Behind a bright orange garage door on the Macon campus is a haven for young car enthusiasts. Here, students have access to a variety of tools and equipment to work on their vehicles, as well as a community with a shared interest.
The garage behind the Mercer Auxiliary Services Building is home to the Mercer Car Club, which was founded several years ago and has about 30 members.
It has a wide collection of tools ranging from wrenches to air compressors, allowing members to tackle a variety of automotive projects, said club vice president Themba Nsubuga, a chemistry major and senior class president of the Student Government Association. Members mostly wash and detail their cars, but can also do tire, brake, suspension, exhaust and engine work. Nsubuga said he has changed 14 tires this year.
“We have just about any tool you need,” said club president Brendan Michler. an electrical engineering degree. “We have students come in for a basic tire change to oil changes to a complete engine change.”
The club hosts an “open garage” every Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m., a time for students to work on their cars and hang out. Members coordinate with club officers if they want access to the garage at other times, Nsubuga said. Michler said the garage is treated like a lab on campus, with safety always first.
“I have liked cars almost all my life. Working there makes me happy,” said Nsubuga, who maintains his 2019 Volkswagen GTI turbo in the garage. “As a member of the club, you have access to a lot of things. I know a place where I can wash my car on campus, and we have a group of people who know not only your car but other cars. You have people willing to help you.”
Education is an important part of the club as members help each other on projects and share their knowledge of cars with their peers. They have given a presentation on how to install a spare tire and plan to give others on how to check tire pressure, change oil and perform other general maintenance.
“I’ve always been a big fan of cars and I’ve worked on cars, and I’ve always thought that everyone should know how to at least do general maintenance on their cars,” said Michler, who works on his 2015 Ford Fusion in the garage. .
Club treasurer Tory Hopper, a freshman majoring in finance, said he mainly uses the club space to wash and detail his 2017 Kia Forte, but hopes to learn and understand more about the mechanical side of cars in through the organization.
Members hold regular photo shoots of their cars, go on group rides and organize charity car rallies that benefit local organizations.
Additionally, the group maintains and stores the 1960s orange GMC Mercer truck and sets it up at Mercer football games and events. The vehicle can be a bit temperamental, so it can be a few-day process to get it moving, Michler said.
The Mercer Car Club is also starting to get involved in autocross and some members have attended events. Autocross is a timed competition where participants drive their vehicles through a course set up in an open parking lot.
“You have the best and safest environment to know the absolute limit of your car’s capability,” Michler said.
Some Mercer Car Club members are also active in a new sister club called Mercer FSAE (Formula Society of Automotive Engineers). Formula SAE is a student competition where college teams design and build race cars. Mercer FSAE now has its vehicle’s frame built and is working on welding and suspension, Michler said.
While access to the tools and garage is a huge plus, Mercer Car Club members say it’s the community that keeps them coming back.
“When I joined my first year, I came every Friday,” Nsubuga said. “I was looking for something to do and met these great guys. These are my lifelong best friends. Yes, I’m involved in a lot of things on campus, but this is my home on campus that I always try to come back to because of how important it is to me.”
Michler said it’s been invaluable to have a place where he can work on his car and have fun with like-minded people.
“(I love) the community, being able to connect with other people who know a lot about cars,” Hopper said. “It’s a way to hang out and learn about each other and the different cars.”
Students interested in joining the Mercer Car Club can show up at the Open Garage on Fridays from 4:30-6:00pm or message the club on Instagram at @mercercarclub.
