I have been a euro tech since I started worked for audi dealer my first 3 years. Then went independent. The issue I run into mostly with euro car owners is they got the 60k plus car 5 to 10 years ago for 10 to 15, and they can't even afford that. Then they freak out at the cost to repair it maintain it. You bought a car that sold for 60k, what did you expect. I always want to say "its expensive to look rich". That might be too mean though. Good vid.
That's the #1 complaint I have about them. I'm surrounded by used car dealers that peddle old worn out A8's, S classes and 7 Series to people who can barely afford them now for a few grand, then they come in when it breaks and they figure out that it's going to cost what they paid for the thing to make it really right and reliable and I'M somehow the bad guy.
Jag Rover tech here.... I love our cooling systems 😂. They pay good money, even on warranty time. And we see A LOT of leaking rovers and jags. I average at least 2 major coolant repairs a week. Rear crossover, thermostat, front outlet assembly, and water pump. Pays about 9 hours on warranty, easily done by 3 in the after noon with just enough time to start and finish a PDI.
When I was at rover I would have all that done by lunchtime. The one that was a pain in the a** was the rear crossover pipe. Thankfully the pipes on the new models only were 2 bolts on each side instead of the middle 3rd bolt
I'm a dealer tech for VW and can confirm they are not as intimidating to work on as people think they are. And can def confirm that there is a ton of money to be made. So I like working on these VW.
I work for a Honda Dealership and I love the gravy train 🚂 and yes 👍🏽 see cars with 250k + getting major services 😎👍🏽 it’s a great motor and the parts are readily available
Great Vid! It's hard to explain to people who ask for advice on what are good vehicles, unless you work on them for a living (professionally). Thanks again for your channel.
Amen on the Nissan cooling system bleeding. I've had a couple I had to lift the front end five feet off of the ground to get the air out of it and get the heat blowing hot. That and having to unplug injectors to get them to idle low enough to learn the idle most of time.
Good Video man, it's been a long time since I actually agreed with the whole video. This video alone shows your experience and other experienced techs can easily pick up on that, two thumbs up!
the way you describe mistubishi owners i would suggest is the same for people who drive mercedes. often the ones that roll in, are bought used, poorly maintained, and the owners can barely afford to change the oil nvm fix the christmas party worth of lights on the dash.
Almost agreed with your whole list. Was laughing and nodding my head from start to finish. Love: Subaru. Lego cars. Few tools needed. Pay great. Really straight forward. Hate: Right hand drive imports. No tech support. Crappy for getting parts. All around PITA.
I love Subarus. I worked at a Chevrolet/Subaru dealership. Subaru owners take good care of their vehicles, Chevy owners only come in for recalls and warranty work.
Pretty much spot on about Mitsubishi, I was a mitsu tech for ~3 years before BMW (15 years). They are easy to work on but yeah not worth maintaining. I don't see them driving around very much anymore.
Well, as you know that our shop only works on German cars so we have the pleasure of having not one, but two of those Mercedes testers that you mentioned. In fact we have all of the factory purchased testers for BMW / Mini, Porsche, VW / Audi and of course, Mercedes Benz. You're right. Dealing with the OE information isn't easy, but I guess it's all about what you're used to. I couldn't imagine working on a domestic car, only because I'm not the most efficient at it. Keep up the good work.
Everyone I have talked to including Steve Brotherton loves the MB tool as the cream of the crop, but my boss couldn't justify the cost for 2% of our car count, and I don't blame him either. When we need it ISTA is just a login and Sub away, so it makes it easy to work on BMW/MINI, as long as it is not a MOST network we are ok and VW ,VAGCOM gets us by. Thank you!
pretty much agree with your list. one thing I hate about German cars is that the plastic seems more prone to breaking during repair compared to usa/Japan models
Always lots of traverse, enclave and Acadias, and outlooks with the whole subframe out at the GM dealer I worked at. Even saw some new Colorado's grenade themselves. Tons of trucks BRAND NEW without working A/C also. A lot of people drove Toyota's that worked there haha
Honda Civic before 2006 @ 100K mile. TB, alt+p/s belt, ac belt, water pump all at same time. most likely could also add dist o-ring for pre 2000 or cam plug, v-tech valve seal, oil pan gk and valve cover gk
Stop using pay time books, bid the job for what you want. The times are base on new cars, not cars with 125k on it. If your shop is decent the customer will pay what you want.
i work at a nissan dealer im an apprentice and i agree with you there cvt are junk , quite a few models have timing chain issues , the 4.0L and some infiniti's like to blow the gaskets in the rear cover , the newer suv's eat through rear brakes , the cooling system are iffy sometimes , however now that i know the product fairly well i enjoy working on nissans/infiniti and the all the guys in the shop do fairly well.
I used to work for Nissan, now I'm at Chrysler.... let's put it this way, all my vehicles are nissans lol... when a Nissan has a problem it's a problem with all of them. On Chrysler product, every car is a different problem.
Ha ha. Was thinking Mercedes before you said it. Used to own a '76 450SL. Custom, custom, and more custom. No trip to the local hardware or auto parts store for that guy. Had to get stuff from Germany. (To their credit, they at least still made everything). Shudder to think about working on the new ones. Wires everywhere! (Although vacuum tubes really sucked 😁).
MrErikw26 Yep. The average Ford is now built far better than a Nissan. Thought I’d never say that but it’s true. I’m sure the early founders of Datsun would roll over in their grave if they could see the garbage that Nissan is spitting out.
Yep! Honda and Toyota cars are big gravy buckets! I love them. I started out at a Toyota dealer 25 years ago. Watching the experienced guy next to me knock out head gaskets like changing a bulb was something else....
That’s why dealerships pay scale is so low at Toyota . Doing scheduled maintenance and brake jobs don’t require a lot of training. I left Toyota dealerships many years ago. They were the most crooked new car dealerships that I’ve ever worked for.
one TIP on vacuum fillers i got from a rep a while back is to prime the inlet tube before a full vacuum and just like pulling a vacuum on an a/c system ( its not just to get all the moisture out ) is to let the vacuum hold for 5 minutes or longer while you take a shit etc. in order to create a full vacuum in the system it takes time. its takes more time yes but trying to bleed the rest of the air from a rwd infiniti 3.5 litres well you get the idea.
