Hello all;
To some degree I agree with the defence of new style mechanics in general
but there are exceptions to the rule. Just like in the old days there are
good shops, bad shops, and mediocre shops. Unfortunately the bad ones bill
you for fixing things that didn't need fixing and the mediocre shops are
into needless parts swapping both of which are costly.
One of the big problems is that the modern cars contain a lot of electronic
control systems that the mechanics are not trained to troubleshoot like a
T.V repairman would. So the solution is to swap out parts until the car
starts working again. A case in point is the 1981 to 83 EFI Imperials; they
were branded as lemon cars because the mechanics that were servicing them
were not adequately trained in how the systems functioned.
The trouble with many of these modern systems is that they are custom made
for each make of car and that they are modularised. Unlike generators or
starter motors in the old days there are very few control systems common to
more then one make of car and, to top it off, they keep changing them from
year to year. This wouldn't be as much of a problem if they at least made
these control circuits serviceable but quite often they are constructed
inside little modular boxes potted with silicone. Not only can you not
service these units in a timely fashion but you can't even get at the
circuit board to change parts.
The bottom line is that our old cars were built in an era when everything,
or near everything, could be serviced or repaired. Now cars are built to
last with minimal servicing for five years and then to be replaced with a
new one. Television sets and other electronics are the same way, in fact
sometimes they can't be repaired.
Someone said that people would be more willing to spend $200 dollars
getting a $500 T.V fixed then they would their $20,000 car, I disagree. For
one thing many T.Vs now are no where near $500 new. Second, how many people
are going to spend $60-$100 getting a five year old T.V fixed when they can
buy a new one for $250. This is why I decided not to go into T.V repair for
a living, you can't win when people regard home electronics as Dixie cups.
Best Regards
Arran Foster
1954 Imperial Newport
Needing A Left Side Taillight Bezel and other trim parts.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim H Fielding" <bonhoffer@xxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 2:14 AM
Subject: Re: IML: in defence of mechanics - old & new (long & sorry to spout
off)
> I missed out on teh early part of the mechanic discussion but I agree
> with this post. I think that all of that was worth saying. Sometimes we
> tend to forget that mechanics are there to try to make a living. They
> can't do that with our cars because there aren't enough of them. Also,
> we're supposed to be the hobbiests. More than most of us will ever need
> to know is right there in our shop manuals and available right here in
> this club. Instead of worrying why our mechanic can't tell us how to
> rewire or repair this or that, why not get out the books and some tools
> and dig in?
>
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