I was a line tech all my life (I'm old now) and my body is in poor shape, knees gone, back gone, heart problems, hands hurt all the time. I have a car sitting in my garage that I don't feel like working on, I love cars . I read on here all the work being done and it makes me sad I don't have the fire anymore to work on my stuff. Yes I buy brand new with warrenty trucks. I made a lot of money fixing our peoples crap and now I need to be fixed. Now for the good new. I always loved what I did for a living. The nice thing about it was every day a different thing to do. I would die doing the same job every day . I now teach kids how to get a job in this field, with less and less people going into the buisness the pay gets better. When they took the backyard mechanic out of the picture the price went up. I worked on high end forgien cars and some of the customers paid good. It's too late for me but if I had it over to do, I still might of done it. I don't know what else I would of done. Mick
I worked in a shop for a few years. By the time I got done with all the oil changes, brake jobs, exhausts, etc., I was dead tired. I went home and fell on the couch while my car sat in the garage, UNFINISHED. When friday comes around your eager to get your check and there stands the tool man wanting his money. I added up once that I spent just under $18,000.00 in tools in two years and I still had to borrow specialty tools daily from the other guys. I have a friend that him and his father ran a small shop. His father is 58 years old, he has had both knees replaced, three back surgeries, bad arthritis in both his hands and walks around with an oxygen bottle from all the brake and grinding dust. His son, 34 has had two shoulder surgeries, bad back, worn out knees, stiff fingers, and $120,000 in tools sitting. He changed careers last year, now he is a computer tech. not much need for 1/2 impacts and 200ft/lb torque wrenchs working on computers.
God's honest truth there started in the business at 16, went flat rate at 18 when I went full time, By 20 was just under the lead tech and was keeping with him hours wise 50-60 a week but it got old yes I built most of my coupe doing it in my spare time, but I was underage and damn near an alcholic because of that damn job,It sucks bigtime when I got out at 21 yes I was and am young but still have 5 years shop experience was the best damn day of my life.Hope you like seeing Snap-On,Matco,Mac,or Cornwell guys get half of your paycheck every week thats my .02!
You guys nailed it.Been in the trade since 1970.Being around cars all day will give you a love-hate relactionship to cars.Not a good thing.
Now if you are dead set on going in to the trade look at the high end imports as someone else recomended. Also look at Diesel tech. They make some good cash, bad part is everything is BIG. So big that in many cases everything is done with cranes and hoists. Even though gasoline may become scarse, I believe Diesel or something simular will always be around.
Go put a water pump in a quad 4, then realize there has to be a better, more relaxed way of earning money. Some, or all of the engineers have their heads up their asses. I quit the dealers and new junk. I hate looking at newer cars on the road now, all I see is the ass-ache of working on them. And the flate-rate system leads to big problems...like low pay on a week where you get the crap work. Then there's the prima-donnas that brown nose the foreman to get the gravy jobs.. It all blows.
Working on late models at a dealer sucks, but so does working on older cars at an indie or your own shop. Often there is more than one thing wrong with a car, and you get to figure out which of several problems is causing the present symptom, and how to convice the owner that what you worked on was only part of the problem, and it's gonna cost them $$$ more to fix ALL the stuff you found going bad. And then you work on one thing, and something else breaks while your in there...explain why they need a new exhaust system because you fixed their transmission problem!
This is my side of the story I've been working at a GM dealership for 20 years Presently I am paid a $50 hour salary which works out to 8000 a month or 96K a year with 4 weeks paid holidays. I'd had enough of flat rate and wish I'd have gone on salary 10 years ago. Has not diminished my passion for cars one bit. Would I do it again you betcha Has given me everything I've got which is alot Do what you love and it'll never feel like a job
The problem with a dealership is it has a G.M. and/or an owner At heart he's just a used car salesman, you really want to work for a used car salesman.
