The automotive business was much simpler when I first started. Mechanically, cars were far less complex, easier to fix, and most repairs could be handled with basic hand and air tools. Most shops expected mechanics to provide these tools to repair the types of vehicles the shop serviced. It had always been that way. Tools were a personal thing, like an extension of yourself, a glove or a shoe. Since the tools were basic, you didn’t need a whole lot, and they were reasonably affordable, it was easy to expect a new hire to provide everything they needed.
