I’ve been a tech for 40 years, I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, everyone is a mechanic until they can’t fix one, and all the bullshit on the web doesn’t help.

That is one of the main reason I went to the forklift business because cannot get a good wage because the other guy can do it cheaper which in turn that makes us worth less in the market in texas wich sucks but it is what it is and forklift mechanic get much more appreciated for their work as I am seeing right now in the past few weeks I been working

@StrongerThanBigfoot

4 ай бұрын

I been thinking about forklift mechanic as well

@ericksosa1010

4 ай бұрын

@StrongerThanBigfoot it's worth it you don't need much tools and if so snap on don't have em with is a plus and also if you work in regular cars you already have 80 percent of the tool needed you may need more bigger sockets and wrenches that about it however the downside is lack of manual for fixing them for example rnr engine rnr transmission and radiators o and they have given me a comp van to drive around and don't need to put milage in car as well

@CSE26-h8z

4 ай бұрын

@@ericksosa1010 so true, the forklift industry is amazing, left automotive and have no regrets

@peteralessandroni3442

4 ай бұрын

19 yrs as an auto tech. Made the switch to forklift repair and building maintenance 2 yrs ago. No regrets

There's also a reason people call dealerships "stealerships" because quite often they are no better than some of these nitwit places. I do diag work on the weekends for a small independent shop, I've lost count how many times I have had to do diag on a car the dealership couldn't fix (until the customers money ran out or they were sufficiently pissed off). I just did one the other day that the dealership diagnosed with a bad PCM (crank-no start)... pulled the intake hose off sprayed some break cleaner in the throttlebody, turned the key - fired and ran until it ran out of break cleaner...checked pump module - good, checked power/ground at pump and diagnosed a bad pump....how do you go from no start to bad PCM without checking very basic things Air/Fuel/Spark??? I know there are crap shady shops, but there are "stealerships" too that aren't helping the industry.

@COBRO98

4 ай бұрын

You didn't check for noise from the pump itself upon cycling the ignition or check the fuel rail pressure with a gauge.. You just assumed it was a bad pump.. your entire comment is ironic and very shade tree

@keithk1454

4 ай бұрын

@@COBRO98 your right! always start with the basics! Fuel pres, injector pulse, spark!

@fixitman2174

2 ай бұрын

@@COBRO98 Always start with the easiest test, and work your way up to the hardest. It's not always easy for one person to hear a fuel pump. It is extremely easy to try alternative fuel first. Each test shortens the list of subsequent tests until the cause is found. I would prefer to test fuel pressure next, but that's not always easier than testing at the FPCM and fuel pump. It all depends on the make/model/engine, which we don't know. An open mind is the most important diagnostic tool we have.

The sad thing, small shops are a necessary evil. Most people can't afford a $1,200 bill for routine up keep. Engineers are over complicating cars and the owner id paying the price.

She also needs to understand that most shops don't want mess with Nissan or BMW there pain to work on look for ways to turn them down

@fixitman2174

2 ай бұрын

The small shop I work for has no issues with all the makes everyone else avoids. That's why we're always busy (we even stayed busy through COVID). I specialize in diagnosing BMW/Mini. The mechanic I've been working with for years specializes in repairing them. It's not always easy, but it is very profitable. It's a shame most shops only care about easy.

Hmm few points here: Didn't you just rant about manufacturers locking out shops, requiring them to buy subscriptions? Just making a buck. Isn't that everyone. The question is whether they do the job correctly. Been to a variety of shops and dealer shops. Was at a high price dealer myself decades ago. - left industry, story for another time. Even dealers are not immune from poor quality. It's more a professional mech's ethics issue crossed with manufacturers design intent to protect dealerships. Regarding paying for diag. Two issues: 1) Not all diags identify the real problem 2) Shops I frequent fold or discount the diag cost in, if you purchase the repair. -- Recently, I took my 99 truck in for brakes and a wheel bearing job. After talking to the tech, I asked him to do a complete run through for safety as my wife is the main driver of this truck. Several grand later: wheel bearings, brakes, struts, front damper and a few other parts. Before and after he walked me through issue and fix. Was it expensive yes, but fixing it correctly is less costly than an accident caused by mechanical failure. Will I go back to this shop again. Yes for most issues. I've a fairly comprehensive home shop for a Diyer and it's a distance to the local shops ~40 miles. So it's a tradeoff between my time and current knowledge and money. However, what tips it onto the pro's side most times is my confidence in the mech being current and qualified which gives me peace of mind. I'll gladly pay the extra which I wouldn't call extra for that peace of mind, knowing my wife is driving a safe vehicle. Regarding the industry. It's one of the only technical profession where the company does not supply your tools. I'm still questioning that. The industry I switched two Engineering & IT all have companies supply tools e.g., computers and peripherals. I think the industry needs to rethink that. Also, the training issue, it's a problem all over. Employer training and mentoring is down which I fell is very short sighted.

