My first lead tech when I got started had a great system for leveling out slow times in the hangar. "Buy all of the parts for your project car when we're busy, then do the work when it gets slow."
This is a brilliant video, not just for automotive technicians, but in general for people starting their careers. I also saved when starting my career and it was an excellent move.
I'm in an engineering apprenticeship and we get shift allowance, it makes up to a 30/35% bonus to your basic wage and most people become used to it. Untill work declines and shifts get cut and you end up in a similar situation
Yes It Is!! I just got a Mk4 from A Family Friend, Thank God He Wasn't Deported and My State "Roll Tide" Because He Is A Family Man Awesome Man of GOD and LOVE....Im Soooo PROUD OF PEOPLE STANDING UP FOR THEMSELVES AND ALL OF US!! NE WAYS!! IM TEACHING MY KIDS!! I was in OIF1. Then Local College...went for Long Certificate in Auto Tech got to My last course in suspension then opioid epidemic..No Real Pandemic, took a long time Girlfriend and I got caught up too. The Military broke Me before that. So I didn't get to finish.....Now I'm Clean and I'm about to earn some good Work Dues.
Thank you I love the advice! One thing as a content suggestion if it isnt already in the makings is taking care of your body in the shop. I started at an independent shop about two months ago and granted not being in the best shape. I go home some days feeling absolutely demolished. Any tips for angles and posture while working would be super helpful!
Take your time and try to lift tires and heavy objects safely. use knee pads. Wear gloves and respirators. The strength and conditioning will come with time. You will loose weight and get in shape running your ass off, just make sure you take care of your body.
As always Charles, really great advice. As someone just getting into the industry, this is something I REALLY needed to hear. It can be so easy to succumb to lifestyle creep and find yourself in a shitty spot.
Another thing, personal recommendation for new techs: Gearwrench ratches and sockets. I love em and you can buy them so much cheaper than [tool truck brand] ratchets. I like my 120XP 3/8, and I'm gonna pick up a 90XP soon.
The issue In my area is, no matter what dealership you go to, hourly pay is pretty much all gone. It's all flat rate, that's why I've gone to a Mavis. Hourly. I feel the stabity of hourly outweighs the mad money you can make at flat rate. Gotta put pay into account to. That 15 /h is not far off from what we are making right now in 2021-22. With almost 5 year experience and all 8 ASEs I can't find more then 16-17 per flat rate hour.
This is something that everyone with that really good first job should know. This is a great video. I had this conversation with my son who is 20. He took it to heart and has done a great job managing his money. Better than I did at his age. He has had his checking, savings and first credit card for 2 years now. Paid cash for his first car and still had money in his savings account. A course for money management needs to be mandatory for all students. This really does set the tone for your entire life. At almost 50 looking back I wish I had made some better choices.
Wow! I'm not a mechanic but have always enjoyed all of your videos I've watched. This is a fantastic presentation for everyone starting whatever career one takes on. Great job!
I can say that as of now where I work we are doing 300 cars a week on average. Which as you know that can greatly vary on hours. I have to say that since being a tech I have learned why my father used to come home worn out and had days he hasn't wanted to do anything after work. I would advise anyone that is looking to switch in the future to automotive. If you have a stable job try and stick it out( unless an opportunity comes by that is too good to pass up) and pay down or off your debt if you are near. Example. I didn't make the leap until my car was paid off (I was only a few months away). What I am advising is to have as little monthly payments as possible when you make the switch so you can get a feel for the pay. You WILL be slower at first even if you are experienced DIY or shade tree it will take you a while to get into the swing. Not to mention if you have issues with parts orders (happens a few times a week for me) that will slow you down. Good luck everyone. Making the jump is exciting and it feels good. Especially if it's something you have been wanting to do for a while.
Been a technician for the last year or so, this advice will hopefully help me during my shift from used cars to the main shop, I've gotten a little too comfortable with the 50-60 hour a week lifestyle, gonna have to grit my teeth and face the 40 hour lifestyle eventually.
This is a great video. Applies to soooo much more than just mechanics. I work in the Live Event industry and no one could've predicted that most of our industry would lose literally all revenue for basically all of 2020. The company I work for has done a great job of applying a lot of the principles you're talking about so I'm still employed just at a lower salary for the time being. Thankfully my parents taught me about budgeting and stuff as a kid so the reduction hasn't taken a huge hit on me.. Budgeting for the win. Thanks for your videos Charles, always fun to watch!
Hey Charles I love your videos just started me mechanic apprenticeship with volkswagen this week and just want to say thanks for your tips. from ireland
Some great life advice here. When I was younger, I went through some cool cars pretty quickly and I really couldn’t afford them. Not a good use of money and still regret those choices all these years later. Now I drive a 14 year old car.
