Mechanics Currently

[Eddies]

Tried to book a work van in. Needs an alternator. Three places refused it as its and electrical issue apparently. One booked I'm 3 weeks never touched it. Called round he was like I'm waiting to see what work comes in next week to see if I've time. He was told to take the van in. Wouldn't hear tell of it. So took the keys back.

My own mechanic thankfully can be got in a few days but he's not taking anyone new on.

 

[lennyd]

I ended up gathering up a load of tools and me and a mate went halfers on a 2 post as I was dalying the foz and didn't want to be waiting on work being done. Done coilovers, full exhaust countless brakes and services on it, clutch plus various other upgrades and was all pleased with myself as I'm "self taught"/a "certified youtube mechanic". The problem arrives when other people find out about it and are "stuck". Oh you like working on cars! I've been guilted into working on several people's cars doing jobs no one else wants to do. I'm not a mechanic and never have claimed to be one. I like fiddling with MY cars but never on a month of Sundays would I like to do it full time. Too much hassle and things seem to be being made to be more awkward or overly complicated. I had to buy a computer to code a new bloody battery in. What ever happened to just grabbing a 10mm and swapping stuff over!

 

[Coog]

Funnily enough another dad approached me at dropping off time at school a month or so back and asked if I would lend him one of the cars I have ‘lying about’ and fix his frigged X3. Eh… what? Sorry, hand you one of my appreciating ‘modern classics’ *ahem* in place of a fairly new and expensive X3 that’s been treated like a ginger stepchild and fix it for you? Such an appealing offer but I couldn’t possibly accept.

 

[lennyd]

Funnily enough another dad approached me at dropping off time at school a month or so back and asked if I would lend him one of the cars I have ‘lying about’ and fix his frigged X3. Eh… what? Sorry, hand you one of my appreciating ‘modern classics’ *ahem* in place of a fairly new and expensive X3 that’s been treated like a ginger stepchild and fix it for you? Such an appealing offer but I couldn’t possibly accept.

Some people have a quer brass neck on them. I'm sure he would have thrown you a score for your hassle though!

 

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

Very few old school mechanics about these days, mainly now fitters with a computer skill. Even diagnosing a faulty part isn't common any more, fit what the computer says is faulty and then wonder why it didn't fix the fault.

 

[Coog]

Some people have a quer brass neck on them. I'm sure he would have thrown you a score for your hassle though!

He worded it in such a way as it was like he was doing me a favour, because I liked cars

Mate, I go to the workshop once a week (if I’m lucky) and spend the entire time walking about the place looking for a tool I’ve just set down and/or patching lacerations up on my hands with duck tape. Calm yourself.

 

[RevT]

Most mechanics I know have zero interest in doing anything other than standard servicing and brakes.

I end up doing most stuff myself because of wait times or faffing around.

I actually was using one that handed me back most parts I left with him for fitting, he’d only do the handiest stuff and handed back the awkward bits and was like ‘ahh, it’ll not need changed for a while’!

I had a gearbox issue on an old 04 Audi A4 CVT box a couple of years ago. I tried about 10 mechanics and they had zero interest, couldn’t get anyone to look at it, all said it was a massive job and it wouldn’t pay them etc. I ended up sorting it myself for about £300 and a few hours work (including buying the auto box gear oil pump which I can keep for the future).

A few months ago I was trying to get someone to change the gearbox sump, oil and wee valves in the ZF box on the X5. Again, big drama when speaking with mechanics, too big of a job etc. Again, £300 and 4 hours work had it sorted with the proper parts (re-used my pump I bought a couple of years ago). It’s madness because it was a simple enough job and would be quicker with a proper mechanic with a lift and all the right tools.

 

[mikey]

Servicing for the Indy/homer mechanic is where the money is made.
For example, in work today I had a Polo in for no crank/no start. Took 3 hours to get to the bottom of a wiring issue. The Indy guy at home could potentially have 3 services out in that time with the money made for the day on labour and parts mark up and away home.

On another note, is the garage still open in Bangor where you basically hired out a ramp and there were all the tools on site for you to work on your own car? Haven’t heard it mentioned on here in years. Motor Gym or something it was called.

