The problem is the main dealers can't cope with the older cars, the spotty young oik's that work there don't have a clue, ask one what a set of points or carburettor looks like! It feels like governments and car manufacturers are trying to make us view cars as white goods, like driving a microwave or fridge freezer so scrap after ten years, buy again. Without manufacturer back up, modern cars are dead.
@@pauldolan1265Apple got involved because they don’t want people to be able to repair iPhones so their unlimited money will kill any progress made on right to repair
Right to repair exposes the uniparty for what it is.
3 месяца назад+143
I closed my shop of 36 years in 2018. Pretty much for this reason. I had to get a locksmith license in order to get certain parts. Ignition switches, control modules, keys, gear shifters, ect. Every 6 months cars change, so classes were around $500.00 per tech. The scan tool from the factory M.B. was $30,000 plus $3,000 a month subscription. Insurance, permits, licensing, rent, electric garbage sewer water. There just wasn’t much profit in the end. You are given 1 hour to diagnose the average issue, but customers don’t want to pay that. So, 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️ I’m retired with 52 total years in the trade.
@@FancoStudiobecome a plumber. Or get a job in a automotive shop to see if its for you before schooling . I got 20000 in tools had my masters ase certification. At 32 my body hurts I hate wo
Done on purpose by design. It's all about eliminating the backyard mechanics forever. And making the Stealerdhips Billions. Buy an older reliable vehicle with a good track record. Keep them high tech trash mobiles that cost as much as a house in 1985.
Well good luck to the auto manufacturers to sell a vehicle as disposable at these prices. Washington will have to get involved and force them to make vehicles simple to reapir again or else it could be a threat to the economy.
"We" being the few and far between. I'm with you, but no one I know cares. A friend had to go to the dealer to change his headlight and it cost almost $400. He just laughed it off.
I had Toyota Corolla back in 1977. I paid $2,700 for it new. I used to do all the work on it myself. Tune up cost me about $25. I would go to KMart and buy a rotor, 4 spark plugs , air filter , oil and filter for that price. Things were cheap. It was so easy to do the work myself. I was even able to replace the fuel pump myself in like 1 hour. Today cars are over complicated to work on.
1977 : Purchased a Brand New VW Bug for $6,000.00. Worked @ Naval Shipyard Long Beach from 1977 ta 9/30/1997 when White House Politicians thought it was CUTE ta Officially Close Us - where we had EVERY Trade Apprenticrship Program under the Sun. I was a Graduate Shipfitter Apprentice : Licensed by the State of CA. & the Dept. of tge NAVY to Repair & Build U.S. Naval Warships. That's gotta be a Misprint on your New 1977 Toyota Corolla. Today's Snap - On Scanners Cost $5K - 7K & 10 K. Now I'm looking @ this Bad Boy called TOP DON. It's an absolute Game Changer. Ex Smog Repair Tech : GM Dealership & Indy Shops.
Tech of 35 yrs in the dealership, for diagnostic and repair from 1980 to 2022 : use to spend 15 minute and get paid $20 ,then 30 minutes to get paid $20 , then 60 to get paid $20 the last day was spent 120 minutes and got paid $20. Went to college and training school for 4 years and invested $50k in own tools. Now I do Uber since 2022 making more money and more time for me and family. Get respect than being a mechanic. Good luck to everyone finding a mechanic to work on your car in the very short future.If you find one please pay to-keep him alive .
@@matadventure1199 At the price to repair them now regulates them to junk status. Ask any auto body shop what it takes for the insurance company to total a car. Once electronics are comprised the car is written off.
Not to mention the software is shit as well. One being gm tech connect. The thing has to update every time you use it and the update takes more time that what a simple module program session would take lol
Sometimes the subscriptions are necessary. For instance I have an expensive Snap On Verus Edge Scanner/ Oscilloscope I have a softwear subscription to update the softwear every six months, it is about $120.oo per month. My Snap-On 'Pass-Thru Assistant Scanner is not as expensive or does not need softwear updates, but it is essential to initialize / program new Engine Control Modules, Transmission Control Modules or to check calibration of modules. My 'Shopkey Pro / Mitchell1 plan is $212.00 per month and it is very handy for looking at wiring diagrams, component locations, technical service bulletins, checking tens of thousands of successful service orders on the same problem which you are diagnosing, etc.
I can see a small (reasonable) monthly service fee but not this crap. When I was a shop owner 25 years ago we paid various subscription fees for service data but nothing like this. It has become like everything else in modern life - greed and politics have entered the equation.
@@warriorplutotrent3827 True most manufacturer software is damn ancient like cummins insite, the software was developed in the 90s and a simple update to an ecu can take HOURS.
Cadillac HT series engines with ODI had onboard diagnostics that could be accessed by anyone from the dashboard with no special tools or equipment. Then GM realized there was no money in that.
@@MrSloikait costs a lot and the customers don’t use it or want it. Also, talking about the car breaking down or having malfunctions isn’t good sales tactics.
I have f80 and e92 M3. Wont be buying anything NEWER than that. Im sticking to these cars. Id rather keep fixing these then buy something new or newer but used.
Everyone I know with a new truck loves to brag about their truck & criticize my 1991 Ford F150 but they constantly have repair issues & expensive bills while I can repair my own vehicle in my garage on the cheap & my truck rarely breaks down!
Your truck is a death trap. If walking away alive from an accident is less important than some hypothetical repairs, then you do you. It's a free country.
Every dealer i worked at the technicians have to spend ALOT of time learning as they go. With new car problems popping up; there’s nothing in the dealer online databases that explains what to do. Most of the techs out there are just swapping parts hoping it fixes the issue.
@@zoid450 It can take all day to diagnose a car. No customer wants to pay a $1,200 diagnostic fee. It's easier to sell the parts cannon than to sell diag.
@@zoid450nah they just are impatient and want the car out because warranty diag pays bad. Most brands have an engineering support line u can contact as a last ditch resort. These electronic modules on new vehicles costs thousands now. Not really something u ever want to parts cannon. And sometimes we run into issues that we can't fix at all on our own. Had a new f150 fresh off transport and the power tailgate will not open. Had no codes or warning lights, followed workshop manual diagnosticks to the T led us to replace the control module. Didn't fix anything, come to find out after talking to the engineer, the software they had loaded onto the server for this control module on this specific VIN was wrong. So they had to patch it on their end, then have us reprogram the module and it worked.
@@zoid450 yup hecuase we are the ones finding the defects, so the manufacturers can later on say here is what was wrong, all you gonna do is drop the subframe and pack the bit of grease that you see into this tiny hole, becuase who ever assembled this rack was lazy as fuk, oh and we will only pay you for 1.7hours.
No, the scan tool does not "tell the mechanic what needs to be fixed". It points to the system that's having the fault, and the mechanic has to follow a trouble tree to get to the problem using a flow chart to arrive at the issue. It may be a part failure, it could also be other underlying problems.
I get a kick out of these people saying that the codes will tell them everything. Before I retired from the business our cars started getting into the forward sensing cameras, lane departure warning, and the like. You would run into things like the airbags system shutting down because the forward sensing camera had a glitch. You had to start going through the codes to figure out which ones to ignore and which ones to pay attention to. But one thing I realized early on was when you paid $50,000 for a car and in only a few years some of those components won't be available anymore you really have to be careful when you purchase a new car.
Thank you, it is misinformed muppets that believe that you just plug in the scanner and it tells you what the problem is, this is why most customers believe that diagnostics should only take 15 min.
Thank you for putting it right.Im a car technician myself, and when i heard that statement in the video,,i was like "reaaalllyy".🤦♂️Greetings from Norway, Stefan
I grew up in the '80s working on cars with my stepdad And the difference now is staggering. You used to be able to take a screwdriver and a bumper hammer and do all sorts of repairs. And now you need a roll-up computer and specialized tools just to change a headlamp bulb.
not related but that’s the same story for motorcycles, you could literally fix the whole thing with some tools from ya local hardware store, now its all wires and shii
The problem there is getting proper insurance on them when you're using them as a daily driver. Basically, your only hope of getting properly reimbursed if the worst happens is if you have an up to date appraisal on the vehicle.
Keep an eye on your Silverado coolant and transmission fluid. My coworker just lost the transmission on his 05 Silverado because the radiator broke internally, forcing engine coolant into the transmission. Preemptively replace factory radiator if you haven't yet. It's cheaper than blowing the transmission.
Have a 2005 Ford F150 I will not sell. Thing is simple & runs good , I can do most repairs myself . I’m in Illinois & thinking of buying an entire body chin out west rust free to keep it another 20.
