How Many Of You Have Been Forced To Become Amateur Mechanics?

[nobbie48]

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I went through the CTC upsell - "we can't let you leave like that".
I asked them to write down on the work order what was wrong (in their opinion), then do what I wanted done or drop it down off the hoist right now.
They did only what I asked and I left. The auto service writer's job is to drain as much out of you wallet as they can.
I consider my motorcycles more like I would an airplane. If I must take it to a skilled technician I expect an honest appraisal.
The issues arise because its tough to know everything about all the various models with their own features and idiosynchracies.
The seasonality of the business doesn't help.
How would you like a job where you were flat out half the year and collecting EI the other half ?
I've also seen too many owner inflicted atrocities - if you aren't sure, get that second opinion.

CTC is all over the place with up selling. The one I used to go to would up sell if they were slow but if they were busy they did the minimum and looked no further.

Wife's car battery died and to make sure there wasn't a charging issue paid CTC $35 to test the system and it "Failed". I called BS. At home I started the car, turned on everything electric I could. The headlights were dim but went full bright when I revved the engine. I got a second opinion from an alternator shop and it passed with flying colours. Their test was no charge so I made sure they got a round on me when the coffee truck came.

When I was shopping for a new Goldwing a dozen years ago I could have saved close to ten grand by shopping in the USA and had a better selection. Honda wouldn't allow the US dealers to sell to Canada. I mentioned the ridiculous situation to a dealer at one of the bike shows and was basically told they'd screw me if I brought a US bike into their shop. Thanks for the warning. So I bought private, imported and learned to fix.

I've lost weeks of riding because dealers and independent shops wanted my bike tied up until parts came in. Sometimes the parts didn't get ordered for weeks. Shanghaied.

I've had the same problems with an airplane and boats. They're worse because unlike a bike, trailering isn't usually an option.

My business was seasonal as well so I understand why techies are in short supply. However I was honest with my customers and let them know the wait time. They were free to go elsewhere.

I also advised them that seasonal equipment doesn't fix itself in its off time and there will be a line up when it is needed. Few listened.

I recall talking to a crusty old marine repair shop and every year he would arrive at the shop on the first day of fishing and there would be a line of "Won't start" boats waiting for service. Most of them had been running rough at the end of the last season.

"Sorry, can't help you today."

"Is there another marina you can recommend?"

"I don't hate anyone that much."

 

[Deleted member 50930]

I did the front brakes, chain adjustment and a oil change.....

 

[woot]

The downside of being a bike mechanic is that you have to keep working on the newer ones constantly or you will get "lost". Imagine you are a very good mechanic at taking apart carburated bikes from the 1990's and then they bring you a 2020 BMW bike with recessed oil filter, ABS and synchrotronic shifting. You will look like a chimpanzee in the cockpit of a Boeing 747 just staring at the switches and blinking lights.

I was recently shocked while on a sportster facebook group to find out that most HD dealerships will not service bikes older then 20yrs. There were guys with 99 and older sportsters from all over USA that were told to buy a new bike or learn to fix it themselves.

There was one guy defending the dealers saying that you can't expect the mechanics to be trained on every bike ever made. The number of bikes/engines/configurations that Harley has should make it pretty easy. Not to mention that they are inherently simple bikes. I barely looked in the manual for my covid project bike. Youtube as needed.

 

[GreyGhost]

I was recently shocked while on a sportster facebook group to find out that most HD dealerships will not service bikes older then 20yrs. There were guys with 99 and older sportsters from all over USA that were told to buy a new bike or learn to fix it themselves.

There was one guy defending the dealers saying that you can't expect the mechanics to be trained on every bike ever made. The number of bikes/engines/configurations that Harley has should make it pretty easy. Not to mention that they are inherently simple bikes. I barely looked in the manual for my covid project bike. Youtube as needed.

I get the 20 year thing for cars. If you bring a carbed merc or vw into the dealer, most of the kids there have never seen one before and are lost. It makes sense to find a mechanic that works on that model regularly. In HD's case, that is either just a prick move or maybe a practical decision. There have been so few changes in the past 30+ years that I expect the techs are competent on almost any repair. From a practical perspective, a 20 to 30 year old bike is normally a value play (not old enough to be cool and collectable, basically at the bottom of the depreciation curve). If you bought a sporty for $3000, are you really going to want to pony up thousands in labor at dealer rates? It may be simpler to just tell people to go elsewhere than battle every person that comes in complaining that the job cost as much as the bike. You are also less likely to spend thousands on HD bolts and accessories where the dealership makes most of their money. Keeping the value shoppers out of the showroom frees up time for the dentists and lawyers to buy garage bling.

