"One of those types who can fix stuff"

[ajlelectronics]

Here is an example! Some bright spark thinks that he has saved £130 by randomly buying a similar part. Nigel Palmer (QRG) is a long established Scimitar dealer with decades of knowledge and stock to match. Looks like our bunny would rather believe his wallet, than acknowledged experts. He's not the only idiot on there by a long way and I have to sit on my hands sometimes.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

same here, the recent question about gas struts for rear windows being another,
cheaper ones will fit but being too strong will break the lifting glass,

 

[bricol]

However, quite often, for those of us with mechanical abilities and no crazy idea of maintaining absolute originality of a vehicle we simply want to enjoy using, can make something else fit/work/last better than OE.

Various of my cars have been looked over by horrified "experts" . . . but mine have done many many thousands of miles and been enjoyed massively over them . . . and theirs have been in the garage . . .

 

[JOEPRO]

However, quite often, for those of us with mechanical abilities and no crazy idea of maintaining absolute originality of a vehicle we simply want to enjoy using, can make something else fit/work/last better than OE.

Various of my cars have been looked over by horrified "experts" . . . but mine have done many many thousands of miles and been enjoyed massively over them . . . and theirs have been in the garage . . .

It all depends on the car too. If it was my w124 500E for example then it would be criminal to add aftermarket parts to a rare beast.

But if it was my w124 220 coupe then yeah no issue making mods if it helps reliability and originally is not a factor to value or collectability.

 

[bourbon]

Fixing cars, with my dad was a regular thing when he was alive, But not now, My back is so shattered from driving the fork lift. If I get down to do something, my back locks and I can't get up again.

 

[Wedg1e]

I've always said, you don't need to know how something works in order to be able to fix it: you just need to know what a fault might look like

In thirty years as a field service techie based in Teesside, I've driven to Worcester to replace a fuse, Wolverhampton to reset a circuit breaker and Brize Norton to press a button. All to clear 'faults' that local staff couldn't identify. Then there's the cables trapped in doors or run over by a forklift, £10K x-ray head obviously dropped on the floor that nobody knows anything about - and so on and on. Just remembered - once drove to Portsmouth navy base to replace a blown bulb. As it was tied to an x-ray system it fell outside the local electricians' remit and had to have a 'specialist' from an approved supplier list. I think it was £1000 callout.

I once spent two days at Rolls-Royce Hillington trying to diagnose an intermittent fault with an x-ray set. Didn't matter what I thought of and checked, the set would run perfectly for so long and then drop its tube current. Eventually, running out of ideas and facing the prospect of telling the customer (and my chief) that I hadn't a clue I started idly tapping a screwdriver on the edge of a pull-out card frame and the fault cleared... then came back... then cleared.
Of course it was a dry solder joint, on a board I'd already checked over three times. A few seconds with the soldering iron and the symptoms have never recurred (although the factory closed some years ago the set went elsewhere, maybe East Kilbride).

Currently have a power supply sat on my desk from an aerospace factory. The client had swapped it for another one to prove the fault, then asked if we could fix it. Although we installed the system, the maker's technical manual only shows a block diagram for the PSU. I emailed asking for advice, they suggested I check the PCB fuses (the client's techies had already done so). I then asked if they could supply circuit diagrams? Sorry, no. OK then, how do I go about sending it to you to fix.
Oh no, we don't repair them, they said, you'll need a new PSU. Two to three weeks' delivery.
That's not much good, I've got a 24-hour production line depending on this.
Sorry, best we can do.
In the event a new PSU turned up in just over a week, got the set back up and running, and the faulty one then appeared - "have a look at it, see what you can do".
Of course it's a switched-mode PSU, all surface mount, MOSFETs, high-frequency transformers... no way am I ever going to fix this.
Five minutes with a multimeter turned up a blown low-Ohms resistor but no other obvious defect: could I hell find the right type and value of resistor in the UK and had to order from Mouser. It arrived (from Texas) in three days, about a dollar fifty for the part - and twenty quid carriage.
So a £1 component, yet again, takes out a £100K system and million-pound a week production line...

 

[Robotstar5]

I've always said, you don't need to know how something works in order to be able to fix it: you just need to know what a fault might look like

In thirty years as a field service techie based in Teesside, I've driven to Worcester to replace a fuse, Wolverhampton to reset a circuit breaker and Brize Norton to press a button. All to clear 'faults' that local staff couldn't identify. Then there's the cables trapped in doors or run over by a forklift, £10K x-ray head obviously dropped on the floor that nobody knows anything about - and so on and on. Just remembered - once drove to Portsmouth navy base to replace a blown bulb. As it was tied to an x-ray system it fell outside the local electricians' remit and had to have a 'specialist' from an approved supplier list. I think it was £1000 callout.

