Even if I could get my car on ramps, I wouldnt want to. I have seen a lot of damage from ramps.

this is the main problem in believe that makes people think they pay to much for a service. Alot of people think all they are getting is an oil change and nothing more..

there was a thread on FM1 that asked what actualy gets done/checked in a service. My answer was extremly long..
there where alot of things most of the guys on here didn't think ever got done and had never thought to do or check them selves.

from the start it goes like this.

test drive the car... checking for any noises, car drives straight and feels good on the road.

get car on hoist
check horn and all lights and fix as needed
drain oil
check wheel bearings and adjust if needed
check tyre pressures (all 5)
check every suspension component
all hoses
fuel filter
hand brake cable
brakes
adjust hand brake if needed
check steering
check exhaust system
basicly check the intire under body
chane oil filter
identify the cause of any problems found on test drive
fill oil
check belts
check air filter
check induction piping for leaks
check intake manifold bolts are tight (a must for any 4L falcon)
check spark plugs and leads
check any hoses not seen from under car
fill washer water
top up radiator
lube accelerator cable and linkages
check brake fluid
make sure all windows go up and down smoothly
make sure all doors open and close properly
lube all door hinges
lube bonnet and boot hinges
check all weather seals
check all glass for damage
make sure heater and A/C works on all settings
check all interior lights work


list down all problems with car
call customer and inform them of every thing
fix any problems the customer wants fixed
test drive the car again.

i cant speak for every mechanic but a can garrenty that every thing i've listed gets done to every car i service.
i'm sure i've missed some things but i work on so many cars i do alot of this stuff with out even thinking about it.

my xd takes 6.5L of oil lol it has a high capacity sup

The joys of finding a good mechanic. Sounds like the bloke that does work on my car... Try and do as much myself but when it has to go into the shop its worth every cent.

This post has been an interseting read so I thought I'd add my 2c worth of wisdom to the discussion.

I guess there's basically 2 camps here.

Those that don't have the time, equipment, want or ability to service their own car and are more than happy to have someone else do it for them.
That's great it's just the finding someone GOOD to do it that's the hassle. The only advice I can give there is word of mouth, and I guess that's why we're here.
Maybe starting a new post listing 'GOOD MECHANICS' is a thought..

The other side of the fence is the DIYer's.
I've been maintaining, repairing and modding my cars for more than 20yrs and I'll be the first to admit "I don't know everything". Through Fordmods I've already in my short time here have found a wealth of advice, ideas and experience (IMO the best teacher around) Reading a manual on how it's done is good but you soon find out that there's a difference between theory and practice..(stubborn bolts, parts the manual makes no mention of!! ).
I got my first car and used to put it into the mech, but then I saw some of my mates doing their own services and then start doing suspension upgrades and engine mods and thought there's not much in that, I used to repair my pushie and well, I'm handy with a spanner and I love to pull stuff apart to see how it works.

So I got a gregory's some basic tools and went from there. For your basic servicing and repairs all you need is a set of stands, jack, spanner socket & screwdriver set. Of course there's always the little special tools that you sometimes need but you pick them up along the way.
And I look at tools as an investment. Buy good quality equipment the first time, looked after they should last you a lifetime.
So over the last 20 odd years of DIYing it and working as a mechanic and panel beater I'm happy these days doing anything from a motor rebuild to a full respray.

I hope this doesn't come across as sounding too knowall-ish and I thought I might just share my view on the topic as I'm more than happy to help out any blue oval fanatic if I can.


And Ford's 1,2 and 3 this w/e..

