Was quite enjoying the ztech post till it dissapeared. As far as I am aware there isn't a professional 'mechanics qualification' in the U.K. Set up a garage, call yourself a mechanic or motor engineer and you are one. They wouldn't be the first organisation to be hounded off the forum for some shite jobs, shit happens!

Anyway, mechanics, engineering, discuss?(And don't start the Z is some sort of supercar that that needs specialised skills, it's a NISSAN).

Was quite enjoying the ztech post till it dissapeared. As far as I am aware there isn't a professional 'mechanics qualification' in the U.K. Set up a garage, call yourself a mechanic or motor engineer and you are one. They wouldn't be the first organisation to be hounded off the forum for some shite jobs, shit happens!

Anyway, mechanics, engineering, discuss?(And don't start the Z is some sort of supercar that that needs specialised skills, it's a NISSAN).

a nissan it may be but ive a son who could easely take off and refit the cylinder head on his honda monkey bike but i would,nt let him change a crank on a honda fireblade, both honda,s :D

I took my car to a very well established and proffesional garage who have fixed my other cars many many times......asked them to find out what was wrong with my zed.....opened the bonnet and said no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took my car to a very well established and proffesional garage who have fixed my other cars many many times......asked them to find out what was wrong with my zed.....opened the bonnet and said no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

run like fvck when you hear "go well these turbo diesels dont they" :rofl: :rofl: :confused:

was wondering how long it would take for it to be deleted

 

quite lame if you ask me

Why not! Not trying to be smart(as I've no experience of either!). Would really like to see a proper technical discussion of maintaining Z's. I've had mine for over 5 years and am basically a home mechanic that fixes what needs to be fixed come MOT time and can diagnose and fix a variety of problems that crop up through the years, and to be honest they ain't that much different to my father in laws Micra.

All I know about cars is from what I have learned from the cars that I have owned and I have never had a 'ucked engine so I don't really about cranks and heads but I would of thought that if your son can change a head on his 'monkey bike' he could change a head on most cars/bikes, if he learned how to to change a crank on a Fireblade he could change a crank on most cars/bikes. It's about engineering principles and fundamentals, if you have a good grounding in theoretical engineering coupled with real life experience your sorted. (Nice modern term there.)

Too many practical mechanics dismissing the theory, and too many theoretical mechanics dismissing the practical.

Was quite enjoying the ztech post till it dissapeared. As far as I am aware there isn't a professional 'mechanics qualification' in the U.K. Set up a garage, call yourself a mechanic or motor engineer and you are one. They wouldn't be the first organisation to be hounded off the forum for some shite jobs, shit happens!

Anyway, mechanics, engineering, discuss?(And don't start the Z is some sort of supercar that that needs specialised skills, it's a NISSAN).

 

Some valid points there, but there are valid mechanics qualifications, its called apprenticeships and to complete an apprenticeship you need to pass exams City and Guilds, SCOTECS etc.

 

The problem is you dont need any qualifications to work on vehicles, it has been talked about for a long time though and they were going to implement something along the same lines as corgi registered plumbers, ie if you dont have the qualification you dont get to fix motors for a living.

 

But saying that Ive worked in the motor vehicle industry for 20 odd years (though mainly PSV and HGV) and have worked with so called time served mechanics who I wouldnt let fix a push bike far less a Z, and at the same time worked with some

great "mechanics" who could fix anything but have never had any paper qualifications.

 

In an ideal world any garage should be capable of working on any motor, however lifes shit and so is the work of a lot of garages, main dealers dont want 15 year old cars in for service and repairs because they cant estimate properly the time for the jobs like they can with new motors, all the profit is in servicing and quick turn round repairs. then there are the back street garages some good some bad you take your chance, personally id stick to specialists and small family run garages these guys tend to take a bit of pride in their work and depend on a good reputation, and I would always go on past experiences whether it be yourself or through word of mouth as to which garage id put my car into for repair.

 

Yeh and I was enjoying the thread as well :D

Some valid points there, but there are valid mechanics qualifications, its called apprenticeships and to complete an apprenticeship you need to pass exams City and Guilds, SCOTECS etc.

 

The problem is you dont need any qualifications to work on vehicles, it has been talked about for a long time though and they were going to implement something along the same lines as corgi registered plumbers, ie if you dont have the qualification you dont get to fix motors for a living.

