Anyone else going? There are some pretty good classes.

http://automechanika-chicago-us.messefrankfurt.com/chicago/en/for_attendees/welcome.html

Superglide78 wrote on Mar 6^th, 2015 at 9:21pm:

Anyone else going? There are some pretty good classes. http://automechanika-chicago-us.messefrankfurt.com/chicago/en/for_attendees/welcome.html

I'll be there all weekend. ;)

I'll be there.  Friday, I will wear my red Snoopy Nerd t-shirt

bluesman wrote on Mar 12^th, 2015 at 6:19pm:

Friday, I will wear my red Snoopy Nerd t-shirt

What's a "Snoopy Nerd t-shirt"?  :)


Superglide78 wrote on Mar 6^th, 2015 at 9:21pm:

Anyone else going?

My wife and I are going for the whole weekend.  We will be at the Hard Rock hotel, and I'm planning to attend the Friday night party at the Navy Pier.  Other than that we haven't made any plans.  My wife will be fending for herself while I'm at the shows, so if anyone has some suggestions for her, I'm all ears.   :-/

crackerclicker wrote on Mar 14^th, 2015 at 12:49am:

Other than that we haven't made any plans.  My wife will be fending for herself while I'm at the shows, so if anyone has some suggestions for her, I'm all ears.

If you have never done it check out one of the architectural boat tours, they are pretty cool. Hopefully the weather will be decent.

There is an App on Google play for Automechanika. Anyone who is going can download the App and check in as an attendee. Then we should be able to find each other if we were going to meet up there.

Matt

Snoopy Nerdz!

---

magicmatt wrote on Mar 21^st, 2015 at 2:22pm:

There is an App on Google play for Automechanika. Anyone who is going can download the App and check in as an attendee. Then we should be able to find each other if we were going to meet up there. Matt

I just downloaded it.Thanks

For those who are bringing family with, and are a different kind of nerd than us, here are some options for them.

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.  Also held at McCormick Place.

http://www.c2e2.com/ 

MLB:  Chicago Cubs are away that weekend.  Chicago White Sox are hosting the KC Royals.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=cws#y=2015&m=4&calendar=DEFAULT

NBA:  Chicago Bulls play off schedule has yet to be posted.

http://www.ticketsnow.com/NBA/chicago-bulls-tickets/?extcmp=gw500931&wt.mc_id=NBATEAM_CHI_728x90_PLAYOFFS

NHL:  If the Blackhawks and Predators make it to Game 6, it will be in Chicago April 25th.  Good luck getting cheap tickets.

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/app

AHL:  The Chicago Wolves are one win away from clinching a Calder Cup Playoff spot.  Schedule not released yet.

http://www.chicagowolves.com/

Museum of Science and Industry:  http://www.msichicago.org/visit-the-museum/museum-info/

Shedd Aquarium  http://www.sheddaquarium.org/

Field Museum:  http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Art Institute of Chicago:  http://www.artic.edu/

Adler Planetarium:  http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/

Hey guys, just to let you know I will be there too.  Had to wait and make sure I could get time off to go.  I will keep an eye out for everyone.  Did anyone want to meet at a certain spot to introduce themselves?  Just Pm me if you'd like to meet up. :)

I just downloaded the Automechanika App and made an Attendee profile.  Look me up.  John Schlitz (aka bluesman).  Not sure if we can communicate via the App.  630-730-1818  text me if you want to meet!

bluesman wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2015 at 6:17pm:

I just downloaded the Automechanika App and made an Attendee profile.  Look me up.  John Schlitz (aka bluesman).  Not sure if we can communicate via the App.  630-730-1818  text me if you want to meet!

 

I just sent you a text, Matt 612-414-4049
I done after the drive from Minneapolis, I'm watching tv and going to bed.

I'm in the attendee profile also my name is Chris Linville. 630-383-8772

Going, Saturday, with two coworkers.

Today was fun.  Had a great time.  Had the pleasure of meeting fellow Autonerd Magicmatt!  Tomorrow, I will have lunch in the trade show area.  Hope to meet Adam and Chris.  I hear from Matt that Carckerclicker is here, too!   :D  Hope everyone attending enjoys their time at Automechanika.

bluesman wrote on Apr 24^th, 2015 at 6:45pm:

I hear from Matt that Carckerclicker is here, too!

