RE: over all over

["Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>]

<snip>
> for use on different makes. Maybe that's wrong.  But the result is that
the
> cars work better and the economic benefit is that it is not easy or
perhaps
> possible for a lot of independent garages to work on newer cars because of
> the specialized knowledge and costly equipment needed, which results in a
> healthier stream of secondary income from dealer service bays and parts
> departments.

Isn't this what OBDII is supposed to accomplish - the ability for a smaller
shop to purchase a single set of test equipment that will work with all
(new) vehicles?

I think 'most' diagnostic tasks are becoming easier, with the job of the
'mechanic' being relegated to swapping whatever part the OBDII tester tells
him to replace.  For the most part this is a good thing, but use of the
tester allows for mechanics that don't develop any real troubleshooting
skills, and when the tester can't find a problem finding somebody who can
find it becomes more difficult.

Wrt panel beating becoming a lost art, this is true, however there's another
reason why parts are being replaced instead of repaired - crumple zones.
Once a car has been in any sort of a serious accident, it's ability to
protect it's occupants has been compromised.  Reshaping bent metal won't
bring that back.

bs

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