AUTO MECHANICS IMPROVE THEIR COMPETENCIES (PAGE 29)

THE automobile industry is one vital sector that propels the economy of any society.
The Tamale metropolis is no exception to this development.
The sprawling city has for the past five years experienced rapid growth in the automobile industry with a growing passion for the latest and sophisticated vehicles among residents. Name any latest model of car found in Accra or Tema and you would be surprised that such vehicles are on the streets of Tamale although they are fewer in number compared to Accra.
Is it the stylish Murano or the VW Tuareg? The new Sports Utility Vehicle (SUVs) like the Ssangyong Actyon and the Toyota RAV4s are all conspicuous on the streets of Tamale. So also are the compact Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) like the diesel-powered Opel Zafira, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Primera, and Opel Astra, which all make up a significant number of the saloon hatchback and caravan types of vehicles owned by residents in the metropolis.
However, before the automobile industry can effectively drive the economy, much depends on effective maintenance and good motor mechanics.
For one thing, just as residents are now purchasing more and more sophisticated vehicles so are the car mechanics in the metropolis also updating their knowledge to be abreast of the rapid technological advancements in the automobile industry.
Indeed, a significant number of car mechanics in the metropolis have updated their knowledge more effectively now than they were doing some five years ago, but some of them too are lagging behind in keeping pace with the modernisation of the automobile industry.
Some customers and residents have admitted that a significant number of mechanics in the metropolis are now updating their skills in consonance with the rapid modernisation of the automobile industry.
They also acknowledged that some of the mechanics need to update their knowledge and skills to be able to repair some of the sophisticated vehicles owned by residents.
A car mechanic is one who specialises in the maintenance, repair and sometimes modification of automobiles. A mechanic may be knowledgeable in working on all parts of a variety of cars or might specialise either in a specific area or make of a car.
Before he repairs a car, the mechanic gives the customer a quotation or does so after inspecting the damaged part.
Preventive maintenance is also a part of the mechanic’s job but this is not possible in the case of vehicles that are not regularly maintained.
With the rapid advancement in technology, the mechanic’s job has evolved from purely what is mechanical to include electronics.
Because vehicles today possess complex computer and electronic systems, mechanics need to have a broader base of knowledge than was the case in the past.
In Tamale, a good number of mechanics have specialised in working on one part of a vehicle or another. There are mechanics who are specialists in repairing only the braking system of a vehicle, while others have specialised in fuel injector. Some of them have modern equipment to detect fault on injector systems.
Mechanics who specialise in the repair of diesel engine vehicles are also available while others specialise in the repair of petrol engine vehicles only. Another category of mechanics that can be found in the metropolis are those who specialise in Japanese made vehicles like Toyota and Nissan while others specialise in German cars like Benz, Opel and VWs.
There are yet others who do repair works on any model.
It is heart-warming to note that some mechanics in the metropolis have in their own small way been browsing the Internet to learn new things and broaden their knowledge on a wide range of vehicles, particularly the highly sophisticated ones.
A mechanic at Jisonayili, a suburb of Tamale affectionately called Dan by his customers, is one of the seasoned mechanics in the metropolis who repairs all kinds of vehicles, be they petrol engine or diesel. In other words this mechanic is “technologically alive”.
Recently, some of the customers told the Daily Graphic that they had impressed upon Dan to name his shop “The Last Stop Workshop”.
No matter the extent of damage on one’s vehicle this mechanic has the time and the know-how for diagnostics of very complex car problems and making sure they are resolved once and for all.
Dan told the Daily Graphic that anytime he had jobs he ensured that he completed all of them on schedule to enable him to have time for research.
“As for me, no matter the level of damage to your vehicle l will ensure that when l repair it you don’t keep coming back to my shop within a few days but to enjoy your driving for months,” he said.
One fascinating thing about this mechanic is that he takes his time to systematically assess the problem and not resort to “trial and error” as is usually the case with some mechanics.
There are mechanics who can tell when something goes wrong in an engine by simply listening to its sound. Sule, another mechanic whose shop is located around the Next Door Drinking Spot on the Kalpohini road, is very good at that. He has specialised in the repair of Opel cars. Those who patronise his services in the metropolis say he is sharp in detecting faulty engines by listening to the sound.
In spite of the significant strides made by most mechanics to be abreast of automobile engineering, others have been found wanting in this regard.
At present the greatest challenge facing most mechanics is the repair of diesel-powered vehicles.
Some mechanics have therefore suggested to public-spirited individuals and non-governmental organisations to organise workshops and other programmes to update their knowledge, since that would enable them to be more efficient in the repair of such vehicles to contribute their quota to the growth of the economy in the metropolis.
With residents now acquiring more and more sophisticated vehicles, the mechanics need to update their knowledge to make them more competitive on the job market as residents will keep changing their taste and preferences for as long as the manufacturers keep changing car models and technology.