Thread: List ur Mobile Mechanic experiences here

Have a few for MMs and and equal or larger amount for Static Mecs...

Hardly fair to just pick on the Mobile guys as plenty of SMs have done some terrible work...

I'm not using them any more although my experience derives just from 2 I have had do work.
First changed the timing belt on 300Tdi Deafener and left his ratchet spanner on the crankshaft pulley (I think) resulting in a damaged radiator when he started it. Good mechanic but got other things on his mind I suspect and he disappeared long ago.
2nd bloke was and is a good mechanic but disappears quickly at times without any comms. with people who've supported him so isn't to be relied upon.
The worst by far was an aircon repairer who came recommended! Re-gassed the Puma but it failed to cool again after a couple of weeks. Re-gassed again after not finding a leak, stopped working again.
He made a big thing about leaking compressor right behind the pulley..... tiniest smudge of yellow stain could be seen with a special light. I wasn't convinced thinking there's always going to be tiny amount of oil for lubrication of seals. Off he went to get seals replaced but the end dust seal couldn't be done for unknown reasons. And he'd used someone who he'd had a run in with before .....
I told him that wasn't good enough because dust is the big killer of machinery but he went ahead. In the end I told him to pack his gear and clear off and I got a replacement compressor from TRS fitted but still it leaked. Turned out to be the evaporator, nearly 3 grand later by the dealer and all well.
Anyone want a used Sandon compressor missing a seal but otherwise good?
I'll only use the stealer or businesses who work from well established premises in future as at least there's a possibility of redress then when things go wrong.
AlanH.

Blknight's mobile, one of the best spanner jugglers around too.

I remember turning up to a customers place to do change a timing belt on their vehicle only to get there and find they've got the wrong belt in fact its the wrong everything because the engine in the vehicle was timing gears and not a belt.

then there was the customer who just needed me to change the oil pressure sensor because it was leaking, which would have been an easy fix except for the fact that hes already had a go at it and rounded the sensors hex edge to circular. Apparently I wasnt very good because I had to strip about 1/4 of the engine out to get in with something that could grip something round and oily.

Then theres the "and while you're at it" stories.

like the customer who only wanted an oil change and filter yes theres plenty of access under the vehicle. Turns out its got 2 flat tyres its lowered but plenty of access means that there are no wind plates under the vehicle so I can see the filter and drain plug. With 2 flat tyres I cant drive it up onto ramps and the customers attitude was "well obviously your going to jack it up to get under it and while its up you can fix the tyres" That got me a bad review because I just refused to do the job.

Apparently refusing to take the spark plug out of the drain hole on an engine and sucking the oil out means I dont know what Im doing and I didnt fix the leak from the drain plug.

When a customer didnt want to pay for new brake rotors then complained because the new pads I fitted didnt cure the vibration in the brake pedal makes me a bad mechanic.

Then theres the oily engine customer who only wants the rocker cover gasket changed and then complains when you dont do a full engine degrease or complains when after you change the rocker cover gasket the engine still leaks from one of the other multitude of gaskets or seals that are still leaking.

How about the customer that complains that as a mobile mechanic you have to ask to use their power for your tools. or ask if you can use their hose/laundry to clean up in.

How about the customer that complains that you didnt detail the car when you finished because thats what the dealership did for them when they did the services.

have you met the customer that wants you to repair the defects the cops canaried the car for, didnt tell you about it on the phone and expects you to know all the details of the vehicle, have all of the parts on you already when you turn up because "arent you all using the same computers?"

Then theres the modified car owners who tell you the details of the car so you prep up with the gear for that model car only to find out that the owner had the car modified and its got a different engine and gearbox but always neglects to tell you that its modified and even though you serviced the car 2 years ago and hes moved expects you to remember the customer and car.

How about the guy whose ****ed off all his local mechanics and they wotn let him in the workshop because hes a prat and his vehicles a POS that he wont spend money on and once you finish doing the basic service he requested you have to spend months being harrassed by him for unrelated faults (I never knew that just changing the oil could make the rear tailgate lock stick till I met this guy)

Shall I go on?

Of course, that doesnt cover all of it there are some great customers out there..