I started my career working on Mazda and Isuzu, got tired of the warranty pay and decided to try out Heavy equipment for a while until the company went bankrupt at which point I began applying at nearly every shop in metro Atlanta. A Honda dealer was the first to offer me a job so I took it and actually kind of enjoyed it. Three months in one of the Mercedes dealers contacted me about a job opening. Once I visited the air conditioned shop in the middle of July I was sold. It was a HUGE learning curve and I wasn’t sure that I would make it but 16 years later I am still working on Mercedes albeit at an independent (by choice). They take a while to “master” but once you get used to their way of thinking, the way they structure their service and parts information etc they are probably my favorite cars to work on.I am currently working at a European/Asian shop (with the exception of British,Italian,exotics and Porsche) and my least favorite cars to work on would have to be the two V’s- VW and Volvo. Maybe they just take a while to “master” but I just really have no desire to work on either brand. I Like your channel and my brother-in-law is actually good friends with the owner of your shop.Keep the good vids coming! I apologize for the long post!
I agreed with just about your whole list, I met a guy who worked at a Ford dealer, and the main reason they kept this old guy around, is that he could fix virtually any Ford variable venturi carb! Not my claim to fame, thankfully, but there are some techs like that.
Like the forum Flat Rate Master. Thanks for taking the time...An anomaly i'm sure, to have 234 K miles as original owner to a 2002 Range Rover Westminster. soon to rebuild, showing signs of engine age as i commute between Sacramento and Marin County. A small secret, Never, Never loan your vehicle to brothers or homies. they'll return it to ya and say Don't trip. the only other drivers other than my teenage friend - mechanic of the past 18 years, are some women i asked to drive me home from a local bar after, explaining i drank to much, which turned into some very positive nice relationships; and fortunate to have avoided unnecessary drama associated with DUI.
Hi, cool video again. I am no technician or mechanic of any kind. I dare to call myself a weekend warrior at most but I do agree about Saab. if a car requires 11 or 12 screws to be removed to change cabin filter there must be something wrong with it. I do like my 9-5 though.
Couldnt agree more with this list. I work at a kia dealership and i will say they have come a long way lol. But man do i love working on hondas and toyotas!
I would definitely agree with you on the feedback carburetor. For me pretty much any 80s cars sucks to work. I am a big fan of most European cars. LanRover and Saul being at the very bottom. Cool video congratulations on 1000 subscribers.
No matter if American, European, or Japanese... when a feedback carburetor quits, a satisfactory repair is almost impossible because for some reason the rebuild kits never contain the 3 or 4 diaphragm assemblies you need to actually fix it. Fortunately these cars and trucks are so old they rarely have to pass an emissions test. The cure is a Weber carburetor kit that costs about 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of a remanufactured feedback carb. Remove the feedback carb and the primitive computer and place them in a trash can.
I want an 87 Monte Carlo SS, the first thing I'll be doing, is introducing the "PCM" to my Benelli 12ga, Slap an old Holley on it, with a Pertronix vacuum advance ignition, enjoy the lack of stupidity.
GM is my #1 favorite to work on except for some oldsmobile and cadillacs models I have played with. I worked in a private owned shop in a small town and only got the job due to the owner being a friends father and he watched me shade tree for a couple of years making things work with less so he offered to teach me what I needed to know if I agreed to work on the stuff no one wanted to work on. 90s and older. I found a better paying job as a corrections officer but at least I know if I ever needed a job I could go back and work for the old man any time I want and he still let's me use the shop after hours as long as I mention I'm going to be doing so.
Was a tech for Toyota and use to be the only one that loved getting the 06 -07 5.7 tundra starters. the ones under the exhaust manifold paid 6 hours . first one took maybe 3 and then after that it seemed like 45 min to a 1 . hell and even prius. get a second gen. in and more than likely needs a waterpump. would get 2.5 for a 15 min job.
I enjoy working on Ford, Honda, Toyota/Scion/Lexus, early to mid 00s GM, early to mid 00s, Nissan I don't like any euro cars I'm only a C tech and my anxiety goes through the roof when I get anything European and don't even get me started on modern Nissan cabin filters I'm 6'3 270lbs I'm not a 5'6 90lb Filipino contortionist who can crawl under the firewall
@@crazyelmokong I work at Nissian they’re mostly all in the passenger footboard up against where a trans tunnel would be, or in the glove box and there’s multiple ways they can be hit behind.
I had an old school mechanic teach me a really cool trick if you want to bleed the cooling system on something without having to do any work you need to know what you're doing mind you but you can drill a 1/16 hole in the edge of the thermostat I've never had to bleed a cooling system since I started doing that and I've never seen any issues as far as overheating or not coming up to Temp any of that
Somewhat off topic, but reminded of the joke about the old Jags; they were a mechanic's best friend b/c they spent more time in the shop than on the road.
I agree with you on the times for Chrysler i work at a dealership for Chrysler and at our shop we figured it was 2.5 times to do most jobs off the warranty
im a truck tech. love kenworth t800s. hate hate hate freightliners.. im at international now for the last 4 years, amd they have their draw backs but id take 13 letter shit spreaders over freightshakers all day long. love the videos, great job flatrate master.
Freightliner = Mercedes garbage. As for International, their parts supply chain sucks and you often run into situations where you have an odd looking part that you can't find an aftermarket replacement for.
Bought an 83 Monte Carlo when I was younger and the first thing I did was Rio that carburetor off and throw a regular quadrajet on it. I hated those feedback carburetors
lol we got two w126 mercedes v8s with cis injection, an e65 bmw 750 and a late model northstar deville in the family..all nightmares if you gotta take em in to stealerships, but doing my own work saves me a pile. BIG learning curve though lol
To bleed or vacuum bleed Nissan and Infiniti vehicles some of them have multiple pressure caps and some times you have to bleed through the pressure cap that's on the reservoir instead of the radiator.
Mercedes are great cars to work on. We run a mb shop and have subscription services for info and tech support if we need it. Once you understand them and the scanner its easy. And a c4 with xentry das software like 1200 bucks lol.
@FlatRateMaster What are the cars that need the least maintenance? In other words, what are the best cars for a customer to buy new/used? Consider doing a video on this, would be great info!!
