Gonzo

I scaled my shop down from 10 bays down to 6 work bays. (Moved all the brake lathes, used oil tank, drill press etc. into one unused bay. I run about 5 to 6 cars a day... sometimes more...sometimes a whole lot less. Like "0" (ROFL..) Average ticket... 300 sometimes higher sometimes less. Most of the stuff I do is electronic in nature. Reflash, dash gauges, battery drains, component replacement, rewires, custom stuff... etc. Hopefully, I can close the shop in a few more years... getting older, slowing down, and all the writing I do is taking up a great deal of my daily activities. So there's more going on than in the shop most days.

Thank You Uncle Sam Before we had so many federal mandates and EPA regulations, cars and trucks were belching out gobs and gobs of environmental pollutants, and occupant safety was just a thought. At first, Uncle Sam wanted crash tests, tire tests, and seat belts. In the 70’s it was the crash bumper debacle. Then the emission systems came along with their smog pumps, miles of vacuum hoses, and EGR valves. All these “improvements” on the family car forever changed the way mechanics serviced them, and it also brought one more thing… the check engine light. Today, with even more state of the art innovations such as drive by wire, variable cam timing, and a whole lot more… well, let’s just say, “It ain’t like it used to be.” When the first check engine lights starting appearing on the early 80’s models the light wasn’t taken very seriously by most consumers. It was treated just like the old “idiot” lights that were common on earlier vehicles. Unless the car was over heating or making some terrible noise from under the hood, a lot of people would ignore it. But, as time went on that little service light’s job gained more and more responsibility. Soon, the little “Service Soon” light took on a whole new meaning than it did back then. Originally, there were just a few codes. Most of the original codes were only two digits long and could be accessed with a paper clip or a grounded connector. Now, there are four or even more digits per code, and there are hundreds and hundreds of them, and not just for emissions anymore. The paperclip days are all but gone, these days most codes can only be accessed with a code reader. Even the code readers themselves are different from one to another. There are code readers that can only read generic codes, the kind that are for those federal regulations, and then there are code readers that will read manufacturer specific codes. It all depends on the quality of the code reader and who manufactured it. The service light was never intended to be the golden answer to what was the problem, but merely a direction or description of the symptom in regards to emissions. While the importance of that little light has far surpassed the original intent, retrieving the information has changed drastically. Since the check engine light has taken on such a variety of duties, this has led some people to believe that the glowing light on the dash is the answer to all car problems. And, yes, there are “code shoppers” out there who are looking for a bargain for interrupting those codes. Leave it to those national discount part stores, the ones that sell every part from A to Z, to come up with a marketing plan to get people to shop at their stores… free code reading for the consumer. Sure, give somebody something for nothing and they’ll jump right on it, but seriously… do you really get anything for free these days? You drive up to one of these places, they send some guy from behind the counter out to your car