Most car mechanics at local repair shops here are either unqualified or inexperienced, reported Al-Madina Arabic daily on Monday. Ahmad Khaled, a 23-year-old motorist, said some technicians fix a problem but cause other problems because they don't have experience. “If you ask them what's wrong, they give you several options because they're not confident and don't know the cause of the malfunction,” Khaled added. “I had a heating problem with my radiator and took my car to a technician. He cleaned the radiator and told me the problem was solved. But it was not. One suggested that I change the whole radiator while another said the problem was with the fan of the radiator. They were all wrong. I discovered that the problem was with the cap of the radiator.” Khaled advises people who have car problems to seek the advice of experts. Mohsin Saleh, a 50-year-old motorist, said most technicians who work for repair shops are not qualified. Saleh said he has had continuous electrical problems. Mechanics have usually only been able to solve the problem for a few days. “It's your luck whether or not you can find a good technician who knows his job very well.” Motorist Muhammad Basahi prefers to go to repair shops where he previously received good service. Ahmad Zain, a technician, said customers can't tell whether a technician is good or bad. “We are honest with customers and we know our job well. But there are those who don't know anything about mechanical or electrical problems and claim they know. In these cases, customers are the victims.” Muhammad Abdul Kareem, a technician, said technicians should be honest with customers and build good relationships with them. Saeed Mabrook Saeed, a member of the car maintenance committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said a large number of technicians learn their trade while working on cars. “The solution to this problem is to provide training courses for these technicians.” Saeed said imposing license conditions on repair shops will result in 75 percent of them closing down. He does not think this is the solution. Ahmad Zareh, a lawyer, said a car owner has the right to sue a mechanic at the General Court for compensation if his car is not fixed properly. “The court will consider the age of the car, the size of the damage, and other important points. The judge will also ask experts to assess the damage before making a ruling.”
