Pop down the scrap yard son and get me a DSG box....
Discussion
So I am now at the Grand old age of 31. My first car was a Crap Vauxhall Nova, at some point I think every part was changed due to it breaking.
For me that meant driving down to the local scrap yard with my mates and a Massive tool box and finding another Nova ( which there were Millions) rip a bit off give the guy a £10 and done part fixed.
Now when my child gets to 17 (baby on the way) and he/she gets the new Clio with DSG box and built in sat Nav etc etc how on earth are they going to be able to fix it?
My local scrap yard is soon to be a housing estate and a bob a job garage will not have the equipment to do these type of car which mean main dealers and £££££....
Am I the only one thinking this?
For me that meant driving down to the local scrap yard with my mates and a Massive tool box and finding another Nova ( which there were Millions) rip a bit off give the guy a £10 and done part fixed.
Now when my child gets to 17 (baby on the way) and he/she gets the new Clio with DSG box and built in sat Nav etc etc how on earth are they going to be able to fix it?
My local scrap yard is soon to be a housing estate and a bob a job garage will not have the equipment to do these type of car which mean main dealers and £££££....
Am I the only one thinking this?
The forums are indeed the new scrap yards, Also although the tech seems a bit space age and out of reach for the average man with a lock up the parts still bolt in place and plug in, the tricky bit is getting the fault diagnosed and then the codes cleared and the new part talking to the rest of the car.
A mate of mine has a little box plugged into the dignostic port of his car that sends data to his mobile phone which has an app to read what the data says and display it.
This is the future, tech savvy people will have no problems with making components work in different cars, it's just a different way of looking at the problem of having a broken car, less tyre kicking and sucking in of breath and more geekery.
A mate of mine has a little box plugged into the dignostic port of his car that sends data to his mobile phone which has an app to read what the data says and display it.
This is the future, tech savvy people will have no problems with making components work in different cars, it's just a different way of looking at the problem of having a broken car, less tyre kicking and sucking in of breath and more geekery.
i know where your coming from because at mine they keep all the good cars at the back so you cant take parts and have to pay for them to remove which makes it not worth it. but on the other hand i do think peoples thoughts about main dealers are somethings wrong. i agree with servicing and pads and discs ect because anyone can do them but i know people that have gone to garages and paid out £££ of pounds and got know where. them gone to main dealer and been diag and fixed in half the time all makes and models mate down the road will.
djdestiny said:
Dedicated marque forums are the new scrap yards
This is true, the modern engine is, well not a DIY jobbie is it.When I had escorts and VW jettas they where so easy to understand but now with all those pipes and sensors everywhere I don't know which does what also WHY do we need them.
For unusual machinery we have the independent specialist garages. For the more mundane stuff you'd be surprised what the back street garages can do now. My local one has just 2 ramps in a tiny unit and does the run of the mill servicing and MOTs, usual bread and butter stuff. But he also has a VAG and a Jaguar diagnostic computer setup , think he may have a merc one as well. He tells me that you cant just get away with a generic code computer now so he's gradually investing in the marque specific ones.
He's seen a significant increase in his business as word has got around via forums that he's cheap and has all the right diagnostics tools.
He's seen a significant increase in his business as word has got around via forums that he's cheap and has all the right diagnostics tools.
Incase you hadn't noticed its useful to learn how to fix things yourself. Like the OP I spent many a happy weekend up a pile of scrappers finding bits to fix/improve my car. Where do kids get the chance to do that now? Yes thinking back it was dangerous but neither me or any of my mates died doing it.
On the plus side modern on-board diagnostics can really help pin point the fault
Swapping parts is hardly challenging even on modern cars
I used to help my grandfather work on his cars when I was a kid , he rebuilt engines and gearboxes at home and spent many a weekend lying on the cold concrete drive fixing something, even today few people do that you have to be a real enthusiast to tackle such jobs, most people simply swap stuff out
So its gone from rebuilding an engine over the weekend because you need to car on Monday to swapping the engine with another , no doubt in a few years you'll just scrap the car when it needs major work leaving the enthusiasts and Ed China to tackle the jobs no one wants to do anymore.
Swapping parts is hardly challenging even on modern cars
I used to help my grandfather work on his cars when I was a kid , he rebuilt engines and gearboxes at home and spent many a weekend lying on the cold concrete drive fixing something, even today few people do that you have to be a real enthusiast to tackle such jobs, most people simply swap stuff out
So its gone from rebuilding an engine over the weekend because you need to car on Monday to swapping the engine with another , no doubt in a few years you'll just scrap the car when it needs major work leaving the enthusiasts and Ed China to tackle the jobs no one wants to do anymore.
pinchmeimdreamin said:
Evoluzione said:
What exactly is wrong with taking your car to someone and asking them to fix it?
Nothing at all wrong with it, however a lot of people prefer/enjoy fixing problems themselves, It is also normally alot cheaper.You can take it somewhere and they will charge >£60 for the 1.5 hours it takes them plus say 40 quid for the new part.
If you earn £10 per hour net, that's 10 hours work
You have paid £10
Done it in £30 for the value of your work.
Saving £60 and having the satisfaction of doing it yourself.
Or pay the £100 because that's what you're happy to pay not to go rolling around on the road in the wet/snow/cold fixing something.
Horses for Corsas. TBH I'd have a lot longer trying to fixing something myself if it needed doing on a dry summer day than a wet winter one.
Code readers are available for not much money - an essential piece of equipment these days for anyone's toolbox. The Internet and specialist forums yield all you need to know about codes and fixes. Diagnostics are so much easier and quicker than the 'good old days' - plug in code reader, read code, retire to computer and a few clicks later the problem and solutions are all to hand and without getting your hands even the merest bit grubby!
Now I'll agree that scrap yards ain't what they used to be but I understand that this is down to elf & safety not allowing Joe Public to clamber over vehicles stacked 3 high these days. However, the Internet is your friend here as well - plenty of breakers on line who will deliver the part you need to your door relatively cheaply, so hands still not grubby! Now you can get down and dirty and fix the thing.
So, Haynes manual now replaced by code reader and iPad - just different, modern tools.
As for cars being more difficult to work on - not really. Yes, you generally have to remove more stuff these days to get at things but it isn't difficult, just takes a bit more time. Engines, brakes, clutches, suspension etc are pretty much unchanged from the 'days of old' it's just people get intimidated by modern stuff for no real reason.
Now I'll agree that scrap yards ain't what they used to be but I understand that this is down to elf & safety not allowing Joe Public to clamber over vehicles stacked 3 high these days. However, the Internet is your friend here as well - plenty of breakers on line who will deliver the part you need to your door relatively cheaply, so hands still not grubby! Now you can get down and dirty and fix the thing.
So, Haynes manual now replaced by code reader and iPad - just different, modern tools.
As for cars being more difficult to work on - not really. Yes, you generally have to remove more stuff these days to get at things but it isn't difficult, just takes a bit more time. Engines, brakes, clutches, suspension etc are pretty much unchanged from the 'days of old' it's just people get intimidated by modern stuff for no real reason.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff