It’s Time To Get Serious About the Auto Repair Industry
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- *Sponsored Video*
Yes, this is a sponsored video by UTI, but I would make this video sponsored or not.
I get a lot of feedback about the auto repair industry, not all of it good. Some say it’s dead, you can’t make a decent living, and that there are less and less people coming into the field of auto repair.
I’m wondering if that may be wrong. Based on what I’ve seen recently, it seems there may be a lot of opportunity in the auto repair field that hasn’t been previously explored. It might be worth a second look.
Thanks for watching!
ETCG1
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I don't work in the automotive service/repair industry, but I hear so many coworkers and family blame the mechanics when they had a CV joint replaced and 2 weeks later their fuel pump goes out on their 2002 car with 232,765 miles and guess who they blame, yes the mechanic that put in the CV joint. People wrongfully blame the mechanics all the time.
Sort of like how your car is in the shop so you borrow someone's car just to go to the store for a gallon of milk, and as you're driving, the ABS light comes on and they say that you must have done something because it wasn't on before.
You can use sarcasm all you want, here in South Florida there's a serious trust issue with finding a trustworthy mechanic. Either their shop looks like a night time chop shop, their attitude is messy and rude, or they flat out lie to my face because I don't look like I know car stuff (or anything). So unless standards change and chain shops go away, the industry might as well die
All mechanics have dealt with scam artists like that. There are tons of examples I could give you after 30 years in the biz, and. I'm just one dude.
In my opinion, as well as experience, if someone you know is prone to this kind of scam, then it's only a small matter of time before they go sideways on you or anyone else. Do not trust these fools, even if they are in your family.
Pretty funny I hope you pointed out to your family member or friend that the fuel pump has absolutely nothing to do with the CV joint.
One of the reasons why they are fuel pump may have gone out is that they let their gas tank get so low as to make the fuel pump work very hard as well as not have enough fuel to help keep it cool since as I'm sure you know the fuel in your gas tank helps to keep the fuel pump cool.
It's the same in IT. You touched it once last year so it must be your fault that my 5 year old pc that is on 24/7 developed a problem today.
I suspect that any young man who can diagnose electrical problems in modern cars, can probably earn more in some field besides auto mechanic.
I fully agree with you.
Not if he's an independent, roving contractor - a friend of my does that as an AC tech and makes a really good living.
Sad, but true.
The auto manufacturers would LOVE to see techs go away completely. They would much rather sell you a new car any time your old one breaks down, but they aren't smart enough to realize because of some of the dirty shit they've done, people don't have enough money to buy new. It's just not an option.
Buying new cars is horribly wasteful and awful waste of money. There are so many cars taken off the road that are readily repairable and usable it boggles my mind. There are people that make 1/3 of what I make, complain they don't have any money, but drive around in brand new cars, at some $500.00 a month!
The problems in Automotive industry have a lot in common with the restaurant industry. I have a chefs ticket and a transmission rebuilders ticket. Both employers want fully qualified trained people to work for minimum wage. So there is a large turnover or a bunch of the unskilled producing mediocre or less work. All while the owner puts in a pool at home and the employees are trying to find their next meal.
I just rebuild top end engine that is flag 22 hours and the dealer charge customer more than 2000 in labor while I get pay 200 bucks do the math
F-ck that!
Exactly.
Fully qualified to be a BMW technician. Will start out at 34$ an hour.
Exactly
As a UTI alumni and former technician for Audi, I will say working for a corporate dealership wasn't for me... even the industry wasn't. First the amount of debt you incur in order to go to UTI is outrageous and one can learn the same fundamentals at a local tech school. Second, you have to invest a ton of time in order to make decent money. I'm talking 8 to 10 years, which isn't ridiculous if u are young and starting off in the industry. Forget being older and learning the flat rate system. Jobs are handed down by team leaders and their friends are handed gravy work while you get shafted with diagnosis work. In the end, it just wasn't putting food on the table so I left the industry and went into another field. Take aways: company makes a ton for service repairs, techs make very little
good points. Yes the debt is a problem and UTI has made agreements that essentially keep other school graduates out of jobs. Take Mercedes-Benz, their dealer only hire UTI graduates- as if other schools don't teach students anything. Been there done that. My story is similar but I didn't go to UTI.
@@Mn09lfV6f I will say this, UTI does offer advanced training... well they partner with certain manufacturers and they charge you a good penny in order to attend their training. You come out at a higher level and in some cases very to pick the location you would like to work. However, it isn't cheap and your admittance into the program depends on GPA and other factors. Still you are able to very a head start on the competition. I believe they have ties with Ford, BMW, Fiat and maybe a couple more, it's been a while so I can't remember them all. I will say German engineering is very advanced and some dealers don't give a darn about how many ASE certifications you have. They want you to learn the systems of their vehicles and move up the tracks according to their tier levels.
I went to my local community college for a year, full time, for automotive tech in 2018. It cost me about $5,500, I think. Spent about another $1200 at Harbor Freight and I'm pretty well equiped. (To work on my own cars anyway)
@@isaiconchas2602 My local community college does those things too.For waaaay cheaper.