with some nickel and dime code reader, who then plugs it into the car and checks to see what code is stored. Rather than have it diagnosed any further the code is deciphered into what component it is referring to, which just happens to be one of the many parts they sell. Ya might as well buy the part while your here, right? Makes sense doesn’t it? They read the code for ya, and they’ve got the part too! How much simpler can it be? And I’m sure some people are thinking, “Ya don’t need a trained technician with several years of schooling and OJT to figure out these new cars, heck no… a guy at the parts store can do it.” (Apparently I’ve been doing it the hard way all these years. I guess there’s no need in attending all these advanced classes, or buying these expensive scanners to diagnose the modern car, my bad.) With all the regulations, emission controls, safety features and electronics on today’s cars, apparently they’ve made the cars easier to repair. This is where I’d like to thank Uncle Sam for his superb effort of protecting our fine citizens from harmful emissions on newly manufactured cars. But, after the original sale is over, it’s obviously not that important to all the guys and gals in Washington. I think it’s ironic that the same people who pass these laws to make the car a much safer form of transportation and environmentally friendly than ever before, are the same people that can’t see a problem in leaving the consumer to believe anyone with a code reader is qualified to properly diagnose these vehicles. I’m sure this would start a debate with some congressional committee that it is the consumer’s choice in how they chose to have their car repaired. I understand that not everyone can afford OEM original parts, and I’m not saying there are not great aftermarket parts that far exceed the OEM requirements… there are. I’m just not sure the general public has any clue as to the variety of cheap second rate components that are out there at these discount part stores. Uncle Sam in all his wisdom hasn’t seemed to notice that all their legislation for better cars just flies right out the tail pipe once the consumer makes the decision to have substandard parts installed. Which leads back to that little check engine light and how it has become not a reference for a repair, but in some people’s minds… it IS the repair. There are a lot of states that require a full inspection including the service light to be in tip top shape before it will pass, while other states don’t have a thing in the way of inspections. (I guess our elected officials think those emission fumes stop at the state lines.) I’d like to think these part store code readers are actually helping the consumer, and I suppose in some way they are, but not every time. My biggest problem starts after a consumer has tried the free code read and tried the cheap part, and it still hasn’t fix their car. Then they end up at a professional shop, and what do they all say at the service counter? “I’ve already had it checked out.” This of course, causes even more issues at the counter. Now somebody has to explain to the owner that codes don’t fix cars, mechanics fix cars; codes are just one small part of finding out what needs to be done. I’d like to tell Uncle Sam just how much I appreciate his involvement in creating a better car, a better environment, and a much safer driving vehicle. To all the congressman, senators, committeemen, legislators, and politicians, you’ve done a fine job so far. Although, it might be time Mr. Politician, to check your own service light… I think it’s on. View full article

