Least Common Denominator Behavior!
04-24-2003, 01:15 AM
#16
I took Sharon's Hot Rod Camaro in to the AFEES garage for a clutch replacement while stationed at Schofield Barracks, Oahu.
Was supposed to be in by noon the next day.
Checked during lunch, they ran me off. Repeat cycle for 3 days. Get the car late on the 4th day.
Clutch is slipping & shifter pivot bushing replaced with a maimed, medium-sized, cotter key????
Left car, talked to SFC Jim Higuchi -Platoon Sgt-
He is crazy about my work ethic, quality and timeliness of work but assures me I am a walking attitude case -enters and bets on me regularly at the 25 th Infantry Division 3 round 'Smokers' - but goes with me at lunch anyhow. Shop Manager runs us out of shop, we walk around back. Front end is up on elevated hoist, back end on jack stands-about 16 -18" off ground. Manager is yelling at, then pushes mechanic. Mechanic stumbles into right front fender.
Fender moves...fender attached to car...jack stands flip over, car rolls into the brand new Sun Tach. Everything comes to a 'cushioned stop'.
Cushioned stop is a cherry, yellow, VW convertible. Officer's wife, oops...
Story goes on ... Mp's, Post Sergeant Major, visit's to JAG for legal counsel...not me! Jim Higuchi lost it!!!
John,
You ain't alone, buddy!
Cast of thousands, we're an epic.
Was supposed to be in by noon the next day.
Checked during lunch, they ran me off. Repeat cycle for 3 days. Get the car late on the 4th day.
Clutch is slipping & shifter pivot bushing replaced with a maimed, medium-sized, cotter key????
Left car, talked to SFC Jim Higuchi -Platoon Sgt-
He is crazy about my work ethic, quality and timeliness of work but assures me I am a walking attitude case -enters and bets on me regularly at the 25 th Infantry Division 3 round 'Smokers' - but goes with me at lunch anyhow. Shop Manager runs us out of shop, we walk around back. Front end is up on elevated hoist, back end on jack stands-about 16 -18" off ground. Manager is yelling at, then pushes mechanic. Mechanic stumbles into right front fender.
Fender moves...fender attached to car...jack stands flip over, car rolls into the brand new Sun Tach. Everything comes to a 'cushioned stop'.
Cushioned stop is a cherry, yellow, VW convertible. Officer's wife, oops...
Story goes on ... Mp's, Post Sergeant Major, visit's to JAG for legal counsel...not me! Jim Higuchi lost it!!!
John,
You ain't alone, buddy!
Cast of thousands, we're an epic.
04-24-2003, 10:41 AM
#18
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Location: Columbus, OH
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Maybe someone should come up with a 5-10 question writeen test for perspective mechanic shops! <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />
1. Have you ever seen one of these cars before?
2. Have you ever worked on one of these cars before?
Then it could get harder after that. <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />
1. Have you ever seen one of these cars before?
2. Have you ever worked on one of these cars before?
Then it could get harder after that. <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />
04-24-2003, 12:51 PM
#19
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by FMR SPY:
<strong>
1. Have you ever seen one of these cars before?
2. Have you ever worked on one of these cars before?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I think in some cases it would be more approrriate to start a bit lower than that. Maybe along the lines of:
1. Have you ever seen any car?
2. Have you ever worked on any car?
<strong>
1. Have you ever seen one of these cars before?
2. Have you ever worked on one of these cars before?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I think in some cases it would be more approrriate to start a bit lower than that. Maybe along the lines of:
1. Have you ever seen any car?
2. Have you ever worked on any car?
04-25-2003, 01:11 AM
#22
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You guys now have me scared to go buy new tires for my car. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />
I only need rears, I suppose I could have them mounted, then take them home and put them on car myself.
I only need rears, I suppose I could have them mounted, then take them home and put them on car myself.
04-25-2003, 02:20 AM
#23
Nordschleife Master
Don't be scared.
Just watch the guy. Most of the tire shops I've been to don't care if you sit there and watch him. Usualy, he doesn't care eighter. The car's weird to him, so anything you can do to make it easyer, and safer, he doesn't mind. I usualy point out the lift points, and indicate that it has aluminum hubs, aluminum sockets, with steel lug nuts.
I tupicaly start up a conversation with him while I'm helping him with stuff. I talk about my favorat subject, and typicaly his favorat subject too, cars. I explain how if you over torque the lug nuts, you break them. I explain how if you don't torque them up right, you worp the hub. I casualy drop a 300-400 dollar figure for the price of the hub. By my fimilaraty with the car, and the problems, he knows, if he screws up, I'll know, and I'll tell his boss. We both know what will happen when his boss has to find the money for a 400 dollar hub. As most people are fimiler how "friagile" aluminum is, they are expecaly leary around it. In reality, that fragality is exadurated in the common tire hanndler's mind, but...
Now, they don't realy like it when I tell them not to touch the impact wrench to put the lug nuts back on, but they do it. But when they concider that they're payed by the hour, and they could have major problems if they worp a hub, they quickly agree to it.
It's not that bad!
Just watch the guy. Most of the tire shops I've been to don't care if you sit there and watch him. Usualy, he doesn't care eighter. The car's weird to him, so anything you can do to make it easyer, and safer, he doesn't mind. I usualy point out the lift points, and indicate that it has aluminum hubs, aluminum sockets, with steel lug nuts.
I tupicaly start up a conversation with him while I'm helping him with stuff. I talk about my favorat subject, and typicaly his favorat subject too, cars. I explain how if you over torque the lug nuts, you break them. I explain how if you don't torque them up right, you worp the hub. I casualy drop a 300-400 dollar figure for the price of the hub. By my fimilaraty with the car, and the problems, he knows, if he screws up, I'll know, and I'll tell his boss. We both know what will happen when his boss has to find the money for a 400 dollar hub. As most people are fimiler how "friagile" aluminum is, they are expecaly leary around it. In reality, that fragality is exadurated in the common tire hanndler's mind, but...
Now, they don't realy like it when I tell them not to touch the impact wrench to put the lug nuts back on, but they do it. But when they concider that they're payed by the hour, and they could have major problems if they worp a hub, they quickly agree to it.
It's not that bad!
04-25-2003, 02:55 PM
#24
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Fmr Spy,
Hey, I now take my tires and wheels off in my garage,
load them into the minivan, and take them to the
tire shop, where I had Tire Rack drop-ship the
tires. They mount and balance the new tires, then
I take them home and put them on the car. Too many
places don't know how to lift these cars, how to
take off the wheels, or put them back on without
destroying something. I'm also sure that I got the
tires I wanted.
Hey, I now take my tires and wheels off in my garage,
load them into the minivan, and take them to the
tire shop, where I had Tire Rack drop-ship the
tires. They mount and balance the new tires, then
I take them home and put them on the car. Too many
places don't know how to lift these cars, how to
take off the wheels, or put them back on without
destroying something. I'm also sure that I got the
tires I wanted.