Good call on the Mitsubishi customers- in Australia mitsu's seem to have a bad stigma against them as they have next to no resale value compared to other Japanese brands, especially Toyota (Very popular). I have had mitsu's in the last 15 years , all maintained correctly and just keep going.. And I used to be a tech at Toyota
in my area of west tn 4.6 and 5.4l fords are my pay check from plugs blown out to coil packs ez 123 bbq said someone on youtube vw bugs the last gen the oil leak where shop quotes pulleying the trans to fix it bam 30min job pays 500.00 ez fix no trans removal needed thank you for your time making the videos
I don't work on cars at all except basic items on my own. I wonder if you can tell me how to find a good local to do a timing belt/water pump job on my 06 Ridgeline. I'm at 91k, so it is coming up. And I'm one of those, I take immaculate care of my cars, and my Harley's. In fact, I don't like anyone messing with them, but this is beyond my skill level. I know my limitations. This was an interesting video, but I don't know how I wound up here. Thumbs up.👍🏻
Here at the mechanic oc we do 6 minute brake jobs and oil changes all day long. Occasionally we score a set of motor mounts that aren't bad. You apparently don't like to fix anything
Started as Toyota tech and left worked some independents and when I decided to go to a dealer again I had 2 job offers one at Lexus and other for Volkswagen my fear of German cars went away for the most part after working with an ex Mercedes guy learned a looooot from him but also made my decision easier between Lexus and VW guess which one I choose I don’t like fried chicken much but I looooove me some gravy lol
I love your videos but....so many mechanics agree with you about Mercedes however I own and do all the work on several ml320's and ml350's and I honestly like the vehicles. Am I missing something? Keep up the good advice please.
I know it's technically a Norstar but how about the late 90's V8 Olds Aurora.....absolute nightmare! Try changing the radiator on one of those. I remember getting a service call because the owner couldn't find the battery to jump it.
bosborn1 I had a friend that had an Aurora and after having it worked on twice I was able to talk him into selling that thing. There is nothing fun about working on anything on that car.
I had the Same thing happen with a Mercedes convertible I fixed the soft close trunk latch and the problem came back 2 months later and the guy was screaming in my face and after that our shop does not work on them and all I did was put a new latch in pretty straight forward
I do agree on the Toyota/Hondas being gravy cars. They are driven by those who care about their cars. I also do agree some Nissans being crappy to work on, especially those 1st gen Muranos. Its a surprise to know you enjoy working on some German cars. Guess you like the extra added challenge only the Germans can provide!!
Most Euro cars are gravy, they pay very well, hours wise, and once you understand how the germans thing not to hard to figure out! Thanks for watching!
Yes, for brake lines, p/s steering lines and hydraulic lines, they are made of softer metal and will easily round out. Lifetime warranty on Matco's sockets, wrenches etc, same as Snap On etc. Very good quality
what wrench set should i be looking at for an incoming tech? regular open end or combinations wrenches and around what size 8-24mm? ps thanks for replying back
kelvin lopez. Combo wrench is more versatile than open end only. 8-24mm is good for most import passenger vehicles. But if you work at "all makes & models" shop, some SAE sizes are must, however IDK cuz work @ import dealership. SO Flank Drive Plus open end is the best of the best, but 8-24mm probably would cost you about $1000 or more.
I don't touch Euro, I avoided them as a young learner, and 15 years in, I'm not learning now lol. I'm at a Ford dealer, I get my variety with used cars, but I like working on mostly the same stuff daily, especially after 15 years of working on everything except Euro
Call me crazy, but lately Fords have been a pain in my butt. Seems like the nuts and bolts wrenching part of them has been quite rough. Lots of stuck bolts on the newer stuff I have touched. A 2013 Taurus had stuck cradle bolts, had to rock them back and forth for an hour each with a 4 foot breaker bar. Bolts came out with part of the nut fused on it. Also snapped off a sway bar bolt on that same car. A lot of the newer Ford trucks are a pain to wrench on as well.
I went to a local tech school, just general auto repair, and took tons of classes after I got out of school you can never stop learning in this business!
montefiveforty1 the reason I love working on Hondas and Toyotas are because you don't have to drag your whole box out to work on them. Hell, a 10,12,14,17mm will take care of just about everything on them lol
European cars usually needed "special tools" that nobody had! Ford and their "breakout box" thang" goin' on! Oh, put a clutch in a Saab 900 Turbo! Special tool time for that one! Renault "Le Car" What a gem! NOT! Try workin' on Yugo! Real fun! Had an early Hyundai Excel that wouldn't run unless you took at least ONE plug out! Come to find out the cat converter was built in the exhaust maniford. Gut it out! Problem solved! Old 80's Nissan with their computer under the seat with th' red and green blinkin' light codes plus emission stuff that you don't have any idea what they're for! I liked GM, but hey, I got a GM background, so why not?
Special tool are now a way of life for almost every make and model:( hated those breakout boxes that I never had, so much harder without those. Thanks for watching!
Haha.......I remember those weird tools for them feedback carbs too! OTC and Lisle made many of them. I also recall having to take off the entire carb to knock out those dumb ass plugs that kept you from adjusting the idle mixture screws! Remember the different colored grommets Ford had on their Ignition modules? Remember having to set idle with propane (enrichment) on Chrysler stuff? Am I going back too far? At least I didn't mention the tool that you had to put through the point adjustment access on GM distributor caps! Distributor cap? Yeah, I know,..........what's that?
Hey Big G, I hear you on that Renault Le Car. I did the clutch on one back in '87, a year out of high school. I told my dad when I was done, that after that, heck, I can work on anything. I think of that job at least once every week. It helps me to take on anything. I had three of the old beetles back then. I could back one up on ramps and have the engine rolled out on the floor jack in under 20 minutes. I still like them. But . . . I'm always privy to the bow tie. Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the video, Flatrate Master.
And see I love working on everything, nothing really bothers me too much. If I had to pick I would choose to work on European cars, namely VW/Audi, but I’m at Ford right now and am about to give Dodge a try
I have a 2010 Range Rover at my shop, dealer wants me to replace head gaskets but 1 or more cylinders fill with coolant after turned off. I fear it may have a cracked block. Is that your experience?
That's how all the Mitsubishi I've seen are, all garbage and poorly maintained. What are your thoughts and experiences on Subaru's? Most of the time I see people with expensive cars not spending money on them. I like Honda/Acura's maintenance schedule how they tell you what service is due. I enjoy working on BMW, VW/Audi are okay but no thank you on the Mercedes. My only question on BMW is why do the rear brake pad sensor wires have to be 3ft long?
Love their tbelts, hate everything else, but people will spend money on them!, sorry for some reason I forgot that brand! Honda owners are trained to maintain the cars. On BMW rear sensors, IDK but it is stupid as hell!
We have the Cardaq M, the newer model from Cardaq, and would recommend the M as it has updated internals for future usage, Drew tech, makers of the Cardaq is awesome their tech support is great too!
