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What is Your Hourly Rate?

It amazes me how many people ring me up for a immediate quote on a car which has major issues without giving me the chance to thoroughly inspect the vehicle and get a detailed analysis of what the real problem is. These penny pinchers ring one workshop after another until someone gives them the cheapest price possible. It’s easy to pick these type of people by their initial question- “ AND WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE ?”

For a job to be done properly it requires skilled labour which is the backbone of any quality, successful job and the price has to be paid – YOU CANNOT GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING!

Many years ago I took one of my ex-wives to court because she would not give information about the well-being of my daughter. In the initial interview with my solicitor, I stated my case and then asked “AND WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE?” My Solicitor laid back in his plush leather chair, crossed his arms, squinted his eyes and barked back at me, “DO YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR DAUGHTER OR NOT?”
“OF COURSE I DO, WHAT A SILLY QUESTION” I said defensively,
“THEN GET THE MONEY & DO NOT ASK ME MY FOR MY RATE!”

Bang… Talking about getting hit right between the eyes, but his words ‘GET THE MONEY’ kept ringing through my ears and something miraculous happened, I kept focussed, worked harder than I ever did before and presto I got the money, won the court case and got to see my daughter.

Watching my solicitor perform in court with confidence and poise was money well spent.

Skilled labour in any profession or sport takes years and years of practice. It’s doing that counts, not study or reading books. Organised refined labour is what gets the job done.

And there are no short cuts. The price has to be paid in any profession.

The surgeon who performs microscopic robotic surgery; the bricklayer who can lay hundreds and hundreds of bricks perfectly; the doctor administering a catheter to give a patient relief; the mechanic who can tune an engine for peak power and good economy; the nurse who showers, cleans and puts fresh bed linen on to give the patient dignity and hygiene; our brave soldiers fighting overseas so we can have peace in this country… all this is skilled labour and the full price has to be paid.

This is why I hate reality home improvement or renovation shows. I believe these misguiding television shows have a duty of care to perform especially in handling asbestos, dangerous other materials and of course they do not show the tedious hard work that trained professionals do because this will be boring and we cannot have that-people will switch channels to Family Feud.

Here is the irony. People who have mastered their profession make it look easy!

SO WHY DID I WRITE THIS BLOG?

I will give you the answer. A week has just passed since another dreadful balcony has collapsed, killing and maiming people at a Christmas party. The coronial inquiry will get the answers, but how many more people need to die or be injured because of shoddy workmanship or unscrupulous people wanting renovations and not wanting to pay the hourly rate for work to be done properly?

Miserable people who systematically try to screw down quotes from struggling tradesmen are the biggest cancer to the economy. What this does is force the tradesperson to buy rubbish from China. China is a Communist government with a Capitalist business ethic and they deliberately hold their currency low so they can export their rubbish to the world, they have no shame or respect for quality.

I refuse to fit Chinese parts to any cars I repair (experience here) unless it a Great Wall.

Any person who tries to screw me for price or tries to manipulate so that I cannot do my job properly to a set standard is not one of my customers and will know it.

GET THE MONEY, GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

– Manny, 0411 496 621
To serve, to perform, to guide.

 

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

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Capped Price Servicing – What is the Truth?

In my last blog, I talked about CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT, how skills and an ongoing desire to be better is essential for better customer service without the gimmicks.. Which brings me to CAPPED PRICE SERVICE .

Capped Price Servicing was introduced by major car dealerships to try and reverse the poor customer retention rate which car dealerships created themselves through sky high servicing costs and poor customer service.
Their gimmick is simple – NO SURPRISES AND FIXED BASIC PRICE SERVICING.

Car dealerships do not make money selling new cars, their source of positive cash flow comes from spare parts, selling useless extended insurance and warranties (read the fine print), trade in cars (traded in at low price and sold high) and of course car servicing.

The truth is quality new cars do not need much service upkeep in their first 3-5 years or 50,000km which aligns with the dealership service plan. In other words they are only stating the obvious.

So what is the catch?

There has to be a catch right?

Car dealerships and franchises work on volume, while the profit margin is quite small, but because they do so many of these low skilled services (that’s how they make their profit) consequently brings a low skill technician. (I recently had one of these moron technicians working for me and let’s just say Hasta la vista BABY!)

The catch is cars are an ongoing load bearing rotating piece of a machinery. Anything that rotates on a car can and will wear. I WILL REPEAT THAT -ANYTHING ON A CAR THAT ROTATES CAN AND WILL WEAR. Tyres, fanbelts brakes, suspension, internal engine components, water pumps unless you park your car in a garage and let it sit there is the only way you can avoid wear and tear.

Pricing though important should not be the main focus to the diligent car owner. Now with turbos, direct injection and variable camshafts, it is critical to have the best oil, best tyres, the best quality filters. A dirty air filter can affect your ca’s performance, engine wear and fuel economy and yet is perhaps one of the most overlooked service component.