What really sucks is when u make the 60hrs a week...you live the 40hr wk life style and inflation hits and everything including rent goes up 20-30% and now you end up making 30hrs a week if youre lucky...the slow times are becoming slower
Thanks so much for making this video. This really is applicable to other people starting their careers as well. I got a new car a week after starting my first real job, not as expensive as many other people buy in my situation, but I'm still kicking myself over the payment. I really could have made some headway on my other debts like student loans, or credit cards from the wedding. Thankfully I'm making good progress now.
The same goes for most jobs. You have to budget as 40 hrs & don't always depend on overtime. Especially on a set up on hrs like mine 36 hrs one week and 48 hrs the next. Thanks for the video and time you put into all of them (: be safe.
@@HumbleMechanic I'm not in any shop working for anyone. I wouldn't do that for a living to make someone else rich. I'm not that guy! But you have fun!
Excellent advice! I'd like to add a couple things I've learned along the way. In my day it was a reasonable assumption that after the steep learning curve of your first year or two you will earn more money next year than you did this year. In my case that is easy to prove with my social security statement. But, and there is always a but, you may never get a raise. I didn't. If at all possible try to get paid as a % of your billed labor. One shop I worked at I got $18.00 per hour flat rate. It was a small independent shop with two master mechanics and an endless onslaught of wanna-bees who were there for a few months before moving on. The problem was that the "always new guy" in the bay next to mine was, always new, and usually didn't know sh_ _. I was spending way too much time teaching them where things were or how to use the tire machine, or whatever. This cost me money. When I discussed this with the boss he just said "I've been paying $18.00 an hour flat rate for twenty years and I'm not going to change now." So can I bill hours to the new guy for training him? Okay, I said. When the next new guys tool box shows up on a flat bed, that same flat bed can take mine away. And two weeks later, it did, much to his surprise. While I was there, the labor rate they charged went from $43.50 to $76.50 (yeah, I'm old) so the owner got quite a good cost of living raise, while I was training all the flunkies he kept hiring. Every other job before and since then I got paid as a % of my billed labor. Usually 45%. This way, when the labor rate goes up, which it will, my income also went up. On the "control your spending" side of things, I have a rule. Walk away from every sale and research the value of the product. Don't get me wrong, when you NEED a 17 mm impact swivel socket, go buy one. But when you want a new surround sound amplifier to piss off your neighbors, walk away, if you still want it tomorrow, and you can afford it, buy it.
I wish I would have loved this way when I started as a technician. Instead I took on a car payment and bought a new tool box and new tools all while never saving a dime towards my retirement. Now I'm having to play catch-up...
Great stuff Charles. Really feel you at 8:00 about how none of this stuff is taught- I would have done things MUCH differently if I hadn't assumed that my income would always increase over time rather than fluctuate due to things out of my control. Got into a ton of debt and then was absolutely crushed in 08 when the economy went south. PSA Don't use credit cards, kids!
Definitely agree with the lack of education about money. I've never been truly stupid about money, but I didn't really get smart about my money until I was 25 and had a fantastic Master Sergeant that sat me down on quite a few occasions to go through various 'lessons' about Money. I'm so much better off now. Even with the recessions and Covid, I've never had to worry about anything. I really miss that guy.
Fantastic info. Very handy at unprecedented times like this. When the dealership I worked at was doing lay offs during peak of Covid combined with the dead winter months , us flat rate guys that remained were making an average 4 hours a day doing tire repairs and battery replacements.
Can you do a tool brand comparison? I mean like a good, better, best, and garbage type of classifications? I know that with some tool brands there are huge differences in quality and prices and some not so much. I have no problem paying for quality but I don't want to pay for just the name. Thanks and awesome video like always.
Charles it good to see you bring this up and give advice...i can't begin to tell you how many techs go through my dealership and complain to me ( I guess my beard makes me wise looking not as awesome as yours lol ) but I try to bring up this same point across with them. Some take it some brush me off. Definitely going to start sending all of them a link to this video. Keep up the awesome videos!
Best way to manage your money is to first manage your career by getting out of the retail automotive repair industry. It's really that simple............
17 year Master/Expert volvo tech here. I have since left the industry (thank god) and I am one of those techs that grossed $10k/month with minimal come backs and quality repairs. That being said, being a flat rate mechanic should have died 20 years ago and I encourage EVERY young person to stay away from the dealerships, especially corporate dealers. They are corrupt, bad benefits, and greedy. I Look to start a channel soon explaining how this is true.
little irrelevant to this video.. But i really need your expert advice. I own a 2010 mk6 golf with a 2.5l engine. Recently iv been noticing a inconsistent tapping or knock noise. It comes more from the right side of the engine. (when looking into the engine bay "right"). some days i won't hear it some days it will continue to tap away. the car has 170k kms not miles. anybodies help will be appreciated...... im freaking out a little bit.