@COBRO98

4 ай бұрын

A smart man knows when to fold em and let someone more experienced take over, even after being a tech for nearly 2 decades I wouldn't take on a big vehicle job from a vehicle manufacturer I don't know, I would give my work to someone that does. I condone DIY work but the truth is, on modern vehicles, most people have no business touching them. The 1980's was very different than today(sadly). As for techs supplying their own tools, there's a national labor law requiring any and all employers to provide the tools necessary for an employee to do their job. For some reason "mechanics" ignore that law and continue to invest a house's worth of money into them. I did it too.

One of the laws that annoys me is when a customer in my state brings a vehicle in for inspection they must provide proof of insurance to get safety inspection done and not have to provide insurance for the emissions test. The emission test must pass before they can be approved for safety inspection. Why should the mechanic or shop be the policeman to enforce insurance laws when the state requires the owner to have insurance to get license plates in the first place??

You shouldn't need that garbage to do a brake job anyway

@user-bp3we5tz1o

4 ай бұрын

oof. do NOT, work on new gm brakes. You could lose your fingers.

Probably went to jiffy lube to get brakes done

I am a diy'er in your audience but I did go to school to be an automotive tech back in the '80s. I have always worked on my own cars with the exception of things like alignments that I don't have equipment for. I have been a plumber for nearly 30 years & the trades experience the same kinds of problems. A large part of my work is rework from other consumers &/or plumbers. There are a lot of great plumbers in my city but just as with the auto industry there are a lot of bad ones also. And not just small companies. I have a customer that has spent somewhere near 500k ( yes a half million) & the boiler company still can't make it work. The bottom line is not more government intervention ,although that is probably where it will end up, but better consumer awareness & people being willing to do what you are doing by paying their knowledge forward. Tim Magraw said it best in his song always be humble & kind. When you get to where you're going don't forget to turn back around & help the next one in line. Also consumers should be responsible for there own stupid choices of not seeking referrals before buying every line of bs hook line & sinker but that's just my rambling 2 cents.

My brother went to the Honda Dealership to get an oil change. The stealership put I'm a new battery, brand new tires, and put in a new gas cap without his permission. All are coming out to $2,100. My brother refused to pay, of course. This is what's scummy about dealerships. At the end of the day, they lost a lot of money because my brother knew lawyers.

@moosejrcustoms5292

4 ай бұрын

Sucks for them. I don't even make the repair for whatever I diag without consent. To many people back out after the diag and find out how much the repair costs. Always get a signature for their approval of the repair.

@jamesboone3678

4 ай бұрын

@moosejrcustoms5292 Yeah, they are unlucky because my brother is ruthless. I love mechanics. People treat them like garbage.

@moosejrcustoms5292

4 ай бұрын

@jamesboone3678 yes they do. I've even had them try to say they didn't approve it after they signed off on it. I use pro demand to build my qoutes. It's a cut throat business. And it is tough. I try to explain everything the best I can and ask if they have any questions before I start the repair. And with things like exhaust manifold bolts. I qoute it worst case scenario if they all break so it's pre approved. And explain that it might, and hopefully will be less. Nobody complains about the bill being less then the qoute but they will every time if its higher.

Hi Guys!!! I don't know how to fix it either. But, here's some of the frustrations that I have had as a customer... 1) Went to a dealership to get stripped wheel bolts replaced. Mechanic cut out a hole in a metal shield behind wheel to knock out bolts (saw the work outside the roped-off area). These jobs require a certain number of hours to bill. He saves time by cutting a chunk of metal off my car, but I still get charged the additional hours. I asked him how he removed the bolts. He said it would take too long to explain. 2) Went to dealership to get alternator installed. Before leaving dealership, looked under hood. Found a nut sitting on top of one of the struts. Later at home, found an open-end wrench sitting on top of the underneath splashguard. Dealership gave me a credit and apologized for a newly hired mechanic working on my car. 3) On another car, got an alternator installed. Looked under hood before leaving dealership. Found half my anti-freeze reservoir gone and metal tubing unclipped, dangling near engine. Dealership topped off anti-freeze and clipped tubing. I know these may sound minor, but when customers are paying $155 or more an hour for work done, it's a drag to always have to double-check the work (i.e., parts left around, pieces of an automobile cut off, tools left to rattle underneath). With the price of food, gas, insurance, etc. going through the roof these days, mechanic friends, shade-tree mechanics, KZread, etc. are going to be used more and more often when deciding on keeping an old car barely going or putting just basic food items on the table as opposed to paying a lot at a dealership or other auto mechanic shop that may not do it right anyway. 😞

@bryanmcfarland967

4 ай бұрын

Hey, to be fair, replacing the bolts and replacing the alternators did fix the issues. But details like I originally mentioned bring doubt upon the mechanic's work and cause customers to look at other alternatives to fix future auto problems. I'm sorry for not mentioning that before.

@COBRO98

4 ай бұрын

That metal shield you mentioned is just cosmetic for brake dust, it serves no real purpose on 99% of vehicles. Sometimes tools get unknowingly dropped or left in a vehicle, it happens and trust me we will do customers favors if they're nice enough to bring back our $100 ratchets or 10mm socket.. you have to understand that dealerships are incredibly fast paced work shops, they often move 150+ cars in a single day during the summer and there's a shortage of technicians in every shop on top of it. Lastly you need to understand that shops don't choose how many hours they charge you for, the vehicle manufacturer does, every job on your vehicle is a pre-determined time that we call "book time". The repair technicians job is to meet or beat that book time, it gets you in and out faster, don't shun them for using their experience to serve you better.

