Do GM mechanics know what they are doing?

I have had two cels in less than 600 miles.

The first time they replaced the O2 sensor.
Now they say I need a new intake manifold.

I know Mazda mechanics don't know crap about rotaries and replace engines when they need coils plugs and CAT

Am I down the path of replacement parts until the problem is fixed?

Does anyone at a dealer know how to fix a car anymore?

Intake manifold! How in the hell does that crack when all my wifes does is drive to work and back.

What else do I need to look out for?

I went to the dealer for an oil change and they only put 6qt. oil in my G8 GT. They didn't even check the dip stick...:confused:

Techs are responsible for their warranty claims. All parts are turned back into the dealer whom turns (I dunno all parts, but the big ones) back in for inspection. If they try to warranty the intake manifold and there are no cracks, they will be getting a phone call from corporate. They might be getting it anyways, but that's corporate.

they wont just get a phone call, the dealership will be debited for falsely diagnosing/replacing the part.

They would not replace an intake manifold just for the fun and exercise. Some diagnostic determination led them to that conclusion, even possibly a directive from a zone service guru telling them to change out O2 sensor b4 looking at manifold.

I never had a manifold problem with a 3800 but they are legendary, just remember two things: stuff happens, and you have a 5/100,000 powertrain warranty.

I have good faith in the dealer, it's just that mechanics are not mechanic's anymore. They are just part replacers until the problem is solved.

It would be amazing if I got the car back and there wasn't that legendary rough idle.

Stuff happens.

A lot of owners , including me, have an idle so smooth that you have to look at the tach to know the engine is running.

I never had a manifold problem with a 3800 but they are legendary

I did, it sucked. Motor went kaboom when it filled with coolant while running.

it's like any job you have those who take pride in their work and those just looking to make a quick buck. the funny thing is those who take pride in what they do generally make more money than those that perform shotgun diagnosis due to they get more rechecks

2008 Pontiac G8 | G8 Service Manual | Engine | Engine Controls and Fuel | Diagnostic Information and Procedures

Select a Document:
DTC P0016
DTC P0030, P0036, P0053, P0054, P0135, or P0141
DTC P0050, P0056, P0059, P0060, P0155, or P0161
DTC P0068 or P0121
DTC P0101 or P1101
DTC P0102 or P0103
DTC P0106
DTC P0107 or P0108
DTC P0112 or P0113
DTC P0116
DTC P0117 or P0118
DTC P0120, P0122, P0123, P0220, P0222, P0223, or P2135
DTC P0128
DTC P0131, P0132, P0137, or P0138
DTC P0133, P0134, P0140, P1133, P2270, or P2271
DTC P0151, P0152, P0157, or P0158
DTC P0153, P0154, P0160, P1153, P2272, or P2273
DTC P0171, P0172, P0174, or P0175
DTC P0196, P0197, or P0198
DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P0206, P0207, or P0208
DTC P0230
DTC P0300-P0308
DTC P0315
DTC P0324, P0325, P0326, P0327, P0328, P0330, P0332, or P0333
DTC P0335
DTC P0336
DTC P0340
DTC P0341
DTC P0351-P0358
DTC P0420 or P0430
DTC P0442
DTC P0443 or P0449
DTC P0446
DTC P0451, P0452, P0453, or P0454
DTC P0455
DTC P0496
DTC P0506 or P0507
DTC P0556, P0557, or P0558
DTC P0601, P0602, P0603, P0604, P0606, P0607, P060D, P062F, or P2610
DTC P0641 or P0651
DTC P0650
DTC P0685, P0689, or P0690
DTC P0700
DTC P1174 or P1175
DTC P1380 or P1381
DTC P1400
DTC P1516, P2101, P2119, or P2176
DTC P1682
DTC P2120, P2122, P2123, P2125, P2127, P2128, or P2138
DTC P250A
DTC P2544
DTC P3400
DTC P3401, P3425, P3441, or P3449


These are just the Powertrain DTCs listed in the Engine Control section of the 2008 G8 Service Manual.

Most of which would probably turn on the CEL/MIL. Most of which also indicate a different problem, cause, and repair then the others.

