A question for mechanics

[dragracer66]

"Automatic's are the future that's what they need to learn how to use!!!"

Don't you think the older in seniority people should get the nice cars? As a mechanic, you have no concept of how much wear and tear your body takes after years of driving some POS. It seems to me, UPS tests your driving on a standard before they hire you. If you can't drive a standard, you shouldn't be here.

The new guys can do their time in a POS, just like we all had to.

Well then we need to go out and find all of our friend model mack's and put them back in service if we do it your way!!! Where did I say older people shouldn't get a new car?? Yes they should!!! But also with that we aren't getting manual transmission truck's any more. And don't tell me I have no concept of how much wear and tear you guy's go through I know just like most mechanic's know. I don't know how you guy's do it day in and day out!!! I'm woopt after I have to off load one of those thing's on a road call!!!

 

[toonertoo]

dragracer66,
I sure dont think its easy, I know I couldnt do it. I know your job isnt easy. And every time I came back from a vacation, my mechanic soon after had to replace my spicer clutch, pressure plate etc. Because the newer guys ride the clutch, and dont start out in 1st gear. I was totally happy with that truck, and I actually have always preferred standard, especially on the snow, in my personal vehicle. I feel you have more control and can better feel where you are at on the ice/snow. I see what my mechanice goes through, and I try not to write up piddly crap. And I try to best describe what the problem is if I dont know.
AS far as job security, it was meant to be sarcasm, no offense intended

 

[over9five]

Basicly, Drag, we agree. It's just to give a newhire that automatic, you have to take it from a senior driver. I look forward to the day they ALL are automatics!

 

[Pip]

As a mechanic, you have no concept of how much wear and tear your body takes after years of driving some POS.

To an extent, I'll agree. I haven't had the fortune of driving the older high step, POS cars that many of the older guys have had to drive and tear up their body's. There are quite a few older guys in the center I work in with several knee operations, arthritic hips & knees, bad backs, dozens of sprained ankles that are now taking their tolls on their aging body's.

With that said, personally, I've had 2 arthroscopic surgeries on left knee, 3 on the right, next operation on right will be joint replacement. Cotizone shots keep me going. Then the corpal tunnel is always reminding me why I even decided to turn wrenches for a living. The arthritis in my neck keeps me mindful of a broken neck in 94'.

In all honest, it isn't just the drivers that are feeling the fruits of our labor. Mechanics feel it too. It's just the nature of the beast. Sooner or later the body will break down after years of abuse.

Far as the older cars with high steps, those days are numbered. same as the manual tranny's. For the most part the high steppers should evenually be gone in the next 5 to 7 yrs. the manual tranny's should be gone by 2020, hopefully, if not sooner.


****Not looking forward to retirement when I zoom around in my high octane wheelchair.

 

[hondo]

A clutch is not a footrest

I would add, the shifter is not a handrest, as continuous pressure will wear the shift forks and related hardware (synchronizers).

 

[Pollocknbrown]

I would add, the shifter is not a handrest, as continuous pressure will wear the shift forks and related hardware (synchronizers).

Ha ha my dad always tells me that when i borrow his truck if my truck is in the shop (mine is never in for transmission work because it isn't a manual so i didnt want to read "why is it in the shop, beating the hell out of your tranny?"