incompetence

[larstorders]

My partner and i were sympathising with each other the other day, over the increasing incompetence of people we have to deal with in our daily life. Estate agents obviously topping list. So many people seem to have not the slightest intention of either, doing what they are being paid for, or taking the trouble to do it satisfactorily. Today there came just another example:
Planning for the future, I have been collecting spares for my R80 G/S and scored a total bargain from a bike breaker on ebay. Replacement barrels and pistons for my R80G/S only done 3000 miles. They are truly in as new condition. a fantastic bargain. When the package arrived, though. Well, you guessed it, they weren't packed very well. While the barrels are completely perfect, the pistons weren't even wrapped and are completely ruined by little dents where they have bumped up against the barrels in transit. Some plonker couldn't be bothered to spend thirty seconds wrapping the pistons in a bit of old newspaper before putting them in the box. Result, otherwise perfect components (worth 200 pounds new) completely ruined. Aaaaaaaarrghh!
It's still a great bargain, but for crying out loud, what is wrong with some people?

[Barry]

The only conclusion you can come to is that instead of taking pride in their work some people take pride in doing the least they can get away with.

A very sad existence indeed.

[montmil]

You may have some financial recourse with the eBay peeps if you wish to pursue the damage issue.

Monte

[steve hawkins]

Long ago I learned that all 'Professional' actually means is that they will want paying for it.....It does not mean that they are any good or even no what they are doing.

Steve Hawkins

[steve_wicks]

Try living in Afrique du Sud ......you'll pull your hair out every day!!

[Semper Gumby]

I found myself giving some advise to a friend's college age son on getting the front end of his VW Rabbit repaired after a fender bender.  My quiries as to the tires and the air pressures on/in his VW were met with "I don't know".  I was so shocked that I stopped asking questions.

He didn't even know what kind of tires were on his car.  How is that possible?  

[montmil]

I found myself giving some advise to a friend's college age son on getting the front end of his VW Rabbit repaired after a fender bender.  My quiries as to the tires and the air pressures on/in his VW were met with "I don't know".  I was so shocked that I stopped asking questions.

He didn't even know what kind of tires were on his car.  How is that possible?  

It can happen even in the best of families, Bill. Perhaps a minor flaw in the lad's DNA helix.

My youngest son's hot rod project looked like a gutted fish last time I saw it. It's now ready for inspection and registration. Beautiful job. Over the Christmas break down Austin, Texas way, I did a big time tune n' tweak on eldest son's F150. Asked him when he'd last changed the spark plugs. "Never, Dad." It's a 1995 model. Surprised it even ran.

Monte

[Bob_Roller]

About a year after I got my Z-3, I was taking advantage of the free maintenance that BMW had for the first three years, oil and filter changes were included .

I overheard a female customer with a Z-8 make the comment, that she would like the tire pressures checked, as they hadn't been checked since the car was at the dealership last, which was 14 months earlier .

After hearing comments like that, it becomes clear why auto manufacturers are adding so many monitoring systems to the current line of vehicles .

[Altritter]

it becomes clear why auto manufacturers are adding so many monitoring systems to the current line of vehicles .

True—and the so-called "monitoring systems" are frequent sources of other problems—including spikes in my blood pressure.

My auto-repair-shop-owning (and airhead-riding) friend says monitoring systems, when they malfunction, can be an expensive item to diagnose. He reported giving a MB-owning customer a break on his labor rate and still having to charge the customer a four-digit bill (in whole dollars) to find and replace a burned-out sensor. (Coincidentally, Consumer Reports magazine has rated certain MB models as "much worse than average" for reliability.)

[Bob_Roller]

I've noticed that a lot of the 'high' end vehicle manufacturers, are getting lower marks for vehicle reliability, even BMW .

The more complex the vehicle, the more costly it is to repair .

[Bengt_Phorqs]

It's pervasive in all aspects of society today.  We want convenience but don't want to put out the effort of minimal responsibility.  We want "adventure" but expect a 100% guarantee of safety.  Currently reading an excellent book on this phenomenon, "Shop Class as Soul Craft".  

A bit esoteric at times but the author contends that with the elimination of shop class, home economics, and other technical training in high schools (since such training would lower a childs expectations of success in the world) we've been heading in this direction for some time.  It will only get worse.

[Semper Gumby]

If you are out for adventure then you have to know how to fix your BMW on the road/in the rain/after dark.  Because when adventure hits you will be in the middle of nowhere!

Crikey.