Choosing Your Mechanic

Life Cars & Motorcycles
1

So… how do you guys choose your mechanics?

I am very wary of giving my money to assholes, as I have done so foolishly on one too many occasions, and in Taiwan it seems that the mom-and-pop shops deserving of our money are in the minority. I don’t trust word-of-mouth, either, as it hasn’t worked out too well…

This is what I do:

#1 Observe how he deals with other customers. Basically, is he an asshole? I pay the most attention to his friendliness and how much time he takes to listen to his customers, but I also highly value attention to detail (such as rolling your scooter out of the shop for you and pointing it in the direction in which you will be traveling). More female clientele = better customer service.

#2 What sort of equipment does he have? Does he have a tire-changing machine, or is his knee and a gigantic wrench the tire-changing machine? That said, this doesn’t necessarily correlate with #1, but normally, it does. Does he have a lift, so that he’s not just laying your scooter on its side?

#3 How clean is the shop in general? A clean shop usually indicates a mechanic that cares about details and cares about his customers. Does he put covers over your handlebars so that he doesn’t grease them up? Is the floor covered in oil? Is there a non-disgusting place for you to sit while you’re waiting?

Where I used to live in the Xiulang area of Yonghe… I tried out five different mechanics before settling on one (and another one, which was also pretty good). Here is the story with the three that I did not settle on.

Guy #1: I took my scooter to him, because the front disc was braking funny. He first changed the pads, and then told me that I had to change the whole caliper. He even showed me how it was not working properly! I didn’t want to change the whole caliper just then, due to not wanting to fork out $1,600, so I said I’d think about it and come back. I went home and had a look at it myself… and WTF. He had not put the pad back in correctly (on purpose, I assume), in order to try to fool me. Well, f**k that guy.

Guy #2: I asked him about the price for specific tires. The first time, he tells me $700 each. Then the next time, he tells me $650 each. (I kinda went to him, because after asking about the tire prices, he was the only place open really late one night when something else was broken.) He does that repair and then changes the tires… I ride away and then I notice the speedometre is now not moving. I go back and ask him about it, he says he didn’t touch it. I ask, maybe he inadvertently did it? Then, he starts yelling and says something like, “If I could’ve done that by accident… then maybe your engine would accidentally be on the floor.” And he had two buddies/customers there, who thought he was such a comedian.

Needless to say, I never went back… and lo and behold, I have the last laugh! There is now a “for rent” sign on his shuttered shop. LOSER.

Guy #2: I took my scooter to him for a smog check… and he was just basically not nice at all. That was it, never going back there again.

So guess what, the honest mechanic whose wife and son work with him at the shop? You get ALL my business. That included my new scooter purchase, all its future servicing, and when my wife gets a new one, same thing. It pays to be the nice guy.

2

.

3

My personal favorite was the mechanic who changed my oil, but gave me an oil leak. Mr. Chen sorted me out both times for free. Generally there isn’t any clear definitive guide beyond consulting foreigners who have been here longer.

4

If you want something done right…

5

I have a Yamaha and a SYM mechanics on my street. the first time I went to the closest one, the yamaha, with my SYM motorcycle, for a quick check up and oil change. he told me to go to the other one, as he was no SYM mechanics. I went to the other one, and the guy kept talking with his friend when there were no customers but me witing outside in the rain. he changed my oil that day, but be assured that now I alwys go to the first one, tell him that the SYM guy is busy, and he takes really good care of my baby !

6

make sure you get your muffler bearings checked the next time you go to the mechanic. understand that is a big problem here in Taiwan.

7

:laughing:

8

Is that what happened to you, justreal? Your muffler bearings AND your wheel catalytic gear broke at the same time?! Your bill was how much?!?!

Where did sulavaca get that photo?

