# Becoming a Professional Mechanic



## quentin508 (Apr 12, 2005)

I know this is a little off topic but I figured this would be the best place to ask. Are there schools for the ASE certification and is that the only thing you would want to get if I wanted to become a mechanic or would I go to a school which specializes in specific vehicle lines. There is a school in my area with Auto Tech as a major for associates degree and you can either select GM, Chrysler, Toyota or BMW. I don't know what to do so if anyone knows the deal or has lived through it any help or advice would be appreciated.


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## HATEnFATE (Dec 24, 2002)

You don't want to be a mechanic...you want to be a technician. 
If you don't know the difference.......you need to look harder.

There are a lot of places that will give you the knowlege to become ASE certified. There are auto dealerships that will sponser you to become a technician for the product line of your choice. Look around in your area and you will find a wealth of information available to you. Good luck and find a line you like.


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## jer28 (Jan 20, 2003)

Flat rate=Hack job 90% of the time. IMO.
I've personally seen it with people I know, I'm not just talking out of inexperience. I've also have more than a couple stories to tell of friends/family members vehicles being "serviced". I'm not saying that all flat rate mechanics are bad but I've just seen to much evidence to support that the dealer makes it too hard to earn a living if they have to take their time during say a timing belt job. They rush, omit items that need/should be done at the time of service, all because they will lose money if they don't get it done in X hours. Its not really their (technician's) fault.

I could have chosen that path but I have too much pride in my work to let a greedy dealer transform me into someone that has to rush through every repair just to put food on the table. Not to mention the poor guy who just paid alot of money for a repair that could have been performed better.


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

jer28 said:


> Flat rate=Hack job 90% of the time. IMO.
> I've personally seen it with people I know, I'm not just talking out of inexperience. I've also have more than a couple stories to tell of friends/family members vehicles being "serviced". I'm not saying that all flat rate mechanics are bad but I've just seen to much evidence to support that the dealer makes it too hard to earn a living if they have to take their time during say a timing belt job. They rush, omit items that need/should be done at the time of service, all because they will lose money if they don't get it done in X hours. Its not really their (technician's) fault.
> 
> I could have chosen that path but I have too much pride in my work to let a greedy dealer transform me into someone that has to rush through every repair just to put food on the table. Not to mention the poor guy who just paid alot of money for a repair that could have been performed better.


human nature forces us to look at the negative things that go on. when was the last time that the vehicle was done right the first time and on time? did anyone thank anyone for that? show a little appreciation? i think not. but one slip, one folley, then it's everyones' mama's friends' know about it, then the sour image appears and stays. 


check out UTI, Wyoming tech, or your local community colleges for any courses available.


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## quentin508 (Apr 12, 2005)

azkicker0027 said:


> human nature forces us to look at the negative things that go on. when was the last time that the vehicle was done right the first time and on time? did anyone thank anyone for that? show a little appreciation? i think not. but one slip, one folley, then it's everyones' mama's friends' know about it, then the sour image appears and stays.
> 
> 
> check out UTI, Wyoming tech, or your local community colleges for any courses available.


I am checkin out a community college in my area they have : auto tech for bmw, toyota, chrysler or gm. thats for technicians. is it better to be a tech or a mech.


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

Mechanic is general, baseline engine/automotive knowledge.

Technician take that baseline, and expands on it for a particular brand/make of car.


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## DraftEm98 (Jun 29, 2004)

As far as doing right for yourself, and future customers (including family and friends), I say go mech first. As Mark said, it's general knowledge. It also covers a wide variety of all systems, as you will see when you take ASE courses/tests. Later, when you become proficient in general mechanical knowledge, you can pick an auto line to become technically proficient in. It's kinda like swimming in competitions. You want to be able to swim using all the different strokes proficiently before finding one that you're good at. Besides, what if you become a tech and find that you dont like that particular auto makers shite? There can be a lot of cross-training involved to go from Toyota to GM, etc. Hope all works out for ya, though. Good luck.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

azkicker0027 said:


> human nature forces us to look at the negative things that go on. when was the last time that the vehicle was done right the first time and on time? did anyone thank anyone for that? show a little appreciation? i think not. but one slip, one folley, then it's everyones' mama's friends' know about it, then the sour image appears and stays.
> 
> 
> check out UTI, Wyoming tech, or your local community colleges for any courses available.


