Auto Tech Pundit

It's Been Awhile

2010-09-13T09:22:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted. Life has a tendency of getting in the way of things I want to do.

Since I've last posted, the dealership where I work has lost it's Ford Franchise. I work at a Lincoln Mercury dealership. I've been a Ford Tech since 1983. I've been there since 2003.

While I understand that things happen, I can't help but wonder what Ford is up to.

They took no bailout money, and as such, was not forced to close a bunch of dealerships by the Imperial Federal Government. Which, I might add, costs the manufacturer virtually nothing, as dealerships are independently owned and operated small businesses. The closing of dealerships saved nothing, and actually caused hundred's of thousands to lose jobs, unnecessarily. Ford was also extremely profitable in the last two quarters.

It's funny, actually; well, okay, I'm not laughing at the moment. I'm out of a job, and the people that employed me for the last 7 years now have a worthless building with too much overhead to operate as much other than a New Car Dealership. But, I digress; Every morning, as a learned Ford Tech, I log(ged) into Ford's website to learn the goings on. One day, there was a notice to dispel the rumors that Ford Motor Company was eliminating the Mercury brand. The next day, that message was gone; couldn't even find it by searching the site. A week later, there was another message, saying that they were eliminating the Mercury brand. But, they were going to really push and promote the Lincoln brand.

Well, I thought, maybe Ford will do something right, bring more Lincoln buyers into our showroom, and make up for the loss of Mercury buyers. A month later, or thereabouts, the big bosses informed us that we have lost our Lincoln franchise, too. Ford, apparently, wants to build the Lincoln into a premier brand. And this includes completely removing their presence from our city. 150,000 in the city, and another 100,000+ in the outlying area. Second or third largest city in Illinois. No. Lincoln. Presence. Really? You want to improve sales by making it more difficult for buyers to find you?

I don't get it. But, then again, I'm just a lowly mechanic, and I'm not supposed to understand, right?

Addicted to Oil?

2010-06-18T03:05:00.001-05:00

As I was listening to Beyond the Beltway, recently, the fellow on the left kept bringing up our "addiction to oil."

Addicted to Oil? Yes, our economy is addicted to oil, in much the same way that our bodies are addicted to air, water and food.

Like it or not, the world's economies are reliant on energy. The cheapest, most reliable, efficient and plentiful source of energy today comes in the form of oil, coal and natural gas - fossil fuels. Electricity could be produced much more cheaply, reliably and cleaner with nuclear energy, but we haven't built a nuclear power plant in over 20 years. So, oil, coal and natural gas, it is. The environmentalists and the left hate the very thing that would do the best job in reducing our dependence (not addiction) on fossil fuels.

The left loves to talk of a future powered by wind and solar energy, and I don't have a problem with that - in the future. Those technologies aren't ready for prime time, yet. Several problems are all but impossible to overcome, the least of which is you can't rely on the wind, and only half of the planet is covered in sunlight at a time. Battery technology is still years behind making electric powered transportation mainstream. If you can't hop in your car and drive non stop from one end of the country to the other, without an 8 + hour "recharge" time breaking up the trip several times, it isn't viable. "I'm sorry , but you can't have your package overnight, the truck has to stop to recharge every 5 hours for 8 hours..."

If there were a better way to power our society, wouldn't the capitalists in our world be jumping all over it? Wouldn't every venture capital company on the planet be jumping on the bandwagon to make a profit from it? The facts are that the most efficient method of powering our transportation, industry and households is burning fossil fuels. Until, that is, our government artificially makes fossil fuels too expensive, and that would wreak havoc on our economy.

President McFly?

2010-06-16T15:05:00.000-05:00

I'm sure we've all seen the movie "Back to the Future." George McFly needs to take Lorraine to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance, so they can have their first kiss, set the timeline back to normal, and Marty will still exist. Because Marty interrupted the original timeline, George had to try to win Lorraine over, again.

The reason I'm bringing this up, is because George went through a transformation. The plan was to "rescue" Lorraine from Marty, and win her heart. While practicing what he was going to say, "Get your damn hands off of her," his heart wasn't in it, and he didn't even think he should swear! In the process of trying to save her from Marty, Biff took Marty's place. George's transformation didn't take place, until he realized that he finally had to stand up, be a man, and protect Lorraine. President Obama, tried to make the same transformation, recently. "...And I don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick."