I might also add that it helps if you have supportive service advisors. I am about 2 months into being a flat rate tech at a dealer and just spent a week on a warranty cylinder head that ended up paying me 14.9 hours. But because of my service advisors they helped me catch up by making sure I got pretty much nothing but gravy work for the next week
how lucky with 15 bucks per hour . here in the philippines a 15 bucks is a whole day in the job . you can finish about 10 cars performing preventive maintainance . if you want a helper on shop sir call me . hahaha . 5 dollars a hour will make me happy . just kidding .
My advice is to not work for anywhere lost in the 80+ year old and outdated flat-rate pay plan. It's a joke and has zero place in the modern car industry. It makes parts changers look good and fucks the guy who actually has to diag stuff.
Screw flat rate, it’s all to take advantage of the tech. Not to mention starting techs are incredibly underpaid now a days. Left the dealership world and now work at a fleet hourly. Never going back
Great advise for any entrepreneur or anyone in seasonal work. The way the work world is now and is probably going, the gig economy is something that trades people have lived with for many decades.
tool trucks dont like me. I look at a tool, get the part number then get to internet searching. most tools are just rebranded and can be found somewwhere else cheaper.
I'm in a great environment. I'm not the best but I just made it to flat rate. There are 3 techs at my dealer that are doing 350 flat rate hours per month .
I just got a new box. I feel like I failed this already :) But I'm young, so if I get my box now and just get it over with I wont have to make any big purchases later when it matters a bit more. But I budget based on my lowest checks, so I should be okay.
Very good advice for all jobs. I’m now retired from 47 years as a VW/Audi tech as much as I would have liked a SnapOn toolbox I could not bring myself to buy one,instead I had Beach and Husky toolboxes filled with SnapOn and other quality tools. Worked with alot of young apprentices with big SnapOn boxes with not much in tools. It’s the tools that make you the money not the toolbox.
this is a good video. ive been a line tech at audi for about a year. i got promoted from used car (still flat rate) to line tech. i make good money for my age and i blow through it. i live with my parents so i’m okay but i need to move out and grow up. slow season sucks and i’ve seen other techs stress out because they can’t maintain the 120hr lifestyle during slow seasons. i don’t want to be like that. this is very helpful. once again thank you
80% of people I work with live beyond means, I drive a lorry in uk and repair cars for a hobby/ personal use in my spare time ( my farther always said “ if you haven’t got the cash you can’t afford it ). 😁💰💰🇬🇧
Extra income in savings? I would put that extra money in index funds or mutual funds. Or a 401k. But every payday, you should always put money in a 401k. And some in savings, but not all.
$15 an hour I got out when it was $25 an hour in 1991. When they wanted you to buy the then pos scan tools, w with ctc plug in moduals . I wanted portable scopes with real time read outs. I was told I was crazy. Those Hugh Sun scopes with printed sheets with the phony compression test,was all you need! It took decades for snap on etc to get with it. Thank god for vag com! Great things changed but took too long lot of good tecs left, better money, without buying your own tools. Question why do office worker not have to buy their own chairs desk paper clips paper printer lights etc. Some day and I don't like unions, but mechanic need to get paid much more than say a doctor. As one doctor told me when a mistake was made "things fall through the cracks " try telling that to your next come back customer . Oh and don't forget to charge them for your mistake.
The skill of managing money its a lost art, the new generations (Im 35 so dont look at me like a 80 year old grumpy grandpa) have a lot of excuses to over spend money, the most used these days where I work its Y.O.L.O. or "thats why I work so hard" and every 3 or 4 weeks you get the young asking for a 100 or 50. I think also the patience in young people its almost gone, they want to be master techs in 3 weeks and workshop foremans in 3 months and get their own shop in 1 year, the goals are no real so when they cant accomplish those goals they say "this trade is sh*t, the foreman hates me, the company its squeezing me", most of the times when I get to work with an apprentice (if they last more than 3 months) I keep them off the tooltruck, I help them get their first tools and the ones are going to use weekly or daily, the get blinded by the latest scan tool thats like 10k but they dont have a 19mm spanner or caliper wind back tool.
Very helpful video! I just started at my first dealership (Toyota) solid B tech after years at small shops so this is the real deal for me with flat rate no guarantee! Very nervous i just got hit hard today for getting paid 5.8 hours for a ac evaporator. Any tips for dealing with this the labor rates get weird on some of our cars where you'd think it will pay good and doesn't. What I'm asking i guess is is there a good method for catching up on flag hours when you get screwed on a job? I can't think of anyone that could have done that job in 5 hours. Really bums me out when the techs next to me made a 50+ hour week and i got stuck at a 24-28 hour week cause i wasted 15 hours on a job that went south. :/ Just looking for some ideas to make something good out of a bad situation.
Hi, Have you ever seen a rocker arm snap in half on a 2.0 tdi ? My good friend had replaced a lot of the timing components and the engine seem run well but it happened to running on 2 cylinders. Found on exhaust side rockers snapped in half. So is there a good video somewhere 2015 2.0 tdi . Off topic I know. Have a safe day.
