How to respond....?

[001 Neville]

I've had an application from an Auckland mechanic who states:

I'm a business owner/mechanic, I have a workshop in Auckland and the Opel Brand is the scourge of our industry. As you know they come into our country as re-badged GM Holden's, as City's, Astra's and Vectra's. Scanning them is a total waste of time as this leads to a none related wild goose chase. We pay $$$$$$ to have the latest equipment that works wonderfully on our local market vehicles and the large number of Japanese import vehicles but not these pieces of #$%@. There may be those technically, among you that can and are willing to part with some knowledge that will prevent me becoming an alcoholic.

Is anyone interested in working as a consultant for him, at suitable rates of course!

Are you guys aware if there are any real problems with reading Opel ECUs? Even my local Holden dealer can check my Zafira with no problems - but he doesn't seem too sure what to do after that!

[168 Derek S]

that's got to be a wind up Neville...
I had a bit of a disgruntled RWD ford escort owner bending my ear about how he could not find a cheap 20XE for his conversion, like thats my problem?
suggest a years subscription to total vauxhall is a good start
http://www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/

[001 Neville]

Which are the scanners that are commonly used for Holden/Opel? OBD or Tech2 or something like that? I see them advertised on ebay.

Maybe he buys his equipment in China, as I don't think Opel market into China!

[168 Derek S]

I am picking Gordo / Chad / Brad will be the best to advise.

my money is on Gordo's response being the most entertaining...

[020 Brad]

my money is on Gordo's response being the most entertaining...

I agree


I have no problem with a good discussion on a vehicle type. I have had a fair bit of trouble with Vectra B's and stupid Opel design, so I can see both sides. Problem with that guy though, is that it does appear to be a little one sided. I imagine it may have even spawned from only a few bad experiences, possibly even less. You talk to mechanics and some have vastly varying views on different brands, with good and bad points always shining through.

I'm unsure on how best to handle his situation, welcoming him to the board is a start. He can perhaps see that some of us are doing great things with the Opel product and making it work very well! We can try and answer some of his questions, if he wishes to put them to us in a rational and unbiased way. Otherwise I can't really offer any other advice.

[168 Derek S]

guess I am lucky that I have a late 40's mate, time served mechanic that's been in NZ for a couple of years and knows most euro cars inside out.
guess it all comes down to correct equipment, experience & training.
I can just about strip my Manta with a 13mm or 16mm ring spanner, the Astra however needs more specialist tools like a torx screw driver to change the air filter, not so easy for joe public to do any simple servicing.
I hear some euro manufacturers will be moving away from putting paint codes on the build plates now.

[127 Gordo]

There're no bad cars, only bad mechanics...

I served my time on pre-electronic vehicles (yup, I'm actually a Government trained "A" Grade Automotive Engineer, for what it's worth) and was constantly surprised by the number of guys who'd condemn vehicles simply because they wouldn't take a little bit of time trying to understand them. I seemed to specialise in CF Bedfords (Telecom) and could have a CF bedford engine pulled and stripped in under 2 hours, at one time, compared to others who could take a full day with two working on the van. Ditto reassembly, but a bit longer, obviously.

The Escort chap should have gone for a Duratec - heaps of them in PaP and they've similar returns on the dollar for power and heaps of parts for fitting them to Escorts. Also a bit lighter.

[049 Jennifer]

Wow, he really doesn't like Opel... wonder if he has done any bosch courses... more than likely not, which is why he is battling to fathom them...

[021 Chad]

No no lets be serious.
He seems to be referring to the older range of Opel models that used the earlier Motronic ECU's. In this case I do the diagnostic checking with a paperclip, no fancy hendheld devices required. As mentioned previously the guy seems to have been poisoned by a couple of bad experiences, I say let him join up and hopefully he will get some value out of listening to us waffle.

[127 Gordo]

Or provide some comedic value?

Guy who'd owned my Cally before me had spent nearly a grand with a 'specialist' when there were two obvious faults - O/C HT lead (dead basic check) and fuel relay, which was quickly diagnosed from GM forums and common sense.

[001 Neville]

Ok, have moderated the thread a little, and sent an invitation to him. Will watch the threads with interest.

[001 Neville]

Ok, I sent the invitation, and have had no reply, and he has not even bothered to log on, so evidently he was just a timewaster....

I'll give him until the end of the month, and then just turn off the membership if he hasn't shown up .....