I read the credentials thread when I first came to this site and found it very interesting. it gave me insight into the type of people who hung out here and made me want to be a part of it.
even the the occasional troll who posted calling the people liars was funny.
I think it would be nice to have it back
i think people would be more likely to become regulars if the impressive array of contributors was still on display
Yes, the vaste range of experience and knowledge in this group makes this a valuable forum. If it only dealt with car repairs and maintenance, it would lose a lot since ownwerhsip experience with various car models would be lost.
What do you consider credentials?
But I do admit . . . it is quite humorous when the occasional troll posts something like “I do all my own work, because I’ve been ripped off wherever I go.”
I just enjoyed reading the history that the guys chose to share. I m a history buff
My credentials?
Well, I was born in Kenya, grew up in Hawaii, attended Columbia, passed the bar exam in Illinois, taught a course on constitutional law, got elected to the U.S. Senate where I served less than four years when I became the Pres… no, wait a minute… those aren’t my credentials! They’re someone else’s! So sorry!
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mountainbike
Why are you going there?
I suppose you don’t believe that guy was born in the United States . . . ?
I’m not bothering to mention that guy’s name
Just trying for a laugh. Don’t be overly sensitive. Don’t automatically take it as an attack. My own credentials aren’t nearly that impressive.
I was actually reluctant to post that reply, because I figured someone might take it wrong and get defensive. But I figured aw, what the heck, a few readers might get a chuckle out of it. Apologies if it caused you any heartburn.
Does anyone know why the credentials thread was removed?
I too found it very valuable - helping me to learn a bit of those who give their time to contribute here.
Good morning - the credentials thread is still in the archives, but it was closed. It’s under Your Credentials Please. I remember it well, because I was surprised by the turn it took - the thread in question was over a year old at the time. The whole picture isn’t contained in the thread, because I got private messages and email from a disparate group of people asking me to close it last year. (Trust me, that doesn’t happen very often.) The take-home feedback for me was that folks thought if we have another credentials thread, it would be best if it didn’t emphasize the word “credentials” while de-valuing the shadetree types, and perhaps overvaluing the ones who did it for pay. I think that’s in the eye of the beholder, and a semantic distinction. Frankly, I think it would be cool to do another one, as some posters have moved on and others have joined us.
@TSM,thats alright-Remember “Animal Farm”,this cat may have learned to drive in the US although-Kevin
Can I buy you a cup of coffee the same?
I got my mechanics credential in a box of Cracker Jacks. 
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Started off as a History major but found the constant memorization of dates and places tedious. I was 3 classes shy of making the minor in Physics.
Someone here in another thread posted that he would rather study science and philosophy than deal with mechanics. I’ll go dig up some old textbooks.
No formal training as a mechanic. But I am currently a State Authorized Emissions Specialist, ASE Certified Master Technician, Service Counselor, Undercar Specialist, and Advanced Engine Performance Specialist. And a bunch of other things as well.
I studied for years as I was growing up to have the worst handwriting of anyone. My mom said I would need that when I became a doctor. When the first syringe needle pierced the orange…I decided to take another direction in finding a career. I love grease, oil and the smell of gasoline. Diesel fuel smells I can live without even though I’m a certified diesel mechanic. I joined the Air Force while between jobs with a young pregnant wife and my career just fell into place. I love the structure, order and comradery in the military. It suits me for some reason or another. When they gave me the ball…I ran with it. I fell down on occasion but for the most part…I stayed on my feet. That’s how you get promoted but I didn’t know it at the time.
@ missleman
“I studied for years as I was growing up to have the worst handwriting of anyone”
The best related quote I have from an old acquaintance:
“It looks like you duct taped a pen to a chicken’s leg and held him by the neck…”
One of the great things about this forum is a design that allows free flowing interaction, taking advantage of the numerous skillsets, bodies of knowledge, and areas of experience available. Some of the posters here are highly experienced credentialed mechanics, some engineers, some chemists, one a tire designer, and one sorely-missed tranny expert who’s moved on with his business. We all miss him and wish him the best. The point is that there are often numerous ways people approach the same problem. We’ve all traveled different paths. No matter our credentials, we all have some knowledge to offer. And if we make a mistake, it gets corrected post-haste and we learn from it.