@bryanmcfarland967

4 ай бұрын

@@COBRO98 Hey, great points! Thanks! I just wanted to bring a customer point-of-view to the conversation. Sometimes I feel that we're considered idiot bad guys. LOL! 🙂

@COBRO98

4 ай бұрын

@@bryanmcfarland967 Unfortunately the relationship between customers and mechanics has always been poor, it's very hard to convey what's wrong with your vehicle sometimes without getting too technical which just causes confusion, confusion leads to distrust. When I go to a medical doctor and they tell me something is off in my blood work, I strongly listen to their advice and recommendation for treatment(s), they're the expert on the human body. Mechanics should be given that same courtesy when it comes to the machinery they work on for a living, I can assure you 98% of mechanics genuinely want to help you out and fix your vehicle. By all means get a second opinion, just as you would from medical doctors, if something doesn't seem right to you. While I don't agree with making holes in people's brake dust shields, most of the time you have to remove the wheel hub(the part your wheel bearing rides in and wheel bolts to) in order to remove that dust shield, which would have cost you more time and money. Hopefully this insight helps put your mind at ease.

@RobertUtley9564

4 ай бұрын

​​@@COBRO98You never cut the car though. That's lazy. It's a true hack job.

Is Nissan using Autoauth or something similar? I just paid $50 for a subscription for Chrysler😩

The problem is that newer vehicles from say Ford and Nissan won't let you get into certain modules like the EBM because of there security gateway. It will only let you read codes if that. And I have a Snapon Apollo scanner. It's like Chryslers gateway access that you have to pay for. Some manufacturers haven't released this for after market scanners yet.

@nathandennison7773

4 ай бұрын

The auto authorized is what I'm talking about

@Blazer02LS

4 ай бұрын

Going to get worse with the new BS that NASTF is pushing.

The FAA hold the mechanics who fix aircraft that crash accountable, why cant the DOT hold bad shoops accountable for doing bad repairs

WARNING: Long comment, I feel you pain strong Mike. But, I’m gonna spill a hard reality I had to learn. The automotive industry has a lot of “less attractive” shops (trying to stay PG here guys) because they’re more appealing to the consumer. The consumers only see “You take car, fix car, and charge me money.” Why would they want to spend extra on something that is “the same” everywhere else? And in today’s times, most people can’t afford guys like us to do the job. At least to the extent that would be considered excellent. In a real nutshell, it’s a common misconception in the general public that is the absolute furthest from the truth. It’s all about money, and it’s rewarding to have quantity over quality in our industry (for a while at least). If you’re a REAL tech, you know what I mean. Which ties in my next point, some mechanics not being able to do certain things, is EXACTLY what “they” want. I’m meaning us, the dealerships. Manufacturers. Big corporations. (I’m a Dealership Technician before I get too carried away) They want it this way so WE get ALL the money. They tried back in the 80’s and 90’s, which led to the OBDII. And here it is now they’ve about done it again, this time with EV’s which are government funded programs. But in the same sense, that’s the only way we CAN control the automotive industry. Make it to where the only people who can service the vehicle, is the people who make/sell them. It’s the way the government will corner the market and bank off of it, we all know that if it really does go to that extent. Society as a whole will change over it. I’m only 25, and I can’t imagine what’s next.

The shop may have a legit scan tool and not have capabilities with newer Nissans because of the secure gateway module. I haven't work on newer Nissans for a couple years so you can probably use Autoauth or something similar now, but at the time I had to order a 16+32 cables from AES to clear codes and access ADAS functions. I didn't try it on brakes, though. The article is written really poorly but SGW access might be why Nissan, FCA and Subaru are mentioned.

Let's be real, it's just a method to force techs to spend money. I used to update my scan tool every 2-3 years and it cost me half as much or less in the grand scheme. Now I have to update it every single year or I can't do one of the simplest parts of my job. You say it's only $800 but that's $800 out of my pocket, and another $500 every single year. Flagging 40 hours a week, that's a pay cut in an industry that already doesn't give us any benefits

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

An update is not going to cut it......

Dealerships are starting to skirt the right to repair laws by calling modules like the PCM part of the “security “ system and making it necessary to get locksmith ID and shit like that. It’s a sneaky way to backdoor the small shops and DIY people by making it expensive and complicated to work on your own car. She may be wrong about brakes but she is right about what is happening.

@shueher1

4 ай бұрын

Working at a dealership, we don't get to make those rights. Those decisions comes from the manufacturer (GM, Stellantis, Ford, etc). In actuality we're just another shop.

@chekelley6861

4 ай бұрын

@@shueher1 true that. But regardless, the right to repair is being circumvented by the OEs

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

She is right about the brakes the epb module is part of the "safety system".

Everybody's neighborhood has a "fixitguy". My guy is Tyrone he can fix a car,a marriage,or washing machine.He even fixed my cat.

