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My dad had a Cadillac SRX with a transverse mounted V6. You hade to remove the forward motor mounts to change the serpentine belt. It is not something that can be done along side the road.

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Mechanic is such a boomer term, please OP, technician is the preferred nomenclature.

Gotta have a computer to work on vehicles now.

I also used to enjoy turning wrenches and maintaining my vehicles, yes I’m a boomer.

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I made the mistake of looking under the hood of the new Ford Bronco.

https://hagerty-media-prod.imgix.net/2022/01/2022-Ford-Bronco-Raptor-18.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=426&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=640

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Very rewarding to take something broken and fix it or improve it

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https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/3561/Screenshot_20230720_144231_Firefox-2892517.jpg

Masochists! (The buyers too)

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Mechanic = Figures out why shit broke, easiest and lowest cost way to repair and repairs/replaces part.

Technician = Looks it up on a computer and swaps a part. AKA: Parts swapper.

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https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/3561/Screenshot_20230720_144231_Firefox-2892517.jpg

Masochists! (The buyers too)

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Worst cars I've ever had to work on were a 300ZX twin turbo and a Celica All-Trac.  Horry Sheet.

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I'm a toyota fan boy but fuck the location of the starter on the 4.7

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drunken, depressed, miserable guys that have not had a psychotic break?

I’m not the least mechanically inclined guy out there.
I have a decent amount of tools.  A lift.  I can cool or heat my garage.  
I have replaced relays or fuses on modern cars or recharged AC and saved people from getting a new compressor they were told they needed.  I have put better discs and pads on modern cars for people for less than they would have paid for just worse parts.  Or time for new shocks and struts.  Now, this is pretty much limited to just immediate family.  And I am not way versed modern stuff.

My set up is more for me maintaining older vehicles.  Which have their own quirks.  Have you ever tried to connect the wiper motor to the arms on, say a 71-74 Javelin, or the extensions need to do spark plugs on an ‘85 Z28. Let alone how to get to the fuel pump on one. But for the most part throwing a new rotor in the distributor, rebuilding a carburetor, new wiper motor, repack wheel hubs, convert drums to discs, new starter, throw some relays in the wiring harness, new transmission, etc. is pretty straightforward and easy.

One of my adult kids got the check charging system light on their 11 year old mid sized, Japanese AWD CUV.  They had just put in a new battery a few years ago, whipped out their multimeter, it’s the alternator, and the belt has proper tension.
They asked if I could show them how to change it.  I said should be easy.  Give me a minute.  I looked it up.
This is going to involve like 18 inch extensions and 18 inch shaft wrench, both longer than what I have, and require several hard to get connectors to move part of the wiring harness out of the way, then shifting an AC line out of the way, then moving fluid reservoirs, then you can get belt out of the way and start removing the alternator.  Which also has a bushing likely to shift requiring messing around just to get the new one back in.  Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to have child sized hands on the ends of extra long, extra skinny arms.

Now, open up the hood of a ‘70 Chevelle or ‘68 GTO, ar just about any SBC truck of yesteryear, and you can have a decent alternator plus new voltage regulator for about 100 bucks and have it replaced in 15 minutes without a single curse word or bruised knuckle.  And you could have hands like Hodor on arms the length of Tyrion arms.  Plus the modern CUV alternator will cost two to three times as much.

I would go mad working on stuff like that all day.

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They absolutely are.  It's a miserable occupation and everyone hates them too.  That's why there is very few good ones and the majority are, are not talented.  Pay is the worst of all trades as well.

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Most of them make themselves very happy by taking all the money you have left for the month

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Rusted out shit boxes are the object of my hatred..

Ran when parked.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/109172/IMG_20230719_085433163_HDR_jpg-2892996.JPG
Fortunately this one is heard to the grinder.

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diy mechanic here - profanity is the lubrication that keeps the wheels of civilization turning.

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Well I did buy this today


https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/390973/20230720_110100-2892643.jpg

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Most of them make themselves very happy by taking all the money you have left for the month

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Moar better:

https://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/mutual/1/287/5600/1920x1440/1965-ford-f100

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Mid '80s after I got out of the Army (mechanic) I worked at two different service stations over a two year period. Mostly AAA towing calls, pumping gas as full service was a bigger deal back then, and light mechanic work; brakes, tires, oil, etc... The tools were outrageously expensive and you were expected to have a complete set of your own tools in one of those two shops I worked in. I could not afford to work that job. One buddy at one shop would complain everyday how his hands were being trashed. In the other shop my buddy would boast how he could not fully open his fingers as his hands were clutches at this point as wanted to be a real mechanic. He was beast at replacing clutches.

One day I came to the realization that the only people from the public that wanted to talk to you is because they have a problem. This problem is because their vehicle is broken. Even thou I was green and new to this industry it was obvious these people cared more for the vehicles then their own children at times. This is my BABY you are told. They treated you like shit and took all their grievances on you. You Service Manager's out there, when not lying, deserve an extra twinkle on your halo.

I realized and saw the abuse and quit. The older mechanics were worn down and the clients were getting ruder. I went back to school to be an Accountant then landed into the computer field and I am an IT Manager today.

With that said. I recently found a new shop since I moved. This is after going to a shop I trusted for 20 years to touch the big stuff I can't or do not want to do. When I bring my car in I tell them I am very thankful and talk to them like people and tell them all the work I did on my car and if you don't mind giving it a look over if you time. Finding a good shop is not easy!

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If more people did it the way you do, there would more decent shops. We bust ass everyday in my shop, I make sure things are done right, we treat customers like we need them, and my rate is quite reasonable for the area. Some people still bitch and tell me that Walmart is cheaper, or my cousin will do it for less. Oh well! Good you for valuing the people who take care of you.

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Most of the experienced techs I know do occasionally drink but not to excess. These are all good techs.

The new hires are another story, that is if you can find one.

Generally speaking the public has no idea how complicated vehicles are today and how one system can affect others.

We are underpaid, exposed to hazardous chemicals, dirty environment, high orthopedic wear, bad backs, and general injuries.

Tool expense is another consideration. There is NO WAY I would go into auto repair today.

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I use the money to dry my tears. Of course, in the summertime, they evaporate much faster.

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/48955/th_jpg-2892957.JPG

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Heavy duty is where it's at. I don't think there's enough money in the world to get me to do automotive.

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I'd say I'm pretty mechanically inclined. Since I was a teenager, I've paid a shop to fix my vehicles two, maybe three times ever. I've done entire frame off restos, rebuild engines and transmissions, body work, paint, lift kits, all sorts of general maintenance. I had to do a water pump on my wife's turbo Malibu a few years back. By the time I was done I was bleeding from both arms and ready to burn that car to the ground. I can sympathize. I did beat the dealers flat rate book time though.

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My peev with automotive is fasteners/parts intended to snap together once.  

So much is designed around initial automated assembly with little thought in servicing stuff years later.