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Do you ever wonder if your mechanic is taking you for a ride? Feel vulnerable every time your car makes a funny sound? ... Why not learn how to do your own repairs? Chris Cozad, founder of Alternative Auto Care in Columbus, Ohio, tells us how she got started as a mechanic, why there are so few women in the field, and loads of helpful information on all things car-related! When/how did you become interested in becoming a mechanic, and where did you get your training? I started out with an old car in college ( I have a degree in Biology and taught biology for a while) - I also had no money, as is typical of a college student, and I had a friend who was a mechanic - he taught me the basics and we kept that old car running for years. I then continued to do it as a hobby for a number of years. In 1983, I was unemployed and my friends kept calling me to fix their cars - both to give me some income and save them from being ripped off. After a couple of months it reached a point where I was doing 3 or 4 cars a week and I thought "I could do this for a living." I got business cards printed and I was in business. I had my tools in my truck and worked on the street for several months. I then moved into a one car residential garage with no heat and no water and worked there for 3 years. I then moved to my current location (1986) and have expanded three times since then. We have room for 6 or 7 cars inside now. I am basically self taught - I always figured if I could take it apart I could put it back together! And that has usually been the case (I have learned the hard way a couple of times) - experience is the best teacher and you really learn by getting under the hood and getting your hands dirty! I have taken classes over the years in specific topics like fuel injection or anti-lock brakes - but have not completed a technical school program. How many women mechanics work at Alternative Auto Care, and how many others do you know of in other cities? I currently have 2 other employees both ASE certified women. I have had a number of women work for me over the years. There are a handful of women I know in other cities and there are a couple of other women owned shops that I have heard about. Why do you feel there are so few women mechanics out there? Approximately 1% of working technicians are women. This figure has not changed must in all the years I have been doing it.The field is wide open to women, but the industry has not done a very good job of recruiting. There is a stereotype of the backyard "grease monkey" that scares many people (men and women) off - it is unfortunate because there is a serious shortage of qualified techs, lots of places would hire women - if they were qualified and applied. There are actually many women in the training programs - but moving from that place into an actual job is very difficult. There is still a lot of sex discrimination in this industry and many women who do get jobs in mainstream shops - quit after a while because they tire of the BS.I should note here that the actual sexual harassment problem has diminished greatly over the years - though it still happens. The industry has raised expectations and we see a lot less of the "girly" calendar mentality especially with younger techs - who have had the experience of working with women in the training programs, if not in the workplace. There is nothing so complicated on a car that it cannot be explained in a way that you can understand: why something happened, why it costs what it does to fix, and how to prevent it in the future. Non traditional jobs for women are a great way to make good money without a lot of higher education - BUT this particular field takes a time commitment to get to the higher dollar positions. A new trainee won't make much but with a few years of experience and the possibility of specializing (electrical, transmissions, engine performance etc.) a person (male or female) can get to a place where they make good money. This reality causes lots of young techs to get out of the field (again men and women) but I think it is more pronounced with women because one of the main reasons women enter the filed is the desire to make good money especially to support families. There are a lot of false assumptions / stereotypes about why women can't / won't do this job - heavy lifting (not true - we have special equipment for that), it is a dirty job (true but lots of us gals donât mind getting dirty). It is a physical job - standing, bending getting up and down off the floor - so you need to be healthy.Girls are not encouraged to consider this as an option. Think back to your own high school experience - how many girls were encouraged to look at vo-ed options? We still fight huge battles in society against crossing narrowly defined gender roles - girls are still encouraged to be teachers, nurses and cosmetologist. It can be said that the same is true for boys - how many male nurses do you know? Why does it seem so dang hard to find a good, trustworthy mechanic in general... are there any signs to look out for? I do whole workshops on this topic but here are a couple of high points: this is a highly technical field - and getting more so each year - there is a lot of incompetence out there - much more so than dishonesty - although historically there has been a lot of dishonesty - I really find that not to: be the case as often these days. * Look for ASE certification - this is a voluntary national certification program and it is a very good one. Is someone is ASE certified you can rest assured they know something - it is still no guarantee but it helps. * Talk to friends, co-workers etc. - in this business word of mouth and referral are our best advertising. * Don't price shop - you