Mark is absolutely right, and we're already seeing the repercussions of it. There has been a major shift in the US from a manufacturing based economy to a service oriented economy. Very dangerous, as we tie our hands and put ourselves at the mercy of 3rd party countries and suppliers of important goods and services. Good plumbers, electricians, mechanics, and other "blue collar" professionals are getting tougher to find. Conversely, I've seen that there is a major lack of engineers who have any mechanical knowledge. Lots of talent in math and theory with little hands on experience. At my former employment, in the legal dept. of a major wireless provider, I saw plenty of people making lots of money and doing nothing for it. However, with a high salary white collar position, a higher education is a must, and Lord knows that's not cheap. When I complete my Juris Doctorate, I fully expect to be roughly $120,000 in debt, maybe less, but probably more. This will be both good and bad though. As there is a serious lack of good mechanics, the ones that are out there can command a higher salary and better benefits. Supply and demand....
My dad also told me "work with your head, not your hands" . I eat sleep and breath cars. I never went to college, but I make what I consider very good money as a Service Advisor at a dealaership. I get to help people take care of/fix their cars, see and talk cars and mechanical stuff all day. I don't get dirty, or tear up my body. BUT..."this job would be allright if it wasn't for the f#ing customers" . Retail is tough the public is flabergasted when their 100k mile car breaks and all they've ever done is change the oil . And everyone thinks the dealer is just there to rip people off. You have to be able to draw your own moral line between sales/tech's greed and customer service. Good luck
DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been at it for34 years.It's a very hard way to make a living.No benifit's,aching body,tool payments that never end.I am still making 50$ aweek payments on tool's even after 34 years.Till you do it for a living you have no idea how many tool's you need.There is a reason good tech's are hard to find,The work is way to hard for the pay.I would get out of business today if I could but I'm a little old to start over again.GREGG
try marine or bike mechainc, that might be better on your body, i was a harley mechainc for some years
I work every day with several guys that echo that sentiment. I don't regret getting out of the wrencing end of it and into the parts end of it years ago. Tonight, I'm going to work on my daily driver.....and I'm actually looking forward to it!
There are so many posts that I could echo here that I won't. I'm 52, done pretty much nothing but turn wrenches since auto shop in high school. Always been a hobbyist, racer, etc. too and it's hard. I've worked on cars for a living but have worked on trucks and heavy equipment a lot more, including the last 15 years in a HD truck dealership. It's hard, demanding and nearly impossible to keep up with technology. Training is always inadequate so you just have to learn as you go. Production percentage is put ahead of everything else. Of course they expect quality too but do nothing to give you incentive towards that, except of course climbing all over your ass if something goes wrong. I'm so thankful that my son did not follow in my footsteps. I would have beat him like a red-headed bastard step-child if he had. He makes a living with his wits, which he has in spades. And thank God for that. I still, on a good day, derive a lot of satisfaction from my work. But is it worth it in the total equation? Not just hell no, but hell fucking no! It's thankless work for a bunch of money-grubbing c***suckers who treat you like a piece of shop equipment. Have you ever wondered why it's so difficult to get your vehicle repaired properly? The entire business is set up wrong. I could write a fucking book. Yes, my body's falling apart too. I can't do this much longer. I hope I can turn wrenches until the day I die, but instead doing it for people who appreciate what I'm trying to do for them. Working in my home shop on high performance cars and hot rods is my goal. I especially enjoy wiring vehicles from scratch, building engines and figuring out solutions to problems involved with modifications or upgrades. One of these days...... I'm working towards it.
It has its goods and bads. Mostly in this application, bad. I have worked in 2 private shops and a dealership. After busting my ass in those two shops, when I ended up going to the dealer I jumped the counter and went to parts. Way easier work, and the money isnt bad either. Commission checks monthly, sit at a counter...internet and A/C. Also, couldnt wait to get home to my project. The head tech @ the dealer said "If you know how to work on cars, why not come work with us". My reply was "I was us, now Im them".
Ha Ha...that reminds me of something I said to a porter at a smaller used car dealership I worked at for a while! One day while I was washing my hands I told him "You know...you're the smartest motherfucker in this whole building!" He laughed and asked "Why's that?" I answered "Becuase you know how to work on cars but wisely choose NOT to!". He said he liked to keep his life simple and his nerves in tact!
