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Need an experienced Mechanic
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joeyc
Novice
Jun 30, 2016, 5:04 AM
Post #1 of 14
(1633 views)
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Need an experienced Mechanic
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Hi Everybody!
My names Joey. I've been a self taught mechanic for about 20 yrs...(not an expert but I can hold my own 
Was lookin' for a few good men to test a new project i've been working on...Its basically a website that allows people to post ther repair jobs and it immediatley alerts mechanics in the area to place a bid for the job...Wanted to get your expert opinions to see what you guys thought...You can PM me or check it out here (No links please. PM this person if you wish)
Your feeedback is much appreciated! Thanks
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Jun 30, 2016, 6:30 AM)
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 30, 2016, 5:52 AM
Post #2 of 14
(1623 views)
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Re: Need an experienced Mechanic
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If a person that doesn't know anything about vehicle's places a bid to have their vehicle repaired, how would a mechanic quote something like that? For example:
Customer states the check engine light is on or there is a noise? How do you place a bid on something like that if the vehicle has to be looked at? Do the mechanics that place the bid are backyard DIYs or professional repair shops?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jun 30, 2016, 5:54 AM)
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joeyc
Novice
Jun 30, 2016, 6:14 AM
Post #3 of 14
(1618 views)
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Hi Discretesignals!
Thank you for taking the time to give me some feedback! Much appreciated.
I know there will be situations/issues where this model just wont work, but there are plenty of other situations where it will. I plan to add sound and video upload to aid the mechanics. I also would like to have it an open model. Meaning all are open to join and the customer picks the mechanic based on feedback/ratings and before and after pics of the work. The site also has a complete live chat/messaging system built in to allow any questions to be asked.
If you have the time I would love for you to register and get some more of your valuable feedback...I can even place a job so you can go through the whole process to see what you think...Been working on this for about a year now...Put alot of sweat equity into it...I figured I love cars and I love technology...made sense
Thanks again for your advice/feedback...
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joeyc
Novice
Jun 30, 2016, 6:32 AM
Post #4 of 14
(1606 views)
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Re: Need an experienced Mechanic
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Forgot to mention one more thing!
This will also work for paint and body, electrical, glass, muffler and exhaust repair, interior, and anything else you can think of on a car...Maintenance, repairs even customization! Think about the possibilities! Just snap a picture with your phone ans within minutes you can have dozens of quotes from techs in your area...We also plan to expand it to trucks, boats, motorcyles anything that runs on land or sea!!! 
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kev2
Veteran
Jun 30, 2016, 7:34 AM
Post #5 of 14
(1588 views)
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Re: Need an experienced Mechanic
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My 2cents - Different but basically another ANGIES LIST .....
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joeyc
Novice
Jun 30, 2016, 10:37 AM
Post #6 of 14
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Really appreciate the feedback kev2 . Although Angie's List gives you a list of Vendors/mechanics available in the area and also charges people, this actually creates a live job board of active and available jobs in the area. This would allow up and coming mechanics to look for work on their own terms or an already established shop to bring in additional work. It also has a live messaging center, feedback and rating, before and after and is specifically geared towards the automotive, boating and motorcycle industry. Angie's List bread and butter is really homes.... This service is 100% free for all to use...As a service professional yourself, would this be something that would interest you or that you would use? Even if its free and only takes a few minutes to respond to a job? I really appreciate more feedback if you were to create an account and go through the process. I want as much feedback from professional techs in the industry as possible...Again, thank you for taking the time to reply!
(This post was edited by joeyc on Jun 30, 2016, 10:38 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 30, 2016, 11:10 AM
Post #7 of 14
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You can't accurately estimate a car without seeing it so i see a lot of estimates being re-worked and a lot of ill will being spread..
I just don't see this format working.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 30, 2016, 12:05 PM
Post #9 of 14
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OK - just went thru this via PM with about same problems with this idea. Now open view I can't see how to give any accurate estimates of costs or what is even wrong till a vehicles in a tech's hands.