Thanks so much, grew up from a Peugeot dealership as apprentice & humble beginning, made me understand plus you sharing, one thing I'm greatful for is some individual in the game before telling us, to gain the experience & money will come, I saw many individual before & after me dropped out because of lifestyle & money management only me & 2 other individual successfully graduated after 4years, then I did a course with City&Guild's, I'm proud to be the first one with the level 3 in light vehicle repair & maintenance in a country over 200million people I'm sincerely 🌹🌹 giving rose to all y'all who keeping, inform us on the path to take, with experience & guidance counseling, means a lot. 🌹🌹🌹🌹
I hate flat rate because I see bad mechanics making more money because they aren't given diag jobs and end up getting the easier jobs. I also see more people shortcutting jobs and it pisses me off. Also stay off the tool Truck.. that is a trap you never want to be in. I ask for my tools without going on the truck, IF I need a tool from the truck. When you can see it, you can rationalize buying it.
@@HumbleMechanic totally agree. Esp with a fluctuating almost seasonal trade like automotive. This was an awesome video and new techs NEED to see this. Thank you for the awesome content.
Very good advice, I’m 18 fresh out of high school and currently have a Mk6 Gti. Maybe golf r i’m drooling about can wait till after i finish at my tech school for my ase’s. I can definitely afford a golf r ( not bragging) but i will have to buy a lot of tools now that i’m going to school. Thanks for the tips Charles!
What are you thoughts on let’s say being almost 30 and getting back into the business with a few years experience wanting to make a career . Knowing interior work and light duty work such as brakes , hubs gas tanks and light electrical work . Would you train him ?
I don't know if this is weird but I keep a mentality that I'm broke and can't afford anything until my bills are payed. Including my tool payment. After everything is payed then I consider myself in the green and not in the red. After that I can afford everything else. If you plan on being in this business for an extended period of time then you should include your tools as part of your monthly expenses.
When I buy tools it's about 25 a week, no new purchases until paid off. Only ect is specialist tools as long as not exp ones say a added socket or say stethoscope. And I've been 20plushish years into it
This is how you OUGHT to live regardless of your occupation. Commission flat rate hourly salary doesn’t matter live less than what your perceived means and you will never fall into dark times due to having a safety net
Currently working at Toyota in the parts department. Hoping to move up into the Lube Tech position with the goal of becoming a Line Technician after that. This video couldn’t have come out at a better time. Thanks 👍
The whole world needs to go on some sort of flat rate system. I can implement it in every profession. Soooo many people mismanage time and money. Being on flat rate...you will be forced to learn both or you will starve.
Budgeting on flat rate is a similar issue with auto workers, they got used to the overtime pay and spent it and later suffered when overtime was cut, unions went on strike, or when the company lays off employees.
My first lead tech when I got started had a great system for leveling out slow times in the hangar. "Buy all of the parts for your project car when we're busy, then do the work when it gets slow."
Hahaha I like that
I’m not even a mechanic, it’s just a hobby, but this is a sound life lesson for all!
This is a brilliant video, not just for automotive technicians, but in general for people starting their careers.
I also saved when starting my career and it was an excellent move.
I'm in an engineering apprenticeship and we get shift allowance, it makes up to a 30/35% bonus to your basic wage and most people become used to it. Untill work declines and shifts get cut and you end up in a similar situation
This is fantastic advice, for everyone!
thank you!
Yes, For Everyone. This great advice for me as an First Year Electricial Apprentice
Yes It Is!! I just got a Mk4 from A Family Friend, Thank God He Wasn't Deported and My State "Roll Tide" Because He Is A Family Man Awesome Man of GOD and LOVE....Im Soooo PROUD OF PEOPLE STANDING UP FOR THEMSELVES AND ALL OF US!! NE WAYS!! IM TEACHING MY KIDS!! I was in OIF1. Then Local College...went for Long Certificate in Auto Tech got to My last course in suspension then opioid epidemic..No Real Pandemic, took a long time Girlfriend and I got caught up too. The Military broke Me before that. So I didn't get to finish.....Now I'm Clean and I'm about to earn some good Work Dues.
Thank you I love the advice! One thing as a content suggestion if it isnt already in the makings is taking care of your body in the shop. I started at an independent shop about two months ago and granted not being in the best shape. I go home some days feeling absolutely demolished. Any tips for angles and posture while working would be super helpful!
Take your time and try to lift tires and heavy objects safely. use knee pads. Wear gloves and respirators. The strength and conditioning will come with time. You will loose weight and get in shape running your ass off, just make sure you take care of your body.
As always Charles, really great advice. As someone just getting into the industry, this is something I REALLY needed to hear. It can be so easy to succumb to lifestyle creep and find yourself in a shitty spot.
I saw my parents do something similar. They lived off of years of overtime. 2008 came and, unfortunately, it hit them very hard.
Very good advice.
