cars, and the ones who just throw their hands up? This training is an ongoing-never-ending process for the modern mechanic. The other part, and probably the most important part, is that they’ll stick it out, and find the problem; they’ll go the distance. When a technician is diagnosing a strange or rare problem, and gives up in the middle of it, he/she isn’t helping the customer, or the shop. A good diagnostic technician will go the extra mile and find out what’s wrong, rather than assume he can’t figure it out. A perfect example of this is a car that came in from another shop just the other day. The story goes the car wouldn’t start, as the battery was dead. After installing a battery it started, but the mechanic found the wiper motor running constantly. So, he ordered a replacement motor. He installed it, but instead of the wipers working, it blew the wiper fuse. In the meantime, the supposedly new battery ran down to the point where the car wouldn’t start. He then recharged the battery and the car started, but still no wipers. Several trips to the printer to pull off copies of every wiring schematic he could find still added up to a complete zero for him. Now the car wouldn’t start again, and the wipers still weren’t working. He threw his hands up and said, “Ship it to another shop, it’s beyond me.” Now I’m involved in this whole thing. The other mechanic even left all the schematics in the car for me. Well, the starting problem was no big deal. A little investigative work answered that little mystery. The battery was no good as I later found out; it was the shop test battery. Somebody put it back on the sales shelf by mistake. The wipers on the other hand… now that was a little different. If the other mechanic would have read the wiring diagrams, he would have found the problem. It was the wrong wiper motor for the car. Even though he ordered the motor correctly, the motor was actually boxed wrong. This guy didn’t bother to check any further. Just because you installed a part and it still doesn’t work, doesn’t always mean the problem is elsewhere. It just goes to show that a diligent effort is needed in order to come to the right conclusion on any repair. That’s the point. “Go the Distance” isn’t just a saying, it’s something that all mechanics/technicians should take into account when they are looking under a hood. Stopping short of a completed repair doesn’t make for a great relationship with your customer, nor your boss. Don’t expect the next guy to pick up the pieces, or for that matter if the parts guy got it right. You’re the guy on the firing line, no one else. If this is your career choice then make it a career, not a job. That means learn your trade, don’t parts change, and don’t rely on somebody else for the answers. Just because you can unbolt a part, and stick another one on, doesn’t make you much of a mechanic. Diagnosing, reading the repair information, and studying the wire schematics are all part of taking care of the customer’s needs. Sure you’ll make mistakes, but everyone does. The more time you spend today studying and learning the diagnostic information in front of you, the more likely tomorrow you won’t have to. If you want to be one of tomorrow’s top techs in demand, then start today and … Go the distance. View full article

I'd like to think there are Frank, but honestly... I can't think of any right now. Must be that short term memory thing, another part of getting older. LOL

Advantages of Being an Older Mechanic Age, the longer you’re around the older you’ll get. Doesn’t seem fair sometimes. As they say, “Youth is wasted on the young." The older cars get, the more things seem to go wrong with them, and the same goes for the aging mechanic. It’s the eyes that don’t focus as well when you’re staring at a wiring diagram, or the old back has a few twinges after lifting the crankshaft into place; then it’s the arthritis that works its devious little magic when you’re in a tight spot flipping an open end wrench over and over, on and on go the aliments. Now, some customers prefer to deal with the older mechanic at the service desk. Maybe it’s because they represent a fatherly figure to them, or maybe they feel the older guy might have a lot more experience with their sort of problem. Whatever the reason, as an old guy in the shop myself, it’s kind of nice to chat about a car problem with a customer rather than trying to get up off of a creeper with bad knees. When computers first came out they were a little intimidating to the older guy, but it didn’t take long before he got the hang of it. That is until one of those young socket rockets comes along, reaches over the old tech’s shoulder, flips a few keys and finds the information for him a whole lot faster than the way he was doing it. (I still don’t know all those short cut keys.) But it’s still fun to watch the “X” generation try to figure out a stalling or rough running problem without a laptop. They’d freak out if they saw how we use to find air conditioning leaks with a bottle of propane and an open flame, or using a growler