BMW is the best as long as its a 6 cylinder like you said. The new Snap-on scan tools has a license with AUDI, VW and Porsche, have used and pretty decent.
Toyota,engine failures in the Matrix galore including the Pontiac Vibe.I have seen two of these so far,one was locked up and I ended up pulling the oil pan to turn it over.
@@Toolaholic7 Your talking about 2.4 though correct? Never heard of any Toyota 1.8 engine problems like that. 2.4 I would say yes,in 2nd generation Matrix & Vibe.
Look up forscan for Ford, you can do almost everything in IDS for free, with a cheap OBD II adapter. I can do ABS or air suspension work on a 95 Continental, it is pretty through!
I agree IDS could flash older cars. But for a DIY or even a first look for a pro, it is an excellent tool. A local transmission guy thinks it may update the pids and data faster. He uses it for trans work to graph pids and codes. I like the interface too. IDS and snapon won't work with the ABS on the Continentals. I had an IDS years ago and sold it. Forscan guy got it to read wheel speeds so I didn't have to pull apart my wiring to find an intermittent. I guess that is why you don't work on the old stuff!
I do not work on old stuff because there is no money in working on Junk, IDS is 96 and newer only, as I said it is a good tool, but not a replacement for an IDS
You can buy iscan 2 for euro, the Autologic blue box is still supported. German car customers are the best in most cases $$$. The old SAAB's from the 80's were decent. EBay has all the bootleg oem software. Japanese cars, lets not forget Pearl Harbor.
Saturn S-Series! Greatest cars ever made! Personally, 96 SL1 SOHC w/ Auto Trans. Great car to learn on & from. Great online community and TH-camrs (RichPin06A).
My dad hated working on the Thermoquad carburators Chrysler used.He calls these Thermojunks to this day.I hate working on Fords,worst to work on in the domestic line.Do everything the hard way engineering.My dad did buy one Saab once and it was a mistake.Had a bad engine which was replaced and lost money on it taking it back to the auction.The Jaguars,there is a fix to their engine problems called buying a conversion kit to drop a small block Chevy or LS engine in them in place of the factory engine.I did replace a CVT in a Nissan Rogue and it was a nightmare.GM,they share their computer info and they are the only one that you can reuse an used engine computer.The Humble Mechanic likes Volkswagons and Audis,he works at a dealership.I was taught that you remove things that are in your way.
I hate working on german cars, Nisan. I hate some Fords because to remove a part you need to remove a lots brackets bolts and nuts, for example Ford "conFusion", rear shocks. I love working on Dodge and Chrysler.
Interesting as you describe each car line I'm noticing something here you keep saying the ticket it's almost like each car brand has a different pay scale in flat rate
I have been a euro tech since I started worked for audi dealer my first 3 years. Then went independent. The issue I run into mostly with euro car owners is they got the 60k plus car 5 to 10 years ago for 10 to 15, and they can't even afford that. Then they freak out at the cost to repair it maintain it. You bought a car that sold for 60k, what did you expect. I always want to say "its expensive to look rich". That might be too mean though. Good vid.
Yeah, Euros owners can be either a great customer or your worst nightmare, luckily for us we have customers that maintain there expensive cars:)
That's the #1 complaint I have about them. I'm surrounded by used car dealers that peddle old worn out A8's, S classes and 7 Series to people who can barely afford them now for a few grand, then they come in when it breaks and they figure out that it's going to cost what they paid for the thing to make it really right and reliable and I'M somehow the bad guy.
Play like a sport, pay like a sport. A lot of tickets the first line was repair to run; customers wouldn't maintain them.
I have a theory. If it uses wheel bolts instead of lug nuts, I really don't want to work on it.
LOL
dont forget the knockometre and the left handed screwdriver
Screw VW Audi
@Tyler Roberts Some Dodge and Chrysler vehicles have wheel bolts now
Agreed
Jag Rover tech here.... I love our cooling systems 😂. They pay good money, even on warranty time. And we see A LOT of leaking rovers and jags. I average at least 2 major coolant repairs a week. Rear crossover, thermostat, front outlet assembly, and water pump. Pays about 9 hours on warranty, easily done by 3 in the after noon with just enough time to start and finish a PDI.
When I was at rover I would have all that done by lunchtime. The one that was a pain in the a** was the rear crossover pipe. Thankfully the pipes on the new models only were 2 bolts on each side instead of the middle 3rd bolt
I'm a dealer tech for VW and can confirm they are not as intimidating to work on as people think they are. And can def confirm that there is a ton of money to be made. So I like working on these VW.
I work for a Honda Dealership and I love the gravy train 🚂 and yes 👍🏽 see cars with 250k + getting major services 😎👍🏽 it’s a great motor and the parts are readily available
Great Vid! It's hard to explain to people who ask for advice on what are good vehicles, unless you work on them for a living (professionally). Thanks again for your channel.
Thank you!
Amen on the Nissan cooling system bleeding. I've had a couple I had to lift the front end five feet off of the ground to get the air out of it and get the heat blowing hot. That and having to unplug injectors to get them to idle low enough to learn the idle most of time.
Idle relearns suck on nissan:(
Good Video man, it's been a long time since I actually agreed with the whole video. This video alone shows your experience and other experienced techs can easily pick up on that, two thumbs up!
:)
the way you describe mistubishi owners i would suggest is the same for people who drive mercedes. often the ones that roll in, are bought used, poorly maintained, and the owners can barely afford to change the oil nvm fix the christmas party worth of lights on the dash.
My favorites to work on are Toyota and GM, mainly because they are somewhat easy to work on and require almost no special tools.
Almost agreed with your whole list. Was laughing and nodding my head from start to finish.
Love: Subaru. Lego cars. Few tools needed. Pay great. Really straight forward.
Hate: Right hand drive imports. No tech support. Crappy for getting parts. All around PITA.
LOL! great talking with you BTW!
Yeah Bud!
Looking forward to having more chats.
I love Subarus. I worked at a Chevrolet/Subaru dealership. Subaru owners take good care of their vehicles, Chevy owners only come in for recalls and warranty work.
Pretty much spot on about Mitsubishi, I was a mitsu tech for ~3 years before BMW (15 years). They are easy to work on but yeah not worth maintaining. I don't see them driving around very much anymore.
