NEVER LET A SCHOOL SHOP FIX ANYTHING

[deereman75]

I saw this truck on the local on line classifieds, and I really felt sorry for this guy. "1990 toyota 4x4 pickup $900" "I took my truck into the high school shop with minor engine trouble... and now it needs a new engine, I dont have the money to fix it so I have to sell it"

I have also heard of people taking things like chainsaws in, and never getting them back.

 

[CBW1999]

I wouldn't write the idea off so quickly. A couple of things come to mind.

First, Caveat Emptor........you get what you pay for. Second, you know that it will be worked on by a student (hopefully supervised). Third- by the ad, the poster shouldn't be bashing anyone. He may be trying to cover his tracks Ie: knew it was a big problem and hoping to get it fixed free.

There are quite a few "tech centers" in Vermont. These are invaluable when it comes to education. The students that express interest in attending might not be "college track material" and this gives them an education that will take them somewhere.

For some, this is the only way they can express themselves and their intelligence.

I would sooner question the person selling the truck than the place he got it "fixed". Certainly a one sided story there.

SO please- re-think all of this.

 

[sandman2234]

Well, I realize times have changed a lot since 1975-6, but I took a year of vo-tech school in Pensacola and we never had any of those types of problems. However, the school controled what was brought into the shop and when it left. We did a Dodge automatic transmisson that a couple of the less mechanical students took apart, and it took us a new valve body, that the instructor purchased, because they never should have taken it apart. The school sent a guy down to the shop one afternoon taking inventory of everything. I was assigned to go with him. The reason he gave me was because the Dodge had been in there past the alloted time and that is what started the required full inventory.
David from jax

 

[Car Doc]

Desperate people do desperate things as bad as that story sounds he probably couldn't have afforded the proper repair at a good shop either. my 2c

 

[deereman75]

Well it seems the high school here has a really bad reputation for there shop, I know MANY people who have brought things in and get them back in worse shape, or dont get them back at all. Based on what I have heard about this shop from lots of people, I wouldnt be surprised if they did destroy an engine. I agree not all school shops are like this, and they guy could have had a big problem to begin with, but there is a really good chance with this school that they did write off an engine.

 

[duckhunter27]

Thought I would chime in as I have taught a school shop for 22 years and let me tell you I would not bring anything in for kids to work on . They could tear up a anvil. That being said everyone wants something fixed for nothing and hope the kids or the instructor will fix thier car for free. Now in the kids deffence they think they know everything but know nothing. And have patience for about 5 min and out comes the hammer. Yes i try to watch but you can't watch 20 plus kids all the time and it takes a second to screw up. Here we have everyone that brings in something sign a release and i tell them that chances of the kids fixing it are slim to none. Bottom line is people looking for something for nothing. Its funny though every year we have high school kids going into medical field and never do they ask them to perfrom heart surgery. The kids learn by making mistakes and trust me they don't learn the first time. So my advise is don't take anything in to a high school shop that you care about' want to see agian'. But if you have something that you dont care about that is what makes good shop projects for the kids they do try hard just dont always turn out so good.

 

[Just Bill]

Well it seems the high school here has a really bad reputation for there shop, I know MANY people who have brought things in and get them back in worse shape, or dont get them back at all. Based on what I have heard about this shop from lots of people, I wouldnt be surprised if they did destroy an engine. I agree not all school shops are like this, and they guy could have had a big problem to begin with, but there is a really good chance with this school that they did write off an engine.

The reputation of a High School shop is a direct reflection on the Instructor.
The kids are there to learn and its his job to train them to do it right.

 

[deereman75]

I agree with that, when my dad got a new lawm mower to replace his old lawmboy, he gave it to his friend who was a school shop teacher for the kids to fix, he never saw it again. (and didnt expect to)

 

[Car Doc]

The same goes for an actual repair shop.

I have been an employer (none on staff now) and own/operate a small auto repair shop and had plenty of employees that are "adults" and have at least some formal training can tear up stuff and cost a shop so much money its not funny.

Thats the main reason I am alone now days tired of babysitting idiots and paying them to watch ME work.

 

[duckhunter27]

Well good luck with that just Bill as i am sure you are one of the ones that wants something for nothing. You are right the kids are there to learn and the instructor is there to help the kids and keep them safe not to fix Tight asses stuff. If you want it done right with a warranty go to a local shop and pay them don't excpect a high school shop to fix your stuff and warranty it you get what you pay for.

 

[rmully]

The reputation of a High School shop is a direct reflection on the Instructor.
The kids are there to learn and its his job to train them to do it right.

I guess you have not taught school "lately" most of these kids today care about very little. You have to be half policeman and half teacher. Turn your back for 5 min and they are into something. Teaching today is not fun any more because of the cut backs, parents that use the school as a sitter and so many kids don't want to try ... China will beat us, because they go to school 10 hrs a day 6 days a week. Our country is in a sad state because of the current education system, and it gets worse every year.

 

[Kernopelli]

The reputation of a High School shop is a direct reflection on the Instructor.
The kids are there to learn and its his job to train them to do it right.