I have 12 scanners right now. Half are manufacturer scanners. What I can do with the manufacturer scanners far exceeds any of the aftermarket ones. The big issue is, that I tend to forget what is available on one and not on another. Old age I guess. LOL I have found some of the diagnostic steps tend to be written for info that is only found on the manufacturers scanners. Although there are times when the type of info is put into different terms from one scanner to the next. Example, if you were looking for the exact voltage on a Chrysler 3 wire A/C transducer the factory scanner has it but you have to dig around to find it, but the Master tech pops it up very quickly... and in volts not in resistance values. (At least the last time I look for it) Then there are the times I'm programming something and I'll use an aftermarket scanner and the dang thing will get you right up to the very last step and then leave ya stranded. (hate that) All in all, until such time as the aftermarket gets it together and has ALL info for one vehicle the manufacture level scanner still has them beat. I figure when some of these models get older all that info will be out there for the aftermarket scanner builders, because... the manufacturer will have moved onto a new more sophisticated scanner and won't care who's fixing their older models.

Yep, frustrating....from every angle. Nobody is left out of the stress of an intermittent problem.

Frustration It’s early in the morning, time to get ready for work, the morning breakfast and the obligatory cup of coffee are down the hatch, dogs fed, paper picked up, time to go. You make your way to the car, hop in and turn the key…crank, crank, crank… the whirl of the starter motor is all you hear. What now? What a way to start the morning. Your knowledge of cars goes about as far as the key in the ignition and where to put the fuel in. Panic sets in. It’s one of the many frustrations of modern life that has just become a part of your morning. In your panic mode you can picture all of your plans for the day are going to be ruined. Immediately you start dialing the phone. First you call the boss and tell him you’re having car problems, then a call to the guy in the next cubicle to see if he can give you a ride to work. Next you call the wife and tell her the good news. Of course, she reminds you that you’re supposed pick the kids up from school and to take them to soccer practice, and you’re supposed to pick up your suit from the dry cleaners on the way home today. Today is not your day, and the frustrations just keeps piling up. All because the car wouldn’t start. The first tow company you called is backed up with other calls, so you try the next one. They can make it in about an hour. Then you finally make the call to the repair shop. They’re backed up too; they can’t get to it until later today or possibly tomorrow. Your voice starts to show signs of frustration as you talk to the service writer. (Believe me, the service writer can tell.) Then in a fit of desperation you ask the service writer, “Is there anybody else who can get to it quicker?” The service writer hesitates for a moment, gathers his thoughts and says, “I’m sure there is sir, but let me see what I can do about getting you into the shop a little quicker, but no guarantees.” You’re first lucky break of the day. He’s going to try to squeeze you in. Ok, things are looking up for a change. Your frustration level drops a notch, but not by much, you still have to figure out what to do about soccer practice, the dry cleaning, and how much is this all going to cost. At least your ride showed up to take you to work… work, I almost forgot… gotta go. You’ve made it into the office, but you’re still worried the repair shop won’t get to your car soon enough. Even though it’s only been an hour or two, and for some reason the original conversation with the service writer about the possibilities of squeezing you in were slim seems to have slipped your mind. You figure now is a good time to call them, and see what they found out about the car. The service writer you spoke to earlier doesn’t answer the phone this time, but a different one instead. Your frustration leads you to believe you need to go through the entire explanation of the problem all over again, even though the guy on the other end of the phone said it wasn’t necessary, because he has your work order in front of him with everything you told the previous service writer. The service writer tries to explain to