I believe a large part of the problem in our industry is perception. People will pay huge sums of money for a skilled tradesman to do work for them (electrician, plumber, carpenter), but want the car fixed for under $100. They don't view us as skilled tradesmen. A large part of the industry are skilled, but as in all forms of trades, there are also hacks, and they are the ones trashing the rest of us. Folks, the people fixing your cars are part of the skilled trades, and should be treated and paid as such, unless they prove themselves otherwise.

Great video Mike, agree with you 100%. The problem is there are hundreds if not thousands of these shops and is going to be very hard to stop these shops because there are so many of them. These people I am not even going to call the shops are so called working on these cars for nothing. 20 to 30 dollars tops just enough to get there fix. That is why channels like yours gives people the heads up on these so called shops. Keep up the great work Mike.

You can do the brake with the ThinkDiag from ThinkTool or the dongle from Topdon. Entry $120-$160

Nissan isn’t without fault in this either. They started requiring autoauth before you could even access it because they didn’t have it up and running yet. They are supposed to have a time frame to give us access but they know that the people policing it have no teeth. The only thing the government needs to do is make them standardize support for the aftermarket. It’s been ridiculous. Just like the whole security professional BS. Make a system, make everyone jump through hoops for access, and by the time people get a grasp on using it BAM!! They’re changing the whole thing up. I got tired of their 💩 and instead of putting money in their pockets I invested in a lot more equipment and now I have a way around just about all of their nonsense. EEPROM, chip programming, and soldering is almost a necessity at this point if you want to be able to do it all. It has opened a lot of doors for us. Most of the time it’s easier to clone a module than using their systems to do it anyways. We had a 2019 Dodge Ram come in from a shop who put in a used transmission. The dealer told them the only way to get it going was to buy a whole new TCM/valve body as the VIN was a one time write only. I cloned it for them instead and it’s back on the road for a fraction of the price. They’re making these vehicles more and more prone to failure while trying to force you into buying brand new expensive parts to fix issues you shouldn’t even be having at that mileage to begin with. Sure, if shops don’t know what they’re doing and can’t keep up then they need to get out but if people don’t think these manufacturers aren’t making things difficult on the aftermarket on purpose then they haven’t been paying attention. I suggest if you’re going to be in this industry going forward learn all you can about flashing chips and cloning because there is going to be a huge market for it for us in the aftermarket.

I have never in my life seen an industry where the “top tier“ technicians are so scared and paranoid of the little guy, and so hell-bent on removing them as competition. So many of them lately have been begging for new regulations and this type of stuff to remove them from the industry. Are there subpar mechanics out there?… absolutely!! Are there mechanics out there that should not be working on cars?… absolutely!! Bottom line, if we want to fix the industry, we have to make ourselves and our game better and educate the customer and understand that the person taking their car to the cheapest option available is never going to be our customer. Those people will always be there, no matter what we or the government say, and they will always have a customer base with their opinion, and will always have a public platform for that opinion and all of the “top-tier” technicians, ranting, and whining, and trying to eliminate the bottom of the barrel is an extremely bad look, and is frankly embarrassing for our industry. We should be focusing on our own performance, and the rest will handle itself.

@StrongerThanBigfoot

4 ай бұрын

Perfectly said

We don’t need to “WEED OUT” small shops that don’t have scan tools. In my situation, I was a one man show (I did hire help over and over and most of them sucked or try to steal from me) and I bought all the lifts, tire machine, and still had tools to pay off on top of overhead and government cleaning fees…How am I not a real shop owner? Working in motorcycles, you can get away with not using scan tools but you should also ask questions of a vehicle owner bringing in their vehicle to see if one is qualified or capable of doing certain tasks so you don’t waste anyone’s time. People come from all walks of life to make something out of nothing and sure, a scan tool would be essential during expansion of one can afford it, but dealerships wouldn’t be constantly try to pull me to work for them if I didn’t have skill and the fortitude to work around the lack of tools. I believe you give you good information in general, but that is a bush league video you just put up.

Hold button. There is a release routine to do it without a tool. At least Ford does.

@dougdier3104

4 ай бұрын

So does jeep

@user-bp3we5tz1o

4 ай бұрын

gm has a way to go into rear maintenance mode. you still need to disconnect the battery although.

@fixitman2174

2 ай бұрын

I've seen a Jeep that required a scan tool, and I've seen a BMW that didn't. The article may be describing a lazy shop, or they may be under-equipped.

While I understand I do have to say sadly they have a place in the market. They usually are the cheapest closest shop for some people. While I don't really like the mediocre mechanic that shotguns parts obviously some people don't want to pay for a real technician to do oil changes and basic repairs. They exist because theirs a market for it. Maybe if we had better automotive understanding where customers actually knew a thing or two about cars then maybe these clowns wouldn't be able to cheat customers that don't know better. But there are customers that know better but maybe can't afford anything better. No government intervention would fix it

Thank you Mike. Is there a way to get an individual nastf lsid ? Shops do not want to pay for it it seems.

Imagine not buying tools as a mechanic.

@COBRO98

4 ай бұрын

The law says you're not required to, it's the employer's responsibility to provide the tools you need to do your job. Look it up.

