And with auto specifically, you have shops now FULL of parts, a robust destruction and repair system, several NPCs that have good skills...so why the crap is it impossible for people to get repairs made to their vehicle?
Also, isn't the skill level set a bit too high? This goes for several skills, auto_tech included. For example, IRL it doesn't take huge amounts of auto knowledge to change a tire...but if your character buys a toolbelt and cranks away all day in a repair depot, they are still not going to be able to unbolt that tire. I'm not talking repair the tire here, I'm talking remove and replace with a new one. What's with that? Is there any way to fix/rebalance it?
I want to see more people using, and working on, vehicles. The current supply of softs, vehicle vests, and the skill levels required for basic tasks make that impossible. For the auto specialists out there - what will still set you out from the crowd is that you own the garage THEY need to work in, and you will be able to order better parts, recommend which car or which part will get better performance tailored to your customers' needs (security, durability, performance, style). Plus custom plates and paint jobs should be carried out through auto shops, methinks.
As a business owner, I'm normally in the position to hire any newbie mechanic and just put them to shop. This doesn't always work but I'm out there so I dunno.
Some tasks are harder then other on vehicles. I think the system is designed to prevent abuse and even now their are alot of ways vehicle theft can be abused to hell - which is why it's next to impossible on some vehicles with certain security systems.