The demise of the car mechanic.

Mot so very long ago car owners had a wide choice when it came to selecting a mechanic to service and repair their cars. They could go to the brand dealer - but this was expensive - or choose from a wide array of independent service people. Some of these operated out of their garage at home. Some also owned a filling station - and some simply operated the workshop associated with a petrol outlet.
Those days are rapidly fading away - and those mechanics still in business are increasingly being restricted to older cars.
The computer has become part of the automobile and as a consequence it takes a computer to liase and determine what needs fixing. Most mechanics have a computer - but the drawback is that they also need access to the servicing programme for the car they intend to work on - and car manufacturers tend to restrict that information to the service departments of their own brand dealers. Then there is the proliferation of car makers. It would be a daunting task for a small, backyard motor mechanic to have the factory information on every brand of car his customers are likely to present.
So we are destined to see this type of mechanic wither away. They will survive for a while servicing older model cars which do not need computer information and many will diversify into associated work such as servicing lawn mowers, chain saws and other less sophisticated equipment - but as the years progress cars will simply get more complex and the only source of service will be the brand workshop with it's monopoly on the information needed to do the job - and that also means a monopoly on the prices charged !