After all, they didn’t manufacture and engineer these things to be so overly complicated, but I guess it’s cheaper to build them that way. They also don’t change the capacities from one model to the next. My last vehicle only took 4.75qts of oil but this one takes over seven! What’s up with that?

Moreover, the positive experiences I’ve had with some foreign and domestic vehicle service issues have been very positive, which leads me to believe that if the dealer treats his people well, train and pay them well, we may see positive results on that end.

Having said that, the foreign dealers seem to be more uniform in this regard, which may explain some of the migration to the foreign vehicles, because ultimately all vehicles have service issues regardless of the cost or make.

Sorry for the rant…But I just don’t think it’s fair to lay all the blame on one group when there’s plenty to go around!

Cheers! LOL!

Sorry for the rant…But I just don’t think it’s fair to lay all the blame on one group when there’s plenty to go around!

Cheers! LOL!

If the mechanic isn't looking up the specifications for the car they are working on, they're morons.

A lot of owners , including me, have an idle so smooth that you have to look at the tach to know the engine is running.

wow, you are one of the lucky ones i'd say. my car will idle anywhere from baby butt smooth to off -balance wash machine shake! :(

they wont just get a phone call, the dealership will be debited for falsely diagnosing/replacing the part.

So this is the reason the dealer refused to fix my GP GXP until I threw a fit? It really doesn't want to work on a vehicle! Great logic there.
:slap:

that goes for any manufacturer, bucko.

First the G8 is an Australian made car. Second GM is not offering any training in my area. Therefore all diagnosis for this car is based on hands on and previous knowledge from other GM vehicles.

There is a lot of frustration for both the customer and the mechanic when problems arise. You the customer are inconvenienced because of the problem and therefore lose your day or time or even pay from your work of having to bring the car to my dealership and wait to see what the problem is. Or usually in circumstances that might be severe a rental will be afforded to you.

And then there is the frustration for the mechanic.
We or the majority of us are paid on commission only , as I am.


Here is an example of my frustration. If I spend 2 hours on your car to accurately diagnose a problem and lets say the fault is a Mass Air Flow Meter, GM pays .3 times my rate ($30) to replace the part and .3 diagnosis times my rate ($30). So for 2 hours spent on your car I get paid $18 dollars by GM. That is all I will get paid for the 2 hours.

Now if I had spent that 2 hours working on a customer pay ticket doing say a tune up, I would have made $60 for the 2 hours spent.

So I will make more money working on non warranty tickets. All dealership mechanics who get paid off commission think like this. Unless they are already rich or well off or get paid a salary. Most dealerships don't pay salaries because the mechanic may not give 100% of their time and might take advantage of the salary he or she receives. And that is why most mechanics are commission, it makes them want to work harder to get paid more.

So that is why cars get misdiagnosed. Mechanics are rushed due to they can't afford to waste extra time only to make less money. Its in our best interest to make an educated guess with the .3 tenths that GM will pay us to diagnose a fault with your car. Not all mechanics make $30 per hour. It took me 20 years to get to that rate. Some might make $15 per hour, so for that same 2 hours spent on your cars problem, they would have made only $9.00. That is nine dollars for 2 hours worth of work. Does not sound fair huh?

I will continue to make educated guesses if I am not 100% sure of what part needs replacing or repairing. And if I cannot duplicate the concern in .3 tenths, then I will return the car to the customer.


I usually give the car 20 minutes to show its problem
and if it does not , then I give the car back to the customer with a NPF.

If there is a problem but I can't pinpoint the exact cause and I am not at least 90% sure , then I get approval for additional clock time to be paid to me to continue trying to find the fault.


I hope I have shed some light on my side of the field. I understand that customers have a harder time handling problems with their new vehicles, but please try to understand that I am imperfect, I try 100 % of the time, you will get a positive answer from me every time,and eventually it will get fixed. John.

And then there is the frustration for the mechanic.
We or the majority of us are paid on commission only , as I am.



I'm not trying to pry but the local Pontiac dealer is charging $100/hr and I know warranty work is a big profit maker for the dealers. I wonder what percentage the shop mechanics get of that $100?

