[Michael Gagnon]

We work on most makes and models. We do turn down older cars but we certainly don’t draw the line at 10 years. With most models having at least a three year warranty wouldn’t that limit you to the years 2011-2018? A seven year run. I can’t imagine limiting myself to just those years. We would be out of business fairly quickly. Our line in the sand is about 20 years give or take based on many factors.

I too feel that we need to be efficient and as productive as possible but at the same time I know I got into this business to not only make money but help people and sometimes that means getting out of your comfort zone. It’s hard to tell people no, but I do it a lot more often than I have when times were not so busy. I also have to keep in mind that my techs may look elsewhere if I bring in work that they don’t like to do.

All these car shows on TV make fixing up old cars look like a lot of fun. People are believing that shops desire and enjoy working on classics. I don’t. I always seem to spend two to three times the amount of time doing even the most basic things on these cars than I would on a modern car. We only work on them if the customer brings all his other work here. I usually do the work and I’m getting older and busier in the office so we have been saying no more often.

I am actually working on a 1014 model T speedster at a friend’s house. It’s been very interesting but definitely not profitable. 

[Michael Gagnon]

If your really hiring a Technician and not a Mechanic, and there is a difference as we all know, I give them a scenario and ask them how they would approach it. Such as, ” a vehicles battery runs down every two or three days and the vehicle won’t crank, the battery has less than a volt left in it” how would you approach that issue.

Any tech would be able to answer that, it is basic auto repair 101. If they choke up or start throwing a bag of tricks at it,(uh check the glove box light)if they don’t mention amps draw, an ammeter (or at least a test light), load testing the battery,narrowing down the circuit at fault by removing fuses, ect. Then you might have yourself a mechanic, and probably not a great one.

I had a ASE certified master tech apply that could not tell me the name of any scanner, he actually said ” we have one, I think it’s an OTC or something like it”

I don’t know whats worse, hiring or firing. i have been looking for a tech for 6 weeks, the paper, craigslist, IATN, my reader board, a $500.00 bounty with all the tool and parts suppliers and other techs I know. I am coming up dry.And summers on the way.