Certifying Garages and Mechanics
If your car isn’t running right and you have just paid $200 to another shop that failed to fix the problem, then it’s probably that dreadful time once again to find a new mechanic.
A number of organizations have formed over the years to help consumers locate reputable and competent service garages. But before you rush to find a certified garage, it’s useful to know something about what the different certifications mean.
In California, there are shops certified by or belonging to the Automobile Club of Southern California, the Automobile Service Council (ASC), Automotive Service Excellence and various oil company certification programs such as Union Oil’s Protech program.
You can bet that many of these certified garages are a cut above average, but there’s plenty of room for incompetent hacks. So, a few common sense observations might spare you an automotive bummer. Examine the garage for order and cleanliness. Check whether it is equipped with the most modern tools and instruments. Evaluate whether the manager is professional and wants to take the time to understand your problem. Take a look at the other cars the garage is servicing to see if they are all junkers.
And look for membership in a certifying organization.
The most widely known organization that certifies mechanics is Automotive Service Excellence, whose members display the ASE sign. The organization certifies mechanics in eight automotive specialties, such a front ends, brakes, electrical, engine and transmission repairs. It does not certify the garages in which mechanics work.
ASE, which was established in 1972, certifies mechanics on the basis of a voluntary written test.
If you see the ASE sign on a garage, you should ask how many mechanics actually are certified. A garage can hang out a sign if it employs just one mechanic with ASE certification.
The Automobile Club of Southern California takes an extra step in its certification program that now includes 900 garages.
Under the auto club system, a garage seeking to be part of its program must show it has certain minimum mechanical tools, such as engine analyzers and proper hand tools.
In addition, the auto club program requires that the garage employ mechanics certified by ASE under each category of repair offered by the garage. The club also reviews complaints against stations filed with the California Bureau of Auto Repair.
Finally, the club backs its certification by offering binding arbitration between consumers and the certified garages.
A number of oil companies have certification programs for their garages. The Protech certification at Union Oil is the most well known. The Protech system provides certification for the garage, as well as the mechanic. Its proponents, which include station managers, assert that it is a technically more difficult program than ASE offers.
A key difference between Protech and ASE is that Protech conducts a school, in which it trains technicians, as well as certifying them.
The Automotive Service Council is an organization of independent garages with 1,800 members in California. The group has an ethics code and handles customer disputes, but does not actually certify garages or mechanics.