to check a generator. Yea, things were different back then. Nothing like the electronic world we live in today. In those days, mechanics used the procedures that were available, even if they seemed a bit crude. We didn’t have all these fancy, schmassy sensors to deal with. A piece of heater hose held to ones ear was all you needed to find a loose rocker. One thing is for sure, an older tech has been around the block a few times. Just the other day a 79 Bronco came in and the owner wanted to get the A/C working again. Just a bad expansion valve was all. This thing was jacked a mile high with huge knobby tires. The younger guys didn’t want any part of it (no computer), so … I got handed the keys. Now for a guy my age to climb up there, it did take a bit of an effort. I ain’t no spring chicken, you know. First off I had to stand on an upside down milk crate just to get one foot on the bumper. Then climb up and do the old superman spread over the fender so I could reach all the way back to the firewall where the expansion valve was, and then… not to make it even more difficult, I had to get my head in just the right position so I could look through my bifocals. I’ve got the wrenches, the flashlight, and a couple of shop rags… and me “planking" this old truck trying to get this #$@% expansion valve off. So where’s the advantage in all of this? I don’t know…but there must be one somewhere. Getting down was no picnic either. Those bifocals work two ways you know. If you’re looking down through your glasses that concrete floor looks a bit fuzzy and appears to be a lot closer than it really is. Of course as ya slide back down from this behemoth your belt has to get snagged on something and now you’re flopping around like a fish out of water trying to get unstuck. At least I made it back to terra-firma without having to call over one of the younger guys to guide me back onto the milk crate. Really, there are advantages of being older; it’s just that some things aren’t so noticeable. Like, veteran mechanics probably have all the tools and then some. And, if a car comes in with a floor dimmer switch they know what it is for. In fact most of them will know what the second floor switch was for too. Yea, I know what you’re thinking; most of that stuff is museum pieces these days. Oh don’t worry, all you young wrenches out there, your turn to call today’s cars museum pieces is just a few decades away. These days it takes some training in trade schools to learn this job, and you certainly will learn even more once you’re on the job. But, by far, you learn even more after several years of turning wrenches. From dealing with the technical changes and procedures, customers, the guy in the next bay, your boss, and of course the aches and pains of it all. It’s the old horse shoe story that comes to mind. As one old timer explained it to me, when the farrier is shoeing a horse and he shows you the freshly heated horse shoe he has just fitted, don’t be a fool and pick it up. Like the old timer said to me, “I know better now, it don’t take me long to look at a horse shoe in a different light anymore!” That’s experience talking. Experience is something that only comes with time. I can’t tell you when you’ll have it, but believe me, you’ll know when you’ve got it. Then again, if you’re the type of person who has to pick up that horse shoe a second time… well, you’re either a bit brain dead, or you need a touch more experience. Most mechanics who have been around for 30 or 40 years (or more) have seen the changes from 6 volts to 12, generators to alternators, points and condensers, electronic ignition, and then onto today’s systems of sensors controlling it all. And, yes, the older mechanic has probably worked on every bit of them. Not to say that’s an advantage, but it sure is a lot of experience to say the least. But, as time passes along the old body isn’t what it used to be, and while those younger guys can thrash apart cars a whole lot faster, there’s still one advantage the older mechanic has: retirement isn’t that far away. No more learning all this new stuff, no more trying figure out the latest software, and no more of all this back breaking work. History has proven that change is inevitable, and the old mechanic can now pat the younger techs on the back and tell them, “Have at it fellas. You young guns can take over from here.” Us old wrenches can take advantage of all the senior citizen discounts now, and a few spare parts from the doctor too! Let’s see, a couple of new knees, maybe a hip, oh and some laser surgery for the old eyes. Getting older does have a few advantages after all. View full article

The automotive field has become a specialized trade. Long gone are the full service shop mentalities. I think we will see more specialty shops vs. the all around repair shops long before the consumer ever understands that all mechanics are not the same. It's something the average consumer can relate to, just like going to a specialist for medical or dental the automotive specialist will be in big demand in the future.