Ummm.... thats a f**k worry, doing things," without thinking about it!" I think thats a big problem and thats why some Mechanics f**k things up. Not thinking

or you could just be reading it wrong.

it's like driving a car you learn how to use a manual box and then do it so much you can change gears with out realy having to think about what you are doing.



obviously it the small things like checking oil and fluid levels that i was talking.

gees some people take things way to literaly and are just looking for small things to pick on to make it seem like they are right.

until you have been a mechanic you have no idea

and one last point. Have you ever f**k some thing up??
think back through your life for while. that right you have f**k things up too. so until you are perfect and never f**k up any thing, why don't you shut the f**k up and get over it

i worked at a car dealer for a lil while as an accessories fitter..... watched the shop foreman driv an echo onto a set of ramps and f**k it up.... passenger side dropped off the ramp

Sure I have f**k things up and I am not saying I am f**k perfect. and it is usually when I have not thought about what I was doing properly. Sure I take things literally and seriously, thats just the way I am. Because their are to many hazards and f**k around that you cant trust to just go about your business and think I have done it all before and what could possibly go wrong. Remember Murphy's Law Numbnuts

so when your at work no mater how many times you've done some thing you never think that. Are you trying to tell me every time you do some thing you do it like it's the first time you've done it and and go over it with a fine tooth comb so as not smallest of detail out of place? Thats not a very effient way of doing things.
Do you get in your car, drive around and see every little detail of whats going on, or do you miss some things have the ocasional close call? because you weren't consentrating properly.

like you said there there are f**k oput there you can't trust to get every thing right every time. You're one them i'm one of them your best mate is one of them every one is the f**k you can't trust. Thats why people crash cars thats why parts can take along time in freight. thats why your mcdonalds order gets f**k up in the drive through.

every one does it, But to say no one should ever trust a mechanic because of it just f**k stupid.

there is nothing hard about fixing or servicing cars. All you need is to is know what you are doing. any one can do it. Its just that a mechanic can do it a hell of alot faster then most people can. the unfortunate for the mechanics is people like you, the person no mater how good the job was done it would never be good enough.
You are the kind of people we wish never had to bring cars to us. those cars are usualy the ones in need of mechanic the most.

when i change my oil at home i jack car up on the drivers side so oil drains out of sump hole quicker and gets more oil out .

it wil always take longer when the oil is cold ie. thicker. thats why we always road test the cars first gives oil time to warm up a bit and also so that we can check for brake pulsations, inncorect wheel alligment/balance, etc. so drain 5ltr of warm/oil in 20-30min is pleanty of time

EXACTLY! Yes I dont think, " s**t I have done this thing so many times I could do it blindfolded" as you are alluding too. Phrases such as, "Familarity breeds contempt." or " Expect the unexpected!" definately comes to mind here.
Because thats one of the reasons people f**k up in life as their are so many variables that can happen that they dont allow or compensate for them. Think about it not every day of your life has been exactly the same has it. Its the same with work as well. s**t you always here of some Cop on the News saying something like, "That was the worse thing that has happened in my 25 years as a Policeman , blah blah."
Remember today could be your first or your last day for what ever reason. "
I just wish you had more customers like me in your Mechanic shop so it would get you out of your mindset. Hey, dont get me wrong here I trust Mechanics just as much as any other Professional, otherwise I wouldn't frequent their Business now would I? Heck just walking thru someones door takes some amount of trust dosent it? And I am not some nit picky bastard! I just like to get my car fixed properly the first time and I am not bothered at the cost of the work or how fast they do it. Just the quality thats all

you talk about me having some kind of mindset of thinking i've done this so much i don't have ti think about it.

your still reading the post wrong.

of coares you think about it while your doing it. go back and read the f**k post again. and you will find that i said "i'm sure i've missed some things here but i do it so much i dont realy have to think about it"

now if you read it the way it was intended you find that i was trying to get across the point that there may be some things missing from the list because sitting here after work trying to wind down i might not have remembered everything. and that when you are at work actualy doing it you dont have to think about what needs to be done. because you are at work in the right mindset for doing it.

and no i dont need more customers like you to get me out of some kind of f**k mind set. my work is on show at all of the local car shows. and if it was substanded work we wouldn't get to manny people comming back. but they all come to get more work done.

Don't sit there and judge me untill you have met me and have seen my work.

Well then maybe you should leave your Work at work then. If like you say you are confident that you are a good Mechanic at work and have many satisfied Customers etc you should never have to worry about, this that and the other when you are sitting here after work trying to wind down etc. So like I always say though,
"If the shoe fits wear it."