He must be sneaky  :).  The only Nerd I've seen (that I know of) so far is Norberto S.  Otherwise, I've seen or talked with just about every IATNer there, lol.  I was in Scot Manna's morning class, and Eric Ziegler's afternoon class.  Tomorrow I've got the modern transmission class with Jesse Zacarias, and body modules with Rich Peterson & G. Truglia.

I don't have a smart phone, but I am borrowing an older flip phone for the event  ::).  I'll likely finish my tour of the trade show over the lunch break, then hit the lunch area around 1:30 for those lovely $9 sandwiches  :D.

I'm game to meet up for lunch.

I was in Eric Ziegler's class too Cracker clicker. I was up front behind the projector In the blue,red, and white shirt. :)

I really liked Eric's class, had some good base engine techniques and I enjoyed the case studies, they make you think. :) 

Where is their lunch area?  Sorry didn't pay attention to that, was busy with classes and asking questions.

busjockey wrote on Apr 24^th, 2015 at 7:55pm:

I was in Eric Ziegler's class too Cracker clicker.

Ah man, go figure.  I share an elevator with one of the Autonerdz' most prolific opponents, but I don't even know when I'm ten feet away from a Nerd, lol.


busjockey wrote on Apr 24^th, 2015 at 8:00pm:

Where is their lunch area?

It's at the rear of the trade show floor, and up one floor.  You can see it if you look up at the rear of the event.

Got to meet Superglide78 today!  Found out we attend training together all the time.  Small world.

Adam, crackerclicker, busjockey.  Where are you?  Let's meet up tomorrow!!!

Tell me when and where, I'm in the 6.7 class tomorrow.

After classes?  I am taking Kevin McCartneys 300,000 mile service strategy.  So, trade show floor?  Text me after class, 630-730-1818

I'll give you a text after class, trade show floor is fine. :) 

bluesman wrote on Apr 25^th, 2015 at 5:01pm:

Where are you?

The transmission class I'm taking will be over earlier than other classes, and I'm leaving town fairly quick after that.  I completely forgot to take the phone numbers you guys left, so I stood on the lunch floor around 1:30 lookin' around and hoping you decided to wear your snoopy shirt again.   :)

If it helps any, I've spent the entire weekend with a hoodie and a red Burton backpack on.  We probably walked past each other more times than we can count, lol.

I will see you in front of your class then.  I will wear a white Blues Brothers t-shirt.

Haha, is it bad this thread is starting to sound like a Craigslist ad?   ;D

I'll keep an eye out for ya.  [smiley=capinhook.gif]

Alright guys, having a cup of Joe by the cars at the front entrance if you want to meet.

Well it was nice to meet you bluesman, sorry I didn't meet the rest of you guys.  I will give you guys a heads up if I attend any classes in Alsip. :)  Anyway I enjoyed the classes, Jim Morton's Ignition class blew my mind!  Sharp guy.  The 6.7 class was good as was the rest of the classes I took. :)

It was a great pleasure meeting my fellow Autonerdz!  busjockey, crackerclicker, Superglide78, magicmatt.  Give me a call if you're in the neighborhood.

After this weekend of training and expo, I really want to travel to other training events now.  The weekend was lots of fun for me.

Yes it was very nice to meet you Bluesman! I'm sure I'll see you around. [smiley=maglass.gif]

Bus jockey - I agree Jim Morton's class was very good.

wish i could have made it. you guys wanna list the classes you went to and a quick review. there is some bitching on iatn about the training.

Understanding, diagnosing, and repairing fuel trim problems. Presenter: Bernie Thompson.
    I think this class was good. I did learn some things and walked away with a better understanding of fuel trims. Bernie did not spend the class trying to sell his products which I appreciate.

Mastering Voltage Drop. Presenter: Jamie Lazarus
  Unfortunately this class I could have done without. I didn't really take away anything new. He did seem to be plugging Power Probe pretty hard. He mentioned his affiliation with Autonerdz quite a few times also which I didn't mind.  [smiley=wink.gif]

How a gas analyzer can streamline diagnostic procedures. Presenter: Ron Bilyeu
  I bought a hand held 5 gas last year and really needed a class on what I'm looking at. I feel that I got that from this crash course in gas analyzers, or at least a good start.

