When did you learn the value of a good mechanic?

[rockerarm]

Awhile back the Snap-On Tool trucks had a banner on the rear of their trucks showing a young boy with a wagon, or tricycle, with a wheel off. There was a statement to the effect of "When did you learn the value of a good mechanic?"
With that, I poll the masses, whether one is a pro-auto tech, part time, or a consumer.
Bill.

[rockerarm]

My influence dates back to High School in Redondo Beach, Calif. I had taken as many industrial arts courses as allowed and wanted to become an automotive engineer, with an interest in domestic muscle cars. My senior year in high school auto shop a new instructor was a former VW dealer tech. He saw something in me and confronted me with a proposition to allow me to work on teachers personal cars in lieu of the junk in the shop. My simple mind wanted to only work on domestic V-8's,and for me to "lower myself" to work on VW's was an insult, but did it anyway. I evolved into something that when I was close to graduating high school was given more and more responsibility with teachers personal cars. I was even allowed to leave the campus and walk down the street to South Bay VW, a dealership where Loren Pearson, WCM fame, was a parts counterman, and purchase needed parts. Upon high school graduation, this auto shop instructor gave me the incentive to apply at the VW dealership in Torrance, Russ Thor VW, and subsequently became a VW lube tech the day after high school.
This instructors name is Mr Russ Parkinson, who passed away some time later. He taught me the value of a good mechanic, and the rest is history. Thank you sir.

[hitest]

My comparison of good to bad dates to when I was 14 and test riding touring bikes. I was comparing a Miyata 610 at one shop (that was set up well) to a Raleigh Alyeska at another in 1982 (before indexed shifting). When I took off on the Alyeska and shifted down from the big ring to the middle, it threw the chain all the way off in the stay, locked me up instantly and I went over the bars. I walked the bike back in to the shop, blood pouring down a leg and dirty head to toe. The salesman looked up without paying real attention and said, "Well how was it?"
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[jspbtown]

I learned it when I was a kid and my family couldn't afford a mechanic to fix their cars. Since I had an interest I started to read...and read...and read. And we are talking old school reading! Taking books out of a library to understand how things worked.

Slowly over time I have progressed from oil changes & exhaust work to brakes, and finally with my own scanner.

The last time a car in my extended family was in the garage was when my son blew his head gaskets on his 3000gt. I could have tackled it but did not have the time.

[pyrOman]

Right after rebuilding my first engine, going around the block, then seizing the main bearing!
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Some people are so busy being clever they don't have time enough to be wise.

[Mr Mike]

Ha, Gotta smile at this. I first truly learned the value of a good mech while serving with the U.S. Navy as a member of attack squadron 25 in 1957 when that squadron was based at NAS Alameda. I got to fly in the back of an aircraft I'd worked on the day prior plus performed the pre-flight inspection on that morning. A Douglas AD-5 skyraider. Makes a believer out of ya!!

[Glenn]

I learned back in 1969 what the only one you can trust is yourself. Ever since then i am very leery of having someone else work on my VW or my bicycles.

My daily driver i'm not concerned about, but i'm very OCD and anal about my hobby vehicles. And when I find a good mechanic, i use them exclusively.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[djkeev]

I'm with Glenn!

I was a mechanic for awhile, I saw what my coworkers did....... I was in both Parts and Service management for years...... As a result....... Unless I am old, feeble, injured or temporarily insane I will NEVER pay someone to fix my car!

I can barely tolerate having someone install tires and do an alignment!

No Thank you very much.... I am NOT paying someone good cash to screw up my vehicle..... Any vehicle...... VW or other!

And yes, this happens more than one cares to admit that it happens.
It is just a sad fact that those who know nothing about mechanics also don't know how badly Jim Bob just F'ed up their vehicle! They THINK Jim Bob is just GREAT!!!

Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[MacLeod Willy]

Back in '68 bought a 59 Chev 4dr at 14 yrs old. Ran the fields and bush for a year, but walked home plenty of times. That started it all. VW's were plentiful back then and we went through lots of them. We did things on the back roads that would get you an overnighter in jail now. Straight down the hwy to get to the other side road was common practice.

Went into the high school tech program because I new this was the field I was heading into. Started my apprenticeship at a Ford dealership the day I graduated. In 77 I started at an independent shop and gained enough knowledge on other vehicles that I hung out my own shingle in 83.

In 89 I suffered a spinal cord injury at C6 that left me an incomplete quadriplegic. After a year of rehab, I went back to running the shop again until 2008 when I sold it to one of the guys I had trained over the years. I still have those guys do the work Im not able to do physically.

This career made me a lot of friends, lot of good connections, lot of grey hair and some cash.

BEST JOB I EVER HAD!!!

[kamesama980]

I worked in a shop then a dealership while going to school. I realized I'd never trust anyone else to work on my stuff again, dealership included.
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-Russell
"You don't get to blame me for how I fix what you break"
1970 VW Beetle
1994 Pontiac Firebird
2001 BMW R1200C
2003 Subaru Baja

[Harris]

[ach60]

[Jon Schmid]

Since I'm in constant fear of violating the Hippocratic oath, if I don't feel comfortable working on something I find someone I can trust to do it right.

[Bret2094]

2011 when I got a local mechanic to change the clutch out on my first vw. When i got it back , the exhaust had been crushed from the mechanics pullling on the engine to remove it. Been doing it myself ever since. When i get stumped , or the book seems kinda confusing, I just ask on here and then go do it myself. Everyone I know sees it as black magic and thinks i'm an actual mechanic....lol changin sparkplugs to the uneducated is rocket science. I really get strange looks when people ask what i'm going to school for. I tell em to practice medicine and the jaws drop..shit lemme go give that broke jaw a tune up.


Bret
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1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)

1977 Westfalia Camper

1972 Plymouth Duster

Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A)

[mark tucker]

I have trust issues...I was also rebuilding gocart engines at 6.Ive seen somuch effed up stuff in my like and all the $$$ wasted on it.and perfectly good expensive parts turned to junk is a very short time.so...yup I do almost everything.I nolonger have some of the machines I had a few years ago,but I make due with out them,I mainly miss my balancer. I have a sunnen rod machine,sunnen hone,2 mills,seat&guidemachine,lathe,mig,blaster,press,electrick tubing bender,jetclean, valve guide liners,seat&valve grinder and a messs of jigs&other things.so there isant much I cant do, but spin balance.a and that is realy hard to send off.