Do mechanics really care or treat a car different when it looks good?

L

lpandroc

New member
I always wondered that...Do dealer or independent mechanics treat your car better if you have a nice detailed car..inside and out ..with a bonus..an awesome engine...Any thoughts?..Im sure it all depends on the mechanic...but ...If he (or she) says..."Wow, this guys keeps the car clean...well I better pay attention with this customer and the job I do with his car"...hmmm...always wondered this...Thanks gang...lance
 
Well, as you say, it depends on the mechanic. However, if they notice how much you care for your vehicle, they are typically more careful with it. If you have a spotless engine, yes most mechanics notice that and treat it with special care.



:up
 
yes, and I've seen it happen to me several times. Most recently it was when I got my oil change... the guy said to me "I'm gonna go double check and make sure everything's perfect cause I can tell you look after this thing."



I was definitely glad to get my efforts noticed like that.
 
Both my regular mechanic and the lube goons know what I do for a living and have noticed I keep my car real clean and they seem to take greater care in keeping it clean when they work on it.



My brother on the other hand, used to have a 1971 Dodge Challenger with the white vinyl interior with red velour inserts in the seats. He spent a whole day cleaning the interior before he took it to the Dodge dealer to have the front end suspension rebuilt (the person he bought the car from had L50's in the back and it was jacked up, which ruins the suspension in front) and when he got it back there was grease all over the front seat and driver's side door panel. Dealer refused to clean it, said that is what happens when cars get worked on. He had to go up the chain of command (zone manager, I think) to get the matter resolved. I think they refunded him $50.
 
Mechanics not only notice but enjoy working on a completely detail exterior, engine bay, undercarriage, etc. They realize that the owner will notice the expert care they are rendering to this vehicle and they appreciate the such a car owner would trust them to touch this well maintained and cared for vehicle.

Of course this only goes for vehicles over 3 years old IMO. Newer vehicles tend to maintain a clean engine and mechanicals without extreme detailing and the newer paint finishes require less care to meet the needs (visual) of everyone except Autopians. ;)
 
For me, i yak yak yak :nono and bla bla bla :nono at them (mechanics) to make sure they are :scared at me before they even touch my car. By doing so, they will be extra extra careful not to make any finger marks on my paint surface.



Am I a too straight forward customer?



:LOLOL
 
I started out as an aircraft technician, it true there too, any mechanic gets a sense for how you take care of it quicky and works accordingly. Then you get my car dealer, brand new BMW, went to pick it up 2 weeks ago and found they left my windows open and doors unlocked while it sat outside. Its hard to tell with a new car, they all look good still I guess
 
jaim said:
For me, i yak yak yak :nono and bla bla bla :nono at them (mechanics) to make sure they are :scared at me before they even touch my car. By doing so, they will be extra extra careful not to make any finger marks on my paint surface.



Am I a too straight forward customer?



:LOLOL
Click to expand...



That's the way to do it :xyxthumbs . And as long as you're polite, there's no such thing as a "too straightforward customer".



Yes, it matters if the car is spotless, if it's NOT, why would they take you seriously when you say "NOT ONE FINGERPRINT"? I'm polite, but I let them know that it's in their best interest to keep me happy. And yes, mechanics appreciate working on spotless cars; hey, who WOULDN'T? The guys who don't appreciate the difference don't get close to my stuff.



My (now-retired) original Jag mechanic once called to apologize for a (single) fingerprint on the XJS. Note that XJS's are NOT the easiest cars to work on. Man, I miss that guy. He's tie up a service bay to keep my car out of the rain, much to the irritation of the rest of the shop.
 
I was a tech at a dealership for just over 7 years, and while I always appreciated clean, well cared for cars, of the 22 other guys that I worked with I'd say about 30% cared about the condition of the car.



Most techs are paid flat-rate, so time is both your friend and your enemy. We had one guy who was one of the best techs I've ever seen work, but he had no clue about cleanliness. He'd carry around a shop rag in his back pocket that he'd change about once a week.



That rag would clean brake drums, rotors, valve covers, transmission pans, differentials and fenders - he just didn't "get" car care. :) Again, incredibly smart tech and did everything perfect, but just didn't care about the appearance of a car.



So, it's hard to say - some do, some don't. Most guys will pay attention and go, "Wow, this is in great shape, I'll be a little more careful," but some will go, "dammit, I'm already an hour behind today, I gotta make some time!"



So, it's like just about anything else in life - a crap shoot...
 
My dealer didn't seem to care. Although clearly my car was the most meticulous in line waiting for service, after waiting for an unreasonably long time every time the car needed servicing, I would always get it back with prints on the hood, etc. Drove me nuts.



Hopefully the new car's dealer will be better. They're doing good so far in my book by honoring my request to not prep it when I got it. I took it home and did it myself. The tech was also very helpful and took his timeworking with me to install my plates and frames. So far so good. We'll see how the first official service goes.
 