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

I mean the oem software for each brand is more of a shop level expense and the newest stuff is going be laptop only in a lot of cases your not going be able to put it on your scan tool.....

in the past i have even unbolted the motor that drives the piston and retracted the pistons it a learning curve been a tech for 44 years now

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

Be careful some new cars list those motors as single use...once they are off that's it

@fixitman2174

2 ай бұрын

Many cars will require a scan tool to re-calibrate after doing that. Some will be damaged by doing that. If you have the scan tool, use it. If you don't, send it. Why take the risk?

I’m only 17 and not a auto mechanic but I have loved the industry since i was very young due to always being surrounded by mechanics(father, uncles, grandfather, family friends). Seeing these videos is quite disheartening because It’s evidence of the industries slow but steady decline. If something isn’t done, more and more experienced technicians are going to continue leaving the field which would bring greater rise to those same ghetto shops you referred to in your video. That is what we do not want, and definitely do not need. Government intervention must be made, however its unlikely for that to happen..

I work for myself because i cant get a decent wage at a shop. I have plans to grow with a nice shop. But right now im more into buying the nrcesary equipment to do the testing. Im better outfitted than the shops in this town so i wind up fixing what the others cant. When i do brakes i restore to as new while the other brick and mortor shops in this town charge the same as i do and just padslap brakes. I get a competive rate on flat rate not billing by the man hours i have into a job. This way my labor rate is uniform example being if changing linings rotors and calipers pays 3 hours on an f150 today next week when im not feeling the same the billed hours on the ro will be the same for the same vehicle. Not 5 hours because it took 2 people 2.5 hrs to do the same job. I usually come pretty close to hitting mitchell time except for some jobs like axleshsfts and wherl bearings on silvarado 1500 trucks i hsve done so many of those now i think i could do them with my eyes closed

Dealerships lobbied and attempted to push and pass a bill. That would only allow dealers to work on cars, pushing out the shops. Literally this whole locked out situation. Fortunately it didn't pass. This is in massachusetts. Iono about any updates as of now. But fingers crossed.

@Quickscop3r4u

4 ай бұрын

Shit like this makes me want to get out of this industry ive been losing interest by the day i start a new job at a shop and if it doesnt work out im giving up

@parker7953

4 ай бұрын

@@Quickscop3r4u Yeah I gave up after working at shop #5, industry doesn't care anymore.

@Quickscop3r4u

4 ай бұрын

@@parker7953 yea this is my last time at a shop unless ppl i used to work with recommend me a shop but other than that im close to changing careers

@Blazer02LS

4 ай бұрын

Yep and then an outfit that is supposed to be helping shops turned around and pushed through their BS which does even worse..

All you need is a 9v battery and some wire to bypass the scan tool issue.

Volkswagon had electric rear calipers long before most car companies.

Near me there's a mile of tin canopy shops, no lifts, just jacks. Stacks of tires with gallons of Armor All on them. X - Mas lights, Big bright signs Tune Up - Engine - Brakes - Insp -- all else. Everything is negotiable as far as price. Like you would see in Mexico..if you know what I mean.

Isn’t that why they have BAR to report bad shops

There are multiple ways to retract those electronic park brakes. Scan tool functions is the easiest. You can also do it manually by removing the electronic motor from the caliper and retracting it. Another way is power probing the electronic motor to retract. Its just a simply motor. Dont over think it. Follow S.I etc.

I’ve manually wound the motors back after I remove them from the caliper before I had the scan tool, or a power probe does the trick also

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

Probably should read up on the 2024 Pathfinder EPB.....you might be supprised

@DEmechanic2000

4 ай бұрын

@@jonathanreynolds3811 I’ll look into it. Haven’t been lucky enough to work on one yet lol

What about wright Tools? I would put them in A or S, based on excellent quality, good value and ease of warranty.

I’ve seen a lot of guys use a power probe to wind back the calipers. I don’t advocate for this. But it does work. And yes, if you can’t figure out how too do it the proper way. Then you shouldn’t be the one doing the job. As far as government intervention. That’s not going too happen. In fact the opposite is happening. Just recently congress struck down key parts of the right too repair laws. So now auto manufacturers don’t have to make service information available too the public. Not only that, but the government is at war with fossil fuels in general. So naturally they are trying to kill the industry. Not help it.

@Grandpuba1069

4 ай бұрын

Your reply is laughable. Just cuz you don’t have a scan tool to retract the calipers does not mean that they do not know how to fix the vehicle, that’s just ignorance on your part and you’re part of the problem.

@christopherkassner8894

4 ай бұрын

@@Grandpuba1069 Your reply to me is laughable. I’ve had too bail “ techs” out after locking out the ebrake system on euro cars. And if you don’t have a scan tool there is something seriously wrong. You can’t even reset oil services lights on some late model cars without a scan tool.Try doing a brake flush on a new BMW without using a scan tool too reset the service light. It will be back with the customer complaining you didn’t flush the brake fluid. So no I’m not the problem.

