From someone who has held positions with both titles, in different industries, I would argue neither. Mechanics more so denotes generalists who yes, can/will be able to 'figure it out' and fix something, but might not be as efficient or even effective in a given maintenance area, repair type, or task set as someone who specializes in such. Whereas a technician implies more technical education, experience and specialization in a given area or task type who is more likely to perform the work according to [arguably, amongst highly qualified trade professionals and industry-wide standards] best practices. But of course others will disagree or use the terms differently, and many use them interchangeably.
Another analogy. All rappers are hip hop artists, but not all hip hop artists are rappers (some might simply produce beats, but not rap). Then within that set of rappers, arguably all of them are lyrical to some extent. Nonetheless, we could further differentiate a subset as bona fide "lyricists". You (or certainly, hip hop heads/avid rap music listeners or fans) wouldn't necessarily call any given rapper (analagous to a mechanic) a lyricist (technician) i.e., rap artist who is especially skilled in the element of lyricism. E.g., Tech N9ne or Eminem have proven themselves as rap lyricists (lyrical technicians). Whereas many others (such as certain stereotypically simplistic 'mumble rappers') aren't quite in that category with respect to demonstrated lyrical specialization or skill. Of course there are other elements like flow, delivery, cadence, story-telling, pure entertainment value, etc. Or we could use the example skill of raw (legitimately 'off the dome') freestyle ability - within that realm, Harry Mack has proven to be a freestyle technician. Doesn't mean most other rappers aren't freestyle mechanics i.e., up to that task whatsoever. But they might not be nearly as skilled or specialized in doing so. That is basically the semantic and denotational difference in my POV. 1 has to do with a broader, more generalist capacity that indicates ability in something or at least in a domain within which it resides (and indeed might imply a more multi-craft connotation), while the other has to do with especially honed technique in a particular task type or area. Professionally trained tire technicians are often better at tire maintenance and repair than any given run of the mill mechanic. Lube "techs" can often adopt better practices and habits than some mechanics who alternatively started up in certain full-service shops with a blind spot here or there (concerning tire and wheel service, maintenance and repair) by whoever happened to initially train them. Indeed this area of steering and suspension is often taken for granted as relatively less consequential grunt-work. Automotive mechanics might know more about multiple areas of automotive maintenance and repair than a given tire or tire and lube tech (or more about more vehicle makes than say a Honda tech or whatever other OEM autotomotive tech who is highly skilled but only with vehicles of a given manufacturer). But again, we are collectively on different pages (including employers even lol) with inconsistent usage of these 2 alternative terms and probably, it will remain that way unfortunately (or not, most people aren't so pedantic as I am)
Had the opposite experience once. I was at the gym and met some chick who attended a local college, i asked her what she did, she worked as a civil engineer downtown. She asked what i did i said mechanic. Said she could never do it, i was like someone has to, and then she said but some of her friends were mechanical engineers too. I said no, just mechanic. We never talked again.
She wasn't worth the overwhelming debt she's in anyways 😂 The chicks from college I met always couldn't believe that i made more than they ever will as a mechanic. No debt except tools, of course 😅
Yh I found ag engineer works better on girls than tractor mechanic atleast when I’m drunk and trying to chat up the girls in the pub but I really don’t care it’s broke I fix it and get paid no matter what you call me
You can call me whatever you want as long as I’m getting paid. I prefer technician as I frequently diagnose using a labscope and other precision tools. But at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter, as long as the cars get fixed
@@beekeeper8474 I have in fact, we have one sitting in the back room of the shop I work at Can’t say I’ve ever used it myself but every once in a while our old car guy will break it out and I’ll just kind of watch
I used to be a junk yard dog. The guy that fetched the parts. Then one day I threw away my grungy jump suit coveralls and traded them for a uniform, pants and shirt with a name tag. From that time on I was an Auto Parts Dismantler. APD for short. Nothing but respect from the customers after that. 😂😂😂😂
@@arwindercheema3166 he meant to say that techs are educated and saw mechanics as people who just replace parts without to much diagnostics. I personally don't agree with it but he is a certified master tech so to each his own
Only autistic women work doing hard labor. The ones who pretend to do it for fun, for money, or anything that sounds reasonable is a total lie. This isn't a slight directed at women but am actual fact. There is some tattooed chick with dreads in other short videos that pretends to be a mechanic but you can easily tell she's faking it by the way she dresses in short shorts.
