Back to all

New School: Automotive Tuffy Grand Haven Technician Training

February 27, 2017

Grand Haven consumers are demanding. We want a safe, reliable vehicle that handles well and is comfortable to ride in. Oh, and we want good fuel economy, too. We also want vehicle repairs that are cheap, fast and easy. Unfortunately, one usually comes at the cost of the other.

Today's vehicles have made significant improvements in reliability and performance over the last few decades. They also deliver more power to Grand Haven drivers more efficiently than ever before. For example, some of today's 4-cylinder engines are equal to yesterday's V-8's. Our vehicles also offer an amazing range of features that make them more comfortable and convenient than ever before.

But all of that improvement has come at a price for Grand Haven vehicle owners. Our vehicles are more complicated and difficult to repair than ever before. They have numerous mechanical and electrical systems. Fuel systems are so complex they have to be run by a computer. Our vehicles are covered with sensors and high-tech electronic equipment. Our dashboards rival the control panel of the first manned space flight.

With all that complicated equipment, it's no wonder we call mechanics service technicians these days. You can't learn to repair vehicles in the backyard with your dad anymore. Today's Tuffy Grand Haven technicians have to go to school. School may come in the form of classroom instruction, online courses or both. Technicians are also trained on-site at the Grand Haven service centers where they work (including Tuffy Grand Haven) to keep them abreast of constant improvements in vehicle engineering, diagnostic equipment and repair techniques.

Today's technicians need to be certified to work on our vehicles. They can earn a variety of certifications in Michigan , but the highest of these is Master Technician. It's like a graduate degree in auto repair.

Vehicle repair at Tuffy Grand Haven in Grand Haven requires more than just training and certification, though. It also takes information and creative thought. Grand Haven area auto service centers subscribe to data services, technical libraries and online repair communities in order to get the information they need to: work on various makes and models of vehicles, get recommended maintenance schedules, learn about non-standard features and locate hard-to-find parts in an unusual engine. They also use this information to help diagnose rare or difficult vehicle problems. Many auto repair problems also require a bit of creative thinking for the team at Tuffy Grand Haven to solve. Grand Haven service technicians at Tuffy Grand Haven act much like doctors in these situations. They're given a set of symptoms, and they have to come up with a diagnosis and treatment that will fix the problem. This process becomes as much of an art as it is a science.

A proper diagnosis, even by a highly qualified technician, can take time. And a technician's time is going to cost us. It's just the price of progress.

Of course, the best vehicle care for Grand Haven vehicle owners is planned preventive auto maintenance. This is also the least costly way to keep your vehicle in good repair. Regular inspections and replacement of worn parts will prevent most repairs from ever being needed in the first place.

And with the amazing complexity of today's automobiles, isn't it good to know there's someone out there with the knowledge, training and skill to give us good auto advice? Whether we need preventive maintenance or repairs, the team of automotive professionals at Tuffy Grand Haven can help us keep our vehicles on the road. We just can't do it on our own anymore.

Tuffy Grand Haven
435 N. Beacon Blvd.
Grand Haven , Michigan 49417
616.844.5557

More articles from Tuffy Grand Haven

All Lined Up (Alignment Inspection)

April 21, 2024

When you head down a straight road, does your vehicle pull to one side? Do you feel vibration in any of the wheels? If you've noticed any of these things, it's probably time for you to get your wheel alignment checked. When your vehicle left the factory, its wheels were parallel to each other an... More

Beware Dangers of Spring Driving (Seasonal Driving Tips)

April 14, 2024

Sure, winter is quickly fading in the rearview mirror, but the peril of icy roads is replaced with a whole new set of driving challenges in spring. Deer and other wildlife. You are not the only one who gets spring fever. Animals do, too, and spring is the time they start looking for mates and fo... More

Beginning to See the Light (Check Engine Light Diagnostics)

April 7, 2024

It's a light many drivers fear they'll see turn on at the most inopportune time. It's the one on the dash that says "Check Engine," "Service Engine Soon," or it may be simply an engine-shaped light. Your first instinct may be to pull off to the side of the road and turn off the engine. The truth... More