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Author
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Topic: I'm really glad I am a retired auto mechanic
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Aznative
FARTS ON CLUELESS LIBERALS
Member # 506
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posted November 14, 2014 06:37 AM
With shop rates going north of $100/hour in many Metropolitan areas, we should expect even higher repair cost across the board because of Obama's new CAFE requirements. The acronym CAFE means Corporate Average Fuel Economy. By 2025,Obama wants passenger cars to achieve 60 miles per gallon and light trucks to achieve 50 mpg. Keep in mind a Prius only gets an average 50 mpg highway/city just barely meeting the 2025 light truck standard.
I've heard the car makers are eliminating every gram they can find to meet the new CAFE rules. I truly believe this is the reason we are not seeing dipsticks on automatic transmissions on most vehicles (approximately 25 grams). The cost to check and fill most of the dipstickless trannys will probably run 20-40 dollars labor. This will impact the 3rd and 4th owners who historically have trouble paying for repairs such as a front tranny seal and such. Having to pay to simply have the transmission fluid checked and added as needed will add to their burdens.
The newest great idea comes from Subaru. They have now gone to stretch to fit drive belts with no tensioner (400-1000 grams); thus, Subaru has developed special tool/s that will be required to change a serpentine drive belt. Different tool/s will probably be needed for different manufacturers and even for different engines made by the same manufacturer. WTF.
I'm really glad I'm out of this business. BTW: I will be in the market for a new truck soon and will be looking for things like tensioners and dipsticks. I'm old school.
[ November 14, 2014, 06:38 AM: Message edited by: Aznative ]
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Never thought the devil would need a teleprompter but I could be wrong.
United State of America: RIP
Born July 4th 1776 died November 6th 2012
Posts: 1924 | From: Phoenix Az | Registered: Jan 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 14, 2014 07:47 AM
I miss wind wings.
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31460 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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booger
TOO BIG TO FAIL
Member # 3602
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posted November 14, 2014 01:49 PM
That is interesting...I got out of banking for a 2 year period to run the Ford store in Russell, Kansas. My wife and I had intentions of buying the dealership, but I learned fast that Ford didn't want small dealerships to survive, and that was in 1997.
I recognized pretty quick that most of the shop work was replacement of factory parts rather than fixing them. Our little dealership paid almost $1,500 per month for 'special tools'...not participating was not an option...they saddled you with tools that you may never use.
One of the stupidest things I ever saw had to do with starters on Thunderbirds and Cougars. They had a problem with the brushes on the starters...instead of doing a recall just on the brushes, they sent out a recall to replace the whole starter.
I found out pretty quick that most of the folks making the decisions on that stuff had never wrenched on anything in their lives.
Sounds like it is still the case.
[ November 14, 2014, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: booger ]
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If we ever forget we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under--Ronald Reagan
Posts: 911 | From: Bob Dole Country | Registered: Apr 2010
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Aznative
FARTS ON CLUELESS LIBERALS
Member # 506
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posted November 15, 2014 07:25 AM
You are correct that manufacturers don't like small dealerships. I wonder if that dealership is still open after the Great Recession.
At $1500 per month, one month might pay to keep 1 Ford World Diagnostic System up to date for one year. You also would be taking in non Ford trades and have to purchase service information for all of the other makes at a starting price of $180 per month for Alldata and maintain one generic scanner such as a Snap on Solus (5k to purchase and 1K to keep it up to day every year).
As small as I was, I still have about $250 in tooling I never used our couldn't use. I purchased some special tools to to a timing belt on a Ford 4 cylinder. As it turns out I couldn't get the cam sprockets loose to even use them. I had to make my own timing marks with a marky and install the new belt exactly the same position as the original. It worked fine when I was done.
Repairs are now made using complete new or remain units. 30 years ago I use to overhaul steering gears. 10 years ago I couldn't find a steering gear seal kit for a saginaw steering gear on my Dakota in all of Metro phoenix, population 4 million. I ended up special ordering the seal kit. Shops don't want the liability of overhauling engines, starters and especially steering gears.
[ November 15, 2014, 07:37 AM: Message edited by: Aznative ]
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Never thought the devil would need a teleprompter but I could be wrong.
United State of America: RIP
Born July 4th 1776 died November 6th 2012
Posts: 1924 | From: Phoenix Az | Registered: Jan 2005
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booger
TOO BIG TO FAIL
Member # 3602
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posted November 17, 2014 06:21 AM
You are right, the dealership is gone, but the guys that ran the service department are stilling doing a land office business running a repair shop.
The cool thing is they bought all of the parts inventory and special tools so they are set up pretty well.
I saw the handwriting on the wall, and went back into banking in 1999. The dealer couldn't get the place sold, so he made a deal with Ford and sold all of the obsolete parts back, and signed an agreement that once he sold out, that there would not be any Ford Store in the town...he was a vindictive SOB.
The parts department in that place was like a museum...they still had parts for old Model A's and some of the early Fords...I really enjoyed the 'tune ups' in a quart oil can...it had either 6 or 8 spark plugs, condenser and points in a Motorcraft quart can...I kick myself now for at least not buying one of those while I was there!
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If we ever forget we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under--Ronald Reagan
Posts: 911 | From: Bob Dole Country | Registered: Apr 2010
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