 

[gary1365]

Servicing for the Indy/homer mechanic is where the money is made.
For example, in work today I had a Polo in for no crank/no start. Took 3 hours to get to the bottom of a wiring issue. The Indy guy at home could potentially have 3 services out in that time with the money made for the day on labour and parts mark up and away home.

On another note, is the garage still open in Bangor where you basically hired out a ramp and there were all the tools on site for you to work on your own car? Haven’t heard it mentioned on here in years.

I think it closed years ago. Used it a few times was nice getting the car onto a ramp.

 

[finn28]

I ended up gathering up a load of tools and me and a mate went halfers on a 2 post as I was dalying the foz and didn't want to be waiting on work being done. Done coilovers, full exhaust countless brakes and services on it, clutch plus various other upgrades and was all pleased with myself as I'm "self taught"/a "certified youtube mechanic". The problem arrives when other people find out about it and are "stuck". Oh you like working on cars! I've been guilted into working on several people's cars doing jobs no one else wants to do. I'm not a mechanic and never have claimed to be one. I like fiddling with MY cars but never on a month of Sundays would I like to do it full time. Too much hassle and things seem to be being made to be more awkward or overly complicated. I had to buy a computer to code a new bloody battery in. What ever happened to just grabbing a 10mm and swapping stuff over!

Where did you get your lift from? I'd love to get one at some point for my shed.

 

[lennyd]

Where did you get your lift from? I'd love to get one at some point for my shed.

Mate got some fella from Rathfriland to supply and fit it. Was about 1600 odd about 7 years ago

 

[Coog]

On another note, is the garage still open in Bangor where you basically hired out a ramp and there were all the tools on site for you to work on your own car? Haven’t heard it mentioned on here in years. Motor Gym or something it was called.

Often thought about opening up a place with a lift or two, coffee bar and some tools as a bit of a man shed place for like minded folk to get a bit of head space and maybe do a bit of spannering on a car or hanging about talking skite, if they wanted. Be on hand with advice / banter but not really do too much. Presumably it would be a complete nightmare for insurance and you'd be tortured with folk coming up and ringing sump plugs, etc.

 

[Turks]

My aunt has Citroen and they had a recall on them as they were fitted with faulty timing belts shearing and they were wrecking the engines. She took the car to Citroen two months ago and they said the timing belt was ok. Now the timing belt has went on the car and wrecked the engine and Citroen are saying they won’t stand over it. Surely if the belts are faulty they should be changing them not just checking them.

 

[Alastair_S]

On another note, is the garage still open in Bangor where you basically hired out a ramp and there were all the tools on site for you to work on your own car? Haven’t heard it mentioned on here in years. Motor Gym or something it was called.

I think it closed years ago. Used it a few times was nice getting the car onto a ramp.

Still open, but no longer DIY/ramp hire. Use to take my VXR there and helped a lot with a few big jobs. Happy to fit customer supplied parts as well. Seen a few cars on the lifts with engines and subframes out during my visits.

 

[mikey]

Often thought about opening up a place with a lift or two, coffee bar and some tools as a bit of a man shed place for like minded folk to get a bit of head space and maybe do a bit of spannering on a car or hanging about talking skite, if they wanted. Be on hand with advice / banter but not really do too much. Presumably it would be a complete nightmare for insurance and you'd be tortured with folk coming up and ringing sump plugs, etc.

Aye that would be a brilliant idea. When I was about 12 I went with my dad to a night class in Portadown tech for 8-10 weeks for basic car maintenance and it was somewhat along the vibes you mentioned. Remember a lot of taxi men were on it with the intention of saving a few £ learning to do their own brakes and servicing.

 

[Ged]

From the other side of the fence its mental I took on a few jobs over the past while for people and no matter how fast you work and how much you charge its either parts issues customer issues or something else. My phone never stops day or night. I ended up taking a month off recenty as ive just become run down ended in hospital with shingles over the stress of it all i know it sounds dramatic but its just never ends. Ive people looking to come from all over Ireland for chassis work engine swaps etc as nobody else will touch them. But when you do its then the hassle of getting paid for big jobs, demands of deadlines scope creep and moving goalposts.

As others have said any wonder mechanics are sticking to brakes and servicing. Im very picky now for what type of jobs ill take on and its deposit upfront if Its a big job. which is a real shame as I like the challenge. But i can change oil and service in an evening and make more and no hassle.