Im going to play devils advocate here. I dont really know the context of the article or the details of the dealership in question. Having dealer experience I know alot of dealers only have manufacturer supplied scan tools to perform those kinds of functions on their dedicated brand. Now some dealers do supply an aftermarket scan tool IF they they process alot of used cars that are not within their brand. If they do not see much revenue with vehicles out of their brand they will sublet this work to other shops. Im not really advocating for dealerships to operate like this but to label them as "parts changers" is a little harsh imo. For example I work in a BMW dealership, if a vehicle came in that was out of brand and wanted brakes I would not be able to perform this function with our scan tool. I work on BMWs 99.9 % of the time, am I expected to buy a scan tool just for that one car i might see every other year?

Here in Commiefornia, you can call the BAR bureau of automotive repair and complain or report unlicensed repair shop activity, they love to cite and prosecute shops all the time, you can go to the state web site and see all the disciplinary actions they take especially smog check shops and technicians get fined thousands of dollars! for cheating customers.

How hard is it to subscribe to identfix or whatever the shop wants to use, identifix in my case, buy a decent autel scan tool to name a few. I run my own shop solo, and have plenty of work all the time. I diag and get to the root of the problem, not throw parts at it. Indentifix only cost me $170 a month and i have access to everything i need, and if they dont have the info i need listed, a simple email and i have it. I use mine for labor time estimates and service data i need, not to mention torque specs. If they dont have the equipment just tell the customer you cant do whatever they need done. Dont lie and say its a dealer repair only. I definitely get it, i like to remind the customers im the last line of defense before they go to the dealership for a reason. I have huge shops send alot my way because they only want gravy. So just remember that when they go back there

I love your channel but on this story I think you have the wrong take based on a bad article written off of a tik tok video. The shops she went to are probably not hacks and were honest enough to send her to the dealer without trying to work around the security and cause damage to her vehicle. This is not a "no scan tool" issue, it is a not having OEM software issue. She also has a 2024 which explains why those shop haven't had this issue before. I'm sure aftermarket support will catch up but its not there yet.

Because auto repair shops arnt held accountable for bad repairs, which could lead to a car accident etc .

I am a tech…equipment and heavy truck… I didn’t even know they made cars where you had to have a scan tool to change the brakes… amitly I don’t keep up with the auto side of the tech world

i do rear brakes on a benz all the time without using a scan tool to unlock the calipers, You can take the motor off the caliper and run in with a torx socket. press in the pistons and install the brakes. afterwards just cycle the parking brake and it adjusts it self automatically also can do this on bmws and others as well. I do have the scanner to do this the right way, but its faster to just take the motor off the caliper, Im not a rocket scientist or anything just a joe shmoe. Now on new gms you have to have the scanner to reset the brake pad reset deal or you get abs lights and shit.

A $250-300 scan tool should be able to do 99% of all thats needed to diagnose and repair the meat and potatoes of a vehicle. You shouldn't need a $2500+ scan tool to do the job.

Iam a DIYer cause of these, quote {parts changers}.

@HAHA.GoodMeme

4 ай бұрын

me too

Let me add about these tin roof shops -- these are in the hood where not a store has been rented in 30 years ! The area is dead. Immigrants come in and in time the whole street is lit up, painted all kind of goods sold 6am to midnight.

I watched this TikTok. I also commented on this TikTok that she needs to find a real shop.

Agreed, there's no painless way to fix this problem. It's like picking between to evils in some sense.

Mike, This crap has been going as long as I’ve been in the business (50 years) They were called shade tree and backyard mechanics. You can even see them working on their cars in front of parts stores. Only difference is social media. As I look back I think the bad (complainers) outweigh the good (helpers). Seems like a lot of times when people ask for help they are ridiculed or put down instead of helped. I saw that on IATN years ago and on “Changing the Industry “ now. Human nature don’t change much.

Anybody could get it wrong Scanner Dan, Flate rate master when it comes to fixing stupid stuff like water leaks on a wrangler or these evap codes small leaks

In east coast canada we have a DOT officer we can call if we catch other shops doing dangerous work. If only that could be expanded to take on those shitty side shops. Something like the better business bureau but with teeth for techs.

It's a societal problem. People are lazy and lack integrity/pride in their work.

You should see the heavy Equipment side

You dont need a scan tool! Just unbolt the electric motor with the right torx and wind the caliper back with a flat head

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

LOL you're gonna need a flat bed to take that pathfinder to the dealer....

@isorozco511

4 ай бұрын

@@jonathanreynolds3811 LOL nah, im a former nissan tech. It also works on honda/acura and any electric motor in the back. If you break it thats on you.

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

@@isorozco511 I'll assume then you have worked on the 24 pathfinder yet as you have to sign into the can bus to retract the piston. Also those motors are one time use if you remove them you have to replace the entire caliper.

@isorozco511

4 ай бұрын

@@jonathanreynolds3811 nah. I quit a little over a yr ago. Missed the 24 models thankfully. Nissan is garbage just like the rest of the dealer life.

I will say that people, in general, especially in the present economy, will make choices about how they are going to spend their money almost entirely based on price. So crappy, cheap parts, crappy, cheap tools, and crappy, cheap labor get picked over more expensive stuff. Same for shops. No. I am not saying lower the labor rate at your shop. I will say that a strategic advertising campaign to inform people about choosing wisely when it comes car repair will save them money over the long term.