 

[J_F]

The downside of being a bike mechanic is that you have to keep working on the newer ones constantly or you will get "lost". Imagine you are a very good mechanic at taking apart carburated bikes from the 1990's and then they bring you a 2020 BMW bike with recessed oil filter, ABS and synchrotronic shifting. You will look like a chimpanzee in the cockpit of a Boeing 747 just staring at the switches and blinking lights.

the downside of being a bike mechanic
unless you become self employed
is that you will always be a member of the working poor class

 

[GreyGhost]

the downside of being a bike mechanic
unless you become self employed
is that you will always be a member of the working poor class

And if you do become self-employed and try to do it "properly" with a commercial shop you can lose money as fast as you ever made it. Any job with huge seasonal swings of bust and boom is a tough ride.

 

[TK4]

I have a friend in his late 30s who's been in the powersports business his whole life.
He'd never worked on anything with contact points ignition until he bought himself a boat with Mercruiser stern drive.

 

[油井緋色]

I don't see it as forced.

If you love what you do, you want to know how it works.

If your mind doesn't work that way, you're gonna get ripped off.

 

[TK4]

I don't see it as forced.

If you love what you do, you want to know how it works.

If your mind doesn't work that way, you're gonna get ripped off.

Walking in the door expecting to get ripped off is a very bad way to start ANY kind of business relationship.

 

[woot]

You should try making them from scratch, couldn't be any worse. Crank up production if it turns out great, you already have the templates.

Too late. nearly every harley part has a chinese replica on amazon. I got my sportster from an insurance auction with a quoted $12000 in repairs. I fixed it for under $1000. H-D wanted $400 for one switch housing for the hand controls. I got both sides from amazon for $40. I think that I was looking at $300 for an unpainted tank.

 

[crankcall]

The nothing 20yrs older thing isnt just the shop being mean spirited, its an insurance thing for dealerships. Regular shops can make thier own rules.

buying parts on Amazon, , where ever is almost always a better deal with aftermarket stuff. They didnt have to research, design, test, they just take a pattern and start casting

 

[Baggsy]

CTC is all over the place with up selling. The one I used to go to would up sell if they were slow but if they were busy they did the minimum and looked no further.

Wife's car battery died and to make sure there wasn't a charging issue paid CTC $35 to test the system and it "Failed". I called BS. At home I started the car, turned on everything electric I could. The headlights were dim but went full bright when I revved the engine. I got a second opinion from an alternator shop and it passed with flying colours. Their test was no charge so I made sure they got a round on me when the coffee truck came.

When I was shopping for a new Goldwing a dozen years ago I could have saved close to ten grand by shopping in the USA and had a better selection. Honda wouldn't allow the US dealers to sell to Canada. I mentioned the ridiculous situation to a dealer at one of the bike shows and was basically told they'd screw me if I brought a US bike into their shop. Thanks for the warning. So I bought private, imported and learned to fix.

I've lost weeks of riding because dealers and independent shops wanted my bike tied up until parts came in. Sometimes the parts didn't get ordered for weeks. Shanghaied.

I've had the same problems with an airplane and boats. They're worse because unlike a bike, trailering isn't usually an option.

My business was seasonal as well so I understand why techies are in short supply. However I was honest with my customers and let them know the wait time. They were free to go elsewhere.

I also advised them that seasonal equipment doesn't fix itself in its off time and there will be a line up when it is needed. Few listened.

I recall talking to a crusty old marine repair shop and every year he would arrive at the shop on the first day of fishing and there would be a line of "Won't start" boats waiting for service. Most of them had been running rough at the end of the last season.

"Sorry, can't help you today."

"Is there another marina you can recommend?"

"I don't hate anyone that much."

I drove a car into CTC once before a long trip to get it checked out.
Afterwards, I had to have it towed to a proper mechanic, and rent a car for the trip.
Got into a screaming match with the manager in front of other customers.
Took the mechanic a couple of days, which I didn't have, and a couple of hundred dollars to make the car run again.

I should have known better after losing the brakes on another car, after having the front shocks replaced.
But I was in a hurry, and they were only a block away.

I'd also gotten some really good service there, but from what I've heard it depends on what you come in for and at what time, as the mechanics will be different from job to job, and day to day.

That was forty years ago, maybe they've improved since then.

 

[GreyGhost]

I drove a car into CTC once before a long trip to get it checked out.
Afterwards, I had to have it towed to a proper mechanic, and rent a car for the trip.
Got into a screaming match with the manager in front of other customers.
Took the mechanic a couple of days, which I didn't have, and a couple of hundred dollars to make the car run again.

I should have known better after losing the brakes on another car, after having the front shocks replaced.
But I was in a hurry, and they were only a block away.

I'd also gotten some really good service there, but from what I've heard it depends on what you come in for and at what time, as the mechanics will be different from job to job, and day to day.

That was forty years ago, maybe they've improved since then.

