Diane-
This is another example of what I call the "McDonald's Effect." Everybody
expects things to be fast and cheap. It's happening everywhere. Places
that are cheap and have crappy service do better sales than places that have
good service and charge more. Don't go to a "Jiffy Lube" to find a
mechanic, just like you wouldn't go to McDonald's to find a steak! (Can you
imagine a McT-Bone!) We've become a cheaper is better society, but the flip
side of that is you get what you pay for!
Steve Conley
Marysville, WA USA
'76 MGB Roadster
swconley@foxinternet.net
MGB Online: http://web3.foxinternet.net/swconley
----- Original Message -----
From: Diane S. <cessna@speakeasy.org>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2000 9:43 AM
Subject: the passing of american mechanics
> I have to relate this story, it' something my therapist has told me to do.
>
> I was out and about, and I noticed a quick change oil change place and
> decided that after I get my nails done to have the oil and filter changed
in
> Emma, who has been through a lot lately. Emma is a 77 mgb.
>
> So I stopped in one, an acne faced young guy came right out and said "we
> don't have the filter for this car".
>
> I happened to know that he did, but I forgot the cross reference number,
> however being both a scot and english, I just looked at him and said "I
have
> one in the trunk".
>
> then he said, "well, let me see if one of the guys wants to do it, these
are
> very breakable you know".
>
> my hand automatically moved the shifter into reverse, and I told him to
> forget it I go somewhere else. I am not good with quick retorts, like "yes
> it would take some intelligence to find the drain plug", or whatever,
maybe
> that is a positive point to my character.
>
> this was a nation-wide chain by the way.
>
> so 2 blocks down was an other one, a 'grease monkey'. this time I was
> greeted by a woman who took down my info and I waited inside.
>
> they seemed to be going real slow, a big cadillac was stuck in the 3rd
bay.
> they were changing the transmission oil and charging the AC. the guy doing
> it had some problem, then it wouldn't start. This made me real cautious.
>
> I started thinking about how they could mess up Emma. and I got up and
> walked over to the woman, who had by now moved emma inexpertley a few
times,
> and eventually got the hand of the manual shift.
>
> I told her to tell the guys not to do anything with the transmission. that
> is is english, it has an overdrive and it takes engine oil and not to
touch
> it.
>
> I was told that all transmissions take transmission fluid. And the usual
> male inference that "I'm the mechanic, your just a woman", I looked at him
> in the eye and told him that it was an english LH overdrive transmission
and
> it takes engine oil, and he might look it up. They agreed not to touch it.
>
> by now Emma was giving me those looks that you get when you leave your cat
> at the vet and your almost out the door.
>
> after another 25 minutes, the car in bay 1 wouldn't start. A woman
happened
> to own it and the mechanic came out and said, "did you know you had a
> problem with your engine ? it won't start." I listened to this dialog,
then
> got up and told them that I'd come back another time and drove off.
>
> I have no idea how many cars english or otherwise have died at places like
> this. Their clientele seemed to have those personality-less japanese cars
> and lots of chrylser products.
>
> I don't know if it's better in the UK or Oz, but it pretty sobering
overall.
>
> thanks, Diane.
>
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