Mechanic by Definition Over the years I’ve spent under a hood, I’ve heard the term mechanic thrown around in every possible direction. It seems everyone who has ever opened the hood of a car at one time or another has been referred to as a mechanic. On other occasions I hear, “I used to be a mechanic” or “My brother is a mechanic”. It’s a term seldom used correctly when speaking to the service writer. I compare it to using a brand name of a product vs. the product name such as “Freon” or “Kleenex”. We all get the idea of what they are referring to, but seldom does it equate to a reasonable facsimile of a true mechanic’s diagnostics when they are trying to explain something about their car. Maybe it’s time we established some ground rules as to how or whom can call themselves a mechanic. Is it fair to call someone who has a basin sink wrench and a PVC cutter a plumber? No, I don’t think so. Is it fair to call a home owner who is changing out a receptacle an electrician? No, I don’t think that’s fair to say either. But, give somebody a service book, a box of tools and spot in the home garage … yep, they’re a mechanic. Of course, I’ll bet as soon as you have to call “the” plumber or electrician to take care of your “oops” the spouse will point out to the pro that you’re not one of them. I suppose the same thing happens with a box of wrenches when the car acts up too, I just don’t hear it as much as I think I ought too. A perfect example of this is the guy who came in needing a fuel pump for his car. My price was way too high, why I was robbing the poor guy even before he could reach for his wallet. (His words not mine.) So, he decided to tackle the job himself. Two days later the same car was in the shop to have me change the pump. He never mentioned that he tried to do it himself; his only response was that he had thought it over, and decided it would be better if a professional took care of it. I could tell he tried to handle the job before he brought it in. Several bolts were loosened that didn’t need to be removed, and several brackets showed signs of someone trying to bend them out of the way. I think he wanted to keep the fact that he couldn’t figure out how to take the tank down as his own little personal secret. However, his spouse told me all about it when she picked up the car. Yes, as usual, the better half spilled the beans. As she put it, “He thinks he’s a mechanic.” So what really defines someone as a mechanic? Is it fair to call the guy at the local tire shop whose job it is to remove 5 lug nuts, change the tire and balance the new one a mechanic? Should the person who changes out only exhaust pipes be labeled a mechanic? How about the guy who changes your oil? Is he a mechanic too? Yes… they all are. They’re just different forms of the same trade. OK, so we’ve establish a baseline for the term “mechanic”, basically anyone who in some way uses tools to perform a service on a piece of machinery is a mechanic. Great, so from the baseline established we can make the assumption there are different levels of the trade as well. Each level requires a different expertise. Each level is just as important as the next. So in essence, there’s a lot of mechanics out there. However, for some reason a lot of consumers assume that all mechanics are the same. Because, well…you know… we’re mechanics. This stereotypical analogy of a mechanic is one that I would love to see changed. Yes, there are mechanics out there that should probably stick to the wash bay or the lube rack, and never try to diagnose a no start condition. And, yes there are a lot of mechanics (and shops) that figure the best method of diagnosing a problem is to keep throwing more parts at it until they hit the one that makes it work. (And… yes… they call themselves mechanics too.) I’m sure every trade out there has the same types of individuals in their respective fields. It’s not just the automotive field. The big issue is the conception of the modern day consumer. Some people take the term mechanic just a little too far, especially when they are at the service desk, and are trying to give me far too much information based on what another mechanic has told them about their car. Mainly, because their regular mechanic couldn’t do the repair that he/she thought was necessary. (Nine chances out of ten… they’re way off the mark as to what is wrong with the car.) Just the other day, the owner of a small used car lot that I’ve done business with before asked if I could reflash a computer on a 1988 Chevy. I was quite startled at his request. I told him there is no reflash program on that old of a car. It does have a read only memory chip that is part of the computer system though. It’s called a PROM (Programmable read only memory) but, if it was a stock chip in the car there’s no changing it. (There are aftermarket programmable chips though… but he wasn’t referring to one of those.) I guess he was basing it on previous cars that I’ve flashed for him, but those were a lot newer vehicles. I had to ask, “What’s the reason for all this fuss?” Turns out it was because his mechanic told him that a reflash would fix the stalling problem. “Stalling problem?” I questioned him, “I’d like to check it out first, before assuming it’s the ECM that’s the problem. There are a lot of other reasons for stalling other than the ECM.” I had a feeling his mechanic was a little out of his comfort zone on this one. (Not that it matters but, his mechanic was born in 1988.) It’s too bad that we don’t have different degrees for mechanics, so we could recognize at what level they were proficient. Here’s something else to think about, a person who holds a certification in a given section of automotive repair doesn’t entirely mean they are adept at physically tackling that said job. Like most certifications, the concept behind it isn’t so much that you can do it, but merely that you understand how to. We’ve got a long way to go to figure out what to call a mechanic when he/she is really a mechanic or not. It’s very clear to me, there are a lot of things to think about in defining a mechanic, and there’s even more in defining a good one. View full article

There are a few stories that I've put down on paper that I feel need to be told more than once. This is one of those stories. I'm sure it will never EVER make it into one of the magazines, but I still would like people to read. I get the same reaction as you Joe, every time I read this one. A timely story Ken, yes... and one that I'll probably send out next Memorial day too. We should keep looking to the future, but never forget where we've been.