you that the car has just arrived, and it will be a bit longer before they can make room in the shop for it, but your stress level has almost reached its maximum. The frustration keeps mounting as you plead with the service writer to get your car in as soon as possible, which only puts him under even more of a strain than he was before you called. Mainly, because you fail to realize… you’re not the only one whose car isn’t running. The two service writers converse, and decide to push this one through the shop a bit quicker. Now the frustration has passed from the customer, to the service writer, and then ultimately to the mechanic. The service writer taps the mechanic on the shoulder, who is busy reading some scanner information on another problem car. The service writer says, “Hey Hank, can ya put that stuff down for now? I’ve got a rush job for ya.” The service writer stands over the tech, nervously tapping the work order into his open palm as the mechanic mumbles something under his breath, and slowly puts the scanner down and takes a look at the work order. “Yea, fine, leave the work order with me, and log me in on it. I’ll get off of this one and start on it,” the mechanic tells him as he writes down a few reminder notes as to where he left off on the car he’s currently working on. The mechanic then heads out to the lot with the keys and hops into his new “rush” job for the day. He turns the key, VROOM the engine starts. More under his breath comments come to the surface. The mechanic drops it into drive and pulls it into the service bay. After a few regular checks, codes, fuel pressure, gas level, battery connections, etc… the results are… “Unknown failure. Cannot duplicate the no start condition at this time. Advise the customer that we can either keep the car for a few days, and try it off and on, or they can keep track of it and let us know.” Now the mechanic is frustrated. Pulled off of a job that has a legitimate no start condition to an intermittent “rush” job that doesn’t seem to have one. Now the frustration starts back up the chain, from the mechanic, back to the service writer, and of course, ultimately back to the customer. The car is started periodically all day long, up until the time the customer comes to pick it up. Frustrated, angry at the situation, and more than a little upset that the shop couldn’t find the problem the disappointed customer drives off. The next morning the service writer calls the customer to see how things are going. “It started just fine this morning,” the customer tells him. “Great,” said the service writer, “I’ll check in with you for the next couple of days and see how it’s going.” Finally, it wouldn’t restart, and stayed that way long enough to get it checked out. An intermittent fuel pump and relay was the problem. Nearly three weeks after it all began, the frustration finally ended for everyone. This fast paced, modern world we live in can be frustrating when all these modern conveniences fail to cooperate. Dealing with the stress of it all is different at each level, and it’s hard not to get frustrated over such things. But, it sure would be nice if we could. View full article

Another one of em' Jeff. Some guy has a lot of friends.

Thanks.

Still smilin'. Lol.

After 30 + years I've only had this happen twice. Both times were years and years ago. The first time was a husband and wife team who worked together to get it. One went inside to the counter talking to me while the other drove off. The second time was a used car lot that came and got it at night. After that... EVERY job that is waiting to be paid on and is completed stays inside... ALWAYS. Found out that small claims is a joke. Spend all day there, only to find out there's nothing they can do except put a bench warrant out on them if the amount is over 500 bucks, if not... as the judge said... find a lawyer. Secondly, ... as the judge put it... you can't steal your own car. So technically it they are not stealing a car. If you are in a state that they must sign off on the car before work has started then ya might have a chance at it. Here in Okla. ... nada. Oh and if you go to there house and get it, or mess with it in anyway... that's stealing and they can call the cops on YOU, Welcome to working with the public. (Snicker, snort, giggle...) Been there, learned my lesson... ain't happening again that's for sure. Best place to confront them is at their job. They can't run from ya there. I've chased a few late payers down that way.