I'm sorry, Mr. President. But, you can't just act tough when you have never shown any proclivity to it in the past. George McFly didn't know how to act tough, because people had been walking all over him for all of his life. It wasn't until he actually felt angry, that he could actually summon up the genuine anger that was needed in that situation. Bottom line: You can't just act all tough when it isn't genuine, and expect the American people to buy it.

In addition, your "ass to kick" rhetoric was misplaced. While George had a genuine threat that he had assessed and dealt with appropriately, your tough guy act is completely inappropriate, especially given your agreement to deal with actual thugs like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, and Hugo Chavez without preconditions. Find a more appropriate time to try on your big boy pants, sir.

Chicago: More Dangerous Than Iraq?

2010-05-20T15:22:00.000-05:00

Chicago, that bright and shining example of leftist ideology, is now more dangerous than Iraq.

A police officer, back from two tours in Iraq, was murdered in front of his home, where some thugs were trying to steal his motorcycle. In front of his father. T

Sad.

"Our Fair Share"

2010-04-16T08:10:00.000-05:00

I am getting very sick of the "Census" commercials.

"If we don't fill out the Census, we won't know how many buses we'll need, and won't get 'our fair share' of funding."

Here's an idea; it's none of the federal government's business how many buses we need in my town. If the local government determines it needs more buses, then the local government should decide how to fund those buses. How in the Hell does it make any sense to take money out of my pocket in Northern Illinois, send it to Washington, so they can determine from there if I need another bus? What business does government at any level have determining if I need a bus, at all? If my city needs another bus, there should be private company's determining if it's profitable to provide a bus to cart my ass around. If it is profitable, then private company's should be competing to provide that service.

That would be a hell of a lot more efficient than some bureaucrat in Washington determining if I need another bus that I'll never ride, because I can't afford to be sitting at a bus stop when I have more productive things to attend to with my time.

Improper Diagnosis?

2010-03-16T09:24:00.002-05:00

I have spent the last 26+ years of my working life as an auto repair technician. We were called "mechanics" back then. I have worked primarily in Ford and Lincoln - Mercury Dealerships. The following statements applies to anyone that earns their living repairing things:

If you don't diagnose the problem correctly, the repair will be ineffective.

For example, if a vehicle comes into the shop with a misfire caused by a burned exhaust valve, diagnosing and replacing the spark plug will be an ineffective repair. The repair will have to involve the replacement of the exhaust valve. Any other repair will be ineffective.

It is even possible that an improper diagnosis could cause more problems than the vehicle originally had.

For example, Ford produced a Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) when the Montego, Freestyle and Five Hundred came out. If the technician diagnosed a CVT concern, and decided that a fluid change was necessary, if the technician puts the wrong fluid back in it, the CVT will be destroyed; regardless of the original concern.

This thought process can certainly be applied to law and lawmakers.

The concern is "Health Care is too expensive." The diagnosis is that government isn't involved enough?

The concern is unemployment is too high. The diagnosis is that government isn't spending enough money on "creating or saving" jobs?

Looking at history, I can safely say that most of our biggest problems are created by lawmakers mis-diagnosing the problem. As Ronald Reagan famously said, "Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem."

Toyota Owners...

2010-03-09T07:22:00.000-06:00

I am sick and tired of waking up in the morning, and seeing on the front page at FoxNews.com, another "runaway" Toyota driver saved by a third party. This morning, it was a CHiPs officer "saving" a runaway Prius.

I would like to make a suggestion. Now, this may seem like common sense; mostly BECAUSE IT IS!!!

I want you to remember this, and repetition is the best way for your "training" to take hold, so maybe practice it while driving. Are you ready?

IF YOUR CAR WON'T SLOW DOWN, TURN OFF THE IGNITION!!!!!!

Yes, it really is that simple. If the engine is racing; whatever the cause*, if you turn the engine off, it won't be able to race.

Any questions?

*The one exception is a runaway diesel. A runaway diesel has an external source of fuel, and cannot be turned off by shutting off the ignition.

Looser?

2010-02-16T10:57:00.001-06:00

One of my pet peeves (of which I have many), is when suppposedly professional entities cannot take the time to proofread their publications.

In the interest of trying to educate myself, I decided to sign up for the email newsletter I heard about on the radio from "PennyStockChaser.com." I was promptly bombarded by emails, several times a day. The straw that broke the camels back, though, was an email that proudly proclaimed in the Subject Line the word "losers," spelled with two "O's," "looser." Nice.

It's not that difficult, people. As near as I can tell, there is no such thing as the word, "looser." When you try to use it, you become a "Loser."

Gas Line Antifreeze?