To the serious car owner your car should be looked at as a investment, no different to your home.

Your car is a vital piece of equipment, especially when it comes to picking up children from school, family and work commitments. Invest in your car. Do not  be swayed by capped pricing only to be  slugged like a wounded bull  when your service schedule is over or when your car is due for tyres and brakes.

Yes pricing is important, but a good quality technician who knows your car personally, has track records, works to a system and is totally open and transparent while using the best parts and has the best equipment WHICH HE USES ensuring motoring piece of mind.

– Manny, 0411 496 621
To serve, to perform, to guide.

 

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

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Continual Improvement

Recently I was called by a concerned parent from New South Wales who had sold a car to her Son. The car was brought to Brisbane and had to have a safety certificate. The inspection was done at a competitor’s workshop and a failure was issued. The vehicle required $1,200 worth of repairs. The concerned parent was confused because their local mechanic had always serviced all their cars and HE SAID – THE CAR WAS OK… they trusted him… so who was telling the truth?

The vehicle was brought to my workshop and an inspection was performed and ‘YES!’ all faults were verified. My competitor did his job right and his quote was reasonable.

So where is the problem? The problem is with the old dinosaur/fart of a mechanic, THE GOOD BLOKE MECHANIC OR THE FRIEND OF THE FAMILY MECHANIC who has won over generations of family dynasties with his great bloke she will be right mate mannerisms – THESE MECHANICS SHOULD BE OUTLAWED and why? – simply one word… HUBRIS.

We live in a fast and complex world. Your car is more vital today than ever and your car is becoming more complex so reliability must be a high priority. No public transport, taxi or uber can take the place of a car when it comes to children and vital appointments which require to be met with in a set time.

A good technician/mechanic continually invests time in study and working to a system with a organized checklist. A good technician has the guts to invest money in the best diagnostic equipment $5,000- $40,000 a year whether he can afford it or not. A good technician analyses every car and ensures that it is up to safety certificate standard or gives a detailed report and quote what requires to be done. A good technician/mechanic FOCUSES ON SOLVING THE INITIAL CUSTOMER COMPLAINT and does not go for the easy upsells (easy money). Simply a good technician wants to be and is better every day, but most of all good technicians are committed and disciplined.

Just because a Dinosaur Mechanic says that he or she has 35 years of experience means absolutely nothing… what… 35 years of doing oil changes? Please retire.

Workshops that offer gimmicks, cheap heavily discounted services or have some other enticements are totally useless. The smooth talking service advisor who has not touched a spanner in 5 years is there only to sell and generally gives you a headache because they talk so much rubbish. These big mouths got out of the game because they are pretty boys that could not handle the hard work and discipline required to be good in their field.

The truth is nothing beats up to date hard earned skills, disciplines a systemised attitude of continual improvement and a genuine passion to be better educated for what they do and perform. Good technicians/mechanics are never satisfied because there is always a better way.

– Manny, 0411 496 621
To serve, to perform, to guide.

 

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

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Which Petrol do I Use for my Car & What do Those Numbers Mean?

There is a bit of a mystery that petrol companies deliberately play to confuse the unsuspecting public about what is the right petrol to use for your car.

The petrol companies perceive that using a higher number octane will give you more power and better fuel economy. This is actually false!

High octane petrol cannot give you magical higher horse power unless your car’s engine is designed and tuned to take higher octane rating. So a normal 4 cylinder engine will not benefit from high octane fuel.

What is Octane? Please explain?

Octane ratings are not a measure of energy or power, but instead measure the point when a normal controlled fuel burning (propagation) inside the engine cylinder goes into a uncontrolled burning (detonation).

The picture on the left shows a smooth burning transition when the spark plug fires. The picture on the right shows pre-ignition that is the fuel igniting from excessive heat, when the flame fronts from the spark plug collide from the flame front of the pre-igniting source – its’ similar to a hammer hitting your engine. The result is possible internal engine damage – the term is referred as engine KNOCK.

Petrol companies can measure this knock and add anti knock agents like Toulene, Triptane, Isooctane to name just a few to increase the engine octane rating. Ie unleaded 91 to unleaded 95 add a bit more agents we have 98. These agents retard the rate of fuel burn, slowing the flame propagation down also eliminates pre-ignition.

E10 uses a sugar based ethanol which also works as a anti-knock agent.

How does Octane work properly and what are the benefits?

The basis of making horsepower is air. The amount of air entering the engine cylinders is then compressed by the piston, fuel is then added by the injector and ignited by the spark plug. The amount of air added is in direct proportion to the power made. Turbo chargers, super chargers, high lift camshafts, big valves, cold air intake, bigger throttle bodies are all in direct relation in getting more air into the (engine) cylinder hence the more air then more fuel is added and bigger bang. BINGO. MORE HORSE POWER! BUT WITH MORE HORSE POWER WE HAVE MORE HEAT, WHY?

