How do you become a "qualified mechanic" in the USA?

[BigKriss]

I'm curious to how men and women become a automotive mechanic in the USA? In Australia a person normally works for 4 years on a low "apprentice" wage. For the first three years, you goto a technical college one day per week for your theoretical studies. When you have finished the four years, even though you do not have experience in an area, you are qualified to work on almost all parts on any car.

Please correct me if i'm wrong, i certainly know from this forum, that it does not apply for all mechanics, but I have heard in the USA, a mechanic is normally trained in only one area of the industry, like brakes, suspension, electrical etc. Is that how it works? Please fill me in :)

[Rigmaster]

Kriss, once again- I will not claim to be an expert in this area, but I know a little. :) To be a "mechanic" you just need to hang out a sign on the door of your shop- no other training or certification is necessary. There are a couple of "certification" organizations for mechanics (most seem to prefer "technician" over "mechanic"....), the most prominent seems to be ASE (National Insititute for Automotive Service Excellence), the rest are mostly Marque-specific, like BMW trained, or GM trained, etc.

To be ASE certified, you have to have a certain level of hands on experience, I think it only 1 year, and you have to take a series of 8 tests in different specialties. These include- brakes, suspension and steering, Auto transmission, manual transmission, engine repair, engine performance, heating and AC, electrical and electronic systems. Once you pass ANY ONE of these tests, you are "ASE Certified" and you can wear the patch they send you and display the ASE signs all over the shop, once you pass all 8 of these tests, you are certified as an ASE "Master Automobile Technician".

Now, the tests are NOT that hard -I decided to take them a few years ago, with little actual hands-on experience in a shop setting, I took 6 of the 8 tests in one sitting, and passed 5 of them- missed the 6th by 1 incorrect question. I then took the remaining 3 at the next testing date, and passed them all, so I am now a Master Auto Tech!!........FWIW. IMHO, if I went to a shop that did not have a bunch of MASTER techs on their staff, I would keep looking. If there were only 1 or 2 guys who had a couple of certifications, I would keep looking. Any tech that cannot pass all 8 of these tests would not work on my car. I hear alot of techs saying that these tests are a joke, and they don't waste their time with them- which may or may not be true, but if they don't have some sort of proof of their qualifications, I would not choose them.


Now, there are also Technical auto repair classes + courses at local community colleges, as well as some private specialty "automotive" colleges scattetred throughout the country- I cannot comment on those, as I have no experience with them.

HTH, Bret.

[uscharalph]

I'm curious to how men and women become a automotive mechanic in the USA? In Australia a person normally works for 4 years on a low "apprentice" wage. For the first three years, you goto a technical college one day per week for your theoretical studies. When you have finished the four years, even though you do not have experience in an area, you are qualified to work on almost all parts on any car.

Please correct me if i'm wrong, i certainly know from this forum, that it does not apply for all mechanics, but I have heard in the USA, a mechanic is normally trained in only one area of the industry, like brakes, suspension, electrical etc. Is that how it works? Please fill me in :)
For me the thing that matters most, is experience with my car. A lot of it is word of mouth. Luckily for me I have three shops in my neighborhood I trust.

[granit_silber]

For me the thing that matters most, is experience with my car. A lot of it is word of mouth. Luckily for me I have three shops in my neighborhood I trust.
I agree.
Before I took my car anywhere, I started asking around and found two shops that were started by ex-dealership Master Techs. Both of these guys have like 18 -20 yrs at the dealership before they left to start their own shops.

-ashley

[winfred]

well judging from most of the "sloppy seconds" work i get to put back together from another "mechanic" i think all you need to do is find some rusty bent pliers in the street and show up then talk some noise,
i've been doing this **** for 10 years and am still suprised at some of the miserable **** i have had to clean up

[BigKriss]

thanks for the responses guys. Another thing I have heard that Australian mechanics do good in the USA (make good money), how true is that? The only guy I can think of in BMW circles in Brett Anderson. cheers

[Gayle]

Hey BigKriss--Want to immigrate?

[BigKriss]

unlikely Gayle. Australia is pretty dry (hardly ever rains) and the weather is great. I had a mate who went to the USA recently, he's 30. He went to harlem in New York, to check it out and he got scared. He also mentioned (in general) there are lot of "rednecks" around. It might have something do to with the extra 260 million (population) you guys have around.