Hey wait a minute I watch from all the to time😊

"The World is A Ghettooo...."....(song)....

Being anti government regulation = being anti consumer, anti workers

I always have a devil's advocate point of view. With that said, I personally am ok with low tier shops existing. They can't ruin the whole industries reputation, thats a silly notion. The ones that botch a job just make the capable shops more valuable. Market differential through capitalism. The customers set the market price, and the customers that don't want to pay are free to go to those bottom feeders. I am happy they do, because it allows me to focus on working for customers that are willing to pay for my better services without getting bogged down by the free loaders and cheap asses. Every one of my customers knows it ain't gonna be cheap, it's gonna be done correctly. That's why they come to me. Our shop has a good reputation that in no way, shape, or form can be hindered by the industries' flunkies.

Got a feeling that 5 years from bow every city and state are going to unionize.

There has to be a better term that ghetto shop. Look up what the history of that word really means.

Ive never built a house before but you tube shows me how, tic tok shows me. U opened the flood gates with free info, now everyone is a handyman, to consumers cheap is the way, but at the end of the day, my mom wld say if u buy shit ur gonna get shit.

I think is more of consumer problem. It’s a buyers market unfortunately. I always say you get what ya pay for.

Education -- instead of ranting -- educate people.

yes, your industry sux...every time I get something repaired, they F something else up. Last one was my exhaust manifold on F150. Purchased all parts, even a tap. They broke one stud, told me about it, did not replaced it, assumed they did. Go back, they rethreaded it with larger tap and stuck a bold in there. Stupid and incompetent abounds. Did I save time ?....Nope.

Government regulation isnt the answer (they've tried that in other industries, it hasn't worked for any of them). Just realize that there are two different groups of customers, and two different industies here. Quality repairs, and cheap hack jobs. Focus on your customers that want a good quallity repair done, and are willing to pay a fair price for it. Let the "price is all that matters" customers stick to their hack job cheapo shops, and move on. As long as human nature continues as it is, there will always be both groups, just pick what group you want to be, and build your buisness and customer base for it.

It’s an unlicensed trade. At best your state may have emissions or an annual safety inspection but there’s no regulation as to who can preform the work. Thats what’s killing this industry and suppressing wages. Put all the ASEs on the wall and badges on your shirt you want, but in the eyes of the customer they mean absolutely nothing. If a customer doesn’t like the price of an estimate they know they can go down the road and find a difference of 40%-50%. Then when the repair goes south they can rant on social media and build more distrust for the industry that hurts us all. The reason licensed trades are doing so much better than us is because once they become licensed they are no longer competing with just anyone who is willing to do the work. Try telling a hvac, electrician, plumber, that you know someone who’ll do the job for the price of materials and a case of beer, they’ll laugh at you. But in our industry it’s probably true because that’s who we’re competing with.

@scarling9367

4 ай бұрын

50/50. I left EMS specifically because of pay. All the cert I needed, but I made more slinging car parts with a lot less stress.

@jasonkoplen2554

4 ай бұрын

@@scarling9367 that’s probably true but a bottom of the barrel comparison. If slinging car parts pays better than EMS . Slinging hvac, electrician , plumbing parts pays better than slinging car parts and EMS with a lot less stress.

@scarling9367

4 ай бұрын

@@jasonkoplen2554 Except it isn't. My state - IN - doesn't have a whole lot in the way of professional licensing. Some cities may require electrical licensure, but there's nothing at the state level. Same with HVAC. All good paying jobs. So I don't think that's the magic bullet fix you think it is. Rarely is there a one and done solution.

@jasonkoplen2554

4 ай бұрын

@@scarling9367 there’s no such thing as a “magic bullet” when it comes to attracting people to the trades. Except money which has been nonexistent for 20+ yrs in unlicensed trades. Im not saying it’s worth it, but licensed contractors are pulling $200k plus a yr vs unlicensed trade professionals that are lucky if they gross $60k. There’s a reason nobody is signing up to be mechanics, painters, carpenters, etc, and it’s a simple math equation. If x = the cost of living and y = profit from labor, if x is greater than y nobody is going to do that job. Yet employers crying that “nobody wants to work” are still trying to offer $40k a yr and wondering why nobody is excepting their offer. It’s comical at this point.

@jasonkoplen2554

4 ай бұрын

@@scarling9367 licensed contractors are pulling $200k+ a year while unlicensed trades are still offering wages ranging from $30k -$60k a yr and wondering why they can’t find help. 😂

I think being a mechanic is a dying trade We are going to get replaced by robots or monkeys with super chips from Elon musk

@I_Died_2_Weeks_Ago

4 ай бұрын

😂

I mean I've seen two to three hundred dollar scan tools that I'll do brakes on that kind of car I mean holla back in my DIY days I would have just ran a battery to the terminals on a caliper and retracted them as long as you're doing it gently and slowly I don't recommend it for professional because they want worth the liability but still how are you not capable of doing this you don't have technicians or a shop owner that's willing to spend $500 to at least get a decent Autel Honestly s*** like this is what's going to cause the government to turn our industry more like plumbing and electricians and forcing us to have a college degree or an actual certification to work as an automotive technician which it's already hard enough to get people in the trades to begin with

