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This forum is started by suggestion from one of the forum members, SpawnedX. The idea behind it is to have a place where technicians can talk about their experiences and ideas concerning their careers and profession. Think of it as sort of an extension to ETCG1 were we talk about things that concern us and the automotive industry. This is for technicians only so please don’t post automotive questions here. If you are a technician welcome to this forum, if not please stay behind the yellow line. Perhaps we can start by introducing ourselves.
I’m Eric Cook aka EricTheCarGuy. I’ve worked as a professional technician since 1996 and have been an ASE master technician for the past 15 years. I worked for Acura at the dealer for about 8 years and spent the rest of my time working at aftermarket shops on both imports and domestics. I’m also an Acura certified master technician which I got as a result of my training at Acura. For a brief time I ran a Carx after I lost my job at Acura, that was interesting and challenging in many ways but I did work with some good people there and learned a lot about running an automotive business as a result of that experience. Now I have a successful auto repair show on the internet as well as a successful website and forum. To be honest my favorite job so far has been working as ETCG, it seems my entire career including my termination from Acura has led me to this place and I could not be happier with the result. I suppose that just goes to show you never know where you’re going to end up.
Welcome to the Technicians Only forum, I look forward to getting to know you and your work better.
ETCG
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Hey guys, i’m mike and 29 y/o. I have been a tech for 9 years now. I just recently became a ase master tech and now working on L1. I work in new hampshire on rusty, high mileage cars and trucks at a local tire chain. I watch ETCG videos all the time, good stuff.
Hey, guys! :cheer: Name’s Ian and as the name suggests, I like Jeeps (and Mopars in general lol.) I’m a little bit of a different bird, did 4 years in the Army, didn’t like my job and got out, tried going to school and working for a bit, didn’t like either of those much either. I decided that if I was gonna have to work for a living, it would be doing something I enjoyed. I had taught myself just enough to get myself in trouble in the automotive hobby shop in the Army, but I knew there was a lot more to learn, so I enrolled in the automotive program at a local community college. Did pretty well at that, even made dean’s list my last semester there. However, due to factors outside my control, the school “temporarily suspended the program indefinitely” after I had been attending for about a year. They brought everybody in for academic advising and tried to shuffle them off to the welding or machining programs until they could pull their heads out of their fourth-points-of-contacts. I decided I didn’t want to waste my GI Bill on that, and was fortunate enough to find a school nearby that offers a 4-year automotive program.
It’s been pretty good, I’ve had the opportunity to work as a paid intern out in the field for manufacturers two summers straight. Currently, I’m in the process of finishing up my degree and am looking at working full-time and taking a few gen-ed courses at night at a community college and then transferring them back to the school for credit. I’ve already applied for at least one position that interested me in the automotive field, but I’m pretty sure I shot myself in the foot by being honest and saying that I didn’t have any actual experience in a shop (although I’ve got plenty in the school shop.)
That being said, I’m going to start my job search looking for entry-level technician positions in a shop, so don’t be surprised if I ask a lot of general, lube-monkey type questions here. (at least, at first) I know I’m gonna have to chew some grease and grime for a bit before I can move up, but hopefully I can prove to the shop management and the other techs that I have a little bit more maturity and knowledge than your average 19-year old coming off the street pretty quickly. Sorry for the novel, but I’ll make it up to you-if you guys ever need an “escape plan” let me know! Plenty of good jobs in the field for experienced techs like you guys. 😉
Hi everybody, my name is Yuval or Yuvy for short. I am originally from Newcastle, England. At 16 (1979) I started my apprenticeship at a large Ford dealership in Newcastle. It was great. I was assigned to a Master Techy and spent two years working for 18 pounds a week (about $36.00) In my third year I moved to flat rate pay and was paid book time for each job. I loved that. Speed was everything and I certainly was guilty of taking a few short cuts here and there. It’s not an appropriate wage structure for an 18 year old apprentice who wants to make money!
After completing my apprenticeship, I tried my own business for a while but took an opportunity to move to Vancouver Canada in 1985. I ended up working for BCAA (AAA) for a few years but quit and went to school and finished a degree in English Literature??????? I got a job as a Teacher but soon ended back in the shop teaching Automotive. Later I retrained and taught wood work for 14 years.
I am retired now …. early retirement at 54 🙂 I have been Wood Turning for the past few years but family and friends started asking me to fix their cars. Problem was, most of my training had been in England working on 4 cylinder carbed engines with choke cables! The most sophisticated tool I owned was an inductive timing light! Any how, I began searching for a good YouTube site to do some catching up. I found ETCG and began watching all his videos.
Eventually I started cherry picking some jobs: brakes haven’t changed much, suspension set ups couldn’t be worse than the Hydrolastic Austin set ups I was used to. So, I dove in. The only completely new tech for me was the world of trouble codes and diagnostic work. I picked up a decent OBDII Scanner, some wiring diagrams and a multi meter and had at it. I have learned a lot form Eric and continue to do so. I am up and running now picking my jobs to suite my comfort level. I love the challenge and I think that is what keeps us healthy and happy: learning new skills is good for your well being as you get older. My shop, however, is wood shop/ auto shop. I’m going to have to lose some weight. There’s not a lot of room when I get an SUV in there!!
One question: I am considering a scissor lift. Could anyone recommend a good quality brand. There are dozens out there, mostly, I think, made in China.