I was a mechanic for 3.5 years, came in as a lube tech at a ford dealer while in school and the was promoted to general line (Main shop) technician doing recalls and such once i graduated. Was only a main shop tech for about half that time and up until last month I have left the industry. Ford has decided to cut most of their decent paying recalls down by almost half. Such as Door latches ex.(2.9 hours ---> 1.3 hours) and so on. Most of the recalls that Ford has put out are due to simple neglect of torque specs, proper testing and cheap Chinese parts...ex.( f150,explorer seat frame bolts improperly torqued)(foucs, fusion, escape,fiesta etc. door latches breaking and replacement)(escape side curtain air bag replacement due to improper deployment)(expedition seat track measurement and torque)(f150 transmission selector cable clip verification)(MT82 mustang transmission shift forks breaking) and mind you most of these recalls dont pay anything! .2 (12 min) to .7 (42 min) at most.. so by the time you grab the keys, find the car, pull it into your bay, grab parts form parts department, perform recall, return warranty parts and write up tech notes and thenand then park the car, you are WELLLLLL over the alotted 12-42 minutes they give you to perform the recall..BS!.. Worked with technicians who have been their 20+ years and they are becoming very discouraged at what the industry is becoming. Because im young (22), ive chosen to leave the industry and go onto bigger and better things. As the auto industry becomes more advanced in technology, pretty soon the mechanics who get paid to DIAGNOSE vehicles with their equipment will soon become PARTS RE-PLACERS as the computer will tell them what is wrong and what to replace, meaning most technicians who have gone to school and acquired all this knowledge in those 20+ years, will be forced from the industry as they will be replaced by dealers for cheaper workers with a vast knowledge gap. A huge disservice to the industry. Glad to be out of the business... Since my leave from the dealership, 4 other technicians have done the same....student technicians beware!
That's a real shame. Why are dealerships allowing the mfgs. to dictate how long a particular job is supposed to take? How can they expect that any job is going to take 12 minutes. I learned a long, long time ago that there is no such thing as a 10 minute job. If enough techs leave the dealerships then they are going to be forced to raise the wages and fix these stupid time allotments or forgo the work and let the independents handle it.
the computer tells them what's wrong, well they tried that at AT&T the computer tests your tel line and reads out a code, that way anyone could then tell the customer what's wrong and dispatch a tech to fix it. In the old days you sat on a test board with dials and switches and actually tested the line and had to have some knowledge.
Like I said. We need to pay these mechanics properly...
Look at the way companies treat their workers today, talked with my dr. yesterday she's fighting to get worker's comp benefits for one of her patients a truck driver that was let go after 27 yr. He was working 16-17 hr. a day which is illegal and when his heath gave out they let me go and now he has to fight for worker's comp & disability benefits from social security.
warranty times = labor theft. I told Volvo reps all the time they are stealing my labor and the dealership is not paying me if Volvo wont pay them. They're all crooked and make money off our blood and sweat.
I briefly considered it, after starting on DIY auto repair and helping a few other people out. But wouldn't want to work in this field because:
-working under excessive time pressure
-dirty and unhealthy job
-modest pay compared to the health risks
It's only a dirty job if you don't wear gloves. As a DIY mechanic I realised that it's far easier to stop yourself getting dirty with disposable gloves than it is to get car dirt off you afterwards.
Good points, but I'll be devils advocate.
Being a mechanic has also given me other skills that I've found useful and profitable. Problem solving for one. Welding, time management, and I've also used my skills to branch out into plumbing, electrical wiring, tile, carpentry, as well as a few other trades. Not to mention entrepreneurship.
In essence, your skills don't have to end at the garage. You can move beyond it. It's really about self reliance if you think about it.
Eric, the industry,aka the older guys like us, need to help these young techs coming up in this industry, take the kids under our wings and help the grow as technicians. The industry is always changing, many rear brake jobs now require a scan tool, to retract the parking brake/piston.
Can I be under your wing Mike 🙄
Great to hear senior techs talking in that way and wanting to help the younger generation. Also enjoy the Pico dude there great fun ✌🏻
@@lenny2137 thanks!
@@SouthMainAuto i think Keith has you covered😉😁
They take your jobs along the way too
Sadly, the rip off artist moniker is definitely a where there is smoke there is fire type of thing. Finding shops you can trust is an issue.
click bait
I mainly associate that moniker with quick-oil-change shops, which are the most common target of sting ops to reveal scams in the industry ruclips.net/video/-avpx8UTakI/видео.html
Some small shops are bad about that too though. One of my friends took his pickup to a couple shops in town, cause the rear end was making a clacking noise as he drove and he was sure the diff was going out. Here's how that played out:
*Shop 1*
Friend took it in to em, told em to fix it. Gets it back a day later, they tell him it was just fine and charge him for the inspection. He gets a quarter mile down the road and it makes the exact same noise.
*Shop 2*
Friend tells them about the issue, and about what the other shop did. They open it up and within the half hour mark they call him in to show him something
Mechanic: "Check this out; Does this look 'Fine' to you?" (digs into puddle of diff fluid and pulls up a handful of gear bits)
Friend: "F##K!"
Mechanic: "What shop did you say you took it to?"
Friend: "------ a few miles down the road"
Mechanic: "Thought so. You got an invoice?"
Then the mechanic called up the other shop and chews them a new one, and after some "negotiating", gets them to refund my friend his inspection fee. He also got my friend's diff fixed within a day and all was well after that.
This anecdote pretty much sums up the industry, there are good righteous shops out there providing a good reasonable service, and then there are those just trying to make the quickest buck for the least work possible. The problem is, until you have an experience like this, it's hard to find a shop that you can be sure won't screw you.
Before I retired and had no issues walking, I did. So my advice to anyone who thinks their mechanics are ripping them off is to get a second or even third opinion. Might turn out they were legit, or it might turn out that sandy vag is from being screwed raw.
Thank you! Someone else mentions this. I've been dying to find a mechanic to fix my AC at a reasonable price. Damn ridiculous out here.
It's mostly a rip off. If you spent the money on tools and equipment to do it yourself, you not only have the tools for life but also learn new skills and live with the satisfaction of an accomplishment.
Maybe others are in the same boat as me. I'm 22 love working on my cars and friends cars. There's not a bolt I haven't touched on my 90 supra. But I'd never want to do it as a job. I'd rather work at costco making close to 60k a year in an air conditioned warehouse and do car stuff on my own personal time. Yes I would like to have a job working on cars but I see way to many people who literally work themselves into the grave in the auto industry. Not that that's always the case but in my area it happens alot.