DO NOT CHECK OUT WYO TECH! its not worth $45k, UTI is THE leader in training techs 83% of all techs hired last year were UTI grads, 3% were Wyo grads


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> DO NOT CHECK OUT WYO TECH! its not worth $45k, UTI is THE leader in training techs 83% of all techs hired last year were UTI grads, 3% were Wyo grads


wow, good thing i went to UTI. 45k? that's way more than what's reasonable.


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

did you know UTI is 10% owned by harvard? yup.

UTI is the leader like sanmarcos said. they help you find a job when you are a student, and once to leave they set you up. please look into it, you will be pleased.


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

pete? said:


> did you know UTI is 10% owned by harvard? yup.
> 
> UTI is the leader like sanmarcos said. they help you find a job when you are a student, and once to leave they set you up. please look into it, you will be pleased.


and hence, i'm a BMW Master Tech. It's refreshing to hear good things about your old school.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

azkicker0027 said:


> and hence, i'm a BMW Master Tech. It's refreshing to hear good things about your old school.


i'm trying to get into the BMW STEP program once i'm there, thats my goal, 60k a year starting sounds very good to me


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

im looking at audi or bmw (i would love porsche.....but thats a long shot lol) euro cars would be a good business to go into, they break alot and are expencive to fix= great business.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

pete? said:


> im looking at audi or bmw (i would love porsche.....but thats a long shot lol) euro cars would be a good business to go into, they break alot and are expencive to fix= great business.


not all break alot


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> not all break alot


the engines are good, but it seems they always have issues of some type.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

pete how are you going for BMW, its not offered at pennsylvania?

only ones in PA are Audi, Mercedes, and VW


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

pete? said:


> the engines are good, but it seems they always have issues of some type.


it's not really issues, it's more like "guaranteed work" to tide us over the slow months.


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:



> pete how are you going for BMW, its not offered at pennsylvania?
> 
> only ones in PA are Audi, Mercedes, and VW


.......you dont have to take it at the school to attended. i could transfer to another school where the STEP is for the 1-2 months the class lasts. i wouldnt mind going to cali for school for a few weeks or any where else for that matter.


azkicker0027 said:


> it's not really issues, it's more like "guaranteed work" to tide us over the slow months.


exactly. in a jap car if there is a rattle or something you say "ehh..oh well" but euro cars are normally more "high dollar" and people who pay that much for a car want it to run full speed al the time, so if ANYTHING happens they are more than likly to bring it in.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

pete? said:


> .......you dont have to take it at the school to attended. i could transfer to another school where the STEP is for the 1-2 months the class lasts. i wouldnt mind going to cali for school for a few weeks or any where else for that matter.
> .


*cough* FL *cough*



pete? said:


> exactly. in a jap car if there is a rattle or something you say "ehh..oh well" but euro cars are normally more "high dollar" and people who pay that much for a car want it to run full speed al the time, so if ANYTHING happens they are more than likly to bring it in.


and dealers are the only place to get a Euro fixed anyways, except for a select few independent shops, the only thing u can get done elsewhere is an oil change, but for any other maintance, its dealer all the way


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## quentin508 (Apr 12, 2005)

well now I'm thinkin put off the auto tech degree, get my ASE from a vocational school during the night and get a bachelors in some management thing. So I could get a solid job from the degree but still have the knowledge to work on my car and move on in that profession when the times right. I wish I knew what I wanted to do, good thing I have my car to just drive when I am thinking a lot. I should just invent, auto therapy or driving therapy. Driving alone on a nice windy wooded road or on an empty highway going as fast as you like or as slow as you like, music or no music, its refreshing.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

quentin508 said:


> well now I'm thinkin put off the auto tech degree, get my ASE from a vocational school during the night and get a bachelors in some management thing. So I could get a solid job from the degree but still have the knowledge to work on my car and move on in that profession when the times right. I wish I knew what I wanted to do, good thing I have my car to just drive when I am thinking a lot. I should just invent, auto therapy or driving therapy. Driving alone on a nice windy wooded road or on an empty highway going as fast as you like or as slow as you like, music or no music, its refreshing.


if u get ur ASE why not use it? u can go work for a dealer with jsut ur ASE, you wont make as much as a UTI grad in the dealership but hey its your call


