Actually in general I find people do better work today, and I'm generally
surprised at how good they are at getting stuff done on time--with rare
exception. I still have an engine off floating around that I'd like to see
back some day, but I never put a hard finish date on it, so I can't complain
too much.
Back in the seventies I was a motorcyle mechanic, and the qualification
level required to be a "factory mechanic" at a major motorcycle dealership
was a box full of greasy tools and the ability to read the shop manuals. I
don't think people could fake it as easily now--stuff is too complicated.
But I learned by clumsily rebuilding other people's engines. To all of my
victims, I can only extend a heartfelt apology.
When I took a job at a Yamaha/BMW/Triumph/Norton/Guzzi/Ducati dealership in
Santa Clara, CA as their service manager they had not had a mechanic capable
of doing anything more complex than a tuneup for almost a year. they had
hundreds of broken motorcycles under a shed roof--some for major warranty
work that had been there for over seven months. There were about fifteen
ducati 850's with less than 1000 miles on them that needed valve guides. I
can't look at a bevel drive 850 without feeling a twinge in my lower back
and a panicky sense that the owner is going to turn on me and demand that I
redo his crappy guides.
It wasn't anything out of the norm at the time--the people just came by once
a week to scream at the owner. I worked 14 hour days and weekends for months
to eliminate the backlog. Made a huge amount of money. The best of times and
the worst of times.
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