If you mean a motorcycle, be prepared for the maintenance costs. I've been told that, unless you train to be a bike mechanic, the costs of maintaining a bike is MORE than a car if used daily in place of a car. Also, you know why cars are designed to crumple in on themselves and take the damage for you? Because the real cost is in MEDICAL CARE, not the auto repair bill or even a new car bill. You think $35k is expensive? Fusing just one segment of my spine at OSHU without insurance is almost half a million ($380k is what they charge insurance). Now maybe you learn to be an expert rider...but I work at a gas station and I wouldn't trust 15-20% of the customers to be behind me on a bike.
My father started with a tow truck shop. They thought, why not fix these cars. So they added 3 bays and started fixing vehicles. They eventually built that into 18 stores. Then decided to make exhaust parts. Lived the American dream. I can’t believe they’re going to fail. Good luck guys, sorry you’re having this issue.
That's why I love old school cars no computers straight motor. We used to change a headlights in ten minutes known you have to remove the whole front bumper assembly 😮
Im from malaysia. Ive spoken to many workshop technicians. What they do is they jointly work with other workshops and buy these tools or subscriptions from China. It costs a fraction of the price from the dealership and the after sales support from china is really good although theres a language barrier. They told me that some of the diagnostics tool can support multiple vehicles based on the subscription you take. It does a great job. Im no big supporter of China but China makes whatever impossible to own possible to own now. If there is no China, the cost to repair your vehicle out of the service centers will also cost you a bomb.
There need to be laws passed forbidding this kind of monopolization of auto repair by dealerships. It should not be legal to paywall people out of taking their car to a mechanic of their choosing, or doing repairs themselves.
@@seanfattireguythomas2994 welcome to the Oligarchy, where the wealthy and corporations set the rules. We seem to have moved on from a constitutional federal republic. The sad part is most people want to just keep their heads down and ignore it.
All new cars are coming with screens built in. There is no reason why these cars can't display not just the trouble code on that screen, but also a description of the problem. Instead, the manufactures are sticking to the check engine light, and still want someone to plug in a scanner. Why do they do that? Answer - Because they want dealers to do the work.
My Aunt bought a 1991 Ford Escort new. In the owners manual told how to take a wire and jump a connector under the hood and when turn the switch was turned on, it would run itself through testing procedure. You could even hear the fuel pump active, then if it found a problem the "Check Engine Light" would flash out a code which you looked up in the owners manual. With all cars having a display screen, it could list the trouble codes and someone with some problem solving skills a good shot at a repair.
Manufacturers do NOT own the dealerships and gain NOTHING by trying to force people to use them. Dealerships are owned by local people. A Dealership only pays a franchise fee to have the name.
@@thomasjones4570 Except the manufactures can charge huge fees to use their diagnostic software, and hence require the dealer to use that software to stay certified.
Cadillac HT series engines with ODI had onboard diagnostics that could be accessed by anyone from the dashboard with no special tools or equipment. Then GM realized there was no money in that.
I replaced the head gaskets in my 07 tahoe with 251k miles in it. I am driving it till Tuesday wheels fall off like they say. All from youtube tutorials I am not a mechanic.
Dealers have average Joe's now as technicians. The dealer doesn't grow technicians. Technicians are just normal guys like us that had interest and passion in the field but then we are mistreated with pay and no respect, they feel like they own the techs and nobody wants to work like that so now they are desperate with trying to add paywalls on top of that because independents can do better because they treat techs better.
My Dad keeps his 1969 Camaro SS in the garage and bought an EV to daily drive. He charges at home and has not had to pay for any service for over 4 years.
@@waterloo123100I personally put the dividing line at around 2012ish, a lot of stuff was computerized before, but the integration of it really took off after this point in my experience
So happy I’m the type of man to get under the hood a fix majority of the issues my self. New cars are over engineered on purpose to squeeze more money out of people. Fellas, learn your way around vehicle maintenance.
I've been doing this for 25 years. I'm 42. My father bought this place back when I was in HS, ran the office when i was younger, mainly just giving out estimates, got my bachelor's in Business, then majored in Satellite communications, when I started doing this I hated getting dirty, now it's who I am. Took me about 15 years to get good at repairing cars, this isn't like the the TV shows. Your constantly learning. This industry isn't for everyone, also if it wasn't for my pops, I could be the best at fixing cars but would be at the property owners mercy.
My new car is a 2004 , took a long time to find a good one, they can pound sand. 1917 Chevy, 1925 Buick, got spark, got gas it will run, no annoying check engine light.
Yea they cherry pick what they want..I see them in Sam's club..walmart. target. With a large passenger van waiting outside to take them back to the 1800s.😅
I am tending to agree on that every time i see youtubers asking them politely about their lives in their communities... Those people are hardworking people and KNOWS that the sh*t will eventually hit the fan (the post industrial age caused by some conflict or natural catastrophe). They are the ultimate preppers.
I took a used car to Honda for a pre purchase inspection before buying a used car. They did give me a list of things that needed to be fixed at a high price. I then showed it to the seller and got 2k off the truck due to work it needed. Honda quoted me 9k worth of work. Got it done at a specialist honda mechanic and they quoted me 2900. Car is fixed and riding perfect. Dealers are good at diagnosing that’s it
Been a dealer master tech for 25 years. We're getting screwed as well being expected to diagnose these complicated electrical systems with very little training for almost no pay. It's gotten to where if you spend the time to properly diagnose the vehicle you lose so many hours you make a 20 hour paycheck. So we've gotten where we make educated guesses when diagnosing parts that cost $5-7k for ONE module! If we're wrong the dealer eats that part. Yet they don't want to pay us enough time to do a proper diagnosis. The last guy is sbsolutely correct. We're expected to know everything and diagnose perfectly. We spend 4-8 hours on a diagnosis and the dealer wants to pay us 1 hour.
And there's no quality control on parts anymore. They'll just give you another one. You don't know if it's good or bad or what I'd give for a good quality control on parts. My goodness it cost enough and then they don't work
You said it brother, People don't realize that techs don't get paid properly to diagnose or dig deep into a problem. This is why I got away from cars and now work on trucks and municipal equipment for hourly pay. Never going back either...
We've noticed that as customers say that the dealer said the car was fine but then the issue is intermittent. I tell those customers that if the issue is not occurring, then I can't diagnose a car either.
All auto makers are going out of business. Who wants a car that struggles to get to 100k miles? The perfect automotive recipe was available in 2004. Now all builders want to follow a complicated as possible recipe.
@@macbook802 Even the worst cars have few issues getting to 100k miles. Cars are lasting longer than ever, but a few automakers are no longer profitable and need to go.
@@mgtowlevel5293 hate it for you brother. I was one of the capable technicians, but I left because the pay is crap. Know plenty of other techs like that. Sad because many that remain are only parts changers, don’t know how to diagnose anything. It takes a fairly intelligent person to be a competent mechanic, but shops don’t want to pay. Alas…
@@biometal770 I fully understand I'm a commercial electrician over 20 years and we're going through the same stuff. They want to pay you a baseline hourly rate and then expect you to do the work of three men
That's why I'm hanging onto my '87 Caravan. I also have a '78 Pinto wagon with none of the electronic computer BS that I will keep forever. Still runs great...both of them.
I’m going to be blunt. I had a 350z that I had taken to around 20 different small shops over the years I had it trying to get normal things fixed and get new problems fixed that showed up from the shops I was bringing it to. My honest opinion is that almost all locally owned mechanics are absolutely horrible. They almost always did something wrong and messed something up and then denied it was them. I took it in for an alignment one time and I don’t know what they did but it was never the same after. My problems ended when I started taking it to a Nissan dealer service center. To be clear though, most of the Nissan dealers around me aren’t great either but the bar should be higher for a local mechanic and it just isn’t for me anymore.
It’s true. As an auto tech you need to be able to diag electrical/mechanical concerns including can bus networks, rebuild engines/transmissions, upholstery work, understand hydraulics, etc all for low pay while providing your own tools, scanners, etc No wonder no one wants to donit
I just wish the video and people would explain that the scanner ONLY points the technician to an area of faults. The scanner doesn’t “just tell the mechanic what to replace”. At least when we are talking good, honest, and thorough technicians.
As an IT professional in the trade for over 25 years, the guy describing "the network" he has to chase down to diagnose modern cars sounds a lot like virtualization networks we use. They are very complex, difficult to understand, and different vendors implement things completely differently, just like he said. They took a mechanical device (the car) and effed it up by adding ultra-complex computing platforms to it and thousands of crucial, but fragile, sensors all over the place.