Another thing, personal recommendation for new techs:
Gearwrench ratches and sockets. I love em and you can buy them so much cheaper than [tool truck brand] ratchets. I like my 120XP 3/8, and I'm gonna pick up a 90XP soon.
26 years in the Business and let me tell you I wish someone Would have taught me that!! Thank You from a Volkswagen tech to another!!
FYI when is RUclips going to add the super like!!!!!!!
Haha they need to get the ball going!
@@HumbleMechanic This is one video that needs a re-like button for sure!
Charles best advice ever. This need taught in every field and everyday life.
So well said....on all points. Thanks for taking the time to make the video. Our automotive culture (and culture in general) needs this.
The issue In my area is, no matter what dealership you go to, hourly pay is pretty much all gone. It's all flat rate, that's why I've gone to a Mavis. Hourly. I feel the stabity of hourly outweighs the mad money you can make at flat rate.
Gotta put pay into account to. That 15 /h is not far off from what we are making right now in 2021-22. With almost 5 year experience and all 8 ASEs I can't find more then 16-17 per flat rate hour.
Honestly, thank you Charles for this video. I genuinely love this series, so much learned. Greetings from Czech Republic
Wow, vote for best vid on tube this year.
Glad there is someone out there with the right mindset of doing busnis and guidance!!!
As a new tech I really appreciate your advice ✅
This is something that everyone with that really good first job should know. This is a great video. I had this conversation with my son who is 20. He took it to heart and has done a great job managing his money. Better than I did at his age. He has had his checking, savings and first credit card for 2 years now. Paid cash for his first car and still had money in his savings account.
A course for money management needs to be mandatory for all students. This really does set the tone for your entire life. At almost 50 looking back I wish I had made some better choices.
Wow! I'm not a mechanic but have always enjoyed all of your videos I've watched. This is a fantastic presentation for everyone starting whatever career one takes on. Great job!
Thank you
I can say that as of now where I work we are doing 300 cars a week on average. Which as you know that can greatly vary on hours. I have to say that since being a tech I have learned why my father used to come home worn out and had days he hasn't wanted to do anything after work.
I would advise anyone that is looking to switch in the future to automotive. If you have a stable job try and stick it out( unless an opportunity comes by that is too good to pass up) and pay down or off your debt if you are near.
Example. I didn't make the leap until my car was paid off (I was only a few months away). What I am advising is to have as little monthly payments as possible when you make the switch so you can get a feel for the pay.
You WILL be slower at first even if you are experienced DIY or shade tree it will take you a while to get into the swing.
Not to mention if you have issues with parts orders (happens a few times a week for me) that will slow you down.
Good luck everyone. Making the jump is exciting and it feels good. Especially if it's something you have been wanting to do for a while.
Been a technician for the last year or so, this advice will hopefully help me during my shift from used cars to the main shop, I've gotten a little too comfortable with the 50-60 hour a week lifestyle, gonna have to grit my teeth and face the 40 hour lifestyle eventually.
Im in the same spot bro. Good luck to ya
This is a great video. Applies to soooo much more than just mechanics. I work in the Live Event industry and no one could've predicted that most of our industry would lose literally all revenue for basically all of 2020. The company I work for has done a great job of applying a lot of the principles you're talking about so I'm still employed just at a lower salary for the time being. Thankfully my parents taught me about budgeting and stuff as a kid so the reduction hasn't taken a huge hit on me.. Budgeting for the win. Thanks for your videos Charles, always fun to watch!
Hey Charles I love your videos just started me mechanic apprenticeship with volkswagen this week and just want to say thanks for your tips. from ireland
THATS AWESOME!!!!!
Some great life advice here. When I was younger, I went through some cool cars pretty quickly and I really couldn’t afford them. Not a good use of money and still regret those choices all these years later. Now I drive a 14 year old car.
I learned that lesson the hard way.
What really sucks is when u make the 60hrs a week...you live the 40hr wk life style and inflation hits and everything including rent goes up 20-30% and now you end up making 30hrs a week if youre lucky...the slow times are becoming slower
Thanks so much for making this video. This really is applicable to other people starting their careers as well. I got a new car a week after starting my first real job, not as expensive as many other people buy in my situation, but I'm still kicking myself over the payment. I really could have made some headway on my other debts like student loans, or credit cards from the wedding. Thankfully I'm making good progress now.
Excellent video Charles. The whole series is so good and it is nice of you to do. You are a real quality guy!
The same goes for most jobs. You have to budget as 40 hrs & don't always depend on overtime.
Especially on a set up on hrs like mine 36 hrs one week and 48 hrs the next. Thanks for the video and time you put into all of them (: be safe.
Thanks Dad! WAIT! I'm probably old enough to be your old man! Great advice for all.
Step one : don’t accept flag rate
Being a mechanic lol 😂 yea, the owners are very rich, you, not so much. Heavy line tech? Ok ... Here, here's 35k Per year, you're my main guy lol
You’re in the wrong shop.