 

But saying that Ive worked in the motor vehicle industry for 20 odd years (though mainly PSV and HGV) and have worked with so called time served mechanics who I wouldnt let fix a push bike far less a Z, and at the same time worked with some

great "mechanics" who could fix anything but have never had any paper qualifications.

 

In an ideal world any garage should be capable of working on any motor, however lifes shit and so is the work of a lot of garages, main dealers dont want 15 year old cars in for service and repairs because they cant estimate properly the time for the jobs like they can with new motors, all the profit is in servicing and quick turn round repairs. then there are the back street garages some good some bad you take your chance, personally id stick to specialists and small family run garages these guys tend to take a bit of pride in their work and depend on a good reputation, and I would always go on past experiences whether it be yourself or through word of mouth as to which garage id put my car into for repair.

 

Yeh and I was enjoying the thread as well :D

 

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What he said !!

 

 

Alan........

evening Alan

It was the drunk bit that lured me to this thread :D :D :D

 

you ????

Cheers Ossian, some nice points there. Agree with ,if you've went there and liked it, go back(usually small family run places').

 

Took(is that a word?) to my local MOT place as per, and they failed it on the usual, had a blether with the mechanic/owner showed me a GTI/R Pulsar engine he was rebuilding(blew it up on his previous burst), reckoned it would would do some stupid quarter mile time, I questioned the reliability factor and he said "yeah but it's fun for the 20 mins it'll last".

Tune your car if you want but bear in mind your taking on the knowledge and engineering of Nissan design enginers!

.

It was the drunk bit that lured me to this thread :D :D :D

 

you ????

 

Drink ?? Nah,

Bored ?? Nah,

 

The cat stood on the key when she jumped up !!! :p Honest !

 

 

How you doing ??

 

You will be busy in the next few weeks,

Trucktec have just took on the Franchise for Leyland DAF.

But you probably knew that. :rofl:

 

Must meet up for a blether and a coffee, or summit stronger, eh ?

 

Alan...........

i think the real problem with mechanics is the fact that a lot of them are trained technicians, theyre trained to do specific jobs on specific cars and not tought how to apply their experience to other things, had six lads through opur workshop in eight months all apparently trained to various standards of mechanical apptitude, all not much good, worst one, lad with 3 years expierience had 4 cars come back with slack wheel nuts, he also had certificates for various courses 1 of which was brake servicing , didnt know how to change a brake cylinder also didnt know that all moving parts should be cleaned and copper greased where appropriate, a good mechanic should with access to right info and equipement be able to fix anything from a monkey bike to a bugatti veyrone.

So will that make a difference to Menzies?

You will be busy in the next few weeks,

Trucktec have just took on the Franchise for Leyland DAF.

But you probably knew that.

 

Must meet up for a blether and a coffee, or summit stronger, eh ?

 

Alan...........

 

 

Hadnt heard, but then your outside my patch :D

 

Thats good news for your work though, and I'll have to start paying a bit closer attention to all the ley/dafs coming through from the west, thanks for the heads up :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

Yep we will have to get a meet organised its been a bit quiet up here lately

and ive just got the Z back on the road.

i think the real problem with mechanics is the fact that a lot of them are trained technicians, theyre trained to do specific jobs on specific cars and not tought how to apply their experience to other things, had six lads through opur workshop in eight months all apparently trained to various standards of mechanical apptitude, all not much good, worst one, lad with 3 years expierience had 4 cars come back with slack wheel nuts, he also had certificates for various courses 1 of which was brake servicing , didnt know how to change a brake cylinder also didnt know that all moving parts should be cleaned and copper greased where appropriate, a good mechanic should with access to right info and equipement be able to fix anything from a monkey bike to a bugatti veyrone.

 

 

In my line of work, commercial vehicles, they would be called a fitter, not a mechanic.

 

Nowt against fitters, but when I had my Zed in with a head gasket, they all just looked and said : Do you know where all they bits go ??

 

Coppa Slip !! Excellent stuff, cant recommend it enuff.

 

Get the feeling today, with some of the younger lads, that if the computer cant put it right, then it must be down to the guys who actually gets their hands dirty !! Softies !!

 

Alan....

