The past couple years have not been kind to the automotive business. Dealerships and independent repair facilities have all taken a huge financial hit, many unable to recover from the deep recession. The economy has changed the way shops hire, train, and use their personnel. Most repair facilities have had to lessen their payroll to meet their budget. While no shop is trying to purposely mess-up your cars repair, it is a chance that increases with less qualified personnel.

Automotive Technicians have different categories they are known by at most shops you have “A, B, C, and D” Level Technicians. An “A” Level Technician will be the highest level, highest paid, many are Master Techs, and are ASE Certified. This is the level of technician that is essential to any shop because of there knowledge, and experience. He is the guy that keeps an eye over your younger techs and shows them what not to do.

Because, of the implosion of the economy, there has been a huge amount of “A” and Master Technician layoffs at many shops. Many of these shops have replaced these higher qualified technicians with younger, lesser-qualified techs with far less experience. If, all the experience leaves the shop then who looks over the shoulder of the “D” Tech?

Exactly, just be careful of the shops you take your vehicle. The shop you used to know, many not be the same shop you think you used to know. You can do your research, or you can learn to fix it yourself. It is not as hard as you think when you have the proper information.