What is the future of Car Repair?

[Crazy Dazz]

Cars have become increasingly complex. Functions they were once a simple electrical switch are now controlled by some hidden computer. Systems that were once a single, easily removed and diagnosed piece of equipment, are now incorporated into hugely complicated "modules".

At the same time, your average punter has become less interested in understanding their car or doing their own maintenance.
Maybe we need some reality tv shows like "the block" but fixing up cars. Seems everyone you meet now thinks they're a renovation expert, but don't even know how to change a tyre.

Lastly, the cost of labour in Australia has skyrocketed. Not surprising when you consider how much of that money winds up on the government coffers, and that the poor schmuck trying to earn a quid is stuck with the huge cost of living.

It's rapidly getting to the point where it just isn't worth fixing anything.

For your average punter, I seriously think the best approach is to buy a new or near new Korean, with a 7 year warranty or whatever, and on the day before the warranty expires, get everything fixed and then trade it in.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

For your average punter, I seriously think the best approach is to buy a new or near new Korean, with a 7 year warranty or whatever, and on the day before the warranty expires, get everything fixed and then trade it in.

This is what people are doing in large numbers, they've mostly got cars on leases and servicing goes back to the dealership then they turn them over after the 3 years.

Also keep in mind in Australia independent repairers have virtually no access to information on diagnosis and repair as there is no legislation forcing manufacturers offer this information like they do in the USA.

Ricky Muir was working on this and was getting something together to present to parliament but got shafted on the double dissolution election we had.

Also these days workshops are getting virtually no sales margin between RRP what parts are sold to retail customers and their buy price, generally workshops are on the lowest form of discount levels so customers are sourcing their own parts, I used to attempt to work on 20% margin but generally there wasn't even 20% in it.

Automotive repair businesses are also capital heavy business, tools, equipment and subscription fees to diagnostic software is very expensive compared to other types of businesses, then there is the ever rising costs of rent.

Realistically you need to be charging around $110/hour at the cheapest, you don't want to be carrying stock and if you do it's on consignment, ideally you want to be located in metropolitan areas giving you access to parts suppliers delivery runs so you don't have to carry stock.

There's also big efforts happening by manufacturers to cut out independent repairers from touching their vehicles - I'm currently working with one making efforts to bring their customers back in house after sale of new vehicle or doing accessory fitment in house before customer takes delivery of vehicle.

[jpd80]

The issue is that people just assume reliability of new vehicles will be there as it was in the past but the truth is that every vehicle is made to a price and designed to wear out and eventually cost lots of money to fix. That eight, nine or ten year cushion of relative financial safety no longer exists with today’s cars. Don’t expect seven year warranty to cover you, there’s lots of exclusions that are denied on the grounds that they as wear and tear, this will become apparent when people start trying to claim things five or six years in on ownership

[Citroënbender]

The EU has good consumer rights with respect to reasonable access of repair information, however the makers still try it on - FCA for one have a version of EOBD that blocks “deep” interrogation by anything other than factory tools - and so far the Eastern Bloc hasn’t found a reliable way around it. As FC says, mechanical shops being heavy on capital outlay, saddled up with (often misplaced) consumer expectations - why would you bother to run one?

The whole social agenda behind it is (IMO) the push to move people away from a notion of free or minimal cost mobility and ingrain the concept that if you want to go somewhere it will cost you a bit. (But you can pay it off… )

What irks me about new cars in NSW is the three year moratorium on pink slips. It’s an encouragement to utter neglect - and to the detriment of subsequent owners.

[ratter]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Also keep in mind in Australia independent repairers have virtually no access to information on diagnosis and repair as there is no legislation forcing manufacturers offer this information like they do in the USA.

Ricky Muir was working on this and was getting something together to present to parliament but got shafted on the double dissolution election we had.
.

Apparently as of last week this is about to change

[PG2]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Cars have become increasingly complex. Functions they were once a simple electrical switch are now controlled by some hidden computer. Systems that were once a single, easily removed and diagnosed piece of equipment, are now incorporated into hugely complicated "modules".

At the same time, your average punter has become less interested in understanding their car or doing their own maintenance.
Maybe we need some reality tv shows like "the block" but fixing up cars. Seems everyone you meet now thinks they're a renovation expert, but don't even know how to change a tyre.

Lastly, the cost of labour in Australia has skyrocketed. Not surprising when you consider how much of that money winds up on the government coffers, and that the poor schmuck trying to earn a quid is stuck with the huge cost of living.

It's rapidly getting to the point where it just isn't worth fixing anything.

For your average punter, I seriously think the best approach is to buy a new or near new Korean, with a 7 year warranty or whatever, and on the day before the warranty expires, get everything fixed and then trade it in.

I wouldn't want some sort of reality show fixing up cars.

You said it yourself, there are many people out there who think that they are a renovation expert - imagine the condition and sort of modifications of some cars that would be getting around if a 'block style' car show was produced.