[pundit]

I'm curious to how men and women become a automotive mechanic in the USA? In Australia a person normally works for 4 years on a low "apprentice" wage. For the first three years, you goto a technical college one day per week for your theoretical studies. When you have finished the four years, even though you do not have experience in an area, you are qualified to work on almost all parts on any car.

Please correct me if i'm wrong, i certainly know from this forum, that it does not apply for all mechanics, but I have heard in the USA, a mechanic is normally trained in only one area of the industry, like brakes, suspension, electrical etc. Is that how it works? Please fill me in :)
Kriss, you're not contemplating what I think you're contemplating... are you?
I did my mechanics apprenticeship a long time ago (Mercedes Benz).
If you work for a boss, auto mechanics & panel beaters are the lowest paid of all the trades. Any subcontract electricians, carpenters, plumbers etc make a minimum of $35.00 to $45.00 per hour. As a mechanic you will make under $20.00 per hour. It's a totally ****ed trade to be in unless you like working for **** money. Believe me when I say the novelty will quickly wear off... it will!

[Gayle]

unlikely Gayle. Australia is pretty dry (hardly ever rains) and the weather is great. I had a mate who went to the USA recently, he's 30. He went to harlem in New York, to check it out and he got scared. He also mentioned (in general) there are lot of "rednecks" around. It might have something do to with the extra 260 million (population) you guys have around.


San Diego has weather just like Sydney. We get an average of 9 inches of rain per year-mostly in January and February. The temp range is mostly 50-80 with most days being 70.

Given that we don't really speak the same English I am not sure that we use the term redneck the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck#Modern_usage

I come from a poor white trash background and am proud of it. But there are not a lot of "rednecks" on either coast. Any contrary to what you might think from reading this board, I don't know a single person in my city that carries a gun.

Some of our city ghettos could scare anyone, but I don't think your friends experience is typical of the US. I actually faired quite well in the ghetto of New Oreleans last summer getting my car washed by hand. The whole hood walked by and said hello and not a single person bothered me as I sat in a lawn chair in the shade of the freeway exit ramp.

Friend, I am saying your objections are lame. Come on down. We could use another good bmw mechanic here.

[winfred]

ill ****ing take it


$20.00 per hour.

[BigKriss]

Kriss, you're not contemplating what I think you're contemplating... are you?
I did my mechanics apprenticeship a long time ago (Mercedes Benz).
If you work for a boss, auto mechanics & panel beaters are the lowest paid of all the trades. Any subcontract electricians, carpenters, plumbers etc make a minimum of $35.00 to $45.00 per hour. As a mechanic you will make under $20.00 per hour. It's a totally ****ed trade to be in unless you like working for **** money. Believe me when I say the novelty will quickly wear off... it will!

Pundit, I think the wage maybe around aus$20 net (after tax) once your qualified. I noticed in your on-line profile that your an ex-mercedes benz mechanic. hmm Why did you get out mate? I actually enjoy working on cars.

[shogun]

Winfred,

I think he is talking about Australian $, not US$.

Thursday, October 27, 2005
20 Australian Dollar = 15.09260 US Dollar
20 US Dollar (USD) = 26.50305 Australian Dollar (AUD)

[genphreak]

San Diego has weather just like Sydney. We get an average of 9 inches of rain per year-mostly in January and February. The temp range is mostly 50-80 with most days being 70.

Given that we don't really speak the same English I am not sure that we use the term redneck the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck#Modern_usage

I come from a poor white trash background and am proud of it. But there are not a lot of "rednecks" on either coast. Any contrary to what you might think from reading this board, I don't know a single person in my city that carries a gun.

Some of our city ghettos could scare anyone, but I don't think your friends experience is typical of the US. I actually faired quite well in the ghetto of New Oreleans last summer getting my car washed by hand. The whole hood walked by and said hello and not a single person bothered me as I sat in a lawn chair in the shade of the freeway exit ramp.