Thanks
City & Guilds Automotive Technician
British Columbia Institute of Technology Education CertificateMy name is John. I have been in the automotive repair industry for my entire life. My Great Grandfather, Great Uncle, Grandfather, and Father were all mechanics. I graduated from Lincoln Tech in 1980 in their automotive and diesel truck technology program. I worked in my father’s garage and then started my own auto repair business until 1989 when I started teaching automotive technology. I then returned to Lincoln Tech in 2002 and obtained my associates degree in Automotive service management and was named an honor graduate. In 2014 I was nominated for the Lincoln Tech hall of fame. I taught for 20 years until my legs gave out and I had to go on early retirement/disability. I was hopeful that I could return to teaching, however over the years I have had 8 leg surgeries. So it is not looking too good for me to return to teaching (at least in Automotive Technology). Being on disability I am able to work as long as it does not have anything to do with me working on vehicles directly or teaching in any capacity. I would like to be doing something, but I am at a loss as to what to do. If anyone here would have any suggestions I would be EXTREMELY grateful. Thanks and I look forward to conversing with fellow techs on this forum.
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Hi, my name is Robert, most people call me doc because before I started my automotive career I was a combat medic, after I got out of the army I went to wyotech for automotive technology and chassis fabrication. Including that year I’ve been doing this for 7 years. All of which has been spent working on Chryslers at a dealership.
hello,
My name is Kenny. I live in Texas and am a heavy line technician at a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership. I have been into vehicles all of my life. My only technical training was in the Marines taking the Automotive Technician Basic Course. From there I went on to my 1st dealership as a lube tech, and worked my way up.
I am currently level 2 with FCA and do engine (gas and diesel), differential, electrical and dabble in transmission rebuilding (work in progress).I’m Matt.
I’ve been in the car business since 2003, with a little over five years turning wrenches, a little over ten behind a parts counter, and about six months selling cars at one point (some of those overlapped when I worked more than one job, or when I worked for a Hyundai dealership that was chronically short-handed, so I’d be out there in the shop changing oil and helping out our one technician with an apron on over my parts manager uniform).
I have my A5, my A8, my P2, and various parts and service certifications from Ford and Hyundai (including being Master Certified in Parts by Ford and Silver Certified in Parts by Hyundai).
I jumped straight into this out of high school, and never went to tech school or college, working my way up from the go-fer/FNG at an independent shop to what I’m doing now (usually doing the diagnostics or big jobs that other techs in the shop aren’t equipped with the tools/knowledge for) at Carmax.
Tim Geloff from Bismarck ND area, own my own repair shop and have been ASE master certified since 1984 kept up recerts ever since, been L1 and X1 certified since around 1990 along with various A/C recovery and handling certs from ASE, IMACA, and others. I was raised on a farm that also sold farm machinery parts and even build some farm machinery such as dump rakes, plows, seeding drills, town combines apart and rebuilt them and sold them while we were using them in the field, (what better way to sell something, sell it from under you while you are using it to make a living). Was given my first vehicle when in grade school by my grandfather and he said if I can get it running it was mine. 1939 Plymouth, got it running, but had a very bad rod knock, but drove around the farm anyway till it was time to finally replace engine, was going to put one in from a combine but unfortunately my grandfather had sold the combine with the engine so it just sat. Got another vehicle 1966 Plymouth Fury, licensed and drove a couple years then sold it and bought another vehicle and been doing this ever since. Went to Vo Tech college right out of high school and got my first mechanic job three months later and worked there for 9.5 years and was promoted to assistant manager in about a year and half after getting hired. Always been a gear head and probably always will. Every now and again a person needs some help and I hope to help some people and maybe get some help in return. Keep the wrenches in the tool box after hours guys and gals, don’t let them drive off in a customer vehicle. Thanks for letting me join.
Hello I am Mike Perez I have been wrenching for 16 years in the Sacramento,Ca area. I started my own mobile business M.A.D. Mikes Automotive Diagnostics. I went to trade school and some college courses in automotive technology I took some Ase tests but to be honest I freeze when it comes to paper tests, I’m a hands on kind of guy. However I’m learning. I worked in different shops in the area and finally decided to go into business for myself. In these times being a mobile tech is profitable right now.Thank you for having me in this forum.
My name is Chad Terry, and I currently reside in NC. In 2002, I started working for Acura right out of uni, going all the way up to Master Technician. My dealership had not employed a Master Tech for 15 years, and I was the first since then. Unfortunately, I had an incident on a lunch break one day. That day I had inadvertently but successfully cosplayed as a speedbump. A truck ran a stop sign and ran me over on my motorcycle. After that, I could not continue being a full time tech.
Now, I work from home doing any repair work needed. My wife is active duty, so we have bounced all over the eastern seaboard. Our three drivers of course are a 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT, 2006 Acura TL 6MT, and 2005 Honda Element 4WD 5MT. Automatics are the devil.
Hello everyone, I am David. I am a Honda and Acura master tech in Northern California. I started working on Acuras in 2002. In 2018 I changed to Honda. Great to have a forum like this.
Hi Everyone!
My name is Edric.
I am late to the game joining this forum but I have followed ETCG since his early days…I graduated Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in 2008. I took the Ford FACT program and graduated. Since then I worked at a few Ford Dealerships until late 2014 then changed paths. I was tired of the flat rate game and warranty pay, I found a great job in Fleet maintenance and repair for a large communications company. I have been in Fleet service and repair for over 8 years now, getting paid what I deserve for my skills and experience.
Hi my name is Brad and I’ve been working in automotive repair shops for the last 10 years. I’m currently at Pep Boys and I’m working on getting my ASE master certification. I’m a little younger and don’t have the experience as some of yall but I’m not scared to learn new things and listen to more seasoned professionals on ideas and recommendations. I know my way around a vehicle but there’s always more to learn and certain situations I haven’t encountered yet.
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