I don't think there is a set rule of thumb on this. It just depends on the mechanic. A word of caution though, if you make a point to say not got a finger print on something, you also better make it a point to tell them not to "clean" the car after they are done working on it. Notice that the nice red shop rag in the guys back pocket is usually used to wipe the hood after he closes it. I doubt it is MF towel. Lets face it the guy is leaning into the engine bay of your car all day working on something one of two things is going to happen. Either they will use a garage protector on your fender (which will probably leave some dirt and/or swirls) or they will use nothing and the buttons and zippes from their pants will will scratch things up.



I try to do much of my own maintenace on my cars, because I enjoy it. However, I take a lot care and precautions to try and do things nice and neat but there are times that I just leave dirty marks on my car because it is unavoidable.
 
I used to think this was the case and I expect may sometimes still be true but I don't think it is a good generalization. Perhaps it was the 3" of curb rash on my Porsche garage queen from taking my car to a local high end shop that I have used for years that has me jaded. Mind you those were NEW RH wheels that were over $800...I better stop:angry



Russ
 
bet993 said:
... Lets face it the guy is leaning into the engine bay of your car all day working on something one of two things is going to happen. Either they will use a garage protector on your fender (which will probably leave some dirt and/or swirls) or they will use nothing and the buttons and zippes from their pants will will scratch things up....
Click to expand...



Good point. I have a separate fender protector just for my "good" cars' trips to the shop. Well worth the $ and it puts them in a "no excuses" postition.



Russ968- I'm truly sorry to hear about what happened to your Porsche. Things DO happen, but I'm astounded that the shop didn't make it right. Guess I'm spoiled by the shops I patronize. All these horror stories make me appreciate them even more.



BillD- Maybe you could watch while they work on it. It's even better if the tech doesn't know you're watching (until he, uhm, has reason to find out ;) - gotta hope it's not too late by then, though).
 
Would you rather spend the day in a lean office, or a dirty office? Which would you do shoddy work in inorder to get out early when job is done?



Thats one way to think about it...
 
My experience has been that some seem to care more out of respect for a well cared for machine while others seem to take more care out of fear.......realizing that spilled oil or grease marks will be noticed and probably reported. I have recieved better, more meticulous, service on my well kept vehicles than on my beaters.
 
I took my Taurus to a shop last week for an erratic idle prob. While I was walking toward the car with the owner/head mechanic, he commented on how shiney the paint looked. When he got inside to start the engine, he commented on the cleanliness of the interior. He couldn't belive it was a 2000 model. I couldn't believe his next move!!!! When he shut off the engine, he tossed the keys on the roof:shocked . I almost and should have choked him on the spot. So you tell me



...Do dealer or independent mechanics treat your car better if you have a nice detailed car..inside and out ..with a bonus..an awesome engine...
Click to expand...
 
Yes, most definitely with the Cobra. People will refrain from putting their hands on the car or being very careful when having to sit inside it.
 
geekysteve said:
Most techs are paid flat-rate, so time is both your friend and your enemy. . . . So, it's like just about anything else in life - a crap shoot...
Click to expand...

Agreed, I apprenticed and acquired my mechanics licence at a dealership and the guys I worked with only cared about getting the job done within the alloted time and not loosing their shirt. The cleanliness of a car made no difference. We appreciated a clean engine because that can makes the work easier and less dirty.



The thing that will make a mechanic do the job right is if he knows it will be back in his bay as a comeback. A comeback is when the mechanic has to make adjustments or repairs to the work he originally performed. Comebacks cost the mechanic valuable time because he doesn't get paid for the time. So talking with the mechanic and letting him know that you want it done right will go a long way to ensuring your repair is done correctly.



As far as grease and such on door panels and body parts Geekysteve is again correct. The mechanics I worked with were carefull to clean any oil and dirt they left behind but it was done with a shop towel and a can of window cleaner.



Again, talk nicely with the mechanic and explain the reasoning.



And remember it is pretty hard for a general mechanic (specialty guys like alignment and tune-up tend to fare better) to accumulate 8 hours of flat rate billing every day.
 
Wish I could watch the car being services but no dealer I have ever been to has the service garage visible to the customers.



For my older car, if ever necessary, I do have access to a private garage where this is possible. :D



Out of paranoia now, maybe I should look into installing spy cameras in the car ;) ;)



( just kidding..........I think.... ;) )
 
I don't think they do. I had my car inspected and watched the mechanic drag cables, lean on, and leave greasy paw prints all over my car. No, I didn't dare ask to have them remove the print. I sure he'd have wiped the grease with some gas on a rag....lol....

I must have looked like a patient in a rubber room watching through the glass into the shop.....lol....:shocked
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top