At 67 I know how to set points with match book, gap plugs, change air filters, use a timing light..etc. Older vehicles are going to be more sought after than gold...
I have been working in cars for 30 years. Never have I set points. Timing light, last time I used one on a car was 15-20 years ago. Used for boats now days and that’s about it. I actually like working on fairly modern stuff. Obd2 streamlined computers a great deal compared to the garbage computer systems before that
Points that had to be changed every 15K , engines that lasted to 100,000 mi before needing rebuilt, carbs that would never stay tuned correctly, horrible emissions, and poor driveability in cold weather. Guess you forgot about that. Think I'll stick with newer fuel injected with electronic ignition vehicles myself. Particularly the 96-2004 Asian variety.
NEVER add remote start, and all the bells and whistles that the clowns at stereo shops install. They hook purple wires to green wires, use bell connectors, tap into circuits which they shouldn't and cause massive problems. A stereo which just hooks to battery power, or Satellite navigation in your radio such as Panasonic AVIC N1 are ok, driving lights, fog lights, and pencil beam lights are fine if you install correctly, also self recover winches. The only good alarm system would be a stand alone one which is not wired into your door modules etc. but only to the battery which detects motion etc.. Aftermarket JUNK is crazy to install, especially from stereo store clowns!
@@3Mudbone1I had an aftermarket alarm system with those POS splice blades on wires running to the BCM. After 15 years it started making the door lights turn on randomly. I had to cut up the wiring and re-do all the damage they did. I removed the whole garbage system. I will say it lasted, but I have a car that is 7 years older than that one without a single electrical issue because the wiring has never been messed with.
As a retired Ford mechanic - I can tell you there are a lot of dealer techs that can’t handle scanner diagnostics - go you tube - south main auto - look at the video where a guy lost electric steering when turning right - dealer diagnosed PCM - BCM - and rack for 5 grand - this guy fixed it for about literally a dollar fifty as it was a broken body ground
I work in the electronic repair industry and have noticed an increase against right to repair in my field. From Apple serializing parts to their devices to having to use used parts for repair, this field is getting worse and worse to work for. I can’t imagine the auto industry.
Seriously, the best thing when I bought my used car (Rogue 2011-20,000 miles) from a dealership was the extended warranty for an additional $1,000. My air conditioning just went out this summer and because I bought the policy (3rd party) through my dealership it's easier to get things fixed on it, because the dealership is actively looking for stuff to fix because they know it's not money out of my pocket but the warranty company. I bet the 10 years I've had the car I had $5,000 of repairs done. I now have 220,000 miles on it. I'm keeping it until I put 800,000 miles on it. Because of the warranty, my car is worth more than the car rental (that was covered by the warranty, a 2024 Rogue) I was given to use while the new compressor was installed on my old car. Love my warranty!
@@AlbertMoyerJrwhen I started as a tech in the late 80s. A level techs earned about 40% of the door rate. Same number of managers cashiers and support staff. Tools were much less back then also. Shops do not supply tools . Techs have to buy all their own. The door rate of the lincoln dealer was $45 per hour. Tech pay around $18 per hour. Fast forward to today. Door rate at the same dealer is $170 per hour tech pay around $28 per hour. Tool prices have gone up 300%. I am amazed anybody can get a car fixed knowing how bad the pay has become for a qualified tech.
The biggest problem as a car owner is the outrageous labor rates that dealerships use. $180 an hour and the tech gets $40? People can’t afford that kind of expense. Real wages for the average American haven’t gone up in decades,but car service rates go up every year.
its all the other useless employees that they have to pay for, along with bills for the facility & equipment. Plus, most of those dealerships are poorly managed anyway so they lose money by default.
Then they charge you time and a half!! So these poor techs work for slave wages when they have to do warranty work. They make it up by overcharging the consumers. Of course the shops foremans can pick and choose who get the gravy jobs. I saw it so bad where the dealership now charge per part. So all their junk fees get doubled or tripled depending on how many parts you have serviced.
I asked a ford dealer for an an repair estimate for my truck. The asked for $250. I took it independent shop, got a free estimate and paid the over $5K for the work. I will never go back to that dealer .... for anything.
I use an old skool mechanic, he’s about 70 years old. If his cheap £300 scan tool can’t diagnose the fault, he just declines the electrical work! He’s great fixing the other mechanical bits 😊
This is right to repair needs to be mandatory for consumers who refuse to be rip off by dealerships and those who are skilled to do your own repairs at home. This is the same B.S. with John Deere. It's your vehicle not the builders.
And that is why I will never buy a new car again. They listen to you while you are driving and someone can have remote access to them and make you crash if they want too. Dealerships are corrupt and I am not going along with it.
Predatory engineering designs, like what's the point of not even including a dipstick on these newer cars? How does it make anything better for the engine???
I own a used car business and repair shop. We are running into more and more cars we either can’t work on because they are to technical or we can’t get the parts. Recently had a Chevrolet volt that needed a modular part that has been unavailable for over 9 months !
I go to a mechanic that is 70 plus years old, still runs his own garage, does a lot of services with excellence and free of charge. One man past retirement age fixing several cars a day/week with excellence when Walmart and Northland keeps mucking up my car. Sometimes one good old mechanic is the direction to steer in.
The bad thing on specializing on certain vehicles I can say I went to school for General Motors then I learned everything else I can fix most of other vehicles. The problem is everybody wants their cut that gets expensive you buy a $7000 scanner but you still have to pay Chrysler General Motors get European, etc. the Costco is up for the technician. Nobody wants to pay the technician when they’re really good. That’s what I ran into.
Yeah I felt the same way with the dealership. They rather pay wouldn't pay me. They'd rather hire three guys instead of paying me the wage on his worth and like the other guy was saying a scan to ol I had Lexus calling me up. We're tired or changing the same part. Will you come figure out why this isn't working right? And I'm only 60?
Iam a 3rd generation auto technician and a 26 year veteran of the field! If something doesn't change in this industry soon people are gonna be in a big mess very soon
Every time I take my car to a mechanic shop my car is worse then it was when I went or I have more problems more often, the dealer I can’t afford so have always avoided. I do all work myself even if I have no clue what I’m doing…
I have a 1967 Dodge Dart slant 6. Everything is mechanical and easily replaceable. I've had this car for about 33 years. Starts up every time and is very reliable. Parts are readily available. I just can't afford a new car.
The best thing a person can do, is learn things about their vehicle. They got books & other things you can buy at a auto store or look at things online, because if you dont know anything, a auto shop & dealership, can get a lot of money out of a person.
After watching this, owning a couple carburated '87 Toyota pickups doesn't make me feel as bad. Problem is, you have to work on them yourself, knowone knows carbs anymore. But they are the most simple and reliable.
If your afraid a mechanic is going to hyjack your car, perhaps auto makers should be required to have the diagnostics built into the radio/nav unit, so NO scan tool is needed as the car IS the tool.
Even if these cars gave you the diagnostic codes most people will still have no idea how to fix it… p0300 random cylinder misfire, p0171 system lean bank 1. P0455 evap leak…. Also with new cars when the ecu sets a code you have 5 other modules also set codes. Every new car usually has at least 5 history codes at all times. Some codes are just crap to ignore. Some codes appear just for the car being in the shade instead of sunlight. People would waste mechanics time more than they do already
What Tommy says at the end is spot on in the UK as well, customers have no idea of the breadth of skills a modern mechanic has to master. One moment they can be doing the car equivalent of brain surgery and the next fighting a traditional problem such as a rusted in wheel bearing where the work is brutal, dirty and dangerous. In my five decades as a mechanic the job has changed out of all recognition but the pay grade has stayed down at the bottom for manual labour.
Believe it or not people are starting to do DIY, many shops and dealers are crooks, people are tired of getting ripped off. Thank RUclips for the options to do teach people to do themselves.
This is one of the reasons I closed my shop way back in the early 90’s the rapidly changing technology and mainly of the specialized tooling required that a rual general repair shop cannot afford!
OBD two doesn't give out that much information, it points you in the right direction usually. These new cars have made it obsolete because of all the new tech.
@@melissasmess2773 Yep. The difference between the scan tool and the laptop are night and day on our cars and they are older. Even basic service needs the laptop. Things like reseting service reminders (except the oil reminder), replacing rear brakes and adjusting headlights needs the laptop. In changing the DSG fluid on the wife's car, I get the fluid temp which isn't covered in OBD2 (used in setting the level).
Mechanic's aesthetics don't really change. There's only so much you can do with safety glasses and polyester work clothes. SnapOn boxes last forever. The things they're talking about were already major issues when I started as a mechanic in the 90's. Deva vu all over again.
