RE: Here's what's going on w/my Scout/Help in the Bay Area?

[Farmer <pharmer@domain.elided>]

Michael,

Let me put it another way.  If you have to pick a mechanic, and you are
looking for the following characteristics:
  - honesty
  - competance
  - knowledge of IH
how would you rank them?  Ideally you get somebody that shows all three.
Personally, I'd rank them in the order above.  But, tell you what, I have
found *few* mechanics that show competance & honesty.  Ok, of the three I
know in Colorado Springs, one has IH experience.  He's the one I use.  But
if he left town I'd go to one of the others, over an incompetant guy with IH
experience.  Of course, I would also leave my manuals in the drivers seat
for him to refer to!

One of the biggest problems in getting a good mechanic, is that few of them
work alone.  So, a shop might have one or two talented folks.  They might be
owners, or just the senior folks there that may have built up the shops
reputation.  And, they could know IH.  But when you get your tune-up it
might be the kid right out of school that does it.  And, that kid could be
lazy - leave bolts loose, forget to replace something, etc, etc.  So, maybe
a good shop also has some business sense!

Ken