Hacks Two cars pull up in front of the shop. (The drivers didn't come in; I heard all of this from my office window. Maybe they didn’t realize that sound travels.) The boyfriend opens the hood to his girlfriend’s car. They both stare at the engine, she tells the boyfriend that she was supposed to drop the car off for an engine miss by some part store that told her to come here. So all she wanted was a ride home. The boyfriend mumbles how he knows everything about cars and there's no reason to go to a repair shop, and how these repair shops are just going to scam her. Then proceeds to tell her all about his great mechanical skills along with some very crude specifications that "these guys" (the repair shop I guess) wouldn't know anything about them. (Can’t say I’ve ever heard the term “donkey power” before. He probably meant horse power but, she bought it… he’s the expert you know.) After about a half hour in front of the shop they got back in their cars and drove off. The more I heard the funnier it got and the less automotive savvy he made. The last thing he said was, "I'll stop at the super discount part store on the way home and pick up the parts I need, and if they don’t have the right stuff I’ll just make it work." Warning – Warning Hacker Alert! I’ll bet there will still be something wrong when this guy gets done, and that “something” is going to be a hacked repair job. It’s not just the all-knowing boyfriend hacks out there or the crazy uncle with a toolbox, it’s also the fly-by-night mechanics that seem to pop up from time to time who take a stab at repairing a broken hose with a coffee can and pipe cleaners, or use some old plumbing parts for an exhaust pipe. Somewhere, at any given moment, some hack is trying to super glue a plastic section back onto the intake manifold, duct taping a hole in the air cleaner box, or blocking off the rear brakes with a plug in the master cylinder so he doesn’t have to deal with changing out the rusted brake lines that are buried along the frame. Then he tells the customer, “It’s fine, you don’t need rear brakes. There overrated anyway.” Or, the body shop guy who adds a few extra drywall screws to the front grill or fender and then blends them in with a layer of bond-o and paint. Looks great until rust sets in or the next guy has to take off that grill to fix the hack job they left underneath it. (Yea, been there…) I’ve seen globs of body putty inside fender wells, two wires twisted together with household electrical wire nuts, different sized threaded nuts jammed onto ball joints, to a distributor welded to the block. The list is endless. It just boggles the mind at some of the ludicrous ways some people have attempted or should I say “accomplished” some unorthodox repair on a car. Bailing wire, aluminum foil around a fuse, bathroom faucets for radio knobs, a 2X4 wedged between the block to keep the alternator belt tight, and if 6 butt connectors within a foot of multi-colored wires ain’t enough for ya … add 2 more scotch locks and 3 more wires, now you’ve got a class “A” hack job! By the time these hackers get done chances are the cost of a proper repair has just gone sky high, and in most cases if the owner would have brought their car to a reputable shop in the first place they probably could have saved money in the long run. If I was given the chance I’d like to take some of these cracked socket heads and stand them in front of all the guys in the shop just like in one of those old Technicolor westerns of a Calvary outpost. You know, the scene were the slacker solder is in front of the formation and is being reprimanded by his superior officers. One officer reaches over and rips the insignias off of his uniform; another officer takes his rifle and yanks all the military chevrons and buttons off. The now “x” soldier is stripped down to nothing more than a tattered shirt, torn trousers and a pair of boots. A command is shouted out and a small squad of armed men march this now defrocked solder out of the open gate. I personally would offer my services to remove any insignias and all these slacker-hackers tools and march these wanna-be mechanics right out of town with a squad of mechanics shouldering their very large torque wrenches as if they were rifles just like in one of those old westerns. Every trade has their hacks, but for some reason the automotive field has a few extra ones compared to the rest. It could be the number of cars out there, or the lack of any agency watching over parts sales and installers. This might dictate the overwhelming number of poor decisions, bad planning, or just pure ignorant wrench spinners out there. I’d bet some of these hacks started out in their driveway slappin’ parts on the neighbors cars for pocket change, (Diagnosing and repair ain’t part of their procedures.) and when they couldn’t get the problem solved correctly they resorted to shoe strings and bubble gum. When it doesn’t fix the car, the neighbor, being neighborly, won’t say a word to them. Instead, they bite the bullet and pay to have it repaired at regular shop. (So much for saving money huh?) Years ago, most of the working trades that you could get into right out of high school, didn’t require much in the way of advanced training. Things like, brick laying, carpentry, electricians, plumbing, mechanics, painters, heavy equipment operator, etc. You would start as a helper and work your way up as the boss seen fit. If you showed up for work every day, on time, did what you were told to do, and got along with the rest of the crew, before you knew it, they let you try your hand at it. That’s still true in a lot of trades, and it’s still true for the mechanic/body shop trades as well. However, times have changed since then, and more advanced issues confront the modern mechanic. The automotive field has become a technical nightmare of electronics and advanced engineering. Now, more than ever, hacking a repair together only means a comeback or worse. I suppose, as long as there are screws, clips, nuts, bolts, and tools at the handy dandy department store, somebody is going to tinker around with their car and hack it up. Job security for the professional mechanic to say the least. I guess I should be saying thank you to all those hackers out there. They make a lot of extra work in the shop, but to be honest, I’m still shaking my head wondering how in the world ya do ……… what ya do. View full article

Some of the J2534 application will do the SKIM, that is if there is a heading for it. Basically it should (mine does) You'll need to call the dealership parts dept. with the VIN. Ask them for the SKIM code. This is the code that you'll need to enter. It's different for each car. Of course there's more...there's always more with Mopar. You also have to enter the VIN into the new PCM and you'll have enter the tire/ratio in it as well. Some models you don't need the ratio but for most Chrysler products you do. Without it either the speedo won't work or the ABS light will come on after you drive the car on a couple of trips, (I think its 3 drive cycles) It will ask for the tire size basically and rear end ratio. (Parts dept. will have that too) After you have a successful completion, clear all codes, remove the key for a few seconds and restart. Hope that helps. Happy programming

Pretty lame attempt at a comparison. My daughter dreamed this story idea up and I fiddled around with it. Probably need to work on this one a bit more, but... I'll wing it for now. LOL

Serengeti Out on the Serengeti a lonely lioness is stalking its next meal. Crouching down in the tall grass she keeps a close watch on a herd of wildebeest passing by. At the end of the long procession a weak calf that appears to have lost its mother is barely keeping up with the herd. A perfect ambush and a quick strike will keep the other wildebeest from interfering with what the lioness is going to do. She has studied the terrain, judged the wind, and has found her bargain for the day. From here out it’s up to nature to take its course. Will the wildebeest be the next meal for the lioness and her cubs or will it escape the claws of the huge lion? In nature, it is generally considered that the strongest will survive, or at least it seems that way. I tend to think of it in a different way. In nature, the opportunist has the advantage. We all shop for bargains, we’re all opportunist in a way just like the lion. In the concrete jungle bargain hunters come in all shapes and sizes, but we are all after one specific thing… price. We search thrift stores, auctions, garage sales, box stores, and buy at a discount, even auto parts and services. But a bargain is one thing, weak knock-off automotive components is completely different. The lioness out on the Serengeti shops with one thing in mind, and that’s hunger. The bargain automotive shopper shops with one thing on their mind as well, and that’s price. A weak, second grade component is the most likely choice. The lioness searches out the weak so it doesn’t have to work as hard, while the bargain shopper buys the weak component because it’s cheaper. Snatching up some of these bargains can have some side effects too. As I watch these automotive bargain hunters on their quests for the cheapest deal, I’ve noticed they seldom take in account their cheaper part is lacking something… “quality”. A lot of parts come from the same manufacturer, but not all the components are built to the same specifications. It could be a weak version of the original, it could be a part that barely limped its way through quality control and ended up in the back of the pack. There’s something that makes it a cheaper buy and not just because it’s at the discount store. We all know… cheaper parts are cheaper for a reason, but during the frenzy search for the bargain those thoughts are forgotten. It could be the quality of the part wasn’t up to the quality level for a certain manufacturer so that particular piece was sent along its way to the next wholesale bidder down the line and put on the shelves at one of the discount parts stores. That’s where you’ll find the bargain hunters looking for a replacement part. Keep in mind, the quality part on the top shelf has a price to the end consumer which is not (obviously) what the manufacturer sold it to the store for, and there are several ways to buy quality parts and avoid the different markups as the part goes from wholesaler to wholesaler and store to store. A cheaper part on the shelf starts out the same way… so…how much lower was the price when “it” left the manufacturer? Being in the repair business I see a lot of discount parts day after day. They usually coming in from off shore manufacturers. Places like Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, China, and several others. Years ago one of the most common components I would run into was the external regulators on the Fords. If you took a good quality regulator and placed it next to one of these bargain brands you really couldn’t tell the difference. But, pick them up, you’d know. The cheaper one was as light as a feather, while the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) part had a bit of weight to it. These days it’s fuel pumps, HVAC control heads, window motors, engine parts, body parts and more that keep showing up as the weak link. Body shops have complained about these second rate components for years, now it’s creeping into mechanical/electrical repair side even more than before. Again, it’s simply price, not quality that the bargain shoppers (Insurance companies too) are looking for rather than a top of the line components. They assume it will work just as well as the OEM part… but it hardly ever does. Unlike the lioness that takes what she gets and waits for the next opportunity some of these bargain shoppers in this wide expanse of the concrete jungle get rather irate over the cost of repairs or replacement parts. (Sometimes I think I’d rather deal with the lioness instead.) Let’s face it, we all like a bargain, and when we find one, we all like to tell everyone about it. Next thing you know there’s a stampede to the parts store. Cheap car parts have been a mainstay of the automotive repair business for as long as I can remember. They’ve made me quite a living replacing cheap parts for good ones. Sometimes I feel like a game warden, part of my job as the professional mechanic is to distinguish between those weak parts and the good ones. East to west, and north to south the herd of cars run up and down the nation’s highways, traveling along like a wildebeest at times. A little traffic jam here, and a little mishap there. It’s all in the nature of things. So the next time you’re buzzing down the highway amongst all the other cars and trucks, just ask yourself one question, “Is that bargain part I installed really all that great?” You might want to slow down, and get to the back of the pack… just watch out for the hunger lion… they can spot the weak ones. View full article