My 2017 SUV started shaking violently 2 months ago. Went to a dealership and their tech (assuming they used a scan tool) recommended replacing fuel injector control module. $2500 quote. Had the car towed to a local shop who replaced the spark plugs for $400. The car has been running smooth ever since. The scan tool didn't seem to help the dealership tech with accurately diagnosing the problem, so the future is going to very bleak if local shops continue to die out.
Exactly why I’m not buying a new car. Had an old Volvo that died on me and now I’m looking to buy a Subaru from the 90s. No car payments and easy to work on
I went to Moraine Valley Community College for my Associates degree in Automotive. Extremely thankful to the Automotive program there. Great instructors and facility.
@@BrokeMekanicAfter going to Moraine Valley I transferred to SIU’s Automotive program and got my 4 year degree. I don’t work in a shop anymore. My comment was basically saying I’m thankful for the doors that school opened for me.
@@Winner3tyafter graduating from SIU I got a job with Cummins running engines in test cells. I still get a little dirty once in awhile but it’s definitely a interesting career move. I don’t regret it one bit.
@@brandobecerro Sounds like a nice gig. Getting out of college for auto soon just not sure where I want to go. In my area its quite common for entry level techs like me just to get minimum wage. its sad really.
That is why there is a completely new market for mobile programmers and diagnostics. I happen to own a huge amount of this tech. I do work for almost all the shops in my area. Including used module programming. I can put used modules (computers) in vehicles the dealer will say can't be done. NASTF is part of the problem.
I do Mobile Repair and I keep 3 scanners for that reason and it’s worth it but people also are tired of wait,over prices,driving customers vehicles at some locations ect. I do same day repair within hrs for most repairs,So I stay plenty busy doing good fair busy and fixing the problems the first time no matter what year it is.Technically will always advance so if your not into keeping up just stick with Classic Restoration.My Brother is a Computer Engineer so I have no issues lol
My car is 21 years old. Runs and drives like a charm. Dealer are ripping people off left and right. They like to make the systems so complicated. You won’t be able to take to local workshop any more. New cars too expensive and they are cheating people by charging ridiculous amount of fees.
sorry but growing up in Pittsburgh in the 70s and 80s all the small shops specialized. they were always separated by domestic and foreign...some focused on specific brands...finding a place that repaired a 79 diesel rabbit where we needed a heat lamp to start it in the winter...my point being this is has been faced before and I'm sure we will face it again in several decades
I bought a BMW years ago. I took it for service at a small shop. They invested in tools needed to service a BMW. They advertised it and had sufficient business to justify the costs.
I think you got the point but missed it at the same time. the concern the person had was that even down to the components its being specialized. so a BMW only shop may not be able to diagnose every single BMW problem. so now you may need 4 different shops put together to have the knowledge to diagnose a single vehicle in totality. I don't think we are at that point yet but I do see it starting to happen. I'd say we got 10 years, tops.
As a 60 year old mechanic i can tell you that this is EXACTLY what dealers want , for small shops to go away to be free to gouge every customer
👍
That's capitalism.
I agree
Better to buy old cars. That's what I'm doing.
The problem is the main dealers can't cope with the older cars, the spotty young oik's that work there don't have a clue, ask one what a set of points or carburettor looks like! It feels like governments and car manufacturers are trying to make us view cars as white goods, like driving a microwave or fridge freezer so scrap after ten years, buy again. Without manufacturer back up, modern cars are dead.
No one wants a vehicle that only NASA can fix....
Bingo 👍
Exactly the reason I am re-building an old Ford pickup truck!
The amount of teslas on the road says otherwise
@@darthgrundle2349 bwaahahahaa I’m dead ⚰️ best comment!
@darthgrundle2349 except clueless people who know nothing about how cars work. They just think, "Put in gas, and it goes VROOM!"
‘Right to repair act”, like farmers on their tractors, so are our cars. Push laws...vote!
You are correct they sued john deere over the software about 2 years ago i think
Louis Rossmann has been instrumental in the enactment of right to repair in different states.
@@pauldolan1265Apple got involved because they don’t want people to be able to repair iPhones so their unlimited money will kill any progress made on right to repair
What’s sad though is like they are doing even if you have the right to repair, they make is so expensive that it’s cheaper to buy another vehicle
Right to repair exposes the uniparty for what it is.
I closed my shop of 36 years in 2018. Pretty much for this reason. I had to get a locksmith license in order to get certain parts. Ignition switches, control modules, keys, gear shifters, ect. Every 6 months cars change, so classes were around $500.00 per tech. The scan tool from the factory M.B. was $30,000 plus $3,000 a month subscription. Insurance, permits, licensing, rent, electric garbage sewer water. There just wasn’t much profit in the end.
You are given 1 hour to diagnose the average issue, but customers don’t want to pay that. So, 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️ I’m retired with 52 total years in the trade.
going to Lincoln tech to become a auto technician. Do you believe it’s a good career to pursue?
@@FancoStudiobecome a plumber. Or get a job in a automotive shop to see if its for you before schooling . I got 20000 in tools had my masters ase certification. At 32 my body hurts I hate wo
Don't do it not worth it . Not much money to be made . Body hurts . And if you like working on your own car .by 35 most tech don't anymore.
@@broccolirob5085 - plumber or electrician - in dire need for the younger generations to pursue these trades.
Its the worst job in the world but you'll love it for some reason@FancoStudio
Agreed, Keep your older vehicles well maintained and keep them forever. Never buy this new junk. (58 year old veteran mechanic here)
That’s why I drive a 25 year old car and I’m very happy driving it 😊
👍
My 98 Corolla is still going strong.
24 year old Tundra…no need for a new truck.
Yup I’ll be keeping my 95 wrangler.
Good for you, most people are worried about impressing strangers with new cars
Done on purpose by design. It's all about eliminating the backyard mechanics forever. And making the Stealerdhips Billions. Buy an older reliable vehicle with a good track record. Keep them high tech trash mobiles that cost as much as a house in 1985.
And a lot of their mechanics right now are stupid. they won't be able to do the computer analysis.
Well good luck to the auto manufacturers to sell a vehicle as disposable at these prices. Washington will have to get involved and force them to make vehicles simple to reapir again or else it could be a threat to the economy.
exactly
It always about the money 💰
@@TimothyStclair-v4p the profession is named "mechanic" for a reason, and not "electric engineer".
We dont want computers on wheels, we want a simple reliable car
"We" being the few and far between. I'm with you, but no one I know cares. A friend had to go to the dealer to change his headlight and it cost almost $400. He just laughed it off.
Truest statement definitely 😊😊😊
@@DavianSinnerdam mine 35.00 true
Get an antique 😊
Stop demanding so many electrical features! How about that?
I had Toyota Corolla back in 1977. I paid $2,700 for it new. I used to do all the work on it myself. Tune up cost me about $25. I would go to KMart and buy a rotor, 4 spark plugs , air filter , oil and filter for that price. Things were cheap. It was so easy to do the work myself. I was even able to replace the fuel pump myself in like 1 hour. Today cars are over complicated to work on.
77 carola. Ya ok
Boomers had the easiest generation.
1977 : Purchased a Brand New VW Bug for $6,000.00.
Worked @ Naval Shipyard Long Beach from 1977 ta 9/30/1997 when White House Politicians thought it was CUTE ta Officially Close Us - where we had EVERY Trade Apprenticrship Program under the Sun. I was a Graduate Shipfitter Apprentice : Licensed by the State of CA. & the Dept. of tge NAVY to Repair & Build U.S. Naval Warships.
That's gotta be a Misprint on your New 1977 Toyota Corolla.
Today's Snap - On Scanners Cost $5K - 7K & 10 K.
Now I'm looking @ this Bad Boy called TOP DON. It's an absolute Game Changer.
Ex Smog Repair Tech : GM Dealership & Indy Shops.
Yeah, but, they’re better for the environment now!😊
He say 25$ for a tune up today it’s about simple tune up 2k$
Tech of 35 yrs in the dealership, for diagnostic and repair from 1980 to 2022 :
use to spend 15 minute and get paid $20 ,then 30 minutes to get paid $20 , then 60 to get paid $20 the last day was spent 120 minutes and got paid $20.
Went to college and training school for 4 years and invested $50k in own tools.
Now I do Uber since 2022 making more money and more time for me and family. Get respect than being a mechanic.
Good luck to everyone finding a mechanic to work on your car in the very short future.If you find one please pay to-keep him alive .
