Got to hand it to auto techs

[Trav]

After almost 40 yrs i get things done quickly and done right but rust kills me every time.
A 45 min jobs can turn into hours of disassembly and drilling/tapping holes,Ford 5.4 exhaust manifold come to mind.

Course when i started this game cars were still running around with fuel pumps with glass bowls underneath and could be rebuilt.
We rebuilt everything back then, the shop i started in had a brake shoe riveter and an armature lathe for starter and alternator commutators and a growler.

 

[antonmnster]

What's a growler?

 

[Vikas]

One of the technician who works on my car is amazing. He can replace the parts which I could not even see! He managed to not only replace it, he also fixed the connector going to it.

Some of the technicians are worth their weight in gold.

- Vikas

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
What's a growler?

I "think" it's an insulation breakdown tester, used to find shorts & weak spots in insulation. In my line of work (refrigeration/HVAC) it's called a megger (megohm tester).

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: Trav
After almost 40 yrs i get things done quickly and done right but rust kills me every time.
A 45 min jobs can turn into hours of disassembly and drilling/tapping holes,Ford 5.4 exhaust manifold come to mind.

Course when i started this game cars were still running around with fuel pumps with glass bowls underneath and could be rebuilt.
We rebuilt everything back then, the shop i started in had a brake shoe riveter and an armature lathe for starter and alternator commutators and a growler.
If you find a rebuilder, stick with them-my '89 F-450 had noisy alternator bearings, the closest guy I could find to rebuild it was out in Maysville, KY (Maysville Generator). He put bearings AND new brushes in it, took him a couple hours to get to it, TWENTY-FIVE bucks out the door, works like a champ!

 

[Scott_Tucker]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: cchase
Mechanics have no attachment to the car.


Unfortunately, time is money and the bulk (IMO) of mechanics speed through.



Thank you flat rate system for making all the good mechanics leave the industry

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
What's a growler?

 

[Garak]

There certainly is a wide range of skill and caring about workmanship when it comes to mechanics. What is universal among them, however, are the messy, unpleasant working conditions.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
Thank you flat rate system for making all the good mechanics leave the industry


THIS!

The flat rate book killed quality auto servicing. Now it is all about speed.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
The shop where I worked was the keeper...wouldn't have been me (I wasn't the VW guy), but the owner would have been called & the situation explained.

My worst: Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4.0 six. Leaking water pump, had been replaced a year earlier. Red Loctite on the bolts. I didn't murder anyone, but that all day drill-fest had me pretty close!

If I had room for it, I'd have brought out the oxy/acetylene torch. It'll make short work of any thread locker.


Speaking of torches, they're a godsend to getting all manner of rusted, stuck or seized nuts/bolts loose. I've used it to save both time and aggravation removing nuts, bolts, rivets and any of a number of oddball parts, ESPECIALLY rusted ones. Before I started working at the shop I'm at now, they always battled things, using a small propane torch and little hammers. Since I worked in fab shops before I became a mechanic, I knew how useful a torch and real hammer was. Now jobs that would have given them fits for hours are handled with ease.


Originally Posted By: Garak
There certainly is a wide range of skill and caring about workmanship when it comes to mechanics. What is universal among them, however, are the messy, unpleasant working conditions.

Some shops I've seen are quite clean and organized - very professional looking. Ours is not one of them! It drives me up the wall. I could rant for a very long time but I'll spare you!

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
One of the technician who works on my car is amazing. He can replace the parts which I could not even see! He managed to not only replace it, he also fixed the connector going to it.

Some of the technicians are worth their weight in gold.

- Vikas


Totally agree with this statement. After moving to the west coast, I struggled to find someone competitent enough to work on my e30. I used to fix it myself at those "you -wrench" shops like I had in Calgary (you pay a flat hourly rate to use the hoist then you can use as many tools as well as the air lines, trouble lights all included in the hourly rate). There was even someone there to "lend a hand" if you should need someone to help out.