@@HumbleMechanic I'm not in any shop working for anyone. I wouldn't do that for a living to make someone else rich. I'm not that guy! But you have fun!
Excellent advice! I'd like to add a couple things I've learned along the way.
In my day it was a reasonable assumption that after the steep learning curve of your first year or two you will earn more money next year than you did this year. In my case that is easy to prove with my social security statement. But, and there is always a but, you may never get a raise. I didn't. If at all possible try to get paid as a % of your billed labor. One shop I worked at I got $18.00 per hour flat rate. It was a small independent shop with two master mechanics and an endless onslaught of wanna-bees who were there for a few months before moving on. The problem was that the "always new guy" in the bay next to mine was, always new, and usually didn't know sh_ _. I was spending way too much time teaching them where things were or how to use the tire machine, or whatever. This cost me money. When I discussed this with the boss he just said "I've been paying $18.00 an hour flat rate for twenty years and I'm not going to change now." So can I bill hours to the new guy for training him?
Okay, I said. When the next new guys tool box shows up on a flat bed, that same flat bed can take mine away. And two weeks later, it did, much to his surprise.
While I was there, the labor rate they charged went from $43.50 to $76.50 (yeah, I'm old) so the owner got quite a good cost of living raise, while I was training all the flunkies he kept hiring.
Every other job before and since then I got paid as a % of my billed labor. Usually 45%.
This way, when the labor rate goes up, which it will, my income also went up.
On the "control your spending" side of things, I have a rule. Walk away from every sale and research the value of the product.
Don't get me wrong, when you NEED a 17 mm impact swivel socket, go buy one. But when you want a new surround sound amplifier to piss off your neighbors, walk away, if you still want it tomorrow, and you can afford it, buy it.
I wish I would have loved this way when I started as a technician. Instead I took on a car payment and bought a new tool box and new tools all while never saving a dime towards my retirement. Now I'm having to play catch-up...
Great stuff Charles. Really feel you at 8:00 about how none of this stuff is taught- I would have done things MUCH differently if I hadn't assumed that my income would always increase over time rather than fluctuate due to things out of my control. Got into a ton of debt and then was absolutely crushed in 08 when the economy went south. PSA Don't use credit cards, kids!
Definitely agree with the lack of education about money. I've never been truly stupid about money, but I didn't really get smart about my money until I was 25 and had a fantastic Master Sergeant that sat me down on quite a few occasions to go through various 'lessons' about Money. I'm so much better off now. Even with the recessions and Covid, I've never had to worry about anything. I really miss that guy.
Charles, you should hook up with Dave Ramsey. You could do a project together on being smart with your money.
Fantastic info. Very handy at unprecedented times like this. When the dealership I worked at was doing lay offs during peak of Covid combined with the dead winter months , us flat rate guys that remained were making an average 4 hours a day doing tire repairs and battery replacements.
Can you do a tool brand comparison? I mean like a good, better, best, and garbage type of classifications? I know that with some tool brands there are huge differences in quality and prices and some not so much. I have no problem paying for quality but I don't want to pay for just the name. Thanks and awesome video like always.
Charles it good to see you bring this up and give advice...i can't begin to tell you how many techs go through my dealership and complain to me ( I guess my beard makes me wise looking not as awesome as yours lol ) but I try to bring up this same point across with them. Some take it some brush me off. Definitely going to start sending all of them a link to this video. Keep up the awesome videos!
What state you in?
In summary: Live on less than you make and have a written budget every month.
Call the union.....
Best way to manage your money is to first manage your career by getting out of the retail automotive repair industry. It's really that simple............
17 year Master/Expert volvo tech here. I have since left the industry (thank god) and I am one of those techs that grossed $10k/month with minimal come backs and quality repairs. That being said, being a flat rate mechanic should have died 20 years ago and I encourage EVERY young person to stay away from the dealerships, especially corporate dealers. They are corrupt, bad benefits, and greedy. I Look to start a channel soon explaining how this is true.
little irrelevant to this video.. But i really need your expert advice. I own a 2010 mk6 golf with a 2.5l engine. Recently iv been noticing a inconsistent tapping or knock noise. It comes more from the right side of the engine. (when looking into the engine bay "right"). some days i won't hear it some days it will continue to tap away. the car has 170k kms not miles. anybodies help will be appreciated...... im freaking out a little bit.
I might also add that it helps if you have supportive service advisors. I am about 2 months into being a flat rate tech at a dealer and just spent a week on a warranty cylinder head that ended up paying me 14.9 hours. But because of my service advisors they helped me catch up by making sure I got pretty much nothing but gravy work for the next week
how lucky with 15 bucks per hour . here in the philippines a 15 bucks is a whole day in the job . you can finish about 10 cars performing preventive maintainance . if you want a helper on shop sir call me . hahaha . 5 dollars a hour will make me happy . just kidding .