Well, as you know that our shop only works on German cars so we have the pleasure of having not one, but two of those Mercedes testers that you mentioned. In fact we have all of the factory purchased testers for BMW / Mini, Porsche, VW / Audi and of course, Mercedes Benz. You're right. Dealing with the OE information isn't easy, but I guess it's all about what you're used to. I couldn't imagine working on a domestic car, only because I'm not the most efficient at it.
Keep up the good work.
Everyone I have talked to including Steve Brotherton loves the MB tool as the cream of the crop, but my boss couldn't justify the cost for 2% of our car count, and I don't blame him either. When we need it ISTA is just a login and Sub away, so it makes it easy to work on BMW/MINI, as long as it is not a MOST network we are ok and VW ,VAGCOM gets us by. Thank you!
pretty much agree with your list. one thing I hate about German cars is that the plastic seems more prone to breaking during repair compared to usa/Japan models
Yes it does, we just price everything plastic into the quote before it sells and if it doesn't break we take it off the bill!
Kenneth Humphrey late 90s honda window regulator. everything plastic breaks. never have issues with the german cars though.
I'm a GM tech pretty easy money they all break down and need timing chains
LOL, GM is gravy, and have not had the joy of doing the 3.6 chains yet as we do not see many
Always lots of traverse, enclave and Acadias, and outlooks with the whole subframe out at the GM dealer I worked at. Even saw some new Colorado's grenade themselves. Tons of trucks BRAND NEW without working A/C also. A lot of people drove Toyota's that worked there haha
Sounds like good news to me! I'm currently enrolled in the ASEP program 😂
One note on late model BMW's, you'll need portable hydraulic press to pop out axles from hub, for some reason they are very tight.
Honda Civic before 2006 @ 100K mile. TB, alt+p/s belt, ac belt, water pump all at same time. most likely could also add dist o-ring for pre 2000 or cam plug, v-tech valve seal, oil pan gk and valve cover gk
Great video and glad to hear it from someone thats been there.
Thank you!
Merc drivers are mostly the type that dont understand that just because you can afford to buy one doesn't mean you can afford to own one.
Love gm, Honda and Toyota...gravy. Simple and reliable. Cheap to fix. Simple tools.
Stop using pay time books, bid the job for what you want. The times are base on new cars, not cars with 125k on it. If your shop is decent the customer will pay what you want.
i work at a nissan dealer im an apprentice and i agree with you there cvt are junk , quite a few models have timing chain issues , the 4.0L and some infiniti's like to blow the gaskets in the rear cover , the newer suv's eat through rear brakes , the cooling system are iffy sometimes , however now that i know the product fairly well i enjoy working on nissans/infiniti and the all the guys in the shop do fairly well.
Well that break down all the time:) so you should stay busy! Good luck on your career!
Flatrate Master hahah yea they are always in the shop. and thanks!
I used to work for Nissan, now I'm at Chrysler.... let's put it this way, all my vehicles are nissans lol... when a Nissan has a problem it's a problem with all of them. On Chrysler product, every car is a different problem.
Ha ha. Was thinking Mercedes before you said it. Used to own a '76 450SL. Custom, custom, and more custom. No trip to the local hardware or auto parts store for that guy. Had to get stuff from Germany. (To their credit, they at least still made everything). Shudder to think about working on the new ones. Wires everywhere! (Although vacuum tubes really sucked 😁).
Haha, they do support their cars for a very long time. Plastic lines that break if you look at them!
Nissan has really gone down the tubes in the last decade.
MrErikw26 Yep. The average Ford is now built far better than a Nissan. Thought I’d never say that but it’s true. I’m sure the early founders of Datsun would roll over in their grave if they could see the garbage that Nissan is spitting out.
It seems to me like Nissan is two different lines. Their transverse-drivetrain platforms are TRASH, but the longitudinal stuff is decent
Thx flat rate master this video gives me a lot of options as a beginner tech in the automotive field!
Honestly love watching your videos, super informative and helpful. thank you brotha.
Yep! Honda and Toyota cars are big gravy buckets! I love them. I started out at a Toyota dealer 25 years ago. Watching the experienced guy next to me knock out head gaskets like changing a bulb was something else....
That’s why dealerships pay scale is so low at Toyota . Doing scheduled maintenance and brake jobs don’t require a lot of training. I left Toyota dealerships many years ago. They were the most crooked new car dealerships that I’ve ever worked for.
one TIP on vacuum fillers i got from a rep a while back is to prime the inlet tube before a full vacuum and just like pulling a vacuum on an a/c system ( its not just to get all the moisture out ) is to let the vacuum hold for 5 minutes or longer while you take a shit etc. in order to create a full vacuum in the system it takes time. its takes more time yes but trying to bleed the rest of the air from a rwd infiniti 3.5 litres well you get the idea.
Mine is a older system without that ability, you have to swap hoses to pull in coolant. I think an Upgrade is coming!
I started my career working on Mazda and Isuzu, got tired of the warranty pay and decided to try out Heavy equipment for a while until the company went bankrupt at which point I began applying at nearly every shop in metro Atlanta. A Honda dealer was the first to offer me a job so I took it and actually kind of enjoyed it. Three months in one of the Mercedes dealers contacted me about a job opening. Once I visited the air conditioned shop in the middle of July I was sold. It was a HUGE learning curve and I wasn’t sure that I would make it but 16 years later I am still working on Mercedes albeit at an independent (by choice). They take a while to “master” but once you get used to their way of thinking, the way they structure their service and parts information etc they are probably my favorite cars to work on.I am currently working at a European/Asian shop (with the exception of British,Italian,exotics and Porsche) and my least favorite cars to work on would have to be the two V’s- VW and Volvo. Maybe they just take a while to “master” but I just really have no desire to work on either brand. I Like your channel and my brother-in-law is actually good friends with the owner of your shop.Keep the good vids coming! I apologize for the long post!
I agreed with just about your whole list, I met a guy who worked at a Ford dealer, and the main reason they kept this old guy around, is that he could fix virtually any Ford variable venturi carb! Not my claim to fame, thankfully, but there are some techs like that.
Like the forum Flat Rate Master. Thanks for taking the time...An anomaly i'm sure, to have 234 K miles as original owner to a 2002 Range Rover Westminster. soon to rebuild, showing signs of engine age as i commute between Sacramento and Marin County. A small secret, Never, Never loan your vehicle to brothers or homies. they'll return it to ya and say Don't trip. the only other drivers other than my teenage friend - mechanic of the past 18 years, are some women i asked to drive me home from a local bar after, explaining i drank to much, which turned into some very positive nice relationships; and fortunate to have avoided unnecessary drama associated with DUI.