Not that you can't make really good money in the auto industry but it just didn't seem inviting/a good route to take for me right out of high school. Believe it or not I actually worked with a guy at costco for awhile who was a master tech that was in and out of jobs trying to make a living hes at Firestone now until he can get back on at a dealer
Never underestimate the value of air conditioning.
That's a good point, and it's not a good idea to make your 'hobby' your 'job', because after it's a 'job', it stays a job. But if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.
Man! I wish I had that perspective when I started in this field 30 years ago. age 53 still wrench'n.
Ok just don’t get yourself into debt and you won’t have a problem. Minimalism is a virtue.
I've worked for a few new car dealers and some private shops and the biggest thing I've learned is the service writer is usually your worst enemy and makes more than the tech actually doing the work and gets bonuses based on surveys from the customer about my work. The manufacturer's warranty times are absolutely ridiculous there's no way techs can do things in the allotted time they give you and when you don't your losing money. The service industry is in the shape it's in because of it's self. Tech's all deserve a raise and flat rate needs to go, all flat rate is designed for is to make hard working people work for free. For example I was the only one in my shop that could r and r a Kia Sportage transmission in 8 hours, warranty pays 4. If anyone can do it faster I'd like to see it
Oh you should try the turbos on V10 TDI Touraeg or a W8 engine in a Passat! Pure Hell!
I know you said usually is the enemy, but, I am a service writer. At my shop after 4 years I make pretty much what a new apprentice would, and I get yelled at by customers all day. I don't get any bonuses in any shape or form. I think that is one thing technicians forget is that we handle the customer relations, because that is what keeps the work coming in the door. Not saying that one job is any better than the other. I would really like to become a tech eventually, but I can't afford the tools or schooling right now. Just keeping a roof over my head and my truck on the road is enough.
^ This , I'm also from Pa. and left the industry for exactly this reason . We Techs were treated like dirt at the Dealership . It got so bad Customers would call and ask to talk to Tech and avoided the Manager at all cost . It became extremely toxic . The Gas industry came to the area and I quit the Dealership ...bye bye
Flat rate tech for 10+ years, in the industry for 14 years. I think the talent pool is suffering because shop owners aren't making an effort to attract. A journeyman electrician will make 50-60k per year, get better insurance for cheaper, get union support with a pension, get more vacation and time off. But a tech has to fight 4 other guys to flag 50+ hours per week to make 50-60k per year. No union, no pension, no (or minimal) 401k match (max 2% if I give 6%), and they barely contribute anything to pay insurance ($800+ per month for fam). And that's before we spend $30,000-$40,000 on tools. I've worked in 4 shops and interviewed at several others along the way, and they haven't varied much.
I could probably make my own response video to this explaining how much darker the automotive industry has gotten over the last 30 years, and/or how they seem to be trying to engineer the weekend home mechanic out of repairing their own cars. But I'll basically say this. Once a vehicle leaves the factory the manufacture doesn't really care about it anymore. If you can't repair it, and it costs too much to keep it on the road, then you'll buy another POS from them. So it's a bonus for them to engineer you out of the picture. You only have to look back to the late 80's to now and ask yourself why you rarely see cars from those eras anymore, yet you still see cars from as far back as the 50's. It ended for me when I realized on some cars you have to remove the intake manifold in order to change 3 out of your 6 spark plugs. Garbage engineering seems to be running rampant in the automotive industry these days, and it's a wonder why anyone wants to deal with it.
Thanks for your input. You might not see American vehicles from that age because they were ugly and didn't work very well. Emissions was just starting to be a thing and we were way behind when that came about. However, the Asian vehicles from that era are still around today and beloved by many.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's about perspective. Sure, the manufacturer wants to make money. Thats why they're in business after all, but I think the 'problem' is a bit more complicated than you allude to. Not saying you're wrong, just I think there is a lot more to it than that.
Thank you for your input.
And your absolutely correct. There is much more to it. That's why I could have made my own response video on the subject. I just don't have the editing software to do it anymore.
Even some of the Asian cars are not engineered as well as they could have been. I've watched the HVAC video on your Honda. But even then, Asian cars are in their own ballgame. They are beloved because they are built to last longer. But even then, when something does go up in them, it's costly.
And I haven't even started on automotive design these days. You only need to look at silhouettes of any mid sized car or SUV built these days to see that most look the same.
Automotive engineering has just gotten lazy, and I can't see where they put any thought into the guy who loves to work on his own stuff anymore.
But at the risk of writing out a script for a video reply I'll cut it there.
Thanks for the reply, and keep the great videos comming.
I think they key point that you are correct about is that; After the car leaves the plant, the manufacturer really does not give a shit about it at all. It is a liability at that point, and you are exactly right about, they would rather just put them up in a new vehicle again, as opposed to repairing the car under warranty. Technicians are an EXPENSE to the corporate mfg company, NOT an ASSET. Buisness 101: minimize expenses, invest in assets. To top it off, now COVID is a thing, and the economy is in deep shit from a massive government mandated shut down, and 1/2 of parts are on intergalactic backorder. Now customers really can't afford to fix their vehicle. Lots of warranty work. But remember, if you're doing warranty work, you're just an expense. Expect to be treated as such. Minimize.
Please do a podcast! Also, from a young technician who is in the final days of his Auto degree, I've worked the pit for longer than I'm proud to admit because the dealership I worked for didn't see me as enough of an asset to try to move me into the main shop to do work. That seems to be standard practice in my area, unfortunately. Another is that nobody wants to give a young technician a true shot at work. I left the dealership to work for an independent shop where I was essentially put on the same jobs as the dealership for several months (8+), despite my love for electronics and diagnosis. My employer knew, he just didn't want me to mess anything up, which I understand but how do I get any "professional experience" when my employer wont give me a shot? Most young technicians, like myself, are largely looked over because many shops want at least 3 years of experience, where lube doesn't really count. This has largely discouraged me and many of my friends because we're treated like kids who have never touched a wrench before.
