Why are shops incapable of proper PSI?

[Tom]

Change the oil yourself foo's!

I dont go outside to change my oil when its 25 degrees out.     I do it myself except when its cold out winter.

Well you gotta do what you gotta do.  Ever tried a space heater inside of a garage?

[Raza]

He said "outside"...he probably doesn't have use of a garage.  

[Tom]

He said "outside"...he probably doesn't have use of a garage.

That's why I said "you gotta do what you gotta do."  If he doesn't have access to a garage I can understand him bringing it to a shop.

[jadewolf123]

Oh man I just changed the oil on all our cars since I'm heading back to school. Chicago is suprisingly mild, it was actually like 40 degrees. Had to get the engines warmed up before I could drain any out, with any rate of speed. But I got a good deal on some Mobil 1 so I was pleased. A 5qt. bottle was only 20 bucks.

[saxonyron]

When I went to NTB to have my winter wheels/tires mounted, I had them do a 4 wheel balance and specifically asked them to put 38 psi front/34 psi rear.  The service manager even wrote it in big letters on the work order.  Big surprise - I rolled in with 30 psi, rolled out with 30 psi.  Too bad I didn't check til later.  Sucks plunking money into an air pump and crawling around a gas station parking lot to fill your tires the day after you just left NTB!   They usually do a decent job there, but not this time...

[thewizard16]

I've had that problem too. I took the car to the shop for a tune-up and some extras, and asked that they go ahead and check tire pressure for me, since it'd been a while since I checked. When I drove home, I noticed it didn't feel right, so I checked and the tires (which should have been at 32) were at 44. Not what I wanted, especially since I'd just told the guy I was taking a long road trip, and thus the extra maintenence. Max pressure... thanks guys.

[giant_mtb]

Perhaps they believe giving us rock-hard tires will sport us the best fuel mileage.    

[jadewolf123]

Well I normally fill my tires 2 points above spec, for the very reason of fuel milage in day to day driving. The pressures on most cars are a guideline and they keep them relatively low to give better ride quality. I like it just a bit higher than suggested. But never 44 psi.

[Run Away]

Heh, my tires are usually underinflated.
I disconnected my power steering, the difference it makes when the front tires have the proper pressure is amazing.

[Raza]

I got my new tire in with about 28psi, and I needed 35, and told them 35.  I felt the difference on the way home, but just sucked up and filled it.

[JWC]

I'm overruled at our shop about impact guns used for tightening lugnuts and that sorry-ass tire pressure gauge/air chuck everyone uses for convenience. I've never seen one that is accurate. I keep a digital tire pressure gauge in my desk at work and I've shown those guys that the one they are using is way off, but they don't care and the manager backs them up.

The last shop I was at torque sticks were required and to my surprise, they were on the money. At this shop, I bring my personal torque wrench in insist they use it...or I won't flag the time. I also correct my tire pressures at the house and tell them to leave them alone.

One year to go......IF, I can pay off the two cars, my wife's college loan, and my M/card, I'm turning my resignation in December 31st, 2006. Then, I concentrate on the photography business.

[TBR]

Somehow I get the impression that you don't care too much for your job

[JWC]

Somehow I get the impression that you don't care too much for your job

At one time it was really interesting and I felt that in some small way I was contributing to the public by helping them keep an eye on their vehicle's maintenance. I used to consider myself the laison between the customer and the technician. I would check behind the tech and tell him if I thought that something could wait or was unnecessary.  Unfortunately, and it is probably due to asshole service advisors at other dealers, customers just assume now that I'm ripping them off. Basically, it has become a thankless job and I look across the shop floor everyday and think "surely I'm on this earth to do more than keep some jerk's car running" who is only going to go to work and complain that I've robbed him.

Sometimes I just want to tell them, "Well, let me tell ya something....if that is the way you feel...goddammit, take an automotive course at the local community college and do it yourself. Until you do that, you're going to have to live with $70/hour and no, I didn't set the price and I can't give you a friggin' discount because you believe it is too much. Try that at the doctor's office...visit him for fifteen minutes and you get charged 250.00. See if he'll give you a "discount"?"

