A Woman’s Point of View: The Mechanic and What Makes Him Tick

by: Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Oct. 9, 2009

As an observer of human nature (as most women are), we notice personality types all the time. Consciously or unconsciously, we gather visual data about people so we know if we are in our safety/comfort zone with any person at any given time.

Now that I have covered the deep psychic stuff, let’s have some fun with it. Just remember, there are exceptions to every rule.

Mechanics with whom I have worked have a tendency to be introverts. They are much more comfortable with machines than they are with people. Every car they work on is a personal challenge. It does not seem to matter whether the job is large and complicated or small and simple. It is personal. It is what a blank canvas is to an artist. To be made into something beautiful. They are passionate about cars and how they can make each car run like a finely tuned instrument. They spend their lunch time watching “car things” on the computer and their weekends doing “car things”. They are always building. Always creating. Always solving. It is the epitome of the creative process in a most masculine way.

And who benefits from all this positive energy? Why, we women of course. Another perfect solution.

Protector Plates – Protecting what?

by Rob Hopp, Cars for Keeps Owner

Not only does the array of panels under your vehicle protect the more delicate components from exposure to rocks, sticks and other elements, they also make it much more difficult for critters to get into places that could be fatal...

We often find protection plates missing or damaged. Rarely does the client have any idea they were there or missing. Though usually the result of impact, too many times it is a result of improper installation or ethically worse, failure to reinstall them at all!

I have to admit, they can be a pain to get back on right. My opinion and experience has shown that many minimum wage quickie lube type employees either presume you’ll never know or are discouraged from taking too much time trying to get them back on right. You may not realize that these are NOT mechanics. No state or national certification is required, or even encouraged, as mechanics are.

Cars for Keeps is recognized by:

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) as a Blue Seal Of Excellence Facility.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) as a AAA Approved Auto Repair Facility

The Robert Bosch Corporation as a Bosch Authorized Car Service Company.