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## quentin508 (Apr 12, 2005)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> if u get ur ASE why not use it? u can go work for a dealer with jsut ur ASE, you wont make as much as a UTI grad in the dealership but hey its your call


I was thinkin like get a business degree or some general thing along with the ASE then like gradually gettin a degree in auto tech hopefully with night classes or somethin.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

quentin508 said:


> I was thinkin like get a business degree or some general thing along with the ASE then like gradually gettin a degree in auto tech hopefully with night classes or somethin.


if u get ur ASE and a business why not get some buddies together and try to open a shop of your own, in time of course


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## davido (Aug 23, 2004)

*nissan school*

in stillwater,oklahoma there is a nissan auto tech school, and I think it is sponsored by nissan.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

davido said:


> in stillwater,oklahoma there is a nissan auto tech school, and I think it is sponsored by nissan.


how could nissan tech school not be sponsored by nissan :loser:


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## Captain Obvious (Jan 2, 2004)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> DO NOT CHECK OUT WYO TECH! its not worth $45k, UTI is THE leader in training techs 83% of all techs hired last year were UTI grads, 3% were Wyo grads


I was going to go to UTI i live right down the street 
auto desiel is 23 grand and they have a huge all indoor campus in the phoenix one

I changed my mind and now im going to MMI which is owned by uti and its the best motorcycle mechanics school in the nation
they do have there problems though so be patient with them like any school but still there good
a bit over priced but good another one i know of is AAI arizona automotive institute in glendale they have the same stuff uti has its not a new campus it looks like a real world shop and they have instructors there that have been in the bussiness for years

oh and ase cert requires you to have 2 years experiance and pass 8 cert tests 
so your school where ever you go counts for a year cause most of the classes are 15 months long you dont go to school for ase but its a start cause you get the other half in a shop after you graduate

good thing that AAI offers is that they partner with university of phoenix so after you take the auto classes you can take that and use it its an aa degree and use that towards a bachlors of bussiness 

then you will have real world shop and then you have a degree in bussiness and you can take that to a bank and try and get a loan for a shop 
whatever you do or choose do not listen to anything a admissions counsler will say ever there are soem good ones liek the one i found at the bike school hes a nice guy and a biker he dont care bout the numbers just wants to help kids out 
but the one at uti was a salesman and he only cared about getting you in school 
be carefull and if at all possible come out on a tour and walk around after and before stop students and ask them crap
and get your foot in the door work at a local parts house get around car parts atleast where you can get to know some people and have some people get to know you 


bottom line is TAKE YOUR TIME do not rush things like school take it easy 

remember its not the money think of it as a way you can get paid for stuff you would be willing to do for free 
if your lookin at this for the money please look somplace else real world you wont make mad cash unless you get on at a dealer which is actually not likely right off the bat
it is hard work and its dirty work but it has to be you or you will not make it

if its realy what you want you will know lil things like 
you walk in and you actually like the smell of gas or tranny fluid when others say my god that stinks 
the one that got my wife telling me go do it was the fact that lookin at a girl ya ill say shes hot but a nice car will stop me in my tracks and get me to smile

I am one of the few people that I can get paid so much working my job that i know but I have to be round cars i dropped a job that payed 13 an hour with benis for me to go to school and now i make nothing well almost nothing

an old guy told me once dont look at jobs you have to do to get paid go after what you want to do no mater how lil it pays or even if you have to live in a box and do what you want on the side if you want to be inside the engine bay of a car you do that 
and i found out a few weeks later that this guy at the gym that was telling me this crap was actually a multi million dollar air craft mechanic turned airline owner 
and im taking heis advice now several years later and I couldnt be broker but I am happy now and I have a promising future rather than money right now


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## 2nrguy (Feb 18, 2005)

im currently in the toyota program at the glendale heights UTI campus, and in 7 more weeks ill be working for one of the toyota lines with 10 certs.
when you take the tours of the diffrent schools and talk to the students(if they let you) get them away from the person who is walking you around the school and ask them for their serious take of the school and talk to at least 5-6 diffrent students in diffrent classes.
i took the auto-diesel program then added toyota and my total was a tad over $28grand. some of the instructors are great and you want to ask them any question that you can think of, some are just there to get a steady check and some just suck. so i look at it like any other job idiots are going to prevail and others you want to kill as soon as they open their mouth.

look into anything that you are going to spend lots of $$$$ on


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