I think car companies (and some repairers [especially dealerships {especially Saturn dealerships} . . .]) would hate it if anybody knew how to repair their car. I’ve searched for information for repair of my car or even an oil change of it, but I can’t find anything. I’m pretty sure if car companies gave a rat’s hind end about anything but profit, repair information would be fairly easy to find.
Auto REPAIR is beyond the scope of what I was talking about. People need to understand, in broad terms, how basic automotive systems work. Let professionals do the repair work. But everyone should know enough so they understand what the repairman is talking about. So they can make an informed decision about automotive matters, instead of drinking the Kool-Aid in the customer waiting room.
I agree. Also, when one understands how basic automotive systems work, it gives them an appreciation for the professionals wo do the repairs to keep these systems going. I’m not very good with my hands, and I appreciate a professional mechanic who can diagnose an automotive problem (which I can sometimes do), but can do the repair (which I can seldom do without rounding every bolt head that gets in my way).
Caddyman, I agree with you 150% it would help some if people would at least attempt to learn a few basics as to what makes their car tick.
Unfortunately, very few of them are going to make an effort to do this.
One problem is that many of them, even after learning a few basics, will just flat not want to hear anything or not comprehend it no matter how simply it is put to them.
I’ve been with my wife for about 35 years and can’t even count how many times we’ve been through the adversarial mechanic/customer problems.
Whenever there’s been an in-house car repair I always tell her what it is, what caused it, and what it takes to fix it. I’ve explained some of these things half a dozen times in a row and the finger-pointing and mild arguments ensues anyway.
Front brake pads worn out, I replace them, and two months later when the rear pads squeak then it’s my fault the rears are squeaking.
I’ve done some work for relatives and in-laws absolutely free (and I mean MAJOR work with zero markup on parts) and been accused several times of “ripping them off”. Someone needs to explain this one to me. One involved 35 hours worth of time and the other about 12 hours, and not one red cent charged to either one.
If someone like me cannot make this connection with my own wife after all of this time then how in the world is there supposed to be a clean connection between the mechanic and a casual customer in the shop?
I often feel like any car repair discussions at my house would be much easier if it were between me and the apple tree in the back yard. 
If I’ve learned anything in 20 years with my wife, I don’t try to “teach” things she is simply not interested in. If something is wrong with her car, either I fix it or it goes to our indy, who she knows and trusts. All she wants to know is when it will be done. She knows enough not to drive it in an unsafe condition, and she could have it towed if necessary. She does not really need to know why it didn’t start, she is not about to dive in and repair it anyway. If I’m around she will call me; otherwise she would just have it towed to the shop and use another car until it’s fixed. It is no different than having the hot water heater fail when I’m 2000 miles away, my response will be, “call someone and have it fixed.” I don’t try to understand the details of her job or the things she takes care of at home.
well they still require home economics right? Maybe instead of making you sew a pillow on a sewing machine (a skill 99% of us will never use outside of that classroom) they could teach people about basic car knowledge. It’s part of the home, and it’s a big chunk of the economics of that home.
I don’t have a choice. She asks and I answer. The problem is that she never remembers what I said period, or she has completely crossed up what I said just the day before. This is true of many people.
She went with me and a relative one time to look at a car the relative wanted to buy. After about 7-8 minutes of lookover (car looked great, started right up, sounded fine) my recommendation was pass on it. Enough experience can give you a general feel for a car even without driving it.
Both of them were all over me for dissing this car. Almost 10 minutes of argument later, I got mad and before going to the car said “buy your own rope and hang yourself if you want. I’m outta of this deal”.
So they bought it and almost 3 years later this heap is still sitting parked, unsafe to drive, after sinking 3400 dollars more (parts only) into it, and still needing a few thousand more dollars to make it a tolerable heap at best.
Neither the wife or the relative remembered a couple of months after this purchase anything I said.
And neither one of these people are stupid at all, Matter of fact, they’re both above average intelligence wise.
My words were “What part of total POS do you not understand?” and even this is ignored. If above average intelligence people can’t comprehend that then there’s not much hope out there.
