Quantcast
Jump to content

this pisses me off !!!


Recommended Posts

Here is another reason I think we need more regulations and certifications for being a Mechanic.. A lady comes into my shop with a broken brake line on the right front of her car, she states that a few months ago she had one replaced at another shop for a lot more money and it was in the back of the car. So I decided to take a look and she showed me the receipt. 240.00 labor and 88.00 for parts. I charged her about 150.00 to run a new line from the right front to the M/C .. I was shocked with what I found, they had replaced about 3 inches of brake line at the right rear wheel, they had also used and illegal compression union to join that line to a rusted piece of line , and the connection was still leaking take a look at the photos below.

IMG_2106.jpg

IMG_2105.jpg

IMG_2103.jpg

IMG_2102.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not known for being kind when it comes to this kind of stuff. The first guys are crooks and it goes without saying, they belong in prison. Real honest to goodness prison.  If it was at my shop, i would call the BAR and in no uncertain terms demand immediate action and i would not let it go. If you have a bar, turn them in. If you let it out of your store without fixing, and/or left other brake lines on the vehicle that look just like the two that were leaking, I will turn You in, if there is such thing as a BAR in your state. 

Ladies and gentlemen, this insanity has to stop. Are we really replacing one rusty brake line at a time and putting these cars back on the same road my wife, children and grandchildren travel on. Are we really??? Really?? is that insane or what. Do we actually believe that the other brake lines are not at least worth a surge test in an attempt to verify their integrity, really?? Some one put one on a month ago, your putting one on today and we are going to continue this practice until someone gets killed or seriously injured. What a poor example we are setting.

Not to worry though, it appears three months home confinement is what you get for taking taking a life due to incompetence and negligence. What a poor reflection that decision was on the great state of Vermont. Imagine being the family of the individual killed by this mechanic. Maybe it would be different if it was your mother. This lady died as a result of a rusted brake line failure.

BARRE, Vt. -

A Vermont mechanic originally charged with manslaughter for a faulty motor vehicle inspection has pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Steven Jalbert of Barre was arrested last August in connection with a 2014 crash that killed Elizabeth Ibey, 82. Prosecutors say the accident resulted from rusted out brake lines, despite the fact the car had recently passed a state inspection, performed by Jalbert.

Last week, Jalbert accepted a plea deal for reckless endangerment and was sentenced to three months of home confinement.

The attorney general's office says this was the first criminal prosecution in Vermont arising from a faulty motor vehicle inspection.

 

We turn down at least one rusted and leaking brake line job a month because the customer believes they are better equipped to decide what needs to be replaced to insure safe brakes. Fix it right or don't fix it at all, period.

Surge tests are a recognized form of brake line integrity test approved by many states with mandatory inspections. (Vehicle idling, your biggest gorilla technician jumping down on the brake pedal as if YOUR child just ran out from between parked cars)

We can do better as an industry, I have no doubt

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

why don't the auto manufacturers step up and put better lines in at the factory? Uncoated steel lines last about 5 years here in NY. When one blows I recommend replacing all of them. It's not $100 it turns into $800-$1200 if we do it right. Most people want a temporary fix because there going to trade it in next week. Sure. Until they slam on hhr brakes for another deer and once again it's trade in time next week. We flunk cars for inspection with compression fittings on brake lines. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         5 comments
      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
  • Similar Topics

    • By Changing The Industry
      Enhancing Shop Operations with John Heller of PartsTech
    • By Changing The Industry
      The Basics of Owning An Auto Repair Shop - Part 5
    • By carmcapriotto
      Matt Fanslow explores the complexities of electricity in automotive diagnostics. He breaks down fundamental concepts of volts, amps, resistance, and Ohm's law, using practical examples to clarify their roles in vehicle electrical systems.
      Show Notes
      Challenges of Explaining Electricity (00:01:15)  Fundamental Aspects of Electricity (00:02:42)  NAPA Auto Tech Training (00:18:20) Understanding Voltmeter Readings (00:19:21)  Ground Reference and Voltage Drop (00:20:29)  Effect of Resistance on Voltage (00:22:44)  Series Circuit and Voltage Split (00:29:17)  Verification of Electrical Issues (00:32:29)  Fuse Block and Voltage Verification (00:34:44)   
      Voltage Drop Testing (00:34:55)
       
      Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech napaautotech.com
      Email Matt: [email protected]
      Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel HERE
      Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/
       
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By carmcapriotto
      Mike Ragsdale is the founder of the 30a Company, and he has an incredible story of being called out by his kids when they got tired of hearing him talk about his dream life without ever pursuing it. This is an incredibly inspiring episode that may result in you exploring how you can create a life you don’t need to escape from.
      Thank you to RepairPal for sponsoring The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast. Learn more about RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops
      How To Get In Touch
      Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
      Website - shopmarketingpros.com 
      Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros 
      Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
      Instagram - @shopmarketingpros 
      Questions/Ideas - [email protected] 
       
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By carmcapriotto
      The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
      Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo:https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
      Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
      If you would like to join their private Facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
      In this episode, Chris Cotton from Auto Fix Auto Shop Coaching explores the issue of transition leaks in auto repair shops. He explains how frequent task-switching hampers productivity and energy levels for shop owners, service advisors, and technicians. Chris advocates for batch processing to consolidate similar tasks, thereby reducing transition leaks and increasing efficiency. He advises reorganizing work schedules to minimize cognitive load and suggests that while flexibility is necessary, intentional planning can greatly enhance productivity. The episode wraps up with Chris encouraging listeners to embrace growth and efficiency, thanking the sponsor, and promoting a positive work ethic.
       
      Transition Leaks (00:00:06) Explanation of the concept and its impact on auto repair shop owners, service advisors, and technicians.
       
      Impact on Efficiency (00:02:27) Discussion on how transition leaks lead to lost efficiency and diminished capacity for delivering high-quality service.
       
      Batch Processing Strategy (00:04:48) Explanation of the batch processing strategy to combat transition leaks and improve productivity.
       
      Applying the Concept (00:07:03) Guidance on analyzing and reorganizing schedules to minimize transition leaks and increase efficiency.
       
      Embracing Change (00:09:11) Encouragement to prioritize efficiency and quality by embracing a new way of organizing work schedules.
       
      Connect with Chris:
       
      [email protected]
      Phone: 940.400.1008
      www.autoshopcoaching.com
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
      AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
       
      #autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair #serviceadvisor #serviceadvisorefficiency #autorepairshopmarketing #theweeklyblitz #autofix #shopmarketingpros
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio


  • Our Sponsors










×
×
  • Create New...