I have never talked to any mechanic that wanted to stay at CTC. They use it as a stepping stone. The last time I went near CTC for auto service (probably five years ago), I dropped of a wheel/tire for a patch. I got the call "it was too close to the edge so you need a new tire" (I'm not convinced, I think a patch was viable) so I asked if they had a matching tire in stock and I was assured that they had an identical tire in stock and would put it on. I go to pick it up (right before a long trip) and they have the same size tire but a different brand, model etc (and it was one of those stupid all weather tires). Great, now I look like the loser with a different colored door on my car.

 

[Brian P]

Link to a thread from almost 7 years ago: FZR400 winter overhaul

I've put about 20,000 km on it since. Rode it yesterday. Still runs nice, although the tires on it right now are shot. That will get fixed soon. Still looks pretty good although the fiberglass has developed a couple of cracks under the paint (it happens).

The only stuff that I farm out are tasks that I don't have the skills or tools for and aren't worth pursuing: Machining (very expensive and space consuming), painting (too hard to do it right, years of experience are required), etc. Big back-breaking jobs on cars can go to the specialists, too, especially when it's a vehicle that I rely on.

Most little jobs are faster and easier to do myself than to make an appointment with the dealer, get the vehicle there, and retrieve it later.

And yes, some people are clueless about tools. I encountered someone a few days ago who was complaining that the shift lever on his late model BMW was too high for his foot. Took a look. It has the usual 2 locknuts and turnbuckle arrangement, same as practically every other bike. Adjustable in 30 seconds with one 10mm wrench but there were no tool kits to be found. Explained how to do it ... deer in the headlights.

 

[油井緋色]

Walking in the door expecting to get ripped off is a very bad way to start ANY kind of business relationship.

And the inverse results in blind optimism.

You do you.

 

[TK4]

And the inverse results on blind optimism.

You do you.

Cautious optimism is appropriate, no question. That's not inversely proportionate.

You do you what ?

 

[Brian P]

I get the 20 year thing for cars. If you bring a carbed merc or vw into the dealer, most of the kids there have never seen one before and are lost.

Mechanics who know their way around two-stroke engines or carburetors are becoming rare, but since you mention Mercedes and VW, I have an even better one: Bosch K-Jetronic CIS fuel injection. This was 1970s technology that continued through to the early 1990s when it became impossible for this system to conform to more stringent emission standards. Lots of 1970s and 1980s VW Rabbits used this - so it was common once upon a time ... but mostly only on German cars.

It's not a carburetor, it's fuel-injection, but it works completely differently from how modern EFI works. Different operating principle, different parts.

If you have a vintage VW Rabbit with K-Jetronic and it needs any sort of fiddling ... good luck.

 

[油井緋色]

Cautious optimism is appropriate, no question. That's not inversely proportionate.

You do you what ?

I use realism unless the subject is so far out of my league I have no choice but to stfu (anything involving a scientific journal.)

You do you is a saying similar to "it is what it is" and translates to "regardless of whatever I say (or my opinion), do whatever you normally do."

 

[crankcall]

years ago when my part time job was driving a tow truck, we contract towed for CTC auto service, it was like a well fare cheque, you'd get the same car again and again. Often not completetely the techs fault, 70's and 80's cars and customers that just wanted it "going again". But the staff was largely apprentices getting started and older burnouts from better shops. Its why they were called journeyman.
My ticket was stamped journeyman, but I only worked in one shop LOL

 

[bitzz]

If you're having CAR carb problems, the Oake family will take care of you.

Carb Guys Inc.

Toronto Carbs,original carb shop, carb repair

www.carbrebuilders.com

NOBODY knows carbs like these folks. I found them when I was drag racing in the '70s. Dad did thermoquads, son did Holleys, mom did quadrajets... mom did the quadrajet on my daily driver '84 Olds.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think they'll have the requisite knowledge to service your vintage VW Rabbit with K-Jetronic.
IF you're drive/ride an old shitter, you BETTER have a shop you can trust. I do the vast majority of tasks that come up, but it's nice to know people that will consult, or at least entertain your inane ideas.
I have been going to the same bike shop since 1986.
Been using the same machinist since 1977(I was one of Gordie Bush's first customers. I bought a pair of big block Chevy oval port heads. They've been on a dozen cars. Buddy is still using them).
Been using the same alignment shop since 1985.

A TIP for you youngins': Find a shop you like, that you can trust; AND STICK WITH THEM. If the only time the shop sees you is when YOU screw up your bike; you're gonna have a bad time.
If the shop knows what you look like and knows your name, you stand a better chance they'll do their best so you come back again and again. It's easier to put it on them THIS time if they think there's going to be a NEXT time.
...and don't be a knob.

CTC is weird. One of the best mechanics I know works at one. He loves it. (Personally I wouldn't let a CTC tech replace the valve caps on my spare tire, but that's just me).
MOST, like 99%, of the "good" techs I know won't work for the public anymore. It's not worth the aggravation. Most have more referral work than they can handle.
Good techs are hard to find. If you find one, KEEP HIM/HER!

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