I could not agree more. This is a little different than high school but the prison where I work has a vocational school with both mechanics and body shop courses taught through the local community college. These are inmate students now, a lot ( most.....OK almost ALL) of them are some real pieces of work and they range from 18 yrs old on up. You pay for parts the rest is free. I gotta say, they do some awesome work. The instructors have A LOT to do with that fact but it doesn't change the outcome. 75% of the work done there is on staff vehicles so talk about getting a chance to get back at mean old "C/O Buttwipe"...but they don't. I wish I had some pics of the JD 4010 and 4020 they just rolled out for one of my buddies. They look absolutely factory showroom perfect and I'm not exaggerating a bit. Went through mechanically and body/paint. The only thing they didn't do on site was rebuild one of the injector pumps, it was sent out. The rest was done at the prison. I have seen many vehicles from the family car to rock crawlers come out of these shops looking and running like a top. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to take anything I owned to them.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've worked at the local community college for 17 years...
They do an excellent job of repairing autos for the general public if you can work it out with their teaching schedule and if they are covering a particular topic that you are needing a repair for...
One example I can think of is that I got my F250 aligned by them at the time they were doing alignment training...
I have also had diagnostic work done by then on my older Cadillac when they were doing diagnostic and trouble shooting training...
I am not aware of them re-building engines for the general public but do re-builds for the current students if they have an engine in need of rebuild and if that is what they are teaching that semester...

 

[cdaigle430]

Allow me to chime in, I agree that kids today care very little about anything but themselves. As for the risk of taking something into a high school for repair-come on people! You know these are kids and you know the risk involved. If anything, it at least gives them an opportunity to learn. Also-you take junk in, don't expect it to be returned in like new condition. You want that-take it to a professional and pay the bucks.

Anyone blaming the school or the instructor here-thas ludacris! I went to vocation school as a metal fabricator and I rememember the crap people would bring in to repair-most of the junk no professional in there right mind would touch even if you paid them the big bucks.

We built wood stoves, frames, trailers, charcoal grills etc-and they were better quality than what you buy at a store. Plus we learned from it and the money went right back to the school. After high school I worked for a couple of dealers and fabricating the same and believe it or not, the stuff my high school pumped out was much better quality at a much lower price.

 

[duckhunter27]

Thought we were talking about high school kids? 15 - 18 ? one hour a day class I would hope a college kid spending his money for a education would do the best he could. But high school kids coming and going every quarter i still say you are going to get what you pay for.

 

[sldva00]

Thought we were talking about high school kids? 15 - 18 ? one hour a day class I would hope a college kid spending his money for a education would do the best he could. But high school kids coming and going every quarter i still say you are going to get what you pay for.

I was thinking the same thing. A college kid is probably looking at this as a career move. I would expect him/her to do the best they can do, learn as much as they can.

Someone mentioned a prison shop. Prisoners are probably going to also do a good job. Probably looking at getting some time off for "good behavior".

High school kids on the other hand, not a chance. They are more interested on who they can get in the "back seat" of the vehicle they are fixing than fixing the vehicle. They don't care if they break something. They'll probably just laugh about it and move on to something else to "fix"/break.

 

[Ken]

duckhunter 27 Noticed your address. Live toward Sherman Reservoir ?
Have cousins in St. Paul,Boelus, Cairo. Grand Island went thru Dannebrog last
summer after traveling down 281 from the "corn palace" in Dakotas.
Roger Welsh's place looked almost abandened he still dealing with Allis Chalmers.
Also the restruant of Helens was closed used to be good Danish cooking .
Which School do you teach at. When I atteneded a FFA class in farm equipment repair goofing off was the way to get sent out of class. We started out with a engine donated and took parts off as we learned what it took to do its function. cleaned repaired and reinstalled under the teachers instructions.
Learned a life long experance in what best is not to do first.
Any teacher that is willing to try and get 1 student to see there is a better life than being nothing is admired.
ken

 

[wrenchturner]

How could anyone compare the work ethics of prisoners to students. A friend of mine teaches high school students. His school hired a teacher from a prison vocational school to teach vocational high school students. He had told my friend after dealing with prisoners he could deal with anybody. Needless to say after only a year with high school students, he is ready to go back to prison.

 

[CBW1999]

There is a big difference between the high school "1 hour class" and a tech center. Perhaps the OP could clarify what type of scool it is.

That being said, if the "shop" has that bad a reputation then a tax payer with said concern should go to the school board and make a complaint. Otherwise, the problem will never be solved.

Of course, if the reputation is that bad, then why would anyone bring something to be repaired?

Eitherway.....lots to be said about NOT believing everything posted on craigslist

 

[Ford tractor]

I would take something to a Vo-tech. Those "kids" may be 18 on up to 40-50 years old. They are also paying for the privilege of learning there and they get graded on the work. Screw up and you may have to take the class over again.

High school... eh... not so much. It's been 30+ years, but I still recall having more hormones than brain cells...:confused2: