Mechanics
 

I might be new here, but I gotta say something.

I see so many threads here regarding a problem with their car, and what their mechanic told them. I have very little trust in "mechanics", and likely never will... thankfully I have the ability to do my own work, and hope to never pay someone else to work on my vehicles (warranty work excluded---thats free)

To everyone that has their mechanics do work for them... go get yourself a repair manual, and start learning about cars... learn how they work, understand what goes on... Then, if you still feel the need to pay someone to do the work for you, at least you'll be a bit more knowledgeable and not get screwed as bad.

To me, anyone that calls themselves a "mechanic" isn't to be trusted... I think its from hearing the stories like "oh my brother told me that I have to put 91 octane in my 1995 nissan truck, and he'd know because he is a mechanic"

So now I'll get off my soapbox, but I'm gonna post some links that may help out.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm

http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/manuals.html

http://www.autoshop101.com/

If you have more links... please post them.

HEY!!!! I am trying to become a mechanic!!! But, I can honestly say that I hate mechanics, ironic isn't it? Although I have been screwed by only one. Then I learned to work on my car myself...

I would have to agree. I am always scared to get screwed, but once you do find that "good guy" you would give that shop the world. I have an AWESOME SHOP in Orlando for my bike. I knew he was good b/c the first day I called him and explained my problem he shot me totally straight and told me EXACTLY how to fix it. Now I just get my parts from this guy and he directs me where to go with the actual repairs. He actually let me use his shop and tools so that I could cut down on repairs when I had to get my frame welded. :D They are the best

Ryan

I work at a VW Dealership, and I can tell you... you are pretty dman right. There are only 3 Tech out of 15 that I would trust with my own car. We have a tech that does absolutly shitty work, and if the car has any engine problems at all he trys to say its a cylinder head. just totaly crooked! He is the only crooked tech, but all the other ones minus the 3 i trust just have very little expeience!

Tech/mechanic
 

What you have are 3 good technicians and 12 mechanics.
The difference between a Technician and a Mechanic is the following.
A tech can not only diagnose the problem but can also fix the problem and do it right.
the mechanic is what we call a parts replacer. Most are good at replacing a known bad part on the car or what they are told to do. However most mechanics cannot
think thru and Diagnose the cause of the problem.
In order to diagnose and replace you have to be good at both. You have to have the power of deductive reasoning. A very good working knowledge of what effects what and all the varying factors that go with the skill.
And most of all you have to remember never to forget the basics when diagnosing a driveability issue.rx7doctor

Amen brotha.

i also work at a shop and can say that only one of our mechanics is crooked.. always thinks everything needs an alignment.. but then again any service industry is like that... how do you think people make money? like people that do kicthens and bathrooms.. i used to do that and i know how much people rip people off.... but that is how the service and sales industry is.. all the parts you buy from stores are ripping you off... youre paying loads of money over what the store actually pays for it.. but hey thats life.

Got that right the anly people that work on my cars besides me are my 2 uncles both great techs one works on mostly gms and does alot of trani work the other is a certified ford tech and a rotor head himself.

Money
 

Business owners at reputable service facilities make money by doing the right thing. Not by selling unnecessary repairs.
When you do this you build trust with your clients. This makes them come back to for further repairs/maintenace. they also give you out as a recommendation.
I was a service manager for 5 years at a very reputable shop specializing in German autos. We also did others. We never guessed at what was wrong with a clients car or sold them something they did not need. We educated them on the needs of their particular vehicles. showed them the work that needed to be performed and explained in full detail why. Yes there are poorly run repair shops as
in any business.
As far as making a statement like you are paying way more for parts or service and that they are Ripping you off.
You probably are not aware of the operating costs to run a business. the insurance, workers comp, benefits, equipment failure,etc....
It takes alot of profit just to keep the doors open on a business.
You can't just give away your services or goods just to be nice. You have to charge enough over what you pay to keep your doors open and pay your employees.
think there is a markup in parts, try clothing and jewelry. rx7doctor

^^^ I agree, I also am wanted to be a mechanic... But I think once you establish yourself as honest, you will have more business... I can't stand crooked shops that do that kind of stuff, in the future i wouldn't mind opening my own shop, if I ever found out about crooked stuff like that the employee's would be gone so fast....

Lol, rx7doctor is the same type of person who bags groceries at a super market and then calls himself a "Grocery Management Service Organizer Technician" :rlaugh: He just likes the sound of technician better then mechanic :D

whats wrong with bagging grocerys? LOL thats how I afford my 7 parts, well just for a few more months until I goto learn mechanics in tech college, then hopefully ill be making much better $$$

I never said anything was wrong with it! I just said thats what rx7doctor likes to do. He is just insecure with the job title Mechanic, so he makes him self feel better with technician :bigthumb:

Same as a babysitter calling him/her self "Child Development/Service Technician" :p:

just giving you a hard time lol, makes me learn the value of a dollar =/

Job
 

At least Dan is willing to work. The only title you have right now is Unemployment
Specialist,lol. Save your finger strenght replying, i need some more rims scrubbed boy,lol.

:bowdown:

I can do most of the stuff on my own, and do. But, there's certain things that I just can't do, stuff that involves tools that i don't have/can't afford.

Then, and ONLY then, will I take the beast to a mechanic.

yeah we have only that one crooked tech...but he does that shit mostly with warranty stuff, so after they see his tech stamp on tons of cylinder heads for repairs and start looking at these heads closly...he wont last long. What sucks though is his general work is shitty. we just had to tear apart a negine that he left a 10mm socket in.

if the rest of the tech in the shop keep on the rout they are heading one, and gain more knoledge they will be good techs.


We dont like hunt n peck diag, and really if a tech does that often he will get back flaged the hours, and another tech will do the repair. but we have to eat the parts cost if its some thing that cant be taken out and the origional put back in.

I have to agree here, There is a huge difference between mechanic and technician. I have many mechanic friends (backyard mostly) And i am almost finished with my technician training, its hard to even talk cars anymore bacause of the knowledge i have that they do not. but there will always be the nay sayers that try to fix their own car because "mechanics can't be trusted" and end up buying $200 from checker because the "parts specialist" told them this could be broke! I just laugh and shake my head. Im not saying bring your car to me or anything, im all about saving money and having the passion to learn something for yourself, but i have seen many of my friends cars turn to crap because they are impatient or sh!! rigged something, and one of my biggest pet peeves are cars that are not safe for the street or track.

Before I really got in depth about working on my own car, I had found a garage that did honost work and at the best price. They were "grease monkeys" in every sense of the word. Looking back they were somewhat of a risk because they were not well versed in rotaries. I will say if they did not know what the problem was, they would say so and tell me that unless they can figure out what is wrong they were not going to put parts on that "might" be at fault. So there are still some mechanics you don't have to think twice about their integrity.

I had to learn how to work on cars years ago with my first Rotary. My Dad's mechanic said it'll cost a lot if he fixes but less than half if you do it yourself. That got me started and I discovered how relatively easy it was to fix cars. I still go to him if now for advice or to borrow a special tool. Nice guy!