The terms "mechanic" and "automotive technician" are often used interchangeably, but there are some subtle differences between the two. A mechanic is a skilled tradesperson who repairs and maintains machinery, including automobiles. They have a broad understanding of mechanical systems and are capable of diagnosing and fixing a variety of issues. Mechanics may specialize in a specific type of vehicle or work on a wide range of vehicles. On the other hand, an automotive technician is a professional who specializes in the repair and maintenance of automobiles. They have specific training and knowledge related to automotive systems, such as engines, transmissions, electrical systems, and computer diagnostics. Automotive technicians often work in authorized service centers or dealerships and may have certifications from manufacturers. In summary, while both mechanics and automotive technicians have similar skills and knowledge, automotive technicians typically have more specialized training in the field of automotive repair.
So you all know , there is a huge difference between a mechanic and a technician. Also when anyone ever ask me what I do other then being a full time technician, I tell them anything that pays the bills. Because I don’t want to be asked any questions about cars away from work.
"technician" is one of the words they came up with when they realized that superficial bullshit and make-believe are more profitable and comforting than cold hard reality.
With most vehicles haveing over 30 computers that communicate with each other over the multiple networks, yes that makes you a technician. And using a scan tool successfully, and effectively makes you good. Any monkey with two hands can do a brake job, but tell the same monkey to chase a HS-CAN network problem and he'll think your head is on fire.
Yeah, we don't have time to learn aftermarket stuff, our brains are already overloaded with all of the factory systems. Although, with wiring diagrams, remote starting systems aren't too difficult to deal with. Always easier to send the customer back to the installer though.
Sure is gonna be a tough day for the technicians when a vehicle comes in that isn’t littered with sensors that a scan tool can’t tell them where to start.
Mechanics are often just though of as guys who turn wrenches and throw parts at vehicles. Technicians, often have much more technical understanding and education behind them, often utilizing this knowledge to appropriately diagnose an issue and doing the correct repair the first time. I.E. Just because you're throwing O2 codes doesn't necessarily mean your O2s are bad... My two cents..an ASE Master Technician. 😁
You can call us whatever you want, at least we mechanics aren't always parts throwers. Can't say the same of the guys who get schooling to learn the trade.
Doctors and nurses are two very different things and can be differentiated easily. Your analogy would be closer to the guy who changes the oil calling himself an engine builder.
@@jonnylong7927 mechanic that is only qualified to change oil and a technician who is trained to do everything on your vehicle would be that exactly and the way we are distinguished is our ase certification patches
@@Advancedecu"technician" is ONLY a title, it says NOTHING for a person's capabilities , a good example is that EVERYONE at a dealership is called a "technician" and a LOT of those guys are fucking retarded and can't fix shit, and there are "mechanics" that can out wrench most "techs". Fancy words sell, basic words don't.
@@Advancedecu ase ah the old I filled out paper so I'm special! Our shop has been around 75 years and if you come in with ASE you might as well be handing over toilet paper.
Mechanic can fix anything new and old a technician can fix it if there computer tells them what is wrong with it if the computer can't tell them there lost and don't know where to even start
No the mechanic replaces everything his $29 eBay code reader tells him. My computers that cost more than your car are used to test components. I tell you what wrong …. Not the computer. That comes from 20 years of diagnostic experience
I’ve always felt like a technician was more specialized and considered better (Ford tech, ASE Master HVAC tech, heavy equipment tech, etc), where a mechanic is more of a, “never worked on a *insert car/equipment* but I’ll take a look” type. Obviously, there are incredible mechanics and trash technicians, but technician tends to be considered better.
@@nrxhavoc Someone told me something along these lines a long time ago. Technician was a “better” title you could say. It was almost like being better trained or whatnot. It’s why places like dealerships have signs up like, “Now Hiring Technicians.” Mom and pop shops will say, “Hiring Mechanic.”
The difference is one actually knows what they are doing they can even tune carburetor's, some can rebuild them as well(old school mechanic). the other one generally doesn't really have much of clue
Then you give the old school guy any electrical problem and they shit a brick 😂. Being an automotive tech has become so specialized that it's really nothing like being a real mechanic anymore.
@@jbthestoner5504 most of them yeaap lol,few of them old school boy's can do electrical. Biggest reason I decided not to be a mechanic is because it's all electrical/specialized. Me personally I'd rather work on the older vehicles,when engineer's still had some brains left and kinda used them to a degree lol.
@@brandonstennes4931 yep I feel you with that. That's why I chose to work on heavy equipment instead, all that stuff is still old school. I can hardly fix a car lol.
