Auto Mechanic

When the economy tanked, auto sales completely fell off a cliff. But did that mean auto mechanics' business INCREASED, since people were hanging on to their cars longer?

Asked by jay over 12 years ago

Short answer, no. We actually slowed down too. Some of that was due to changes in the shop. Most was due to the "economy" The truth is, people will find anyway to cut corners and save money. The weird part is the "needs" are generally cut before the wants. People will save money on food to afford the Starbucks. I found that people would still do oil changes, but anything else preventative was put off. It is was not completely broken it didn't need to be fixed. Looking back it was strange to see. Great question Jay!

Do you think pricey car alarm systems are worth it? Don't good car thieves know how to get around alarm systems?

Asked by The Sid over 12 years ago

Hey The Sid, I have mixed feelings about them, especially on newer cars. I do think that a good alarm can help. It will help with rookie thieves looking to "smash and grab". I had a fairly high dollar alarm on my Acura. It got broken into 3 times and they only got my radar detector. Most modern cars have some type of immobilizer system. This will prevent the car from being started with out a matching key. What would stop a thief from just towing the car? I do agree that a good thief will get what they want. But hopefully they will choose another car, if they see you have an alarm. It is much like a lock on your door at home. It will keep honest people, and people that are on the fence out. You will still lock your door when you leave the house. I like the alarm that I have on my Passat. I use it for the keyless entry.. ;)

Are most mechanics also in the business of buying junked cars for parts?

Asked by too many lemons over 12 years ago

Many are. At my dealer, only 2 are. They will by cars that need some work, fix them up and sell them. It is kind of frowned on by the company. They see it as a mechanic competing for customers. I have bought 2 cars like that. 1 was a 1996 VW cabrio. I got it for $450. It needed a top, a battery and an ignition coil. I had the battery and coil, so I was able to drive it home that day. The other I got was a Jetta. I bought it for my sister.

can you give some reasons why a chev 2004 epica would be burning oil...about 1litre for every 1000km...thanks

Asked by Ray almost 12 years ago

Thanks for the question Ray.

That amount of oil is considered acceptable by almost every car manufactorer.

Generally oil is lost one of a few different ways:

• external leaks. This can be just about anywere on the engine, like valve covers, oil filters, and drain plugs just to name a few.
• Internal leaks. Oil can leak past internal seals too. I have seen many cars have engine oil in the coolant(oil presure is higher than coolant pressure most of the time). It can also leak past the seals in a turbo charger.

Looks like you've touched on this, but HOW do mechanics rip people off? Is it just as simple as telling customers they need unnecessary repairs?

Asked by bowlingfersoup about 12 years ago

Sorry for the delayed response. I wrote an entire post talking about this exact question. Please let me know what you think.. http://bit.ly/15vbi0V

Ever see shows like "Pimp My Ride?" Are you a fan, or do you think they're just ridiculous?

Asked by JimBones over 12 years ago

I really have mixed feelings about those shows. On one hand, they are totally ridiculous. Adding things to cars that BEG to be stolen. On the other hand, some of the work those guys do is really awesome. I have become very jealous of the folks that do upholstery work. Being able to sew custom seats, and dashes is really awesome. Basically, when they make custom stuff, I am on board. Adding 57 TVs is dumb, but making the custom enclosure for it is awesome, and a skill I wish I had!

I have a 2003 Ford Focus SE. 4 Cylinder.The battery light has been coming on for a few months, it will come on, and go off. I can hear a difference in the engine when the light comes on.I took it to a auto parts store and had them do a diagnosis on i

Asked by Lindsay over 11 years ago

What did they say was wrong? Battery lights generally come on when the battery or the alternator are failing.