I had to replace the indicator assembly on my AU the other day & was confronted by tamperproof bolts with a peg in the middle. Thinking they were just tamperproof torx bits, I pulled out my set only to discover that they had 5 points, instead of the normal 6. After swearing & cursing, drilling the pegs out & using a largish screwdriver, I managed to get them out. I even tried both AF & metric Allen-key sockets with no luck. What I didn't try (& realised later that I had in the toolbox), was a set of spline-drive sockets that I bought to replace a door lock in a VW Passat. Even the main steering wheel bolt was a large torx that I didn't have in the toolbox. I remember encountering my first torx bolts on a BMW in the early 90s. I also recall the plastic tamperproof mixture plugs on the K Jet airflow meters. It seems to be occurring on a more regularly basis that I need to buy yet another tool, just to complete a job that I may never undertake again (and I don't consider my toolbox to be lacking too much after spending $$$$.$$ on Snap-on equipment)!!!
This all made me dream of the day when the manufacturers might standardise fasteners, stud patterns & diagnosis equipment (I know, lock me up)! It's getting almost impossible to be a general mechanic now & I'm sure many are being forced to specialize, due to the high cost of unique equipment. Of course it could be that by incorporating unique components in their products, manufacturers are encouraging owners to return their vehicle to the dealer for all servicing and repairs (at hugely inflated costs); naaaaaaah they wouldn't do that would they? It must be to protect people from their own stupidity, as common sense no longer exists..... I'm not even supposed to make reference to 'common sense', for fear of offending somone in this politically correct culture; sorry about that!!
This all made me dream of the day when the manufacturers might standardise fasteners, stud patterns & diagnosis equipment (I know, lock me up)! It's getting almost impossible to be a general mechanic now & I'm sure many are being forced to specialize, due to the high cost of unique equipment. Of course it could be that by incorporating unique components in their products, manufacturers are encouraging owners to return their vehicle to the dealer for all servicing and repairs (at hugely inflated costs); naaaaaaah they wouldn't do that would they? It must be to protect people from their own stupidity, as common sense no longer exists..... I'm not even supposed to make reference to 'common sense', for fear of offending somone in this politically correct culture; sorry about that!!
