01/27/2026
This is why you got to be careful on who works on your vehicle....... You may have a shop owner that has 20 to 30 to 40 years of experience but under him are only 2-3 years experience.
At Zip and Zay I am the owner operator and the only mechanic
David Rupert
Long story short: I’m a 2nd-year apprentice and was doing an oil pan gasket on an early-2000s Honda Accord. While torquing the bolts, I didn’t realize the oil dipstick had gotten pinched between the pan and the block. Ended up breaking a piece of the block clean off. I genuinely didn’t even know that was possible.
My boss is letting the shop’s insurance handle it, but I’m pretty convinced I’m getting fired. It really sucks because I actually like where I work, and now I’m worried no other shop will want to take me on once they hear what happened.
If anyone has a mistake that somehow tops this, I’d honestly love to hear it. Feeling super discouraged right now, and hearing about other people’s screw-ups might help put things into perspective. 💬🤔🚗