Fuck off with that boomer shit, I couldn’t possibly know how to tune a carb or set timing on points! Also i can diag can bus issues, use lab scopes to check current ramps on injectors and coils. Pull cam crank waveforms to verify timing. Damn man i even know how to use a rotary phone!
I'm a heavy equipment mechanic . I prefer mechanic , my job title says mechanic . I feel like all mechanics are technicians but that all technicians are mechanics
A technician is a step below engineer a mechanic understands how to fix something but not necessarily always understands the science or math that went into the miracle of automotive technology
It's so funny seeing all you ASE certified people bashing mechanics especially those old school guys. In my shop I was trained by a Navy electrical engineer, two Machinists and an ex helicopter mechanic. The only time you called Jasper was when there were parts sticking out of the block or the transmission case.
Not a speck of dirt or grease under her fingernails, shirt cleaner than my church clothes. Only warning light she can get rid of is "washer fluid low".
@@jay1268 you bet your ass they do. Unless they claim they work on cars but all they do is stand by their toolbox and shine their already clean tools. Bud
@@jangingout I have been working on cars for 10 years professionally and my hands arent filthy my guy🤣 I'm doing 120 hour pay periods doing engine, transmission work down to diag and services and everything in between. I don't like getting in customer cars or my personal cars covered in grease if you get customer cars and your cars filthy that's a slob move on you man
@@jay1268 It's inevitable not to get your hands dirty even wearing gloves. If you really work on cars for a living, you'd know that. Unless you're one of those princesses that puts on new gloves everytime it rips even in the middle of your job(let's say you're removing top tranny mounting bolt and your glove rips, are you stopping what you're doing to put on new damn glove so you're pretty nail doesn't get dirty?) Get it together my guy 😆
The reason why they say automotive technician is because cars now have complex electrical and computer systems that need repair and maintenance. A mechanic in the old days was almost all mechanical
My mechanic says the difference between a technician and a mechanic is that a technician only replaced the parts and a mechanic can find a way to make do with what they have.
You can always tell a good mechanic by how terrible their car looks. If it looks like it came out of a junkyard you know they're a good mechanic because they kept it running.
@@DariusJones05 That's exactly my point. They just fix what breaks on them and the thing will have 350k miles on it even though it looks rusty and there's no clear coat left the back windows don't go down and the horn doesn't work it still runs. That's why it looks like a junkyard car.
@@matthewmorgan582 my mechanics car looks nothing like that. In fact it looks as good as most cars do by the time they hit 50,000. And yes, the horn works.
Mechanic can fix anything. Auto technician specializes in automobile repair. I'm a mechanic, shit sucks stay far away, women also don't like mechanics fun fact
I have run into technicians that have little mechanical skills. This may sound odd, but it is true. They can hook a vehicle up to a computer and diagnose a problem, but can't track down an issue without a scan tool.
@@selwyn13 to an extent. If it is gas, you still need the basics to have a chance, gas and spark. Yes, more parts are involved now to go along with that, but the mechanical things like suspension components still need to be figured out, and a computer can't tell you a ball joint or sway bar is bad. I have seen technicians lost when it comes to something their scan tool doesn't tell them. Not that they are not smart.
@@calvins1837 Ya for suspension related work, definitely. I was talking about as far as engine and transmission. Shit Even for bleeding the brakes, I remember the bleed sequence book we would follow when I worked at a brake shop would say that you had to hook a scan tool to complete the whole bleeding process (I think it was for the electronic e-brake, I don’t remember exactly). Our company, Brake Check, was too cheap to get us a scan tool like that, so we always had to skip it. Or recalibrating ADAS system (I think is also called Electronic Stability Control or ESC system) w/ a scan tool after an alignment. Sucks as to how monopolized everything is.
@@joe1273 no its the primary things to check. For example if your fuel pump goes, and you have a no start situation checking sensors and modules first, before checking the fuel rail for pressure is a waste of time. And in the case of some gm vehicles, no fuel pressure cut off the spark, so you have neither fuel or spark. Always start with the basics dad taught me. 50 years as a mechanic he knew a little. It has held true no matter how I apply it in life.
Lmaoooo. This is sooooo accurate. Your not an official technician(which is just a fancy title that means you have certifications). I’ve seen a few people that have a couple certifications but they still don’t know what they’re doing or understand how some things work. It’s easy to take a class in pick the right answers. But remembering it and using it out when you’re in the field working on a bunch of different style cars is what really matters. And the only way to get good at that is to just start working on cars and getting some seat time as a mechanic. What I did and recommend (at least for mechanically inclined people who already have a general understanding of cars) is to get into a shop and start working and doing different jobs and getting taught different things by the master technician or lead mechanic and do that for a year or more and then go and get your certifications so that you’re not just taking a class on things you have never seen or experienced before.