@@matadventure1199 At the price to repair them now regulates them to junk status. Ask any auto body shop what it takes for the insurance company to total a car. Once electronics are comprised the car is written off.
Was in a body shop for 10 years@@michaeldecker2725 what a waste of a career
Should be illegal to make repair shops pay for subscription fees and also all the bullshit Activation fees for certain features on your car
Not to mention the software is shit as well. One being gm tech connect. The thing has to update every time you use it and the update takes more time that what a simple module program session would take lol
Sometimes the subscriptions are necessary. For instance I have an expensive Snap On Verus Edge Scanner/ Oscilloscope I have a softwear subscription to update the softwear every six months, it is about $120.oo per month. My Snap-On 'Pass-Thru Assistant Scanner is not as expensive or does not need softwear updates, but it is essential to initialize / program new Engine Control Modules, Transmission Control Modules or to check calibration of modules. My 'Shopkey Pro / Mitchell1 plan is $212.00 per month and it is very handy for looking at wiring diagrams, component locations, technical service bulletins, checking tens of thousands of successful service orders on the same problem which you are diagnosing, etc.
I can see a small (reasonable) monthly service fee but not this crap. When I was a shop owner 25 years ago we paid various subscription fees for service data but nothing like this. It has become like everything else in modern life - greed and politics have entered the equation.
@@warriorplutotrent3827 True most manufacturer software is damn ancient like cummins insite, the software was developed in the 90s and a simple update to an ecu can take HOURS.
Bootleg subscriptions work just as good.
With all the tech in cars.... You would think the diagnostic would be built into these giant car tablets already.
But nope.. no profit in that.
Tesla has a service mode in their vehicles in the middle touchpad screen. Pretty neat.
@@CharlesJohnstone-c2nyou cant even service a tesla without a 100k dollar super computer….
@@22lrjayden81Mine was $1400, the Tesla software was $180.
Cadillac HT series engines with ODI had onboard diagnostics that could be accessed by anyone from the dashboard with no special tools or equipment. Then GM realized there was no money in that.
@@MrSloikait costs a lot and the customers don’t use it or want it. Also, talking about the car breaking down or having malfunctions isn’t good sales tactics.
My car is ten years old. Paid off, and very reliable. I won't be getting a new car anytime in the foreseeable future
Ditto
My car is 20yrs old and its only cost me $1500 to repair since i bought it in 2017 for $500.
I have f80 and e92 M3. Wont be buying anything NEWER than that. Im sticking to these cars. Id rather keep fixing these then buy something new or newer but used.
10 yr is not that old
we don't care.
Everyone I know with a new truck loves to brag about their truck & criticize my 1991 Ford F150 but they constantly have repair issues & expensive bills while I can repair my own vehicle in my garage on the cheap & my truck rarely breaks down!
Your truck is a death trap. If walking away alive from an accident is less important than some hypothetical repairs, then you do you. It's a free country.
So many sensitive losers on YT who get butthurt so easily over a simple comment then these losers respond with a idiotic comment back! 😆
The fact that they're comparing a doctor to a mechanic is WILD to me!!!
the dealership doesnt even know whats going on with the manufacturer anymore
True, especially with Stellantis. lol
Every dealer i worked at the technicians have to spend ALOT of time learning as they go. With new car problems popping up; there’s nothing in the dealer online databases that explains what to do. Most of the techs out there are just swapping parts hoping it fixes the issue.
@@zoid450 It can take all day to diagnose a car. No customer wants to pay a $1,200 diagnostic fee. It's easier to sell the parts cannon than to sell diag.
@@zoid450nah they just are impatient and want the car out because warranty diag pays bad. Most brands have an engineering support line u can contact as a last ditch resort. These electronic modules on new vehicles costs thousands now. Not really something u ever want to parts cannon. And sometimes we run into issues that we can't fix at all on our own. Had a new f150 fresh off transport and the power tailgate will not open. Had no codes or warning lights, followed workshop manual diagnosticks to the T led us to replace the control module. Didn't fix anything, come to find out after talking to the engineer, the software they had loaded onto the server for this control module on this specific VIN was wrong. So they had to patch it on their end, then have us reprogram the module and it worked.
@@zoid450 yup hecuase we are the ones finding the defects, so the manufacturers can later on say here is what was wrong, all you gonna do is drop the subframe and pack the bit of grease that you see into this tiny hole, becuase who ever assembled this rack was lazy as fuk, oh and we will only pay you for 1.7hours.
Never selling my ancient mini truck
Mines an 86’ Nissan D21. Easy truck to work on
Men and of culture and taste. D21 hardbody, Tacoma, Ranger, all are welcome. Small trucks are the best
@@Walkeranz The old 97 Sonoma's still kicking
2001 frontier mini here! Still going to work in it for the last 23 years.
@@edwardwd3zk Would, if it would do 60. Never buy a battery or alternator again
No, the scan tool does not "tell the mechanic what needs to be fixed". It points to the system that's having the fault, and the mechanic has to follow a trouble tree to get to the problem using a flow chart to arrive at the issue. It may be a part failure, it could also be other underlying problems.
Could be a sensor failure (there are hundreds, sometimes buried in the engine)
I get a kick out of these people saying that the codes will tell them everything. Before I retired from the business our cars started getting into the forward sensing cameras, lane departure warning, and the like. You would run into things like the airbags system shutting down because the forward sensing camera had a glitch. You had to start going through the codes to figure out which ones to ignore and which ones to pay attention to. But one thing I realized early on was when you paid $50,000 for a car and in only a few years some of those components won't be available anymore you really have to be careful when you purchase a new car.
Thank you, it is misinformed muppets that believe that you just plug in the scanner and it tells you what the problem is, this is why most customers believe that diagnostics should only take 15 min.
@@pliktlNo you need to check the diagnostic trouble tree.
Thank you for putting it right.Im a car technician myself, and when i heard that statement in the video,,i was like "reaaalllyy".🤦♂️Greetings from Norway, Stefan
I grew up in the '80s working on cars with my stepdad And the difference now is staggering. You used to be able to take a screwdriver and a bumper hammer and do all sorts of repairs. And now you need a roll-up computer and specialized tools just to change a headlamp bulb.
not related but that’s the same story for motorcycles, you could literally fix the whole thing with some tools from ya local hardware store, now its all wires and shii
That's why 1960s and 70s car prices increased so much, if you can find one
The problem there is getting proper insurance on them when you're using them as a daily driver. Basically, your only hope of getting properly reimbursed if the worst happens is if you have an up to date appraisal on the vehicle.
Slowly losing the right to repair...
It’s already gone considering most models have gone to hybrid now
Nope most cars are moving back to analog due to recent laws.
That's me in the corner
that's me at the stop-light
losing my repair rights.
@@redemptionjack4657if only that was true
We need to slowly stop giving them money, vote with your dollar
The moment my 2005 Silverado and my 2001 Toyota Corolla quit working, I'm just going to use my bike.
Keep an eye on your Silverado coolant and transmission fluid. My coworker just lost the transmission on his 05 Silverado because the radiator broke internally, forcing engine coolant into the transmission. Preemptively replace factory radiator if you haven't yet. It's cheaper than blowing the transmission.
Have a 2005 Ford F150 I will not sell. Thing is simple & runs good , I can do most repairs myself . I’m in Illinois & thinking of buying an entire body chin out west rust free to keep it another 20.
If you mean a motorcycle, be prepared for the maintenance costs. I've been told that, unless you train to be a bike mechanic, the costs of maintaining a bike is MORE than a car if used daily in place of a car.
Also, you know why cars are designed to crumple in on themselves and take the damage for you? Because the real cost is in MEDICAL CARE, not the auto repair bill or even a new car bill. You think $35k is expensive? Fusing just one segment of my spine at OSHU without insurance is almost half a million ($380k is what they charge insurance).
Now maybe you learn to be an expert rider...but I work at a gas station and I wouldn't trust 15-20% of the customers to be behind me on a bike.
Buy American 🇺🇸
I had an 01 Corolla and that car was built so well, had some interior issues but damn that was a good car, simple, well made and efficient.
My father started with a tow truck shop. They thought, why not fix these cars. So they added 3 bays and started fixing vehicles. They eventually built that into 18 stores. Then decided to make exhaust parts. Lived the American dream. I can’t believe they’re going to fail.
Good luck guys, sorry you’re having this issue.