2010-02-15T10:56:00.000-06:00

I was working at my part time job yesterday, restocking the shelves at a major auto parts store chain. One of the proucts I was restocking, was gas line antifreeze, brand name "Heet." I live and work in the heart of the winter wonderland. I wondered to myself, as I often do, who buys this stuff, anymore?

Due to cost cutting measures, and pushed by "environmental concerns," you would be extremely hard pressed to find and purchase gasoline that is not at least 10% alcohol. So, if your car holds 20 gallons of fuel, 2 gallons of that is alcohol.

Do you know what gas line antifreeze is? Alcohol. So, if you add the 12 ounce bottle of "Heet" to your 20 gallons of fuel, you will have raised the alcohol content by - 12 ounces, or .05%, to 10.05%.

So, my question is this, if you've already paid for 2 gallons of alcohol, why would you spend another couple of bucks to add 12 ounces more?

Hypocrites?

2010-02-08T11:00:00.001-06:00

I am a car guy. I am also somewhat if an independent thinker. I think this whole "Green" movement is scary in that it is very misdirected, and people are following it under false pretenses. So, I can't help but wonder if the people that made this commercial:

Aren't just a little hypocritical when they also make this car.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Audi R8 is an awesome automobile. I just think it's hypocritical to claim title to the green movement, and in the same breath, make a car that goes 190 MPH, only seats 2 people, and gets considerably less than 20 MPG. I won't comment on CO2 emissions, because I do not believe that CO2 is any kind of a pollutant.

The other thing that worries me about this commercial, is how far away from that reality are we?

They Think You're Stupid

2010-02-01T11:47:00.000-06:00

Last night, as I was driving home, I was listening to Beyond the Beltway with Bruce DuMont, when a caller made the comment, and I'm paraphrasing here, "When flat screens and computers came out, they were very expensive, but as more company's started making them, and competition ensued, the prices came down. Why can't we do the same with health insurance? Why can't we allow insurance companies to compete across state lines?"

This is something that the right has been asking for quite awhile.

The gentleman representing the left responded first. Again, I'm paraphrasing, because I don't remember the exact wording, but his response was something like, "If we did that, we'd have a race to the bottom. Some states do not regulate the insurance industry as well as others (emphasis mine).

Basically, he was saying that you are too stupid to know what you are paying for, and if we don't regulate for you, you would all be suckered by unscrupulous insurance companies.

That is offensive. As someone that enjoys freedom and capitalism; the two are inextricably intertwined, it bothers me that the left has such little faith in the American consumer that they wouldn't be able to tell that some companies are not holding up to their end of the contract.

Yes, some companies will try to unfairly game the system. This is what private insurance rating organizations are for. It is up to the individual consumer to do their homework, to reduce their own risk; not up to the government to hold your hand for you.

Time and again, all through history, when the government gets involved, regulations, costs, and red tape all increase; without fail. When the private sector is involved, almost without fail, ways are found to reduce costs, to increase the individual entities ability to remain profitable and competitive. When word gets out that a company is cheating it's customers, that business either fixes it's reputation, or it goes out of business. When government does it, that's business as usual. Where else are you going to take your business if government runs it?

Left Leaning Capitalists?

2010-01-08T10:49:00.000-06:00

My career, repairing cars and trucks, I have often thought was as close to pure capitalism as was possible. If I stand around, not actually working on something, I do not get paid, for I am paid 100% by commission. If I race through a job, and I don't actually fix what I was supposed to fix, I work on it for free the next time (want to fix the Health Care system? Make Doctors work under the same rules - didn't fix it the first time? Fix it for free, now...). The incentive is for me to work quickly, efficiently, and mistake free. Only the "strong" can survive.

So, it surprises me to no end that one of my fellow mechanics can be a left winger. I don't understand how you can work in a pure capitalist system; thrive in it, even, and still vote for the likes of Barack Obama. I see it as supporting a "game plan" that assures your own job loss.

Case in point, the guy that works in the stall next to mine, knows that I listen to right leaning talk radio all day. I try to keep my noise level low enough so as not to annoy my neighbors. Not so with my left leaning compadre. He has decided to listen to NPR loud enough so that everyone can hear it; of course, this is par for the course for this "gentleman." If he sneezes, he is sure to sneeze loud enough for all in the shop to enjoy...

I'm bringing this up because I have a question; if an employer has an employee that is actively working against the best interest of the company, is that just cause for termination? If you employed someone that stood for something that was going to reduce your profitability, possibly even drive you out of business, would you let that person remain in your employ? I don't think this person is in danger of losing his job, because he is productive, so this is purely a hypothetical question. I'm just curious, though.

