And don’t be shy when it comes to asking specific questions about the repairs your mechanic suggests. Did something happen just before the car stopped running? Also, note when the vehicle was last brought in for service, as today’s issue may be related to last month’s repairs. Perhaps you could write down ahead of time any specific sounds, sensations and smells, along with when and how often they occur. When you clearly communicate what’s wrong with your vehicle, it’s easier for your mechanic to diagnose and fix the problem. Tip #2: Communicate clearly and ask questions You might even consider visiting the shop to check it out before you take your car in. Check out reputable car sites and message boards to find out what customers are saying about that business. Do your research online and read the reviews. Reach out to friends, family and coworkers and ask for their opinion on reputable local service shops they would recommend.
Auto mechanic how to#
But when something seriously goes wrong, do you know how to talk to your mechanic – or does it feel like you’re speaking a different language? Follow these 5 tips for “talking shop” with your auto mechanic and get the most for your repair dollars. “Get up on the tech, stay up on the tech and get good at what you do,” Dunbrook said.Check.
“You never know what’s going to come through the door.”Īs he chronicles his 40 years of mechanic history, Dunbrook parts with the industry with a piece of advice for the next generation. “Maybe one day, you’re putting a new ECM into a brand new car, and then the next day, you’re working on some 1985 rusted-out truck and you’re trying to put a new parking brake on it,” Smith said. With one year left in school before he graduates, Smith knows he needs to expand his knowledge of cars as the industry grows, because no two days or even cars are always alike. And you have to be able to learn and continue to learn.”
But it’s been a slow change, and I’ve learned as I’ve gone along,” HVCC Automotive Professor Dr. Smith and his classmates have traded in the classic tools for keyboards, monitors and even the latest models of electric cars on the market. “And you kind of have to know what you’re doing, but you can still figure out if don’t know what you’re doing.” Engine stuff, transmission, ABS, BCM, ECM stuff,” Smith said. “If you look, there’s just a lot of stuff. Those computers and scanners that he is talking about are now commonplace in the classroom for future mechanics like Isaiah Smith, who’s learning how to work with electric cars in the Hudson Valley Community College automotive program. “In the old days, all you needed to know how to do was swing a hammer, and now you not only have to swing a hammer, but you need to use your brain, too, to figure out what the computer tells you when the check engine light goes on,” Dunbrook said. Gone are the days of a tune-up or a quick oil change, instead replaced by new tech. But sadly, this chapter in history is coming to a close.Īfter 40 years, George is closing shop.
Auto mechanic manuals#
The history is all around you at the Dunbrook shop, with car manuals from the 1970s to an old 8-track tape. “I’ve been here on my own with my family of course for 40 years, so I made it. His passion for cars brought him to a three-car garage on Madison Avenue. “What do you do with that when you battery goes dead? How do you get into your car then?” “You don’t even have keys to go in the ignition system everything is push button,” Dunbrook said. While inspection requirements might change every few years, the automotive industry is evolving constantly and rapidly. George Dunbrook has been doing routine car inspections for his entire adult life.