I am familiar with the flat rate system. If I'm not mistaken, the really good mechanics beat flat rate frequently. Don

100 is the average, although our dealership is 90.
Mechanics are paid on their experience/ase's/gm certifications.

Most techs get 20-30% of the dealer labor hourly charge. More or less though. Dealerships don't get the full amount from GM that they normally charge to cash customers.


So the mechanics make less, the dealerships make less, and the customer gets bruised a little also.

Remember overhead of a large dealership is rather LARGE.
Electric bill,Gas bills for heating,phone,etc.,customer service,etc.
My boss has had plenty of $3000.00 gas bills per month.

So the 100 does not go very far.

GM tech, Very well put, I was a service writer for a short time and handing out work and tried to be fair, but it isn't easy.

Bottom line is that you basically need to be a border line engineer to get through some of the diagnostic aids/charts GM comes out with. We do our best, and as mentioned above, you get some guys who care and some just trying to make a buck. GM Tech made a lot of good points...Also try to remember new products are always a little harder to diagnose...until they've been around for a few years, we're all in a learning mode.

My advise is get to know the guys working on your car...I am on a first name basis with many of our customers and they tell me everytime they wouldnt dream of bringing their car anywhere else, and when its possible, we can usually get their cars into the shop to a certain person they are comfortable with working on it.

I usually give the car 20 minutes to show its problem
and if it does not , then I give the car back to the customer with a NPF.

If there is a problem but I can't pinpoint the exact cause and I am not at least 90% sure , then I get approval for additional clock time to be paid to me to continue trying to find the fault.




Not to be a smart ass service writer, but arent repeated NPFs justified cause for calling TAC? I know my techs HATE calling TAC, but sometimes they are so freakin usefully it makes me wonder why that resource is not used more. Aside from the time on the phone...

They have access to a nationwide dealer network of issues and resolved problems AND unpublished bulletins. If TAC is used more, it results in less NPFs and happier customer. Happy customer = more CP tickets. More CP tickets = happy techs, writers, managers & dealer owners.


just my .02 (now I wish my techs would listen to me)

I went to the dealer for an oil change and they only put 6qt. oil in my G8 GT. They didn't even check the dip stick...:confused:



WOW, I would have flipped out :judge:

I know Mazda mechanics don't know crap about rotaries and replace engines when they need coils plugs and CAT

The service manager of a local Mazda told me rotary engines cannot be fixed, they can only be replaced. I told him that was the silliest thing I've ever heard. A few months later, I got a call from tech asking for my help. That might have been the smartest thing that tech ever did. I assume after they replaced enough engines unnecessarily, Mazda got a little upset.

I never had a manifold problem with a 3800 but they are legendary, just remember two things: stuff happens, and you have a 5/100,000 powertrain warranty.

The manifolds hold up, but the gaskets blow like crazy. The new GM aluminum spec seems to help.

it's like any job you have those who take pride in their work and those just looking to make a quick buck. the funny thing is those who take pride in what they do generally make more money than those that perform shotgun diagnosis due to they get more rechecks

its not about taking pride in your work when working on cars. as a tech i can only thank all the other techs who have posted so far trying to educate people on how our industry works.. even when following diagnosis procedures those processes can take hours.. just to find the special tools they tell you to use. and NO even the best techs dont beat flat rate when warranty is paying because they pay as though the tech has done the job a thousand times, has all the tools ready and at hand, and does not need to follow the chart.. sometimes i think they even pay as if the engine and trans are already out of the car.. manufacturers do not pay to diagnose a car, only to fix it.. and the only way they know it was fixed, is if something was replaced and turned in as a warranty return.

It is almost sad thae way that our industry has gone. It really has little to do with us techs, it comes from above. The service managers (the ones I have worked for at least) push the tchs to see and diagnose as many cars as possible. If you don't get a diagnosis withing 30 minutes or so push the car out and move on. At my last shop, I was almost let go for spending to much time diagnising a car. It was a repeat problem that had been going to another tech, but came to me on this particulat occasion. I spen 2 hours diagnosing the car trying to get the problem to happen consistantly and I could not do it, I called techline and opened a case on it,, and after that i was told to move on to another car and wait for techline to contact us about it.
Personally for me I hate letting a car go with a NPF, as at least part of the time there is a real concern, and to me it mkaes the dealership as well as me look bad.
Just my .02

A lot of owners , including me, have an idle so smooth that you have to look at the tach to know the engine is running.

