What, Roger? You don't think that light blue skinned people can be mechanics? Maybe next time you need your car repaired you should try fixing it with RACISM!!!
And yeah, this comic was great all the way. I love the figurative you being someone other than you.
I don't know about "light blue skinned" but now that you two mention it, Scott and Missy DO look REALLY REALLY white, compared to the mechanic. Interesting choice, coloring in any character, even just the tiniest little bit.
Scott, I really appreciate this comic, because I, as a single woman living in Los Angeles, have discovered that finding a mechanic you can trust is as difficult as finding a mate (here, if nowhere else on the planet)... which means all of us single women who haven't managed to date a mechanic get suckered into buying or leasing NEW vehicles just for the damn warranty! It sux... and I think I'd like your mechanic, if he lived out here instead of in sunny Florida. Not that I need him - since I have four more years on my warranty. :P
not all mechanics are crooks but it is the profession perhaps. my old merc was perfectly fine because i had an excellent mechanic. he was pricey, but he was good and i trusted him. i believed him and did not look at the bills. if he fixed it, you did not have to go back to him for the SAME problem. but he changed after 4 years. for one problem, he told me that he changed the oil pump and after a couple of months, the same story. once he said that he changed a part and when i asked him to show it, that part had accumulated dust of weeks!
i switched to another mechanic who was also very skilled. he too was quite honest until after an year, when he began to play fast and loose.
not to blame the whole lot, but those who become crooks are otherwise honest folk who lose their principles under stress. in both cases above, the mechanics were under tremendous pressure of a failing business.
inspite of everything, people are good at heart. i hope...
I personally know my mechanic and he will tell me if there is something wrong with my car of if I don't need any service at all. He is a business owner like me and is sick of the pathetic practice of scamming people into spending more money on repairs they don't need.
My late grandfather always used to tell me: "Make sure that among your best friends you have a doctor, a lawyer and a mechanic"
When it comes to mechanics, politicians and car salesmen, you know there are a few good men out there, but you have a better chance of getting hit by lightning twice than to see one of these good men in your lifetime.
... and this is why I believe it's more important than many folks give credit, to learn at least the basics about the operation of an automobile. The more educated one is, the harder it is to be a victim of fraud by an unethical mechanic.
That said, there's more good ones than bad ones, and there is no justification in being overly skeptical of your mechanics actions without just cause. The problem is accurately identifying whether or not there is cause, which goes back to being educated. While it may not be overly interesting to you, the knowledge can only benefit.
Not all are crooks, but let's just put it this way - it's reallyy really really really ^999e hard to find a mechanic that doesn't: a) madly overprice parts (something like $20 * wholesale price) b) charge exorbitantly to fix an otherwise simple issue c) charge relatively low fee, but jacks up the amount of hours worked to increase the cost d) sell lemon or used parts or parts soon to be voided by warranties
you ought to look at your video settings because there's no blue there. you're either running a crt over 6500k in color temperature or you're running a cheap lcd.
The mechanic looks a different color because he's covered in grease, duh! Having said that, I loved my mechanic when I had an American car. Now that I have a German car, he's not so good.
March 29, 2009
Reader Comments (31)
Nice poses in panels 2 and 4.
This is even funnier to me, because my dad is a mechanic XD
My dad is, maybe, way too decent...
I wish to hear more about the sobbing myself.
The last panel really cracked me up! Good job!! :D
[...] Mech-speak. [...]
[...] Mech-speak. [...]
Panel 2 pretty much sums up my relationship with my mechanic.
The mechanic's colouration seems... backgroundy. A little strange. But still top-notch.
What, Roger? You don't think that light blue skinned people can be mechanics? Maybe next time you need your car repaired you should try fixing it with RACISM!!!
And yeah, this comic was great all the way. I love the figurative you being someone other than you.
I don't know about "light blue skinned" but now that you two mention it, Scott and Missy DO look REALLY REALLY white, compared to the mechanic. Interesting choice, coloring in any character, even just the tiniest little bit.
Scott, I really appreciate this comic, because I, as a single woman living in Los Angeles, have discovered that finding a mechanic you can trust is as difficult as finding a mate (here, if nowhere else on the planet)... which means all of us single women who haven't managed to date a mechanic get suckered into buying or leasing NEW vehicles just for the damn warranty! It sux... and I think I'd like your mechanic, if he lived out here instead of in sunny Florida. Not that I need him - since I have four more years on my warranty. :P
not all mechanics are crooks but it is the profession perhaps. my old merc was perfectly fine because i had an excellent mechanic. he was pricey, but he was good and i trusted him. i believed him and did not look at the bills. if he fixed it, you did not have to go back to him for the SAME problem. but he changed after 4 years. for one problem, he told me that he changed the oil pump and after a couple of months, the same story. once he said that he changed a part and when i asked him to show it, that part had accumulated dust of weeks!
i switched to another mechanic who was also very skilled. he too was quite honest until after an year, when he began to play fast and loose.
not to blame the whole lot, but those who become crooks are otherwise honest folk who lose their principles under stress. in both cases above, the mechanics were under tremendous pressure of a failing business.
inspite of everything, people are good at heart. i hope...
I personally know my mechanic and he will tell me if there is something wrong with my car of if I don't need any service at all. He is a business owner like me and is sick of the pathetic practice of scamming people into spending more money on repairs they don't need.
My late grandfather always used to tell me: "Make sure that among your best friends you have a doctor, a lawyer and a mechanic"
When it comes to mechanics, politicians and car salesmen, you know there are a few good men out there, but you have a better chance of getting hit by lightning twice than to see one of these good men in your lifetime.
Well it works.
Mechanics, in my experience, have always been condescending and hungry for upsellls. So BOO!
... and this is why I believe it's more important than many folks give credit, to learn at least the basics about the operation of an automobile. The more educated one is, the harder it is to be a victim of fraud by an unethical mechanic.
That said, there's more good ones than bad ones, and there is no justification in being overly skeptical of your mechanics actions without just cause. The problem is accurately identifying whether or not there is cause, which goes back to being educated. While it may not be overly interesting to you, the knowledge can only benefit.
Not all are crooks, but let's just put it this way - it's reallyy really really really ^999e hard to find a mechanic that doesn't:
a) madly overprice parts (something like $20 * wholesale price)
b) charge exorbitantly to fix an otherwise simple issue
c) charge relatively low fee, but jacks up the amount of hours worked to increase the cost
d) sell lemon or used parts or parts soon to be voided by warranties
you ought to look at your video settings because there's no blue there.
you're either running a crt over 6500k in color temperature or you're running a cheap lcd.
I'm sorry, did I miss the group therapy session again?
[...] bookmarks tagged mechanic Basic Instructions by Scott Meyer: Your all-inclus... saved by 3 others uzumakitanume bookmarked on 04/01/09 | [...]
Point at the engine and say that that thingy is not working as it should.
[...] Basic Instructions: How to Talk to a Mechanic (tags: webcomics humour cars mechanics basic.instructions) [...]
[...] Basic Instructions by Scott Meyer: Your all-inclusive guide to a … [...]
The mechanic looks a different color because he's covered in grease, duh! Having said that, I loved my mechanic when I had an American car. Now that I have a German car, he's not so good.
hahah, this cartoon made my day
I really wish I could charge the "IMF" to some of the customers I have to deal with.
I'd love to see a revised version of this for Tech Support. :)