The "ill will" Hammer Time mentions is bad enough already for the trade with no mal-intent. Stuff breaks, goes wrong for assorted reasons not listed by any time sheets.
Mentioned just the corrosion factor of many areas lots of simple work can just take lots more work, time and tools for things as dumb as unplugging something without breaking it.
Tough trade for this - many are,
T
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 30, 2016, 5:46 PM
Post #10 of 14
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Are the mechanics that are able to bid on your site DIYs too? If so, interesting that you would have DIY, up and coming mechanics, and professional repair shops bidding on blind repairs. I kind of see it being like Angie's or Craigslist also. The diagnosing and bidding process over the internet just doesn't seem to be practical in most circumstances. Most customers will actually shop over the phone or get word of mouth for finding honest repair shops in my opinion.
If it is free, your probably going to have all kinds of shady things going on with the bidders. How do you validate a bidder to be a professional? What is your criteria to keep the shady people from taking advantage? It would be interesting project for you to try. Never know, it might catch on and you could become the next Angie's list of automotive repairs.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jun 30, 2016, 6:21 PM)
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joeyc
Novice
Jul 1, 2016, 4:03 AM
Post #11 of 14
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DiscreteSignals, Tom Greenleaf and Hammer Time,
I really do appreciate all the healthy feedback but I would like to play devils advocate and give you the flip side of the coin. You are all correct. There are plenty of scenarios where this model will not work...Today's automobile is a very complex machine. Hard enough to diagnose a problem while touching it, let alone unseen. But hear me out for a sec..But just like ebay, craigslist, airbnb, uber...Not everyone can/will use it since it does not fit their needs...
#1 There are thousands of other scenarios where it will (Maintenance, brakes, oil changes, fluids, bulb changes, belts, tire change, fuses, stereo, cv joints, alternator, starter, etc)
#2 Plenty of people already know what is wrong with their car. They just want an honest quote to get it fixed.
#3 The site's bread and butter is 20% mechanical, keep in mind that it will also be composed of paint and body, interior, electrical, exhaust, custom work. I will proceed to give you some scenarios. Someone scratches or dents your door, hood, or you need a complete paint over. Someone busted your driver side windows and you need it replaced. Your rear taillight bulb went out. You have a tear in the seats of your lease and you need it fixed before you return it. You need your muffler replaced...The list goes on and on. You simply snap a picture and upload it to the site and waaallaaa!
There are dozens of other referral sites on the internet that does this very thing with great success. Not like ours though!
#4 You are correct about people scamming other people. This is the internet after all. But name one website that is 100% fool proof. Or even a business for that matter...Even mechanics themselves sometimes scam people right in front of their eyes. That's life...There will always be a certain level of danger in everything we do. There is no way around it. That is why we implemented a system that will only allow feedback if an actual job was completed by a registered user. Unlike yelp that allows anyone to provide feedback.
#5 Going back to diagnosing a problem over the internet. I totally get there will be situations that its just impossible. But you guys do an excellent job here with very complex problems. Remember, the site is not meant to be a 100% end all be all, its also meant to help mechanics get referrals. If there is a situation where a person posts a problem and there is just no way to figure it out remotely, then the mechanic may have them come in for further review. At that point the customer can use the rating, feedback and before and after pictures to decide if that mechanic is best for him or her.
Keep in mind. I am launching this site to help people and mechanics. Think about a struggling mechanic looking for work...They would have an excellent free resource at their disposal. Same thing for all those single moms, college students and family's living paycheck to paycheck...
Don't forget this will also work for boats and motorcycles...Need a new Bimini top installed? Possibly a stereo system? Need a custom gas tank painted for your chopper? Get the picture???
(This post was edited by joeyc on Jul 1, 2016, 4:04 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 1, 2016, 5:07 AM
Post #12 of 14
(1517 views)
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Keep thinking - the world needs thinkers and ideas. This one is just mostly already done out there so some degree.