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

Imagine having an up to date Span-On scan tools and you still can retract the brakes because access has not been released yet....that's what is happening

Any DIY can do that 😂. With or without a scanner. She's just faking this for clicks and money

The solution is to reset everything back to the beginning. Weve progressed to far too quickly

The answer is this my friend, they think they know, and money, i can do it fir 50 bucks, ok if u can do it, and this will sting but its my opinion, numb 1, if social media wasn't paying, wld creators still want to show me shit, well they get schoogled, and i can fix ur car mom, but if shown incorrectly they will do incorrectly, meaning service data says replace hub or caliper bracket bolts, nope they dont, or locktight, u folks are the problem, i appreciate u folks, im just sayn all you tube creators are the problem, back when i started info was expensive and hard to get, no in 15 min i can change ur timing chains, if you tube didnt pay, u folks wldnt give two shits, bottom line, sorry for the real truth.

The woman is talking about a subject she knows very little about and you are talking about shops you know very little about. The mechanic may be very capable but close to retiring and not willing to invest in new tools or learn new things. You never know.

You guys have a bad name and most places are scammers

@Quickscop3r4u

4 ай бұрын

I just quit my old shop because they were encouraging me to lie on the inspection sheet and say it needs tires brakes and wipers when it doesnt need it

@I_Died_2_Weeks_Ago

4 ай бұрын

They've earned their bad names

Who needs a friggin scan tool for EPBs? Remove the connector at the caliper. Use a 12v battery with probes and retract EPB piston. Push back the caliper piston, done. WTF?

@andrewpham168

4 ай бұрын

More to the video than the brake job...

@alexrileyfoxhound5453

4 ай бұрын

@@andrewpham168 he kick it off with the girls comment and not having a scan tool for EPB. Then says there should be government regulation. Would that include regulating him. He's a master tech and doesn't know you don't need a scan tool to retract EPB?

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

Enjoy all Christmas lights on the dash after you do that, also Nissan not going to warranty your mistake so you're going to spend some money.

@alexrileyfoxhound5453

4 ай бұрын

@@jonathanreynolds3811 It's never happened on any cars I've done it on, including Nissan. Why? Cause the connector is disconnected. The car does not know. Sorry I can do it with $3 probes and a jumper and you have to use the whatever you paid for it scan tool. Who's the sucker?

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

@@alexrileyfoxhound5453 glad you have had good luck with your probes... your going to run into some new models sooner or later and get humbled. Let me know when you do rear brakes on your first 2024 Patherfinder or QX60. Good Luck

And then you get a dealership that can't out low fuel pressure on an old 90s pickup

@charliemagoo7943

4 ай бұрын

There comes a point that an old 90s pickup will get too expensive to even diagnose let alone repair. Gm doesn't even have service information pre 1998.

@mph5896

4 ай бұрын

90’s stuff is considered an antique. Parts are getting limited and of lower quality. Obd1, plenty of people don’t even have obd1 tooling anymore.

@charliemagoo7943

4 ай бұрын

@@mph5896 yep ...there's a reason they quit making them. If you want to know why manufacturers don't support old vehicles......that's a whole other world ...ESG. if the manufacturers support the old vehicles their ESG score goes down. Then blackrock will no longer invest in them.

No! No government interference. That is never the answer. I can tell your upset about this and anyone who has done production work feels it too. But, it's just like theft or shrink it's something that's never going to go away and we're just going to have to deal with it. If you add some kind of regulation you now bar entry four people wanting to start a new business allowing the corporate shops to take over and I'm sure most of us don't want that.

lol, scan the tools that can do calipers are available for 300 bucks, no doubt,not a normal shop

Do you even truly need a scan tool? Worst case you can remove the EPB motor and manually retract it. I haven't seen new Nissan rear brakes but every car I've seen has been that way.

@jonathanreynolds3811

4 ай бұрын

The motors on that pathfinder are single use, if you remove them the caliper needs to be replaced. Also you are tampering with part of the safety system in and "improper" way if the customer has future issues warranty could be void.

If you want your car fixed,do it yourself,bottom line

EVERYONE GET A XTOOL D8 D9 PROBLEM SOLVED 🤷‍♂️

in my hood i get a call how much to install a pcm if i buy it? 100.oo to bolt it in. then i said stop last shop told you it needs a pcm yes told the lady if she was asking an other shop to install pcm based off the last shop nooooooo.go car was towed 150 miles to my shop fyi going to try some scanner Danner and Ivian may mix up the repair with a little eric o tricks on it save the pcm and make the lady happy this is what i deal with daily

Must of been a 2019 and up..dodge as well....now you need to buy a subscription to access the protocol or communicate with these vehicles....I don't think that's fair to independent garages or the customer....we should have the same right to repair as a dealership...great video though....I've also had to pay for tesla subscription and unfortunately haven't gained much back. But I take more pride in doing something right instead of guessing...thanks for making videos brother have a great week.

I have figured out how to fix the never ending problem of the ghetto shop taking the gravy work, and then coming to you for diag and complaining about diag fee and cost Leave the automotive industry.

That's exactly why I got out of the field