It is very important for me to pass these tests on the first attempt. It does not always turn out the way I want but I do give it my best shot.

The inconvenience of re-certifying every five years coupled with the financial expenses motivates me to make sure I am properly prepared for each test.

I do believe in purchasing ASE study guides along with other supporting information for each topic. I will even read through the service manuals provided by vehicle manufacturers for vehicle specific information.

Preparing for ASE tests

There are some excellent tips included in the ASE study guide that cover not only the amount and type of questions you’ll be asked but also best practices for being ready, both physically and emotionally for taking these difficult exams.

Here is one mistake that I made that will never happen to me again I forgot to bring my admission ticket to the test center.

Guess what, they will not let you take the test without the admission ticket.

Since I was 45 minutes away from the test center I had to apply for a refund and missed out on that testing session.

Not only do you need to bring your admission ticket and drivers license but I recommend you bring a couple of number two pencils because they may not be supplied at the test center.

Make sure you get a good nights sleep the night before you are to take the tests. I also recommend that you take the day off from work if at all possible.

It is difficult to turn wrenches all day and then rush yourself to the tests and then take the exams all night. If you do not take off from work you could be looking at a 14 to 16 hour day. This will for sure make you hate taking ASE tests.

My number one tip for taking ASE tests

When working with other technicians and helping them prepare for taking the ASE tests I find that many of them know the answer to the question yet they get it wrong.

Sometimes they talk themselves out of the right answer. My advice is to read through each question carefully and completely through the first time. Don’t stop reading and back up to reread a section, blast completely through it at least one time.

If you don’t know the answer to a question and need to think about it in depth your best bet is to move onto the next question and come back for this one later.

Whenever possible read through the question and pick your best answer and then move on. This will prevent you from talking yourself out of the right answer.

When you skip a test question make sure that you stay on track as far as filling in the ovals for the next question. The blank oval will also help you identify the questions you have to go back for.

If you are running out of time and still have unanswered questions take an educated guess at the answer. This is better than leaving it blank and for sure getting it wrong. And keep a look out for the except questions where you actually have to pick the wrong answer.

ASE test results

Today I received my ASE test results. In a previous post I talked about taking ASE tests and we had a good discussion about the topic.

I thought that it would only be fair if I provided an update on how the actual tests turned out. I took a total of four recertification exams. I did pass all four that I took.

For me this means 4 down and 12 to go. As mentioned in the previous post my problem is not with ASE or taking the tests. My problem is the required recertification every five years.

This puts me firmly on a rotation that seems to never end. Some good comments were left on the taking ASE tests post.

Some of the more interesting ones pointed out that it is almost unheard of to have to recertify in any field every five years. In fact some medical certifications never require taking additional tests. Also noted are some technical certifications that require certification but on a seven or even 10 year requirement. So to me five years does seem excessive. The costs for the exams use to be reimbursed by my employer with a passing grade.

This is no longer the case. So now the frequency of the recertifications has become an issue to my wallet. This coupled with the recent reduction in pay can make it financially difficult to be a professional auto mechanic. And if you noticed I did not even mention the $40,000 I spent on tools over the last 25 years.

Open letter from ASE

With my ASE test results was a letter from the kind people at ASE. Since the included note stated that it was an open letter I thought I would share it with you.

From the ASE staff: If you passed one or more tests you should be proud. If you didn’t, you should be proud that you tried. Many of us here at ASE are also motor vehicle technicians, service consultants or parts specialists.

We worked in dealerships, independent repair shops, and we taught in tech schools. We have a great deal of respect for you, the professional who has accepted the challenge of the ASE tests. Some never even try.

recertified master tech

Whether or not you passed all the tests you should note these things. The questions are tough, and the passing standards are high. Some good professionals, even those with a good deal of knowledge and experience, might not pass.

All the test questions were written and carefully checked by panels of experts who are working in the field. We specifically avoid trick questions or questions when more than one right answers.

The questions are designed to have three believable wrong answers. That is, answers that may look correct, but are definitely wrong if you know an important piece of the information.

If you didn’t do as well on the test as you would like, visit our website and click on the button labeled prepare to test.

There you will find free information to help you locate training and prepare for the tests. Once again thanks for your efforts. We hope you continue to accept the challenge of ASE in the future, best wishes the staff of ASE.

My ASE patches

Car mechanics need your opinion. I finished another round of taking ASE tests. I am currently certified in a grand total of 14 different areas.

I also have 2 more that I let lapse (collision repair and compressed natural gas) because every five years, I have to recertify in each individual area.

It has become a seemingly never-ending circle of recertification and test taking. And this time around, I may not renew all 14. First of all taking the tests costs money.

This last round, taking 4 tests cost me over $100. Recently like many my pay was reduced in order to save jobs. I’m back to making what I did in

1987. The costs of ASE tests remain the same. At my current employer to receive senior technician pay grade, you must have at least six ASE certifications.

ASE certified mechanic

The fact that I have gone way past the minimum number causes some friction between me and other technicians that struggle with taking the tests.

I have met many mechanics that were excellent at what they do,

but just didn’t have test taking skills to pass the exams. The technician a, technician b, both or neither format used throughout the tests can be tricky.

In trying to help some fellow technicians pass the exams that refuse to purchase up to date ase study guides, I have found that often, they know the answer to the question! But they spend too much time on each individual question until they talk themselves out of the correct answer.

When I take these tests, I use the stick and move tactic. If I can’t

answer the car question quickly I come back for it after completing that section.

The older I get the harder it is to pass the recertification exams. Automotive technology and the auto repair business are advancing faster than my training sessions.

In fact in the last four years I have been primarily a heavy-duty truck technician. Working on diesel engines and air brakes for long periods of time can make it harder to pass the ASE car certifications for light vehicles.

Why keep taking ASE tests

ASE Recertification

Now I know you believe that I have the freedom of speech to discuss this topic as I wish, but it’s not true. Expressing my opinion could land me in trouble with the good folks at ASE. Also let me clarify that I have supported ASE and their program for more then 2 decades.

ASE states on their about page that they were originally created in 1972 as a non-profit company.  They also state that the company was created so that the automotive consumer would be able to identify qualified mechanics.

This may be a good rule of thumb but as I mentioned above some of the best mechanics I have ever met have trouble taking ASE tests. The auto repair business embraced ASE certifications So that they could hang a sign in their waiting area that would instill a sense of confidence in their customers.

When I took the auto repair tests on November 12, 2009 there was only about 45 mechanics at the test center. There use to be more than 200 mechanics during the spring and fall test sessions.

I don’t know if it’s a sign of the economic times and people don’t have the money to take the tests or if there is something else brewing. Maybe ASE is losing its popularity as people become ad blind to the signs hanging in front of the shops. This is where you come in.

As an automotive technician I would like to know how YOU feel about this subject. If you see a sign that says, we employ ASE certified mechanics are you more likely to trust the auto repair business they work for. Do you even consider the qualifications of the car mechanics that work on your vehicle?

When I ask friends and family this car question their answer is usually, what’s ASE. When I question them further about their experiences with auto repair shops and how they find them, the answers are usually about the same.

If the guy fixes my car good I go back. If he does a bad job or tries to sell me too much I go somewhere else. How do you feel about the subject, should I keep taking ASE tests or just get the minimum to keep my job. Please leave your comments below.