Friend, I am saying your objections are lame. Come on down. We could use another good bmw mechanic here.Go Gayle. All Kriss needs is a few nice peeps to take him under their wing stateside and give him a job as a technician working with a decent team of (dare I say BMW) mechanics... I'm sure the opportunity would not be wasted; he's a real self starter and gets on with everyone... I love working with him, there aren't many you can say that about these days. :) Nick

[pundit]

Pundit, I think the wage maybe around aus$20 net (after tax) once your qualified. I noticed in your on-line profile that your an ex-mercedes benz mechanic. hmm Why did you get out mate? I actually enjoy working on cars.
Working on cars for a hobby and working on cars for a living are two entirely different scenarios. It's the old saying... "Never turn a hobby into a job!"
With you own car you can usually choose when, what & how you do a job.
If you want to spend some extra time getting something just right then it's your time. However working in a auto workshop environment etc. you are invariably working under the hammer. In large operations (ie stealership) every job is calculated down to the minute and budgets are set. The major auto dealerships have software packages to tell them how long each job is supposed to take and at the end of the month the actual total 'job' hours are compared with the 'computer modelled' times. You work your arse off and guess what?... The service manager (your immediate boss) gets his monthly bonus. But if things go wrong, something takes too long or you screw something up, then guess what....!!?

My advice is keep you hobby and you job aspirations independant of each other. And besides you will stay cleaner and not have to endure cold tin sheds in the winter and stinking hot tin sheds in the summer.

[genphreak]

Working on cars for a hobby and working on cars for a living are two entirely different scenarios. It's the old saying... "Never turn a hobby into a job!" My advice is keep you hobby and you job aspirations independant of each other. And besides you will stay cleaner and not have to endure cold tin sheds in the winter and stinking hot tin sheds in the summer.True that, sounds like very good advice pundit... too late though, he's just finsihing his TAFE course...

[winfred]

that's still a improvement in the cash department, if i didn't get pretty much anything i want out of the yard and store it'd really suck


Winfred,

I think he is talking about Australian $, not US$.

Thursday, October 27, 2005
20 Australian Dollar = 15.09260 US Dollar
20 US Dollar (USD) = 26.50305 Australian Dollar (AUD)

[Kalevera]

ill ****ing take it
Me too, man!

[Kalevera]

Actually, I disagree with this philosophy, for reasons I am too tired to effectively elucidate at the moment. Let me try.

1) I work with excellent, knowledgable, and considerate people in an international organization. Our products are found in bimmers all over the world, including in Mr. Bovensiepen's (that's right, founder of Alpina) personal Z8. The cars we've built can be found all over north america. While we do a significant amount of custom work, the majority of our business is service related. I've never felt pressured to get a job done within a certain amount of time. Although I am usually slow, I always try to be conscientious. Herein lies the difference between *most* other workshops and practically every dealer I've ever come across: we have a much higher successful repair/happy customer ratio than most. I know for a fact that the company I work for is not unique in exhibiting the aforemetioned quality: the majority of the businesses comprising the IAIBMVSP treat their employees and customers well. Dealer technicians "hate" their customers. Generally, that's not the case with specialized independents.

2) As far as I'm concerned, the only way to achieve professional excellence in life is to port the sincerity and passion found in a hobby into a means of living. This assertion may not prove holistic to the population: I suspect it depends on how one regards learning and continual personal development. Doing what I do now is *exciting* to me because I'm learning a lot about something I feel a great passion for -- excellent engineering, working with the hands, and cars. Innovation and creativity are key. Granted, one can get burned out/lose interest/whatever. At that point, it's time to follow another pursuit and figure out how to make money with it. Not everyone is an entrepreneur, but few take the time to consider what they want and make plans to achieve it.

If Dmitry were still around (BigD), I'm sure he'd have some interesting points to add to this, probably more cogent than my (present) offerings. His excellent web site -- http://www.strengthandhonor.ca -- seems to be down.

best, whit

[genphreak]

Actually, I disagree with this philosophy, for reasons I am too tired to effectively elucidate at the moment. Let me try.

1) I work with excellent, knowledgable, and considerate people in an international organization. Our products are found in bimmers all over the world, including in Mr. Bovensiepen's (that's right, founder of Alpina) personal Z8. The cars we've built can be found all over north america. While we do a significant amount of custom work, the majority of our business is service related. I've never felt pressured to get a job done within a certain amount of time. Although I am usually slow, I always try to be conscientious. Herein lies the difference between *most* other workshops and practically every dealer I've ever come across: we have a much higher successful repair/happy customer ratio than most. I know for a fact that the company I work for is not unique in exhibiting the aforemetioned quality: the majority of the businesses comprising the IAIBMVSP treat their employees and customers well. Dealer technicians "hate" their customers. Generally, that's not the case with specialized independents.