What? I thought that the rough idle was standard on the G8. Maybe there is something wrong with my car after all. What causes the rough idling?

Given the rates and how the warranty work is set up, it is no wonder why the work is usually poorly done. Dealers and techs prefer not to do warranty work as there is no money in it. If the work is off waranty, they can just change parts until it is fixed regardless of whether the parts need to be changed or not.

Dealers and techs prefer not to do warranty work as there is no money in it. If the work is off waranty, they can just change parts until it is fixed regardless of whether the parts need to be changed or not.

untrue, if the car is in warranty we just throw parts at it because we can say it malfunctioned durring diagnosis, and we dont get paid to diagnose, so we might as well waste warranties money because they waste our time.. its called a parts grenade.. when its customer pay then you have to spend the extra time to diagnose and get it right because you dont want the customer to spend more than they have to. thats called customer service, and why you pay diagnosis charges.

Not to be a smart ass service writer, but arent repeated NPFs justified cause for calling TAC? I know my techs HATE calling TAC, but sometimes they are so freakin usefully it makes me wonder why that resource is not used more. Aside from the time on the phone...

They have access to a nationwide dealer network of issues and resolved problems AND unpublished bulletins. If TAC is used more, it results in less NPFs and happier customer. Happy customer = more CP tickets. More CP tickets = happy techs, writers, managers & dealer owners.


just my .02 (now I wish my techs would listen to me)

roflmao... TAC is a joke... they don't have a clue either. as far as trying to fix the car right the first time, you all should have to use a GM diagnostic chart... the people up top don't ever think their cars break down... labor rate down here is $65 hr, and mechanics make appx $14-$18 an hour.... spend 10 grand in tools and make 25k a year... what a life. all i want to know is.... who would like to offer me a job?

roflmao... TAC is a joke... they don't have a clue either. as far as trying to fix the car right the first time, you all should have to use a GM diagnostic chart... the people up top don't ever think their cars break down... labor rate down here is $65 hr, and mechanics make appx $14-$18 an hour.... spend 10 grand in tools and make 25k a year... what a life. all i want to know is.... who would like to offer me a job?

$10k on tools? That's it? I've spent at least $35k on tools. Add on another $10k in boxes, roll arounds, etc. As far as making $14-$18/hr, pay is a joke in the south. I went from making $13/hr(in south Florida) to $19/hr(in Texas) in 2 years. I'm not even one of the highest paid guys in the shop. Top techs make $25/hr, and that's with Japanese auto makers. Domestic and German guys get north of $30/hr after they've paid their dues and have remained at the dealerships for a while. Labor rates around here go anywhere from $90 to $150/hr.




Mika

[QUOTE=GM Tech;207276]First the G8 is an Australian made car. Second GM is not offering any training in my area. Therefore all diagnosis for this car is based on hands on and previous knowledge from other GM vehicles.

I can't believe that GM wouldn't offer training to every dealer. Maybe that's why it took my dealer a month to fix mine.

Thats pretty sad, that they don't train on new products. This has been an interesting thread, i always was under the impression that auto mechanics make good money. From what the GM techs are saying, it seems like you would be better off finding work at a local auto garage where warranty work is not a big part. But they probably don't charge the same labor rates so it probably balances out. I will try to have more patience with techs in the future, luckily I have not had to have much warranty work done in the past.

Being in IT and supporting networking/hardware, i do understand the frustration of troubleshooting, luckily for me though I am salaried.

First the G8 is an Australian made car. Second GM is not offering any training in my area. Therefore all diagnosis for this car is based on hands on and previous knowledge from other GM vehicles.

