• Knowledge
• Certification

Go with an ASE certified mechanic/technician

In my opinion, if you're paying for your automobile to be serviced, it should be serviced by a well-trained mechanic/technician, i.e. ASE certified.

I feel you should choose a mechanic/technician with the same criteria as you would a doctor. Let's think about some questions and concerns you could have selecting a doctor:

• Would you go with the cheapest doctor you could find to help you recover from an ailment?
• Would you go to a doctor that doesn’t keep up on current technology and findings?
• Would you go to a doctor that doesn’t spend the time to diagnose your ailment properly?
• How would you feel if the doctor just wanted to throw medications and surgeries at you in hopes of resolving your ailment?

I suggest you look at choosing a mechanic/technician like you would a doctor because if your car malfunctions, it could get you in an accident forcing you to see your doctor. Yes. I know. I know. I am being a little overdramatic, but I feel most people don't spend enough time evaluating the people who are working on their cars. Therefore, I suggest you choose a mechanic/technician that has a current ASE certification.

What is ASE Certification all about?

National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has been around since 1972 and is a independent non-profit organization dedicated to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service by testing and certifying automotive professionals.

There are numerous ASE Certifications available, which is always being updated to match the ever improving automobile industry technology. For the most part, the automobile certifications will be relevant for most of the readers of this page. The following are the most common automobile oriented certifications:

Automobile & Light Truck Certification Tests

• A1 – Engine Repair (50 scored questions)
• A2 – Automatic Transmission/Transaxle (50)
• A3 – Manual Drive Train & Axles (40)
• A4 – Suspension & Steering (40)
• A5 – Brakes (45)
• A6 – Electrical/Electronic Systems (50)
• A7 – Heating & Air Conditioning (50)
• A8 – Engine Performance (50)
• A9 – Light Vehicle Diesel Engines (50)

Note:

• To achieve a Master Status, A1-A8 must be passed
• Technician must retest every 5 years to ensure they stay up to date on technology changes
• Just note that the individual mechanic/technician is certified and not the shop

For more ASE Certification information, please click here

The above was summarized from the early 2015 ASE.com web site.