2) As far as I'm concerned, the only way to achieve professional excellence in life is to port the sincerity and passion found in a hobby into a means of living. This assertion may not prove holistic to the population: I suspect it depends on how one regards learning and continual personal development. Doing what I do now is *exciting* to me because I'm learning a lot about something I feel a great passion for -- excellent engineering, working with the hands, and cars. Innovation and creativity are key. Granted, one can get burned out/lose interest/whatever. At that point, it's time to follow another pursuit and figure out how to make money with it. Not everyone is an entrepreneur, but few take the time to consider what they want and make plans to achieve it.

If Dmitry were still around (BigD), I'm sure he'd have some interesting points to add to this, probably more cogent than my (present) offerings. His excellent web site -- http://www.strengthandhonor.ca -- seems to be down.

best, whitBeautiful. Very succinctly put Whit, I wish I had found a workplace like yours as I suspect I'd have gone the same way you have instead of relegating my passion to a weekend hobby. You work in the kingdom of BMW, a noble and fine place to be indeed. I hope Kriss can find similar but I fear in Australia there are none to speak of.

I have to say it shows in your posts and to be frank if I were in the US I'd be sending you one truckload of customers. I hesitate to say people would be keeping and buying BMWs just cause you and your colleagues are there to service them.

Keep up the good work, adn stick with the board, one day we will kick back with a beer and know just how worth it it really has been.

:) Nick

[uscharalph]

"Actually, I disagree with this philosophy, for reasons I am too tired to effectively elucidate at the moment. Let me try."

Very nice Whit!!

[uscharalph]

"Actually, I disagree with this philosophy, for reasons I am too tired to effectively elucidate at the moment. Let me try."

Very nice Whit!!
I like the rest of the post too, Whit!!

[BigKriss]

Gayle, I would say that me using the word "redneck" is like you using the word "county" person as per the definition you provided, particulatry the sterotype phrase that they provide. My friend's experiences did not disencourage myself at all. I didn't mean for them to be objections, just general comments. If I ever went overseas, the USA would be the first place I visit.


San Diego has weather just like Sydney. We get an average of 9 inches of rain per year-mostly in January and February. The temp range is mostly 50-80 with most days being 70.

Given that we don't really speak the same English I am not sure that we use the term redneck the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck#Modern_usage

I come from a poor white trash background and am proud of it. But there are not a lot of "rednecks" on either coast. Any contrary to what you might think from reading this board, I don't know a single person in my city that carries a gun.

Some of our city ghettos could scare anyone, but I don't think your friends experience is typical of the US. I actually faired quite well in the ghetto of New Oreleans last summer getting my car washed by hand. The whole hood walked by and said hello and not a single person bothered me as I sat in a lawn chair in the shade of the freeway exit ramp.

Friend, I am saying your objections are lame. Come on down. We could use another good bmw mechanic here.

[pundit]

Actually, I disagree with this philosophy, for reasons I am too tired to effectively elucidate at the moment. Let me try.

1) I work with excellent, knowledgable, and considerate people in an international organization. Our products are found in bimmers all over the world, including in Mr. Bovensiepen's (that's right, founder of Alpina) personal Z8. The cars we've built can be found all over north america. While we do a significant amount of custom work, the majority of our business is service related. I've never felt pressured to get a job done within a certain amount of time. Although I am usually slow, I always try to be conscientious. Herein lies the difference between *most* other workshops and practically every dealer I've ever come across: we have a much higher successful repair/happy customer ratio than most. I know for a fact that the company I work for is not unique in exhibiting the aforemetioned quality: the majority of the businesses comprising the IAIBMVSP treat their employees and customers well. Dealer technicians "hate" their customers. Generally, that's not the case with specialized independents.

2) As far as I'm concerned, the only way to achieve professional excellence in life is to port the sincerity and passion found in a hobby into a means of living. This assertion may not prove holistic to the population: I suspect it depends on how one regards learning and continual personal development. Doing what I do now is *exciting* to me because I'm learning a lot about something I feel a great passion for -- excellent engineering, working with the hands, and cars. Innovation and creativity are key. Granted, one can get burned out/lose interest/whatever. At that point, it's time to follow another pursuit and figure out how to make money with it. Not everyone is an entrepreneur, but few take the time to consider what they want and make plans to achieve it.

