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I'm just curious if anyone here has worked as an auto mechanic, especially at a dealer. If a customer comes in with a dirty/messy car or car that hasn't been maintained can you tell the difference and do you treat the car differently? Also what do mechanics think of people who have non-stock parts/upgrades in their car? Do they assume the customer is more car savvy? Does it change how the mechanic treats the car? Or is it no different whoever the customer is?
1. It is extremely easy to see if a car has been maintained well.
2. Non-stock upgrades are usually installed by kids who want their car to do something it wasn't made to do.
3. Customers' cars are primarily treated the way they want them treated. Some want the absolutely minimum amount of work done, others want everything imaginable done.
I'm not sure what you mean, how they treat the car. You mean do they do a better job vs shty job? Or how they talk to the customer?
From my experience, it really depends on the tech. And there are a lot of variables. Quality of repair: Most techs usually put the same quality no matter what kind of car. i.e. shty techs will be shty, good ones will be good, and hurried ones will be hurried. The actual result is just a matter of circumstance. Cleanliness: Kinda the same thing here with depending on the tech.. Dealerships are usually more strict on cleanliness than chains and independents though. Inspecting for add ons: This would depend on the shape of the car for some techs. I know some guys will not give a thorough inspection or won't push the found addons if the customer has an old shty car or the customer looks broke. The good ones or the moneymakers have learned that you can't judge this way or you won't make any money. Same thing as a service advisor. I was both, and I've always treated my customers the same because you don't really know who is going to spend the money based on the condition of their car or what clothes they have on.
As far as the modification thing, I've noticed a lot of people with modded cars do their own work, as I do too. The ones with mods that did bring their car in for service, usually didn't have a clue about how things work. They did seem more convinced of being in the know, however.
I'm just curious if anyone here has worked as an auto mechanic, especially at a dealer. If a customer comes in with a dirty/messy car or car that hasn't been maintained can you tell the difference and do you treat the car differently? Also what do mechanics think of people who have non-stock parts/upgrades in their car? Do they assume the customer is more car savvy? Does it change how the mechanic treats the car? Or is it no different whoever the customer is?
I learned a long time ago never to judge a book by its cover. One of my best customers, would continually dump untold thousands into a pile of crap '82 LeSabre. One day I genuinely told him in the nicest way possible, that he was wasting his money and perhaps maybe he should look for a newer car.
He told me that this car was the last thing his wife and him every bought together before she died. I nearly lost my composure, and thanked him for his business, and never questioned him again. I'd say over the last 3 years, he's dumped over $10k in this car. And the car is always filthy. At first glance, you'd swear the owner is poor as dirt, but let me tell you, this guy has so much money it's not even funny.
I can tell you though, a car with upgrades? It has to do with how and what they are. If I see a Civic with a 4 ft tall spoiler and a fart can, but it has the stock joke of a D16 and an automatic trans, I can pretty much count on the owner being a clueless high school kid that's watched too many fast and furious movies.
Conversely, if I see a tastefully done Civic, that has a built and turboed twin cam running stand alone engine management, I know the owner is a much more mature and serious car owner.
As far as the modification thing, I've noticed a lot of people with modded cars do their own work, as I do too. The ones with mods that did bring their car in for service, usually didn't have a clue about how things work. They did seem more convinced of being in the know, however.
I agree as well. Most people who modify their cars work on themselves and know a bit about how cars work.
The ones who bring them in for service are the ones with no idea. They buy someone's headache turbo car, have no idea what's going on under the hood or why it's not running right and proceed to drive it into the ground, ditch it for pennies and talk smack about how those particular cars are junk. I've seen it too often.
I learned a long time ago never to judge a book by its cover. One of my best customers, would continually dump untold thousands into a pile of crap '82 LeSabre. One day I genuinely told him in the nicest way possible, that he was wasting his money and perhaps maybe he should look for a newer car.
He told me that this car was the last thing his wife and him every bought together before she died. I nearly lost my composure, and thanked him for his business, and never questioned him again. I'd say over the last 3 years, he's dumped over $10k in this car. And the car is always filthy. At first glance, you'd swear the owner is poor as dirt, but let me tell you, this guy has so much money it's not even funny.
Sounds exactly like my dad. He drove around an old Cadillac - with a crap-load of things wrong with it - for about 4 years after mom died. It was for the exact same reasons. And he could EASILY have gone out and just written a check for a new Caddy.
In general I will not work on a vehicle which has been modified with non-stock parts.
Why not? Modifications tell me that the owner is more apt to spend money on his car. Sometimes, aftermarket stuff is of better quality or design anyway.
I do most if my own work. My cars are older but look new and I take care of them. I have used mechanics for bigger jobs or messy jobs like radiator flushes. Every mechanic I've used has treated my car with respect.
I have done some of my "own" work - IE a friend of mine get together and fix things that need fixing, and I have replaced parts with non stock. For example when my struts went out he helped me replace them with some Tokico blues. For most of the work I go to a mechanic, though, and I just always wondered what they though when I would come in and pay for some kind of maintenance and they open up the hood and wonder why I didn't do it myself since it looks like I have done other things to the car.
I try and keep my car as clean as possible (interior, engine bay, exterior) so that when I do have work done on it the mechanics don't feel like they're taking care of a neglected vehicle.
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