Technician vs Mechanic -ETCG1
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- Опубліковано 5 сер 2024
- The idea for Technician vs Mechanic comes from the suggestion box at EricTheCarGuy.com. jjrobs399 asked what the difference between a mechanic and technician was. It's a fair question to be sure, and one that I feel may inspire some debate. The point I try and make in this video is that yes, there are differences between the 2, however, I feel they both have a place and one is not necessarily better than the other. At least that's the way I feel about it.
I also touch on the fact that technology has crept into just about every automotive system in modern vehicles, therefore on some level I think you could consider all auto mechanics 'technicians' these days. It's just a thought. One that I hope brings us higher pay, and more importantly, respect in the coming years.
Thanks for watching.
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My husband is a really good mechanic and been doing it over 40 years but a technician he's not. Thanks to all the great UA-cam technicians doing videos, I've been studying my butt off and have a few scan tools now to help guide him and do the diagnostic part or we work on it together and come up with the solutions.
Hubby said today that he would've had to have called it quits in the trade, if it wasn't for my help but really, we teach each other and always have something to talk about over dinner.
Automotive technology has changed so much! It just seems like yesterday when I was a wide eyed lot lizard watching guy's use the Snap-on "red brick" and talking about the different modules coming out, or curiously watching someone hook up a scope, not realizing I was learning also😳
I worked in car dealerships for years and one of the best I ever worked with always made it a point to say, "I'm not a technician; I'm a mechanic. I can fix things"
Was looking for this lol thank you
Mechanic = OBD-I, Technician = OBD-II. Give a technician an OBD-I vehicle and watch the head scratching marathon commence. God forbid if it's a carburetor. If you can rebuild a carburetored engine you're automatically a mechanic in my book.
I feel that working on some of the older OBD I cars and trucks can make you a better technician because some older OBD I cars and trucks do not get you live data so this makes you have to go the component and backprobe connectors to get reading from a multimeter or maybe an scope
uprednecked Kinda more fun in a way. Not a time saver, but sometimes their simplicity is to your advantage.
Carbureted motors are dead with rare exception, so it doesn't really matter if a modern tech doesn't know what to do with one.
Your argument is as silly as expecting an IT guy to know how to operate a computer that fills a whole room and uses punch cards. It just doesn't matter anymore.
dchawk81 Its your own opinion man! I was referring to OBD I diagnostic work. No carbs involved. I think if you know how to work on a carbs and distributers you have an advantage. There are still classic cars and trucks and other older stuff still on the road and some small engines still have carbs chainsaws, lawmowers, etc. I have talked to people and they are feed up with shops not working on there old cars and trucks because a tech will look at it and say oh its got a carb! I cant fix that! But yes in this day a age electrical diagnostic work it more imporant! It also depends on what your working on too. maybe your right when it comes to the computer and IT industry. But in the the auto/truck/small engine industry to be successful you should know both the new and old
uprednecked
Carbs are outdated....Not saying we shouldn't know it, just that I've NEVER had the opportunity. I eat up every UA-cam video from my favorites that I can get on the subject, but hands on experience hasn't yet been an option.
Small engines? Mine still haven't needed service.
OBD I...harder to diagnose? Yes and no. They're simpler, and aren't compatible with my scanner, but I can still do direct testing. Solutions tend to be easy to find based on skills I developed before knowing how to use OBD II to help me. True testing needs great knowledge, but OBD I is kinda of a fun change on occasion. :)
I don't care what you call it or what the title is because it all boils down to this: Can you fix it, or not?
Can you, are you, willing to pay the price or not? That is the real issue. Nowadays, people buy used cars they cannot afford to pay to repair and they come in wanting good prices. I don't do good prices, I do perfect work. Good prices you can find at WalMart, Costco, BJ's. Perfect work costs money because it requires time, training and a huge investment in tools.
I have had this discussion more than once. After listening to their story, and getting my opinion, I have had customers tell me that, "The shop down the street would do it for less."
I have told them, then what are you doing wasting your time here? Go over there and get it done before the price goes up. And I have often had them say something like, "Well, I already had it there and I am not happy with their work."
I have said, Look, I am not fixing their mistakes. Take it back over there because you already paid them to do it. If I take the job, I will have to start all over and check what they did and I am going to charge you for it. I do not use junkyard parts and often do not even used reman unless they have a lifetime limited warranty. I cannot make the car better than the hundreds of engineers who designed it so I tend to adhere to their repair protocols. I have had less than ten come backs in over 30 years and they were for unrelated issues.
Training, good diagnostic routines, and more training because as soon as you are about to master a repair topic, they change everything and it never ends. Mechanics stop training, Technicians never stop. That is the difference between the two, plus the level of perfectionism. I have watched a lot of medical programs and I think I can do an appendectomy but would you want me to do it for you? Training my friends, training and specialization just like physicians.
You're too caught up in titles. There are mechanics who can do circles are techs just the same as there are techs who can do circles around mechanics. We all know great ones on both sides, and we all know shit ones. We all know mechanics who charge more than techs, and techs who charge more than mechanics. It's cars, not rocket science, and like you said - experience is king.
I don't think there are many mechanics left,they call them selves technicians now.they don't fix anything they just replace parts.mechanics learn from experience, technicians go to school and very few become mechanics
sandy nell indeed I'm constantly hearing that good mechanics are hard to find because the millennials of America aren't interested in it and the old school experts are slowly retiring. who knows what the future holds they may have to start paying them what they're really worth to see quality work.
@@macuse2008 If anything I've learnt learning car mechanics in the UK, it's that the scan tool is NOT the first thing to jump to, lol. And when you do jump to it, all it's telling you is "this sensor that can pick up on MANY things is showing a fault somewhere, find where the fault is!", and not "this is the fault."
Eric, I love your channels so much. You are probably one of the most logical and well spoken youtube mechanics, and you have so much great content!
I've been binge watching these videos for the past couple of days...and I have to say, I'm very impressed with the work that you and a lot of techs do. You, Scotty Kilmer, ChrisFix, Humble Mechanic, Engineering Explained...so much more! It's inspired me, I look forward to working on my vehicles now! I hope someday I can reach the caliber that you guys have, hell, maybe I'll be able to make some money off of it ;) ...if I could, I'd give you a raise! ...but the closest I can do, other than saying thanks, is to just keep on watching your stuff! :)
#StayDirty
l think technician is a buzz word that came around in the late 80s, and is just another name for a mechanic, when you were strong in one feild you were a specialist,,just like garbage man became sanatation engineer,,,it just sounded better,
Give a mechanic a Verus and he'll read codes. Give a tech a Verus and he'll read codes, utilize the 4 channel scope and use the component tester. There really is a difference. Trust me, I see it everyday
i love the george carlin skit on changing names
I agree somewhat. There are some people where the title is warranted (like scannerdanner who uses oscilloscopes to find leaks and misfires) and there's times where the company or individual applies the name without meaning. Like when employees became associates. A part timer working 12 hours a week isn't sitting in at corporate board meetings.
jeff bissey The difference I have found is the business model of the employer. From what I've seen, most employers (and employees in the flat time world) would rather not spend any time diagnosing at $140/hr when they could pump out 2 hours worth of flat rate suspension work in 45min. There isn't much motivation for people to go beyond the easy flat rate work. I prefer diagnostic work followed by correcting the problem, but it took a long time to find an employer who felt the same way.