That's why I love old school cars no computers straight motor. We used to change a headlights in ten minutes known you have to remove the whole front bumper assembly 😮
Im from malaysia. Ive spoken to many workshop technicians. What they do is they jointly work with other workshops and buy these tools or subscriptions from China. It costs a fraction of the price from the dealership and the after sales support from china is really good although theres a language barrier. They told me that some of the diagnostics tool can support multiple vehicles based on the subscription you take. It does a great job. Im no big supporter of China but China makes whatever impossible to own possible to own now. If there is no China, the cost to repair your vehicle out of the service centers will also cost you a bomb.
Proprietary software and parts activation should be illegal and probably violates antitrust and warranty law.
Only illegal if courts will hear the case.
@@Blunthammerexactly a lot of things are illegal but do you have the money for them to care
100% thank you. this is a big problem with mercedes
Selling a subscription to unlock features that should be on the car anyway should be illegal
It's capitalism. Why do you hate capitalism?
There need to be laws passed forbidding this kind of monopolization of auto repair by dealerships. It should not be legal to paywall people out of taking their car to a mechanic of their choosing, or doing repairs themselves.
Law makers make laws to benefit the ones that pay them the most working class people are just noisy idiots to them the way it’s always been
I agree
Bingo. The purpose of government should be to protect the weak from the strong. This is just one more example how this country has gone off the rails.
You have know say. The corporations are in charge of this country.
@@seanfattireguythomas2994 welcome to the Oligarchy, where the wealthy and corporations set the rules. We seem to have moved on from a constitutional federal republic. The sad part is most people want to just keep their heads down and ignore it.
All new cars are coming with screens built in. There is no reason why these cars can't display not just the trouble code on that screen, but also a description of the problem. Instead, the manufactures are sticking to the check engine light, and still want someone to plug in a scanner.
Why do they do that? Answer - Because they want dealers to do the work.
My Aunt bought a 1991 Ford Escort new. In the owners manual told how to take a wire and jump a connector under the hood and when turn the switch was turned on, it would run itself through testing procedure. You could even hear the fuel pump active, then if it found a problem the "Check Engine Light" would flash out a code which you looked up in the owners manual.
With all cars having a display screen, it could list the trouble codes and someone with some problem solving skills a good shot at a repair.
Manufacturers do NOT own the dealerships and gain NOTHING by trying to force people to use them. Dealerships are owned by local people. A Dealership only pays a franchise fee to have the name.
@@thomasjones4570 Except the manufactures can charge huge fees to use their diagnostic software, and hence require the dealer to use that software to stay certified.
Cadillac HT series engines with ODI had onboard diagnostics that could be accessed by anyone from the dashboard with no special tools or equipment. Then GM realized there was no money in that.
@@JohnD-JohnD That does not refute what I said though.
I replaced the head gaskets in my 07 tahoe with 251k miles in it. I am driving it till Tuesday wheels fall off like they say. All from youtube tutorials I am not a mechanic.
Looks like auto industry needs it's own "Right to repair" laws.
DUMP THE MUSIC . . . DUMP THE MUSIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's so annoying.
Interested in the story... but the bleeping mood music forced me to shut it off.
@@boggy7665I just hear the music they aren’t even talking
Yeah
@@ninjagirl226 The music is heavy on the right stereo channel, maybe your audio is missing the left channel.
even dealerships can't fix their own products. patch it send you on your way and you'll be back in a month with the same problem.
Dealers have average Joe's now as technicians. The dealer doesn't grow technicians. Technicians are just normal guys like us that had interest and passion in the field but then we are mistreated with pay and no respect, they feel like they own the techs and nobody wants to work like that so now they are desperate with trying to add paywalls on top of that because independents can do better because they treat techs better.
No thanks. I’ll stick to old cars.
Define old because a 2015 is considered old now
My Dad keeps his 1969 Camaro SS in the garage and bought an EV to daily drive. He charges at home and has not had to pay for any service for over 4 years.
thats why they wanna ban them
@@waterloo123100 Old is 2014 and before. 2015 is when unfixable computers started to majorly take over in cars.
@@waterloo123100I personally put the dividing line at around 2012ish, a lot of stuff was computerized before, but the integration of it really took off after this point in my experience
So happy I’m the type of man to get under the hood a fix majority of the issues my self. New cars are over engineered on purpose to squeeze more money out of people. Fellas, learn your way around vehicle maintenance.
I've been doing this for 25 years. I'm 42. My father bought this place back when I was in HS, ran the office when i was younger, mainly just giving out estimates, got my bachelor's in Business, then majored in Satellite communications, when I started doing this I hated getting dirty, now it's who I am. Took me about 15 years to get good at repairing cars, this isn't like the the TV shows. Your constantly learning. This industry isn't for everyone, also if it wasn't for my pops, I could be the best at fixing cars but would be at the property owners mercy.
My new car is a 2004 , took a long time to find a good one, they can pound sand. 1917 Chevy, 1925 Buick, got spark, got gas it will run, no annoying check engine light.
Every dealership i worked at intentionally stole from customers. The repair shop is even worse.
So how does one find a good reliable mechanic?
Yup, I remembered a tech mis diagnosing a customers car, and cost the customer a few thousand who to this day doesn't know he was robbed.
It’s the service advisors, they are paid on what they can get you to fix . Where it starts .
This is one reason the Amish are the smartest people on the planet.
Haha sure they are.. so smart theyre all interbred and have msjor genetic disorders affecting their entire population
👍
I am sorry, but i do not agree.
Yea they cherry pick what they want..I see them in Sam's club..walmart. target. With a large passenger van waiting outside to take them back to the 1800s.😅
I am tending to agree on that every time i see youtubers asking them politely about their lives in their communities... Those people are hardworking people and KNOWS that the sh*t will eventually hit the fan (the post industrial age caused by some conflict or natural catastrophe). They are the ultimate preppers.
I took a used car to Honda for a pre purchase inspection before buying a used car. They did give me a list of things that needed to be fixed at a high price. I then showed it to the seller and got 2k off the truck due to work it needed. Honda quoted me 9k worth of work. Got it done at a specialist honda mechanic and they quoted me 2900. Car is fixed and riding perfect. Dealers are good at diagnosing that’s it
Been a dealer master tech for 25 years. We're getting screwed as well being expected to diagnose these complicated electrical systems with very little training for almost no pay. It's gotten to where if you spend the time to properly diagnose the vehicle you lose so many hours you make a 20 hour paycheck. So we've gotten where we make educated guesses when diagnosing parts that cost $5-7k for ONE module! If we're wrong the dealer eats that part. Yet they don't want to pay us enough time to do a proper diagnosis. The last guy is sbsolutely correct. We're expected to know everything and diagnose perfectly. We spend 4-8 hours on a diagnosis and the dealer wants to pay us 1 hour.
And there's no quality control on parts anymore. They'll just give you another one. You don't know if it's good or bad or what I'd give for a good quality control on parts. My goodness it cost enough and then they don't work
You said it brother, People don't realize that techs don't get paid properly to diagnose or dig deep into a problem. This is why I got away from cars and now work on trucks and municipal equipment for hourly pay. Never going back either...
We've noticed that as customers say that the dealer said the car was fine but then the issue is intermittent. I tell those customers that if the issue is not occurring, then I can't diagnose a car either.
Stellantis is going out of business anyway
So is Nissan. Good Riddance.
All auto makers are going out of business. Who wants a car that struggles to get to 100k miles? The perfect automotive recipe was available in 2004. Now all builders want to follow a complicated as possible recipe.
@@user-tb7rn1il3qprobably only the US, where the majority of populous does not maintain their cars
@@macbook802 Even the worst cars have few issues getting to 100k miles. Cars are lasting longer than ever, but a few automakers are no longer profitable and need to go.
My opinion exactly.....i could care less! I turned my back on the traditional automakers years ago and never blinked an eye. Screw them!
Lots of parts changers. Very few actual technicians
Exactly.
There needs to be a licensing exam
@@biometal770 I'm getting done dirty like that at the mechanic shop
@@mgtowlevel5293 hate it for you brother. I was one of the capable technicians, but I left because the pay is crap. Know plenty of other techs like that. Sad because many that remain are only parts changers, don’t know how to diagnose anything. It takes a fairly intelligent person to be a competent mechanic, but shops don’t want to pay. Alas…
@@biometal770 I fully understand I'm a commercial electrician over 20 years and we're going through the same stuff. They want to pay you a baseline hourly rate and then expect you to do the work of three men
That's why I'm hanging onto my '87 Caravan. I also have a '78 Pinto wagon with none of the electronic computer BS that I will keep forever. Still runs great...both of them.
I’m going to be blunt. I had a 350z that I had taken to around 20 different small shops over the years I had it trying to get normal things fixed and get new problems fixed that showed up from the shops I was bringing it to.
