Worrying experiences at workshops

In Malaysia there are thousands of car workshops offering service and repair jobs for all types of cars. Many of these workshops are opened by technicians or mechanics who previously worked under a master or in a large authorized workshop for a car manufacturer or distributor. Those who were working with the car manufacturer or distributor would have undergone a certain level of training necessary to handle their day to day jobs, however those who were the understudy of a so called master would have far less training. Technical wise those who were officially trained under the car manufacturer or distributor would have the necessary knowledge to work on the cars they have experience repairing or servicing. Those who were just the understudy would just learn whatever they could through experience and without proper technical training.
The workshop industry is not well regulated where mechanics or technicians require certain level of technical qualifications before they could carry out repair works. This is where the problem begins.

I have had shocking experience observing and talking to workshop mechanics who didn't know what they were doing. I have even seen technicians at tyre shops who put Uni-directional tyres facing the wrong direction!

Here are some of the shocking experiences I have encountered in the past 15 years:
- a mechanic told me that Subaru Impreza uses Rotary engines!!
- a mechanic pouring back old engine oil from another car into a car that just drove in
- a mechanic attempt to open the radiator cap with the engine (hot) running
- a technician removing brake pads and attempt to put the new set on backwards!!
- a workshop trying to rip off the customer by telling him that his car's air cond compressor is dead but the actual problem was just a blown fuse
- a mechanic telling the car owner to crank up the car radio to drown out the vibration noise from the engine because he didn't know how to fix the problem
- mechanics attempting raise the car on car hoist without check if the supporting arms are in the correct position
- mechanics who didn't know the difference between the radiator fan and air cond fan
- mechanics who told me that diesel engines need to change spark plugs every 30,000km!!!
- mechanics who said that it is ok to mix some water with diesel fuel!!
- mechanics who claim that mixing diesel and petrol is good for the engine!
- mechanics who told me the carburetor engines are the same as fuel injected engines
- workshop apprentices who think that taking the customer car for a joy ride is perfectly ok

With more technology being introduced into new cars, more unqualified mechanics will find themselves out of work. These days, the basic tool for a workshop is the OBDII diagnostic kit which allows the technician to diagnose problems before they start working on a car. If the technician is computer illiterate or has very little technical knowledge, this piece of equipment will be completely useless to them.

Sadly to say, in Malaysia there are more untrained mechanics than there are trained mechanics. Sending your cars to unqualified mechanics can spell disaster.

I have even met local university graduates who have a degree in automotive engineering who couldn't explain to me how the engine works!
I have been fortunate enough to know several highly experienced and qualified mechanics who know what they are doing and I would trust them with my car.