It's no secret cars have changed dramatically in the last three decades. Technology has invaded every part of the car, according to Jarrett Hynes, general manager at Princeton Honda in Skillman.
"After the first safety features were introduced, back-up cameras or sensors were in high demand by customers. That led to demand for more extras," he said.
Now standard "extras" include large infotainment computer screens, and direct driver monitoring systems (DDMS), using "infrared cameras and head- and/or eye-tracking technology that require drivers to keep their eyes on the road while active driving assistance systems are steering, accelerating, and braking," according to Consumer Reports.
"DDMS is now mandatory in new vehicles sold in Europe, but not in the U.S."
Too Much Information
Hynes admits that even for him, all the technology is a bit TMI. It has also made cars—and repairing them—more expensive.
However, "it is what everyone asks for, and in some ways it [actually] makes diagnosing and fixing your car so much easier."
Learning New Tricks
"It's been amazing to watch our mechanics transition with all this new technology. They naturally have to be able to pivot and adapt; these old dogs learned new tricks," Hynes says.
One of those old dogs is Shop Foreman Mark Pendenza. He has been working as a mechanic since 1979, and at Princeton Honda since 1997. His father was a foreman at a paper box factory and Pendenza was often with him at work. "I've had a wrench in my hand since I was 8 or 9," he says.
Pendenza was fixing and rebuilding cars in his backyard as a teenager when a local car dealer noticed and asked if he wanted to make some money. He's seen the evolution of car engines, but feels the job remains the same.
"The engines today are so well made, so efficient. But, still, it's about the hands. The computer will tell me what's wrong, take the guesswork out, but we have to go in and fix it," he said.
Another thing that hasn't changed is continuous on-the-job learning. Car dealers have instituted ongoing instruction for the mechanics.
At Honda, this includes monthly training and mandatory tests that every mechanic has to pass, to keep up with the rapidly-changing details of fixing cars. When a new car comes out, they go to school to learn about it.
"There are leagues more training now," Pendenza said. "Most of it is online because of all the technology in cars. It used to be more mechanical and hands-on, like learning to rebuild alternators, starters, carburetors."
Dealerships often look to community colleges and private schools such as Lincoln Tech in South Plainfield (a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol LINC) to find candidates—though a high school diploma is enough as well.
"Then it's up to them to demonstrate their skills in the service bays," Pendenza says. He looks at everything, but focuses on the mechanic's focus on details, practical experience, and mechanical aptitude.
According to Indeed.com, good service technicians and supervisors can earn $60,000 to $150,000, with health insurance, 401K, and paid training.
"It's a great job," Pendenza says. Being a mechanic has paid my bills for 45 years. And it's been very rewarding."