My honest opinion is that almost all locally owned mechanics are absolutely horrible. They almost always did something wrong and messed something up and then denied it was them.
I took it in for an alignment one time and I don’t know what they did but it was never the same after. My problems ended when I started taking it to a Nissan dealer service center. To be clear though, most of the Nissan dealers around me aren’t great either but the bar should be higher for a local mechanic and it just isn’t for me anymore.
dealers are scammers
Same with auto makers
Same with auto repair shops
It’s true. As an auto tech you need to be able to diag electrical/mechanical concerns including can bus networks, rebuild engines/transmissions, upholstery work, understand hydraulics, etc all for low pay while providing your own tools, scanners, etc
No wonder no one wants to donit
I just wish the video and people would explain that the scanner ONLY points the technician to an area of faults. The scanner doesn’t “just tell the mechanic what to replace”.
At least when we are talking good, honest, and thorough technicians.
No sometimes you need the scanner to perform a repair certain German cars just to do a brake job you have to recalibrate the system using a scan tool
Yep . Still may spend hours accessing and digging through wiring harnesses . Can't always get paid for your time .
Didn’t you just love that bullshit comment, “the computer tells the mechanic what needs to be fixed”.
@@Jag-leaper Exactly. Even battery replacement requires a computer to program it to work.
@@larryreno8293True. Codes only direct you to a circuit or system to thoroughly diagnose.
All by design.
They know folks are holding on to cars longer, so they want to keep those customers coming back to the dealership for service.
As an IT professional in the trade for over 25 years, the guy describing "the network" he has to chase down to diagnose modern cars sounds a lot like virtualization networks we use. They are very complex, difficult to understand, and different vendors implement things completely differently, just like he said. They took a mechanical device (the car) and effed it up by adding ultra-complex computing platforms to it and thousands of crucial, but fragile, sensors all over the place.
At 67 I know how to set points with match book, gap plugs, change air filters, use a timing light..etc. Older vehicles are going to be more sought after than gold...
If the fuel and service parts are still available. Yep. 👍🏻🇬🇧
Do you have content?
I have been working in cars for 30 years. Never have I set points. Timing light, last time I used one on a car was 15-20 years ago. Used for boats now days and that’s about it. I actually like working on fairly modern stuff. Obd2 streamlined computers a great deal compared to the garbage computer systems before that
@@fredfred2363VOTE with your dollars!
Points that had to be changed every 15K , engines that lasted to 100,000 mi before needing rebuilt, carbs that would never stay tuned correctly, horrible emissions, and poor driveability in cold weather. Guess you forgot about that. Think I'll stick with newer fuel injected with electronic ignition vehicles myself. Particularly the 96-2004 Asian variety.
Buy old fix it yourself. Keep it simple.
NEVER add remote start, and all the bells and whistles that the clowns at stereo shops install. They hook purple wires to green wires, use bell connectors, tap into circuits which they shouldn't and cause massive problems. A stereo which just hooks to battery power, or Satellite navigation in your radio such as Panasonic AVIC N1 are ok, driving lights, fog lights, and pencil beam lights are fine if you install correctly, also self recover winches. The only good alarm system would be a stand alone one which is not wired into your door modules etc. but only to the battery which detects motion etc.. Aftermarket JUNK is crazy to install, especially from stereo store clowns!
@@3Mudbone1I had an aftermarket alarm system with those POS splice blades on wires running to the BCM. After 15 years it started making the door lights turn on randomly. I had to cut up the wiring and re-do all the damage they did. I removed the whole garbage system. I will say it lasted, but I have a car that is 7 years older than that one without a single electrical issue because the wiring has never been messed with.
I remember if you had an AM radio with dual speakers you were the cats ass.
Glad this independent shop is doing a good job.
Stealerships are career criminals.
As a retired Ford mechanic - I can tell you there are a lot of dealer techs that can’t handle scanner diagnostics - go you tube - south main auto - look at the video where a guy lost electric steering when turning right - dealer diagnosed PCM - BCM - and rack for 5 grand - this guy fixed it for about literally a dollar fifty as it was a broken body ground
I paid over 50 dollars for a battery connector at the dealer and then saw the same thing on Amazon for 6 dollars.
I work in the electronic repair industry and have noticed an increase against right to repair in my field. From Apple serializing parts to their devices to having to use used parts for repair, this field is getting worse and worse to work for. I can’t imagine the auto industry.
Seriously, the best thing when I bought my used car (Rogue 2011-20,000 miles) from a dealership was the extended warranty for an additional $1,000. My air conditioning just went out this summer and because I bought the policy (3rd party) through my dealership it's easier to get things fixed on it, because the dealership is actively looking for stuff to fix because they know it's not money out of my pocket but the warranty company. I bet the 10 years I've had the car I had $5,000 of repairs done. I now have 220,000 miles on it. I'm keeping it until I put 800,000 miles on it. Because of the warranty, my car is worth more than the car rental (that was covered by the warranty, a 2024 Rogue) I was given to use while the new compressor was installed on my old car. Love my warranty!
They don't pay the mechanics anywhere enough money. But the shop charges a fortune.
You have to pay the advisor, shop manager, cashier, etc. All that extra money is spread around. And do not forget the dealer.
@@AlbertMoyerJrwhen I started as a tech in the late 80s. A level techs earned about 40% of the door rate. Same number of managers cashiers and support staff. Tools were much less back then also. Shops do not supply tools . Techs have to buy all their own. The door rate of the lincoln dealer was $45 per hour. Tech pay around $18 per hour. Fast forward to today. Door rate at the same dealer is $170 per hour tech pay around $28 per hour. Tool prices have gone up 300%. I am amazed anybody can get a car fixed knowing how bad the pay has become for a qualified tech.
@@martyk1156 Wow! That's crazy! Thanks for sharing. I had no idea. Auto mechanics are mirroring everything else. The working class are being screwed.
The biggest problem as a car owner is the outrageous labor rates that dealerships use. $180 an hour and the tech gets $40? People can’t afford that kind of expense. Real wages for the average American haven’t gone up in decades,but car service rates go up every year.
its all the other useless employees that they have to pay for, along with bills for the facility & equipment. Plus, most of those dealerships are poorly managed anyway so they lose money by default.
Then they charge you time and a half!!
So these poor techs work for slave wages when they have to do warranty work. They make it up by overcharging the consumers. Of course the shops foremans can pick and choose who get the gravy jobs.
I saw it so bad where the dealership now charge per part. So all their junk fees get doubled or tripled depending on how many parts you have serviced.
I asked a ford dealer for an an repair estimate for my truck. The asked for $250. I took it independent shop, got a free estimate and paid the over $5K for the work. I will never go back to that dealer .... for anything.
Tell me where does the tech get $40? Most techs are lucky to get $25.
@@Bonjour-Worldand how much did that free estimate cost you😂.
An auto dealer messed up my 2018 car 3x in a row when it was still under warranty at the time it had a recall. I will never forget that.
What happened to building reliable cars that a man could service under a shade tree or his garage?
I use an old skool mechanic, he’s about 70 years old. If his cheap £300 scan tool can’t diagnose the fault, he just declines the electrical work! He’s great fixing the other mechanical bits 😊
This is right to repair needs to be mandatory for consumers who refuse to be rip off by dealerships and those who are skilled to do your own repairs at home. This is the same B.S. with John Deere. It's your vehicle not the builders.
And that is why I will never buy a new car again. They listen to you while you are driving and someone can have remote access to them and make you crash if they want too. Dealerships are corrupt and I am not going along with it.
Can u even afford a car 😂
@@samantha198607 No, your sister drives me where I need to go :) :) :) :)
We need laws to mandate repairability standards.
Fast, Cheap, Reliable.
You may pick only two.
While its listening its relaying that info back to insurance companies and raising your rates while you sleep at night
Predatory engineering designs, like what's the point of not even including a dipstick on these newer cars? How does it make anything better for the engine???
That's why I love my 2013 Scion XB 5 speed. Can't hack a manual transmission
I was a automotive mechanic/ technician and that guy at the end said it best its very low paying trade probably the least paid trade out there.
And the only trade that nobody wants to pay you for your skills and knowledge.
Also it can be a dangerous field where you can get hurt if you are not careful.
@@Insomniac-c7eyes by disgruntled customers 😂
Auto body is worse.
@@warriorplutotrent3827 lol that too
I own a used car business and repair shop. We are running into more and more cars we either can’t work on because they are to technical or we can’t get the parts. Recently had a Chevrolet volt that needed a modular part that has been unavailable for over 9 months !
