Growing up I was raised by a single mom, so a vehicle breakdown could be devastating for many reasons. For one, basic day-to-day living can be tough without a car; and secondly, how can you trust the person who is implementing the repair? Unfortunately, a few bad apples took advantage of the desperation. With only enough money for the belt, I biked to Sears and bought the part. When I came home,
my mom gave me a flat head screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. After an hour or so, I had the belt installed, the car was running, and I had become the superhero of the day. That didn't make me an instant mechanic - I still wanted to be a Rock Star. This experience has always served as a reminder that on the other side of the service desk is a person. Someone who is having a bad day in a vulnerable position who just needs thing to "go right" for once. Someone who has spent more than they should on a lemon. Someone who just needs good advice. My goal is a confident, well-informed driver - someone car savvy enough to look a tech in the eye and say "oh really?"