+mustie1 People that work at McDonalds consider themselves technicians.
Thanks, it’s my birthday. Automotive technician in training, like the video, solid discussion.
Your repair videos taught me so much in the past 2 years, im stoked to see this new branch of videos you have put up, answers so many questions I have thought about while under the cars working!! Keep it up +ETCG1☝
I will and thanks!
+ETCG1 there is no devide a tech does it all ere in ireland full stop.ye yanks are light years behind on technology in motor trade and plumbing!!!!
ETCG1 Just wondering what kind of ABS scanner do you got and where can I get one??
I thought the opposite. Im a GST (General Service Technician) and all I is oil changes and tires. I thought a mechanic is the guys who been in it for years and years and perform more diagnostics and harder repairs.
I actually like that we don't fully agree on this topic, well accept for the raise part ;) For me it is just a title. It doesn't not really change the day to day flow of my job. Some days I spend the day slinging tires, others I am waist deep in diag of fiber optics dig. It is the beauty of being a dealer tech I guess. (see what I did there)
I understand why some feel the need to differentiate the mechanic from the tech. But, then does a "C" level tech become a mechanic? Is a "B" tech truly a technician? I like doing brake jobs and timing belts, are those mechanic's jobs not tech jobs?
Part of me feels like it is just a way to move past an old way of thinking about someone who fixes cars. There is a mindset that a "mechanic" is one thing, and a "tech" is another.
Personally I don't really care. If we were having a conversation, I would tell you that I am a VW tech. Why? All of the verbiage in the dealership is around the word tech. Would I get tweaked if someone called me a mechanic. Uh, nope.
But I will say that it is a pretty fun discussion to have.
Some great points you bring up here. I'd say we're more in agreement than disagreement. The video and discussion were based on prevailing opinions on the subject, this was just my answer to that. I suppose when you break it down, it's really just a matter of meaningless labels. Take away the labels and you're still fixing cars. A rose by any other name I suppose.
You are a true tech-mechanic-technician-or the bull names that exist....in other words...you are a top guy on the job!!
HumbleMechanic I agree with you there they're just labels. Here in sweden I would guess they would signify different education levels. Where a mechanic would be the basic level and technician the one with the higher education level however you don't seize to be a mechanic because you graduate tech school you have just added to your formal qualifications which often means nothing in the real world. If you go to tech school before working you still have no experience when you really start working. Id rather trust a mechanic that has worked for 5 to 10 years than a technician that just started because the mechanic will have done the work even without the formal qualification. For example when I was working in a machine shop I taught myself how to program the cnc multi mill and cut significant machine time out of the program that a production engineer had written 10 or 15 years earlier even though my education is in social studies and I have no formal qualification in machine work. I don't like labels because they are very inflexible and only provide part of the the description to who or what you are.
I completely agree with what you said. I'm currently in school learning Diesel Mechanics but it is called "diesel Technology", so when people ask I say I'm getting my certification as a diesel tech. The truth is both words mean the same but since, like you said, a lot of verbiage is geared to "technician" it's just what I use.
rimmersbryggeri I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain your point of view, I have never thought of this subject that way. Reason being, I spent over 20 yrs in construction and have been mechanically inclined since I was young (10 or so) and up until about 2-1/2 yrs ago, I never considered myself a mechanic, because I didn't want to insult what my perception of what real mechanics are. Fast forward to present day, I hold a mechanics position in a County municipality and I am doing great, partly thanks to u!
Thanks Buddy! We all need raises for our effort and knowledge we deal with in these Modern vehicles. (Toyota Tech 18yrs)
I say it's everybody's birthday on every video. The knowledge you bestow upon us with each video is like a birthday present! I'm gonna use the knowledge you give me, especially on your main channel, when I get more mechanically inclined with my '16 Forte after its warranty expires.
Stay dirty!
Great video. Very illustrative, especially for us car aficionados who may want to work on our over the weekend.
As a fleet tech for a major shipping company I wear several hats. Mechanic, technician, secretary, EPA specialist, spill clean up, and several others. We don't get involved with transmission overhauls or engine rebuilding, it's too time consuming with 72 trucks and 2 techs. I change a lot of oil, brakes and tires. But I also have a fleet of diesels that have the DEF systems that are problematic to say the least. Mercedes Sprinters are the bulk of them. I don't know how many of you have had the joy of installing a turbo on one of these, but there are a few bolts that are done by Braille, seriously!! But as Eric pointed out Mercedes has computers that monitor and talk to each other, one simple problem can cause the truck to be in limp home mode. We see it daily, when they had less than 150 k they weren't to bad, now they are creeping up on 200k to 250k we've gotten a lot busier.
I remember you talking about the birthday comment. Every time you open with it, it cracks me up!
Thank You Eric for sharing your videos, knowledge and expertise. It is really appreciated.
Great video, very straightforward and reasonable and honest. I am a mechanic for several reasons: 1) Aside from a timing light and basic multimeter, I don't own any diagnostic equipment; 2) the most advance electronic operation I have done is the paper clip jumper method of retrieving trouble codes; 3) I deliberately buy vehicles with a strong reputation for reliability because I hate working with electronics and automotive computers; 4) nearly every time I have taken my personal vehicle to a garage is for electronic or computer related items, such as smog checks, automatic HVAC system problems, LED display issues, etc. I do all of my own maintenance except for tire rotations which must be done at the tire shop to maintain the new tire warranty.
I've been an A&P Mechanic/Aircraft Maintenance Technician working on everything from Cessna's to fighter jets for over thirty years, using all kinds of electronics diagnostic tools, hand and power tools, lathes, milling machines, welders etc.. I've also been an auto mechanic, worked in several garages and built numerous cars, motorcycles and boats, and worked as an outside Machinist on submarine dry docks, rebuilding pumps motors, gear boxes, cranes etc. In my mind, a mechanic can fabricate, repair, troubleshoot, test anything and gets real dirty doing it. And a technician fixes cash registers and copy machines, and would have a hard time changing a tire and has baby soft clean hands.