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

Then theres the "and while you're at it stories"

I used to love those. I used to run the used car workshop of a local stealership and it was pure magic when a customer would book their car in for warranty work with say, 3 issues (so you'd book the rest of the day in to suit), but they'd turn up with a dunny roll of perceived problems and then couldn't understand why you couldn't fix everything that day. Then there's the ones that want to book 5 seats on the 10 seat courtesy bus because they're minding the grandkids. Apologies for the slight hijack but by Christ, I don't miss it.

The worst thing about the public is having to deal with them. But I forgot previously about my worst experience was with a well regarded mobile bloke when I had a Prado which was still under warranty so got this bloke do the basic log book stuff.
Then while he was doing the last service I happened to wander out the house and he's using the oil for the wife's Camry to top up the engine .
ME: "What are you doing?"
HIM: "I've just used a little bit as I've run out as I had a truck to do before coming here and it took all the oil".
ME: I don't think that's any excuse, go and buy some proper stuff". Much muttering a evil glances so I thought I'll check what this ***** has been up to and after he'd gone (charged me full price for using "just a bit" of our own oil as well) I turned on the security and checked back: 5 different types of all including a bit of old oil I'd drained out 5K previously, went into my engine!
I was furious and rang him up and got a load of denials but when I told him I'd downloaded it and would put it on YouTube for all to see he went very quiet.
I insisted he drain the oil and refill with correct oil and replace the filter which he did but he then did up the filter so tight I had to struggle at the next service to remove it but I've got plenty of tools (and big CAT experience) and stuff for that sort of thing so it wasn't too much of a problem.
I've warned a couple of people about him including a D3 owner but they seem to think he's great and he's now reopened a workshop at a servo just round the corner.
Just another reason I'll never use another mobile mechanic..... saying that though I had trouble with the stealer years ago so who can you trust?
AlanH.

Originally Posted by ATH

The worst thing about the public is having to deal with them. But I forgot previously about my worst experience was with a well regarded mobile bloke when I had a Prado which was still under warranty so got this bloke do the basic log book stuff.
Then while he was doing the last service I happened to wander out the house and he's using the oil for the wife's Camry to top up the engine .
ME: "What are you doing?"
HIM: "I've just used a little bit as I've run out as I had a truck to do before coming here and it took all the oil".
ME: I don't think that's any excuse, go and buy some proper stuff". Much muttering a evil glances so I thought I'll check what this ***** has been up to and after he'd gone (charged me full price for using "just a bit" of our own oil as well) I turned on the security and checked back: 5 different types of all including a bit of old oil I'd drained out 5K previously, went into my engine!
I was furious and rang him up and got a load of denials but when I told him I'd downloaded it and would put it on YouTube for all to see he went very quiet.
I insisted he drain the oil and refill with correct oil and replace the filter which he did but he then did up the filter so tight I had to struggle at the next service to remove it but I've got plenty of tools (and big CAT experience) and stuff for that sort of thing so it wasn't too much of a problem.
I've warned a couple of people about him including a D3 owner but they seem to think he's great and he's now reopened a workshop at a servo just round the corner.
Just another reason I'll never use another mobile mechanic..... saying that though I had trouble with the stealer years ago so who can you trust?
AlanH.

That's why I won't let anyone touch my vehicles apart from me. I'm not saying I'm gods gift to spanner spinning by any stretch, but at least when I **** things up I know who's to blame.

There's heaps of great and honest Mechanics out there, but finding one seems to be the trickiest bit. All the good Mechanics I know are all too far away from me!

Hello All,

My Series III diesel smoked when I first bought it. I wanted a compression test done to see if the rings and pistons were the issue. Or merely a fuel pump issue or dirty injectors. I let the Mobile Mechanic that it was a May 1976 Land Rover Series III 2.5 litre diesel.

I had to wait a week before he could come around. The day before the appointment I confirmed the vehicle and the engine. MM arrived - had a look at the engine and said, "I do not have any adaptors that small for the compression test - bye!" Isn't the saying forewarned is forearmed?

It was going to cost $100 for the appointment and the compression test. I figured I was paying for the knowledge behind the test and it would let me confirm the plan of attack to take.

Being an unregistered vehicle I thought it would be good to have a mobile mechanic arrive instead of having to haul the vehicle to and from a workshop. Guess what is on my shopping list - it has two words and has the initials C and T.

Kind Regards
Lionel