 

[Antoin]

Hearing some of these stories just reinforces my thoughts that I should buy even more tools and continue to service my own cars

 

[111gsi]

Hearing some of these stories just reinforces my thoughts that I should buy even more tools and continue to service my own cars

Completely - helps mitigate the frustration of trying to burn/hammer/drill out a seized VAG pinch bolt if you know the alternative was to have the car off the road for a month!

 

[Simon998]

Usually I'd do all my own work but recently I used my family mechanic for a service as I wanted to keep the book stamped. Supposed to be disks, pads, oil, filters & plugs changed. Oil was overfilled (I guess they used suction to extract it then just filled it with the amount the book said to put in) then a few months later I needed to change the coilpacks, I noticed that the inner arch liners looked like they'd never been off before. Popped a sparkplug out and they were the originals too. Checked my invoice and I was definately charged for plugs and fitting.

I've since found I guy I can trust but as above, he's usually a month or two wait!

 

[FM155]

I used to do bits and pieces for family and friends but ended up with some nightmare jobs that soon adjusted my policy on that caper.
I find it difficult enough to get the time to work at my own cars so working on others is avoided wherever possible. It's also my happy place when I get in there and get my teeth into something of my own and I can take my time doing a thorough job, not rushing it because I'm trying to get it away te feck out of my garage. I still do the odd thing for others but only in exceptional circumstances.

 

[AMG]

I have always worked on my own cars, but since covid I have noticed family asking me to do bits and pieces for them as they can't get it done quick enough elsewhere.

I have no issues doing my own stuff as if I mess it up/something goes wrong, its only me that I have to deal with. If its someone elses car it adds a lot of extra pressure that I really don't enjoy, so politely say the job is too big for me to avoid working on someone elses car.

Our Sharan spat out an injector on the M2 hill section a while back, broke the bolt holding it in. Was able to get it recovered and fixed myself, parts cost less than a tenner. I dread to thing what that would have cost at mechanics and recovery off the motorway.

 

[Lappintyre]

Any wonder main dealer service/labour prices are crazy.

 

[Gambit]

Often thought about opening up a place with a lift or two, coffee bar and some tools as a bit of a man shed place for like minded folk to get a bit of head space and maybe do a bit of spannering on a car or hanging about talking skite, if they wanted. Be on hand with advice / banter but not really do too much. Presumably it would be a complete nightmare for insurance and you'd be tortured with folk coming up and ringing sump plugs, etc.

i think it was insurance that stopped motorgym doing it?

Aye that would be a brilliant idea. When I was about 12 I went with my dad to a night class in Portadown tech for 8-10 weeks for basic car maintenance and it was somewhat along the vibes you mentioned. Remember a lot of taxi men were on it with the intention of saving a few £ learning to do their own brakes and servicing.

i done the wee course down in ards a good number of years ago, was good craic just like minded people dabbling with their cars while the tutor on hand to help out if need be - think @Coog also done the same one - just the getting use of a ramp was a god send

 

[ace275]

Usually I'd do all my own work but recently I used my family mechanic for a service as I wanted to keep the book stamped. Supposed to be disks, pads, oil, filters & plugs changed. Oil was overfilled (I guess they used suction to extract it then just filled it with the amount the book said to put in) then a few months later I needed to change the coilpacks, I noticed that the inner arch liners looked like they'd never been off before. Popped a sparkplug out and they were the originals too. Checked my invoice and I was definately charged for plugs and fitting.

I've since found I guy I can trust but as above, he's usually a month or two wait!

I stamp the book myself when servicing a car, it's all above board to do so too, provided the work has been carried out

 

[Coog]

i think it was insurance that stopped motorgym doing it?



i done the wee course down in ards a good number of years ago, was good craic just like minded people dabbling with their cars while the tutor on hand to help out if need be - think @Coog also done the same one - just the getting use of a ramp was a god send

Yeah that wee course is still going. Did it for 6 years or so on the trot and learned a lot. Stuff about removing stuck fasteners, rounded bolts, etc and fabricating small parts has been invaluable.

I stamp the book myself when servicing a car, it's all above board to do so too, provided the work has been carried out

Same. Have my own stamp and keep invoices / receipts.