Just to add something...it also might be where we are getting the students from as well. I mean you cant grow corn in a toilet. The daytime TV ads are the only ones I see, marketing toward the jobless burger flipper that sees someone cruising in a Porsche and figures "Yo that could be me". Not likely. Its not realistic. Its a shame being 2 blocks away from Lincoln Tech seeing the future "mechanics" come out of there. Most dont even own a car. Or if I am at Quick Chek around the corner when lunch let out I can get stuck with some of the dumbest questions about my "ol ass ride" by future techs that have gone through auto/manual/elec 1/2/engine performance etc. I could have a more civilized conversation about mechanics with my girlfriend. Lastly, my latest experience with Lincoln Tech folk was at the local Pep Boys, which as we know is like Romper Room for auto repair people...and after close to an hour 2 graduates of the school managed to mount and balance my two tires for me. Almost an hour. And one of them was backwards. The guy was just tellin me that he had done a head gasket on something or other, but the tire machine was a stumper. Gimme a break. Its what you get out of it. An ex friend of mine went there, and as much as we dont talk anymore, is probably one of the best young mechanics I have seen. He wanted to learn, and did.
dont do it!!! im friggin 30 with athritis in my hands, a heel spur, bad knees and a worse back and it ruined my hobby/lifestyle so take my opinion with a grain of salt
wow,fat hack truer word have not been spoken,been a line tech for 20 years and my passion has not deminished at all when i get home to work on my stuff.i always had a side gig and money was good.at 37 debt free house paid and plenty of toys.and yes i did focus on trans and driveabilty stuff.if you were good you can write your own ticket,trust me i know.my dealer will close down in 2 weeks,and the offers come to me but like many have stated the physical part is there so at 40 its time to try it on my own.rarely do you see a 50 year old line tech.and i dont want to be the exception.
I am 22, I've been workin at a chevy dealership for 4 and a half years.. I got my degree in Industial technology and took two years of shop in high school.. I got 6 of my ASEs "goin for another wendsday" and alot of training.. YOU HAVE TO STAY VERY up to date. AND if you don't know alot about new cars... you better start learning cause you wont make any money... I REALLY am not sure if I am gonna stay in the buisness.. I mean I make great money for my age but it aint everything, my hands already look like shit... I hate that.. It takes a certain person to do it.. and if thats u, then go for it.. if not you will know as soon as your put into the invironment...OH OH and be prepaired to owe snap-on your left nut cause tools are a must and you gotta have em.. I pay 100bux a week just for tools.
I think the biggest problem I have is that, customers today take no responsibility of owning a car, they expect everything to be covered under warranty, including wear items such as brakes.They have no idea the amount of information you need to know to fix these cars, and they want them fixed yesterday.Then they give you no respect when you do fix their car, its like you owe them the repair. Also get ready to learn about flat rate pay,especially when the big manufacturers don't want to pay squat for repairs.For example VW will pay you 48 minutes to replace one brake caliper,but if you do both calipers you only get paid 54 minutes, this includes bleeding,cleaning etc. You used to be able to make money, but now big corporations are taking your pay away.Also the ASE certifications are a money making joke. $26 just to register and then another $20 per course.I was a master but let it run out, because it means nothing.I say this because these tech schools teach you to be a master tech by the time you get your "certificate",meanwhile you have no comprehension of an actual repair.I worked at a Mazda dealer in FL, we got one of these fresh ASE master techs,he was told to put a window regulator in a car, he asked me "whats a window regulator?" they only taught him mechanical stuff.Sure I'm telling you most of the bad stuff, and I'm sure you're saying, if you hate it so much why do you do it?, and the answer is I'm now brainwashed and fear a career change.
