The exciting troubleshooting

The exciting troubleshooting

VEHICLE ECONOMY:There is a Ford Thunderbird from the 1950s parked in front of your workshop - do you specialize in repairing classic cars?

GEORG RINGSEIS: I have many regular customers from the classic car scene, although all modern cars and vans are also repaired and serviced in my workshop. My grandfather, who opened the business here on Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz in 1930, established the good reputation as a specialist workshop for vehicle electrics. The cars of that time often had problems with the electrical system, as the mechanical ignition systems were subject to heavy wear and the housings were often poorly sealed against moisture. My grandfather therefore specialized in trading and repairing ignition and lighting components and had great success with it.

How has work on vehicle electrics changed over the decades?

Back then, the ignition systems and alternators were taken apart and the wearing parts such as carbons, bearings and seals were replaced. The shafts were also re-laid if they ran out of round. Today's electronic ignition systems and other electrical components are simply replaced with new ones in the event of defects.

Can you apply your grandfather's know-how to classic car repairs today?

The know-how has always been passed on in the family - first to my father, who took over the business in the 1970s, and then to me. Today, repairing classic cars is an important part of my workshop, even though I couldn't make a living from it alone. Fortunately, interest in historic vehicles is still growing, as the registration figures show, and the so-called youngtimers from the 1980s and 90s are also increasingly in demand.

What is the current situation with young talent in automotive technology? Do young people have an interest in classic cars?

I am fortunate to have a dedicated young team in my workshop who definitely have a soft spot for older vehicles. Unfortunately, there is not enough focus on old technologies in training, so it is a real challenge, for example, to teach a young automotive technician how to use a contact ignition system. In vehicles without an OBD plug, you cannot connect a diagnostic device that shows you the errors; you have to check the current flows with a multimeter or a test lamp.

Is troubleshooting older vehicles even economically feasible?

My many years of experience help me here, so that I can usually find out the causes of defects in a manageable amount of time, even using simple electrical testing devices. If the cause of the error is mechanical wear, this is sometimes noticeable through unusual noises. That's why I occasionally use a stethoscope to track down a defect.

Has troubleshooting become easier in modern vehicles?

Theoretically yes, but at the same time the number of safety and convenience functions has also increased significantly. The diagnostic device often only gives a rough indication of the cause of a defect. In addition, specialist knowledge and common sense are required in order to be able to classify the information correctly. The causes of malfunctions or failures in the vehicle's electrical system can lie in control units, connection cables or software - this is what needs to be found out. Electronic components in control devices can also wear out, because no semiconductor lasts forever. The signals must be measured and interpreted correctly, whether in the 12-volt system of a combustion engine, the 48-volt system of a hybrid or the 400-volt system of a high-voltage electric car.

Is the repair of electric cars already an issue in independent workshops?

Due to the long warranty periods, most electric cars are currently still repaired and serviced in specialist workshops. The independent workshops currently carry out simple tasks such as changing wheels and tires or repairing minor body damage. With the increasing spread of electromobility, we will certainly have to be much more deeply involved in the high-voltage issue in five years at the latest than we are today.

What defects are you dealing with the most today?

Statistics show that people are keeping their cars longer today than before because they can't or don't want to afford a new car at the moment. We therefore often have to deal with wear-and-tear defects, such as broken cables, corrosion damage or failed control devices. But it also saves on repair costs. Some customers only have the most necessary driving functions restored and forego the radio, navigation system or air conditioning altogether if these have failed. I also hear again and again that people don't value the numerous new driving assistants in modern vehicles, but would rather have a simple car that gets them from A to B without any problems.