First sentence was guess YOU were RIGHT. Notice the really EVERYONE (that means people who are NOT mechanics as you wrote and would also cover the part about how Mr mountainbike has helped people) HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER. So please tell me how am I discounting anyone?
I didn’t read your earlier statement that way. YES you said everyone has something to offer. But I’ll go one step further…There are some people who are just back-yard mechanics who’ve offered BETTER advice then some of the “Professional” mechanics.
I would add to that - because I should have added it already - that I’ve had occasion to visit a large number of auto discussion boards on the web, and this one is the best I’ve ever seen. As a whole, the regulars here, professional and otherwise are excellent - especially considering that this is diagnostics by web. I hang out here partly as hobby, but partly because I learn so darned much from the people who post here.
About the only other forum I trust is the BITOG forum, but I don’t actually hang out there. I just visit once in a while.
Ok. I don’t understand where you are getting the whole idea of I think only “professional mechanics” know what they are doing. When I say techs/mechanics I mean anyone that works on or solves mechanical/electrical problems at anytime. Also I am not a “professional mechanic” either and hopefully one day I can help someone. You sure you are not in NJ? Lighten up man.
Why'd you have to put professional in quotation marks?
Just pointing out you don’t have to be a professional mechanic to give good sound mechanical advice. And I even pointed to one person mountainbike - he’s not a professional mechanic yet has given sound mechanical advise in this forum.
When I say techs/mechanics I mean anyone that works on or solves mechanical/electrical problems at anytime.
Again - that sounds to me like someone who has a job in some mechanical/electrical field. I apologize if you didn’t mean it that way. There are a lot of people here who have jobs in completely different fields (from math teachers to janitors) who have been able to help people here with mechanical issues. I don’t understand your whole qualification question. Some people don’t have ANY mechanical knowledge, but have been able to give good sound advice to someone here with a question. Especially when they own the same car and they had the exact same car problem. If you look at their qualifications you’d probably discount their advise. But then you’d be missing good information.
Understood. The qualification piece wasn’t really a question it was more of me just saying that I noticed it had no “ranking” of people and other sites did. I had just signed up and saw this discussion “your credentials please” Then the question came up of how to rank, so was suggesting ways to do it, but at same time agreeing that it was kind of pointless. Like @db4690 said about the only use of it was for the person to pat themselves on his own back.
Total amateur. I can diagnose and fix simple problems, and this is more out of necessity than any real acumen. Anything more than a starter, alternator, battery or oil change then I’m practically clueless. Generally, I’d say, I know just enough to cost myself more money.
hi, I’m a 53 y/o dad been working on cars since I was able too tinker. My daughter trashed the front end of her 2008 yaris sedan. overeager friends dismanteled it. will chiltons show me how to reassemble from the engine forward,sheet metal and all?
I’m going to close this discussion, and I’ve considered doing it for some time. I see the value because it gives a sense of where people are coming from background-wise, but I think that Mike, cigroller, JoeMario, and others have made convincing arguments that the added value speaks for itself and one must triangulate the best answer for themselves. If you’ve got opinions, send me a message or put up the bat signal.
I am a Master ASE certified technician and hold a current CA smog license as well. I have aprox. 30 years of experience working on cars, light trucks and class B vehicles. I have worked in the dingiest independant shops to the high end dealerships. I belong to 3 different professional organizations.
I have now opened my own shop in March of this year. Humble beginnings but it is a start.
My strong points are drivability and diagnosis and very good at just opening my eyes to catch what other shops miss.