So while I work for this guy changing oil and rotating tires, I'm doing my own thing on the side because nobody knows how to deal with electrical issues anymore. I can't realistically use my "shade-tree" experience on a resume, but I'm making more working a few hours a week for myself than I do changing oil for a professional shop for 40 hours, and my customers love me!
Yeah I know what u mean I that why i left a dealership position I was in .Most places don't want train the new guys or they treat them horrible
Use your shade tree experience on your resume - I would also suggest you strike out on your own and set yourself up as an independent mobile specialist tech for electronics and electrical issues. Get one or two techs to act as a reference for you and visit a bunch of shops offering to do flat-rate diagnostics for them when they are stuck, leave your business card....
The reason the dealership looks over lube techs is because they don't want to pay them like mechanics, but they want to work them like mechanics. In short, they take advantage of your ambition.
Realistically it takes about 3 years to catch your stride in the industry, sometimes 5. Even then you'll probably still be trying to prove yourself.
That said, keep at your side work. If you're smart, you might start your own business of being 'the guy' when it comes to electrical and performance diagnosis. I'm seeing more shops and dealerships farm out this work to business that specialize in this work. It could be a real money maker for you someday. Just be sure to have your business set up right when the time comes. That's where most technicians fail when it comes to running their own business. They can fix things all day long, but they can't balance the books or promote the business properly and fail as a result.
No matter what I wish you luck. Thanks for weighing in.
The general love for cars have grown cold amongst teens and young adults. I have noticed that grand parents are really involved in raising their grandkids now. because of that, the love for trains, cars, trucks and heavy equipment seems to be pretty significant in the hearts and minds of todays children. There's still hope. In the mean time, missing a few meals when I was young never hurt. It only served to help adjust my way of thinking. The fear of having nowhere to sleep at night helped me to arrive to work on time on many occasions.
I couldn't not hit the like button enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, if manufacturers are going to provide us these high end electronics in all of our cars, they need ways to test each component no matter how old those components get. I had a short circuit in my car and took it into the Chrysler service department, but no conventional methods were used to find the short circuit. They plugged in their machines to my car and just looked at the computer monitor for the results. They came back stating it might be the wireless receiver, but no guarantee. After replacing the wireless receiver, it did not fix the problem. There was still a short circuit and my car wouldn't run. Cars are made too complex these days that even experienced mechanics are having more and more difficulty locating problems in cars these days.
I admit that with some intermittent electrical issues you have to guess, but I would say that what you experienced might have more to do with the skill of the people using the equipment over the vehicle being too complicated. However, I wasn't there so I really can't say for sure.
i had a UTI once
Jackson bermingham nice
And who hasn't worked on their car in the nude.
🤣😃🤣 lol
@El oso_714 Don't use it to turn the bacon and you'll be fine.
Cranberry juice and vodka clears it right up.
Everyone has a bad mechanic story... :( There is a lot of things that can and need to change at ALL levels to push the industry in the right direction.
I know I have a much more optimistic view than most, but I have also seen a TON of good in my career. Way more good than bad.
HumbleMechanic I wish I could break into the automotive industry. Theres a lot of apprentice programs here in Bahrain but I can't qualify without a highschool diploma. Instead Im working for my dad in the hospitality business .. pay is good but I'd rather be wrenching..
@Andrew H. All mechanics? So you, who never met me before, believe I am a fraud and do people wrong? Maybe you need to look at your sad, pathetic life and figure out how to remove your head out of your ass
Wsup humble mechanic! At age 35 married with kids i can't afford to switch carreers. I'd be earning a starting salary thats 3x less and with an annual increase of 5% max by law it really bites.. so instead I enjoy watching your videos after work!
My opinion it bias based on many years of seeing amazing customer service and techs going out of there way to do what is right. Do people get screwed on car repair? YEP!!! and that is not okay, those techs/shops should be called out for it.
I was in the Automotive mechanic field for 10 years. I got out for a few reasons. One being the flat rate system, bad system that needs to go or give tech option of straight hourly wage.
Second the wage as compared to other trades, Automotive repair is highly technical and deserves a much higher wage. Less complicated trades pay more or at least equal to the automotive trade. Third lack of respect from employer and customers. Why put up with the bs from them? Forth the investment in tools is crazy as compared to other trades. I would never advise anyone to get into the Automotive trade. Fixing vehicles is a great hobby, which is what I do now, but a bad job/career in my honest opinion. Hopefully with less people getting into the Automotive trade and from what i see more techs getting out of the trade, shops will realize things have to change and make the changes to the things i mentioned. Cheers
Thank you for sharing your insight.
BuzzerAuto every shop I’ve been to across state to states, 90 % in it are dirtiest man can be, when slow Co workers rip off each other tools or anything their fingers can grab that includes front office to people behind ceo off the company
BuzzerAuto every shop in my area has a help wanted sign. Nobody in there right mind wants to do it anymore.
Kevin n go into I T, many cars owners nowadays drive their almost down to ground or up to 100k miles then trade in for new car, there’s too many so money isn’t much to make and if you like to work with your hands heating and ac is ok.
@Kevin nAfter 10 years as Auto Tech I was a Heavy Duty Technician for 10 years specializing in aerial equipment like boomlifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers and forklifts. Had an few nagging injuries from turning wrenches for 20 years and now I'm a Parts Person at HD shop. If I was to do it over again I would get into HVAC, Electrician or Elevator trades. I got my nephew into HVAC and it pays well and he likes the trade. Your skills will transfer over to any type mechanical trade. If you are starting over don't waste your money on these expensive private colleges. Look into a community college or just try and apply directly into a starting job position. A lot of employers will recognize your experience and train you at New job. Good luck
Entry level position: 5 years experience required.