Hi, cool video again. I am no technician or mechanic of any kind. I dare to call myself a weekend warrior at most but I do agree about Saab. if a car requires 11 or 12 screws to be removed to change cabin filter there must be something wrong with it. I do like my 9-5 though.
People do like those cars! Thanks for watching!
I remember years ago when i hated cadillacs and anything that looked like one. Just as bad were the cadillac owners!
Couldnt agree more with this list. I work at a kia dealership and i will say they have come a long way lol. But man do i love working on hondas and toyotas!
Thank you!
I would definitely agree with you on the feedback carburetor. For me pretty much any 80s cars sucks to work. I am a big fan of most European cars. LanRover and Saul being at the very bottom. Cool video congratulations on 1000 subscribers.
Thank you! yes late 70s and 80s cars sucked!
No matter if American, European, or Japanese... when a feedback carburetor quits, a satisfactory repair is almost impossible because for some reason the rebuild kits never contain the 3 or 4 diaphragm assemblies you need to actually fix it.
Fortunately these cars and trucks are so old they rarely have to pass an emissions test. The cure is a Weber carburetor kit that costs about 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of a remanufactured feedback carb. Remove the feedback carb and the primitive computer and place them in a trash can.
I want an 87 Monte Carlo SS, the first thing I'll be doing, is introducing the "PCM" to my Benelli 12ga, Slap an old Holley on it, with a Pertronix vacuum advance ignition, enjoy the lack of stupidity.
GM is my #1 favorite to work on except for some oldsmobile and cadillacs models I have played with. I worked in a private owned shop in a small town and only got the job due to the owner being a friends father and he watched me shade tree for a couple of years making things work with less so he offered to teach me what I needed to know if I agreed to work on the stuff no one wanted to work on. 90s and older. I found a better paying job as a corrections officer but at least I know if I ever needed a job I could go back and work for the old man any time I want and he still let's me use the shop after hours as long as I mention I'm going to be doing so.
Was a tech for Toyota and use to be the only one that loved getting the 06 -07 5.7 tundra starters. the ones under the exhaust manifold paid 6 hours . first one took maybe 3 and then after that it seemed like 45 min to a 1 . hell and even prius. get a second gen. in and more than likely needs a waterpump. would get 2.5 for a 15 min job.
Haven't worked on a ton of 5.7 tundras we mostly see, Sequoias with the 4.7 gravy timing belt!
Which would you say is more reliable?
I enjoy working on Ford, Honda, Toyota/Scion/Lexus, early to mid 00s GM, early to mid 00s, Nissan I don't like any euro cars I'm only a C tech and my anxiety goes through the roof when I get anything European and don't even get me started on modern Nissan cabin filters I'm 6'3 270lbs I'm not a 5'6 90lb Filipino contortionist who can crawl under the firewall
No lie I thought most modern Nissans didn’t have cabin filters cuz I can almost nvr find it so I just ignore it lol
@@crazyelmokong I work at Nissian they’re mostly all in the passenger footboard up against where a trans tunnel would be, or in the glove box and there’s multiple ways they can be hit behind.
I had an old school mechanic teach me a really cool trick if you want to bleed the cooling system on something without having to do any work you need to know what you're doing mind you but you can drill a 1/16 hole in the edge of the thermostat I've never had to bleed a cooling system since I started doing that and I've never seen any issues as far as overheating or not coming up to Temp any of that
I love working on Fords. Worked at a Chevy dealership in the past too, no complaints there either.
i love working on the bmw n62 and n63 engine those engine are the money makers, and damn getting the gravy work like its thanksgiving man💪💪💪💪
I bet you do:)
Hate Mercedes you need a special tool to open the hood almost.
LOL
Thats funny as it is so true
I work ecs tuning, ( just applied at a dealership for gm ) but the amount of specialty tools is absolutely rediculous
The Germans build a tool the design a car around it!
Mist love Subi, odd why these ancient post keep popping in my feed
Somewhat off topic, but reminded of the joke about the old Jags; they were a mechanic's best friend b/c they spent more time in the shop than on the road.
LOL, true though!
I agree with you on the times for Chrysler i work at a dealership for Chrysler and at our shop we figured it was 2.5 times to do most jobs off the warranty
I got pretty much the same list,cool idea for a video,keep em coming
Will do! it was a great idea for a video!
im a truck tech. love kenworth t800s. hate hate hate freightliners.. im at international now for the last 4 years, amd they have their draw backs but id take 13 letter shit spreaders over freightshakers all day long.
love the videos, great job flatrate master.
I owned a Freightliner, what a POS truck! My Dad drove a Kenworth cab over back in the early 80s he loved that truck!
Love older IH(pre Navistar) and Ford semis.
Freightliner = Mercedes garbage. As for International, their parts supply chain sucks and you often run into situations where you have an odd looking part that you can't find an aftermarket replacement for.
Bought an 83 Monte Carlo when I was younger and the first thing I did was Rio that carburetor off and throw a regular quadrajet on it. I hated those feedback carburetors
Used to do that constantly back in the day!
lol we got two w126 mercedes v8s with cis injection, an e65 bmw 750 and a late model northstar deville in the family..all nightmares if you gotta take em in to stealerships, but doing my own work saves me a pile. BIG learning curve though lol
Good lord that’s a nightmare fleet
To bleed or vacuum bleed Nissan and Infiniti vehicles some of them have multiple pressure caps and some times you have to bleed through the pressure cap that's on the reservoir instead of the radiator.
Very true! Thanks for watching!
Mercedes are great cars to work on. We run a mb shop and have subscription services for info and tech support if we need it. Once you understand them and the scanner its easy. And a c4 with xentry das software like 1200 bucks lol.
That would be bootlegged xentry the real deal is 25k Thanks for watching!
Love mercedes!! Send them my way! Lol though the older models can run you around I circles, pre obd2 Benz can be tricky to diagnose on some things
@FlatRateMaster What are the cars that need the least maintenance? In other words, what are the best cars for a customer to buy new/used? Consider doing a video on this, would be great info!!
