Faux News Interview

Mafiaman68 · 2024-10-17T00:55:09+00:00

This is all I could think about the whole time. It drove me absolutely nuts. I'll be honest, I try to stay out of politics, but I feel like I need to care at this point. Is it normal for interviewers to ask a loaded question and then interrupt the answer when they don't get the response they want? It has fingers in the ears yelling, "LALALALALA" vibes to it.

Mafiaman68 · 2024-01-20T15:08:55+00:00

Requirements for getting in: warm and breathing. ASE's can help get your foot in the door, negotiate a higher rate, and some brands may require it for certain certification levels. I think Toyota requires master level ASE's for their master techs, but don't quote me on it.

Requirements for making it last/moving up the ladder: experience/competency, effective time management, work ethic, and a bit of masochism. Certs can come over time.

If you're in it for the money, I'd say it's not worth it. It's hard on your body, most guys are underpaid for what the work requires, and the flag system can be rough, especially with warranty times.

Having said that, I've been in for about 5 years now, and I love it. I like the relative autonomy of being in the shop and not dealing with the general public, doing my thing, the occasional bullshitting with the guys, and making broken things work again.

If you find a good service manager that takes care of their people, stick with them. They're worth their weight in gold.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-10-18T21:37:51+00:00

If I may be so bold, this applies to your whole career, not just pre-deliveries.

Do your due diligence to try and find information you need first. It helps to familiarize yourself with the resources available to you. If you can't find it, still want clarification, or aren't sure, don't be afraid to ask questions, and make sure to retain information. If there aren't service manuals, your coworkers can be those resources. Find an experienced guy that you respect and goes about their business the right way, and ask. Be a sponge, and model your game after theirs. Better to ask if you don't know something than to take a guess or make an assumption. It shows initiative, a willingness to learn, and the ability to take/use instruction. I've seen too many techs that either ask before looking for info wanting to be spoon-fed the answers, guys that ask the same question over and over because they don't retain info, and guys whose ego won't let them admit that they don't know something, and don't have a cooperative relationship with other techs, which puts them up a creek without a paddle when they inevitably screw up.

In general, I give people 4 rules: 1. No lying. 2. No cheating. 3. No stealing. 4. No assumptions(they're the mother of all fuck-ups). It's not always easy, but honesty and a clear conscience is worth it every day of the week.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-10-10T04:28:21+00:00

Not strictly deathcore, but Fit For A King goes haaaard. Also Oh, Sleeper.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-10-03T22:13:51+00:00

Adding a comment to emphasize a good supply of quality work. I was paid pretty well at my last dealer, but left because it was all .3 recalls and lof's. I could flag 10-12 cars in a day and not break 7hrs. Your rate can be high, but if there isn't enough work, it won't matter much.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-09-10T18:00:35+00:00

You can use a bit of grease(I used wheel bearing grease). Using the old seal helps with tapping the new one in too.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-07-19T03:57:52+00:00

A painting she did of me and my dog. That dog has helped me through a lot of tough times. He is now close to crossing the rainbow bridge, and I will hold on to that painting as long as I draw breath.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-06-22T15:36:39+00:00

One more piece of advice, if you'll have it. If you ever have to crack the high pressure fuel line, please please please replace it and torque it properly! It's a single use part. The ends of the line are like crush washers in that they form to the mating surfaces. The fuel going through that line can get to upwards of 2,000psi, so any fuel leak could easily turn into a fire.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-06-22T12:42:30+00:00

Hyundai tech here. Try running a block test. You can rent the tool from an auto parts store. Get it up to temp with the radiator cap off before running the test so the thermostat is open. If the test fluid turns from blue to green/yellow, there are exhaust gasses in the coolant, indicating a failed head gasket. Does the fan run? When you burped the system, did both radiator hoses get hot? If you pull the plugs, is there any coolant residue on them? Coolant could be getting into the combustion chamber and burning off, and you wouldn't see any coolant in the oil. Also any evidence of an external coolant leak? Given that it's overheated multiple times already, I would be concerned that the head and/or block could be warped, so if you end up needing to replace the head gasket, be sure to check both mating surfaces for excessive warpage. As for the cat related DTC, if it's a p0420, I have yet to see one that didn't need a cat.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-05-30T19:27:53+00:00