there are downsides to every job. people have said to go to school and get a degree, i have 2 friends that did that and they say thier field sucks (low pay, lack of jobs and they fire skilled people for cheaper grads). i've worked in the automotive field for 13 years and to me it's all about choices. if you want to make money (and have a boring job to fund your cars) then you need to go for a dealer, but there are many downsides you need to realize (stress, trust no one, must work fast....). if you want to join a "family", possibly work on what you want, have no down time pay wise then you go for an independent shop, some of the down sides are lower pay, no insurance, longer hours, etc. i went for the more family shops (a lot less back stabbing and brown nosing), i got to work on my own cars and make a pretty good clientele of vintage cars (some places even let me store my project cars there). downside was they where slow (some even paid on commision), old (on the verge of retirement) and didn't pay much (barely was getting buy and was buying used broken parts for my car).......but it was fun while it lasted at 1 place. there are other options to consider also like truck mechanic, equipment mechanic, building mechanic....i could go one for awhile. your best bet is to do some research, find out what you really want to do and then ask people in that field. i now work for a water district in the fleet deparment and it's great. i wish i would have done it years ago, good ins, retirement, paid vacations, lots of paid holidays, low pressure. the pay is not as good as a dealer but better then i was making at other garages, some of the parts are heavy but they're all about safety so we have alot of toys to help us. i would recommend you look at city, county and other government fleet jobs. my .02
As a young guy whos is currently working in a dealership ( I'm 24)I would advise against it. There are alot of times when I get home and I dont want to work on anymore cars. My car should have been back on the road months ago, but I'm either tired of working on a car or just tired because of working in the 100+ degree heat. I've only been at a dealership for 3 years, and Im looking for a change. My hobby has suffered too much and the money is unstable, the shop is really slow right now and has been for a while actually. Do something else and keep cars fun
i worked at a toyota dealership for 2 1/2 years and now at a land rover dealership. its good money if you learn fast and work fast. if you're slow, not very good with your hands, or dont have common sense, you're doomed. i love it. i havent gotten to the point yet where i dont want to work on my own car. maybe a few times, but i always want to the next day.
that's the problem, what your saying is been happening for years. all the good techs i've known have left the field, either forced out by a company wanting to pay less money for a glorified lube tech or leaving because they are repulsed by the cheap labor and lack of skill that is coming in. it seems like the companies just want bodies to fill the shop and to hell with quality work. you also brought up another point about degrees, i would like to know why a large company put an emphasis on having a degree to be in a management position even if the degree isn't even close to the field of the position?. i can understand about speaking well, image and being professional but you can have these qualities without a degree.
I never worked in a garage, I learned auto mechanics back in high school worked at a tire dealer for a couple months then ran as fast and as far as possible. 17 years later I absolutely love workin on cars to this day. I gotta agree with 1 point, if ya like it now, do it for a living and youll hate it. If you want a decent paying job, with oppurtunities in a field to advance and get killer benifits, look into E.L.M. there in Fl. locating underground utilities, its not for everyone however eventually you can then get into one of the utilitiy companys and youll have a skill you can always fall back on, also nation wide. This year is the third time Ive come back to this line of work, I make more money this time than I did when i left.in the late 90s utility companies average pay was mid $20s per hour
this is one of the major problems, we (techs in general) are making a living with our brains (wits) but no one sees it that way!!. to the outside we are dumb, grease monkeys and anyone can do our job. what we do is very thought intensive, we use our heads every day (all day long) to diagnose problems or to repair problems. i agree that we need to be respected more.......gods we are not, but we also are not primates with wrenches. sorry about the multiple posts but this is a hot button with me.
As a tech/owner my take on it is that as an industry, we are afraid to charge what we should in order to keep/attract the best people for the job. I lose two or three jobs a week because someone quoted 10% less on the job than we did. Luckily these are always people whom we have no previous history with. They don't really shop quality-just price. Hell, if we cut every corner, we could charge 15-20 % less than we do. Cutting corners always turns into "they ripped me off" or "they didn't fix it right". That's how auto shops get a bad rep. Shops should just about double the current labor per hour charges. My health insurance for the employees goes up at least 13% every year. Shop insurance about the same. Utilities up every year. The trouble is that there is always a shop that will undercut everyone around at the expense of quality/workmanship. Hell there's lots of them. If I could start charging 125.00/hour labor my techs would make 100K instead of 60K/year. That's what they should make with all the training and physical labor involved. On a side note, I had a meeting with an attorney about my late fathers living trust. This attorney charged 235.00/hour. Whoa!!!!! 235.00/hour. I'm worth at least half of that in my own mind. Can I get it? No. Not with every shop around willing to undercut each and every job. If you really want to do this for a living, you'd better be in the top 10% of the workforce or you're not going to make any money. My top 2 techs make over 100K/yr. My 3rd tech makes 40/yr on a good year. All of them bust ass. Some work smarter. One is just a natural - things come easy. One does just enough to pay his bills. Had I to do it all over again- I would have made other choices although day to day, I really love what we do.
The Jalopy Journal
