New auto technologies affect independent shops

By Stacie Luke

Today there are cars that allow you to answer your phone through the car or alert you if you veer out of your lane. Some cars have rain-sensing wipers or technology to help detect pedestrians. Some even allow the driver to start the car with the push of a button.
Independent repair shops must keep up with the rapidly changing technology in new cars, but sometimes it’s easier said than done.

The TechKnowledgists talked with a couple of independent automotive shop owners—Chad Hammond from Hammond’s Garage in Statham, Ga., and Chris Nash from David Yearwood’s Auto Repair in Greensboro, Ga.—to find out how they keep up with changes in technology and how these changes affect their business.

TechKnowledgists: How long have you been an auto mechanic?

Hammond: About 24 years.

Nash: Nine years.

TechKnowledgists: What do you all do to keep up with the changing technology in autos?
Hammond: There are a lot of things you can find online now, like a lot of car manuals. We also read magazines and bulletins that come through the mail every month. We work together with other independent shops in the area and see if they’ve run across the same problems.

Nash: We learn mostly just through fooling with them; through years of experience. Technology changes too much from year to year that it’s hard to keep up. We have information available, but we don’t use it until we need to.

TechKnowledgists: What’s one of the hardest (new) things to work on?

Hammond: The thing that bothers me the most is when you get a problem in the electrical wiring. And sometimes that stuff is expensive to fix.

Nash: Anything that’s computer controlled is hard to work on. For instance, windshield wipers and power locks and doors run off their own computer module, more or less.

TechKnowledgists: How does the new technology affect pricing?

Hammond: New technology affects pricing because labor may take longer. Also, parts are more expensive. You better call and check on the price of a part before you give a price to the customer.

TechKnowledgists: Do you have to invest in new tools for the cars?

Nash: Tools are getting more and more specialized now. It used to be more generalized and you could use one tool to do a job on any car, but not anymore. For instance, there are tools specifically for working on a Ford F-150. It can get expensive.

TechKnowledgists: How has new technology affected business?

Hammond: One of the main ways is the equipment and expense of the equipment. Most small business can’t afford it.

TechKnowledgists: Overall, what do you think about new automotive technology?

Hammond: New technology is a good thing. It helps the cars be more efficient. All the extra stuff is just for comfort and makes it a little more expensive, but you don’t really need it.

Nash: Diagnosing the problem is a little easier because the computers are so sensitive, but it can also make it harder sometimes.

The TechKnowledgists also contacted Mike Adkins, automotive program director in the automotive technology department at Athens Technical College in Athens, Ga., about how technology affects the way students are taught.

TechKnowledgists: Does new car technology affect the way that automotive technology is taught at Athens Tech?

Adkins: New technology does affect the way we teach automotive at Athens Tech. We are constantly trying to keep our instructors updated with the constant changes that are taking place. New technology requires new equipment to be able to work on the cars. We have purchased about a $100,000 of equipment in the past year.

TechKnowledgists: Do you teach how to work on new cars such as hybrids or electrical cars?

Adkins: We try to keep the students abreast of the new and emerging technologies such as hybrids and electrical cars. One of the problems is availability of hybrids and electrical cars for training. Car donations from the manufacturer are at an all time low. We do not have these vehicles available for instruction.

TechKnowledgists: How do you think new car technology affects independent repair shops?

Adkins: Running a repair shop requires a lot of expensive hand tools and diagnostic equipment. Technicians also need to have access to repair information in order to repair the car correctly. Whenever new technology emerges it requires a shop to have to purchase new information and tools and equipment to be able to repair those vehicles.

Edited by Casey Bruce