What You Should Know About ASE Certification as a Car Owner
It doesn’t matter what model of car you are driving, this is a fairly expensive piece of equipment. You will spend hundreds, and perhaps thousands of dollars on repair and maintenance in the years you own the vehicle. It makes sense to have the very best service. ASE Certified Mechanics set a very high standard.
The intent is to have the very best auto service made available to a car owner. This includes customer service as well as automobile expertise. Independent car service technicians can qualify for ASE Certification if they are able to pass some fairly rigorous certification requirements. ASE does not award its certification lightly. There are requirements to be met in the following areas:
- Anti-Lock Brake Systems
- Electrical Systems
- Gasoline Fuel Injection
- Hybrid Ignition and Electronic Systems
The auto service center must have the proper tools and equipment to offer the ASE level of auto care. ASE sponsors a number of training programs and courses.
To become an ASE Certified Technician, a mechanic will go through at least 2 years of on the job work experience, and up to 4 years as an apprentice in training in the vehicle’s electric system as well as a number of other electronic and physical vehicle diagnostics. ASE technicians will go through even more challenging course work, depending on the specific certification they are seeking. The training can be web based, but many courses are of the hands-on variety. Quite a few of the ASE certified technicians have unique understanding of specific models of automobiles and their systems. ASE Certifications can be granted in the following areas:
• Automobile/Light Truck
• Medium/Heavy Truck
• Parts Specialist
• Truck Equipment
• Undercar Specialist
• Advanced Engine Performance Specialist
• Damage Analysis and Estimating
• Engine Machinist
• Alternate Fuels
ASE certification as an ASE Certified Parts Specialist also permits the service center to deal in quality automotive parts that are recognized as high quality replacements, and the Manufacturers warranty is good for 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever happens to come first (individual part warranties may vary). The certification requirements ensure that only the top technicians are awarded an ASE certification.
What this means for the car owner is any service center that has an ASE certified specialist on staff lives up to tough benchmarks. It further means you can expect a certain level of service wherever the certification is displayed. You may be out of town, but can have superior mechanic attention to your vehicle wherever you may happen to be. ASE is a Nationally Recognized certification; so getting the best service for your vehicle is not a problem. There are some additional benefits in dealing with an ASE Certified Automotive Service and Parts Specialist:
The parts sold reflect the company’s commitment to the environment. We seek to leave as small a carbon footprint as possible on the globe. Our company has been able to reduce fuel consumption which means better fuel economy for the owner and a cleaner environment as well.
Any car owner whether you drive a high-end luxury auto or just the family mini van should give careful consideration to the quality of service their car receives. The idea is to be able to maintain the auto for as many years as possible. The average service center may provide substandard service. These places rely on volume and getting the vehicle out as quickly as possible. The consumer pays a sizable premium in the long run, with poor service and cheap quality parts driving up the overall cost. It makes sense to check the certifications before a service appointment is even made. The ASE certification is a promise of the very best vehicle service possible, and a level of performance their car will maintain for a lifetime. A car owner can rest assured that an ASE Certified Mechanic will do an excellent job of repairing their vehicle safely, correctly, and with as little down time as possible.