9

I took it myself as I was modifying the exhaust on a Nissan Leaf for an importer, in order to pass the emissions part of the import exam. I took the original bearings from the leaf exhaust and fixed them into an older Nissan March exhaust which is known as a much more economical exhaust due to the tail pipe being narrower. It was then all reasembled and put back on the Leaf.
This type of cross modification between the March and the Leaf is common to modders and the resulting vehicle is commonly refereed to as the Nissan Leach. :sunglasses:

Another green invention add-on for the Leaf is a revolutionary biofuel system derived from wasted, or spent cacao beans. The beans are ground into a fine powder, which is fine enough to pass through the vehicle’s fuel injectors and into the combustion chamber where it is combined with a fine, superheated H2O mist. The resulting chemical reaction when compressed and ignited causes a much more efficient and powerful burn. As well as a more bio-friendly fuel, the vehicle leaves a pleasant aroma behind it. This system is cutely nicknamed the chocolate injection system. The system was created as a joint venture between Cadbury’s and Nissan.

10

I took it myself as I was modifying the exhaust on a Nissan Leaf for an importer, in order to pass the emissions part of the import exam…etc’, see above… This system is cutely nicknamed the chocolate injection system. The system was created as a joint venture between Cadbury’s and Nissan.[/quote]

Thats known as a melanger in the trade, IIRC.

I know about these things because my grandfather invented KitKat AND Aero. (gasp!).

Yes, seriously. He had a story about someone pushing his wifes boyfriend in one and the boyfriend being retailed, though they recalled a lot of him when they found out. No “body”, so no charge, allegedly.

11

Presumably that’s how they discovered how to put chewy bits in Boost bars?

12

No chewy bits after the melanger. Chew is what it do (to you).

13

:laughing:[/quote]

see, sulavaca has proof. you got to change them muffler bearings before the get out of hand. lol
a good mechanic will throw in the catalytic armature check in for free if you get the muffler bearings changed. might be off subject a little, but I came across a new supplier for buckets of air. was going to sell them, but am willing to trade for a bacon stretcher.

14

At first… I started to believe sulavaca’s story… but then… I realized that there is no font for sarcasm.

15

Have a great mechanic in Muzha. Kinda dopey looking and soft spoken guy but an ace with the engine and a fair man. During the summer you always see young guys apprenticing with him as he has a good local rep.

One time we needed to get the aircon fixed. Thought maybe we should go back to the Ford factory. They wanted NT75,000. We brought it to him: NT7500. Never had a problem with it for years afterwards.

I like how if something can be fixed well but not perfectly he’ll give you the option. NT5000 and it’ll probably last you 4 years. NT30,000 and if will last you forever. Your choice.

Found him by accident when our first mechanic was closed and we need some work.

16

I’m wondering how far you got through it before you realized? :laughing:

17

[quote=“shawn_c”]

So guess what, the honest mechanic whose wife and son work with him at the shop? You get ALL my business. That included my new scooter purchase, all its future servicing, and when my wife gets a new one, same thing. It pays to be the nice guy.[/quote]

Found a wonderful mechanic in Taichung.

Bought my scooter, did something REALLLLLLY stupid! (gonna catch hell for this, but its my first scooter, I’m new in TW, had a lot on my mind that night, running late for work, yadda yadda)…but I forgot to take of my wheel lock from the rear wheel…started the scooter, started to ride, then of course the lock got jammed up inside the wheel.

That was at night, so had to take a cab to work. Went back the next morning to make sure my scooter was there, it was.

So I started walking up and down my street looking for mechanics, preferably ones who had blue trucks who could go pick up my scooter if necessarry.

Found one dude, spoke no English, my mandarin is pretty weak, but with pictures and hand gestures I was able to explain to him what happened.

He grabs some tools, has me hop on the back of his majesty and we’re off to my scooter.

Bangs the lock with a hammer, gets it unjammed. Charges me 100nt.

I then go back after riding ym scooter in Dakeng where it was running a bit hot.

He takes a look at my scooter, checks it out, said there was no problem (i.e. the temperature was fine, I was just being overcautious).

Charges me zilch, though I tried to pay him.

His little brother, pregnant wife (and toddler) work in the shop with him, so you hit the nail on the head.

If anyone needs a dude in Beitun…hes on Beitun Lu, north of Wenxin, about a block north of Hola, same side, has a big KYMCO sign in red on the building.