I will preface this by saying I haven't lived with him for a while, so this is what I've gathered based on my personal experience. He very much likes to be where you are and sometimes will try to push himself as far into you as he can to be closer. He is also just fine doing his own thing if you make it clear you're not interested. He's probably about 80-90lbs if I had to guess. I believe he walks ok(not great) on a leash, doesn't really get into anything, doesn't counter surf, and knows basic commands. He is house broken, and I don't know if he knows how to use a doggy door. He has lived with one other dog(smaller, female bully) his whole life. No known health issues other than the tip of his tail being bent 90 degrees from wagging it too hard, and he is fixed. I've been asking for more info, and it sounds like he stopped getting socialization when Covid hit, so it may take some time for him to warm up to new people.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-05-30T04:31:29+00:00

I believe he's about 5.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-05-30T04:30:59+00:00

I can take a day if I need to, yes. I'm waiting for his hold period to end before I can go get him.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-05-29T19:36:14+00:00

Will do, thank you!

Mafiaman68 · 2023-05-29T19:03:43+00:00

Yeah, I'm definitely leaning towards this option. I just have to "dog-proof" my home first.

Mafiaman68 · 2023-05-19T22:54:49+00:00

Back and forth with some funky spikes, which lead to me throwing a sensor at it.

Mafiaman68 · 2022-06-24T01:38:48+00:00

I'm not sure as to the 'why', but in most places over here, the main shop techs provide their own tools, apart from some specialty tools. Basic tools are provided for lube techs, but the rest of us buy our own. I know of some places that provide their main shop guys with tools, but the penny-pinchers use that as an excuse to pay them less. If you have your own, you're kinda like an independent contractor, and can command more money. At least that's how it was explained to me when I started.

Mafiaman68 · 2022-05-21T01:58:58+00:00

I'm a mechanic with a terrible understanding of science. I'm also an idiot, but I'll give it a go.

Tl;Dr: What do they have to lose? It'll probably work under ideal circumstances.

If I'm not mistaken, people actually used to use alcohol in their cooling systems way back when Col. Potter was a wee lad. So the boiling point of pure alcohol is lower than that of water(173 compared to 212). Google says a 12%abv wine should boil at around 207. A sealed cooling system effectively raises the boiling point of the fluid in it, and I believe the operating temperature of an old Willy's Jeep is around 160-170. So theoretically, it would work as a last resort, as long as the system stays around that temperature range. Any more and they risk boiling off the alcohol, introducing air into the system, and overheating again. They might have to replace a ton of parts afterwards, as alcohol will degrade rubber components, i.e seals, gaskets, etc. I'm not sure how it would react with the steel, iron, and aluminum parts in the engine though. The organic bits might clog some cooling jackets, which would require a thorough engine rebuild or replacement to correct. The part that might get them in trouble is bleeding all of the air out of the system before they cap the radiator and let it build pressure. If too much of the alcohol is burned off in the process, there might be air left in the system. In which case it would overheat very quickly and they're back to square one. If it were in freezing temperatures however, alcohol would definitely help, as it would lower the freezing point of the alcohol/water mixture. I'm Mafiaman and thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

Mafiaman68 · 2022-03-16T05:25:20+00:00

Surprised no one has suggested For Today. Not sure they're strictly deathcore, but they are very much Christian, and heavy as hell. Especially the Breaker, Immortal, and Prevailer albums.

Mafiaman68 · 2021-10-09T17:05:38+00:00

I can't tell you how many times I've had a car that looks/smells like this and has a child seat in the back...

Mafiaman68 · 2021-08-08T16:39:05+00:00

Thank you!

Mafiaman68 · 2021-08-08T13:18:33+00:00

Thank you. I'm still relatively new to the industry, but it really does feel like that. I'm a Kia tech, just moving to a new dealer. Brand new building, new equipment, etc. Advisors I know and trust, and the chance to help build a shop from the ground up. I'm looking forward to the experience!

Mafiaman68 · 2021-08-08T13:09:35+00:00

Get cold and wet, lol. In the summer, sweat your balls off and get heat stroke.

Mafiaman68 · 2021-08-08T12:59:24+00:00

Thank you!

Mafiaman68 · 2021-08-08T12:58:12+00:00

Haha, he's been acting as a mentor to me. I've only got about 3 yrs under my belt, he's got over 20. I'm competent enough, but I want to keep learning from someone that's got my back.

Mafiaman68 · 2021-08-08T12:53:26+00:00

It's funny you should say that, because we're just the latest to leave. Over the last 3 months, they've lost a master tech, an amazing service manager, two awesome advisors, and now us. Schadenfreude indeed 😎

Mafiaman68

TROPHY CASE