A mechanic on watchdog..

sigma · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:01

SkodaMart said:
What's your trade sigma?

Various

but I have worked as a tech (not on cars) and had cars in bits and pieces.

sigma · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:05

[TW]Fox;23034865 said:
Nobody is trying to defend the guy - they are just saying the faults were bizarre and ridiculously set up.

The guy is a douche, that part is indisputable.

Even if they had cut the Lambda sensor wire, he still would have done the same thing - it wouldn't have made any difference.

[TW]Fox · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:07

I would imagine that for every 1,000,000 lambda sensor fault codes, there is 1 cut lamba sensor wire and 999,999 faulty lambda sensors

sigma · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:09

[TW]Fox;23034941 said:
I would imagine that for every 1,000,000 lambda sensor fault codes, there is 1 cut lamba sensor wire and 999,999 faulty lambda sensors

I'll stop repeating myself, it's getting boring

Even if the sensor failed, you'd still have to check the damn thing to be sure.

Tesla · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:09

A week or two back they had rogue IT technicians. They created a fault by moving a HDD jumper so two secondary drives existed on the same IDE channel. This PC was meant to belong to an elderly man who never suggested to the technician he had opened the PC.

The technician did mis-diagnose claiming the HDD failed. Then ripped him off claiming he needed a new PC.

This sounds like the same sort of thing, simple faults yes but pretty much cannot occur without somebody creating them.

SkodaMart · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:09

sigma said:
Even if they had cut the Lambda sensor wire, he still would have done the same thing - it wouldn't have made any difference.

This is the way it works with me:

Due a service, change oil, filters etc, I even do brake fluid.
Pads are low, change pads maybe discs if needed.

I have done clutches and cambelts, even on twin cam engines.

Engine warning light comes on. - take to a trusted garage, and find out the fault....

Guess what?

It has never been a fuse.

Blue160 · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:10

Yes the faults are ridiculous, but that's not really the point is it? Surely a competent mechanic would do the diagnostic, take a look at the sensor it says is faulty, see it's unplugged, then ask where the hidden camera is.

SkodaMart · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:11

Tesla said:
A week or two back they had rogue IT technicians. They created a fault by moving a HDD jumper so two secondary drives existed on the same IDE channel. This PC was meant to belong to an elderly man who never suggested to the technician he had opened the PC.

The technician did mis-diagnose claiming the HDD failed.

This sounds like the same sort of thing, simple faults yes but pretty much cannot occur without somebody creating them.

Perfect example, thanks.

sigma · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:12

Blue160 said:
Yes the faults are ridiculous, but that's not really the point is it? Surely a competent mechanic would do the diagnostic, take a look at the sensor it says is faulty, see it's unplugged, then ask where the hidden camera is.

But the fuse! Fuses never fail!!11!!

SkodaMart · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:13

sigma said:
But the fuse! Fuses rarely fail!!11!!

Corrected

sigma · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:14

No, they never fail!

Jono8 · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:25

Blue160 said:
Yes the faults are ridiculous, but that's not really the point is it? Surely a competent mechanic would do the diagnostic, take a look at the sensor it says is faulty, see it's unplugged, then ask where the hidden camera is.

This.

miniyazz · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:38

[TW]Fox;23034941 said:
I would imagine that for every 1,000,000 lambda sensor fault codes, there is 1 cut lamba sensor wire and 999,999 faulty lambda sensors

Well the lambda sensor wire could have become dislodged and then worn through against e.g. the driveshaft on 4wd cars - that is perhaps more common than 1 in a million?

As for fuses, normally the only time they have blown for me is if I have been fannying around 'improving' the car electrics for some reason or another

However IIRC the horn on my 106 wasn't working when I bought it and the fuse turned out to be dead. Changed that and no problems after..

SkodaMart · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:40

miniyazz said:
However IIRC the horn on my 106 wasn't working when I bought it and the fuse turned out to be dead. Changed that and no problems after..

French cars are maybe the exception where fuses and electrical problems are concerned!

rexehuk · 25 Oct 2012 at 22:47

Am I the only guy turned on by his rolls of fat? Mmmmmmm

Makes me think of hog roast.

Lashout_UK · 25 Oct 2012 at 23:15

Any time I have an electrical issue with my car the first port of call is generally its fuse box. A quick and easy check.

SkodaMart · 25 Oct 2012 at 23:30

I wonder if they will ever do a series on 'Rogue GPs' or maybe 'Rogue Surgeons' or how about 'Rogue bankers' or 'Rogue lawyers'

There are crooks in every trade and the biggest crooks don't mess about under cars.

Thank God politicians are honest upstanding pillars of society, and we always have the good old BBC to fall back on. RIP Sir Jimmy Saville.

[TW]Fox · 25 Oct 2012 at 23:33

It's not a series on Rogue garages, it just happned to be a mechanic this week thats all. I think it was a plumber last week.

SkodaMart · 25 Oct 2012 at 23:34

[TW]Fox;23035595 said:
It's not a series on Rogue garages, it just happned to be a mechanic this week thats all. I think it was a plumber last week.

It always seems to be 'working class' trades they single out though.

I stand to be corrected.

rexehuk · 25 Oct 2012 at 23:36

I think they need to do an article on rogue hookers, with full secret filming.

Only proviso is Matt cannot be involved (Ann is ok)