Your car dealership’s success hinges largely on the quality of your staff. Having skilled technicians in the repairs department is a key piece of that puzzle, and an automotive lube technician is an important individual who will carry out routine maintenance. In this article, we will help you understand who to hire for this role as we outline the job description, necessary skills, and what to look for in your candidates and applicants. 

What is an Automotive Lube Technician?

Car dealerships hire lube technicians within their repairs department to cover routine maintenance to vehicles, including lubricating engine parts and wheels, and replacing filters for air, oil, cabin, and fuel.¹  This is a technical role that requires mechanical knowledge. 

In addition to performing these important maintenance tasks, lube technicians help the dealership maintain customer relationships and keep important records on the condition of the cars they service.

What Does an Automotive Lube Technician Do?

If you’re hiring an automotive lube technician, you can expect them to have the skills and knowledge to perform repairs and maintenance tasks and work with the parts department to serve customers and maintain inventory. 

Technicians will also cover additional responsibilities. You can use this list in your job posting: 

• Draining oil from crankcase and refilling, replacing oil and air filters, inspecting vehicle fluid levels, and replenishing where necessary. 
• Checking tire pressure and adding air. 
• Lubricating moving parts. 
• Cleaning engines to prevent rust. 
• Performing tire rotations. 
• Inspecting for oil leaks.¹ 
• Identifying any other issues with vehicles and recommending a solution.
• Obtaining additional training from manufacturers and managers. 
• Maintaining cleanliness of vehicles.
•  Operates tools and equipment responsibly.³ 

This job requires a high level of professionalism and attention to detail, especially since service departments need to follow automotive regulations and OSHA guidelines for customer and employee safety.

How Can Someone Become an Automotive Lube Technician?

To become an automotive lube technician, there are a few concrete requirements:

• High school diploma or GED. 
• Completion of a postsecondary lube technician education program. 
• Valid driver’s license.¹ 

Beyond that, there is no core education or training required, and individuals can gain expertise through a variety of related roles and certifications. Additional qualifications that may help include: 

• Completion of an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. 
• Associate degree with one year of related experience

Plus, all automotive lube technicians should be able to demonstrate competency with the following skills: 

• Attention to detail 
• Time management and problem-solving capabilities with an ability to think critically and come up with practical solutions given different variables. 
• Strong communication skills with the ability to read instructions, write correspondences and memos, and communicate in a friendly way with customers. 
• Basic math skills including arithmetic, measuring weight, distance, and volume, and converting percentages, decimals, and fractions. 
• Strong customer service skills.² 

What to Look For When Hiring an Automotive Lube Technician 

If you are looking to hire a lube technician and are assessing candidates who have direct experience in the role, it can be more straightforward to understand their capabilities and potential for succeeding in the position. But if you are looking to understand an applicant’s translatable skill set, focus on interviewing those who have demonstrated ability in the following:

• Experience working closely with a senior tech to gain additional hands-on experience. 
• Demonstrated history of strong customer service skills. 
• A track record of maintaining a tight schedule and meeting deadlines. 
• Basic computer knowledge. 
• Passion for and extensive knowledge of vehicles, with a curiosity and desire to learn.⁴ 

Partner With ACV Auctions

As you build up your dealership, having a high-quality inventory in addition to a powerful team makes for successful outcomes. When looking to fill your lot with the best vehicles out there, work with us at ACV Auctions. Our full-service platform has the best-used car inventory, and we provide all the details. Each vehicle is individually inspected by a member of our expert team and comes with a detailed report, so you can be confident in what you bid for. Learn more and get started today. 

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Sources

1. Peters, Paul. 2021. “Lube technician job description.” Betterteam. Retrieved May 7, 2024. https://www.betterteam.com/lube-technician-job-description 
2. Autojobs.com. “Automotive lube technician job description.” Autojobs.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024. https://www.autojobs.com/jobs/lube-technician-job-description/ 
3. Young Chevrolet. “Quick lube technician.” ZipRecruiter. Retrieved May 7, 2024. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/c/Young-Chevrolet/Job/Quick-Lube-Technician/-in-Dallas,TX?jid=cbb9b725ecf117b9&utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm 
4. Workstream. “Hire lube technicians.” Workstream. Retrieved May 7, 2024. https://www.workstream.us/hire/service-lube-technician.html