The more air added to the engine has more air molecules rubbing and compressing against each other. This causes friction &friction causes heat.

To overcome this heat from detonating the fuel, Petrol companies have brought out fuel with higher octane levels to compensate the tendency for fuel to pre-ignite in a compressed state. The other benefit of higher octane is that car tuners whether that be in the factory or aftermarket can extract more ignition timing in a controlled state hence benefiting in extracting more horse power from the engine. The V8 Supercars take E85 which has a even higher octane rating of 105.

It is very essential to know what type of fuel your car requires. If it’s a sport model like a highly tuned Honda, Toyota and European sports, supercharged, turbocharged cars, chances it will probably take some special octane fuel. For any enquiries please call Manny’s Mechanical Repairs.

Manny’s Mechanical Repairs specializes in tuning, we have the latest diagnostic equipment, scanners, labscopes and dyno tunning gear to ensure your vehicle is tuned and running at it full potential.

– Manny, 0411 496 621
To serve, to perform, to guide.

 

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

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Manny’s Mission – To Serve, To Perform, To Guide.

Manny’s Mechanical Repairs has been growing year after year. There is nothing that can substitute good, hard, consistent work, but it also comes down to values. It`s our code, our ethos or our mission which is: To Serve, To Perform, To Guide.

To Serve

Customers are everything! (Try and run a business without them) At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs, we listen to our customers’ needs and problems, then prioritize the steps required to solve the issues in good bilateral communication. We develop an ongoing relationship. Simply put, it’s an honour to serve customers.

To Perform

You have to be good at what you do. You have to know and master your work. Confidence, ability, skills, diagnostic procedures and the ability to learn and grow – balance this out with excellent equipment and anything is attainable, providing you have the desire to be better. Manny`s Mechanical Repairs are constantly reviewing, how can we be better? How can we strive for better mechanical repair excellence?  Manny`s is focused on developing skills for the future where computers, data transfer, electrical and tuning will become critical.

To Guide

Cars are becoming more and more complex. (So is the world!)

The customer who continually keeps their car consistently serviced and repaired to standards generally has no problems selling their car and has actually made money on an older car! Here at Manny`s Mechanical Repairs, we advise and quote on future repairs that may be required -this gives the customer a sense of control, so they can budget for future repairs.

To end this blog, there is a saying that goes IF YOU CANNOT MEASURE IT, THEN YOU CANNOT MANAGE IT!

MANNY`S` MECHANICAL REPAIRS has a system of checking, measuring and relaying your automotive information, then acting on what requires to be done ensuring PEACE OF MIND.

– Manny, 0411 496 621
To serve, to perform, to guide.

 

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

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Car Steering & Suspension Repairs & Maintenance

One of the most overlooked areas in today’s motor car is the steering and suspension. And yet the handling is so critical in safety and braking. If the suspension in your car is not functioning to meet the demands of the roads that you are driving on, then you are at risk of an under-performing car.

If your car is under-performing, then you do not have any control under dangerous conditions (you can be the greatest race car driver in the world but if your car does not handle, then no skill can save you – as in the tragic death of the great Ayrton Senna).

The main emphasis on steering and suspension is to continually keep the tyre on the road. This gives traction. Once the tyre loses contact with the road the steering and braking will under-perform.

One problem owner drivers have with their cars is that they get used the deteriorating function of their cars. This is why it is critically important to get your car serviced every 10,000 km.

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs we test drive your vehicle, listen to any knocks, creaks , squeals.

1. Check the condition of your tyres and check tyre pressures.
2. Check suspension under load.
3. Check all steering arms.
4. Check sway bar and connecting components.
5. Check spring and ride height.
6. Check shock absorber and macpherson struts.
7. Check suspension bushes for wear and deterioration.
8. Check steering box or rack & pinon for damage or oil leaks.

 

car-steering-suspension-repairs-maintenance-2-medium
Here we have a left rear shock absorber leaking oil. That requires immediate replacement. This was picked up in a 75,000 km service.

car-steering-suspension-repairs-maintenance-3-medium

Here we have the centre of a main load suspension bush completely broken – the result was a car that was wandering over the road at high speed. To make this worse the owner was a unsuspecting mother of three young children.

car-steering-suspension-repairs-maintenance-4-medium

In this picture Ricky is replacing the springs on a 2010 Ford using a heavy duty spring compressor.

Here at Manny’s Mechanical Repairs we focus on customer safety and specializing in mechanical excellence to keep our customers safe and ensuring your vehicle is in roadworthy condition at all times.

– Manny, 0411 496 621
To serve, to perform, to guide.

 

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.