broster
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Registered: 6th Dec 02
Location: Drives: E39
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Some people think mechanic means tyre fitter, I know some very skilled mechanics, engine builders and tuners who struggle to string a sentence together, however they are very successful at what they do.
Having spent a while in the trade seeing cars which people build themselves then seeing what can be done by a professional, what alot of people seem to forget is the time it takes to do stuff, as a diy man it doesnt really matter it it takes a full day to fit a diff into an ib5 box (not rocket science really) compared to someone doing it for a job doing it in a few hours.
Also at Matt says, one simple mistake and you cost a business or customer time and money, as a diyer thats not really anyones problem other than your own.
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random dav
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Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: NSW
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quote:
Originally posted by Mattb
quote:
Originally posted by Graham88
Impressive! Must be nice to have a job to be getting on with, as opposed to doing 6 services and some pads and discs?
Thats my idea of a shit day that, enjoy bigger and more complex stuff. A few days after the RS4 was done, i had a Q5 in for a replacement set of pistons and conrods. Between me and my apprentice it was in and out in under 10 hours.
Servicing is so mundane, even worse on the bulk of cars we see, sub 40k miles and usually under 5 years old..
Was going to ask about this.
Also how often do you get the bigger jobs? Or do they get 'shared' around?
WRLFC !
Project cars
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Steve
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Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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quote:
Originally posted by broster
Some people think mechanic means tyre fitter, I know some very skilled mechanics, engine builders and tuners who struggle to string a sentence together, however they are very successful at what they do.
Having spent a while in the trade seeing cars which people build themselves then seeing what can be done by a professional, what alot of people seem to forget is the time it takes to do stuff, as a diy man it doesnt really matter it it takes a full day to fit a diff into an ib5 box (not rocket science really) compared to someone doing it for a job doing it in a few hours.
Also at Matt says, one simple mistake and you cost a business or customer time and money, as a diyer thats not really anyones problem other than your own.
Im not saying they aren't good at what they do, I'm saying it's not difficult to get to the point of being successful as a mechanic.
Saying it's not that hard to rebuild an ib5 gearbox proves my point. I'm also not suggesting I'm as good a mechanic as someone who does it full time either, so throwing my personal achievements at me is redundant.
What I'm saying is if I had to do it as my a day job, I'd pick it all up very quickly because it doesn't require much intelligence.
For the record I am aware there is some quite advanced stuff that does require a modicum of intelligence, but 90% of it can be picked up by anyone really because it's not hard.
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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You could say that about literally anything Steve…we all learn our skills in our day to day jobs, but experience is what puts us above somebody who has just walked into the job on day 1, so I'm not really sure what point you are trying to make.
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Steve
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Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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This isn't an attack on mechanics Graham, I have no problem with them choosing to do that as a profession. The comments are merely aimed at those trying to be little me for asking a simple question about nuts and bolts. I felt it was necessary to point out that if they think what they do requires intelligence or high skill level that isn't the case because I can walk out on my driveway in my spare time and do most of what they do as an actual profession.
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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steve vs the entire world. again. yawn.
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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But the thing is you couldn't , the jobs you do on your driveway are general maintenance and fucking about jobs judging from your project threads, I think your judging garages and a tyres and exhaust type service centre setup, I think you would quickly realise after spending some time in a garage like matts or flaffys or even mine that your not as confident as you like to think you are.
I built my first engine at home in the garage at 16 but even when I started in a garage I shat myself a bit, different ball game completely, working under pressure only being given a certain amount of time to do a job, can't break anything as the customer won't be the one paying, being able to diagnose a fault quickly and correctly can't just throw parts at it hoping it'll fix it because your £20 obd reader said that's what it is, most the time there's a more in depth reason the failed part has failed rather than just age related, and it's being able to get your head into it and understand what has caused it and why etc
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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Even all the courses you have to go on are a nightmare, the motor trade is constantly changing and you have to be on top of your game to compete with other garages and dealers by doing the relevant courses to gain the knowledge, iv just done a load on hybrids and new air con systems that are coming into play, a lot to get your head around really, also the law has cracked down a lot on it too everything is regulated a lot more than it used to be, have to be so careful about what you do and where you do it etc etc, hefty fines and prison sentences for doing something you didn't know was wrong.
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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I'n pretty sure Steve isn't able to fit a flywheel in 8 seconds.
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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I actually think I'd find it easier working in a garage with nice hydraulic ramps, no scrabbling about on the floor with axle stands. Lots of space. Decent tools etc. Easy 
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
I actually think I'd find it easier working in a garage with nice hydraulic ramps, no scrabbling about on the floor with axle stands. Lots of space. Decent tools etc. Easy
youve never really done anything complicated at all. ever. pissed around with halfords 1 spanner rated tasks. i actually think you are just spamming as you are bored waiting for some glue to dry.
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ShEp
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Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
I actually think I'd find it easier working in a garage with nice hydraulic ramps, no scrabbling about on the floor with axle stands. Lots of space. Decent tools etc. Easy
99% of mechanics can tell in 5 minutes weather or not someone will make a good mechanic or not.
Other mechanics will know what I mean.
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FlaFFy_91
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Registered: 30th Sep 08
Location: Formby, Merseyside
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Convinced Steve is trolling now. He can't actually be that retarded....
