Number Six:
Too often unqualified technicians get in over their heads. Rather than defer to a more experienced technician or facility, they often keep going and do more harm.
Number Three:
Misdiagnosing. For the above reasons and a multitude of others, your vehicle is misdiagnosed more often than not. Mechanics will spend hours chasing the wrong problem, wasting your time and money.
Number Seven:
Taking shortcuts. In the ongoing effort to beat the clock, technicians will create a host of problems: breaking parts, snapping bolts, short circuiting sensitive electronics. Refer to Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up an Oil Change for a great discussion.
To compensate for lack of skills, mechanics often just throw parts at the problem in the hope of getting lucky. This goes right back to mistake number one: confirm the problem with diagnostics, then proceed.
Number Ten:
Making a mess. If the above nine mistakes weren’t bad enough, there are now greasy fingerprints on the hood and steering wheel, and two big greasy boot marks on the carpet.
Number Nine:
Not confirming repairs. After a repair is complete, it’s important to re-check to ensure that the problem is indeed fixed. Too often parts are thrown in and the car is pulled out only to pull in another victim.
Technicians often spend an inordinate amount of time looking for easy sells that will fatten their paychecks. In the ongoing effort to beat the clock, technicians will create a host of problems: breaking parts, snapping bolts, short circuiting sensitive electronics. After a repair is complete, it’s important to re-check to ensure that the problem is indeed fixed.
Number Four:
To compensate for lack of skills, mechanics often just throw parts at the problem in the hope of getting lucky. This goes right back to mistake number one: confirm the problem with diagnostics, then proceed.
Number Eight:
Whether through incompetence or laziness, mechanics frequently don’t do repairs correctly. It’s often sloppy work.
Number Five:
Technicians often spend an inordinate amount of time looking for easy sells that will fatten their paychecks. This type of free inspection and the subsequent upselling too often overshadows the primary concern.
Number One:
Not confirming the concern. Confirming a repair concern is a basic diagnostic principle frequently overlooked. To fix a problem, the first thing one must do is recognize it.
Number Two:
Insufficient Road Testing. The importance of a thorough road test (even for an oil change) is well documented in automotive training manuals. Many technicians consider driving the vehicle into the shop good enough.
