Most car buyers already know that fixing something that went wrong with your ride at home is slowly becoming impossible. You don't just need the right tools for the job and the best manuals, but also the right software and maybe even some special training. But what happens when not even seasoned mechanics want to repair your car?
Well, the obvious way out is to visit an authorized, established dealership. The drawback is that you will pay a lot more for a repair than at an independent shop.
Then, there's the issue of the right to repair. If we can't fix the things we buy, cars included, without spending thousands or being incentivized to replace them, then what's the point of moving aggressively toward a seemingly more sustainable world? It makes little to no sense to force auto companies to spend billions on zero-tailpipe emission rides when the result is a fragile set of wheels that insurance companies total after a fender bender.
But it's not just EVs. It's almost all modern cars. It's getting increasingly complicated and more expensive to repair anything because the trend is to just… Replace everything. Diagnosing becomes a quick search to see what part needs to be ordered and coded to the car. That's not the sustainable thing to do. Why are we prioritizing investments in renewable energy if we're not treating metals and polycarbonates in the same way?
You don't even have to believe us. Car Wizard (aka David Long), a mechanic-turned-YouTuber who has a great reputation, recently announced that his shop, Omega Auto Clinic, wouldn't fix cars manufactured by domestic automakers anymore.
The Kansas-based technician said that he and the shop's employees would only service European and Japanese brands. So, he would rather repair an Aston Martin, a Nissan, or a VW than a Ford, a Chevy, or a Dodge.
The mechanic says that it's becoming a challenge to have all the right tools and scanning software for every car. So, to streamline the business and avoid major headaches for minor repairs, his shop will only focus on Japanese and European cars, which include a couple of exotics.
Photo: Car Wizard on YouTube
However, since he is involved in various media deals with a couple of partners, YouTube stars and a couple of close friends will still be able to bring their Lincolns or Chryslers inside the Omega Auto Clinic.
The mechanic argues that VIN-matched parts are a pain to code right, and they lead to thousands of dollars in expenses that may or may not be savvy acquisitions. Besides that, mechanics might have to learn how to use the latest tech to bypass security measures and make sure that a job is done only when a computer monitor displays all the green checks.
He used a Subaru Outback as an example. The vehicle came into the shop with two error codes a non-Subaru dealership wasn't able to permanently delete them or figure out what needed fixing.
Luckily, he had the right tool for the job, which was a $3,300 Autel tablet that not only immediately identified what was wrong but also had the easy fix built-in. So, this was a slam-dunk job because the shop spent money on the right tool.
The question that remains is: if one single tablet with some nifty software installed on it is worth so much, what will happen going forward? New Porsches come with two state-of-the-art chips per headlight now. It won't be long before this type of tech trickles down to other models. Will the average American car buyer be able to put up with pricey repairs (i.e., replacements)? It remains to be seen.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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