Certified Mechanic Vs. Non-certified Mechanic

Fingolfin

Fingolfin

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General Question about certified mechanics.

What is the true advantage of going to a certified mechanic vs a non certified mechanic?

I understand the liability issues (though that may more related to insured mechanics), but has anyone ever been to a mechanic and had a bike blow up and the mechanic take responsibility for it?

I hear enough stories for customers and mechanics having 'he said she said' experiences, so in the end, is there a point?
I'm assuming its similar to most service industries where some are certified, and others are not, but a complete job is a complete job, no?
 
I don't think any mechanic anywhere would be accountable enough to say they were responsible for your bike blowing up. So many things could have contributed to the motor's condition before that point. However, when it comes to safety concerns like tires , brakes, chassis repairs, suspension, etc, I would rather give my bike to someone who knows what they are doing instead of a backyard mechanic.
 
Certification gives you some level of comfort that at some time your mechanic passed tests to certify he was competent to fix your car. That doesn't mean he continues to be a good mechanic or a good worker. I'm sure there are guys out there who are very competent and work hard and aren't certified. I'm also sure there are certified mechanics who screw the pooch and do crappy work. I've seen it first-hand. On the whole though, if you know nothing about a mechanic, I'd rather go to a certified mechanic.
 
You don't know if your doctor barely passed , or was top of his class........same goes for a mechanic too,LOL
 
Being certified means you put in the hours and paid attention long enough to qualify and pass the required testing.

It doesn't mean you have a feel for things or common sense. I'm certified in several things, I'm an example of this.

But usually somebody that wants to, or is willing to put in the time to become certified in a particular field is usually employed in said field and vicariously learns stuff.

All that said, i'd like a certified VW tech working on my jetta, not a guy that thinks diesel is cool.
 
A good mechanic, is a good mechanic, certification doesn't mean all that much. I've known way too many certified mechanics that were absolutely terrible, same way I've known uncertified mechanics or apprentices that I've had no problem work on my car.

At the end of the day, certified simply means that you've build up enough apprenticeship hours, passed your classes, and your final exam.
 
If I were to look for someone who I wanted to work on my machines, I would look for someone who knew the machine inside out and did the work because they wanted to and not because it was the best way for them to feed their family! No a days there are way too many shops or garages saying they do stuff and don't always do it to the degree of what it is meant to be done.
A good mechanic is hard to find, as is a good Dr. If you do find either stick with them.
 
Certified mechanic working at dealership gets one chance to diagnose/fix your car. If car comes back (come-back), he fixes it for no pay. The dealership pays him once. That's the brutality of the trade. There is no room for error. Yet your doctor can guess as many times as he/she wants, and gets paid every time.

You will either get an apprentice or a license working on your car. It's just who's available at the time. Only licensed can do safeties, and most dealerships will only allow > 3rd year apprentices work on brakes, and even then a license has to look over his work, and road-test the vehicle.

Back-yard mechanics are held accountable to no one. Spend your money wisely.
 
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Also take the age of the mechanic into account. If it's someone who's claiming to have been a mechanic professionally ten or fifteen years, but still hasn't bothered to get their license ... I would raise an eyebrow.

On the other hand, the accountability of certified mechanics is still pretty low. In the OP's example, there is not a mechanic in the province that would take responsibility for a bike blowing up. If it's under warranty, the manufacturer will take responsibility (or if you just got an engine built by someone) - otherwise it's your problem.
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