Car Mechanics + Subaru

choi

My comment: There is no need to read the rest of either report. I know nothing about cars, but find these two reports interesting.

(1) Norman Mayersohn, Short on Mechanics, Car Companies Call School Into Session; A pressing need gains urgency as new vehicles become more complex. New York Times, Apr 28, 2017.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/ ... le-repair-jobs.html

Quote:

Car "dealership's service department * * * is likely to spot the sign announcing labor charges upward of $125 an hour, a rate typical in cities and at the low end for luxury brands. * ** It’s true that a mechanic wielding wrenches is not paid that hourly rate — the shop’s cash flow must cover sophisticated diagnostic tools and contribute its share toward the dealership's prime real estate. But top-level technicians in the field can earn $100,000 a year after achieving master mechanic status and five years of experience, said Robert Paganini, president of the Mahwah, N.J., campus of Lincoln Technical Institute.

However, "The shortage of qualified technicians is * * *  acute * * * The shortfall of automotive technicians is not new, but as vehicles have grown more computerized and vocational programs have disappeared from high schools, the situation has become more urgent.

"One of the most common misunderstandings about the technician's job is the role of the computerized repair systems, according to Mr Uyematsu. 'Diagnostic equipment does not tell you what's wrong,' he said. 'It's just a tool, and a diagnostician needs to interpret the messages.'

My comment: The Japanese surname Uemtsu is 上松. Uyematsu (witn a "y" inserted) is the Americanized spelling, in the same way of "en 円" and "yen."

(2) Tom Voelk, Subaru’s Stylish Upgrade To a Foul-Weather Friend. New York Times, Apr 28, 2017.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/ ... subaru-impreza.html

Quote:

"Wherever there's an abundance of rain and snow, it seems Subaru rules the roads. And though Subarus aren't flashy, their owners, according to Consumer Reports and Kelley Blue Book, are consistently happy with their cars.

Regarding "The 2017 Impreza * * * Automakers crow when a vehicle gains 10 percent in structural rigidity. Impreza's unibody strength moved up by a whopping 70 percent. That will impress engineers and the entire state of Maine, where Subarus appear to be the official state car. Hit a pothole — it's hard not to these days — and the Impreza remains drum tight.

"I drove a sedan Sport model with options that take it to $26,560. Base Imprezas with a 5-, yes, 5-speed manual transmission start at $19,215.

"Another Subaru advantage is the Boxer engine. Most engine pistons fire vertically; Boxer power plants pump in horizontal fashion. That allows the 2-liter 4-cylinder to lie deep in the engine bay for a low center of gravity. Subaru happily points out that Porsche takes this approach in its sports cars. Porsche does not reciprocate.

Note:
(a) Kelley Blue Book
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelley_Blue_Book

(b)
(i) drum-tight (adj and adv; mid 19th century): "very taut or tight; compare '(as) tight as a drum' "
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/drum-tight
(ii) tight as a drum. The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary, 2002.
www.dictionary.com/browse/tight-as-a-drum

(c) "There is honest-to-goodness stitching on the instrument panel and quality plastics and fabrics where eyes fall and fingers touch."

honest-to-goodness (adj): "chiefly US, informal : not fake, false, or artificial : real"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honest-to-goodness
(d) For "Boxer engine," see flat engine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_engine
("This design has since been called the 'boxer' engine because each pair of pistons moves in and out together, rather like the gloves of a boxer")