The alignment rack operator in Mesa made me see my own shop differently

I stopped by a shop in Mesa last week to drop off a customer's car for a quick alignment. The guy running the rack was maybe 22 years old and he asked me why I still use a torque wrench on lug nuts when the impact gun works fine. I started explaining the safety side, and he just nodded and said his boss taught him to never skip the final check because one bad torque spec can ruin someone's day. That hit me different because I have been doing this for 12 years and I got lazy on some routine stuff. He was not preachy, just matter of fact about doing the job right every time. I came back to my bay and reorganized my torque wrench setup so I actually use it on every wheel now. Has anyone else had a younger tech remind them of a basic habit you let slide?

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wadew5125d ago

Man that story hits close to home. I had almost the same thing happen with a kid at the parts store who questioned why I still checked my brake fluid level before a test drive. I told him it was just habit and he said his old man never let him pull a car out without popping the hood first, even if it was just for a quick trip around the block. Made me realize I had gotten sloppy on the little things too, especially after doing this for so long. Now I got a checklist taped to my toolbox and I actually follow it, which sounds dumb but it keeps me honest. Funny how a fresh set of eyes can make you see your own shortcuts.