[lra]

Too true, Dazz.
Every ‘road test’ that I read about new cars, centres on stuff like the infotainment screen and the electronic gizmos fitted to save incompetent drivers from themselves. There is very little about driver ergonomics, and basic performance of the chassis if the gizmos are turned off or fail, eg Holden’s VF electric steering faults.
My 3 cars are 10, 14 and 17 years old. Old, unsafe, polluting clunkers that don’t have current lifesaving technology………. I hear the experts say. No. They are maintained to an unnecessary level to ensure that they are not ‘clunkers’.
And another point, the ‘greenest’ car you can drive is your present car. The emissions caused by the manufacture of your new car is never mentioned by the experts.

As for a ‘reality show’ of fixing cars, do we really need a show about the sheila with the fakest boobs and pout arguing with an buff, trendy male about what colour to paint the old clunker.

[Tonz]

Originally Posted by PG2

I wouldn't want some sort of reality show fixing up cars.

You said it yourself, there are many people out there who think that they are a renovation expert - imagine the condition and sort of modifications of some cars that would be getting around if a 'block style' car show was produced.

few (?) years ago, the ABC did a series on local aboriginal people keeping their cars? on the road err keeping them going. Very funny but inspirational at the same time with their bush mechanics.

[efirestorer]

That ABC show was VERY funny - they reconditioned flat batteries by heating them over the campfire ! Surprisingly , it seemed to work - I wonder if it was only staged as that .

[marty351]

Originally Posted by PG2

I wouldn't want some sort of reality show fixing up cars.

You said it yourself, there are many people out there who think that they are a renovation expert - imagine the condition and sort of modifications of some cars that would be getting around if a 'block style' car show was produced.

I can imagine Sheens panel service would be a major sponsor of such a program, along with the experts at Supercheap Auto, and many others.

[Itsme]

Cars are more affordable these days, you buy a new one and run it for its service life (warranty period) then trade it or junk it for the next model.
Who wants to repair cars when they can be sitting somewhere sipping their Latte coffee!
This is what the people want instead of purchasing 2nd hand old clunkers with owners constantly working on them just to keep them going.
The young ones do not really know how easy they got it these days.......


PS: You say labour costs is expensive well a business has to survive, you go work for yourself and find out what your overhead costs are to stay in business.
Cheers

[aussiblue]

Have a read of this thread: https://fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11435571 The car industry and the repair and service industry want to stop you fixing your own car.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by efirestorer

That ABC show was VERY funny - they reconditioned flat batteries by heating them over the campfire ! Surprisingly , it seemed to work - I wonder if it was only staged as that .

Best way is to clear out all the acid, wash the internal plates clean and then refill with new acid

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by efirestorer

That ABC show was VERY funny - they reconditioned flat batteries by heating them over the campfire ! Surprisingly , it seemed to work - I wonder if it was only staged as that .

About the 13 minute mark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDeHI3fOlzo

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by lra

Too true, Dazz.
Every ‘road test’ that I read about new cars, centres on stuff like the infotainment screen and the electronic gizmos fitted to save incompetent drivers from themselves. There is very little about driver ergonomics, and basic performance of the chassis if the gizmos are turned off or fail, eg Holden’s VF electric steering faults.
My 3 cars are 10, 14 and 17 years old. Old, unsafe, polluting clunkers that don’t have current lifesaving technology………. I hear the experts say. No. They are maintained to an unnecessary level to ensure that they are not ‘clunkers’.
And another point, the ‘greenest’ car you can drive is your present car. The emissions caused by the manufacture of your new car is never mentioned by the experts.

As for a ‘reality show’ of fixing cars, do we really need a show about the sheila with the fakest boobs and pout arguing with an buff, trendy male about what colour to paint the old clunker.

Couldn't have written this better myself. There's a few good videos on the amount of environmental damage is envolved in getting the materials needed to make these batteries that "green" cars use.

Then there's the amount of raw materials and energy used to produce a new car. So it's probably more environmentally friendly to keep driving your we'll maintained older cars.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by PG2

I wouldn't want some sort of reality show fixing up cars.

You said it yourself, there are many people out there who think that they are a renovation expert - imagine the condition and sort of modifications of some cars that would be getting around if a 'block style' car show was produced.

#chipfoose

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Officemanager

Cars are more affordable these days, you buy a new one and run it for its service life (warranty period) then trade it or junk it for the next model.
Who wants to repair cars when they can be sitting somewhere sipping their Latte coffee!
This is what the people want instead of purchasing 2nd hand old clunkers with owners constantly working on them just to keep them going.
The young ones do not really know how easy they got it these days.......


PS: You say labour costs is expensive well a business has to survive, you go work for yourself and find out what your overhead costs are to stay in business.
Cheers

Cars are more reliable too - at least mechanically, particularly Jap and Korean stuff.

The biggest killer of modern cars is generally electrical failures that are stupidly expensive to fix - I'm looking forward to self parking system, AEB and the multitude of other things to crap out and how this gets fixed on the current crop of cars.

[Citroënbender]

Reflashes ex-Bulgaria or Georgia, disable the firmware and pair with portable Android devices that offer mostly compatible substitutes in a set of apps.

[ute83]

Well said, I think. If only I understood it.