A Visit from a Retired Shop Owner An elderly customer came to the service counter one day and asked if I had time to check his car out. I asked him what was wrong with his car, and his reply was more than revealing. It was a text book answer, just what a service writer or mechanic would like to hear. His reply was precise enough to inform me of what was going on, without any of the usual hype or meandering/misleading stories that are common. Every Tech and Service Writer has heard things like, how the car used to be blue before it was repainted or how the problem started after leaving their friend’s house, or when the left rear tire went flat. Not this guy. I asked him what the problem was, and he promptly gave me the answer… nothing more, nothing less. I wrote down the symptom and headed out to the shop to do what I do. As I grabbed the keys I told him, “I’ll see what I can find out.” The customer nodded his head, and told me he’d wait in the lobby for the results of the tests. No odd questions, no stories of what the last guy did, or any “while ya got it could ya look at this”. In all my years of diagnosing cars it’s rather rare for someone to know that the first thing in any repair procedure is to find out what’s wrong, and not just ask me what I “think” it is before spending money on a diagnostic procedure. He seemed to know what I was doing and knew that I’m not just “looking” at the car as some people put it. I finished the diagnostics, and headed up to the waiting area to inform him of the results. He listened intently as I explained what I had found out. Then he asked, “I take it the short fuel trim numbers indicated a lean condition? Did you run a power balance test? It’s starting to sound a bit like an intake air leak at this point, did ya find it? I said, “Yes, I ran all those tests. It led me to a collapsed PCV hose that also had a huge slit in it on the back side of the throttle body where you couldn’t see it. The short fuel trim numbers did indicate a lean condition. I confirmed the short fuel trim readings by spraying a bit of carb cleaner down the throttle body to see if the numbers changed. They did.” “Yep, that would do it,” he said with a smile, “Sounds like you’ve got it. Easy fix from this point. That sure would change the stoichiometric value, wouldn’t it?” His questions and reply’s weren’t the usual type of responses I get from the usual customer. This guy was different. There’s something behind all of his questions and answers. This is something that I’d like to diagnose as well as the car. Nobody that I know of ever comes to the repair shop with the correct response. Nobody that I know of ever comes to the repair shop knowing the ideal tests that are needed, and nobody I know of ever understood all the technical stuff I throw out. I had to ask, “Say, you seem to know a few things about diagnosing today’s cars. It’s very unusual that somebody comes here and knows which tests are going to track down the problem. But you seem to know a lot more than the average guy, how’s that?” The gent sat up a little straighter, smiled and said, “I retired about 20 years ago, and before that I ran a small repair shop east of here for about 35 years. I still keep up with all the new technology and enjoy working on cars, but the old eyes and knees can’t take it anymore.” Wow, a fellow mechanic and shop owner… I’m impressed. Of course that started all kinds of conversations about cars, repairs, customers, mechanics in general, and life under the hood. His stories were so remarkably close to what I’ve seen in my 30 years that it put a smile on my face as well. It’s safe to say I found a new friend. Later we got into what it takes to own and keep a shop going. His insight was interesting to say the least. But, I did have this one nagging question I was dying to ask. “What do you think is the most important attribute to get customers to come to your shop and not somebody else’s?” He had a one word answer, “Luck.” Now I have even more questions. “What’s luck got to do with it?” I asked. “Luck is what you have. Luck is what gets them in the door. When you have a new customer’s car in the shop, someone you don’t know, or has been referred to you, and you diligently diagnose it, make the repair, and settle up the bill. What is the one thing they all tell you just before they walk out the door?” he profoundly asked. I didn’t have a clue what he was getting at. He went on to tell me, “They all say, “I’m going to tell all my friends about you, and I’ll recommend you.”. Then he asked me a question, “Now, how is it these folks are so darn sure what you’ve done is so good that they’ll recommend their friends, even before they checked what you’ve done? Their perception of the repair is based on what they’ve heard you say, and not what you’ve done. If you’re like me, every job is done with the same care as any other job. But, it still comes down to what the customer thinks of the whole thing. Good work, a good shop, and a good attitude are very important… but a little luck doesn’t hurt either.” His explanation went on, “In other words your work doesn’t speak; your accomplishments in the shop go unnoticed. Because for a lot of people what they are after is trying to find a good mechanic, and when you do something for them… luck is in their favor. We’re not perfect and even the best mechanic will get stumped once in a while, and even if you make things right it’s still their perception. A perception that isn’t about you…or me…but mechanics in general. Most people think all mechanics are just wrench turners and nothing more. They don’t see the hours of education and study we put into knowing how to do this job. A lot of people feel that a guy with a few wrenches in his driveway can accomplish the same thing as the professional mechanic… and that makes that driveway guy just as much a mechanic as you and I in their eyes,” he proudly proclaimed. As quirky as it sounded and for even quirkier reasons… it all started to make sense. I guess after all the years he had been turning wrenches he had a great deal of luck too. It was a great conversation with a retired mechanic that day, and I felt pretty lucky to have met him too. View full article

