Tools, skills, or information?

[johnzcarz]

What do you think is the SINGLE most important thing for a technician these days? The tools, their skill, or access to information?

I’ve worked on some old stuff where it would take longer to go find the wiring diagram and print it than just follow the wires along in the engine compartment. How times have changed!

Topic

[380]

My personal opinion would be their Skill and knowledge. its great to have good tools and access to good information. but what’s the point if you don’t know how to use it.

[Fader]

This one makes you think!Hard to decide from tools, skill and accesss to information. I believe I would have to go with skill. Skill requires training and experience to do well. Just because you have the biggest..badess tool box and latest electronic equipment, your not a true technician/mechanic. The tools don’t make you a mechanic, you do. 🙂

[J]

I’d say skill also. You’ve got to know what to do with the information and the tools before they can get you anywhere. Access to information and the right tools certainly do make a more efficient technician though.

[twiggy]

You kind of need all three. It’s kind of like asking what is most important, air, water, or food. You need ALL three to live.

[Chevypower]

After some debate, I have decided to say skill is most important. A damn good wrench doesn’t need service info, he just figures it out. And junk tools are better than no tools, so…. You get the idea

[Shaun_300]

Agreed on all 3. Sure you need the tools, but skill and service information are key nowadays. Sure back in the 70s when there was minimal wiring and electronics made life a lot easier. But take a new Cadillac with a wiring problem that has 40 miles of wire and 40 different modules communicating back and forth and try and fix it with no service info and skill read wiring diagrams and complicated GM description and operations, also trace all the wiring and data lines, see scanner info etc and you’re up shit crick without a paddle.

[dreamer2355]

Diagnostic skill hands down.

[Author]

Replies