But everyone should know enough so they understand what the repairman is talking about. So they can make an informed decision about automotive matters, instead of drinking the Kool-Aid in the customer waiting room.
I don’t think a basic automotive class will give you that information. I think it will take a LOT more then that. I’ve seen people with fairly indepth automotive knowledge and that have gotten ripped off by mechanics.
The simple things that I have learned about an automobile have been useful in other situations as well. For example, look at an automotive problem:
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Engine won’t turn over. Action: Check to see there is power at the battery and is getting to the starter.
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Engine turns over but will not start. Action: Check to see if engine is getting fuel. If so, then check to see if engine is getting spark.
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Engine runs, but not properly. Investigate whether it is a fuel problem or ignition problem.
When my computer science students come to me with a program, I go through similar steps.
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Program won’t compile (the programming language can’t be changed to the machine language). Action: look for a syntax error (mispelling in programming language or missing punctuation).
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Program compiles, but won’t run. Action: Find procedure in program that is causing the problem and correct.
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Program runs, but results are incorrect. Action: Use test data and set up diagnostics to find procedure in which the error occurs.
The reasoning that I learned to keep my car running when I was on a very tight budget is exactly the same reasoning that I use and try to teach my students as they complete their computer programming assignments.
I also used the same process when repairing my radios.
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Is power getting to the tube filaments and the plates from the power supply? (I know that working on vacuum tube equipment really dates me).
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If the answer to one is yes, then trace signal through the radio frequency, intermediate frequency and audio stages.
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If the radio gives a sound, but it is distorted or weak, or the radio is not picking up the broadcasts as it should, isolate the stage that is causing the problem.
My point is that the technical skills one picks up in one area often apply to another as well.
I have another topic I’d like to discuss under “profound ignorance”.
At the endof last Saturday’s show Tom and Ray were talking to a lady who had misgivngs about having her daughter start driving.
At 16 a kid CAN start driving. Nothing says the kid MUST start driving.
Wake up Mom! You are the parent. Why would you put your kid behind the wheel of a ton and a half of steel if you don’t think she is ready? Say, “NO!”, if not for her sake but for your neighbors’ lives and loved ones.
Tom and Ray… This situation screams out for an adult voice.
I am looking at the dynamic between the mom and the kid and thinking,“Is a kid who I want to send into the world without much supervision?” It sounds like mom has some growing up to do. Her kid is going into the big leagues soon.
First place I worked as a tech was a tire store outside Philly. We were talking to a customer who didn’t know the difference between a tire and a wheel. After this person left I gave the service manager a look that said, “What an idiot!” My boss told me never to
think that way because in that person’s area of expertise, we may be idiots, plus, he pays our salary.
Craig58’s comment earlier about someone not knowing how to replace a hard drive in a computer hit home w/me. The laptop I’m creating this post with was bought by me around 3 weeks ago. The salesman was very insistent that I use the computer in a certain way-
security subscriptions, replacement discs, etc. When he mentioned various parts of the computer I was as lost as the guy years ago who couldn’t tell a wheel from a tire, so we’re really all in this together.
I have to harmonize w/ok4450’s story about ungrateful people for whom you save tons of money. In tech school I replaced a guy’s radiator. (free labor; he paid discount price on parts) When I mentioned that his accessory belts were drying out and he should consider replacing
them he looked at me like I was crazy. “Wait a minute. You just fixed my radiator and now all of a sudden yer tellin’ me I need belts?!?” We ended up replacing the belts when he came to his senses and later I mentioned to my instructor about this fella w/the bug up
his --s. He said, “You wanna work in this business? Better get used to this stuff.” A friend of mine worked in a gas station and a customer came in and pleaded w/him to change his oil and filter- w/the customer’s own oil and filter, since he had bought it w/the
intent to do it himself but got cold feet. My friend decided to help the guy out and did the job w/a nominal labor charge. It took my friend 10 minutes to explain to the guy why he had to pay labor- he figured since he had bought the oil and filter himself the service
would be free! This reminds me of those signs you used to see in full service gas stations. There was a picture of 2 fried eggs in a pan I think. “You wouldn’t take your eggs to a restaurant and ask them to fry them, would you? Please don’t ask us to install your own parts!” KS