Customers ask for quick and cheap. Very often they get what they asked for...
I go to a mechanic that is 70 plus years old, still runs his own garage, does a lot of services with excellence and free of charge. One man past retirement age fixing several cars a day/week with excellence when Walmart and Northland keeps mucking up my car. Sometimes one good old mechanic is the direction to steer in.
Both of my cars are old enough to not be an issue.
Local mechanics are still important. Shop locally.
Thats why i learned how to do most of my repairs and maintenance myself, most of them take advantage of people
The bad thing on specializing on certain vehicles I can say I went to school for General Motors then I learned everything else I can fix most of other vehicles. The problem is everybody wants their cut that gets expensive you buy a $7000 scanner but you still have to pay Chrysler General Motors get European, etc. the Costco is up for the technician. Nobody wants to pay the technician when they’re really good. That’s what I ran into.
Yeah I felt the same way with the dealership. They rather pay wouldn't pay me. They'd rather hire three guys instead of paying me the wage on his worth and like the other guy was saying a scan to ol I had Lexus calling me up. We're tired or changing the same part. Will you come figure out why this isn't working right? And I'm only 60?
in the future you will need manufacture authorization code to change tire
*inserts The Office NONO*
Iam a 3rd generation auto technician and a 26 year veteran of the field! If something doesn't change in this industry soon people are gonna be in a big mess very soon
Every time I take my car to a mechanic shop my car is worse then it was when I went or I have more problems more often, the dealer I can’t afford so have always avoided. I do all work myself even if I have no clue what I’m doing…
If you have to take it to the dealer for repairs, don't buy it. Dealers are trained to monetize problems, not fix them.
I have a 1967 Dodge Dart slant 6. Everything is mechanical and easily replaceable. I've had this car for about 33 years. Starts up every time and is very reliable. Parts are readily available. I just can't afford a new car.
Most mechanic hv rip me 4 years now i can wrench & do repairs on cars myself. I never bought new car
Thats why I'm going to keep driving my Lexus gs300 from 2007 until the wheels fall off. Going 200k miles strong and it still runs perfect
I'm sticking with my 4th Gen Camaro as long as I can. It's saved me so much money over the years.
catfish camaros are pretty cool ngl
@hathaway.1166 that's dope never heard it called that before lol
The best thing a person can do, is learn things about their vehicle. They got books & other things you can buy at a auto store or look at things online, because if you dont know anything, a auto shop & dealership, can get a lot of money out of a person.
the sound guy messed up the final mix but the music guy made an absolute banger of a background track
@@valleyofiron125beta
sigma
After watching this, owning a couple carburated '87 Toyota pickups doesn't make me feel as bad. Problem is, you have to work on them yourself, knowone knows carbs anymore. But they are the most simple and reliable.
Most auto shops are ripping us off too. Stealerships aren't the only thing.
Another example of greed gone wild. Don't buy their crap!
If your afraid a mechanic is going to hyjack your car, perhaps auto makers should be required to have the diagnostics built into the radio/nav unit, so NO scan tool is needed as the car IS the tool.
Yeah, these big touch screen are too limited function. The auto makers are scams.
Even if these cars gave you the diagnostic codes most people will still have no idea how to fix it… p0300 random cylinder misfire, p0171 system lean bank 1. P0455 evap leak…. Also with new cars when the ecu sets a code you have 5 other modules also set codes. Every new car usually has at least 5 history codes at all times. Some codes are just crap to ignore. Some codes appear just for the car being in the shade instead of sunlight. People would waste mechanics time more than they do already
@@BrokeMekanicprobably just your EVAP vent valve beside the tank. It causes a lean cylinder 1 code often it seems to me.
The issue is that most vehicles are also "connected" with a SIM card built in... allowing remote connectivity and two way communication with the BUS.
@@BrokeMekanic
Username checks out.
What Tommy says at the end is spot on in the UK as well, customers have no idea of the breadth of skills a modern mechanic has to master. One moment they can be doing the car equivalent of brain surgery and the next fighting a traditional problem such as a rusted in wheel bearing where the work is brutal, dirty and dangerous. In my five decades as a mechanic the job has changed out of all recognition but the pay grade has stayed down at the bottom for manual labour.
Believe it or not people are starting to do DIY, many shops and dealers are crooks, people are tired of getting ripped off. Thank RUclips for the options to do teach people to do themselves.
This is one of the reasons I closed my shop way back in the early 90’s the rapidly changing technology and mainly of the specialized tooling required that a rual general repair shop cannot afford!
This was the whole point of OBD2. Universal tools for any car.
Not any more... why? Money.
OBD two doesn't give out that much information, it points you in the right direction usually. These new cars have made it obsolete because of all the new tech.
@@melissasmess2773 Yep. The difference between the scan tool and the laptop are night and day on our cars and they are older. Even basic service needs the laptop. Things like reseting service reminders (except the oil reminder), replacing rear brakes and adjusting headlights needs the laptop. In changing the DSG fluid on the wife's car, I get the fluid temp which isn't covered in OBD2 (used in setting the level).
This gave me 90s vibes 😂
I thought i was the only one lol
Mechanic's aesthetics don't really change. There's only so much you can do with safety glasses and polyester work clothes. SnapOn boxes last forever. The things they're talking about were already major issues when I started as a mechanic in the 90's. Deva vu all over again.
My 2017 SUV started shaking violently 2 months ago. Went to a dealership and their tech (assuming they used a scan tool) recommended replacing fuel injector control module. $2500 quote. Had the car towed to a local shop who replaced the spark plugs for $400. The car has been running smooth ever since. The scan tool didn't seem to help the dealership tech with accurately diagnosing the problem, so the future is going to very bleak if local shops continue to die out.
Exactly why I’m not buying a new car. Had an old Volvo that died on me and now I’m looking to buy a Subaru from the 90s. No car payments and easy to work on
Why being homeless is probably my.only.option soon.
Change will come as more and more lose in society.
There's another way. ☭
@@cubeystarvation and mass death?
@@deadlata9767 That's capitalism. 😂
I went to Moraine Valley Community College for my Associates degree in Automotive. Extremely thankful to the Automotive program there. Great instructors and facility.
You’re the first mechanic I’ve seen talk highly of their automotive college experience. Most are a waste of time and money
@@BrokeMekanicAfter going to Moraine Valley I transferred to SIU’s Automotive program and got my 4 year degree. I don’t work in a shop anymore. My comment was basically saying I’m thankful for the doors that school opened for me.
@@brandobecerro where did you move to outside of the shop?
@@Winner3tyafter graduating from SIU I got a job with Cummins running engines in test cells. I still get a little dirty once in awhile but it’s definitely a interesting career move. I don’t regret it one bit.
@@brandobecerro Sounds like a nice gig. Getting out of college for auto soon just not sure where I want to go. In my area its quite common for entry level techs like me just to get minimum wage. its sad really.
That is why there is a completely new market for mobile programmers and diagnostics. I happen to own a huge amount of this tech. I do work for almost all the shops in my area. Including used module programming. I can put used modules (computers) in vehicles the dealer will say can't be done.
NASTF is part of the problem.
I do Mobile Repair and I keep 3 scanners for that reason and it’s worth it but people also are tired of wait,over prices,driving customers vehicles at some locations ect. I do same day repair within hrs for most repairs,So I stay plenty busy doing good fair busy and fixing the problems the first time no matter what year it is.Technically will always advance so if your not into keeping up just stick with Classic Restoration.My Brother is a Computer Engineer so I have no issues lol
My car is 21 years old. Runs and drives like a charm. Dealer are ripping people off left and right. They like to make the systems so complicated. You won’t be able to take to local workshop any more. New cars too expensive and they are cheating people by charging ridiculous amount of fees.
My car is 7 years old. I’m so glad I can take it to a mechanic.
sorry but growing up in Pittsburgh in the 70s and 80s all the small shops specialized. they were always separated by domestic and foreign...some focused on specific brands...finding a place that repaired a 79 diesel rabbit where we needed a heat lamp to start it in the winter...my point being this is has been faced before and I'm sure we will face it again in several decades
Doesn't matter, times are different and things are ruined.
I bought a BMW years ago. I took it for service at a small shop. They invested in tools needed to service a BMW. They advertised it and had sufficient business to justify the costs.
I think you got the point but missed it at the same time. the concern the person had was that even down to the components its being specialized. so a BMW only shop may not be able to diagnose every single BMW problem. so now you may need 4 different shops put together to have the knowledge to diagnose a single vehicle in totality. I don't think we are at that point yet but I do see it starting to happen. I'd say we got 10 years, tops.