Government Spending Creates Stimulus - Debunked

2010-01-07T08:41:00.001-06:00

'Nuff Said.

I love the last paragraph:

"H. L. Mencken once wrote that "complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers." He may as well have been referring to the idea that Congress can foster economic growth simply by "injecting" money into the economy. Government stimulus spending is not a magic wand that creates jobs and income. Repeated failed attempts in America and abroad have shown that governments cannot spend their way out of recessions. Focusing on productivity growth builds a stronger economy over the long term--and leaves America better prepared to handle future economic downturns."

Awesome John Stuart Mill Quotes

2009-12-18T12:50:00.000-06:00

"The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest."

John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

John Stuart Mill

"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant."

John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

"Over one's mind and over one's body the individual is sovereign."

John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

There's nothing I can add. How prescient that these things were said over 100 years ago. I guess it's true, those that do not study history are doomed to repeat it.

Life Imitating Seinfeld

2009-12-10T10:22:00.000-06:00

I think that most of us, except the truly party blind among us, can agree that our current President really does not have the experience, nor the common sense, necessary to take our country back into the world leading economic and military powerhouse that it once was. So, I was pondering this predicament when I remembered an episode of Seinfeld. Kramer somehow found his way to the inside of a business, and managed to make people think he actually worked there. He wanted to become successful at this business, even though he wasn't actually employed. He was "fired" with the folowing conversation:

Kramer: "What did you want to see me about, Mr. Leland?"
Mr. Leland: "Kramer, I've been reviewing your work. Quite frankly, it stinks."
Kramer: "Well, I've been having trouble at home and, uh, I'll work harder. Nights, weekends, whatever it takes."
Mr. Leland: "No, no, I don't think that's going to do it. These reports you handed in, it's almost as if you have no business training at all. I don't know what this is supposed to be."
Kramer: "Well, I'm just trying to get ahead."
Mr. Leland: "I'm sorry, there's just no way that we can keep you on."
Kramer: "I don't even really work here."
Mr. Leland: "That's what makes this so difficult."

Now, try this version:

President Obama: "What did you want to see me about, American Public?"
American Public: "President Obama,we've been reviewing your work. Quite frankly, it stinks."
President Obama: "Well, I've been having trouble at home and, uh, I'll work harder. Nights, weekends, whatever it takes."
American Public: "No, no, I don't think that's going to do it. These reports you handed in, it's almost as if you have no economic training at all. I don't know what this is supposed to be."
President Obama: "Well, I'm just trying to get ahead."
American Public: "I'm sorry, there's just no way that we can keep you on."
President Obama: "I don't even really work here."
American Public: "That's what makes this so difficult."

The ease with which it overlays is almost eerie...

Random Thoughts

2009-12-07T14:04:00.000-06:00

When driving away from a red light, your minivan should not be outrun by the fully loaded semi truck/school bus/cement truck in the lane next to you. The people that are behind you on their way to work know that, too, and that's why they used the lane behind you, and not behind the aforementioned large lumbering vehicle.

Despite common knowledge, you will not, in fact, get a large electrical shock if you use your turn signals to let your fellow drivers know your intentions.

If you run out of gas, and the gas guage reads empty, claiming that "the low fuel light never came on!" will only elicit guffaws by the guy working on your car when he points out that you don't, in fact, have a low fuel light.

If you are the only one at 4-way stop, it is your turn. The guy behind you knows this, too.

When driving on the highway, it is perfectly acceptable to leave the left hand lane to allow faster traffic behind you to safely pass you. You are not a traffic cop, trying to keep people from speeding. Unless you are a traffic cop, keeping people from speeding, then you are. Still, you should let traffic pass you on the left. It's safer that way.

Civility

2009-11-23T07:49:00.000-06:00

What is going on in our society?

I was raised, and my chosen career, makes it akin to a mortal sin to knowingly, and deliberately cause someone else to be delayed or inconvenienced in whatever it is they're doing.

It appears that I am alone.

I sit at a stop sign, on my way to work, and the pedestrians in the cross walk not only don't speed up, they deliberately, and visibly slow down. Looking at me like they are challenging me to hit them.

I drive on the freeway, I am driving slightly faster than the rest of traffic, though I am still being occasionally passed by someone wanting to go faster than I. I move to the right when faster traffic comes up behind me, but many people stay in the left lane as I approach them, even though there is no one in the right lane. Sometimes they deliberately slow down in front of me.