The question to me isn’t one of credentials, but rather one of what we add to the conversation. Some here have spent their lives fixing cars professionally. Having spent many years in design, manufacture, qualification, failure analysis, and manufacturing management, I try to bring the perspective of how the systems work and function. Both I believe contribute, as do others.
Perhaps the title should be “profile” rather than “credentials”. Or some other term that respects all the different paths taken.
Very true the same mountainbike. The vast experience on this forum is what makes it so great in my opinion. If we all came from the exact same background…we would not be able to think “out of the box” on many of the questions presented here. As it is…we can dissect the question down to the core. This results in a more correct answer than would normally be available.
Since we don`t have the car in front of us it does take input from all types of credentials to try and diagnose the potential problem.
Some trained mechanics are totally lost without the car in front of them to connect their diagnostic machine to, while some shade tree mechanics are like car repair McGyvers that can diagnose an engine tap problem using just a beer bottle cap a fishing hook and a 6 inch piece of yarn.
Spent 3 years in college before washing out. I freely admit I was too young and immature. When it comes to failure, some people will never admit the truth, not even to themselves. I’m not like that.
I know when I’ve got only myself to blame.
Then I realized I had to do something with my life. I did a 3 year automotive mechanic apprenticeship in Germany, with the US Army. They are a big employer, and they usually hire the less desirables . . . too old, troublemakers, bad students, etc. I was several years older than most of my classmates. That is also the reason why virtually no dealership hired me.
After receiving my Gesellenbrief . . . ALL mechanics must be licensed in Germany . . . I worked a few years in a US Army depot as a heavy equipment mechanic. I had originally been slated to work in the motor pool, on passenger vehicles. But the motor pool closed. I had nothing against working on big equipment . . . it was all headed to Bosnia-Herzegovina, by the way . . . but it seemed strange to get trained to work on passenger vehicles, then be forced to work on heavy equipment
I left for the Los Angeles area, and landed a job at a Mercedes-Benz dealer, where I stayed for several years. My old high school shop teacher had warned me long before, that earning a living as a mechanic in the US was not easy, because of the flat rate system, and the tool expense. That did not deter me.
The best thing I can say about the dealership is that I learned a lot.
For the last few years, I’ve been a civil service mechanic. Even though the fleet vehicles aren’t very glamorous, the pay and the benefits are pretty fair. There’s a gate guard, same as on the US Army base. And every trade has its own shop . . . carpenters, electricians, mechanics, etc. The buildings are all pretty beat down. When I showed up there, I just laughed to myself, because it was just like the US Army shop I’d worked in. Old, dirty, not insulated, dark, in need of repair, looks like a gust of wind would knock it over . . . and I also work on class 7 and 8 trucks.
As far as credentials, I believe I have 13 or 14 ASE credentials. automotive master, advanced level engine performance gasoline, undercar specialist , plus a few heavy truck. I’m also certified to perform opacity inspections on diesel vehicles.
I’m quite certain all my Mercedes-Benz credentials are long expired . . . LOL
It’s hilarious to think my German Gesellenbrief is in all likelihood not recognized in the US
And likewise, I’m pretty sure my ASE credentials wouldn’t mean squat in Germany.
A Gesellenbrief basically means you’re certified to practice your trade, but it’s the minimum. There are other certifications above and beyond that, but I didn’t stick around long enough to pursue any of that.
So, technically, I could work in Germany again. But anybody hiring me would probably say “Your Gesellenbrief is valid, but your US experience doesn’t impress us. The Americans don’t know how to diagnose and repair vehicles properly.”
Don’t shoot the messenger because of my last comment. Many people in Germany have a very dim opinion of mechanics in the US. To be fair, the industry here is kind of a wild west situation. I’ve worked with a few hacks, but I’ve also worked with a few geniuses. I’d like to think I’m somewhere in the middle . . . LOL
Regardless of my credentials, you can believe me or the guy next door, but the fee is the same.