OPEN LOOPWhy I Don't Work On My Own Cars Because I work in the automotive service industry, some people consider me an expert on all things automotive. This usually happens when I'm away from work in social surroundings that I don't normally frequent.
One mention of the fact that I work in an auto parts store and someone is bound to ask me an automotive-related question. If it's about parts I have no problem, but service-related questions are another matter altogether. I don't mind being asked these questions, and I always try to answer as best I can. But some people are pretty surprised when I can't give them the answer they want. They act even more surprised when I tell them that I don't really work on my own cars all that much. If it has two wheels or was built before the advent of the EGR valve, I'm happy to dive in and get dirty. But maintaining my daily drivers is a chore I'd rather leave to professionals.
The conversation usually begins with some horror story about the last guy they went to and how bad he screwed them over. Then they ask, "Who should I take my car to, and how much will it cost?" That can be difficult to answer. There are a lot of people in this world that work on cars, but that doesn't make them professionals or even experts. I don't care how big the toolbox is, if the items most used are a hammer and a monkey wrench, it proves my point. The single most important tool any technician has resides between their ears, not in the toolbox.
There are a lot of people in this world that work on cars, but that doesn't make them professionals or even experts.Selling parts gives you a firsthand look at what your customers spend most of their time on. They all use brakes, exhaust, suspension pieces and starters and alternators. When they start getting into under-hood driveability items, the list of customers shortens up some. By the time we get to electrical gremlins or intermittent problems, I can probably count on one hand the number of shops I might be comfortable taking my own vehicle to.
I realize that most shops can't be too picky about what work they accept or they'll have none at all and that there are plenty of shops that specialize in specific repairs. I also know that the shops with the best reputation and technicians are usually the easiest to deal with on a business level, especially in terms of warranty problems. If they return a part as defective, I can pretty much bet that it is and that they've taken the time to eliminate all the other variables rather than just replace a part because the code scanner said it was bad. These are the people that have taken the time to stay ahead of the learning curve and have the proper equipment.
I'm not trying to indict any one type of shop or individual with this, but I can think of a few that fit the hammer-and-monkey wrench scenario to a T, and I'm sure you can, too. I remember reading about modern military aircraft that are designed by people with Ph.D.s in aerodynamics and engineering, flown by people with bachelor's degrees, but maintained by high school graduates. That's pretty much true, but you can bet that high school grad got several years of intensive training before being turned loose on that F16 fighter jet. That's what makes the difference.
