Car trouble? Better call the mechanical master
Print Edition
NEARLY 30 years ago, when exotic luxury cars were rarer than giant pandas in China, Tao Wei repaired the only Rolls-Royce known to exist in the country, a broken down vehicle parked for decades in a garage.
Tao’s task was so remarkable in those days that even the “Time” magazine reported on his achievements.
With over four decades of auto repair experience, Tao is a legend in the industry. When it comes to fixing and maintaining high-end cars, there’s no problem he can’t handle.
Tao’s client list includes visiting heads of state, as well as consular officials based in the city.
His mastery of all things motor-related also earned him a place among the 88 candidates named as “Shanghai Craftsmen” this year by the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions.
In addition to the Rolls-Royce mentioned above, he also revived a bulletproof 1941 Cadillac that once served Chen Yi, the first mayor of Shanghai after 1949.
When Tao first encountered the vehicle in 1998, it had been sitting idle in a warehouse for decades.
The rusty sedan had peeling paint, a worn electrical system and an engine in need of overhauling. With his superb skills, Tao was able to save this exquisite antique from the scrap yard.
Tao and his colleagues inspected the old car numerous times as they developed repair plans. Their task was made even harder by a lack of suitable spare parts in the local market.
They dissembled the engine and electrical equipment, polished the still-usable parts and replaced damaged pieces with ones handmade by themselves. After half a year, the job was complete and the once-decrepit Cadillac was ready to drive as though it had just rolled off the production line.
Exclusive clientele
Tao has also put his talents to use for foreign diplomats and dignitaries.
When Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Shanghai in October 1992, the limo carrying the imperial couple malfunctioned.
Engineers from Japan checked the limo carefully but couldn’t detect any problems. Although the vehicle seemed sound to them, it would suddenly stop working after half-an-hour of driving.
The Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai sought technical assistance from the Shanghai government. It was Tao who was given the job. He asked for details over the phone and then led his team to the vehicle.
At the scene, Tao touched the hood and found it was very hot. “I thought it was a higher-than-normal temperature that led to excessive resistance and resulted in poor circuit contact,” Tao remembered.
He cleaned the oxidation layer on the resistance contact point and debugged the limo again. With this, the vehicle was fixed.
The visiting Japanese were astonished by Tao’s incredible skills but they didn’t know that he had worked out a preliminary diagnostic plan en route to the scene by virtue of his expertise and experience.
Later, when then President of the United States Bill Clinton visited Shanghai in June 1998, his bulletproof limo would not start. The American consul general called Tao for help.
After instrument testing, Tao found that a blown fuse led to electrical abnormalities that triggered a false bomb warning with the limo’s onboard computer. With this false alarm, the car was automatically immobilized.
Tao replaced the fuse and unlocked the limo’s “voice” and “speed” devices to get it back on the road again.
The Youth Car Repair business that Tao founded in 1990 has served 46 foreign consulates general in Shanghai and more than 100 foreign-funded companies. Tao’s business also offers after-sales services for all makes of foreign luxury cars.
He also established a workshop with 13 founding members in April 2011 to cultivate the next generation of car repair masters.
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