You don’t judge a book by its cover… You’re not supposed to jump to conclusions based on a first impression… But when it comes to a technician, can you judge them by their tools?
We don’t recommend walking up and asking to inspect their toolbox, but you can get an idea about how serious a real technician is about fixing cars — by how much they have invested in the proper tools.
A lot of people still picture an ‘old-school mechanic’ when they take their car to a shop. But today’s technician (no, that’s not PC speaking, it’s really what they do) is a different machine! A modern day repair technician is not just someone who knows how to turn wrenches; they wear a lot of hats. Today’s vehicle repair professional has to have expertise in computer software, computer networking, electronics, wiring, a really good general grasp of physics and materials, some relevant chemical/chemistry knowledge, metallurgy knowledge, tire/rubber knowledge, and still have those basic wrenching skills.
Some of you drivers out there already have a pretty good idea of this yourselves, because you’ve run into the weird computer issues that plague new cars – or you’ve been back to the dealer time & time again for strange recalls involving changing out fluids in your vehicles because of corrosion, etc. But the thing that everyone forgets (whether just a driver, or even an entry level automotive professional) is how much of this job revolves around the sophisticated tools that are required to work on modern cars & trucks.
Your typical automotive technician 30 years ago, had a regular toolbox or two, and might splurge every few months for a really useful special tool. Most of their tools were general use, wrenches, ratchets, sockets, screwdriver & prybar kits, etc. Mostly hand tools; mostly manual, and mostly something you buy once – and keep & use forever. Every so often, a special tool that fit a particularly difficult vehicle, or job – would get added to the collection, and used often. If it wasn’t used often – it wasn’t needed.
Today – you need all those hand tools, but in the busy world we live in – you need the speed of power tools, as well:
That customer that showed up the day before Thanksgiving, and wants an 18 hour long repair job done in half a working day… well you aren’t making that miracle happen with an old-school box wrench. You’re pulling out the big guns, and all the stops.
You’ have to team up with another technician, and split the job between the two of you. You’re using that special ‘whatchamajig’ tool that lets you remove the whole bearing assembly instead of having to tear it apart for hours and hours, just to get to something behind it. Why do you even own that tool??? Because it saves you time, and time is money. Now you can get two of those jobs done in time for a Turkey Day miracle! You’re the local hero!
It’s not just about time either. With all the complicated electrical components in new vehicles – it’s necessary to have a whole new array of tools at your fingertips. You need oscilloscopes and lab scopes, you need multi-meters for getting readings, you need to be able to probe wiring harnesses without tearing half the car apart to gain access. A modern tech who has any desire to be proficient will need all sorts of tools that used to only belong to electricians. They’ll also need proper training on the use of these tools, so they aren’t wasting time and customer money during diagnosis.
Next, we take the step into the computer age. Not only do techs have to deal with computers, and the commands they issue through a car… but they also have to be able to access the special car manufacturer software, understand what it means, how it works, and what it’s doing. They need special test equipment that won’t break these computers, or damage their delicate electrical innards. That doesn’t even take into account the possibility of doing any programming.
Modern cars & trucks often require the computers inside, to obtain periodic software updates that solve software bugs – just like your home computer. These updates have to be done with special
programming tools, and require special licenses, and training to perform correctly. Remember when you could re-program your phone – but you ran the risk of turning it into a ‘brick’? A technician who doesn’t know how and when to properly program a car can make your expensive vehicle a ‘brick’ just as easily.
When you take all these things into account, it becomes clear, that a true professional in the Auto Repair Industry — has to be invested. Meaning they have to put the money down, and buy these tools and training – so that they can perform to the level that is demanded. This is why you don’t see technicians with tiny little tote-bags of tools and a grease-rag anymore. Real technicians are spending $15,000-$30,000 on tools alone so they can be properly equipped to work on your $60,000 vehicle.
These men and women don’t see car repair as a just a job, or a stepping stone to something better. They are pursuing a lifetime career. The consummate repair tech isn’t planning to work on cars for a few months, and get a job in a different sector….. They live to fix vehicles. When you go visit your auto professional next time – you might give them a nod of respect for the commitment and investment they show – just to care for your car.
