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My Significant Other is a mechanic. He is an excellent mechanic and can fix any problem in any
car and especially loves the older, pre-computer cars. He’s detailed, intricate, dedicated, and painstakingly thorough. If you have a problem with your car, take it to MechanicMan and it is a done deal. Now, if the car belongs to MechanicMan there is a whole other set of rules that are followed. Mechanics do not fix their cars the same way they fix yours. They do whatever is the least possible method of patching the car. MechanicMan’s cars were always very old (he calls them classic), rusty (character), and noisy (proof they are Mopar)/JeanieS, Nuts & Nonsense. More here.
Question: Are you a decent mechanic?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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tarynahecker on March 09 at 3:55 p.m.
No. My front passenger side door has been stuck shut for nearly a month now and I don’t even know where to begin. Someone said to take the door apart but I can’t see how or where to do that.
I don’t even know how to use my jumper cables.
Cabbage Boy on March 09 at 4:00 p.m.
Getting better every time the blasted thing breaks down. Really though, the key is to have a friend that is a good mechanic. I can do the work, be a grease monkey, but I have no idea where to begin.
I call my friend up, told him some coolant was running down the hose that comes out of the front of the engine. He tells me it is a water pump, pretty easy to replace on my model. I go to napa (twice of course) and have successfully repaired my vehicle and saved money. But without talking to him, I would have to take it to a mechanic.
keithincda on March 09 at 4:14 p.m.
Does being able to fix a fantastic Cap’n Morgan and coke count? My other specialty is a killer Bloody Mary….I know a guy who posts here than can fix up a killer home brew too…
JeanieSpokane on March 09 at 4:15 p.m.
My live in mechanic is so good that if I mimic the sound the trouble spot makes, he knows exactly what it is. On the other hand, most times it’s just like going to a shop - the instant you get there, the sound miraculously goes away. I love it when he gets in the car and the sound actually happens. (I sigh, happy to know I’m not lying, and want to kiss my car for cooperating)
Once I got to work on a really cold day and rolled down my window (no automatic stuff) and I could hear this metallic click, and down my window went, into the door well. At lunch I drove back to his house in the Valley, 12 miles, in 0 degree temp, and he was waiting. Took the door apart like it was a snap-together lego toy (sorry I didn’t watch for the nitty gritty, Taryn), got the window back in its track, snapped the door back together, and off I went to work.
JeanieSpokane on March 09 at 4:16 p.m.
btw, Mechanic Man is a stay-at-home mechanic - if you need him, let me know. :)
tarynahecker on March 09 at 4:36 p.m.
It’s actually kind of convenient to have my door stuck shut. If I’m going somewhere with someone I just say, Oh, if we take my car you have to ride in the backseat or climb through the window since my door is stuck shut. Then the other person usually offers to drive and I save on gas.
Bent on March 09 at 4:40 p.m.
I quit the backyard mechanic stuff when I bought my Chrysler Seabring (which I just sold Saturday). Anyway, I had a meltdown at a gas station a couple of years ago and figured it was a battery or a battery cable based on the car’s behavoir. I had it towed home and went to check the cables, and I couldn’t find the battery. I looked everywhere and could not find the dang thing.
Then it dawned on me to call Schucks, and they told me it was in the drivers-side wheel well. They said I had to jack up the car, remove the wheel and then remove the plastic skirt inside the wheel well and I would find the battery. Then they wished me luck on replacing the cable…
I called another tow truck and had it towed to the shop.
Then I discovered that I had to remove the intake manifold for the fuel injection system to get to half my spark plugs, and I swore off the mechical crap for good.
I plan to eventually purchase a 1967 Chevy Nova SS and I’ll work on that with pleasure, but i’ll never touch a new car again.
trishgannon on March 09 at 4:48 p.m.
At one time in my life, the Chilton’s repair manual was my best friend, even though running through the tests in the diagnostic chapter inevitably led to “see next chapter” which was “how to rebuild your engine.” I once took half an engine apart (to change a head gasket) and although there were a distressing amount of leftover bolts when I was done, it ran for at least another year after that (truthfully, i can’t remember what I finally did with that car). As cars got more complicated, I got worse… I remember when I got a car that required a cherry picker to lift the engine out just to change the spark plugs, and cars that required a special tool (that you couldn’t buy in a store) to change the spark plugs. Nowadays, I have to rely on a mechanic, or at least rely on what I can do to bypass the problem.
JeanieSpokane on March 09 at 4:57 p.m.
If it’s any consolation, MechanicMan only works on pre-computer cars. He is a professional mechanic but prefers working for himself - his cars of choice - Any 50s to 70s Mopars. His working car now, I mean his “working on” car is a 55 Dodge Coronet hardtop - pink and brown. He found the first one on a farm south of Spokane. Then he found another that he thought would be a good parts car for the first - but the body was in much better condition. Then he found a third one and now the other two have become parts cars while he finds additional parts for the third car. Where do they sit? In the garden of course. I’m growing Dodge Coronets by the bushel.
Charlie on March 09 at 5:42 p.m.
Years ago I made a living as a mechanic then progressed to service writer then to service manager. Mechanic was the easiest, didn’t have to deal directly with customers. Getting info from customers about their cars was at times very trying. When, where and under what conditions did your car mess up? The cars of today, computers and electronics pushed me out and I’m thankfull. If you find a good, honest mechanic, put him on your christmas list.
Stickman on March 09 at 8:04 p.m.
I’m with you keith, anyone that can make a brew such as bent deserves an applause, or a visit sometime in the future to try such a nectar. As for fixing things, I haven’t a clue.
Escapee on March 09 at 8:13 p.m.
Well, the extent of my automotive knowledge is, I know where the Oil goes and where the Automatic Transmission fluid is deposited, and I know where ya stick the Gas Nozzle, although that last bit doesn’t do me any good since I live in Oregon.
Me on March 09 at 8:33 p.m.
My husband is a mechanic. He works on small engines for his profession, but keeps all our vehicles humming. It is so nice to not ever have to worry about my car not starting, stalling, or otherwise quitting on me.
florined on March 09 at 10:11 p.m.
My most recent car moved to China as a cube about 12 years ago. Somewhere, though, I’m sure I still have the required tools for gapping those plugs. Maybe I can use them on my snowblower. Or sell them on Ebay.