I just finished what should have been a simple mirror replacement on my 2005 Nissan Frontier.
I had a broken side view mirror on the driver's side, so I ordered a replacement online. It was not too bad a price, and it came ready to install. There is a small trim panel on the inside of the door that covers the seating of the mirror. Once removed, the replacement should be simple.
The panel comes off pretty easily considering the sticks of chewing gum (that's what they look like) that attach it, in addition to the clips. Sure enough, after three 10mm nuts came off, the mirror was free... almost. The mirror is now hanging by its cable and the connector is nowhere to be seen. The cable disappears down into the door panel and is totally secure somewhere down there.
After removing two door handle trim panels, the arm rest, three large mounting bolts, and the entire door panel with all the incident little plastic clips and studs, there was the connector securely attached to the interior bulkhead just in front of the door handle. The connector comes apart as intended and the new mirror can be fully installed in less than one minute using the three 10 mm nuts that were the first fasteners removed.
Then the panel goes back on with its 10 little plastic clips, the mounting bolts, the arm rest with its row of tight plastic inserts, and the two trim panels around the door handle. The first trim panel removed is pretty much incidental.
I suspect the designer was more concerned with having his little connector securely mounted in the models that do not have adjustable mirrors than he was with adding a half to three quarters of an hour to the otherwise simple task of replacing a broken mirror. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for the cost of labor in a repair shop!
This entry was submitted by Ted Kell and edited by Rob Spiegel.
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You had to remove a door panel to get to an electrical connector for a door component? Not unusual! How much would more would you pay for a car that could have any of its repairs successfully performed by an untrained idiot? I think I'd prefer not to pay for that.
Removal and replacement of a door panel is an operation that can be done by a trained, experienced mechanic in a few minutes or less. I do realize that someone who has never removed the door panel of a particular make/model, and hasn't read the relevant service literature or been trained, might have to spend a lot of time doing it, and possibly break parts in the process. It is your learning process that makes the task difficult or labor-intensive.
Sometimes fasteners used to hold door panels in place break or wear out and have to be replaced. This is not a big deal, and the fasteners are cheap and readily available. When I need to buy fasteners, I buy 100 at a time and keep some on hand in case I need more later. Many fasteners can be used on multiple makes and models- they are not generally specific to one application.
Unfortunately you are right on with your opinion of auto mechanics in entirely too many cases and I wish I had a good answer for you. In many cases credentials are posted on the walls of the waiting room/office. Other times you may have a referal or personal contact. It may take many trips before you have confidence, but how is that different from any other service you have performed? I have gone to dentists, doctors, barbers, and accountants with the proper licenses on display that did not perform their tasks to my satisfaction. It is a roll of the dice, but I think you are more likely to find a qualified mechanic making his living in a garage than you are if the guy is working out behind his house in the alley.
Here in St. Louis, we are very lucky to be the hometown of Ranken Technical College, which has an excellent automechanics program. So we can look for diplomas. But even then he/she may have graduated at the bottom of the class.
Who takes responsibility for safety critical repairs? If a qualified mechanic makes a mistake and someone gets hurt, his fault is in not following procedures. If I do the job and make a mistake, my fault is in take on a job I am not qualified to perform. In terms of liability, thats a big difference.
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