So what your saying is when you were aircraft tech you had baby soft hands and only fixed cash registers?
+Jane Smith That's what I got out of that hahaha
Jane Smith Reading comprehension is a problem for you eh?
+Jojo Diver People like you are Magicians, but today employers only want mechanics that changes wheels and stuff like that or technicians looking on the computer that such probe is broken but the mechanic is fine....
The other job that can not be settled in this kind of workshop is for magicians.
+ALMIGHTY ED I've been an A&P "mechanic" for 24 years and refer to myself as such. (My "title" at work is Test Cell Master Technician). Anyway.... I have a 13 year old AUTISTIC son who loves minecraft, which I will play with him, so don't judge if someone watches videos on the subject. You don't know his situation.
interesting topic my fellow gearheads, i am a graduate of the Shadytree Institute.Built my first truck when i was 14 (thanks pop for the patience). but I evolved just like the rest of you out there we had no choice because cars evolved and we just learned to work on these cars ,now some people do have the means to go to school and be trained and get certified and some of us didn't.My personal opinion is this, I have fixed cars that a "technician" just couldn't figured out and what i have found is that it was a very simple repair , I dont care how many patches you got on your shirt they cant take the place of simple common sense that comes from years of nuckle busting,cursing in four different dialects, 2 trips to the market for beer and cigs, looking for that 9/16 you swore it wuz just there by your ratchet and you ask your dog if he seen it nights . phew if i left something out guys plz chime in but we are all mechanics the fact that we have to use 3000 dlr scanners to find the culprit in the end it still takes a wrench to change that part.....
This channel is great, and I liked this video, Eric keeps it real, thank etcg1!
big fan of this show by the way i have learned a few things from watching over the years. Thank You Eric!
Hey
Sorry to bring up an old video pal but I'm becoming a technician apprentice tomorrow.
This video helped me quite a lot in being able to know the definitive difference between a technician and a mechanic,
Thank you!
I'm happy to help. Thanks for your comment and good luck with your apprenticeship.
ETCG1 Hey dude. It went very well thanks! First car I learnt to do a service on today was actually a C63 AMG! Quite frankly, it couldn't have gone better.
Glad to hear it! Thanks again and good luck.
Well said, very well said. Most mechanics will not be mechanics in the future, even to replace a engine and a transmission needs programming. Even a trans repair or engine will need a scanner to perform a relearn. Not knocking nobody, just saying we all need to stay ahead.
-present Ford Senior Master.
Its my birthday!! That was kind of exciting haha
Came back to watch this again. The employee probably wants to specialize but the employer (more at the independent shop) wants a "bumper to bumper" guy. I retired in 2005,the GM Dealer I left in 2000 let us specialize but the BMW Dealer I left in 2003 wanted us to be "bumper to bumper". It seems backwards.Dang I look back at these dates and I think things must have changed in the shop some. Last time I was in my old AZ BMW Dealer was 2010,I was visiting a guy I worked next to for a number of years, this fellow "Technician" had moved (bypassing Service Adviser) all the way to Service Manager, it is an amazing story. The other amazing part is a guy (mechanic) even older than me was still out in the shop flat rating it. We all thought he was going to drop dead in 2001 and here it was 10 years later and he is still going. I am really glad I got the chance to work with a car line like BMW. At school (I went to a school in Schamburg Il) they treated you so darn good. If you can find a spot at a BMW Dealer get in it ,it may be a place you can stay. By the way, I like family owned Dealerships much better than corporate owned Dealerships but the family owned is getting harder to find.
Technicians = know "when & why" to change based on manufacture's recommendations.
Mechanics = know "what, when, where, why, how" to change based on real experience, personal skills/development. Rely less on recommendations and more on fortifications.
Specialists/Engineers = think they are always right when really its the Mechanics who are right.
WOW WHAT?! I ACTUALLY WATCHED THIS VIDEO ON MY BDAY!!! no jokes! thnx Eric, I cant believe i left this video for my birthday which was today! thnx Eric!!!!! (no jokes and im being serious)
Sorry Eric, I was working as a mechanic back when "technician" started to get used which was the same time that the garbage man started getting called a sanitation engineer, secretaries started being called assistants, etc. It was nothing more than part of the make everyone feel good about themselves movement because the old name was too degrading movement. Now 30 years later that the old name "mechanic" is still being used there seems to be a need to try and differentiate between the two when there really isn't a difference. I agree that today there are more "specialized technicians" but a really good mechanic is able to do all or just about all of it.
+BlameRepublicans Tl;dr mechanics and technicians are the same thing, just more friendly term. Lazy ass
+BlameRepublicans
I take extreme offense to that post !
I'm politically libertarian-conservative, socially liberal, and fiscally a conservative ( I don't like the socialist-liberal-democrats who are currently running for President and who are trying to "Out-Socialist-the-other") - I'm also a member of MENSA, and I have almost 40 years of fixing MY OWN car. (So much for ruining the "average" demographic for nearly every category of voter)
TO ETCG1 : I started doing tuneups at 14, when I bought my own engine analyzer which only measured dwell and tach. Does a technician even know the term "dwell" anymore ? Does that type of knowledge make me a "mechanic" ?
In my opinion, like ETCG1, a "mechanic" uses less technology to diagnose, but I think he/she also uses a lot more "guess work" and hence, probably a lot less unnecessary "replacing" because they don't "guess" what is wrong as much. "Technicians" don't do as much "repair", because it is my opinion that they lose at least some of the mechanical skill it takes to diagnose without elaborate equipment. ... Can a "technician" with very little experience diagnose a deep engine problem by only "listening" to it ? Probably not.
Conversely, can a technician with little experience correctly diagnose and repair the correct part if he uses expensive diagnostic equipment ? Of course ! The result is usually inversely proportional to merely making an "educated-guess" at what is wrong,(and an overall better quality of service to the consumer) and only something that comes with experience.
However, both types of car "repair-persons" are prone to the same type of customer abuse if the repair shop isn't basically honest.
