When I was younger, I worked for an aftermarket auto parts store for almost a year.  I learned a lot while I was working there, not only about auto repair, but also differences and characteristic flaws in different types of cars.

For instance, I can’t tell you how many people came in to get headlight switches for those old Fords.  Evidently it’s quite common to have problems with those.  I also had a lot of customers who came in for brake switches for older Fords and Chevys — evidently another type of electrical switch that failed quite frequently.

I also learned a lot about stuff like Asian automotive maintenance.  For instance, I learned one day while helping a customer that Hondas have their thermostats on the back side of the engine, with a really long radiator hose.  That doesn’t seem to me like the best idea, but evidently it works for Honda, because they are known for their long-lived cars.

Finally, I learned that there are a lot of do-it-yourselfers who really ought to be going to auto repair shops to have the work done instead.  I can’t tell you how many times folks came through those doors multiple times throughout the day, trying to fix a problem they didn’t understand or repair a problem they had exacerbated because of their ignorance.

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