EV mechanics shortage.

[Robmac]

There is a cultural dissonance between Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland, Rob.
Trev is pretty accurate in many of the things he says about the North.

I noticed some of the subtle (and not so subtle!) differences last year and the same again this year. For me the contrast is quite stark.

But I know which part of Ireland I would prefer to visit every time!

Yes I know Marie, I had a mate who lived near Trev and I've been there many times, sadly he died last year. He reckoned Trev is very inaccurate about a lot of things he says about the North, as do one or 2 other residents who are members on here.

The trouble is Trev tends to generalise a lot when he speaks about his countrymen and they don't all appreciate it.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

I thought so too, but proper spring compressors couldn't take the strain. The garage had to put the spring in some kind of box and lower the hydrauluc ramp onto it. I was ushered out with mechanics.

 

[GeoffL]

I thought so too, but proper spring compressors couldn't take the strain. The garage had to put the spring in some kind of box and lower the hydrauluc ramp onto it. I was ushered out with mechanics.

and in a previous post ...

having first cleared the mechanics out of the workshop.

That would have immediately raised alarm bells for me... not that I'd be ungrateful for them fitting the part for free. However, I presume that they had a mechanic do the work and either the procedure was so secret that they only wanted the 'inner circle' to know how it was done, or the procedure they used violated some written or unwritten law (e.g. 'elf 'n safety'). As someone who occasionally had to 'bend the rules' (I had been known to say to my boss, "Sir, I'm not going to say that I'm about to do something dodgy, but you probably don't want to be in the [name of appropriate machinery space] for the next hour or two!") I know that expediency has its place -- particularly when there's no realistic alternative!

That said, there have been automotive repair procedures that require special tools for many, many decades. However, the specification of those tools was usually general knowledge and the vehicle manufacturer were not the only source of supply. So those tools were typically available from third party suppliers or you could often make them up yourself (or jury rig). Current shenanigans are a different kettle of fish. OBD2 was introduced as a legal requirement under US legislation and was meant to standardise data access across all vehicles -- both emissions testing and 'right to repair' were involved. But just like BMW made life difficult with their special screws, manufacturers are now using proprietary software to lock owners and independents out of maintaining their own vehicles. Worse, they're even fitting features and disabling them unless you give them more money in the form of a subscription. The car has all the hardware needed to fulfil that feature and, since it's actually embodied in the vehicle, you've paid for that hardware. But the manufacturer owns the right to turn it on or off -- so you don't truly own your own vehicle any more, no matter how much you paid for it!

 

[trevskoda]

Proper garages use a lever or hyd spring compressor like this.

 

[trevskoda]

Yes I know Marie, I had a mate who lived near Trev and I've been there many times, sadly he died last year. He reckoned Trev is very inaccurate about a lot of things he says about the North, as do one or 2 other residents who are members on here.

The trouble is Trev tends to generalise a lot when he speaks about his countrymen and they don't all appreciate it.

Problem is to many generals over here, i speak what i see, yes everyone not the same and times change for younger folk Rob.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

and in a previous post ...

That would have immediately raised alarm bells for me... not that I'd be ungrateful for them fitting the part for free. However, I presume that they had a mechanic do the work and either the procedure was so secret that they only wanted the 'inner circle' to know how it was done, or the procedure they used violated some written or unwritten law (e.g. 'elf 'n safety'). As someone who occasionally had to 'bend the rules' (I had been known to say to my boss, "Sir, I'm not going to say that I'm about to do something dodgy, but you probably don't want to be in the [name of appropriate machinery space] for the next hour or two!") I know that expediency has its place -- particularly when there's no realistic alternative!

That said, there have been automotive repair procedures that require special tools for many, many decades. However, the specification of those tools was usually general knowledge and the vehicle manufacturer were not the only source of supply. So those tools were typically available from third party suppliers or you could often make them up yourself (or jury rig). Current shenanigans are a different kettle of fish. OBD2 was introduced as a legal requirement under US legislation and was meant to standardise data access across all vehicles -- both emissions testing and 'right to repair' were involved. But just like BMW made life difficult with their special screws, manufacturers are now using proprietary software to lock owners and independents out of maintaining their own vehicles. Worse, they're even fitting features and disabling them unless you give them more money in the form of a subscription. The car has all the hardware needed to fulfil that feature and, since it's actually embodied in the vehicle, you've paid for that hardware. But the manufacturer owns the right to turn it on or off -- so you don't truly own your own vehicle any more, no matter how much you paid for it!

Great post - Thank you.

I'd tinkered on my cars for years, clambering over piles of three high vehicles in scrap heaps for a cheap second hand part, and also stripped down components on Saturday, queued up on Sunday morning with all the others to get to the desk with the guy who instinctively seemed to know every part for every car, and fitted it after lunch ready for work on Monday.

When I saw how much the spring extended (from memory about three times) I knew I had a problem.

To the garages credit, it was the Manager who put every mechanic outside in order to do the job himself. I only knew I was very lucky.