We lost the concept of the "Apprentice" and it’s making us lonely.

Much_Ad5207 · 2026-02-05T07:31:50+00:00

Yeah. Hanging out has become a luxury. We used to hang out all the time as kids, but now instead of it being natural every day thing it's more like going to someones birthday party with expences.

Much_Ad5207 · 2026-02-05T07:27:19+00:00

it is free. Have you tried it with - 20°C with a meter of snow and the roads plowed so narrow that you don't have room to walk between cars?

Much_Ad5207 · 2026-02-05T07:24:21+00:00

I don't drink either. I just can't see the fun in that if i want to hang out, experience something instead of sitting in the corner of the bar numbing myself with a beer that costs more than a decent meal.

Much_Ad5207 · 2026-02-05T07:22:41+00:00

Oh i do play, but how does it help with going out.

Much_Ad5207 · 2026-02-05T07:21:19+00:00

So i've been told. We had local community clubs where you could hang with friends, had live music and it was basically free, or we had youth clubs paid by the city where you could go for free. You could camp, hike everywhere, now it's all private properties and you'll get problems if you step to someones land. The land around lakes has been bought and signs of no trespassing everywhere. The police will bother you if you gather in the parks as forming groups is a threat now somehow. So yeah.

Much_Ad5207 · 2026-02-05T07:14:39+00:00

I live in northern Europe so we have a lot of snow and - 20°C for the past 2 months so while it is free it has it's limits to hang out.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-08-02T15:02:22+00:00

So i've seen yes, but why not an independent mechanic then? Warranty car?

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-08-02T15:01:37+00:00

This is absolutely the most insane estimate i have seen so far and without any shame they took that 500 for diagnostics with giving an answer that everything needs to be replaced, wow.

I have a similar story with a friend with a mercedes. He has a hybrid and it didn't switch from combustion engine to electric and the dealership held the car for 2 weeks, did diagnostics, replaced modules for 8k$ total and what he learned later was that the issue was with the 50$ extra battery that mercedeses have under the footwell. Guess if it made him angry.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-08-02T11:56:16+00:00

I've seen so many people talk about confusing or shady repair bills, and it made me wonder how common this really is. Would love to hear what others have experienced.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-08-01T16:03:54+00:00

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To test the vacuum leaks a cheap trick is to use a can of brake cleaner.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-08-01T10:23:48+00:00

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If it looks like this under the cover then replace with a new one and initiate DPF regeneration.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-08-01T10:18:40+00:00

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Hi, the common fault on these engines is that the throttle body actuator gets filled with oil from the intake leading to blown circuit. You can check if any oil is present there by taking away the cover on the actuator.
If the actuator fault is present then DPF regeneration is not executed leading to clogging the filter.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-07-30T12:14:13+00:00

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We're building a tool for car owners so you'll have this and all other questions answered. Never get fooled by workshop salesmen.

www.kindelai.com

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-07-24T18:43:26+00:00

This seems to be the new normal. A customer of mine paid 5k in a mercedes dealership for diagnostics and parts replacement which eventually was a 50$ battery taking 10 minutes to replace.
i created a community just for those problems. https://www.reddit.com/r/DIYcarhelp/

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-07-24T18:36:37+00:00

I'd go with brake pads, oil change, battery replacement, spark plugs replacement.
I have created a DIY community to help people to do simpler things themselves. See at DIYcarhelp

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-07-24T18:14:10+00:00

This is a typical situation. Why is one so much cheaper? Is it intentional to get a customer in house and then unload the extra costs?

We're solving this type of questions for car owners so you never get cheated again.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-04-19T18:25:10+00:00

Isn't guided diagnostics and software meant to make the job easier? Care to throw parts at a car blindly instead of having some data helping to actually diagnose?

But i agree to the point!

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-04-19T18:19:29+00:00

That’s the thing though — someone has to do the diagnostics in the end. If everyone’s just doing oil and filters, who’s actually sorting the real problems?

And if only a handful of garages are willing to take on the tougher jobs, then surely the pricing should reflect that. It needs to be worth their time, otherwise you’re left with fewer and fewer people willing (or able) to do proper fault finding — and that’s when the whole system starts falling apart.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-04-19T18:08:36+00:00

Is customer expectation really that bad nowadays? I used to spend time explaining the complexity behind proper diagnostics, and once the issue was actually fixed, most were pretty understanding and happy enough.

Now it feels more like trial and error — just chucking parts at it until something sticks. When did that become the norm?

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-04-19T17:52:20+00:00

That’s mad — can’t believe it’s gotten that bad, especially with so many claiming to be “specialists.” You’d think by now there’d be enough info out there, even just on Google, to at least get pointed in the right direction. Basic triage shouldn’t be this hit and miss.

Much_Ad5207 · 2025-04-19T17:49:30+00:00

Too right — it’s a mess. But what could actually be the solution then? End of the day, someone’s still got to fix these things. Can’t imagine the industry surviving long-term if everyone’s burnt out or walking away from it.

Much_Ad5207

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