get what you pay for - if there is a big difference in two estimates it is probably not "apples to apples" * Ask questions and don't settle for pat answers. It is your car and your money and you have a right to have your questions answered. You are purchasing a service from us - hold us accountable. There is nothing so complicated on a car that it can not be explained in a way that you can understand. While the explanation may not be technically 100% accurate - it can be explained in such a way that you understand - why something happened, why it costs what it does to fix, and how to prevent it in the future. * Be an educated consumer - and trust your instincts - if something doesn't feel right - it probably isn't. * Don't wait till you have a problem to select a repair facility. Establish a relationship with a shop at least then you know where you are going to go when you have a problem and you already trust them. Any advice to women who would like to feel less vulnerable in car-related situations -- shopping for used cars, talking to the shop, etc.? On shopping for used cars: Never, ever buy a used car without having in checked by a mechanic - period! Even if you are buying from a friend or family member! There are good cars to be found in any price range - but you may have to look for a while - especially in the under $3000 price range. Be patient. If it seems like the deal is too good to be true - it is - donât buy someone else's headaches. Don't fall victim to "high pressure sales" - take the time you need - if someone else gets that car - there is always another out there just as good or better. No matter what you pay for a used car - you will have to spend some more money - no one fixes everything and then sells it. It is not unusual to have to spend $500 - $600 within the first couple of months. It does not necessarily mean you bought a lemon! Don't be fooled by myths like "Joe's Used Cars" always have great cars or Toyotas are always good. While "Joe's" may be honest they don't always know what is wrong - used car sales people are not technicians. Even a great car - like a Honda or Toyota can have been abused / neglected and not be worth your money.You really have to look at the individual car to know if it is good or not - these "trends" / "myths" can be a guide line but should not weigh too heavily in the final decision. Again, HAVE IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. Chris Cozad is the President (ASE Master certified technician) of Alternative Auto Care, Inc. 585 W. Second Ave. Columbus, OH 43215. Those of you in the Columbus area should all flock tehre next time you need your vehicle checked out! Chris does workshops (mentioned above) for conferences, workplaces, clubs, etc. If you're interested in having her do one for your group of event, contact her there (and let me know when it's going to be!) |
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Do you ever wonder if your mechanic is taking you for a ride? Feel vulnerable every time your car makes a funny sound? ... Why not learn how to do your own repairs? Chris Cozad, founder of Alternative Auto Care in Columbus, Ohio, tells us how she got started as a mechanic, why there are so few women in the field, and loads of helpful information on all things car-related! When/how did you become interested in becoming a mechanic, and where did you get your training? I started out with an old car in college ( I have a degree in Biology and taught biology for a while) - I also had no money, as is typical of a college student, and I had a friend who was a mechanic - he taught me the basics and we kept that old car running for years. I then continued to do it as a hobby for a number of years. In 1983, I was unemployed and my friends kept calling me to fix their cars - both to give me some income and save them from being ripped off. After a couple of months it reached a point where I was doing 3 or 4 cars a week and I thought "I could do this for a living." I got business cards printed and I was in business. I had my tools in my truck and worked on the street for several months. I then moved into a one car residential garage with no heat and no water and worked there for 3 years. I then moved to my current location (1986) and have expanded three times since then. We have room for 6 or 7 cars inside now. I am basically self taught - I always figured if I could take it apart I could put it back together! And that has usually been the case (I have learned the hard way a couple of times) - experience is the best teacher and you really learn by getting under the hood and getting your hands dirty! I have taken classes over the years in specific topics like fuel injection or anti-lock brakes - but have not completed a technical school program. How many women mechanics work at Alternative Auto Care, and how many others do you know of in other cities? I currently have 2 other employees both ASE certified women. I have had a number of women work for me over the years. There are a handful of women I know in other cities and there are a couple of other women owned shops that I have heard about. Why do you feel there are so few women mechanics out there? Approximately 1% of working technicians are women. This figure has not changed must in all the years I have been doing it.The field is wide open to women, but the industry has not done a very good job of recruiting. There is a stereotype of the backyard "grease monkey" that scares many people (men and women) off - it is unfortunate because there is a serious shortage of qualified techs, lots of places would hire women - if they were qualified and applied. There are actually many women in the training programs - but moving from that place into an actual job is very difficult. There is still a lot of sex