What are some things that can make a mechanic stand out in the automotive industry?

Hi Tyler,

Having a mechanic who understands how things work and being able to explain to a customer in an understanding way are invaluable. Do you know what a differential is for and how it operates? What about an alternator, piston, u joint? Do you know what they are for and their functions?

Many of the cars today rely on electronics and often times troubleshooting means hooking up to a machine to diagnose. However, understanding how a car works and the issues its having, a good mechanic can sometimes use their sense of hearing and seeing how the vehicle is performing to diagnose the problem.

There are numerous vehicles on the road today, each with their own nuisances. Learn all you can about them. Try working on older vehicles to broaden your knowledge and appreciate how they were constructed.

Having a good working knowledge of how things work can be transferred in other ways such as building projects, troubleshooting, care and maintenance. Continue to expand your learning, share your knowledge and become an expert in your field.

In the garages I worked in, there were a couple of very telling characteristics of a technician that was considered "top of the class" so to speak. One was the technical specialty the person worked on. Transmission rebuilders, diagnosticians, performance experts who worked on those cars, etc.. The other was whether the other mechanics would come to this person for advice. When there was a perplexing problem in the garage where I worked, people would go to ask "Tony". This guy had been a mechanic for about 20 years at the time, but it wasn't the time that made him special. It was his love of the machines and the fact that he would think about cars every waking hour. He'd read about them, he'd spend time with the engineers who came from the headquarters, he'd rebuild his own cars. This was his passion. Machines. That's what makes you stand out. Doing what you love and loving what you do. It rubs off on others. It also enthuses the next generation of professionals to then make others happy.

Hello, you may want to learn repair and maintenance for hybrid and Electric vehicles, you can start your own business.

Grant