There is a lot of frustration for both the customer and the mechanic when problems arise. You the customer are inconvenienced because of the problem and therefore lose your day or time or even pay from your work of having to bring the car to my dealership and wait to see what the problem is. Or usually in circumstances that might be severe a rental will be afforded to you.

And then there is the frustration for the mechanic.
We or the majority of us are paid on commission only , as I am.


Here is an example of my frustration. If I spend 2 hours on your car to accurately diagnose a problem and lets say the fault is a Mass Air Flow Meter, GM pays .3 times my rate ($30) to replace the part and .3 diagnosis times my rate ($30). So for 2 hours spent on your car I get paid $18 dollars by GM. That is all I will get paid for the 2 hours.

Now if I had spent that 2 hours working on a customer pay ticket doing say a tune up, I would have made $60 for the 2 hours spent.

So I will make more money working on non warranty tickets. All dealership mechanics who get paid off commission think like this. Unless they are already rich or well off or get paid a salary. Most dealerships don't pay salaries because the mechanic may not give 100% of their time and might take advantage of the salary he or she receives. And that is why most mechanics are commission, it makes them want to work harder to get paid more.

So that is why cars get misdiagnosed. Mechanics are rushed due to they can't afford to waste extra time only to make less money. Its in our best interest to make an educated guess with the .3 tenths that GM will pay us to diagnose a fault with your car. Not all mechanics make $30 per hour. It took me 20 years to get to that rate. Some might make $15 per hour, so for that same 2 hours spent on your cars problem, they would have made only $9.00. That is nine dollars for 2 hours worth of work. Does not sound fair huh?

I will continue to make educated guesses if I am not 100% sure of what part needs replacing or repairing. And if I cannot duplicate the concern in .3 tenths, then I will return the car to the customer.


I usually give the car 20 minutes to show its problem
and if it does not , then I give the car back to the customer with a NPF.

If there is a problem but I can't pinpoint the exact cause and I am not at least 90% sure , then I get approval for additional clock time to be paid to me to continue trying to find the fault.


I hope I have shed some light on my side of the field. I understand that customers have a harder time handling problems with their new vehicles, but please try to understand that I am imperfect, I try 100 % of the time, you will get a positive answer from me every time,and eventually it will get fixed. John.

John,
You illustrate a problem with the way service departments works. I've heard countless stories from my brother in law.

If you're one of the best techs that can handle the "tough to diagnose" driveability problems, which are often warranty, then on the commission system you're rewarded with the lowest pay. (ex: you can spend hours tracking down a pinched wire but GM will only pay what their warranty book says)

Meanwhile the tech. in the next stall can be a grease monkey but since he's doing customer paid work he's getting paid the highest commission.

Under this pay system there's a disincentive to be the top tech. who can deal with the tough driveability problems that fall under warranty.

After this happened the car stopped again in the middle of the intersection.
Umm... how many more miles... maybe 20.

It was towed to the dealership where they ended up replacing the fuel pump.

Anyhow, when you have a new car things happen until they work out the bugs.

This has been informative. I always thought techs were salaried too. I had no idea mechanics were on the 'hair salon' system, and were essentially punished for warranty work. I always bring the shop who works on my car a dozen shipley's when I pick it up to show my appreciation and to engender good feelings, but maybe next time I'll 2 dozen. Sheesh.

When I took my G8 in for service to see why I'm getting the CEL. He told me it was a bad o2 and "maybe" a crack intake manifold (problem was the clamp that secure the gas filler spout was loose, which I fix myself.) and stated I need to leave the car for 3 days. I end up talking to the service writer for 30 minutes and the conversation went downhill really fast. So long story short I offered the service writer a nice set of cams for his RX-7 and beach front property in Arizona cheap if he can fix my car in 1 day instead of 3. He gave me the confused perplexed doggie look and didn't say one word.

i was a mechanic in the military... when i got out, i wanted to work at a G.M. dealer so i could have all those G.M. benefits... boy was i wrong...

