Bullet2012
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could be worse , they may just describe themselves as “ expert”
- Thread starter jimbo84
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addjunkie
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The bull term is SME subject matter expert…
Ubique
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I think 'Technician' reflects the scope of the job better than 'Mechanic', I probably spend as much time rattling a keyboard as I do with mechanical components.
Citroen have 'Consultant Technicians' a job title for MT's in recognition of their role in supporting other tech's, Ford have/had my favourite - 'Senior Technician', second only to MT's but implies experience rather than training.
I initially trained as a vehicle electrician, which is possibly why I rail against the 'mechanic' job title.
Although this does make me smile...
Bullet2012
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lots on this forum
charlysays
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Garage rates seem to heavily depend on the outfit. If you go somewhere with a big premises and lots of employees then the repair costs can be ridiculously high. Mate of mine was charged 1200 quid to do a clutch on a mini recently and £400 for failed diagnostics. Large premises and several mechanics.
Meanwhile 2 mins up the road there's a guy in a tin shed who did a full timing belt job on my 1.9tdi golf MK4 (alh) for £200 labour. That included the water pump/ idlers/belt/ new thermostat and tweaking the injection timing on vcds afterwards.
On the same MK4 golf, the MOT place wanted £250 to swap one lower control arm on the front. I got a FAG one off eBay for £30 and did it myself in an hour.
Out of those three jobs only the timing belt was money well spent IMO.
Suspension, brakes and servicing is a no brainer to do DIY I think but for me £200 labour on a timing belt job is money well spent.. But it's still only affordable for me when it's a self employed man in a tin shed. If you can find a good mechanic in a tin shed keep him close!
Meanwhile 2 mins up the road there's a guy in a tin shed who did a full timing belt job on my 1.9tdi golf MK4 (alh) for £200 labour. That included the water pump/ idlers/belt/ new thermostat and tweaking the injection timing on vcds afterwards.
On the same MK4 golf, the MOT place wanted £250 to swap one lower control arm on the front. I got a FAG one off eBay for £30 and did it myself in an hour.
Out of those three jobs only the timing belt was money well spent IMO.
Suspension, brakes and servicing is a no brainer to do DIY I think but for me £200 labour on a timing belt job is money well spent.. But it's still only affordable for me when it's a self employed man in a tin shed. If you can find a good mechanic in a tin shed keep him close!
willie.macleod
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That's not the case everywhere in the UK, here in Lewis secondary pupils are offered a wide range of hands on courses include an auto engineering course as a timetabled class. I've got two S4 (year 11) classes who are coming to end of their 1 year course shortly and are all involved in carrying out some form of car modification ranging from designing and fabricating bumpers to suspension mods, fuel cell building, aftermarket lighting mods by the dozen as well as bonnet scoops, panel painting, adding reversing cameras, ICE mods and more. They've all had hands on stripping down brake systems, basic servicing, electrical testing etc. as well. We do our best to engage some very disengaged pupils and on the whole get good results and it is nice to see the younger generation of mechanics around us have all been through our training garage and are now doing well. Even for those who don't carry on in the field they have learned useful skills and hopefully enjoyed their time in a different setting to the normal classroom.
We are fortunate to have a local authority who see the value in vocational training - it's a lot cheaper to stick bums on seats and stick 1 teacher in front of 30 students in a history class than pay me to have a class of 12 burning through lots of consumables (yes, they all get to do some welding as well!).
Jack_K
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I have that thought all the time at work in a different industry.
In high school I was in some "engineering excellence" program which meant I never actually got to touch tools or anything. We spent more time making cheese than anything else. Meanwhile the "normal" students were out there learning how to make stuff. Luckily I did all that stuff at home anyway although having some kind of proper teaching would've been good.
Gawd awmighty, they have it good up there! D&T here down south is regarded as a subject to be got rid of. A final project for a year 11 pupil was allowed just 40 hours start to finish. Of that most of it was design ideas & endless iterations (whatever that means) everything but actually making. Actual hands on workshop time was allowed just 8 hours. All that in one year, It may be less nowadays. Most of those kids would have killed to get on a vocational course like that.
dobbslc
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That's why London is full of foreign labour, they have a work force that can and we have a workforce that can't unless it's tippy tapping at a keyboard or watching tiktock shoite.
It's criminal really whats happened here as far as actual real world skills and trades are concerned.
It's criminal really whats happened here as far as actual real world skills and trades are concerned.
addjunkie
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Courses only change by educationalist fiddling and funding choices. Hse has am impact to, god forbid someone has to explain why little Taquin and Tabatha got dirt on them or broke a finger nail!That's why London is full of foreign labour, they have a work force that can and we have a workforce that can't unless it's tippy tapping at a keyboard or watching tiktock shoite.
It's criminal really whats happened here as far as actual real world skills and trades are concerned.
Bobupndown
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I did a 2 year Btec national diploma in mechanical and electrical engineering and worked for 3 years as a maintenance fitter before 30 years in the public sector. Does that make me an engineer?
I don't think so. Stood me in good stead though for knowing one end of a spanner from the other.
I don't think so. Stood me in good stead though for knowing one end of a spanner from the other.
My mother's job title was a Floor Technician.
She was employed by the education board to clean the local high school!
I was employed as a Maintenance Technician. I worked in a food factory and if a machine broke I fixed it!
Erie Fred
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A friends wife worked in an office as "Plant Manager"....yes she watered the plants.....My mother's job title was a Floor Technician.
She was employed by the education board to clean the local high school!
I was employed as a Maintenance Technician. I worked in a food factory and if a machine broke I fixed it!
Trevorleach
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Nearly 40 years fixing trucks, and not a scrap of official paper to my name, worked for some big names as well, never asked for papers, which was just was well!
Loads of people in this game with no papers, lots of the new guys all papered up cannot weld or use the gas axe.
Always thought of myself as a mechanic fixing what I can with rebuild kits and common sense, but as the years go by and and parts to repair components are harder to find I am slowly turning into a fitter.
Loads of people in this game with no papers, lots of the new guys all papered up cannot weld or use the gas axe.
Always thought of myself as a mechanic fixing what I can with rebuild kits and common sense, but as the years go by and and parts to repair components are harder to find I am slowly turning into a fitter.
charlysays
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Yes, got the alignment done at a local friendly garage for £20. The arm I bought was Schaeffler and came with the stretch bolts. Hardly a budget throwaway brand, I'm pretty sure they're an OE supplier? I'm sure VW would've been more expensive but there's no evidence they would have got a VW one from their motor factor. It's been on a year and still looks great although i do intend on spraying it with dynax UC. So, £50 total spent Vs £250.
The aforementioned expensive garage also offered to replace the front tyres for the MOT at a cost of £120 for C wet grip rated "safe rich" tyres. I bought Toyos with A rated wet grip and got them fitted all for £100.
So a total saving of £220 AND far superior tyres fitted which are incredibly safety critical.
What's your cryptic guess then regarding the injection timing check and adjustment?
You'll find the VW service manual mandates that the injection timing on the VP37 equipped TDI engine (pre PD) is checked and adjusted if necessary with each timing belt replacement.
Ubique
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I'd guess that the timing belt pulleys were 'dabbed' rather than the correct locking tools used. Very few bother locking the HP fuel pump, even less bother checking it after the initial two rotations of the crank.
Some places don't even bother with replacing the idler pulleys or tensioner and just do a 'slide-off, slide on' with the belts.
Some places don't even bother with replacing the idler pulleys or tensioner and just do a 'slide-off, slide on' with the belts.