Exactly. I’ve got enough certifications and training certificates to fill a whole wall but didn’t get to be my best until I started seeking out all of the knowledge I could on my own time and learning new techniques and applying them in the field. I am now one of the go to diagnostic techs in this area. A lot of those training classes and even ASE certifications are a joke. I quit renewing them all together. Just about anyone that has worked on cars for a few years with some common sense can walk in and pass the ASE certification tests. If you’re going to be good diagnosing cars these days you need to gain a strong understanding of electrical principles and learn to use an oscilloscope. Once I learned how to a scope and use pressure transducers to look at what’s going on inside the cylinder, the intake manifold, and the exhaust things really opened up for me. Just listening to someone talk about doesn’t cut it. You have to get in there and see these problems first hand and then you really start to understand what you’re seeing on the screen before that light bulb truly comes on.
Know people that say the same thing when they're in a MLM. "I own my own business!" What do you do sell some shit and get 1% of the profit if I'm lucky
Lol. Many years ago, the only thing that mattered was could you fix something properly. I've seen many a textbook technician who could not fix things. Had no practical experience. So many comebacks it was ridiculous. ASE does not mean you are qualified. Simply that you passed a test. I know relatives who cannot read , nor write. But can repair anything.
You're smoking hot , and funny? Am I with space Jesus? I was working on my truck in the mud earlier with a 20yr old leaning sears jack...yeah, pretty sure I'm dead
I'm not even sure if I should become a mechanic/auto motive technician now. I'm so confused about what to do. Wish I knew what to do but the job ain't going to come to me.
People say automotive technician because mechanic typically makes people picture more of a backyard mechanic whereas technician sounds more professional like you went to school and got a degree in it.
Got a degree in automotive technology and I call myself a mechanic. I don’t just go off what tsb’s and common fixes and throw the parts cannon at it till its fixed like techs do. I find the issue and replace or fix it the first time. Haven’t had a come back in 12 years. Which says a lot since I’m only 30
I change tires, diagnose and replace suspension components and perform alignments but I don’t do anything with transmissions or engines, am I a mechanic or an alignment technician?
Technicians are mechanics but many call themselves techs because the term mechanic is so widely used among shade tree and autozone parking lot mechanics etc. Many take pride in the fact that we can fully diagnose and fix an issue that would otherwise stump a “mechanic” therefore not wasting your money with unneeded parts and time.
@@aname1281 Well I better tell my boss that I'm a shity technicians, because my hands are clean and soft.. By the way I am an ASE Master technicians with 35 years experience.. I am the technicians that sovles problems dealerships in my area can't find/fix... I do wear gloves all the time.
@@homesteadhaven2010 I was more referring to the cuts and scrapes that guys (and girls) get. You sound like you got it down to a science, I respect that.
Sorry I’m a mechanic not a technician. There is a difference. Even when I was at a dealership I told them I’m a mechanic. Hating working there. Left in 3 months to work at a mom and pop shop and have loved every minute of it.
@@Mrjack-yn2dj youve clearly never worked in a shop. Maybe you work at the front desk with the girls but youre definitely not a toolbox owner. Go sit down in the a/c, men are talking.
I’m a technician for any thing that moves with an engine from space craft to auto also like electrical work which no one likes and have developed two wiring harnesses for interlock systems to go on ground support systems
There is an odd amount of folks upset over how clean these women are... I regret going through the comments. "You take care of yourself? HARDLY A MECHANIC". Why wash your hands with a brush when you can just get drunk and fat am I right or am I right.
Yeah. I'm not a tech but love to work on my own projects and have to work on a Bradley IFV for work and hate being dirty, I love cleaning up after doing all the shit I needed to. Mind you there are days I'm just tired as hell and don't clean up immediately. I don't mind getting dirty but being clean is a priority after the essentials get taken care of.
@@92powerdiesel61 working on a Bradley makes you a form of tech to me. Sometimes I’m dirty but if something fancy or well loved comes in I keep myself super clean and tidy. I kind of have to as well as if I didn’t the companies that have me certified for their things could pull the plug on me including GM for their vettes and performance division. There’s a standard to uphold and in turn I get to work on some wild things.
