Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33442, 25 January 1974, Page 21

Auto Gossip

A.J.P.

by

Self help

Reports from Britain and Europe that car owners in those countries are reacting to rising garage costs by doing more work on their cars themselves are hardly surprising—the result was predictable. The same thing is happening in New Zealand, and it is likely to become even more of a feature of our motoring scene in the months ahead.

Many garages are now charging $6.50 to $7 an hour for their services, and some are charging more. It is hard to believe that any garage’s time is worth $1 for 10 minutes, and one also wonders at the number of minutes which must be wasted in various ways on every' job. Think about it: if a mechanic spends 10 minutes looking for a tool, chatting to his mate, or waiting for someone to help him lift a heavy part, that is another $1 out of your pocket. It is an aspect that gar-

age supervisors and proprietors need to think about too. But at these figures, garages are certainly places to keep well away from, if you can do so. There are many small jobs even the relatively unskilled motorist can do for himself—changing plugs is one. It is worth mentioning the dangers—the main one being that you might miss seeing the start of a dangerous fault that a mechanic would spot. But our warrant of fitness system is a safeguard of sorts on this one: nor do all mechanics spot faults anyway. 1 suspect these rocketing garage charges may greatly reduce the number of older cars on the road, given time. The cost of maintaining high mileage models is going to become—in fact, has become—very high. It makes them an unattractive proposition for persons who are not home mechanics.