Toyota Camry, 2007-2011 with v6
Good call on the Mitsubishi customers- in Australia mitsu's seem to have a bad stigma against them as they have next to no resale value compared to other Japanese brands, especially Toyota (Very popular). I have had mitsu's in the last 15 years , all maintained correctly and just keep going.. And I used to be a tech at Toyota
Worthless here in the US too, as I said they may be good cars, IDK never seen one maintained! Thanks for watching!
in my area of west tn 4.6 and 5.4l fords are my pay check from plugs blown out to coil packs ez 123 bbq said someone on youtube vw bugs the last gen the oil leak where shop quotes pulleying the trans to fix it bam 30min job pays 500.00 ez fix no trans removal needed thank you for your time making the videos
I don't work on cars at all except basic items on my own. I wonder if you can tell me how to find a good local to do a timing belt/water pump job on my 06 Ridgeline. I'm at 91k, so it is coming up. And I'm one of those, I take immaculate care of my cars, and my Harley's. In fact, I don't like anyone messing with them, but this is beyond my skill level. I know my limitations. This was an interesting video, but I don't know how I wound up here. Thumbs up.👍🏻
Here at the mechanic oc we do 6 minute brake jobs and oil changes all day long. Occasionally we score a set of motor mounts that aren't bad. You apparently don't like to fix anything
Got a part number on that little orange Matco toolbox by chance? That thing is awesome!
www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MSBOXO/SMALL-METAL-MATCO-BOX-ORANGE/
Thanks man!
Who makes that little orange box you have your charges sitting on?
Great Videos! Keep it up!
Matco
vw and audi would be my first choice
Started as Toyota tech and left worked some independents and when I decided to go to a dealer again I had 2 job offers one at Lexus and other for Volkswagen my fear of German cars went away for the most part after working with an ex Mercedes guy learned a looooot from him but also made my decision easier between Lexus and VW guess which one I choose I don’t like fried chicken much but I looooove me some gravy lol
I love your videos but....so many mechanics agree with you about Mercedes however I own and do all the work on several ml320's and ml350's and I honestly like the vehicles. Am I missing something? Keep up the good advice please.
I know it's technically a Norstar but how about the late 90's V8 Olds Aurora.....absolute nightmare! Try changing the radiator on one of those. I remember getting a service call because the owner couldn't find the battery to jump it.
Trying to forget those POS baby northstars!
bosborn1 I had a friend that had an Aurora and after having it worked on twice I was able to talk him into selling that thing. There is nothing fun about working on anything on that car.
stupid starters under the intake...there was a 3.5 v6 version in the intrigue..called the shortstar UTTER GARBAGE
I had the Same thing happen with a Mercedes convertible I fixed the soft close trunk latch and the problem came back 2 months later and the guy was screaming in my face and after that our shop does not work on them and all I did was put a new latch in pretty straight forward
I do agree on the Toyota/Hondas being gravy cars. They are driven by those who care about their cars.
I also do agree some Nissans being crappy to work on, especially those 1st gen Muranos.
Its a surprise to know you enjoy working on some German cars. Guess you like the extra added challenge only the Germans can provide!!
Most Euro cars are gravy, they pay very well, hours wise, and once you understand how the germans thing not to hard to figure out! Thanks for watching!
You should know that he is from German background!
I'm so bummed about losing our blue Autologic, the assist black box does suck.
hey I'm a new tech i wanted to know are flare nut wrench really needed besides bleeding brakes ? and hows matco's tools and warranty?
Yes, for brake lines, p/s steering lines and hydraulic lines, they are made of softer metal and will easily round out. Lifetime warranty on Matco's sockets, wrenches etc, same as Snap On etc. Very good quality
what wrench set should i be looking at for an incoming tech? regular open end or combinations wrenches and around what size 8-24mm? ps thanks for replying back
kelvin lopez. Combo wrench is more versatile than open end only. 8-24mm is good for most import passenger vehicles. But if you work at "all makes & models" shop, some SAE sizes are must, however IDK cuz work @ import dealership. SO Flank Drive Plus open end is the best of the best, but 8-24mm probably would cost you about $1000 or more.
We are happy to work on any late model Mercedes Benz cars. We have a large customer base with MB AMG cars. Send them our way!
I work at Honda, and they are a gravy train.
Yes they are!
in west tn ford 4.6 or 5.4l is my bank roll 2 valve coils and intakes we see a 3 valve timing kit and heads bam
I don't touch Euro, I avoided them as a young learner, and 15 years in, I'm not learning now lol.
I'm at a Ford dealer, I get my variety with used cars, but I like working on mostly the same stuff daily, especially after 15 years of working on everything except Euro
Call me crazy, but lately Fords have been a pain in my butt. Seems like the nuts and bolts wrenching part of them has been quite rough. Lots of stuck bolts on the newer stuff I have touched.
A 2013 Taurus had stuck cradle bolts, had to rock them back and forth for an hour each with a 4 foot breaker bar. Bolts came out with part of the nut fused on it. Also snapped off a sway bar bolt on that same car. A lot of the newer Ford trucks are a pain to wrench on as well.
What did you go to school for?General mechanic, because I see you work on all make and model, which is what I want to do
I went to a local tech school, just general auto repair, and took tons of classes after I got out of school you can never stop learning in this business!
exit door blocked?
Toyota starters under the intake failure rate is slim and yes I wish I could work on Camrys all day!
I have done many toyota 4.7 starters!
montefiveforty1 the reason I love working on Hondas and Toyotas are because you don't have to drag your whole box out to work on them. Hell, a 10,12,14,17mm will take care of just about everything on them lol
love working for a lexus dealer, except when i get screwed by warranty and get paid 1.4 for a steering column lol
Yeah that is a drawback to working at the dealer warranty pay:(
European cars usually needed "special tools" that nobody had! Ford and their "breakout box" thang" goin' on! Oh, put a clutch in a Saab 900 Turbo! Special tool time for that one! Renault "Le Car" What a gem! NOT! Try workin' on Yugo! Real fun! Had an early Hyundai Excel that wouldn't run unless you took at least ONE plug out! Come to find out the cat converter was built in the exhaust maniford. Gut it out! Problem solved! Old 80's Nissan with their computer under the seat with th' red and green blinkin' light codes plus emission stuff that you don't have any idea what they're for! I liked GM, but hey, I got a GM background, so why not?
Special tool are now a way of life for almost every make and model:( hated those breakout boxes that I never had, so much harder without those. Thanks for watching!
Haha.......I remember those weird tools for them feedback carbs too! OTC and Lisle made many of them. I also recall having to take off the entire carb to knock out those dumb ass plugs that kept you from adjusting the idle mixture screws! Remember the different colored grommets Ford had on their Ignition modules? Remember having to set idle with propane (enrichment) on Chrysler stuff? Am I going back too far? At least I didn't mention the tool that you had to put through the point adjustment access on GM distributor caps! Distributor cap? Yeah, I know,..........what's that?
