Are regular ASE Certified mechanics ready to service hybrid cars?

Question

Are regular ASE Certified mechanics ready to service hybrid cars? Or is that best left for the hybrid car dealers? Thx

Answer 1

Not necessarily. ASE is working on a special certification for hybrid vehicles. Most systems on these cars are the same as on "normal" cars, but when it comes to the hybrid part, there are new technologies and safety issues to be considered, such as working with high voltage components. The best thing to do is to ask to see your mechanic's certifications for work on your hybrid. Here in the north Georgia mountains, there are not a lot of hybrids on the road. Shops that want to stay ahead of the curve will train their guys on these systems, and will advertise that. Any dealer that sells hybrids is required to have their guys trained on these systems as a prerequisite to selling them.

Answer 2

absolutely do not get the hybrid first of all unless you drive it for 12 years you probably wont save any money. Do the math. to buy that hybrid if you financed the whole thing you are looking at about $450 a month. the gas car will run about $280. so you will spend an additional 170 a month on the Hybrid. your gas cost at $3.50 a gallon driving 1000miles a month would be $116 for a gas sedan that averages 30mpg (very doable in a small economical sedan like a civic or corolla) no if you get about 43mpg in the hybrid your cost is 81.39 a savings of about $35 a month. even if you averaged 50 miles per gallon you would only save $46 a month. thats less than 1/3 of the added cost per month of purchasing the hybrid version of the same car. that mean after you pay off the car you'll have to drive it for anouther 10 years (a total of 15) just to break even (assuming you are still driving about 1000 miles a month) so no its not cheaper to buy the hybrid. however if you were to buy a used diesel vehicle (like aVW jetta or bug TDI) at the same price ($15,000) so that your payments were the same and averaged 45MPG in the diesel at $3.90 per gallon of diesel (its more expensive than gas) your fuel cost in the diesel would be about $86 a month vs the $116 for the small sedan you would save $30 a month. that $30 savings is actual savings by the time you paid off the car in 5 years you will have actually saved $1800 where if you had bought a hybrid you would have spent an extra $7440 after you subtract the fuel savings from the added cost of the vehicle. so i recommend a gas sedan that is economical if you don't like the idea of a diesel or a diesel sedan. I would never recommend a Hybrid not only are they expensive the the nickel production actually makes them worse for the environment than a gas car. when it comes tosaving the environment they should be working on fuel cell cars and clean diesels.

Answer 3

Normally for the first two years you'd have to go to a dealer... Ater two to three years thought those master techs have there all data or mitchell 1 programs updated and have the info and training on there program to deal with it... Most garages you go to have to have to have those programs to operate... Any master tech that says he doesn't use those types of programs is full of ****... Master ASE doesn't mean ****... It's just a piece of paper... Builder references are an absolute need for all mechanics... That's what those programs provide...

Answer 4

Be careful, A.S.E. certifies many categories from parts sells to master of the freaking mechanical universe. So make sure its for the specific area of your problem or maintenance.To get certified its a test just like you would do in school not a hands on see if you can actually do it exam. Some A.S.E. is just plain crap so be sure they have a masters A.S.E. certification if your going to rely on that.

Answer 5

Most Certified Techs can do the same thing that a dealership would do unless a specific special diagnostic tool is needed for the vehicle.

Answer 6

depends on the service your referring to

Answer 7

sure,I guess.