If Dmitry were still around (BigD), I'm sure he'd have some interesting points to add to this, probably more cogent than my (present) offerings. His excellent web site -- http://www.strengthandhonor.ca -- seems to be down.

best, whit
I'm pleased that your experience is more of an exception rather than the rule.
Most mechanics tend to wind up in the larger dealerships where the work is routine and the pressure to turn over jobs is high. Sure there are other alternatives to the dealers and like anywhere and any profession, there are the good and the bad. However I spent more than ten years in the trade and the best thing I ever did was getting out of it. My work since has been much more fullfilling, better paid and I wouldn't have spent fours year travelling the globe if I had my head stuck under a bonnet in a tin shed. (I only do that occasionally at weekends these days ;))
Yet, each to their own! :D

[pundit]

Winfred,

I think he is talking about Australian $, not US$.

Thursday, October 27, 2005
20 Australian Dollar = 15.09260 US Dollar
20 US Dollar (USD) = 26.50305 Australian Dollar (AUD)
Yep!

[genphreak]

I'm pleased that your experience is more of an exception rather than the rule.
Most mechanics tend to wind up in the larger dealerships where the work is routine and the pressure to turn over jobs is high. Sure there are other alternatives to the dealers and like anywhere and any profession, there are the good and the bad. However I spent more than ten years in the trade and the best thing I ever did was getting out of it. My work since has been much more fullfilling, better paid and I wouldn't have spent fours year travelling the globe if I had my head stuck under a bonnet in a tin shed. (I only do that occasionally at weekends these days ;))
Yet, each to their own! :DI agree with both of you. Although the very fact that we (Aussies) do almost everything in a rusty tin-shed, (my dad calls this Tin shed mentality) the quality problem is not uniquely Australian. However in Europe mechanics have less trouble. I was hella impressed to see over there so many workplaces with tiled floors, clean environs (esp when most of the cars come in straight out of the rain) and fantastic equipment. I'd hazard to say Whit's working somewhere reasonable at least in terms of the approach being quality in people=quality in output and perhaps there the customer is more discrening than the average cheapskating Aussie (of which I am too often one...)

[dacoyote]

Whit....

Just to let you know... I would give both my nuts if I could work up at KMS and get to keep my house and car and the like...

Charles

[Zeuk in Oz]

Well said Whit !
I agree whole-heartedly !
This is a topic of some interest in my household at the moment as my older sons are choosing their career paths.

One thing I wish to add is "don't chase money" ! Many people who are well off or even rich become that way by accident or as a side effect of their life. The world is full of people deperate to be wealthy who will never achieve it because they cannot see the forest for the trees.
It is unbelievable the opportunities that can open up before you if you have enthusiasm, integrity and interest. This has been my experience and continues to be such.
Do something that you want to do and feel you might want to do for a long time.
I don't see what I do for a living as work but something I do because I like doing it. Just as well given that I work 7 days a week.
There is nothing sadder than someone who hates their job, no matter how much it pays.

There is no perfect job !
Every job has good points and bad points and in many cases it is what you make of it. Often when people are jealous of someone else's job it is not the job they covet but rather the contentment that that person has in that job.

Have integrity !
In a world where this has less and less meaning it is more and more uncommon, but will always stand you in good stead.
This will be recognised, no matter what the situation, and you will ultimately be rewarded for it in some way or another.
The corollary of this is to always do things as well as possible.

Make you own mistakes ! (Don't pay others to make them for you.)
Do things your own way and learn from your mistakes. Don't listen to others (like me in this case :D ) and do as they do. Be your own person and do your own thinking.

Sorry to go on but felt it might be of assistance.

[Brandon J]

Well, I went to Universal Technical Institute. They have gasoline and diesel programs as well as other programs there. I learned everything from brakes, manual and automatic trannies, etc. with several classes just on electronics alone. I wanted to go to the BMW STEP factory program from there also done by UTI. You basically take whole BMWs apart and reassemble them. I decided to go back to college. If I did go through the factory program, I would have had to go to a BMW dealership and work as an apprentice for a year or so. If I didn't go through the factory program afterwards and just went straight to a dealership, I would have had to work for about 3 years as an apprentice.

As Rigmaster said there are many different certifications for the ASE. If my memory is correct I needed to pass 2 different ones to become ASE certified.



I'm curious to how men and women become a automotive mechanic in the USA? In Australia a person normally works for 4 years on a low "apprentice" wage. For the first three years, you goto a technical college one day per week for your theoretical studies. When you have finished the four years, even though you do not have experience in an area, you are qualified to work on almost all parts on any car.

Please correct me if i'm wrong, i certainly know from this forum, that it does not apply for all mechanics, but I have heard in the USA, a mechanic is normally trained in only one area of the industry, like brakes, suspension, electrical etc. Is that how it works? Please fill me in :)