Semper Fi Bob was well into his late 80's when I met him. He's quite the talker, and he'll never run out of things to tell you. I like old Bob. We have a few things in common, not much because of the years between us, but just enough that we can relate on quite a few subjects. We both served in the USMC. Of course, the years we served were decades apart, but even with the differences in time served, we still could "talk-the-talk" like two old veterans who just got their discharge papers. Bob had a problem with the horn buttons on his '92 Buick. It was the kind of horn that has its buttons and the air bag all built as one piece. He didn't have the money to replace the entire airbag, but he did want to get that horn working somehow. I thought I could get it to work even if I had to "rig" something up, but that was OK with him. With his advancing years catching up with him, his hands weren't the best. Most of his strength had faded with time, and so did the ability to straighten his fingers all the way out. I had to come up with a way that he could hit the horn button with the palm of his hand, rather than with a finger tip or thumb. Not a big deal, actually if he didn't mind the look of an old style horn button attached to the edge of the air bag (so it didn't interfere with the air bag operation) it could work just fine. Now Bob, being Bob, talking was his gift, and finding somebody with a little military background, and stuck in the driver's seat of his car was all he needed to tell one of his stories. Bob hopped in the back seat and leaned over to watch what I was doing. As I worked on his new horn button, he told me all about his time in the Marine Corps. Fascinating story; I could have listened for hours. In fact, I made sure I took long enough for him to tell his story in full and without any interruptions. He told me about his time in Korea, in Inchon actually. It was a cold winter when he was there. A bitter cold wind and heavy snow was only part of the horrific condition he had to deal with. He went on in great detail how he was just a young kid who didn't know a thing, and how you would be talking to someone one minute and the next minute the fellow Marine sitting right next to him froze to death. When he told me that part of his story I had to stop and turn to him to ask, "That really happened, just like that, Bob?" With a stone cold look on his face he said, "As sure as I'm sitting here talking to you, my friend." I don't think he was kidding. He was dead serious, but it was as if he was telling me a story from a distance, but at the same time, a story where he was actually there in the mountains of Inchon still fighting the bitter cold. I think it's a way for time and age to allow a person like Bob to separate themselves from what was probably a terrible event in their life. I certainly have never experienced some of the things he was telling me about, like the chow, the hours of watching for the enemy, or how his boots didn't have much in the way of insulation, so you put on as many socks as you could along with any straw or grass you could find. Bob made a point to tell me that if you needed to run to the "head" (bathroom for all you none GI type) … well, you tried to wait as long as you could, because exposing yourself in that kind of cold could be the end of you… and I don't mean just "your" end that's exposed. I finished up my little project and gave it a try. It worked just fine. "Hop up here Bob, and see if you can make it work like this," I told him. Bob made his way into the driver's seat and gave his new horn button a try. A gleam came over his face, beaming from ear to ear. He had to try it a few more times, and each time the smile kept getting bigger and bigger. "Don't you know I needed that horn! Mercy, there's some little kids in my neighborhood who get out in the street to play, and I just want to toot my horn to let them know I'm coming. Thanks partner, ya done me right." The old Marine got out of his car and opened his wallet, "How much do I owe ya?" "Bob, it was an honor to do this job for you. I can't take a thing." "You most certainly are, Marine!" he said to me as he palms a twenty in my hand. "Thanks Bob, I appreciate that, but I really appreciate the stories. You know I write a column for a magazine, and I think I'd like to tell your story if that's OK." "Sure, not a problem. Go right ahead. I think I'd like that." You don't shake hands with Bob, because of his crippled hands; his way of shaking hands is to "bump" knuckles. Good enough for me. It's the thought that counts. Then Bob turns to the car sitting in the bay just in front of his car. With whatever strength he had, he did his best to straighten one finger and point at the car in front. "I'll never get over seeing this," he said. It was a Kia Sportage in for a no start condition. I made the assumption it was because it's a Korean car, and I thought it must be bringing back some of those painful memories he had as a young man. "I understand where you're coming from Bob, it's a Korean car. I understand completely; it's something your generation had to deal with on the battlefield where your friends had died. I'm sorry it brings up some bad memories for you." "That ain't it," he said as he walked closer to the car, and pointed directly at the name branded on the back door, "Killed – In – Action." I think my knees buckled a bit when he said that. I didn't know what to say next. Bob waved good-bye, and pulled his car out of the shop, and tooted his horn as he made his way down the street. I see old Bob once in awhile, still driving the same car, still tootin' his horn. I don't think I'll ever forget his story of how he served our country. He's one of the last of that generation, a much simpler time, before computers, before cell phones, and when KIA stood for only one thing. I'm proud to have served my country, I'm even more proud to have met a great man like Bob. We should all be as lucky, and we should all remember what his generation and many others have done to keep this country free. So the next time you see a Kia, think of it as something other than a car, think about my friend Bob. Then, say this to yourself: Semper Fi, Bob, Semper Fi View full article