What is the difference between Mechanic and Technician?

Mechanics and technicians are often interchangeably used. However, there are huge differences between these two. First is their expertise. A mechanic is very good at fixing different parts of a car while a technician is more on diagnosing the car’s problem. Mechanics are more on the hands-on guys in a car repair shop as they will use their hands to check bumps and scratches of a car.

Technicians, on the other hand, are usually tinkering the computer parts in the car and are often see in front of the computers to detect problems of the car. To summarize, a car mechanic is an expert in fixing and repairing the mechanical aspects of a car (bumper dents and window crack), and a technician detects problems that cannot be easily seen and felt (misaligned chassis).

In the automotive world, there are different ways of labeling people. The same can be said for many industries. If you are reading the job ads, you may see different titles of jobs, but they may mean the same thing. However, similar job titles or even exact ones may mean different jobs to different companies. It is essential to read the job description and not to go simply by the title.

In the case with the automotive world, there are mechanics and technicians who both work in an auto body shop. However, there are differences between these two people. The mechanic is the one who is probably more knowledgeable about cars as well as in charge of the establishment. He makes the decisions. The technician probably works for the mechanic and helps out.