Pete Knoch is a Tinker expert with over 40 years of experience as an automotive mechanic. Since 2018, he has been the owner-operator of Petee’s Garage in Dublin, Georgia, working on vehicles of all brands, new and old. As a Tinker expert, he enjoys sticking with a DIYer throughout the job, including making sure they stay safe along the way.
I’ve been working on cars for as long as I can remember. I’m a military brat, and my dad ran the motor pool. When I got in trouble, he would make me sit in a chair outside his office where the guys were working on all the different military vehicles, Jeeps, deuce-and-a-halfs, you name it. They started teaching me how to work on all of them. I was probably 9 or 10 years old when I changed my first clutch.
I tried a couple of different things growing up and always went right back to cars. I’ve been in Georgia fixing cars professionally for about 45 years now, and I don’t mess with my customers. I always make sure the customer is happy and do everything in my power to make everything the way it’s supposed to be.
I’ve brought that same customer focused approach to Tinker. I take a lot of pride in helping DIYers all over the country with their projects, and I get the biggest thrill from seeing the joy on their faces when they successfully finish a job. It’s worth a million dollars. It doesn’t matter who they are or where they’re from; it’s always the same huge smile.
I also appreciate that everyone at Tinker takes this seriously. Before I became a Tinker expert, they did a whole background check on me to make sure I knew what I was talking about and that I had the proper experience. I liked it. It wasn’t just, “oh, you’re a mechanic, start taking calls.” They’re really looking out for DIYers.
I’m looking out for them, too. Literally.
I tell my callers, “I’m your eyes.” Since Tinker is a live video app, I can see what they’re working on, and I can tell them where to go and what to do with their hands. I talk them through step-by-step. Beginning to end. If it takes five minutes or if it takes two hours, I’m on the Tinker app with them until we get their job completed. I stay with them as long as they need me.
I’ve had quick calls that are just a couple of minutes, and I’ve spent hours a night over the course of an entire month helping a guy rebuild his truck engine. When we were done, it was the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.
I also always make sure the caller is doing the job safely. Before we start, I always make sure the DIYer has the right equipment, and most importantly, that they know of the possible dangers and follow the right measures to stay safe.
And that’s what’s so great about Tinker. The video app not only gives DIYers access to experts like me to help them, and teach them, how to fix their car right, but also to stay safe while doing it.