I had similar when I worked for ABB Robotics, robot running fine one day, wouldn't start the next day, I found a toggle switch inside the control cabinet in the wrong position, of course "no one has been in the cabinet, honest guv"

I also repaired PCB's sent back on service exchange, favourite one was I/O boards had a diode (IN400x) protecting each input and output from customers connecting it up wrong, so half an hour of my time plus a couple of cheap diodes and I could put it back on the shelf to go out for about £400 service exchange (1980's prices)

 

[Wedg1e]

If you can find a 2 day course in electronics that also teaches you fault finding you're on to a winner. Took me 4 yrs and some things I just don't bother with..

I'd say that in my experience, well over half of all circuit board faults leap out at you before you even reach for a multimeter. Blown fuses, burned tracks, crispy capacitors and exploded transistors - the smell is usually the first clue.

 

[Wedg1e]

I had similar when I worked for ABB Robotics, robot running fine one day, wouldn't start the next day, I found a toggle switch inside the control cabinet in the wrong position, of course "no one has been in the cabinet, honest guv"

I also repaired PCB's sent back on service exchange, favourite one was I/O boards had a diode (IN400x) protecting each input and output from customers connecting it up wrong, so half an hour of my time plus a couple of cheap diodes and I could put it back on the shelf to go out for about £400 service exchange (1980's prices)

One of our works vans needed a service so the boss suggested we put it into the tyre fitting place nearby who also do servicing.

Two days later the guy who'd been driving it, working overnight on steelwork on a main road, brought it back and asked if he could swap it for one with a working heater.
What are you on about? I asked.
Heater no worky, quoth the man with the frozen hands.
I shrugged, said ok, take that one and while he was swapping his kit over ready to go out on another nightshift I started the van (Peugeot Partner) and tried the heater. Stone cold. I got out and said, jokingly, there's definitely coolant in it, isn't there...?
They guy looks at me like I'm stupid. What's the coolant got to do with it?, he asks
I should have punched him daft but instead I opened the bonnet - sure enough there's no bloody coolant in the header tank. Not a drop.
I went straight round to the tyre place.
About this service, I asked, exactly what did you do with the coolant?
Nothing, spake the spanner-monkey, we just make sure there is some in the header tank. Can't be anything we've done.
Well there isn't now, I said, and went back.
Once the engine cooled I got the kettle and started topping up the coolant. About 2.5 kettles in I realised my feet were getting wet from a drip off the radiator. but I couldn't see where from and assumed the lower tank seal was leaking, as it was wet above the bottom hose outlet.
Ordered a new rad, figured out a way to extract the old one that didn't involve taking most of the front end of the van to bits and took it into the kitchen to fill with water and check I was right.
I was wrong.
The leak was from a sizeable scar across the rear of the rad, crushed fins, bent tubes and a pin-prick hole, clearly fresh damage which wasn't obvious when viewed from above. I lined the rad up with the front of the engine and the damage corresponds perfectly to where you've slipped with the spanner you're using to remove the oil filter housing... let's say, if you were giving the van a service...

 

[ajlelectronics]

How about this then...

Retail price four times the trade cost TO ME (National company who will be able to buy far better than me) and work that was unjustified. The owner tells me that there appeared to be nothing wrong with the van before MOT and that they refused to give him the old parts two hours after the completion, as they had been 'disposed of'.

On my insistence, they gave him back the discs where at least the rears were perfectly fine, the fronts less so, bit it should have been an advisory.

I'm told that the calliper was apparently due to a seized handbrake mechanism. But they couldn't produce the original to show why it couldn't have been released.

I had a word in the manager's shell like and negotiated a refund on the rear discs but they wouldn't budge any further. In a nutshell, they royally shafted this owner who only went there for an MOT because it was over the normal 3T weight limit and nobody else would take it.

 

[JOEPRO]

How about this then...

View attachment 427190

Retail price four times the trade cost TO ME (National company who will be able to buy far better than me) and work that was unjustified. The owner tell me that there appeared to be nothing wrong with the van before MOT and that they refused to give him the old parts two hours after the completion, as they had been 'disposed of'.

On my insistence, they gave him back the discs which at least the rears were perfectly fine.the fronts less so, bit it should have been an advisory.

I'm told that the calliper was apparently due to a seized handbrake mechanism. But they couldn't produce the original to show why it couldn't have been released.