My experience is that most dealerships and most chain lube places are honest, (but more prone to forget to replace the drain plug - I personally have 3 close friends and a brother-in-law that had to replace engines because of that "little bit" of experience lesson in forgetfulness) BUT about 75% of my friends who went to no-name "mechanics" were severely misdiagnosed, with unnecessary repairs/replacement. The financial incentives seem to be just too hard to resist for even a basically honest church-going Christian person when it comes to making a lively-hood. Surprisingly, the best mechanics I ever heard of were the "shade-tree" guys who worked part-time replacing parts for friends in their drive-way.
btw.......Is there anyone I forgot to "tick-off" in this reply, including ECTG ? Hey man, everybody's life-experience is different, that's why we all have opinions. The key is to not take things personally. When did being so afraid to offend someone makes us afraid to speak our mind ? Thanks politically correctness ! "opinions are like butt-holes, everybody has one" ;)
Exactly! A technician is a title that started in the 80's during the "feel good" movement. Now it has evolved into a term that is used in place of mechanic and it should not be. It should designate a specialist on a particular system or vehicle line. A "mechanic" to me is one who can pull a trans, but takes it to a transmission "technician" for repair and then reinstall's it. A "master mechanic" is one who pulls the trans and then rebuilds it in his garage, can fabricate tools to use if the special ones are not available, and then puts it back into the car. But he also understands PWM used to control fuel pump pressure or drive by wire throttles, and can change out the u-joints in the front stub shafts of a 74 Chevy Blazer out on the trail.
You are just saying all that to feel like authoritative. Make you feel like a big man huh? Bet you can't even pin-point diagnose a fuel-trim problem using freeze frame data. lol You are saying a lot, but saying nothing. I see no automotive proficiency in any of that little monologue you gave.
No, there is more to mechanics than just part swapping. You sound like a shade tree mechanic. A real tech should know how to diagnose switching devices and if the primary or secondary coils are being energized. lol You don't know get out of here. haha
Hey Eric I have a shop in just outside of Birmingham Al, what management system do you use such as Mitchell 1manager or identifix or Alldata?
Hey Eric I have a 07 honda pilot that has the "eco" mode that comes on and off all the time real annoying. do you know of any way to get it to not use that mode at all? The only way I know of so far is pulling some fuse "one that's not running anything major" that will throw a engine code witch cancels the eco out. I mean is there a computer program or something that can go into the cars computer and cancel this thing out that you know of? I'm sure you won't get this but I thought I'd give it a try. Maybe someone else can chime in on it..
+ Jojo Driver you have hit the spot, I have been in the echanical trade for over 30 years and have worked in dealership mine sites remote outback and every where in between have worked on every thing from whipper snippers to heavy earthmoving auto electrical to rebuilds servicing to advanced diagnostics. - in the end you do what you love and you love what you do and let no one label you for what you can do
Fantastic video! I feel you on the pay issue. It's not like I make less for working harder, paying more into my profession and spend way more hours working... Then my brother in the IT industry... He had to buy a laptop once... And the other week he was able to take trip... And he has a nice big house... My apartment is nice. However, as a lead technician. I do feel it's somewhat rewarding. And I love figuring out cool hard solve electrical and drive issues. Wouldn't be able to handle his job ever again though. Thank you for the share.
Well spoken Eric! I agree with all of your points made here. There is a clear and defined difference between a mechanic and a technician. Not clear to all people, especially those who are not in the automotive field daily. There are a lot of mechanics or what I like to call “parts changers” and their are few technicians. And it is clear as day when you find those technicians. Because all the mechanics are asking them for “their opinion” or “help” with their jobs the moment it goes beyond changing something and it turns into figure that system out.
My father sated me out as youngsrer. I'm 52 now. Been working on internal combustion engines of all kinds.if it ran then, But like you said about all the computers and modules. For convenience, give me a break. Your right most mechanics were forced into becoming techs, and not by choice. Keep up the good work, Martin. P.s. Maybe there's an app for that too☺
Good description. Especially with modern techs. I work at a Toyota dealership. Most days are pretty normal diagnosing sensor failures or mechanical failures. Then there's those days where you have a vehicle that comes in with a ball of electrical issues and you gotta put your thinking cap on. I'd say there is people better in one aspect of repair than the other but it seems everybody is pretty well rounded
Good video, i understand where the difference in terms are coming from. I went to school for automotive, to see some of these teachers that were retired techs demonstrate stuff, and then after school go work at a small independent and see regular guys that didnt go to school , work like they do, is where i see the differences. The retired tech can use an oscilloscope and really know what it means. The guy at the small shop it jabbing wires with testlights.
thanks for your years of great helpful videos!,,,
As someone who started professionally in the mid-80s, I was right at the beginning of computer and fuel-injection tech and still dealing with a lot of mainly carburetor vehicles. It was hard to get a mentor and hard for someone to let me even look over their shoulder. I was self taught for a while and I was lucky to have a much more experienced friend in the profession to eventually be a co worker and give me a chance to gain more knowledge and income. That gained income went a lot into buying very expensive tech tools for that time (Snap-on scanners etc and a lot of reading and research). Work ended up being more diagnosis to be able to know WHAT to fix, instead of just throwing parts at a problem. It became a certain satisfaction of solving a problem that someone else either couldn't or didn't care to put the time into it.
BrewBlaster
Wow!!...............
ua-cam.com/video/sluNuVp2_TE/v-deo.html
Doing restoration (which always seems to involve customization these days) i definitely have to do a lot of technical work as i make new engines work with old cars, and add all sorts of other scads of customized electronics that must function in a way a modern car does it really gets quite technical. Went out of business in april, but from my 5 years doing that i felt like i was in both worlds, and my small training in electrical lead the shop to lean on me for electronics things. I think i agree in the end with your statement that we should all be considered technicians. The certificate i got was called "maintenance mechtrician," and seems aptly named, as it was groundwork for working maintenance on industrial machinery. It was a combination of a industrial mechanical maintenance and industrial electrical maintenance, because to be able to repair modern industrial equipment, just like modern cars, it requires extensive knowledge of both mechanical and electrical aspects. You cannot fix one without the other. So... i don't always call myself a mechtrician, more often "autobody mechanic" in the past years, but i still feel it a fitting title. Even on older vehicles you end up doing a lot of DC troubleshooting which a lot of those technicians who specialize in computer systems would honestly have trouble with. We all have our place in the industry in the end, whatever we call ourselves.
Thank you for video !!! Exactly what I wanted to know.
ok quick question my main interest is working on engines and transmissions witch out of the two would be better suited for that a mechanic or technician?
The last diagnosis I left up to a shop was back in 2000 and it was a wheel bearing. I knew it was the front passenger side but I didn't know if it was the CV axle or the bearing. Everything since then I've pointed at, handed them the parts, and told them to put them on for me. And starting about 3 years ago I started to DIY everything that didn't require specialized, expensive, or big/immovable equipment. Like tire change machines and road force/balance machines and presses.