Well said Frank...well said.

Greener Grass You’re washing up after a long, hard day. Your shirt tail hasn’t stayed tucked in since lunch time, and everywhere you look there are more oil stains and dirt on your clothes from working on that last engine. Then the service manager shows up wanting to know why that last job isn’t finished, and asks if you can stick around a few more hours to get it done. You’re about to blow a gasket, but you keep your cool, and call home to tell them you’ll be late again. Between the car problems, that lousy air hose fitting that blew apart, and that last repair order you got that listed the customer’s complaint as: “Car don’t go.” You’ve had enough. You slam the screwdriver drawer shut as you say to yourself, “I’m going to quit. I’ll find another way to pay my bills. I can’t take this anymore.” Even the guys and gals coming out of technical schools wonder if this was the right choice. Most of them have the same worries: “Can I find a job? Will it pay enough?” Everyone wants to get out there and do what they were trained to do, and the road from just being a lube tech seems so long and narrow that the thought of changing careers creeps into the conversation. I’m sure at one time or another we’ve all thought about trading in the toolbox for a cubical office job. There’s such an investment in training and tools that you have to wonder. “Is it all worth it? Is there anything else I could do? Is there greener grass somewhere else?” If you listen to some of these motivational speakers they’ll tell you, “Don’t follow your passion - follow the money. Your passion may be the thing you love to do, but money makes the world go around. Life’s too short to train and become an expert, go where the money goes, do what pays the best!” Then the question is asked, “Is there any money to be made in this trade, or am I just fooling myself? Should I start thinking about a different line of work?” Anybody who’s been around a while will tell you the real money in this business is for those who have the knack and the temperament to deal with the ups and downs. If you’re the type of person who finds mechanical things fascinating, or an automotive related TV show entertaining, or an old restored ride rumbling down the road makes you strain your neck for a better view…well then, you’ve got a passion for things mechanical. I’ve known a lot of guys who left the trade for one reason or another and then eventually came back to it. Now why is that? Why would you hang up your wrenches, and then decide to come back to it later on? I thought the pay was terrible, the working conditions were too rough, and the training was too much? It’s probably the same reason why you’re reading this. It’s in your blood. Cars, boats, trains, heavy equipment, etc… those mechanical wonders that make the industrialized world move progressively forward into the future are part of your make up. Ya can’t change who you really are. Money may change how you’re involved with all things mechanical, but I’ll guarantee you’ll still find room for them. If you check the average income for technicians across the country the figures are simply appalling. Who in their right mind would invest thousands and thousands of dollars into personal equipment to repair something that needs such a highly skilled person to properly repair them? Only to be put at the bottom of the list of important contributors that keeps this society on the road? Yep, the mechanic knows that scenario all to well. I tried to figure out how they arrived at these income figures. From what I could find out the national average is based on every facet of the automotive world. From the lube tech, tire shops, muffler shops, brake specialty shops, and various dealership/independent shops. I find their results rather misleading. If they did the same analysis on the average salary of a chef they’d find the same huge differences between them as well. Just as it is in the automotive field there are different levels of compensation. The person who preps things in the kitchen is just as much a chef as the person whose name is on the door. So why are there so many variations in income levels? Its training and your expertise that makes the difference, you’ve already got the passion for it. Gee, the three things some of those so called expert motivational speakers tell you to ignore. So if the main reason you’ve thought of changing professions is based on an average salary…think again… your passion may win out in the long run. Now all you need is that training and expertise. This trade is like any other trade… with one exception. Not all you know today is going to help repair the cars of the next generation. You have to constantly learn something new. Training is what is going to make the difference; it’s a never ending pursuit of knowledge on new technology, procedures, and tools. Just remember that passion that got you started. It’s still there. Learn as much as you can about your trade, learn it well, and be the best that you can be, that greener grass may be a lot closer than you think. View full article

I use an Autel TPMS tool, "MaxiTPMS TS401 easy to use, does all the models. I also use it for checking keyfob battery strength. Cool feature. I don't change tires so I can't answer that part of it. But, I seem to do a lot of them I charge a diagnostic fee for checking the system, and a few bucks for setting them up. Under 40 bucks usually. Around here (Oklahoma) without any state inspections at all nobody really gives a flip about service lights or TPMS lights. But the ones that do like to have it done. A lot of them are amazed that some little box is talking to the tire. LOL Always gets a reaction from the customer when they watch me check their car. LOL

Originally I was going to name my shop "The GAS Co." "Gonzo's Auto Service Co. " But after talking to a guy who runs a multimillion dollar company (Over many beers) He said, "Are you Superior?!" Me, (too many beers) I said, "HELL YES!" thus the name... Superior Auto Electric ... the hangover has lasted better than 30 years. Scanners... good question. After going through Snap On, Genysis, and a few others I find the best thing .. if you are after a very detailed scanner, well...that's manufacturer scanners. Tech II, DRB, Consult, IDS, etc... A mastertech is a good overall tool. Does a lot I also use a DOL scanner for basic code reading. (It's wireless and will code both OBD II and manufacturer specific codes.) Nothing wrong with Snap On and the others... I just have my own preferences. I have a Genysis, makes a good door stop. (slow) BUT, nothing beats manufacturer scanners. Buy a GOOD scope. Mastertech and the Snap On tools have scope capabilities. I also use a Bosch scope and a PICO. (PICO is probably the best.) ya can never have enough. and.... you'll always be buying more.