Your #2 comment is a problem. PEOPLE DO NOT USUALLY KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEIR VEHICLES AND IF YOU ASK FOR A CERTAIN REPAIR THINKING YOU DO YOU ARE LIKELY TO GET THAT REPAIR AND BE TICKED OFF TOTALLY WHEN YOU FIND OUT IT WASN'T THE PROBLEM!
Where you can possibly help is a site for all aspects of trades of car work broken down and a choice of how far away from customer to the work.
Just the few you mentioned are separate trades - not one stop repairs unless that shop sends it to another. Glass on it's own, body and paint on it's own, upholstery OMG - fix, total replacement or need OE material to make up is total art! List goes on lots more than just those.
There's a magazine it will call itself long time only paper and still useful in plain paper for "the old car hobby" with literally 1,000s of whole cars and things for sale, used parts wanted or for sale and endless services. At some point you need something made or an obsolete part.
Still can break down to a phone # only with some field of cars/trucks and junk you have to ask for a person to go look it the dinky thing is in fact there then how much.
The time to inventory all parts is still prohibitive then if you need an OE part just for a door for example if the whole door is good you can't have one single part off of it or negotiate price live.
Who has OE (NOS) = new old stock. New car maker must make all parts for 7 model years then if popular the aftermarket is super strong or earlier. Being new there's a strong guess of how many things will sell, have in stock somewhere or make it again new on demand. This crap gets sold off by the pound - I'm not guessing I know a current place that does that still.
10C (cents) on the pound for all items no longer to be stored as that costs too much.
That's just parts and materials. Used is really getting tough earlier.
Then the current you just broke down and not in your own area at all. You are going to get towed in blocking anything or have a car club to tow for you already set up and want to do the work or help get it where it could be fixed and how fast.
Said early this game is a horror show many times. The help is in place mostly now no matter the problem perhaps could be lots better.
One time work for travelers or routine always at the suggestion of you favorite shop or tech.
Said aleady things can be very tricky and difficult when not in person, by location, speed of a need and estimates of time needed and costs.
Yikes - that's a monster,
Tom
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joeyc
Novice
Jul 1, 2016, 5:26 AM
Post #13 of 14
(1515 views)
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Yes! I agree...Trades. The site already has all of these trades broken down. It is also based on your zip code. A craftsman (or mechanic) can choose the job based on distance. You can also post your job based on category as previously mentioned. I would really appreciate, love it if you guys registered on the site...I can post a few jobs to see what you guys think and you can make offers, ask questions. Just so you get a real feel for how the process, model works...It's one thing to say it and another to go through the process. I know time is money. I am willing to trade for your expertise. I am a wiz with the computer. If there are any computer issues you need advice on I would be more than happy to help!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 1, 2016, 5:46 AM
Post #14 of 14
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You are registered on the site. The folks who register can post. You don't need to, to look for a problem with a solution already found now and it gets hit hard with that in your view.
From experience with just this site it draws attention from mostly USA and Canada. There is a fair amount of folks from the UK, vehicles that aren't sold to the US or Canada nor have the same requirements for a host of things.
Australia and NZ comes by now and then. The confusion thickens - vehicles use American car names for some long extinct or name a know similar car what is totally another type car just a name change.
Of the world vehicles IMO just USA and Canada are the most similar but know Canada will be in metric for miles, speeds and some name changes on exact named vehicles.
Mexico? Lots made and can be sold there model years later if kept there.
Then just within US inspections of vehicles show unknown work needed or car becomes illegal to drive on a public road instantly! Across the street within the same state no inspections at all so just duct tape up anything, drag, tow things, use it for a trailer or who know they get away with it
California it's own mystery sometimes.
You can frequently need to know where a car was made and for what location as all spec could be different.
Said this was a tough game,
Tom
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