I agree with most of the posters, there are very distinct differences. When I started wrenching the word technician was used to describe a person who had a specialized skill. When I joined the Air Force in 1981 I was a "Flightline Technician." As a dealer wrench I was a "mechanic" until about the mid 80's when the computer started taking over the functions of the car, the complexity now required someone who just dealt with a specific area of the vehicle and they were called Technicians. Just by my age I consider myself a Mechanic with Technician skills. I can and have rebuilt an electronic controlled automatic transmission, calibrated PCM's with electronic tunes and still know how to set points gaps and dwell or jet a carb.
I agree with your point that a lot of skills of technicians and mechanics do overlap in the field of automotive repair. I would also argue that some modern vehicles are for lack of a better word a royal pain in the ass to work on not only for DIYers who may not necessarily have all the expensive equipment required to do such simple jobs like bleeding brakes but also for mechanics/technicians whatever you wanna call them. On the other hand I'm sure they make more money in the process of completing these repairs but I also wonder if in the future a lot of DIY work will become obsolete as a result of technological advancements.
so question, I'm going to be attending UTI for Diesel Technician/Mechanic but knowing what I know and done my life all comes easy but what would you recommend starting off first with in school being a Tech or Mech cause I've always been good with computers too,how they work why they work and how to repair so what would your advice be on starting off with in school
thank you for everything you post
I am a Mechanic. I was trained as an Aircraft mechanic. Now I work on heavy equipment. I rebuild engines, transmissions, gearboxes and differentials. I also build custom hydraulic systems, troubleshoot navigation and autosteering systems as well as fixing a/c systems, chasing CAN problems and repairing electrical systems. I am required and execute any and all repairs that come into my shop and while I fix cars as a hobby, I am and will all ways be a Mechanic.
What an awesome coincidence that you said happy birthday! It is actually my birthday today!
Jeff Pitman Great topic once again1 I have been in the trade for 30 plus years and am third generation mechanic. In ontario we have a goverment /trade designation(for better or worse than the ASE in the US) As a licenced mechanic we are held legally to our work That has a way of making everyone very thorough. In the first Licensed Mechanic shortage all of sudden the chain garages big retailers and dealers started to promote/advertise Technicians While coming from a group of mechanics who not only pride ourselves in being able to co mpletely rebuild compentent and use diagnostic tools which even my older colligues welcome them because as we say it still jes to have spark,fuel,and air(elecreics exempted!!) to run hte elctronics just substitue the mech systems Back to the issue at hand clling one of my colligues a technician isnt a complement! We all whole heartedly agree the trade needed better designations like many other industries In accounting you have general corporate tax personal etc their still accountants but with a specialty. I nor do my colligues know how or great and honourable trade got so far off track. The only sensible answer seems to be of all the specialized trades/ professions we are the only one without or own federation /association/union My grandfather told me there was attempts to form over the years but the manufacturers(dealers) put a stop to it Maybe its time we got our own collective voice then we can decide what we want to be called There is turely a hot topic for etgg The founder of the Mechanics Union !!
Hello ETCG1,
Can you recommend a low to reasonably cost scan tool that allows access to vehicle functions (CAN), such as initializing ABS module for break flush?
I am DIY automotive engineer using my own tools.
Thanks in advance.
Do you always park your Accura in your garage with open hood? :)
Wow a great topic!! In the classes I teach my definition is that a Technician wears many different "hats" one of those hats is "Mechanic". The other hats would be Plumber, Electrician, Diagnostician, Chemist, Electronics specialist, Computer / Software specialist... The days of a pure Mechanic only are long gone from the Automotive / Equipment industry.
+Joseph Hass You are right, but plumber & electrician applies to a mechanic as well.
Yes but even broadening the description, it is still too limited in scope for what we expect of our skilled trade, at least for most of us. I am not denigrating the title mechanic as some would I am just merely amplifying it.
I think the use of Mechanic and Technician is directly reversible. You can call a mechanic or a technician either or.
A specialist in something like diagnosing issues would be a specialist. You'd get a Brakes specialist, an Exhaust specialist, Ignition and Air specialist, Suspension and Running Gear specialist, Engine Building specialist, Electrical specialist and Bodywork specialist. They're all under their own categories when they're named by their strengths. I'd probably be a brakes specialist, but only because it's something I do a lot of. All of the above are still mechanics or technicians however you call it.
Where I work, we have a guy who's been in the trade for the best part of 45 years and has 'seen it all', a guy with engine mechanical and technical diagnosis and repair qualifications, a guy with modern electrical components and operations qualifications and we have a guy who is a Jack-Of-All, Master-Of-None dealio. When a car rolls in with a horrendous noise, the guy with engine mechanical technical qualifications could probably take a quick guess before starting, do a full diagnostic process on that part and then find his initial guess was correct, followed by checking everything else, where the others would just diagnose the problem and then find the problem after the full process. If there was an electrical fault, the others are hopeless in comparison to the guy with the electronics qualifications. But each and every one of them can do exactly the same job. They have done the time to be able to make accurate guesses to aid speeding up the diagnostic process, being able to pin-point a good idea what's causing something and checking if they're right. If they're not, they'll make their next best guess and go from there and so on. Whilst they all could make their best guesses, someone with technical experience with those problems would be able to do a more accurate guess of where their diagnostic process starts. Do they do a compression test first, or do they do an exhaust gases coolant test, ect.
Being able to make a quick, accurate guess on where to start diagnostics is one of the best ways to save time, and the better you are, the higher your success rates are and the less you get comebacks, though you should never realistically have comebacks if you're doing your job right. Right fix first time is the best thing to follow.
I disagree with your interchangeability thesis.
Eric,
I'm a marine technician and have been for the past seven years and I have seen technology on outboards evolve greatly. I also just in January became a certified technician for Evinrude. Going back to technology evolving, before if I was dealing with an overheating V6 outboard, I would use an infrared temperature gun to see what bank of cylinders is running hot and replace the thermostat(s) or water pump depending on my findings. Now, I can use Evinrude Diagnostics to see temperatures and do as I did before. Just my $0.02.
I'm neither mechanic nor technician but I did DIY a cylinder 1 & 3 misfire on my wagon that turned out to be a broken wire in the main harness. Fixed it up with some trailer wire. Pretty proud of that one.
Yep, All true, Eric. For me, I was a Mechanic. I have been out of the profession for many many years now. But I still spin the wrench. I could never keep up in my later years of wrenching with the Technicians. So I left the field. I am probable more able to do more technical things these days and understanding the computers and electronics of vehicles, now. Then I did back then. So I have tried to get back into the business in the form of service adviser. But I'm told that i have been out of it too long and the business has changed. LOL!
So yes. There is a difference between Technicians and Mechanics. But something has been lost because some of those Technicians have written off us old Mechanics. So something has gotten lost to where I think cars are not getting properly repaired these days. I've just seen way too many horror stories coming out of modern shops and dealerships. The respect from the Technicians for the Mechanics is just not there. I saw it in my last days in the profession. They felt they were above us. There is still a need for us Mechanics.