This is the catch. Need a job to get experience, but lowest rung positions are experience required. Good luck.
Yep very true.
Walk into a shop in person and tell them you want to work, don't just hand in a resume, talk to the owner. Every shop I've ever been to is looking for a guy. Literally stumbling over mechanic jobs everywhere. If you're serious they will hire you. You don't need to have experience. No decent boss on the planet is going to fire you if you learn fast, work hard, and do what needs to get done. You will be at the bottom doing shitty work. When there's no more tires and oil changes for a bit, and the shops clean, just go and pull in a car and start working on it. Don't ask. Take initiative and if they don't let you work move shops. All the information/knowledge you need is on the internet. You will make min wage, so what? That's exactly what I did. I started at $7 and hour 2 years later I was making over $30, doing advanced diagnostics(CAN bus)/engine swaps and whatever came my way, I fixed it. From nothing. Worked 80 hours a week and studied everyday on top. Meanwhile there's guys there my age with double and triple my "experience" and they can only do brake and suspension jobs. Don't expect to get anywhere working 8 hours a day and leaving right on the dot when it's "home time" either.
OR, you can sit around complaining. Take your pick.
I give you credit for doing that. But why would you want to sell your soul to a Job? I am a very hard worker I've been told. 40 hours a week is enough on the regular basis. I work about a 100 hours of overtime a year. My Wife and the dogs are more important than a job.
Be the first one to work, work hard, and be the last one to leave when your shift is over. I think that is the point that rsx123 was trying to make about working 80 hours a week.
My plan was to eventually go part-time at a decent wage and go to college, and I didn't want to go to college at 30 so I did what I had to. It burned me out badly. But it taught me so much and it was temporary. I now work 45 hours a week max, Saturdays off. I am not worried about having work because shops talk about who works where and so do the tool truck guys. The tool truck guys know hundreds of shops and they know who can do what and who needs workers. I have a list of shops I can work at so it doesn't own my soul. It pays off.
Eric I graduated from UTI, did the ford fact program and bmw Step, worked for bmw of sf for 10 years, now I run my own little one man shop repairing rolls Royce, Bentley and other exotics.
The schooling itself was not easy and do not recommend to anyone unless you can commit to the program. If you can make through it. You can become a very wealthy person being an honest technician these days.
Flat rate days are coming to an end. These younger people dont have the same opportunity to turn as much time as in the past. At the european dealer i work at, the amount of customer pay work is 3/4 less than it used to be. They cut all of our cp service times to warranty, large portion of cars are cpo warranty until 100k, and they all have service packages from day 1.There's not enough cp work to make up for getting 9 hrs to replace piston rings. They raise the rate and cut the times often. It was 80 an hr 11 yrs ago and is now 160.
In 1983 the local honda dealership's labor rate was $22. Techs made $11. and you were fired quickly if you couldn't cut it. Today labor rate is $115. Top flat rate tech prob making $22-25. And piston rings on a honda odyssey is like 7.8 hrs for cyl.s #1-3 and .8 for cyl #4...crazy
Sad, but true.
If all the techs save money to cover their expense's for a couple of weeks, you all could walk out and bring them to their knees, then negotiate higher wages!
I always have thought that you do not have to choose what you want to be based on what is more trending or not. You have to choose your profession based on what you are good in, because you will be good in what you like to do and you feel comfortable. This is the only way to enjoy with your job and not to be frustrated when you grow older and look behind what you have done. A good mechanic is that person that feels good when he smells fuel or grease and enjoys with the sound of a V8. I am a telecommunications engineer who has been working in an office for more than 20 years but I envy my son because he is going to be what he always has wanted. I am sure he will be a good mechanic and a happy man. Eric, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Rather than blame the car repair industry. I blame the car industry in general. They are making cars that requires multiple discipline to repair. It used to be mechanical, then mechanical and electrical, and now its mechanical, electrical and software.
And without something like the OBD2 standard for the software portion, its hard for car technicians to keep up.
Valid discussion, Eric, but it's unlikely things will change for the better anytime soon. Charles has pointed out in one of his videos that vehicles need a lot less maintenance than they did 15-20 years ago, so there's that. Dealership service depts. usually operate with one or two master / senior techs, and a bunch of oil change and tire work monkeys. Most flat rate techs are struggling, fighting an uphill battle against getting short-changed by warranty time, starved out by shady service writers (has happened to me more than once), or chasing non-existent complaints by flakey fruitcake customers.
Customers, on average, don't seem to give a damn about maintaining their vehicles (doesn't make sense to slack on that, a car represents an investment second only to a house), and often will play the blame game or whatever else it takes to get repair / service work for free.
I learned fractions and numbers by passing wrenches to my pop, as a very young child (3-4 yrs old). By the time I got into school I knew how to count, do some math and read/write, which eventually got me bumped up to 1st grade after two weeks in Kindergarten. Perseverance is the key to success for anyone. If you don't try, you don't know.
Its the fault of the car makers. They put in many useless features that can go bad and make diagnosis more complicated. I would pay top dollar for a new Accord or Civic made exactly the same way as they were built two decades ago.
Agree-and the small size of cars means no room in the engine compartment-look at an AUDI-you practically have to take the car apart to gain access.
Ad Mirer Maybe that is part of the reason so many people buy trucks. I still have the ‘96 Suburban I bought new, and traded my ‘03 Chevy pickup for a new ‘14 crew cab GMC Denali. It seems highly rated new cars sit so low they scrape the sidewalk as they enter driveway. I will keep buying rear wheel drive trucks, with no turbos, and engines that aren’t turned sideways.
sexiewasd 👍🏻 If my “Burb” engine ever goes I may put a new crate engine in it. I already put a new crate transmission in it. It was cheaper brand new from factory than rebuild. I don’t care about mpg, it’s my 2nd vehicle, has 185,000 miles. Excellent visibility in all directions is one of many reasons I like it. Wife got rear ended in accident. We had to get new bumper. Car that hit ours was totaled. Enjoy your Burb!
sexiewasd PS: the humble mechanic must really have a passion (or addiction 😖) to those V-Dubs.