Hadnt heard, but then your outside my patch :D

 

Thats good news for your work though, and I'll have to start paying a bit closer attention to all the ley/dafs coming through from the west, thanks for the heads up :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

Yep we will have to get a meet organised its been a bit quiet up here lately

and ive just got the Z back on the road.

 

 

Whole mechanics dept got a boot up the Arse !!

New mechs, new boss etc, etc.

 

Started about 5 new Mechs, all poached from DAF, so will wait and see.

Aint got my Zed now, as you probably know, slumming it in a 85 Vette at the moment !! But things change, quickly, if you know what I mean ! ;)

 

Alan.........

Okay this is complicated but I'll try. In order to be a good mechanic(arbitrary term to mean someone who fixes stuff) you need to have a sound background in engineering principles (basically a high school education in sciences, physics, chemistry, maths). If you haven't got those, then you will struggle to apply a specific solution to a problem that you may have learned from say Niissan, Daf, Buggatti to another application that will be different in design but same in fundamental principle.

To cut a long story short, fed up with employers moaning about we cant get employees who can do the job, it's not up to schools, colleges, to provide ready made employees for them to exploit(delete-not), it's up schools, colleges to educate individuals and for companies to train/educate in specific job applications.

Usual exceptions apply.

yeh lahsx your nearly right, but the lads you are talking about aint really mechanics they are fitters or technicians, the problem is that its nowadys its cheaper to buy in a recon engine or gearbox etc so when a lad is serving his time he is less likely now to have to carry out any major repairs, therefore he just dosent get enough experience likewise some one employed with the company reconditioning engines, gearboxes etc only only works on that particular item, he becomes shit hot at his niche but is lost on anything else.

 

In the good old days mechanics were expected to be able to repair anything mabey not being expert at anything in particular but would eventually be able to work things out and carry out satisfactory repairs.

 

the way things are heading though only main dealers will have the equipment necessary to carry out repairs or replacement of parts on their vehicles, its getting harder and harder for the independant garages and teir mechnics all the time which in my opinion is a real shame because these garages give the best service

Eisegerwind youve hit the nail on the head there has been a hugh lack of training for the past 20 years, not just mechanics but in any trade people talk about lack of plumbers but in general there is a lack of any skilled tradesmen. I'm really surprised that Alans company have manage to start 5 new mechanics because there just isnt many going around looking for work, good ones are in good jobs and wont move. thing just arent going to improve untill theres a massive investment in training.

Alan really I really wont be embarassed if you turn up in a vette as long as its parked outa sight :p .

 

Kidding always fancied one myself.

fook Im turning into a post whore :o

Wee example here.

 

Vectra 2.2 SXI. On a 52 plate

Just turned 39,987 miles and running great.

 

ABS light comes on, so what you do ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check the brake fluid, Its ok.

Wait till the weekend, spend all Sunday fooking around, up on axle stands with the wheels off, playing around with exciter rings, contacts,

pads etc, etc.

 

Thats not what you do !!!

You wait till your daughters boyfriend appears, in his Corsa, coz he works as a Partsman in your local Vauxhall Franchise.

 

He then asks you what you are doing, you tell him, and then he tells you:

 

The 52 plate Vectra had a computer fault that only occured at around 40,000 miles regarding the ABS, bring it in and I will fix it !!

 

 

That sums up what Peter has been saying.

 

He fixed my car with one hand in his pocket !!

 

But ask him to set the timing on my 85 Corvette, which is basic stuff, he hasnt a clue !!

 

Alan..........

Eisegerwind youve hit the nail on the head there has been a hugh lack of training for the past 20 years, not just mechanics but in any trade people talk about lack of plumbers but in general there is a lack of any skilled tradesmen. I'm really surprised that Alans company have manage to start 5 new mechanics because there just isnt many going around looking for work, good ones are in good jobs and wont move. thing just arent going to improve untill theres a massive investment in training.

 

 

We only got them coz we are willing to pay away over the odds.

 

We had too, as it was part of the franchise agreement.

 

Alan........

Alan really I really wont be embarassed if you turn up in a vette as long as its parked outa sight :p .

 

Kidding always fancied one myself.

 

 

LOL,

 

 

And its red !!

 

Alan..........

Turned into a Scottish only discussion, just get J Dixon on board and thats it. Well,we did invent almost everything that was worth inventing?