$10k on tools? That's it? I've spent at least $35k on tools. Add on another $10k in boxes, roll arounds, etc. As far as making $14-$18/hr, pay is a joke in the south. I went from making $13/hr(in south Florida) to $19/hr(in Texas) in 2 years. I'm not even one of the highest paid guys in the shop. Top techs make $25/hr, and that's with Japanese auto makers. Domestic and German guys get north of $30/hr after they've paid their dues and have remained at the dealerships for a while. Labor rates around here go anywhere from $90 to $150/hr.




Mika
I agree that techs have to spend waaaaaaaay to much money on their tools. But the tools that are needed specifically for repair and diag are provided and forced upon to the dealers by GM.

Our lowest paid detailer tech (he does used car details and oil changes pretty much) makes 20 bux an hour, He also drives 20+ miles to work every day. My highest paid tech makes 32 bux an hour, he is a heavy line tech (engines and transmissions)
Our labor rate varies from 65 an hour all the way up to 119 an hour. Depends on the job. The guys across the street at Nissan and Toyota do not make any more than my guys...

I dont know anyone whos been in a shop any length of time (with the right skills) that makes less than 25 an hour.
The techs in my shop have also been in my shop for over a year without ANY turnover... that is a feat in itself.

Being a mechanic is not easy. But with the right tools, and right shop it can be a successful way of earning a living.

The cost of living in California is higher and that's why the techs make more money. I'm sure the guys in the south make less because it costs less to live there, plus on the average people's wages are lower than they are in other areas.

i work in dc and get 15 an hour.. the highest paid tech in my shop gets 21 an hour, and he has been there 34 years.. this is at a high end german dealership.. so not all techs make good money, depends on the shop. only reason myself and others are here is based solely on the fact that we usually have work to do, even when others go home at 1 oclock because their shop is empty. making 100 an hour is useless if you have no hours to turn.

making 100 an hour is useless if you have no hours to turn.
+1

awesome point that is often overlooked.

I didn't realize there were so many mechanics in the club, and it seems like most of you never help people with problems here. :dunno:

Being a mechanic is not easy. But with the right tools, and right shop it can be a successful way of earning a living.

This is a golden nugget of truth. Finding that right shop is the tricky part. Most shops won't hesitate to screw the mechanic over, just to keep the customer happy. I've had buddies of mine put clutches in(aftermarket warranty-grey area) for free, because the service manager didn't like him.

I'm glad that there are some shop managers that take care of their employees. I'm lucky enough to have found a place that's pretty cool, and the mechanics get along with each other. Some places I've been to are 100% cutthroat. They'll smile to your face and grab your "gravy", and give you the warranty work.

DrCustomParts, most mechanics don't want to bring their work home. And I don't blame them. Also, most of the problems that people post up have already been solved. There are a few that haven't been, but most of the time it's "go to your dealer", ya know?




Mika

I dont think that was my quote... but its a good one :)

I try to help people when I see problems that havent been answered or GMVISes that need to be ran...

My shop is a pretty damn good shop. Solid tech crew, good porters and I like to think that we have the best writers around.

My shop is a pretty damn good shop. Solid tech crew, good porters and I like to think that we have the best writers around.

WickedMom,
What makes a good service writer? I'm just curious.

One that fulfills the customer's needs, it's as simple as that.

One that fulfills the customer's needs, it's as simple as that.

But aren't there the needs of the Tech's also. Such as balancing out work and commission opportunities, mediating unreasonable customer demands, pitching in when schedules are tight, accurate communication of symptoms?

What about dealing with the dealership's management? Or is that the role of the service manager? Is there usually even a seperate service manager or is it often a sr. service writer.

One that fulfills the customer's needs, it's as simple as that.


WRONG!... it's one that asks the customer a ton of questions to help pinpoint the problem.... ie.. "engine miss", as compared to: "engine runs rough on cold start-up in wet conditons"....

helps to get the problem fixed the first time... then the customer is happy. i find the service writer not doing there job, then i end up having to spend my time talking to the customer, digging for info... therefore doing the service writers job.

Dave it looks like you already know what makes a good service writer, lol

Mckenzie913 your statement falls under fulfilling the customers needs, or to keep the customer happy.

Dave it looks like you already know what makes a good service writer, lol



Not really. I just find this thread interesting.