And yes, the pay should be MUCH higher for Techs and Mechanics. But the public will always look at us as ripping them off when they look at how much the labor is on a service ticket. That was another reason I got out of it, but that's for another video.
Love your channels!!
A family friend of mine is a GM technician working at a Ford/Chrysler dealership and his view was that technicians go to school to work on cars (like his certification from GM and he takes classes from time to time for his job at the dealership) while mechanics mostly learned from experience
Comparing technician to a mechanic is like comparing a red apple to a red apple.
Bryson Caudle yet we have organic red apples that taste better and red apples grown with chemicals which taste bland.
Give me an organic apple and a chemically "assisted" apple 3 minutes apart and I'll have a hard time telling the difference.
@@trevordg419 organic apples are smaller
Hey men check this out , all data repair low cost , lol
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575378759&campid=5338273189&customid=&icep_item=143756598376&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg&toolid=11111
Will my dirt bike still start if I put 15w 40 into it
HEY!, THIS ISN'T A REPAIR VIDEO:(
50gunner no shit he said off the rip this wasn't a repair video!!!!!
lol sarcasm
Do you know how to read(ETCG1) is a talk chanel and (Eric the car guy) is a repair and diagnos cars
Happy Birthday!!
😂😂😂 why am i laughing??
Great Video and very well spoken
I agree with you completely. I have been doing repairs on all types of vehicles for years and consider myself to be a decent mechanic. However I now work only on older non computerized vehicles because I am not a technician and have no desire to become one at my age. There is a difference.
Hal
As a 19 year old service technician in training, I can say there is a lot that goes into the electronics portion of "Mechanics". Even though i'm training to work on combines, the technician/specialist side is more in depth. Its not a very good comparison of half million dollar machines vs everyday drivers but I am definitely starting to understand how important the new technology is that is getting put into everything regardless if its a combine or a car.
Hi im From Morocco - Can i buy the Good multi brand Tool Diagnostic in USA ??
what is it like repairing cars from 2005-2010 and cars made from 2011-2015?
I spent twenty years as a Master Tech, diagnostician, always did mechanical work as well. Finally decided to transition into the aviation field where my heart always longed to be. Got two and a half years of additional training. Does that make me a traitor to my gear head buddies? I never felts we got treated nicely as auto tech and working in dealerships affirmed that feeling when I noticed sales people revered as kings/queens while we were the dogs. Can you shed some light on why we are treated as such in such a prestigious vocation? Thank you.
+Michael Bonnici ua-cam.com/video/wwfp0dyylqA/v-deo.html
I will commit to this; Salespeople have an opportunity to interact whereas shop people make their sales possible. I worked at a Toyota, BMW, Porsche-Audi dealer. I was the senior Porsche-Audi-BMW person. The salespeople frequently approached me to help them make sales and they would split their commission with me. I facilitated many sales based on technical aspects alone but I never saw a dollar, even a cup of coffee.
I have a low opinion of salespeople. They will say anything to make a sale that the shop has to live up to. They tell jokes, entertain and serve coffee while we make things happen but customers never have an opportunity to interact with the shop people. The thing is, when sales collapse, it is the shop, the mechs and techs, that keep the dealer in business. I have been on both sides so I know this well.
When I did my schooling to be a diesel mechanic, one of my instructors said it pretty well I think. "A mechanic is someone who just primarily changes parts (R&R). A technician has the knowledge and ability to diagnose problems and failures and be able to fix them." Working in the field for many years now, I have seen a lot of seasoned mechanics who can do brake jobs (air brakes), EGR replacements (diesel), wheel seals, air bags, leaf spring replacements, etc for heavy truck that is broken/worn out stuff that just need R&R, but have a hard time diagnosing why there isn't any power getting to a light bulb, or can't diagnose an ABS or check engine fault and know exactly where to look for the problem. Those are what I consider the differences between mechanic and technician, and is on a more personal level of what you think of yourself, not just a job title or a specialty.
Where you go to school my friend
For diesel technician?
Mechanics are basically parts changers who can visually identify a problem and repair it, but have trouble diagnosing intermittent problems. Technicians are the ones who have to track down intermittent problems through scan tools and electrical troubleshooting to diagnose a problem so a mechanic can repair it!
You, sir, are the Greg House of cars. Bravo.
As a service manager and former Mechanic here is my take. Mechanic is what I call myself and everyone I know calls themselves. "Technician" is something the dealers refer to their mechanics as when talking to customers, when advertising or its something schools used to make students feel better. The guys I know liken Technician and Mechanic to Garbage Man and Sanitation Engineer. One is just a fancy word for the other....I however can rebuild a carburetor, a transmission , a modern diesel or gas engine and troubleshoot whatever system related component I need to on whatever I am working on. The word Technician was just a word to make myself feel better than I was when I did not know what I was doing. So for me its just plain old mechanic and using all the modern tools is just a part of that job. That being said their is a big difference between a Mechanic and a parts changer. I have worked with a few "Technicians". I found them very competent in following troubleshooting trees and calling technical support after they ran out of diagnosis instructions as I recall. To each their own however that's just me and the guys that I run around with.
Just curious, I have noticed no lifts in your garage. Why?
expensive, no high voltage plugs, and he wants to do it as someone who would be a DIY persons and does it with generally what tools they have. Only a small portion of his viewers have hoist
I started into the path of a vehicle mechanic in 1975 when I entered the U. S. Air Force as a General Purpose Vehicle Mechanic. I n 1975 that is what the job was called. I stayed in that career for ten years and in 1985 I was retrained as a aircraft structural repair mechanic. I once moved into the new career field I actually liked it better, being a aircraft mechanic. Over the the following 4 to 5 years I studied and got my Airframe and Power Plant certification. I stayed as a aircraft mechanic until I retired two years ago.
But I digress and the main reason is I still work on my personal vehicles and a friends or neighbors vehicles. I have a simple scanner that will lead me into the diagnosis of what the vehicle is saying. I found that I don't want to be a full time but just to keep active. I actually am one of the few in my neck of the woods that can get a older vehicle and figure out what it is doing and that is pre ODB2 as I done that type of work before and have knowledge of the repair steps and diagnosing what the car/truck is doing. Simple vehicles until the computers starting to enter the vehicles to the point that when they had been so computerized I simple tell whomever take it to the shop/dealer as I cannot and will not work on it. Yeah I have one model year 2018 that I just take it in and have the dealership take care of it. My 2004 truck I will use the scanner first then figure out whether I can fix it or my local auto center and the 2012 well that is a mixed bag, some things I will work and some I will take a pass and have the auto center do unless it is a recall.