There was a time that things like air conditioning, power steering, power windows were considered useless. Problem is makers build cars to be built not repaired. They dont consider what it takes to repair a vehicle.
I have a shop but I’m focusing on Hybrid and electric vehicles. Mainly servicing or upgrading battery packs. Its easy money compared to regular automotive service. All these aging EV and hybrid need battery pack service more than ever. They only last 7-10 years. That’s why Tesla warranty the battery pack for 100k miles that’s about 7 years. Price comparison on servicing vs buying a new battery pack is significant. Repaired battery usually last couple of years but much cheaper. Customers do not tend to look into the future, all they want is to get their car running now
Eric im a long time fan and subscriber i would like to thank you for inspiring me to become interested in the automotive field i am currently attending a motoring institute and looking forward to one day being a master tech just gotta stay motivated and stay dirty 👌🏼
Thank you! I never get tired of hearing how my work helps people. Good luck in school and with your career!
Community Colleges need to continue to offer training for trade jobs (mechanic, plumber, electrician, carpenter, etc). Those jobs are not going away but they do require training. Those wanting to work in those jobs need to find ways to motivate themselves to become qualified to fill trade jobs. Those willing to work hard and excel will succeed. Glad UTI is still going strong and also willing to sponsor your video. Excellent and timely video - thanks for posting!
Well said. Agreed.
Sad part is most people are'nt going into trade jobs anymore but they are needed and one can make a good living being in the industry.
My community college does teach trades, they have a great automotive tech program, but idk about those others you mentioned.
I went into programming at my local cc, and unlike the university that delves into heavy math and code theory, they teach the basics of coding and the different coding environments then teach common practices in the industry (in addition to the soft skills in said formal environment)
You get nothing from UTI. Do the research. You get way more going to a community college for less.
Johnathon Van Durme
True! Most shops I have worked for call those technicians "Paper Techs", because they look great on their paper application, but do not know how to perform repairs in reality. Certifications and diplomas look great on the showroom wall, but do not mean the technicians know what they are doing.
I've long been one of the guys who would pop the hood and investigate what might be wrong with my car. So watching channels like yours and other car diagnosing & repair tips and tricks is FASCINATING! Your approach is like a detective following the evidence and like a scientist confirming your findings for a successful fix. I'm sure like myself that there are millions of kids out there considering a field of endeavor who are contemplating their careers by watching successful car repair channels like yours.
RUclips content is a WIN-WIN for humanity. I believe channels like yours are helping people in ways you cannot even imagine. And the way I think that auto content like yours can help is by talking about how you got into the industry and the paths you had to cross. Because that information helps the guy who wants to decide now. And it answers the very 1st question on a career path minded person is "how do I start".
Oh and thanks for all you do!
Eric, this is happening not just on the automotive industry, I work in a factory and I'm a maintenance technician and I see it there too.. the younger generation does not have the drive that I was brought up.. it's really wierd.. but I agree with you totally!
I really hope that it gets better.. but we will adapted to any changes that come in the future just like we do now..
Keep up the good work!!
I have a lovely 10k bill since I wanted to pursue my passion. Job after job, no pay. Left the field to do Uber and I immediately made more money doing that. Also in the HVAC field now. It totally sucked and killed my passion.
Only 10k... lucky you
a real passion never dies for good.
here you are watching car-videos and passionately replying ;)
@@workingcountry1776 Yes, 20k in scholarships/grants etc. I was a 3.9 gpa student with an almost perfect attendance. Good point Nathan lol.
A friend of mine got bent over really good by the Matco guy. long story short he payed off his snap-on bill to give him 1 big bill and add that all onto his matco "tab" and into just Matco tools. At a retarded interest rate and well over 18k in debt when he only makes 25-30k a year. He was just out of high school and didn't know better and is still paying the price 4 years later and he dosnt even have a job that needs those tools anymore. He just sprays bed liners
Strong Tower Lawn Care : Bargain!
Eric I couldn’t agree more with what you are saying.... I’m a tech in Ireland just turned 30 started my apprenticeship when I was 16 and learned my trade from an old school mechanic but kept my new school mentality which has benefited me massively as the years went by.
New guys I see coming into the trade now are way behind in both knowledge and skill compared to 8 or 10 years ago and there are very few guys or girls entering the trade here in Ireland. Good mechanics are very very hard to find but yet we still don’t get paid near as much as a plumber or electrician which drives me nuts.... Honestly in Ireland I don’t ever see this changing and in my eyes it is down to one thing and that is the customer and their overall lack of understanding of how their car works and how it needs constant maintenance and yes sometimes repair. Rather than try and be educated by actual professional mechanics/technicians they just jump on google reviews telling everyone how much of a scammer you are cause you replaced a timing belt 3 months ago and now they need an EGR valve and clearly that’s the techs fault 🙄Anyway rant over love the channel dude keep up the good work 👍🏻
Interesting. Sorry to hear about your difficulties, but it's nice to know we're not alone. Hang in there. I wish you the best and thank you for your input.
It's amazing how all seasoned mechanics think alike all over the world we are battling the same problems. I just type similar comparison to plumbers and electricians earlier.
By trade I'm a retail manager, but it's truly a art form to have the knowledge to understand and diagnose a vehicle. I've seen people not taking the time to fully find out what a vehicle needs and then just throwing parts at a car and then complaining that the noise didn't go away. Taking the time to fix the root of a issue is extremely important. That's why I work on my own stuff, but I will own it...I have a tire guy and he's amazing.