It seams like a Tech. can be a pretty decent job. Cars are getting more technical and they're always going to break. Your job won't be outsourced to China or India. You're not sitting in a cube all day dealing with office politics.

Your job is fairly independent and at the end of the day you're done and don't have to take your work home with you.

And you can derive personal satisfaction from fixing problems.

However like anything else, it sound like there are some downsides.

Not really. I just find this thread interesting.

It seams like a Tech. can be a pretty decent job. Cars are getting more technical and they're always going to break. Your job won't be outsourced to China or India. You're not sitting in a cube all day dealing with office politics.

Your job is fairly independent and at the end of the day you're done and don't have to take your work home with you.

And you can derive personal satisfaction from fixing problems.

However like anything else, it sound like there are some downsides.

Wow, some of your pros are what i wish my job had, but I have to deal with the politics, and get stuck taking my work home along with the stress after sitting in a cube all day.

But aren't there the needs of the Tech's also. Such as balancing out work and commission opportunities, mediating unreasonable customer demands, pitching in when schedules are tight, accurate communication of symptoms?

What about dealing with the dealership's management? Or is that the role of the service manager? Is there usually even a seperate service manager or is it often a sr. service writer.
YES YES YES YES & YES.
My job balances Customers, Techs, my service manager, the parts department, the porters, the used car department AND the dealership owner.

What makes me good is the balancing act I pull off everyday AND have a 95%+ customer service satisfaction score.

It is a very joint effort. Without a solid team, no one is happy.

I was going to be an auto mechanic but I found it more challenging and satisfying to be a tool & die maker. When I make a part from a chunk of metal and I see it working on a machine, gives me a real sense of pride. It has also given me the opportunity to make custom car parts in my garage and to have my own website. Just hearing all the positive comments customers say about my work is a great feeling!

It seams like a Tech. can be a pretty decent job. Cars are getting more technical and they're always going to break. Your job won't be outsourced to China or India. You're not sitting in a cube all day dealing with office politics.

yes and no.. the not dealing with office politics is a HUGE NO.. techs deal with more politics than anyone could imagine.. you have to find ways to make as much money as possible, but the guys who have been there longer must not know your making more than them, you have to get the service managers "important" cars out first, and schedule your other work, you have to do the customer cars that will be getting surveys done first, and you have to get to the gravy first or it might get given away. you have to use all the parts guys evenly or they will help you last when you need it most.. you have get the car back to the customer right away to keep rental costs down, but you need to test drive and sometimes cold start cars, aka the next morning.. learning the politics, is harder than learning how to diagnose a 500 hp performace car running 2 ecm's..

I hope some of you guys are still checking the forum since I really need some input here. So my G-8 with the V-6 is coding P0455 about every 15 to 20 days. There have been some creative attempts to fix it, including some of the items mentioned above except the intake manifold, that may be in the cue. Washington has a Lemon law, I am keeping all of my documentation and trying to tread softly to make sure they do all they can to fix the car but..... With a CEL every couple of weeks, I wonder if this is exceptional. So, does anybody have any idea what goes on when a customer invokes the GM buy back process? BTW, I always make sure my gas cap is many clicks tight and enguaged properly after I fill.....

I hope some of you guys are still checking the forum since I really need some input here. So my G-8 with the V-6 is coding P0455 about every 15 to 20 days. There have been some creative attempts to fix it, including some of the items mentioned above except the intake manifold, that may be in the cue. Washington has a Lemon law, I am keeping all of my documentation and trying to tread softly to make sure they do all they can to fix the car but..... With a CEL every couple of weeks, I wonder if this is exceptional. So, does anybody have any idea what goes on when a customer invokes the GM buy back process? BTW, I always make sure my gas cap is many clicks tight and enguaged properly after I fill.....


You may be better off by starting a new thread instead of piggybacking on a discussion about "what makes a good GM mechanic" thread. That way a fresh set of eyes will be able to diagnose, GM shop employees or not.

As far as my attempt to help you... I don't know offhand what P0455 is, but if you posted this code in the title of your new thread, I'm sure others who have had this code before (and gotten it fixed) could chime in with their recommendations.

Just my $0.02....