April 8 , 2005

Features

Rebecca Straughmatt Mesa Legend

Marcos Godinez
Mesa Legend

Many students are unaware of the MCC onsite auto shop which offers an inexpensive alternative for repair of the schools student, staff and faculty vehicles.
The auto shop which is located on the southeast end of MCC’s main campus in the TC building, consist of instructors who are trained and have an extensive background in auto repair, along with others who are retired General Motors employees.
Each and every student is monitored while working on the vehicles, once the job is completed, the instructors will extensively inspect the work performed for obvious cautionary reasons.
With more than forty vehicles worked on each week during the more busier months of a semester, these aspiring mechanics are able to gain the knowledge and experience needed to move into the work force.
“At the beginning of the semester we have students working on their own cars, but towards the end of the semester business definitely picks up,” said John D’Ambrosio an auto shop instructor.
The course is meant to benefit, not only the student mechanics who are learning by experience, but students in general who may need anything from a brake job to air conditioner repair at a substantially low rate.
“On average auto shops locally will charge about 40 to 70 dollars an hour to do a job that will run you 20 dollars an hour here,” said D’Ambrosio.
However, D’Ambrosio emphasizes that the MCC auto shop is not in competition with the local free standing repair shops.
Since the auto shop is not a full functioning shop, all request must be inspected and approved by a student mechanic and an instructor in order to validate the work that is to be completed.
While the students, instructors and technicians at the shop are eager for the potential business that the college can bring in, there are some jobs the auto shop won’t take.
Because the classes are not practicing on clutches, and never work on vehicles 15 years or older, these vehicles should be taken to a local repair shop.
“We like to emphasize the subject being taught, currently we are working on engine performance, air conditioning, brakes and electrical accessories such as power windows and lighting,” said D’Ambrosio.
With six faculty on hand to oversee more than 150 student mechanics, there are plenty of workers to handle the job at extremely competitive rates.
All monies that are collected from the services performed go towards the auto education fund along with supplies needed to keep the shop functioning.
Students may receive an estimate between the hours of eight in the morning thru four in the evening Monday thru Thursday and the evening classes hours are from seven thru ten at night.
“Once the auto shops mechanics inspect the problem, we’ll issue the customer an estimate along with the parts needed to fix the problem,” D’Ambrosio said.

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