I was both a certified auto and motorcycle mechanic in my younger days, worked at dealerships and my own shops, quickly learned that it was not for me, because the lack of returns both monetary and personal(dealing with people), most of same reasons previously posted. One the issues is that the car repair industry is poorly regulated, ie, licensing, training,etc. There's a lot of part changers, no a lot troubleshooting.
I was fortunate to hold an A+P certificate and had a very successful aviation career, was not perfect, but is a higly regulated field, with lots of training, quality control and personal growth/satisfaction. Also much less dirt and grease all over you. BTW you are personally liable when you work on aircraft, you could get up to jailtime for wrongdoing !!
That said is not for everyone !!
Telling people that you can still make great money in this industry is like telling people you can make great money going to a casino, possible but its becoming less and less likely. Thanks to youtube everyone is their own mechanic and if they can't fix it they sell it. Labor times on flat rate keep going down and down. Here in the south theres 10 shops on every corner
I was an up and coming tech at 19 years old. Showed up for work every day and watched the old dogs work as I did oil changes and tires. I proved my worth to the company and showed my loyalty for 2 years and really stepped up the expectation.
I asked for a raise because I was only making 9 bucks an hour. So they paid me my hourly wage plus whatever the job paid. I'd get 30 mins per oil change, an hour for rotate/balance plus oil.
I worked so hard that I could squeeze in 5-6 cars an hour alone. I was 1 step shy of running all day.
On my down time I'd clean up after the guys. I'd observe and help out with anything, watched engine rebuilds, trans replacements, doing diagnostic. Eventually I started doing recalls and warrantee work. I was excited because I felt I was making progress. Then the dealership owner wants to cut costs. Hires a shop supervisor that sees me, a grease monkey, making almost 2700 a month changing oil and doing minor repairs.
3 months in, he tells me on a Friday at 5 after everyone's gone, after I cleaned 7 bays. That it was my final day, that they have a guy starting Monday. No warning, no "hey we're worried we're paying too much and can't afford you. Maybe we can shuffle things around"
I proceeded to do things I regret, because I truly loved working there.
I flung my chair in rage, I shouted at the new supervisor who replaced me with a minimum wage burnout with no drive,
I called the boss, I told him his pos supervisor is making the workplace hell and that firing me was a mistake. How loyal I was and how much I enjoyed working with everyone. He proceeded to tell me with a smile, he trusts his supervisors decision.
People were scared of me because how verbally aggressive I was.
I worked for pennies on the dollar for nearly 3 years, just to get canned to intentionally hire some loser who didn't even make it 3 months at my pace.
What's funny is soon after 3 other people from the shop left and they were stuck with more repairs than they could handle.
Since then I've decided working on my own cars for enjoyment is better, and have bounced around since. I'm 26 now and it still makes me wonder where my life would be if it wasn't for people trying to save a buck
Hi Eric right out of high school in the Bay Area Iwent to a junior college and got my service technicians degree unfortunately I never really used it because I wound up working for winery as a facility maintenance technician, we have trucks and cars that I Im able to lightly work on, just today we had a hug truck Ford F550 box truck with the V 10 and the thing wouldn’t hardly idle it was hunting for an idle, I was able to remember some of my basic troubleshooting skills and found out that the air filter mass airflow sensor and the throttle bodies were all covered with oil etc, after cleaning everything with the appropriate cleaners idle finally stabilized.
5:30 don't sell yourself short. There's a lot we can learn from you.
It's hard to motivate people to work for it if they're constantly being told they'll never make money, slave away for nothing... that attitude is causing a problem too
Good point. Thanks for the comment.
I knew a guy that traded in his truck because it needed new tires and they were going to cost $1500. With people living paycheck to paycheck, beyond their means, and access to easy credit everywhere, I think more and more people are just buying new cars instead of spending $500 on a repair. I know another guy that trades in his car every few months on a whim...he is way upside down, but for some reason they keep giving him cars! If you trade in a car and get a new one, you don't have to make the first payment for a month, or maybe two, so that is like free money in the bank and you get a new car to boot!
My brother's car was missing. He took it to a shop, they changed the spark plug wires and spark plugs. Still missing. Next time in they replaced the 02 sensors. Still missing. Next time they told him his computer was bad. He brought it over to me and I checked the spark plug gaps and they were way off. Set the gap correctly and no more miss.
Another time my brother's car was running crazy rough, barely at all. He brought it over to my house. I asked him if anything out of the ordinary had happened to his car lately, gotten gas, washed it at the car wash, anything. He told me that he got the oil changed a few days prior and that they told him his air filter was dirty and that he needed a new one. He told me they charged him $50 for an air filter. I opened the air filter box and the air filter they had installed was a cheap $2 Chinese filter that had come unglued from the frame and had let grass and dirt through and it was clogging up his MAF. Cleaned all that out and installed a $10 WIX air filter and it was as good as new.
My friend had a new expedition with 37K miles just out of warranty and it was missing.....He took it to the DEALER, because they have all the factory certified mechanics, special diagnostic tools, etc......first time in they charged him to flush the injectors. The second time in they replaced the 02 sensors. Third time they replaced the coils. Fourth time, they finally discovered a couple bad plugs. Service manager said that all that other stuff was needed , you know, because of the high 37K mileage. My friend didn't know anything about cars, so he was about to pay the fourth bill. I didn't find out about all this until my friend asked me for a ride to the dealership to pick up his car. I went in with him chewed the service manager's ass for their shoddy diagnostic skills and all he would do was credit my friend for the parts, my friend still had to pay for labor, which was $500 for two bad spark plugs...better than $1500 I guess.
I buy good used cars and keep them until they start developing frequent problems to where I get tired of working on them. I do my own work because I can't find a good, honest mechanic that can properly diagnose and fix something instead of throwing parts at computer codes. It is hard to find someone honest and competent to change your oil, much less do real work on your car.