[VTEC_Inside]

Somehow I get the impression that you don't care too much for your job

At one time it was really interesting and I felt that in some small way I was contributing to the public by helping them keep an eye on their vehicle's maintenance. I used to consider myself the laison between the customer and the technician. I would check behind the tech and tell him if I thought that something could wait or was unnecessary.  Unfortunately, and it is probably due to asshole service advisors at other dealers, customers just assume now that I'm ripping them off. Basically, it has become a thankless job and I look across the shop floor everyday and think "surely I'm on this earth to do more than keep some jerk's car running" who is only going to go to work and complain that I've robbed him.

Sometimes I just want to tell them, "Well, let me tell ya something....if that is the way you feel...goddammit, take an automotive course at the local community college and do it yourself. Until you do that, you're going to have to live with $70/hour and no, I didn't set the price and I can't give you a friggin' discount because you believe it is too much. Try that at the doctor's office...visit him for fifteen minutes and you get charged 250.00. See if he'll give you a "discount"?"

Sounds very similar to a friend of mine.

Hes nearing the end of his mechanic apprenticeship. He was just telling me a bunch of stories the other day about customers. They'll come in get him to figure out whats wrong and then say "i have a friend/uncle/relative/neighbour/etc... whos a mechanic."  blah blah, he said he just drops the hood and says ok, better have them fix it.

90% of the time they are back because so and so couldn't fix it and has now f'd it up worse. In one case, a guys friend or whatever had unbolted the exhaust manifold because he couldn't get something else off. Well the customer drove the car back to the dealer like that, and the heat from the exhaust ports had melted the fan shroud and various other bits on the way in lol...

[footoflead]

what a moron^

[JWC]

Somehow I get the impression that you don't care too much for your job

At one time it was really interesting and I felt that in some small way I was contributing to the public by helping them keep an eye on their vehicle's maintenance. I used to consider myself the laison between the customer and the technician. I would check behind the tech and tell him if I thought that something could wait or was unnecessary.  Unfortunately, and it is probably due to asshole service advisors at other dealers, customers just assume now that I'm ripping them off. Basically, it has become a thankless job and I look across the shop floor everyday and think "surely I'm on this earth to do more than keep some jerk's car running" who is only going to go to work and complain that I've robbed him.

Sometimes I just want to tell them, "Well, let me tell ya something....if that is the way you feel...goddammit, take an automotive course at the local community college and do it yourself. Until you do that, you're going to have to live with $70/hour and no, I didn't set the price and I can't give you a friggin' discount because you believe it is too much. Try that at the doctor's office...visit him for fifteen minutes and you get charged 250.00. See if he'll give you a "discount"?"

Sounds very similar to a friend of mine.

Hes nearing the end of his mechanic apprenticeship. He was just telling me a bunch of stories the other day about customers. They'll come in get him to figure out whats wrong and then say "i have a friend/uncle/relative/neighbour/etc... whos a mechanic."  blah blah, he said he just drops the hood and says ok, better have them fix it.

90% of the time they are back because so and so couldn't fix it and has now f'd it up worse. In one case, a guys friend or whatever had unbolted the exhaust manifold because he couldn't get something else off. Well the customer drove the car back to the dealer like that, and the heat from the exhaust ports had melted the fan shroud and various other bits on the way in lol...

Yep, happens all the time. And there are at least three phone calls a day asking how to fix something or diagnose something over the phone (usually from another garage that someone believes is repairing their car better than the dealer could and they will be impressed later when they pick it up thinking, hell, who needs a dealership...this guy knows how to fix everything).

Friday, a guy called in and said he was doing a brake job on his truck and ran into a problem. Seems there are these two cups that are getting in the way of the new brake pads sliding into place. What are those and how do you work around them? I asked him straight out....you've never ever done a brake job have you and you have never even seen anyone do one have you? Of course the answer was "no".

I told him those were the caliper pistons and spent ten minutes explaining what he needed to do....but it wasn't until we hung up that I realized I forgot one important detail. Don't drive off until you've pumped those brakes back up.

