Generalized Rant

[timswi]

how about it flash a code you could lookup in your manual.. my old 84 pontiac would do that.. jumper 2 terminals on the plug under the dash and then wait for it to flash out the codes.. then look them up.


soundguy

You could do that with OBD1 but not OBD2...Good advice for the "classic" vehicle owners out there though.

 

[Soundguy]

that was my point.. why not something similarly usefull....


soundguy

 

[eepete]

The drop in display cost coupled with the fact that they are used more means that the days of flashing are gone.
I did a computer system (network router/encryptor) which had a single bit that went to a speaker. During the boot cycle, if there was a problem, it told you in morse code what the problem was. Management nuked it- "no one knows morse code these days". It still had the speaker, they just didn't want people freaking out when it would just start "randomly beeping" instead of working.

Everyone who is in product development treats the end customer like a mushroom.

Finally, on the high end cars with GPS and big LCD displays, there is zero excuse for not saying exactly what's wrong. In fact, if you can store all the maps for the US you can store drawings of the car to point to some of the problems. BTW, I never want a car "Powered by Microsoft".

Pete

 

[dave1949]

Finally, on the high end cars with GPS and big LCD displays, there is zero excuse for not saying exactly what's wrong. In fact, if you can store all the maps for the US you can store drawings of the car to point to some of the problems. BTW, I never want a car "Powered by Microsoft".

Pete

Excellent point.
What do you have against an occassional reboot at 65 mph?
Dave.

 

[Soundguy]

I agree.. anyu car with some sort of built in LCD.. that just begs for a diagnostice help center. Heck.. some vehicles have a large lcd for the radio/cd/mp3/satalite radio setup.. that could even be usefull..

Of course.. we all know why they don't do this.. they want you to bring the car to them for service....

soundguy

The drop in display cost coupled with the fact that they are used more means that the days of flashing are gone.
I did a computer system (network router/encryptor) which had a single bit that went to a speaker. During the boot cycle, if there was a problem, it told you in morse code what the problem was. Management nuked it- "no one knows morse code these days". It still had the speaker, they just didn't want people freaking out when it would just start "randomly beeping" instead of working.

Everyone who is in product development treats the end customer like a mushroom.

Finally, on the high end cars with GPS and big LCD displays, there is zero excuse for not saying exactly what's wrong. In fact, if you can store all the maps for the US you can store drawings of the car to point to some of the problems. BTW, I never want a car "Powered by Microsoft".

Pete

 

[jayste]

As far as the service department comments I've seen similar situations. At one time I spent a "little" time in the WAITING room of a Nissan dealership on a problem they FINALLY fixed when they redesigned the part! Anyway, (mini-rant) the WAITING room had glass all around and while all of the other suckers...uh, I mean customers wher watching TV or working on their computers I was watchin the service guru's work their magic. I finally got curious and went out and stood away so I could listen as well. Ha! Talk about a racket! Seems like every person that came in for "service" (especially the elderly and female) got the old, "we've taken the liberty to check your fluids, Mam, and here are the samples of them". They show them the "color" of the fluids and show them the little example of how they should look and SHAZAM! "Oh, yes, that doesn't look good to me either, go ahead and change out my engine oil, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, power steering, refrigerant...............please" Ahhhhh! And then when mine was done I got the LIST of recommened services at the current mileage thing! I'm all for service when it needs it but MAN! These guys must work on commission!

 

[Chuck52]

They do like those fluid changes, don't they. I've had two shops tell me I need to have the tranny in my 2003 Impala flushed every 35K....for $160 a pop. Unless they read the service notices, and then they want to use Dexron VI instead of III and charge over $200.

Chuck

 

[NuBota]

The difference between a technician and a mechanic..I'll take the mechanic any day. he knows how things work. The tech knows what the computer tells him..And this is coming from a computer guy.

Hah! That's the irony! When the computer breaks, then what....?


And one thing I've noticed - good mechanics are generally pretty computer savvy - diagnostic skills are diagnostic skills - only the "system" is different.

I also remember long ago - I was helping my friend work on his car - he was in his last year of college as an engineering student (I was college drop out). I was explaining the venturi on his carburetor and he perked up - he finally got to see a practical use of something he learned in school - he still couldn't turn a wrench to save his life....

 

[Cat_Driver]

To be honest I don't think I have been to a service place that I actually came home satisfied.

Here's a couple that I remember and there are many more.

Had a rear stabilizer, and front steering stabilizer put on my motor home 100 miles from home, tgo in it to go home the rig pulled hard to the right, turned around for a fix, two times later it drives straight, got home to check the rear stabilizer - never installed yet I was charged. I made them pay ME for fuel to come back to prove no rear stabilizer.

Took wifes car to the dealer because new cars fron tire kept going flat, they checked it and said all was fine, next day flat, took it to Goodyear they pulled out a 12 penny nail.

Had a towing break installed in my Jeep the battery has gone dead ever since they touched it, I disconnected what they did and the battery is fine.

Many, many oil changes with problems too many to mention. MAny put too much oil in after I checked.

My air conditioning was blowing out at 72 degrees Service manager said that it was within spec.

Had a leak fixed in the roof of my New Sprinter, it rained last week and it was a waterfall inside the van.

So I'm wondering do any service people do their job because it's not only one service area it's many, and I for one am sick of it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Excellent point.
What do you have against an occassional reboot at 65 mph?
Dave.

A true "Blue Screen of Death".