Analyzing the Ignition Waveform. Presenter: Jim Morton
   Best class I took! At times Jim was a little hard to understand but he always had my attention. I was feverishly writing notes and had a hard time keeping up with the flow of information. It was the only class I took that I didn't doodle in the training material.

busjockey wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 5:41pm:

sorry I didn't meet the rest of you guys.

Yeah, me too.  I missed out meeting you & Superglide. 

Ironically, I ran into Matt on my way outta the hotel.   :D


bluesman wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 6:04pm:

It was a great pleasure meeting my fellow Autonerdz!

Nice to meet you too.  Now we just gotta convince your buddy to give Tom a call  ;).


sneaky pete wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 6:22pm:

you guys wanna list the classes you went to and a quick review.

Scot Manna's GDI was good and will be useful in the shop right away. 

In my opinion, Eric Ziegler's Essential Diagnostic Steps class was misnamed.  While it was good, it wasn't what I expected, and was mostly things I've already learned here and from experience.  One thing is for sure, though, you will not get bored in his class. 

Jesse Zacariasa's Using PIDs & Transducers for Transmissions had some  surprisingly good nuggets.  I used to attend transmission trade shows frequently, and the training was typically all the same silver bullet, hot line style classes that get old after awhile.  Mr. Zacariasa made some fairly big leaps in judgement during some of his case studies, but I'm excited to head back to the shop to start using some of his techniques. 

The only class I had to walk out of was Diagnosing Body Modules with the Scan tool.  I couldn't adapt to the training style of the two instructors, and the class itself was very basic.  It really is my own fault because I've seen one of the instructors on YouTube time and time again, so I don't know what made me think his live class would be any different.

The final class for me was Wayne Colonna's Transmission & Drivability Diagnostics.  This was exactly what I expected, a silver bullet class, but with an exceptional handout.  ATSG tends to organize their data and diagrams just the way I like to see it.  It was worth the hour and a half.   :)


sneaky pete wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 6:22pm:

there is some bitching on iatn about the training.

You mean this one?

http://members.iatn.net/forums/read/msg.aspx?f=forum4&m=12548&fv=0&ar=0

I find myself agreeing with a lot of what Mr. Heipp wrote, but how did he form his opinion of the training as a whole by attending only one class? [smiley=disimulo.gif]   

Ah man, go figure.  I share an elevator with one of the Autonerdz' most prolific opponents, but I don't even know when I'm ten feet away from a Nerd, lol.

you should have said hi, I have same problem spotting you guys ;)

crackerclicker wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 8:37pm:

but how did he form his opinion of the training as a whole by attending only one class?

that's exactly what I thought when I read it.

so were classes less than 3 hours or did it all depend on the class. I really wanted to hit up Donny Seyfert's Ecoboost class. thought that would have been interesting.

rheipp wrote on Apr 27^th, 2015 at 10:23am:

you should have said hi, I have same problem spotting you guys

Haha!  Actually, I wasn't completely sure it was you.  Until I saw the photo of Scott Groen and you for your charity competition at Vision, I was still having a hard time telling you and Scott Shotton apart.  :)  Heck, I think it's been roughly a handful of years since I attended your Driveability Guys class. 

Good to see you there Crackerclicker. You caught me off surprise! I'm like who is this white boy [smiley=scratch-head02.gif]? LOL!!!  It was a pleasure meeting you and proud of being a part of the Autonerdz community [smiley=thumbsup2.gif] 

bluesman wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 6:04pm:

It was a great pleasure meeting my fellow Autonerdz!  busjockey, crackerclicker, Superglide78, magicmatt.  Give me a call if you're in the neighborhood. After this weekend of training and expo, I really want to travel to other training events now.  The weekend was lots of fun for me.

Nice meeting you too, thanks for the contact info.

crackerclicker wrote on Apr 26^th, 2015 at 8:37pm:

Ironically, I ran into Matt on my way outta the hotel.

Nice to meet you, wish we had more time  to chat.

sneaky pete wrote on Apr 27^th, 2015 at 11:00am:

so were classes less than 3 hours or did it all depend on the class.

I believe there were a few short classes, but the majority were around 3 hours.


Norberto S. wrote on Apr 27^th, 2015 at 12:16pm:

You caught me off surprise! I'm like who is this white boy

Lol, sorry about that.  For some reason, when I saw your name tag, it just clicked.