discrimination in this industry and many women who do get jobs in mainstream shops - quit after a while because they tire of the BS.I should note here that the actual sexual harassment problem has diminished greatly over the years - though it still happens. The industry has raised expectations and we see a lot less of the "girly" calendar mentality especially with younger techs - who have had the experience of working with women in the training programs, if not in the workplace. There is nothing so complicated on a car that it cannot be explained in a way that you can understand: why something happened, why it costs what it does to fix, and how to prevent it in the future. Non traditional jobs for women are a great way to make good money without a lot of higher education - BUT this particular field takes a time commitment to get to the higher dollar positions. A new trainee won't make much but with a few years of experience and the possibility of specializing (electrical, transmissions, engine performance etc.) a person (male or female) can get to a place where they make good money. This reality causes lots of young techs to get out of the field (again men and women) but I think it is more pronounced with women because one of the main reasons women enter the filed is the desire to make good money especially to support families. There are a lot of false assumptions / stereotypes about why women can't / won't do this job - heavy lifting (not true - we have special equipment for that), it is a dirty job (true but lots of us gals donât mind getting dirty). It is a physical job - standing, bending getting up and down off the floor - so you need to be healthy.Girls are not encouraged to consider this as an option. Think back to your own high school experience - how many girls were encouraged to look at vo-ed options? We still fight huge battles in society against crossing narrowly defined gender roles - girls are still encouraged to be teachers, nurses and cosmetologist. It can be said that the same is true for boys - how many male nurses do you know? Why does it seem so dang hard to find a good, trustworthy mechanic in general... are there any signs to look out for? I do whole workshops on this topic but here are a couple of high points: this is a highly technical field - and getting more so each year - there is a lot of incompetence out there - much more so than dishonesty - although historically there has been a lot of dishonesty - I really find that not to: be the case as often these days. * Look for ASE certification - this is a voluntary national certification program and it is a very good one. Is someone is ASE certified you can rest assured they know something - it is still no guarantee but it helps. * Talk to friends, co-workers etc. - in this business word of mouth and referral are our best advertising. * Don't price shop - you get what you pay for - if there is a big difference in two estimates it is probably not "apples to apples" * Ask questions and don't settle for pat answers. It is your car and your money and you have a right to have your questions answered. You are purchasing a service from us - hold us accountable. There is nothing so complicated on a car that it can not be explained in a way that you can understand. While the explanation may not be technically 100% accurate - it can be explained in such a way that you understand - why something happened, why it costs what it does to fix, and how to prevent it in the future. * Be an educated consumer - and trust your instincts - if something doesn't feel right - it probably isn't. * Don't wait till you have a problem to select a repair facility. Establish a relationship with a shop at least then you know where you are going to go when you have a problem and you already trust them. Any advice to women who would like to feel less vulnerable in car-related situations -- shopping for used cars, talking to the shop, etc.? On shopping for used cars: Never, ever buy a used car without having in checked by a mechanic - period! Even if you are buying from a friend or family member! There are good cars to be found in any price range - but you may have to look for a while - especially in the under $3000 price range. Be patient. If it seems like the deal is too good to be true - it is - donât buy someone else's headaches. Don't fall victim to "high pressure sales" - take the time you need - if someone else gets that car - there is always another out there just as good or better. No matter what you pay for a used car - you will have to spend some more money - no one fixes everything and then sells it. It is not unusual to have to spend $500 - $600 within the first couple of months. It does not necessarily mean you bought a lemon! Don't be fooled by myths like "Joe's Used Cars" always have great cars or Toyotas are always good. While "Joe's" may be honest they don't always know what is wrong - used car sales people are not technicians. Even a great car - like a Honda or Toyota can have been abused / neglected and not be worth your money.You really have to look at the individual car to know if it is good or not - these "trends" / "myths" can be a guide line but should not weigh too heavily in the final decision. Again, HAVE IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. Chris Cozad is the President (ASE Master certified technician) of Alternative Auto Care, Inc. 585 W. Second Ave. Columbus, OH 43215. Those of you in the Columbus area should all flock tehre next time you need your vehicle checked out! Chris does workshops (mentioned above) for conferences, workplaces, clubs, etc. If you're interested in having her do one for your group of event, contact her there (and let me know when it's going to be!) |
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