For me calling someone a "technician" is like putting lipstick on a pig. They are MECHANICS as whether they use a scanner or do the way I have done repairs it is still all the same, you still have take the input from what ever source it is and apply a fix to the problem.
why is this not a repair video I'm trying to figure out how I change my light bulb fluid
Awesome topic, great response gives us techs a good look
This is interesting. I always thought that technician is the opposite of what you are saying. When i think of a technician I think of the guys at Valvoline who have a basic knowledge of this that and the third. Which was making me weary of going into an automotive technician program because I didn't want to learn a small range of repairs compared to a master mechanic who knows all aspects of the vehicle. Thanks for the clarification!
+Marissa Monster Your first thought was right......
+Chris C Agreed! I always thought of it that way too, so, mechanics have trained and have an understanding of the whole vehicle and knowledge and skills that they can apply to almost any type of system they might come across, whereas I thought technicians were trained to perform specific tasks or jobs, rather than diagnosing and fault finding.
+Chris C
I also agree....you're going to learn how to bust your butt for little pay, under a hot car, changing oil that is going to give you 2nd degree burns, and you are going to end up hating cars. You would be better off and probably learning more by buying a used late model Camry, (which has one of the better laid out engines, IMO) that needs a lot of rebuilding, and then just re-building every thing on it, and then keeping it. They are good for over 300k miles when cared for. They will rust before they break. You have to REALLY TRY to kill a Toyota. And there is a ton of stuff on You-Tube about them. You don't even have to pay for school. Hey, I have a very rare car, only 1,089 ever made over 4 years, but I still find stuff on the ole' You-tube about it... you can learn anything here, and there's a ton of stuff on the Camry....Its the most produced car since the VW Beatle and made car since the model T.
+T Andrews I agree. Most of these auto tech programs are a bad deal at best and one step above a scam at worst. I've learned everything I know about cars from the internet, and the only irritating thing is that a lot of people won't take you seriously without a piece of paper that says you took a basic class on it. These days you can teach yourself to do anything if you have the time, patience, and motivation.
been an entry level tech now for about a year with sears, and gatta say it really is hard work mentally and physically. Never the less ill never leave this industry no matter what it throws at me
I started like most by being a backyard speed freak. 25ish years later I own a business repairing big rigs. I have dealt with a spectrum of mechanics in that time.
Sample: Caught his fuse box on fire when he straight wired a circuit that was blowing fuses.
9 years experience...couldn’t adjust brakes.
Graduated Lincoln tech, 2+ years experience. Couldn’t put a belt on.
I pursued ASE certifications. I got so much crap after the fact. Exclusively from guys who didn’t have it. They assumed that I thought I knew it all. They said anyone can get it and it don’t mean shit. Just cuz you know stuff in a book don’t make you a mechanic.
Almost no-one willing admits that they are ignorant. My pursuit of certification made me better at my job. To get my certification I had to understand the complete system that I was working on. So these same guys in the shop would have their mind blown when I could diagnose a problem just by asking the customer a few questions and running a few tests. Meanwhile they would throw parts at symptoms.
The difference between mechanic and technician is a matter of the individual. There are guys who can’t read that can fix machines better than most. There are guys who have lots of certs, that can’t change oil.
I’m not perfect. I’ll never know it all. But tomorrow I will know more than I did today.....unless I get a concussion.
When I did my training in the commercial engineering industry a tech did the diagnostics and unit overhaul while the mechanic did the everyday nut and bolts jobs, but now in the uk the grades have near enough merged
Question. Whould you call someone that works on small engions (ie. Snowblower, lawn mower, weedwacker.) A small engion technician or a small engion machanic?
Lawn mower man?
what do you consider briansmobile1 ?
I'm not a mechanic or a technician, I am a mechanical engineer an electrical engineer and a chemical engineer, I design, and fabricate and build, I also have my masters in duct-tape-ology and my jerry riggins degree, and when I dont know I look to technical data and the al o mighty "hey gooogle"
It's so true its terrible
😂😂😂🤣 why, why, did i read this?!!! 😂 soon google will start charging for any information they give you.... lets pray they don't think about it though or else we'll be doomed!!
I think I can sum it up in a pretty simple way:
Non-electronic mechanic systems = mechanic;
Electronically assisted mechanical systems = technician.
Non-electronics = mechanic;
Electronics = technician.
+ChrisKsan
Some Techs are also good mechanics. Some mechanics are sometimes good Techs too. I got my first engine analyzer when I was 14 (it only measured dwell and tach - doesn't count as tech now, probably). I now have 37 years of shade-tree experience in all major manufactures, basically from the Old Beatle (the most simple engine) to a Competition Ion Redline from GM Performance Division, with a stage 2 mod that only had a 1,089 production run over all 4 years, and has a suspension set up for racing on the Nurburgring. (The base car can still be bought for a song by people who don't know what they are, and modded to 300+ WHEEL hp not shaft hp, ..very high for a 2800lb car...and modded for under $2,000, but they are very rarely available for sale, most are in collections, not mine....which is driven, ...as how ALL cars should be enjoyed !! Even that $3mil Carroll Shelby Cobra #1 !!, well maybe not THAT one, since Shelby himself can't drive it... anymore, but I don't believe in Trailer Queens. They become pieces of Art, not cars anymore.)
+ChrisKsan pretty good summary there, in my country(australia) we refer to ourselves as mechanics who do the majority of the things on cars mechanical, diagnosis using scan tools ect and light to medium electrical work, then we have dedicated auto electricians for those hard to find electrical problems, complete rewiring of cars ect. the only people who refer to themselves as "technicians"in my country are mostly just pretentious snobs have the need to feel self important , but each to their own :)
MrTechsupport87 Interesting insight. Thank you.
Well, I believe that is something that happens anywhere in the world. Aside from the facts, some people like to use terms and overuse or exaggerate them in order to feed their egos or shortcomings whether they deserve it or not. Facts remain facts regardless of opinion. That sort of behavior is especially prevalent in corporations where titles are thrown around for people to feel overly important, but that's another topic. :)
I think automotive mechanics is one of the most difficult trades to learn and make a living of, and its getting harder by the time.
Happy Birthday!!!