I had a word in the manager's shell like and negotiated a refund on the rear discs but they wouldn't budge any further. In a nutshell, they royally shafted this owner who only went there for an MOT because it was over the normal 3T weight limit and nobody else would take it.

My brother was at a BMW main dealer getting his car serviced and noted there appeared to be an abundance of prefect looking brake discs in a skip outside.

A short while later he was advised his car was due for all new discs and pads. (Even through he knew they were absolutely fine and less than a year old) he declined!

 

[Robotstar5]

I used to get good service from a local chap so when he amalgamated with another company it was a bit further but I still took my car to them ONCE. I've always noted my mileage when dropping my car off at garages to stop it been used as a taxi/runaround while it's there. The service check sheet was a very comprehensive 3 page affair including a 3 mile road test which had been ticked, I checked my tripmeter and it had only done 0.2 miles! I never went back.

 

[redlig]

This is quite similar to me also.

In my last job I revealed too much and I was the go to Heating dude. Air con control dude. And Computer / smart screen dude Hence I was first port of call for complaints or issues regarding these systems even though it was F all to do with my job description.

In my new job I made sure to openly and loadly state "I don't have a clue!!!" When anyone asked me how to adjust heating or AC etc in our new office

At my last job my boss lady tried to get me to write schedules for contractors . I replied that I had no idea how to properly operate computers. Month later the office staff were looking at some badly taken photo's and as I was into photography at the time I suggested ways of improving them digitally and included a bit of tech detail. My boss looked at me and just said " You B******d!".

 

[ajlelectronics]

A short while later he was advised his car was due for all new discs and pads. (Even through he knew they were absolutely fine and less than a year old) he declined!

I am toying with the idea of a formal complaint to their parent company. Probably get ignored but it all depends on how "scrappy" I feel during the day. I haven't had a legal fight for a few years, so maybe I should be brushing up?

 

[Smallfry]

How about this then...

View attachment 427190

Retail price four times the trade cost TO ME (National company who will be able to buy far better than me) and work that was unjustified. The owner tells me that there appeared to be nothing wrong with the van before MOT and that they refused to give him the old parts two hours after the completion, as they had been 'disposed of'.

On my insistence, they gave him back the discs where at least the rears were perfectly fine, the fronts less so, bit it should have been an advisory.

I'm told that the calliper was apparently due to a seized handbrake mechanism. But they couldn't produce the original to show why it couldn't have been released.

I had a word in the manager's shell like and negotiated a refund on the rear discs but they wouldn't budge any further. In a nutshell, they royally shafted this owner who only went there for an MOT because it was over the normal 3T weight limit and nobody else would take it.

Sadly this is all too common. SWMBO was quoted something similar for front calipers on her Suzuki Jimny. She only went because I am a bit busy ATM, and asked if it could wait until the summer. It was only an advisory, but she likes her little car to be right.
So, I am doing it at the moment, after she suggested that she might be too busy to do dinners

Have bought all new calipers, pads, discs, front and rear hoses, rear wheel cylinders and shoes, as the greatest fag is bleeding the system, and still only up to £240, and Suzuki parts are expensive.

I dont know how people afford these sort of bills, but they get away with it is a company is paying.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and it had only done 0.2 miles!

Which was probably done shunting it in and out of the workshop.

 

[tigdlo]

I've worked as a mechanic/MOT tester in some of these places, not for long though as it doesn't pay to be honest. Even the best garages I've worked at charge customers for their own f ups, or for trying parts without even trying to diagnose the problem.

 

[bricol]

My favourite un-needed work story is from years ago - a work colleague took his Ford Sierra for MOT at local Kwik Fit.

Gets a call during the day - it needs all new shocks - it'll be loads of money . . .

Go ahead - if it needs it, it needs it.

Go to collect, they present the rather large bill . . .

He in return presents the paperwork with the several years warranty/free replacement etc of the shocks etc fitted less than 12 mths before by the same place . . .

Cue Kwik Fit gnashing of teeth and "have a nice day sir . . ."

Hasten to add, not all Kwik Fits are like that - had some good service and been allowed to rummage through used exhausts etc for bits to use from others.

 

[qwakers]

my local kwik fit is top notch for the 10 or 15 mots i send there every year... will abort test if there's something wrong (like emissions) rather than fail it, go suddenly blind if the eml comes on just as he's backing it off the ramp etc.

 

[dobbslc]

A mate had a 2.8 Capri and had all new Kwik fit exhausts fitted with a lifetime garentee, he got three new exhaust systems out of them before he sold the car
That's quite a lot of pipe!