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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For those of you familiar with the halfords advert I think this sums up the level of competence Steve is at mechanically
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve
For the record I am aware there is some quite advanced stuff that does require a modicum of intelligence, but 90% of it can be picked up by anyone really because it's not hard.
Could say that about any industry. I'd say it about IT.
Also depends on your threshold for modicum, I generally have a rule now that I phone people if there's any doubt whatsoever what the fault is as odds are, they've plugged in an OBD reader, its told them a sensor is implausible and they want a new sensor. And that'll be a return in a week when the fault doesn't clear. See it loads, people who think its easy and then fuck it up.
Anyone can 'pick it up' and things like OBD, video guides etc. make it easier but some of the larger jobs would make me shit one and I've been doing it professionally for 3 years now.
I also think there's a world of difference between modifying a car which works and fixing a broken one. I've had some proper screwy shit that takes loads of time to get to the bottom of, you couldn't work that slowly while the clock is ticking. And that's old cars which are comparatively simple.
This is my 9.9 story all over again which if I've not told on here I will do.
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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quote:
Originally posted by --ToM--
For those of you familiar with the halfords advert I think this sums up the level of competence Steve is at mechanically
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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Is that the one where he fucks it up? I think Halfords have a cheek making ads like that, they're supposed to be appealing to the home DIY-er but they choose to denigrate in order to sell their fitting service? Which is staffed by retail workers?
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FlaFFy_91
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Sep 08
Location: Formby, Merseyside
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I've not heard the 9.9 story Ian?
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Mattb
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Registered: 2nd Feb 03
Location: Under your sisters bed
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
Is that the one where he fucks it up? I think Halfords have a cheek making ads like that, they're supposed to be appealing to the home DIY-er but they choose to denigrate in order to sell their fitting service? Which is staffed by retail workers?
I'm still convinced those ads are actually made by halfords auto center employees making private job videos!
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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To be honest I'd rather let a "Steve" fit s build or battery to my car maybe it's just my local halfords but omg its scary the people they let loose on the publics cars! My mate works there and said it must cost halfords more in replacing broken headlights etc than they make on fitting charges, he said people are just badly trained and snap clips left right and centre in front of the waiting customer lol
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AndyCorsaSport
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Registered: 12th Feb 06
Location: Horsforth, West Yorkshire
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Steve could be a mechanic easy cause he's worked on a shitty Land Rover that's been the same design for fuck knows how long, and is as basic as fuck. And a 15 year old puma.
What a fucking retard, try working on multiple cars, in set short times. Love how you think having a ramp makes things easy too. Think it's about time you grow up and move out mate. See what the real world is all about.
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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I remember watching two halfords auto centre lads trying to put a tyre on a bmw rim from the front of the rim (they go on from the back on this particular wheel) struggling like fuck using tyre levers and the machine to try and force it over taking run ups and slamming the tyre onto it one lad nearly fell on his face! Chipped the wheel with the machine the tyre wall must of been damaged in some way I'm sure of it! I then felt I should tell them how it goes on where I got told "no mate the wheel won't go on the machine that way and its the same size either way!!!" Lmao so I left em too it until there mongo manager pointed it out to them, thankfully the owner of the car wasn't watching this go on
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by FlaFFy_91
I've not heard the 9.9 story Ian?
When I worked in the college we would occasionally get student teachers in and I had one arranged to cover my class. Spoke with him beforehand, told him where they were up to, what to deliver, gave him my slides etc. Guy takes the lesson and did OK, answered a few questions from some of the cockier students who would try it on and find any weaknesses in whoever was delivering. At the end this particular student starts asking more about this guy, asking how long he's been doing it etc. and they were having a conversation about skill level, how hard it is etc. The student eventually asks him how much he knows about computers. "So out of 10" he said, "How much do you know?" "Well" says the student teacher "probably about 9.9".
"9.9!" says the student "That's amazing. Ian, how much do you know, out of ten."
"Not sure, about 3.5. Maybe less. High twos maybe."
"So you mean to tell me that this guy who hasn't been doing it that long knows more than you!"
"Nope. I know where ten is."
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SVM 286
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Registered: 13th Feb 05
Location: pain
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 Priceless!
Best (IT knowledge based) cutting, put-down ever. Deliberate or not.
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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lol anger in here
Other thing I've noticed, is a lot of mechanics these days no longer possess the skills to diagnose something, plug in a reader, if that comes back without the answer you get the car back with "dont know"
Yes that has happened to me many times in the past too before you all start waving your arms and calling me a liar.
Other traits I've noticed is, for example, a car not running quite right, garage has it in (vauxhall in this case), car is returned once, fixed the problem sir, part replaced and paid for, problem comes back a week later, car gets returned, this time get it back with dont know, but a nice 50 quid charge to stick a fault reader on it, 3rd time, they end up telling me it an ECU fault, actually was a vacuum leak, but the highly skilled mechanics, including a "senior mechanic" were about to charge me several hundred pounds for a part I didnt need, because the answer machine didnt tell them any answers.
Not sure where this "have to get it right to be a mechanic because customers" claim comes from, because that doesnt happen, fairly often too. Redundant justification right there.
Additionally, it seems mechanics need step by step guides too, I've had several "Systems" that main dealers use for technical sheets etc, its just step by step parts, so mechanics these days, also have to rely on computer versions of Haynes Manuals.
[Edited on 21-02-2015 by Steve]
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