I'll probably be sued.

[saxonyron]

Good luck with the photog business JWC!  I hope it all works out with your timeline.  Only advice I can give you is to build up more of a reserve than you think you'll need.  If you really love the job, success will come, but more often than not you have to at least spend a little time in transition hell, when it costs you more dough than you planned. Of course, if your wife is working, that's your ace in the hole.  B)  

[JWC]

Good luck with the photog business JWC!  I hope it all works out with your timeline.  Only advice I can give you is to build up more of a reserve than you think you'll need.  If you really love the job, success will come, but more often than not you have to at least spend a little time in transition hell, when it costs you more dough than you planned. Of course, if your wife is working, that's your ace in the hole.  B)

I supported the family while my wife got her college degree (nursing). Now its payback time. :P  

(While I'm working though, I'm buying up all the equipment I can and setting aside cash in a savings account for emergencies.)

[L. ed foote]

I'm overruled at our shop about impact guns used for tightening lugnuts and that sorry-ass tire pressure gauge/air chuck everyone uses for convenience. I've never seen one that is accurate. I keep a digital tire pressure gauge in my desk at work and I've shown those guys that the one they are using is way off, but they don't care and the manager backs them up.

Amazing...

Hand thread, impact 'em down, tighten with a torque wrench...  Takes all of, what, two minutes?  Beats the hell out of having to re-install lugs after the overtightened ones snapped.

Yet another reason I prefer to do my own work when I can

[JWC]

I've been falling out of favor a lot lately with my management.

I've had several vehicles sold front end work that didn't need to be done.  (Hell, they even tried to tell me the balljoints on the Explorer wer worn out...three years ago. Ignored the tech and haven't had a problem since.) But, the flat time is good vs. how long the repair takes and it is a battle I can't win.)  An indepedent garage owner called me a couple of months ago asking me about a truck that I gave an estimate of 1000.00 for to replace the upper and lower ball joints and both outer tie rod ends. Basically, he asked me what the hell was going on at my dealership. He had the truck and could only see that it needed one lower ball joint.  We're getting quite a reputation around town for every car and truck needing ball joints.

And...it isn't even consistent within the dealership. The service manager and one of the front end techs estimated lower ball joints and tie rod ends for a F250 recently. Since the tech was out sick, it went to the other front end tech. Who refused to replace anything because there was nothing wrong with the front end. The service manager finally convinced him to at least replace one tie rod end, so the dealership could save face.

11.5 months to go.

[Raza]

If you're on the way out, I'd take all the liberties I'd want.  

However, the dealership at which you work seems fairly dodgy.

[JWC]

If you're on the way out, I'd take all the liberties I'd want.  

However, the dealership at which you work seems fairly dodgy.

In my opinion, it has gone downhill lately. When I was the only service advisor/asst. manager, I could over rule such things. Now it is out of my hands. I'm the only employee on salary, all others are commission. I think this sways these decisions a great deal. Three years ago, everyone was salary, but all those employees are long gone. I'm the last and since I was hired as a salaried worker, I remain such.

[Raza]

If you're on the way out, I'd take all the liberties I'd want. 

However, the dealership at which you work seems fairly dodgy.

In my opinion, it has gone downhill lately. When I was the only service advisor/asst. manager, I could over rule such things. Now it is out of my hands. I'm the only employee on salary, all others are commission. I think this sways these decisions a great deal. Three years ago, everyone was salary, but all those employees are long gone. I'm the last and since I was hired as a salaried worker, I remain such.

Yeah, well, it seems that when you're gone, they'll be out of good guys.  Remind me to never get my car serviced there.

[JWC]

I had to put my foot down today and complain.

Guy comes in with a Taurus and a low coolant lamp on...not staying on, just intermittent.  I wrote it up, but was gone to lunch when it was checked and the RO finalized. The guy came and I heard the cashier tell him $75.00. Curious, I punched up the RO on my computer. The repair line read: Pressure test cooling system, low on coolant, no leak found, added coolant and released.