2004 making 15 an hour… now as a 2 year experienced tech you make 16 an hour. Almost 10 years later… wow!
My advice is to not work for anywhere lost in the 80+ year old and outdated flat-rate pay plan. It's a joke and has zero place in the modern car industry. It makes parts changers look good and fucks the guy who actually has to diag stuff.
0% salary just 25% lab rate per hour you sell is even more scary when there are quite times😂🤯
I'm not a mechanic but this is great advice, in the UK we're still not fully back a work.
Screw flat rate, it’s all to take advantage of the tech. Not to mention starting techs are incredibly underpaid now a days. Left the dealership world and now work at a fleet hourly. Never going back
Great advise for any entrepreneur or anyone in seasonal work. The way the work world is now and is probably going, the gig economy is something that trades people have lived with for many decades.
Our own gov't doesn't even know how to manage money properly.
tool trucks dont like me. I look at a tool, get the part number then get to internet searching. most tools are just rebranded and can be found somewwhere else cheaper.
I'm in a great environment. I'm not the best but I just made it to flat rate. There are 3 techs at my dealer that are doing 350 flat rate hours per month .
Best advice I have heard, and yup I have been there!🙈 does lead to poor choices…..
Hi i have a question about a golf 7 the blows cold air on idle and hot when driveing
Would be nice if you would replie
If you work for mavis discount tires you'll get evicted in the first month lol 🤣
Great advice Charles, You are a good man:):)
Same thing in the aviation industry... outstanding advice!
Also for some sakes the tool box does not make the tech don't buy the biggest box you can no no no
worst thing i did was go on the rape van and buy tools, 6 years later i still have some debt
That comment about the "slow dark times coming" did not age well
You are going to get that mess caught in a moving part
I just got a new box. I feel like I failed this already :)
But I'm young, so if I get my box now and just get it over with I wont have to make any big purchases later when it matters a bit more.
But I budget based on my lowest checks, so I should be okay.
Keep on grinding
I'm thinking about buying an E82 N55 135i
Very good advice for all jobs. I’m now retired from 47 years as a VW/Audi tech as much as I would have liked a SnapOn toolbox I could not bring myself to buy one,instead I had Beach and Husky toolboxes filled with SnapOn and other quality tools. Worked with alot of young apprentices with big SnapOn boxes with not much in tools. It’s the tools that make you the money not the toolbox.
Common sence? It looks like a real American problem.
Whats the time frame for a new tech to go flatrate?? Thanks.
This can be financial advice for pretty much anybody who has a limited budget not just someone who works as a mechanic.
this is a good video. ive been a line tech at audi for about a year. i got promoted from used car (still flat rate) to line tech. i make good money for my age and i blow through it. i live with my parents so i’m okay but i need to move out and grow up. slow season sucks and i’ve seen other techs stress out because they can’t maintain the 120hr lifestyle during slow seasons. i don’t want to be like that. this is very helpful. once again thank you
Guys are making 70 hours a week? Dayumm
Sing it brother!!! Even if only 1 person gets help from this video (series) it's worth it!!!
Flat Rate Master has left the room :D
This is just good money management, period. Not just for mekaniks
Sounds good but it only matters if u figure this out before ur sick dead or too old but thanks anyway better never than late .
Man that’s a bummer attitude.
I can’t understand what « flat rate » is, somebody can explain to me ?
The basic idea is you get paid per job no matter the time it takes to complete. Sometimes that’s awesome sometimes it’s not
80% of people I work with live beyond means, I drive a lorry in uk and repair cars for a hobby/ personal use in my spare time ( my farther always said “ if you haven’t got the cash you can’t afford it ). 😁💰💰🇬🇧
Open a 401k through your work. Start with 10% easy math. Esp. If your company matches , it’s free money and pre-taxed.
Extra income in savings?
I would put that extra money in index funds or mutual funds. Or a 401k. But every payday, you should always put money in a 401k.
And some in savings, but not all.
$15 an hour I got out when it was $25 an hour in 1991. When they wanted you to buy the then pos scan tools, w with ctc plug in moduals . I wanted portable scopes with real time read outs. I was told I was crazy. Those Hugh Sun scopes with printed sheets with the phony compression test,was all you need! It took decades for snap on etc to get with it. Thank god for vag com! Great things changed but took too long lot of good tecs left, better money, without buying your own tools. Question why do office worker not have to buy their own chairs desk paper clips paper printer lights etc.
Some day and I don't like unions, but mechanic need to get paid much more than say a doctor. As one doctor told me when a mistake was made "things fall through the cracks " try telling that to your next come back customer . Oh and don't forget to charge them for your mistake.
Hello my friend ..
can you help me how to register VCDS lite please ...i dont have any email. or something like that . Thnxa million times
The skill of managing money its a lost art, the new generations (Im 35 so dont look at me like a 80 year old grumpy grandpa) have a lot of excuses to over spend money, the most used these days where I work its Y.O.L.O. or "thats why I work so hard" and every 3 or 4 weeks you get the young asking for a 100 or 50.
