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she does read medical journals and keeps up on the latest in her specialty. 1) I don't know much about doctors' scheduling, but I've known a few that seemed t

she does read medical journals and keeps up on the latest in her specialty. 1) I don't know much about doctors' scheduling, but I've known a few that seemed to schedule a batch of patients, then hours for paperwork, document review, and peer review/help. So I wonder how much of this happens in their "free time". 2) There's a difference between reading up on new technologies versus creating a project and seeing it through to completion. Similarly, there is a difference between reading medical journals (study) versus seeing patients (practice). would you trust an auto mechanic who didn't change the oil on her own car? Absolutely. That's a very simple job, and if my mechanic can have it done for $20 at Walmart while he shops, it's well worth his time. If he's a good mechanic, he bills at, what, $70+ per hour? By the way, the mechanics I've known tend to drive inexpensive, late-model cars, and get rid of them after a few years. Why? Because they don't want to fix cars in their spare time.

bartonfink 16y ago
I think the largest part of the fact that many mechanics drive inexpensive, late-model cars and get rid of them is the fact that inexpensive, late-model cars are more or less irreparable in a hobby setting. Things simply aren't mechanical anymore. Modern cars are so computerized and interconnected that you often can't just "fix" a broken part, you have to replace it. I'm sure a mechanic would be able to do the replacement if they had the part, but I imagine that takes a lot of the enjoyment out of being a mechanic. You could probably get around that by only buying cars that predate mass computerization (now 20+ years old), but then you're trading one problem for a potentially much larger set of problems. It's not that they might not want to fix cars - it's that it might not be worth it to indulge that activity as a hobby.
- georgieporgie 16y ago
  I don't really buy the idea that modern cars cannot be repaired by an independent or shade-tree mechanic. Sure, engine electronics are more tightly integrated, and may be engineered to 'require' an expensive tester, but there are still loads of things that a mechanic can do. Pulling transmissions, replacing clutches, timing belts, steering pumps, CV joints, oxygen sensors, etc. I waste time fixing a 30 year old vehicle because it's a fun pastime for me. They don't do it because it's just more of what they do all day.

bartonfink 16y ago

I think the largest part of the fact that many mechanics drive inexpensive, late-model cars and get rid of them is the fact that inexpensive, late-model cars are more or less irreparable in a hobby setting. Things simply aren't mechanical anymore. Modern cars are so computerized and interconnected that you often can't just "fix" a broken part, you have to replace it. I'm sure a mechanic would be able to do the replacement if they had the part, but I imagine that takes a lot of the enjoyment out of being a mechanic. You could probably get around that by only buying cars that predate mass computerization (now 20+ years old), but then you're trading one problem for a potentially much larger set of problems. It's not that they might not want to fix cars - it's that it might not be worth it to indulge that activity as a hobby.

georgieporgie 16y ago
I don't really buy the idea that modern cars cannot be repaired by an independent or shade-tree mechanic. Sure, engine electronics are more tightly integrated, and may be engineered to 'require' an expensive tester, but there are still loads of things that a mechanic can do. Pulling transmissions, replacing clutches, timing belts, steering pumps, CV joints, oxygen sensors, etc. I waste time fixing a 30 year old vehicle because it's a fun pastime for me. They don't do it because it's just more of what they do all day.