Anyway, there are sooooo many rip-off BMW mechanics (or who claim to be a "mechanic"), many of whom do not even have the slightest clue as to the simplicity of the e30 bmw/

After trial and error with a few, i was able to find one who let me supply my own parts I ordered at a GREATLY reduced price from the US, then simply had them install them. Not only was the service SUPER fast, but the alignment they gave my car was only a mere 60 bucks AND their shop rate was only $70 per hour (compared to 110-130ish everywhere else). While my repairs were being completed, I took a stroll over to the nearest liquor store, and since it was friday, picked up a bottle of my favourite beer (La Fin du Monde) and gave it to the mechanic for a fast, cheap, and well done repair on my little machine.

Just like the OP stated, these mechanics and shops are few and far b/t, but when you do find them, HOLD ON TO THEM and show them you support them, you will be rewarded with friendly, prompt service in the future

 

[mechtech2]

Now that you bring it up, melting snow/ice/slush is truly horrid [from a car on a rack].
And rusted parts are a constant nemesis.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Some shops I've seen are quite clean and organized - very professional looking. Ours is not one of them! It drives me up the wall. I could rant for a very long time but I'll spare you!


He he; I didn't mean the shop so much as under the car.

One of my greatest joys in life (yeah, right) was climbing under a taxi in the middle of winter, straight from running on the road, to get dripped on to change the oil.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Some shops I've seen are quite clean and organized - very professional looking. Ours is not one of them! It drives me up the wall. I could rant for a very long time but I'll spare you!


He he; I didn't mean the shop so much as under the car.

One of my greatest joys in life (yeah, right) was climbing under a taxi in the middle of winter, straight from running on the road, to get dripped on to change the oil.


Oh okay, I understand now.

On that topic, me an another mech had to swap transmissions on a one ton Dodge dually first thing one winter morning. In fact I followed the truck down the highway coming to work. Talk about a cold and wet job! Oh, the customer sat in the office waiting while we did the swap.

 

[Garak]

The Audi was great for changing oil in the winter. You only have to go under the car less than a foot, and for no longer than a minute. The Infiniti brings back the dripping water memories.

Many years ago, I freaked out on my dad while I was changing the oil in one of the Impalas or Caprices on taxi duty. He'd always shove a trouble light under the vehicle with me, even though I'd done the changes on those vehicles literally hundreds of times, and could do it blindfolded. Of course, this one day, the dripping water landed on the hot bulb, which promptly exploded, sending fragments into my hair.

Needless to say, he didn't insist upon my use of a trouble light anymore.

 

[HerrStig]

Although Red Green once famously said that "any tool can be the RIGHT tool" if you plan your repair like a military operation, and check the shop manual for special tool requirements, things often go pretty well. That being said, I once had to use a sawsall to take a frozen rotor off in bits like pie wedges, while the OTHER side fell right off when I pulled the caliper. Rust and corrosion make simple things difficult.

 

[VNTS]

Then ford probably slashed the book time down on warranty thanks to your buddy! All his pals are probably not impressed!

Go to flat Rate tech board and listen to the techs on the forum. As one guy says, Ford slashed warranty cost 40%, reality was they slashed the book times 40% so all the techs got screwed!

Originally Posted By: punisher
Originally Posted By: cchase

I'm not downplaying the occupation - it's not an easy one. But it's very different making a living from something vs. doing it as a hobby.

Absolutely. Most don't quite understand this.


Originally Posted By: paulo57509
When my Dad was wrenching, he'd have automatic transmissions (RWD) on the bench in 45 minutes.

My trans tech at Ford could pull a 4R70W/AODE in just under 11 minutes, once in 9 minutes (car on lift, to trans on bench). FoMoCo sent out a warranty spy to watch him work for a day due to his "excessive efficiency". The look on that auditor's face after watching him for 3 hours made my week.

 

[punisher]

Originally Posted By: VNTS
Then ford probably slashed the book time down on warranty thanks to your buddy! All his pals are probably not impressed!

Go to flat Rate tech board and listen to the techs on the forum. As one guy says, Ford slashed warranty cost 40%, reality was they slashed the book times 40% so all the techs got screwed!


Tell me about it. I used to post at Flat Rate Tech a lot until I retired from Ford.

I got caught in the "Jaques Nasser" era at FoMoCo and saw my paycheck HAMMERED, which played a part in my retirement. I know what it is like to be screwed.