I think also the patience in young people its almost gone, they want to be master techs in 3 weeks and workshop foremans in 3 months and get their own shop in 1 year, the goals are no real so when they cant accomplish those goals they say "this trade is sh*t, the foreman hates me, the company its squeezing me", most of the times when I get to work with an apprentice (if they last more than 3 months) I keep them off the tooltruck, I help them get their first tools and the ones are going to use weekly or daily, the get blinded by the latest scan tool thats like 10k but they dont have a 19mm spanner or caliper wind back tool.
Very helpful video! I just started at my first dealership (Toyota) solid B tech after years at small shops so this is the real deal for me with flat rate no guarantee! Very nervous i just got hit hard today for getting paid 5.8 hours for a ac evaporator. Any tips for dealing with this the labor rates get weird on some of our cars where you'd think it will pay good and doesn't. What I'm asking i guess is is there a good method for catching up on flag hours when you get screwed on a job? I can't think of anyone that could have done that job in 5 hours. Really bums me out when the techs next to me made a 50+ hour week and i got stuck at a 24-28 hour week cause i wasted 15 hours on a job that went south. :/ Just looking for some ideas to make something good out of a bad situation.
Hi,
Have you ever seen a rocker arm snap in half on a 2.0 tdi ? My good friend had replaced a lot of the timing components and the engine seem run well but it happened to running on 2 cylinders. Found on exhaust side rockers snapped in half. So is there a good video somewhere 2015 2.0 tdi .
Off topic I know. Have a safe day.
Thanks so much, grew up from a Peugeot dealership as apprentice & humble beginning, made me understand plus you sharing, one thing I'm greatful for is some individual in the game before telling us, to gain the experience & money will come, I saw many individual before & after me dropped out because of lifestyle & money management only me & 2 other individual successfully graduated after 4years, then I did a course with City&Guild's, I'm proud to be the first one with the level 3 in light vehicle repair & maintenance in a country over 200million people I'm sincerely 🌹🌹 giving rose to all y'all who keeping, inform us on the path to take, with experience & guidance counseling, means a lot. 🌹🌹🌹🌹
I hate flat rate because I see bad mechanics making more money because they aren't given diag jobs and end up getting the easier jobs. I also see more people shortcutting jobs and it pisses me off. Also stay off the tool Truck.. that is a trap you never want to be in. I ask for my tools without going on the truck, IF I need a tool from the truck. When you can see it, you can rationalize buying it.
The flatrate problem is most often a management problem
@@HumbleMechanic totally agree. Esp with a fluctuating almost seasonal trade like automotive. This was an awesome video and new techs NEED to see this. Thank you for the awesome content.
Very good advice, I’m 18 fresh out of high school and currently have a Mk6 Gti. Maybe golf r i’m drooling about can wait till after i finish at my tech school for my ase’s. I can definitely afford a golf r ( not bragging) but i will have to buy a lot of tools now that i’m going to school. Thanks for the tips Charles!
I’m struggling with money as a first year. Getting $600 pw AUD. Two thirds go to rent
What are you thoughts on let’s say being almost 30 and getting back into the business with a few years experience wanting to make a career . Knowing interior work and light duty work such as brakes , hubs gas tanks and light electrical work . Would you train him ?
This video made me uncomfortable bro lmao been there done that.. got laid off in april. Absolutely blind sided.. not nice
I don't know if this is weird but I keep a mentality that I'm broke and can't afford anything until my bills are payed. Including my tool payment. After everything is payed then I consider myself in the green and not in the red. After that I can afford everything else. If you plan on being in this business for an extended period of time then you should include your tools as part of your monthly expenses.
Great Advice. I LOVED working flat rate! Feast or Famine, if you don't play it right.
When I buy tools it's about 25 a week, no new purchases until paid off. Only ect is specialist tools as long as not exp ones say a added socket or say stethoscope. And I've been 20plushish years into it
This is how you OUGHT to live regardless of your occupation. Commission flat rate hourly salary doesn’t matter live less than what your perceived means and you will never fall into dark times due to having a safety net
Currently working at Toyota in the parts department. Hoping to move up into the Lube Tech position with the goal of becoming a Line Technician after that. This video couldn’t have come out at a better time. Thanks 👍
The whole world needs to go on some sort of flat rate system. I can implement it in every profession. Soooo many people mismanage time and money. Being on flat rate...you will be forced to learn both or you will starve.
I got 100 bucks to pay off the Mac man. He came at the right time for some swivel sockets I needed right then lol. So not bad
Budgeting on flat rate is a similar issue with auto workers, they got used to the overtime pay and spent it and later suffered when overtime was cut, unions went on strike, or when the company lays off employees.
Love it I’m currently in school to become a Technician