This guy was going to pay it!  I intervened at the cashier's desk and told the guy I wanted to check on something about why it had an air pocket (the car was in for a repair a month ago that may have led to an air pocket) and I would send him the bill later.

When the SM got back from lunch, I took him aside, away from the SA that closed the RO and asked if we were really going to charge that for a what amounts to a pressure test...three tenths of an hour...fortunately he agreed it was wrong and that the other SA has been told repeatedly that all diagnosis runs 75.00. I called the customer later and told him there was no charge. Fortunately, I happened to be close enough to hear the cashier or he would have paid it and asked no questions.

Watch out for inexperienced service advisors!

[L. ed foote]

Wow.  This is probably one of the reasons people don't trust mechanics...

[shp4man]

JWC, dude I can tell you're burning out on the advisor gig. Good luck with the photography thing.
I would have charged that guy with the Taurus an hour, too. The tech deserves it, cause when Mr. Taurus comes back complaining the light is still coming on, he won't get paid zip to price out a new coolant bottle/sensor assembly.  
I use torque sticks on most of the tire work I do, if someone wants a special deal with a torque wrench, I'll be happy to, but they will pay extra. Time is money, as you know.
I always inflate tires to the factory specs, always.
Just some BS from the tech's point of view.
 

[JWC]

JWC, dude I can tell you're burning out on the advisor gig. Good luck with the photography thing.
I would have charged that guy with the Taurus an hour, too. The tech deserves it, cause when Mr. Taurus comes back complaining the light is still coming on, he won't get paid zip to price out a new coolant bottle/sensor assembly.  
I use torque sticks on most of the tire work I do, if someone wants a special deal with a torque wrench, I'll be happy to, but they will pay extra. Time is money, as you know.
I always inflate tires to the factory specs, always.
Just some BS from the tech's point of view.

Well, Mr. Worthington hasn't returned to complain, so evidently the system had an air pocket.  If he did return, and he had a faulty coolant resevoir, then I would charge him for the pressure test and installation.   The tech isn't always correct, he is human.

The new thing in the shop is drain plugs. Suddenly all cars coming in for an oil change needs a new drain plug.  This is based on a visual inspection of the threads and seeing that the threads are discolored from being tightened. From what I can tell the big difference is the end of the plug has been soaked in oil where it has been sticking into the pan, the end next to the head of the bolt has been sealed against the oil pan threads and not exposed to oil.  

Today the lube "tech" came up to the desk and said that a Sport Trac had the wrong drain plug, it was a 16mm instead of a 13mm.  "Is there a problem with it?"
"Yes, but it is the wrong size and I think the oil pan threads are stripped".
"Did you check the pan threads?"
"You can't check for stripped threads unless you screw the correct plug back in"
"Wait, what the hell are you talking about? Are you saying that  it took a 16mm wrench to remove the plug instead of a 13mm or are you saying the plug is physically larger."
"Yeah, the plug is too big".
"You've lost me somewhere. You changed the oil the last two visits".
"He must have had it changed somewhere else in between".
"Now, why would he go somewhere else if it has only been 2800 miles since we changed it?"
"I don't know".
"You're not really a mechanic are you? Go charge a drain plug to the shop and tell me if it fits in the hole".

I followed him over and sure enough, the drain plugs had the same thread size, but the bolt head was bigger on the original. Evidently, it was that way when the customer bought it used...from us.  What is going through this boy's head, is a mystery.

He's been working the rear brakes of a church bus since 11am....yesterday.  Today, I found out the other mechanics have a pool going betting when he will finish.  

[TBR]

I would check those brakes if I were you, if it has any problems and is involved in an accident because of them they could go after the dealer and would surely win (the evil car dealer vs the church group ).  

[JWC]

I would check those brakes if I were you, if it has any problems and is involved in an accident because of them they could go after the dealer and would surely win (the evil car dealer vs the church group ).

Everyone said the same today. The service manager personally drove the van after the work was completed.

BTW, in the pool, 10:45 was the winning time.

[sparkplug]

That was funny. I think they need to hire good technicians who are drug free and reasonably intelligent but being a mechanics is not everybody's cup of tea.