I sit, waiting to turn left out of the parking lot at the grocery store where I just spent a few hours worth of my paycheck; I wait for the traffic coming from my right, and they turn into the parking lot. Gee, the auto manufacturer's should make some sort of an external indicator, a "turn signal," if you will, to let me know that it was okay for me to go, since you were turning in to the same parking lot I was trying to leave. Then, when I register my irritation, I get "flipped off." If you would have expended that energy flipping the switch by your left hand, rather than flipping me off because you caused me deliberate inconvenience, wouldn't the world be a better place?

You go through the door into the store in front of me and my family, you see me and know I'm there, yet you let the door close in my wife's face.

I'm not sure what's going on in our society. I can't help but wonder where this "my life is far more important than yours" attitude starts, but I'm very tired of it.

Statistics

2009-10-30T07:58:00.000-05:00

If I have a choice of something being one of two ways, shouldn't that, statistically, mean that I should "get it right" around 50% of the time? Why, then, when I'm unravelling my earbuds to listen to some tunes, do I end up with the left earbud in my right hand around 95% of the time?

No Chicago Olympics

2009-10-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

Good. I didn't want the Olympics 60 miles from home. I think it's a colossal waste of time, money and real estate.

I mention this, because I mentioned, "No Chicago Olympics" to a "friend" here at my day job. I added, "It's a good thing Obama spent all that time, money and effort."

To which he replied, and I am not making this up, "That's no worse that Bush did."

Wow. I thought that having elected the Saviour, himself, we would be past the Bush Derangement Syndrome, by now.

But, then he added, to reinforce how wrong, I apparently am, "All you Republicans are the same."

Wow, I guess I've been told.

I give. There is no hope.

Roman Polanski

2009-10-01T08:31:00.000-05:00

So, Whoopi Goldberg thinks that what Roman Polanski did to that 13 year old girl isn't "rape, rape."

Interesting defense. I wonder if it'll work in other situations:

I wasn't "speeding, speeding."
I wasn't "cheating, cheating."
I wasn't "stealing, stealing."
I wasn't "fighting, fighting."
I wasn't "killing, killing."
I wasn't "racing, racing."
I wasn't "drunk driving, drunk driving."

Let's get this straight, when you are 44 years old, and you get a 13 year old girl drunk, give her illicit drugs, and force yourself upon her while she says, "no, no," that is RAPE, RAPE! There is no other way to explain it.

Green is a color, dammit!

2009-09-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

I have often threatened that I may just go postal at some point when I hear someone using the word "green," not in reference to an actual color.

Yesterday, at the auto parts store where I work part-time, we got our weekly stock order. In the order were some new parts, including Sylvania's "Green" Eco-Friendly Headlight bulbs. "W" as in What, "T" as in The, "F" as Heck?

Eco Friendly headlight bulbs? Really? I don't have the package in front of me, but the packaging makes some claims like reduced CO2 emissions, and reduced fuel consumption and money savings.

The only thing I noticed is that the low beam side was 48 watts, rather then the normal 55 watts. And they're $25 for a pair, instead of $10 each. Great. How is that going to save the planet?

Generally (but not always), the lower the wattage, the less bright the light output. So we may assume lower light output, though this may not be true, because Sylvania's own Silverstar and Silverstar Ultra produce a brighter (whiter) light with the same 55 watts.

After the engine is running, the electrical requirements of the vehicle are supplied by the alternator, which is driven by a belt, driven by the engine. Yes, it take energy to turn the alternator. Most modern day alternators can supply upwards of 140 amps. Watts are calculated by multiplying amps by volts, so assuming 14 volts, and 140 amps, you get a total of 1960 watts from the alternator.

Taking the same 14 volts, and subtracting the 48 watts from the new "green" bulb from the 55 watts from the "non-green" bulb, you get 196 watts of savings (for the pair). Approximately 10% of the max output of the alternator.

I'm sure there is a way to calculate how much fuel is consumed by generating X amount of wattage, but if your vehicle gets 25 MPG with your headlights on, the A/C at full blast, and the stereo cranking out your favorite tunes, while the kids are watching Spongebob in the back seat, how much fuel, and therefore CO2 emissions, are you going to save by reducing the headlight wattage consumption by 10% of total alternator output?

BTW, I do not buy into the idea that CO2 is a pollutant, unless it is exhaled from a politician spewing socialist propaganda.

ACORN?

2009-09-24T11:19:00.000-05:00

Somehow, I can't help but wonder if ACORN was involved in this.