The example I posted in my previous post was spot on accurate. To my knowledge it didn't have any effect on SLTS, we saw no change in 7XXX labor ops. It certainly wasn't the techs choice to be spied on, but sometimes there is no way to cover excessive efficiency when you are really good at your job. Heck, one Christmas week I turned 96 hours in 3 1/2 days ( I stole another helper from a vacationing tech).

How was my transmission tech supposed to handle the situation? Can't penalize him because he was quick (and just really gifted when it came to transmissions/transaxles). He did everything by the book, but with scary efficiency and no waste of time. If you want to blame people for killing labor times, knock the people that send in revised Labor operations for that penny ante $50 reward that Ford used to hand out. I wanted to slap some of those techs for giving away/publicizing tricks we took the time to develop to beat the book.

I feel for the truck techs. I have seen heavy line guys with cabs on their lifts for who knows how long waiting for diesel parts/engines. No way SLTS can compensate techs for the inconvenience and time of having their space tied up.

 

[VNTS]

I see it this way, if the tech can flag 40 for 40, it is fair. Of course sometimes the tech runs into a rusted pile and it takes twice as long as the book. So on some you have to give them some gravy to make up for the ones they loose their rate.

My local Dodge store pays hourly, no flat rape. I know two techs their and if I dont want to work on it, I bring it to them. Thank god they are efficient and fair. A couple twelve packs once in a while helps too. Of course they like working on my cars because they are clean.




Originally Posted By: punisher
Originally Posted By: VNTS
Then ford probably slashed the book time down on warranty thanks to your buddy! All his pals are probably not impressed!

Go to flat Rate tech board and listen to the techs on the forum. As one guy says, Ford slashed warranty cost 40%, reality was they slashed the book times 40% so all the techs got screwed!


Tell me about it. I used to post at Flat Rate Tech a lot until I retired from Ford.

I got caught in the "Jaques Nasser" era at FoMoCo and saw my paycheck HAMMERED, which played a part in my retirement. I know what it is like to be screwed.

The example I posted in my previous post was spot on accurate. To my knowledge it didn't have any effect on SLTS, we saw no change in 7XXX labor ops. It certainly wasn't the techs choice to be spied on, but sometimes there is no way to cover excessive efficiency when you are really good at your job. Heck, one Christmas week I turned 96 hours in 3 1/2 days ( I stole another helper from a vacationing tech).

How was my transmission tech supposed to handle the situation? Can't penalize him because he was quick (and just really gifted when it came to transmissions/transaxles). He did everything by the book, but with scary efficiency and no waste of time. If you want to blame people for killing labor times, knock the people that send in revised Labor operations for that penny ante $50 reward that Ford used to hand out. I wanted to slap some of those techs for giving away/publicizing tricks we took the time to develop to beat the book.

I feel for the truck techs. I have seen heavy line guys with cabs on their lifts for who knows how long waiting for diesel parts/engines. No way SLTS can compensate techs for the inconvenience and time of having their space tied up.

 

[punisher]

Originally Posted By: VNTS
I see it this way, if the tech can flag 40 for 40, it is fair. Of course sometimes the tech runs into a rusted pile and it takes twice as long as the book. So on some you have to give them some gravy to make up for the ones they loose their rate.

My local Dodge store pays hourly, no flat rape. I know two techs their and if I dont want to work on it, I bring it to them. Thank god they are efficient and fair. A couple twelve packs once in a while helps too. Of course they like working on my cars because they are clean.


So, the techs are paid by the hour that they are actually on the job? A tech gets paid for 40 hours/week as long as he turns 40 hrs of billable labor?

What about the tech who turns 40 total hrs of labor on Mon and Tues? Does he sit on his butt for the other 3 days and drink coffee/play cards?

How does a shop pay the bills with each tech only turning 40 hrs/week? Figure a shop with techs turning 80 hrs/wk avg vs a shop turning 40 hrs/wk avg. To turn the same hours you have to have twice the techs, twice the space, double the workman's comp, and the list goes on. It is a lot more efficient to have lower numbers of techs each turning more hours, and I do not buy an inverse correlation between hours/tech and work quality.

Seriously, all of the talented techs are going to flee to flat rate shops where they can make some serious money. I could just see my old shop trying to pull something like that. There's a reason toolboxes have wheels.