A Canadian AST (Automotive Service Technician) chiming in. When I began my career in the early 1990's and doing my apprenticeship, 9000 hours of hands on work was required before you could write the MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) Exam to receive your Certificate of Qualification. This stated Class "A" Automobile Mechanic. If you did very well, you would get a Red Seal Certification (Inter-Provincial). Class "A" allows repairs to any vehicles and their related systems, below a certain GVWR. During the two years of Apprenticeship and the previous two years of an Automotive Service Technician course at my local college, the MTO changed the Certificate of Qualification. I am a Licenced Class "S" AST, JP Class. (Journey Person). So basically, I am a Technician that was trained as a Mechanic, who has a Technicians Licence, with Red Seal Qualification in the Journey Persons Classification. Damn ! Crazy Stuff, eh Eric ? Don't even ask about the recent Licence fee hike !
ETCG1 EricTheCarGuy Already watched the video, but should I get into Automotive Repair or Carpentry??? I want to be a technician but it seems like it isn't the right thing because of all the money that will have to be invested from the tools/hardware.
How do I do both
my input as a mechanic in England for 25+ years, It doesn't really matter how you label yourself, We see "fast-fit" centre guys calling themselves technicians so the "Tech" badge doesn't cut a lot of ice here in the UK (not that all fast fit guys are less able than anyone else of course) The biggest difference is individual ability, experience counts for everything in our trade, even if your working on a model you've never worked on before experience tells you how things are supposed to work or come apart.
My biggest gripe especially with modern vehicles is how much we are expected to know in order to remain up to speed and how our wages are completely non reflective of that, Electricians, Plumbers, software technicians/programmers, etc all earn more than us humble mechanics yet we are expected to know a fair amount of all the above trades.
I would argue also that "most" mechanics (that I know of anyway) are all pretty able to carry out electrical or plumbing repairs in the home, most of us have pretty decent IT knowledge too but ask any one of the above tradesmen to replace a set of brake pads on their cars and most wouldn't have a clue.
we also invest a great deal more into our prefession than most other tradesmen too, how much 5is the average snap-on roll cab full of tools worth? I know I've spend a small fortune over the years, Conclusion: I think we need a worldwide strike to get better pay for mechanics...
Food for thought. 😀
I agree man, Zach at my work is the tech with the wizardry of the computer junk and Jason is the mechanic he knows a little bit of electronic stuff but mostly, well mechanical stuff, he’s an Encyclopedia of torque specs of all kinds of engines , I’m just a parts changer. Well a body man but just if they need an alternator, battery, coolant hose, stuff like that I do it.
I personnal do see a big difference in the two titles, I really do. I'm a mechanic and Diagnostic Tech. And when I say this...its a true fact! I see...we all see it now days in auto repair how much the mechanical end is something you should (gave to be able to figure out and repair correctly a mechnical issues in all areas...kthey are are integral to the performance (or more importantly the safety of us all) before the technical end. And in my personal experiences in this career....everyone should be both. There is very little we are seeing now days that doesn't require at least the basics of understanding of the electronics just as much as the mechanical end. I've found a big lose in hope of finding those that still stick it out. Like this guy stated...the pay should be much more but then again ...cant say most are worth the price the customer is paying. I'm all about honesty in this business. Very few men and new comers into this field are remotely qualified or mentally equip to be working in Auotmotive. Where we love how comfortable and almost like sitting at home while driving... it's still atleast couple tons of metal moving at great speeds... we should see our responsibly! (Haven't proof read this...hope it reads ok... god bless)
Ah Eric.thank you for the great video on a not so great Snowy Monday morning ...now to go plow what's left of 18 inches off of my driveway...
well said thank you i have been a harley tech for about 4 yrs now
"this is not necessarily the highest end scan tool but it illustrates my point and it's the scan tool that I have so stop being all picky about that kind of thing"
Those people that are picky about those kinds of things are so annoying!!!!! like really??? It's just an example or for explaining purposes. lol I found it funny that you had to clarify that. Eric, you're awesome!!!!
Eric, love your vids! I have a 91 Cadillac Deville that is having electrical problems. I took it to a mechanic who said the alternator was bad...changed that and the battery is still being drained. 😒 So he tells me that it's not the alternator, but an electrical problem. Should I just take it to the dealer? I want to get it fixed, but I don't want to pay for a fishing expedition.
I am a DC electronics repair technician. I would have to agree, even though I usually work on smartphones and household electronics, I am a single board computer expert with a B.C.S., and can fix the electrical systems in cars, or even replace them entirely with different micro-controllers or RISC chips, wire-tuck harnesses, auxiliary fuse boxes etc, as well as reprogram them 100% with open source third party software. However, I am really only comfortable doing simple mechanical repairs, and get apprehensive about doing much beyond brakes or a bad gasket.
Even though I usually don't work on cars, I have to say, when I do, I am almost always fixing something a mechanic screwed up.
Mechanics are becoming an endangered species.
Used to be a mechanic worked on the complete vehicle often without manuals or documentation of his skill.
It was a brave world and they knew things, many things, even things that the educated white collar designers of the vehicle would never understand.
Today as you pointed out everything is overcomplicated and specialized.
Technicians of many different disciplines are required to attempt to diagnose and repair a vehicle.
Often they fail as they work like a committee meeting or a true democracy.
Without a strong knowledgeable shop foreman, they most likely would be unable to find there way out of the break room.
Indeed.
"Often they fail as they work like a committee meeting or a true democracy."
Have you ever been to or listened to a gov't committee meeting? Lot's of talk (some of it very intellectual) but little if anything gets fixed or resolved. Same thing here. I mean really does a real mechanic need a hot-shot shop foreman to say:" loosen and remove this, this and this and I'll be back in 20 minutes". No - a real mechanic can think for himself under all circumstances. Whether it's an air ratchet or sophisticated scope/meter, any mechanic worth his salt will take it on.
Do you want to know a secret? The most important tool in your shop is the millions of pages of information we pay a pretty price for that tells you what to do and how to do it. I'm getting fed up with semantics. Whether it requires a wrench or a scope JUST GET IN AND DO IT !!! Back when I used to have mechanics working for me I'd tell them: " I don't want to be told something can't be done" - So whether it requires you taking the information home and studying it, sleeping on it, coming back and tackling it when you're refreshed, IT CAN BE DONE. Customers sometimes ask me: Can it be fixed? I always tell them: ANYTHING can be fixed, it's just how much do you want to spend on it?
To be honest this is not a profession for the faint in heart - personally I think we're all a little crazy. ThanksRod
RodsAutomotive We all are a little crazy, but I love it. Just got my first interview offer to do this professionally instead of a side business.
DE Nichols I have made a video the other day which sort of encompasses about needing to leave the EU called facts what you are not told, and I only got two views and that was me. I do know I need help or advice upon making my youtube channel more popular.
My birthday is on June 16! So you better make a video on that day! Lol
LOL I'll have to figure out what day of the week my birthday is. I might feel left out by Eric.
dainternetguru When it was a day off I just counted it good enough. :)
Great explanation