Prev | Next | Contents

2.0 DIAGNOSTIC RULE OF THUMB - DO-IT-YOURSELF - DIY TIPS

Rule #1: What did you do last?

If your car, appliance, mechanical device, computer etc. was running just fine, but after an adjustment or minor repair is experiencing problems, go back to what you just did. The problem is almost certainly in the last thing you did. This reasoning holds true even for sophisticated, multi-million dollar equipment. A friend of mine who repaired jet planes in the marine corp said he used this principle often.

The next rule is related to the first rule.

Rule #2: If your car was working just fine and suddenly stopped, the problem is most likely a simple one. It maybe something as basic as a disconnected wire. Catastrophic or sudden massive failures with no warning are unusual. Despite what unscrupulous repair shops may tell you, odds are the repair is simple.

Prev | Next | Contents