Episode 99: Shop Translations

On this week’s episode we take a crack at the Rosetta stone of the trades by translating some of our favorite shop talk terms for non-technicians. Right off the bat, every single shop’s internal language is a little bit different based on the people who create that inter shop language. Sometimes that language comes in the form of thinly veiled sarcasm or acronyms, while other times it can be as brutal and explicit as your Uncle Jimmy. If you’re a new guy pay attention to the context, maybe ask what movies that was from if it sounds familiar, and you will be fluent in your new shops vernacular before you know it. One other important thing is to be able to keep that second language between you, the technicians in the shop, because it will allow you to speak more freely in the presence of managers. Every shop has this, and every shop creates their own and we want to know, what is some of your shop’s particular language. Finally, we dive into the dreaded technician-customer interaction when the service advisor can’t close.

Also Uncle Jimmy has to explain an engine swap and why he needs gaskets and hoses for a customer who, “looks like he just smoked a dump truck load of meth!”

This episode is distributed by The Wrenching Network. Whether you’re a technician, a mechanic, or someone who just loves the car scene, The Wrenching Network is a place that you have to check out. They have all sorts of great content, gear, and snacks to keep you turning wrenches in whatever capacity you do it. Also if you see us over there, make sure you say hi and leave a comment with what you think about the episode!