eing a professional mechanic has it's advantages....and disadvantages. When my vehicle speaks, and I'm in the mood to listen, I can give it the attention it wants (hopefully by doing more good than harm). I can't say I know everything there is to know about cars. I know some guys that have forgotten more than I'll ever know. So I'll begin this monthly HLRC tech tip with a very simple yet extremely effective article. It's more like a piece of advice.

Everyone at some point or another will end up taking their car to a service facility for repairs or maintenance. So how can you express to the technician performing the work on your car (without actually speaking to him), you'd like him to be extra careful, that this is your baby, that you'd like him to take as much care with it as you would? Simple. Before you take your car in for service, wash it, wax it, remove all items from the interior and as much as you can from any storage compartment.

Why?

Let's analyze this into a bit of psychology. Many mechanics are in their profession because they like cars. Have you ever heard of the term "tree-hugger"? Well, some of them are "steel-huggers". If you show them you respect and take good care of your car, they'll do the same. If the car is clean inside and out, it will show them you care. Not only that, but it makes it much easier to access certain components of the car if they don't have to dig through a pile of personal belongings. Have you ever heard the story about the guy who took his car to a mechanic because he heard a really loud "clunk" in the trunk everytime he took a turn? It turned out to be a bowling ball rolling and banging around. The mechanic charged an hour of his time for diagnosing anyway. Don't let this be you. Even if all of the work to be performed is on the exterior of the car, sometimes it's necessary to access something from the interior. (an access panel or something). If the car is clean, they'll be extra careful not to get their grubby little finger prints all over it. If they do... it'll be easier to wipe off. Then there are the mechanics who hate life in general. If you give this guy a clean and well manicured car, he'll think to himself that you're a picky S.O.B. and will be afraid to do crappy work for fear of getting in trouble. And finally.... if the service facility washes the car before they give it back; how clean do you think it'll be if it was clean to begin with? They may clean it even more!(mo' betta)

Next month we'll try to figure out what all this locking diff stuff is all about.

Show me more Tech Tips!

Back to Previous Page