Repairing a car can be such a pain. There’s so many little things that can go wrong and exacerbate the total price, that it’s tempting to let light problems persist or try to fix the issue yourself. Although it may seem easier to tinker with your car yourself, or to get a friend whose good at cars (but isn’t professionally trained) to tinker to with, it can do some serious damage. If someone messes up a car component, it may void the warranty as well as cause other problems, leading to extra costs. For instance, some parts of a car can only be fixed with specialty parts; these parts would only be available to a professional automotive mechanic. If you’re able to, it’s always best to go to a professional than an amateur.
Professional mechanics go through rigorous training to become certified. Despite the grease monkey stereotype of most mechanics, many have been to a trade school or university where they had to study mechanical engineering. This comes with hundreds of hours of classroom and on the job learning. Often, before someone can become a professional they need to have even more time under the hood, sometimes thousands of hours. This isn’t to mention the state licenses and certificates required to operate as a mechanic in the state or county. Repair mechanics tend to have state business licenses as it is required to run a mechanic shop. Because mechanics are around hazardous chemicals most of the day, oil gasoline, transmission fluid and so forth; some counties and municipalities requires that mechanics have HAZMAT permits. This might all seem like a bit much, but it ensures protection and instills confidence in the customer. No matter how experienced one may think they are in the realm of cars, if they’re not properly trained, it’s best not to let them under the hood. The situation is similar to ensuring a person’s health. Unless the situation was dire and you needed medical attention as soon as possible, you wouldn’t allow someone who isn’t a doctor or nurse to tend to your wounds. Why? Because they could make things worse, even if it looks like everything is ok.
Truthfully, your car is an investment and it should be treated as such. Most Americans couldn’t function in their lives without a car, and rightfully so. Outside of cities, the country is stitched with highways, bi ways, freeways, small town roads and main rods. As efficient and eco-friendly public transportation is, nothing beats moving at your own speed. If you’re unsure of a mechanics credentials, you can always ask the dealership to tell you the basics of their training program. Additionally, you can ask for licenses, and other certifications. Despite the dependency on professional automotive mechanics, you should still know the basics in regards in cars. It makes speaking with the mechanic easier as well as caring for your car easier. Lastly, if your car was worked on by an unlicensed mechanic and he broke something important voiding your warranty, you can go to court to reinstate the warranty. However, this is an unpleasant ad time consuming process. In the future, be sure to go to a professional.