I have been working of cars for over 40 years now.
credentials are for trying to impress someone who can’t tell if you know what you are doing. I have been ASE master certified since I was 19 years old. I picked up a study guide by Motor or Chilton, and took all 8 tests and passed them easily, without ever having worked on a car professionally. With that, and a little creative writing on my resume I got a job at Pep Boys as a Master tech, and was making more per flat rate hour than the other guys that had worked on cars for 20+ years. some of them really knew what they were doing(to a certain level), but weren’t great at taking tests.
I was way behind them at actually fixing cars at that time.
Now, in the 17 years since then, working on cars has become more dependent on being able to quickly learn new systems, and obtain information from many sources, rather than relying on experience. Today, if you cannot at a minimum be able to at least study for and pass these tests, especially the L1, and L2 tests, you are not going to have the skills to do this, so there will be problems being able to fix more difficult and or unique problems.
That doesn’t mean that someone who has passed those tests will be effective at diagnosing an actual car, but is a starting point.
I have a question for eeyore who says:
“i have a 3000 dollar portable diagnostics system,some might refer to as simply a scanner.( my personal one)
however i deal mostly in higher market imports,but also domestics and often Asian as well.”
where did you find a scan tool that does much of anything on multiple makes of european cars for only $3000?
I have one that was significantly more expensive than that, and am still disappointed with it’s abilities. please tell me where I can get one for that cheap that will work on newer(02-12) European cars to do more than pull codes and see a limited datastream, and maybe a few activations and very limited coding.
Former ASE certified mechanic in all areas except auto transmission rebuild (in those days 7 of 8 licenses). Worked in shops and owned my own business for almost 10 years. Went to Purdue and earned Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, then spent 20 years as a Engineer developing automotive brake systems for mostly the “big 3”; ABS systems, vacuum boosters, master cylinders, wheel corners, additionally/unfortunately NVH on all of the above.
Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, 20 years experience at General Motors. Engine dyno development and hardware design/release (mostly lube/vent parts), combustion analysis, engine controller software design, and OBD calibration.
I’m a mechanic’s daughter who built her first car from a 1970 Volkswagon with a seized engine with only a Chilton’s manual for advice (that was back when a Chilton’s Manual actually told you how to fix things). I’m no expert on cars, but I can do basic stuff if I know what it is I’m supposed to fix - like belts, brakes, hoses and body parts. I’m not likely to be able to diagnose even my own car’s problems so I don’t often give advice, but when I do it’s usually anecdotes of something I’ve actually dealt with.
Ariel…I honestly got an out loud laugh at what you said about the Chilton manuals…When they actually helped you fix things…HOW TRUE! I tell you the Chilton manuals of late SURE DO …Umm Gloss over ? Shall we say…some important areas of the vehicle that is the subject of the manual.
Just for an FYi…Home mechanics are GREATLY served by purchasing a BENTLEY manual…I find them to be far more in depth than CHilton on any day…outside that…ebay for a FACTORY service manual…they are usually more expensive …but FAR FAR MORE CONCISE…
Hope that helps…and its nice to see the ladies out on here doing their own work…we are here to help.
Blackbird
Just a hobbyist, with no certifications to speak of. I have been lucky enough to meet friends who are master techs, and rely on them for advice whenever my own knowledge is maxed out. I am a competent welder/fabricator and have done the top end on a few engines. I mostly focus on off road vehicles, mainly toyotas.
Currently a metalworker for the Army, but I turned wrenches for about 8 years before enlisting. I still do car work on the weekends at home, either on my own or other’s cars. I have a couple of ASEs as well, plus college education for automotive technology (graduated 2007). Fun times!
I stop working on my car in the winter because fixing the daggonned snow thrower takes up all my hobby shop time.
30 years professional technician, 50 years car nut…
25 years of car ownership and wrenching my own vehicles… I have owned over 100 of them and have loved and hated every one. I’m a tech consultant by day and a tinkerer by night.
I have been turning wrenches for about 35 years now. I worked in a transmission shop way back before front drives. I spent 20 years in the Navy where I turned wrenches for Uncle Sam. There aren’t many things that I have not pulled apart and rebuilt on my own cars. I have just about done it all. My least favorite thing is electrical systems, can’t stand 'em! I recently rebuilt the entire front suspension on one of my cars sitting in a dirt driveway using only hand tools. I left the air compressor turned off. Now, that was an adventure! I once fixed an ex-friends car and he began accusing me of breaking a totally unrelated and untouched part located at the other end of the car. I have since ceased repairing other folks vehicles. I still offer up suggestions as to the possible solutions to their problems but refrain from touching any part of their vehicle.
Credentials? I don’t need no stinkin’ credentials. I’m workin’ for free here.
not sure where to leave this but i am looking for help. my car stalled on the freeway while i was driving it. as my nickname indicates im not a good car parent. but the car now won’t start and the mechanics i am talking too are saying that it is probably the timing belt. it has been cold here where i live and in the mornings before the car died when i turned the wheel to turn the car around on the street to drive away there was a squeal from the engine but i chalked that up to belts being cold. once i made the initial turn of the wheel there was no more noise from the engine. if it is indeed the timing belt than my only option is to tell the bank which mechanic shop the car is at for them to go pick it up. BUT there are whispers that it could be a fuel pump. also im having a hard time getting respect from the mechanic shop guys. one guy told me it was the drive train it would cost 2,000 and that ALL the valves were bent in the engine. i just TALKED to this fool over the phone he never even saw my car. is there a secret code word that you can use to get some respect? okay i am willing to forgo the code word for some assistance in figuring out if the timing belt is shot to heck or not
@badCARparent - copy what you’ve posted here and click on ‘Ask a Question’ above right.
I’ve owned a 1979 buick skylark in 1994, I’ve owned a chevy beretta gt, I’ve owned a chevy prizm, I’ve owned a chrysler e series in 1991 which when it talked sounded like ronald reagan, and I’ve owned a ford tempo and I’m 40 in march ill be 41. I’ve also owned a suzuki esteem. I’m almost 41 years old and my dad worked in the motor pool in the army. Yet to be honest, I don’t know anything about those cars, except the current one i’m driving (the prizm) except the fact the they alll burned oil except the foreign ones. bonsai!
I’ve been working on cars and motorcycles since I was 15 and am now 33 years into my career as a mechanical engineer with experience in industrial automation, machine and product design.
I’m a hobbyist like many others here. I started out fixing small issues on my brother’s cars, but now take care of most of the maintenance on my own vehicle. I do know that I don’t know everything, so I’m always willing to hear an opinion from an experienced mechanic.
I’m the eager pupil. Near total newbie (though I did successfully change a headlight myself two months ago. Oh, and I can pump gas.). Which brings me to an important question: How do I start a discussion?
Click on “Ask a question” button, at top right of page.