Is there any one profession that gets bashed more than Auto Mechanics?

[Rick V]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I'd love to see some of the people who whine about the service they got try to hang in our shoes for just one week.

The first one who wants to take that bet gets to use my Snap-On air ratchet. Just make sure to get it on video.
I find the louder people whine about what we do or how we do it the least they know. It is a hard way to make a living but one that comes with pride and dedication. We are not for the faint of heart.
A word of advice for anybody who wants to push a mechanic, don't let us get our hands on you because we feel no pain in our hands because they are destroyed.
Feel free to ask me anything about what I have done to your car, but don't ever accuse me of doing something, it just goes down hill from there and trust me, it never ends well for that person. We are a tight knot group and we talk to other shops, and just as shops get bad reps so do customers.

[motion]

Originally Posted by vash

i love my toyota mechanic. honest as Abe. fast, and pretty fair with pricing.

last time i was there, i dropped off an XL pizza. the man switched out a hard to reach brake light (and tranny shifter lock) switch for free. he owned a cool plier i didnt have in my arsenal. took him seconds. figured i would pay him and his team back with some pizza.

he is a good man.

You should adopt that guy into your family!

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by Rick V

...I find the louder people whine about what we do or how we do it the least they know...

So true. It is the same with my work.

[gatotom]

it has been my belief my entire life that if I can fix it myself, I will. As they say jack of all trades but a master of none.

Some things I use other people for, serious injury, need those Docs, they are great at emergency first aid and yes, Chiropractors, you can not adjust yourself, you might think you can but you can't. Dentists are pretty handy also but you really need to shop for the one that doesn't bleed your eyeballs out of your head.

Politicians= worthless, republicans or democrats.
Lawyers mostly worthless until you need one but they will bleed your eyeballs out.

Mechanics, good for the hard stuff that requires special tools.

Vash, I do that a lot but I give them a good bottle of wine.

Remember back in the 70's was making always 100 bucks a day and the guy that got me the jobs always told me that at 100 bucks a day life would be good and it was back then. Now at 100 bucks a day you would be in the soup line, its more like 100 bucks an hour to give the same purchasing power.

Welcome to winner take all politics, as they say the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

" the return of principle takes precedence over the return on principle" Will Rogers.

[Baz]

I'd like to preface my reply by stating that in my opinion....our society is doomed.

OK now as to your post, Fred......I agree mechanics get a whole lot of grief. But I'm not sure they get the most. Definitely up there though. Nature of the beast. Most folks are not happy campers in the first place having to pay for something 'unexpected' on those types of jobs. Then throw in the fact that with vehicles there's so many things that can wear out so chances are they go down this road (repairs) on a somewhat regular basis....not happy campers.

In my profession (landscape and irrigation) I hear a fair share of bichin' and moaning about service and work quality. No one complains about me though - because I am so good.

[Zeke]

The reason used car salespersons are so low in the food chain is partly because they work in an industry that teaches and promotes hustling people. The rest of the reason is that the public treats them so rudely that mostly desperate people take the job. It pays very poorly and the management treats the crew just as badly as the public.

The spiral has gone down and down until the point that you have minimum wage lot lizards that really can't land any other kind of job. Unfortunately, I had to find this out by trying auto sales.

I still wouldn't mind selling cars because I like cars and it shows. But I won't work anywhere where respect is nil and lying and cheating are the norm.

The point is, it's not always the person as much as it is the business the person is in.

[enzo1]

if Fastfred was in my town he would never have to buy beer or pizza again.....hats off to the mechanics on this board, its what makes it what it is....

[Por_sha911]

PARF Moderator.
Talk about a thankless job.

[Joe Bob]

How about moderating a site that objected to bouncing animated boobies in avatars but wanted excuse me, DEMANDED pink in the "Hot Chicks Thread"?

914 owners are freaking weird....

[enzo1]

[mreid]

The IT guy.
Mine's name is Will.
We call him Won't.
Should call him Can't.
Nuff said.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by romad

No doubt car salesman are second to none............because its all true. Going into into a dealership unprepared is akin to taking midnight stroll in a bad neighborhood

IMO, depends on the dealership.

Some are serious sharks, the majority from my recent experiences can barely fog a mirror and have to go to their "manager" for anything.

RECRUITERS SUCK!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Mechanics, what's the hardest thing about being a mechanic today?

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

There is a certain smell to it. A friend got a disability settlement, and instead of paying her and letting her take care of paying her lawyer, the court ordered a portion distributed (I think it was 1/3) directly to the lawyer. It was her money, she was the one disabled. Why didn't the court just give it to her and let her and the attorney sort out payment for service?

If you are referring to social security disability, the fee is regulated by the social security administration and congress and is not negotiable. the fee is set at 25% of the past-due lump sum but capped at $6,000. These cases often take two years or more to resolve and like any contingency fee, there is the risk that you work on a case for years and lose and receive no compensation.

The reason why there is a "certain smell" is because so many people are ignorant of the facts and reasons why things are done a certain way. Stop making assumptions and spreading incorrect information

[asphaltgambler]

Originally Posted by zeke

the reason used car salespersons are so low in the food chain is partly because they work in an industry that teaches and promotes hustling people. The rest of the reason is that the public treats them so rudely that mostly desperate people take the job. It pays very poorly and the management treats the crew just as badly as the public.

The spiral has gone down and down until the point that you have minimum wage lot lizards that really can't land any other kind of job. Unfortunately, i had to find this out by trying auto sales.

I still wouldn't mind selling cars because i like cars and it shows. But i won't work anywhere where respect is nil and lying and cheating are the norm.

The point is, it's not always the person as much as it is the business the person is in.

This > +10000