Hey Big G, I hear you on that Renault Le Car. I did the clutch on one back in '87, a year out of high school. I told my dad when I was done, that after that, heck, I can work on anything. I think of that job at least once every week. It helps me to take on anything. I had three of the old beetles back then. I could back one up on ramps and have the engine rolled out on the floor jack in under 20 minutes. I still like them. But . . . I'm always privy to the bow tie. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for the video, Flatrate Master.
Big G I remember all the same things. It was fun to repair cars in those days.
And see I love working on everything, nothing really bothers me too much. If I had to pick I would choose to work on European cars, namely VW/Audi, but I’m at Ford right now and am about to give Dodge a try
Vw Audi are my hated cars. Whats with all the plastic hoses and band clamps?
Nice video! You seem more comfortable in front of the camera
I hate Chryslers..
Thank you
BMW,Toyota and Honda are my preferred cars in general.
I think I hear myself talking here! As a tech, often times I have declined to touch some of those PoS
I have a 2010 Range Rover at my shop, dealer wants me to replace head gaskets but 1 or more cylinders fill with coolant after turned off. I fear it may have a cracked block. Is that your experience?
Almost always a cracked block
Flat Rate Master thank you for your time!
I quit working on any Euro shit a few years ago. Cost me too much money in the long run. I worked for Dodge for 21yrs before I opened my own shop
If you are not familiar with Euro stay the hell away because yes it can bite you hard! Thanks for watching!
FRM, what about Mazda's? And what makes BMW more enjoyable than their counterparts?
Vielen dank!
I know IDK what changed, probably something I screwed up:( Guess I need to add lighting to my list of stuff to buy for youtube production:(
That's how all the Mitsubishi I've seen are, all garbage and poorly maintained. What are your thoughts and experiences on Subaru's? Most of the time I see people with expensive cars not spending money on them. I like Honda/Acura's maintenance schedule how they tell you what service is due. I enjoy working on BMW, VW/Audi are okay but no thank you on the Mercedes. My only question on BMW is why do the rear brake pad sensor wires have to be 3ft long?
Love their tbelts, hate everything else, but people will spend money on them!, sorry for some reason I forgot that brand! Honda owners are trained to maintain the cars. On BMW rear sensors, IDK but it is stupid as hell!
what do you think about the programming tool from aeswave?? cardaq plus2
We have the Cardaq M, the newer model from Cardaq, and would recommend the M as it has updated internals for future usage, Drew tech, makers of the Cardaq is awesome their tech support is great too!
BMW is the best as long as its a 6 cylinder like you said. The new Snap-on scan tools has a license with AUDI, VW and Porsche, have used and pretty decent.
Toyota,engine failures in the Matrix galore including the Pontiac Vibe.I have seen two of these so far,one was locked up and I ended up pulling the oil pan to turn it over.
@Walter Frederick
What years?
Must be 2.4 engines?
1Z and 2Z engines,have to go by a tag on the block.The years Toyota made them
@@Toolaholic7
Your talking about 2.4 though correct?
Never heard of any Toyota 1.8 engine problems like that.
2.4 I would say yes,in 2nd generation Matrix & Vibe.
1.8,over a grand used
like working on 80s vw and Hyundai i hate nissans working on one now
why do you always wind up working on the cars you hate!
Look up forscan for Ford, you can do almost everything in IDS for free, with a cheap OBD II adapter. I can do ABS or air suspension work on a 95 Continental, it is pretty through!
Shop has the Ford IDS, trust me it is no where close to the IDS, but is a nice tool
I agree IDS could flash older cars. But for a DIY or even a first look for a pro, it is an excellent tool. A local transmission guy thinks it may update the pids and data faster. He uses it for trans work to graph pids and codes.
I like the interface too. IDS and snapon won't work with the ABS on the Continentals. I had an IDS years ago and sold it. Forscan guy got it to read wheel speeds so I didn't have to pull apart my wiring to find an intermittent. I guess that is why you don't work on the old stuff!
I do not work on old stuff because there is no money in working on Junk, IDS is 96 and newer only, as I said it is a good tool, but not a replacement for an IDS
You can buy iscan 2 for euro, the Autologic blue box is still supported. German car customers are the best in most cases $$$. The old SAAB's from the 80's were decent. EBay has all the bootleg oem software. Japanese cars, lets not forget Pearl Harbor.
Saturn S-Series! Greatest cars ever made! Personally, 96 SL1 SOHC w/ Auto Trans. Great car to learn on & from. Great online community and TH-camrs (RichPin06A).
do you do a lot of a/c compressor coils on Honda's? I do about 10 or more a year.
We replace about 10 or more Honda/Acura Compressor a month, we do not replace the coils due to our 2yr/24k warranty
Thats why I worked for honda for so long lol
LOL, gravy city!
My dad hated working on the Thermoquad carburators Chrysler used.He calls these Thermojunks to this day.I hate working on Fords,worst to work on in the domestic line.Do everything the hard way engineering.My dad did buy one Saab once and it was a mistake.Had a bad engine which was replaced and lost money on it taking it back to the auction.The Jaguars,there is a fix to their engine problems called buying a conversion kit to drop a small block Chevy or LS engine in them in place of the factory engine.I did replace a CVT in a Nissan Rogue and it was a nightmare.GM,they share their computer info and they are the only one that you can reuse an used engine computer.The Humble Mechanic likes Volkswagons and Audis,he works at a dealership.I was taught that you remove things that are in your way.
Yes those Thermojunks sucked, lol, late model Jags should just go to the junkyard LOL!
One junkyard owner in my area has a 1978 Jaguar with a 350 Chevy under the hood.A friend of my dad's did the conversion.
I hate working on german cars, Nisan. I hate some Fords because to remove a part you need to remove a lots brackets bolts and nuts, for example Ford "conFusion", rear shocks. I love working on Dodge and Chrysler.
I have no issues working on CDJR except they have cut times badly and hard to make good money on them anymore, even though they break a lot!
Interesting as you describe each car line I'm noticing something here you keep saying the ticket it's almost like each car brand has a different pay scale in flat rate
Flat Rate times vary considerably between Car brands, some pay way better than others
What do you think about mazda?
Is a Master Mechanic considered a person that works on all car brand
A Master is a tech that has developed the skills to repair complete cars, from engine repair, transmission repairs to brakes HVAC etc.