Not confirming the concern. It isn't rocket science, really -- you have to confirm the problem before you fix it, right? Of course, you must recognize the problem before you can even dream of straightening it out.
Not enough road tests. Look through any automotive training manual and they will all tell you -- before performing any diagnosis or solving any problem, road test the vehicle first. Unfortunately, many mechanics misconstrue the words "road test" with "driving the vehicle into the shop."
Misdiagnosis. Improper diagnosis results due to the above reasons, just to name a select few. Sure, the chap monkeying around with your car means well, but so did the likes of Hitler, Genghis Khan, Ferdinand Marcos, etc.
Solving the problem with parts. Mechanics try to make up for their abject lack of skills by arbitrarily using parts, hoping their eenie-meenie-minie-moe approach will lead to a solution. You would often hear mechanics go, "So I, like...replaced this with that and that with this, but I'm sorry to tell you this baby ain't fixed yet." Yes, we know such incompetence causes the blood to boil, but try to avoid the use of violence when dealing with such mechanics.
Not addressing primary concerns first. There are too many mechanics out there looking out for Number One (meaning themselves) and always thinking of a flim-flam to throw at the unsuspecting customer. There's nothing wrong with this provided there's no charge for the inspection, it doesn't conflict with your time, and the up sell suggestions are valid (they're frequently not). However, this type of free inspection and the subsequent up selling too often overshadows the primary concern. So...what's wrong with my car?
Overconfidence. Too often unqualified technicians get in over their heads. So they keep working and working, flummoxed as they may be, but not once do they endorse the duty to somebody with more skill and/or experience. They may be souls whose intentions are good, oh Lord, your car is going to be misunderstood!
Taking shortcuts. Mechanics are often so determined to get the job done with some time to spare to rush home and catch the Dukes of Hazzard re-run that they would create a plethora of problems, such as short circuiting your car's electronics, breaking fragile parts, snapping bolts, you name it. Read more about these mechanical misadventures in our excellent article on Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up an Oil Change.
Poor Repairs. Technicians can often succumb to their inner demons of laziness and/or incompetence and fail to do their job as repairmen. Sloppy work - that's putting it succinctly. These would usually include improperly aligned parts, the odd bolt out of place or a poorly re-installed set of components. And when it comes to computer repairs, it only gets worse; they often pay little heed to synchronization protocols, software coding and essential programs, turning what could be a Knight Rider-style Trans Am into a Knight of the Junkyard.
No re-confirmation done. Once a repair has been completed, double-checking the repairs performed is essential to ensure the car is back in running condition. Too often parts are thrown in and the car is pulled out only to pull in another victim.
Boorish technicians. You must think those first nine mistakes were a hoot to read about (but a pain to experience), but wait till you see those two gigantic boot marks on your carpeting and greasy fingerprints on your new paint job, courtesy of a mechanic who's no neater than your average two-year-old toddler handling a chocolate cookie.
Not enough road tests. Look through any automotive training manual and they will all tell you -- before performing any diagnosis or solving any problem, road test the vehicle first. Unfortunately, many mechanics misconstrue the words "road test" with "driving the vehicle into the shop."
Misdiagnosis. Improper diagnosis results due to the above reasons, just to name a select few. Sure, the chap monkeying around with your car means well, but so did the likes of Hitler, Genghis Khan, Ferdinand Marcos, etc.
Solving the problem with parts. Mechanics try to make up for their abject lack of skills by arbitrarily using parts, hoping their eenie-meenie-minie-moe approach will lead to a solution. You would often hear mechanics go, "So I, like...replaced this with that and that with this, but I'm sorry to tell you this baby ain't fixed yet." Yes, we know such incompetence causes the blood to boil, but try to avoid the use of violence when dealing with such mechanics.
Not addressing primary concerns first. There are too many mechanics out there looking out for Number One (meaning themselves) and always thinking of a flim-flam to throw at the unsuspecting customer. There's nothing wrong with this provided there's no charge for the inspection, it doesn't conflict with your time, and the up sell suggestions are valid (they're frequently not). However, this type of free inspection and the subsequent up selling too often overshadows the primary concern. So...what's wrong with my car?
Overconfidence. Too often unqualified technicians get in over their heads. So they keep working and working, flummoxed as they may be, but not once do they endorse the duty to somebody with more skill and/or experience. They may be souls whose intentions are good, oh Lord, your car is going to be misunderstood!
Taking shortcuts. Mechanics are often so determined to get the job done with some time to spare to rush home and catch the Dukes of Hazzard re-run that they would create a plethora of problems, such as short circuiting your car's electronics, breaking fragile parts, snapping bolts, you name it. Read more about these mechanical misadventures in our excellent article on Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up an Oil Change.
Poor Repairs. Technicians can often succumb to their inner demons of laziness and/or incompetence and fail to do their job as repairmen. Sloppy work - that's putting it succinctly. These would usually include improperly aligned parts, the odd bolt out of place or a poorly re-installed set of components. And when it comes to computer repairs, it only gets worse; they often pay little heed to synchronization protocols, software coding and essential programs, turning what could be a Knight Rider-style Trans Am into a Knight of the Junkyard.
No re-confirmation done. Once a repair has been completed, double-checking the repairs performed is essential to ensure the car is back in running condition. Too often parts are thrown in and the car is pulled out only to pull in another victim.
Boorish technicians. You must think those first nine mistakes were a hoot to read about (but a pain to experience), but wait till you see those two gigantic boot marks on your carpeting and greasy fingerprints on your new paint job, courtesy of a mechanic who's no neater than your average two-year-old toddler handling a chocolate cookie.
About the Author:
If you're searching for under hood or under car repair, Carolinas AAA will deliver the best work for your automobile.