MECP?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: General Mobile Electronics Questions and Answers
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=61422
Printed Date: April 29, 2024 at 1:37 PM
Topic: MECP?
Posted By: soundmasta
Subject: MECP?
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 8:00 AM
so, im not certified, but i know a guy who is. i actually worked with him for about a year, and i know for a fact that i do better work than him. take these remote start installs for example...  
  the top two are of a dodge stratus he did, that the customer came to us to have removed, because he was going to charge $70 to do it, and the bottom two are of a chevy equionox ( i think i spelled that wrong) i did the other day. and they are after pictures. i am also much more skilled at building speaker boxes than he is, and by much i mean i have forgotten more than he will ever know, and im more efficient. my question is, how important is it to be certified? would i have a hard time landing a job in a bigger town? woud it effect my pay? what else could it help me with?
Replies:
Posted By: firstclassohio
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 10:04 AM
I can say as an owner of a custom car shop we do not have any MECP installers. You have to remember that the MECP tests test your knowledge not your neatness of install. A healthy abundness of both knowledge and neat , professional looking installs are a must to be a great installer. It is much harder to teach the knoledge than it is to teach neatness. I have seen many installs that looked great but did'nt work. When I hire employees, the hardest part is finding someone with COMMON SENSE, because that cannot be tested or taught!!!! I would take common sense over MECP or clean installer any day of the week. I can teach the rest.
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under promise and overdeliver
Posted By: 5150azn
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 10:43 AM
Man I couldn't have said it better myself firstclass! What you said is sooo right!
soundmasta fortunately in our industry it's knowledge and experiance that is usually respected more than certs. Keep at it and always look for better opportunities.
But I hate you for taping up the wires! Thats my biggest pet peeve. That s#it makes diagnosis harder and gets all sticky and stuff.
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Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!
Posted By: auex
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 10:48 AM
But your supposed to tape up alarm wires...
Damn you would hate me. Install it right and then the tape is a non issue.
-------------
Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.
I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.
Posted By: soundmasta
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 12:51 PM
auex]B wrote:
t your supposed to tape up alarm wires...
Damn you would hate me. Install it right and then the tape is a non issue.
exatally. that first install, without the tape, actually almost started on fire the same day i pulled it out. if your install is correct, it will only last longer if it is secured better. another reason i do it is that a vehicle w/ a starter would be so much easier to steal, but if you can't see the aftermarket wiring, it's not any different from stock. i also have 4 years of experience, and i am confident i could pass the test. especially from the audio install aspect. i am a skilled troubleshooter, and have been head installer/ ran the garage at the last two shops i've worked at. as for diagnosis, most problems can be tested at the module just as easily. i actually find it easier to work on, and that i get less returns.
Posted By: 5150azn
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 1:45 PM
Say what you will but wires that are cut to length and then zipped into place work and look just as camo and ninja as using a roll of the 3m super33 to mummify the wires.
On my installs the brain and main harness is usually kinda hard to get to. Thats why I like to see wires so I can just probe and see whats going on.
As far as stealing the car, lets face it we could disagree for days about if taping the wires prevent car theft. I've never had a car stolen after I've installed on it. Heck I bet your buddy with the rats nest hasn't had a car stolen from him either.
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Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!
Posted By: Hornshockey
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 2:27 PM
I know that at some of the big boxes, (Circuit CIty for sure) they pay extra $$ for certification, but I know that we're not the most popular places around these boards. But if you're looking at individually owned shops it's really going to depend on the owner. By the way, I've always liked using split loom to cover wires; it looks just as factory and doesn't get all the glue from the tape on the wires.
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Life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around once in a while; you could miss it.
Posted By: auex
Date Posted: August 16, 2005 at 4:16 PM
Split loom is rarely used under the dash in vehicles. That wouldn't be my first choice to cover wires with. As far as the tape issue, it is personal/shop decision/policy as to whether you do it. Personally I do and personally I have very few problems come back to me/my company.
I do see where you are coming from as far as post install inspection and repair. I am of the opinion that if there is something wrong with the install that can't be corrected simply then it is a reinstall from scratch. I will then proceed to write up, well give them shhh, the said employee for causing the problem and causing me to waste my time fixing their problem.
-------------
Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.
I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.
Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: August 17, 2005 at 11:39 AM
I’ve seen lots of great MPCE installer and I have seen my share of the bad ones. There are lots of messy MCPE installer that does great work. However, I have yet come across a poor install that was done by a neat MCEP installer or a neat installer in general. Remember one thing, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The picture above is quite colourful and beautiful to me, but don’t take my words get confuse and carry away with workmanship. It’s not the same. It’s built on professionalism, experience, a love for the work that you do, knowledge, and many other traits, but most of all it begins with good work ethic. If you don’t have good work ethic you will not be able to carve workmanship out.
As for getting your MECP that is a must if you are trying to get your foot in the doors. It does speak in silent on your behalf to let others know that you know a thing or two about mobile electronic installation. Otherwise it means very little.
------------- Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. 
Posted By: auex
Date Posted: August 17, 2005 at 3:26 PM
Especially when you spell it differently 3 times in the same post,hehehe.
-------------
Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.
I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.
Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: August 18, 2005 at 10:35 AM
I do that on occasion. I just wanted to get the general point across that it’s important to have some form of training, but know that not everyone will weight the item at the same value. I’ve been corrected a few times by a few posted. Once by you auex, so I know there is some important to this item. ------------- Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Posted By: firstclassohio
Date Posted: August 18, 2005 at 12:08 PM
I do alot of remote start installs for our local car dealers, when there is an electrical problem with the car, we get blamed for the problem alot less when the wires are taped up like the factory wires as opposed to cable tied neatly in place. I have my installers tape the wires up, after they have checked to see everything is functioniong properly. As for all the conversation on whether to tape or not to tape, there are alot more problems with new hires than neatness of install. proper use of relays, correct ohms from amp to subs, not taping rca connectors together, and many others. I still have people come in to apply for a job that don't realize a 2 ohm mono amp can't be correctly installed with a 2ohm dvc sub. these are the so called self proclaimed experts.
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under promise and overdeliver
Posted By: radrayz
Date Posted: September 30, 2005 at 8:39 AM
A friendly reminder, you don't make yourself look better by making someone else look bad!
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RADRAY
Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: October 07, 2005 at 3:55 PM
touche... i was going to touch on that... it wasnt so much "should i get certified" as it was "look how much better i am that the other guy"....... if you really wanted to know about MECP certification... i have been a professional installer since 1979.... i only recently got myself certfied... only because it adds a degree of legitimacy to our industry...did it make any better of an installer? no but i do feel there has to be some vehicle in place within our industry to weed out the sloppy, backyard mechanic type of installers and an industry recognized certification program is a good place to start..... it certainly cant hurt you..... ------------- Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
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