Listen to what Mike Rowe has been saying...young people don't want to work in the trades, or be engineers. They don't have the aptitude to learn math and physics, and many don't even have basic critical thinking skills. If they are lucky enough to get to go to college, they get a crap degree in business or creative arts, where there are no jobs paying enough to live on much less have enough left over to pay back their student loans.
Eric, I came back into the automotive industry after the military in 05 and it was a much different game than it was in the 90s. I worked on a draw for a dealer and it was nuts. Fast forward and I have my shop in Columbus (not too far from you lol) and I've decided to stop doing open drive up work. Now Im a personal contract tech for multiple people and their families. Helps build a great set of trust. I mentioned that because, like doctors, our insurance is insane. However, we don't make as much. I believe the industry is collapsing from the inside out. I worry about hiring young people. Most aren't willing to put in the extra hours afterwards to learn or those that are don't understand why I want them to understand the fundamentals of a clean shop; meaning they are too good to clean tools and floors. Crap, I was paying a kid $20/hr under the table and I still couldn't get him to pay attention or regurgitate an operation. Sometimes he'd show up and others he wouldn't. I also don't think younger kids even think about being a tech as a "real job". Often enough you don't even see techs working on your cars anymore. Your car goes into a dealership broken, the waiting room is nice, and poof car is fixed. I had a younger guy argue with me at AutoZone that the expensive obd scanners fixed all the problems too and as a mechanic I should know that. ::facepalm::. When a child can't see that person making "magic" to a car due to insurance or management not letting customers watch or see techs work, kids can't dream of that job and that job doesn't exist to them. I think I'm the only person on Earth who gets out of their car at Valvoline to talk with the kids everyone else has blinders (hey I go when I'm too lazy to do something myself). Add to all that, cars becoming more disposable, and people don't associate a big work force with the maintenance of disposable products.
Lemme explain my "disposable car" comment. Cars last so much longer now. we're seeing them in the multi-hundreds of thousands of miles before catastrophic failure. However, when they do go, they usually aren't worth fixing thus people just go buy a new one.
Hi neighbor. Thanks for the input. You make a lot of good points, but you also proved another one. You can't keep a good technician down. You saw the writing on the wall and changed your business plan. Good on you for that.
I may not be working in the automotive industry, but I do work in another field as a technician fixing phones and tablets but I do know how to turn a wrench and fix my own car when need be. I do on the other hand, have a younger brother teying to get in the automotive industry and whenever I work on my car I have him help me out. If I wasn't fixing phones I'd be in the auto repair industry myself. And you are right, it's going to need some work from both sides of the equation for this industry to continue to succeed and your work ethic can say quite a lot about you. I'm 20 almost 21 and I've been promoted to assistant manager a second time for the same company and plan on starting my own repair shop in the next few years. Every job I've had ever since my first real job I maintained a good ethic and left each one on a good note meaning I put in a two weeks notice none of that I don't like this job I'm not going to show up anymore. And each one has been very generous and gave me a a great reference. Hard work pays off ladies and gentlemen.
Love the video I was in automotive repair starting 1980 81. 1993 changed over to diesel truck repair for freghtliner. Today I'm a service manager at a New dealership. You think getting techs for cars is hard lol. Nobody is coming into truck repair. It was easy back In the day techs were everywhere now they are retiring or finding easier jobs. We are at the point that we are hiring guys that barley know anything starting them out at 25 an hour and just hoping with training we may have something. , most of the time they fail. Our flat rate guys are doing over 100,000 a year and hardly getting dirty. Reason is technology trucks are so advanced pretty much tell you what's wrong with them. There's a good living in repairing trucks if you have the initiative
Etcg1 i work as a tech currently and my gripes with the industry don’t necessarily have to be there but, they are. You made a good point about the flat rate system. Many young guys including myself have been discouraged from being techs because of it. We all have to pay bills and it’s not easy as a beginner. You get around it but it seems like there is a high amount of pressure now in this age to get cars in and out faster. Not to down play on older techs that have been in the industry for 20-30 years but it seems when the older techs started the technology wasn’t so advanced. Now it seems like the younger techs are expected to dive in head first into deep side and be expected to know many things of the vehicle or brand in a short amount of time while getting used to the flat rate system. With that being said and again not taking anything away from old timers in the business but they have grown with the product and have been educated with the technology in the product gradually as it has been introduced over the years. I’d like your input to this and if I’m wrong let me know too. I do understand that at some point people had to learn about technology way back but systems were less complex 20-30 years ago. Thank you.
Personally I don't think new techs should work flat rate. I think they should be paid hourly and work under a more experienced technician who can show them the way. This way we can 'grow' new talent instead of throwing them into the deep end expecting them to swim.
Thank you for your comment and good luck in your career.
Every field you have to pay your "dues"! Plumber's, electricians, they call them apprenticeships...us old techs didn't know everything right out of the gate, it takes time. I'm 53 and still wrench'n with my two man shop and making a good living but, again,IT TAKES TIME. Even if you go to college to become a doctor, it will take time to build a clientele to were you make enough to pay for your overhead. IMO your generation wants everything NOW!! Sorry pal doesn't work that way. Sooner you realize this the better off you'll be.
I work in a major auto salvage business in Spokane as the differential inspector/dismantler, and i gotta say, i didn't start in this position or make what i am now a year ago just by showing up and being an O2 filter. It drives me nuts with the lack of work ethic from the younger guys. Hell, just getting them to put a simple hand written tag on the diff they brought me is like pulling teeth, that's if they even show up with the part.
I dunno, maybe i'm just expecting too much from the 14 years i spent in the navy working on jets and loading missiles. But that's part of what made me so good at what i do now
I work at a chevy dealer and spent 2 years at a ford dealer and a year and a half at an indie shop. Im in my late 30s and just graduated tech school in 2015. I was a machinist and field service tech before. For me the most important thing is do you have a career path laid out? Do you have certain things you expect from me in a certain amount of time? Something I can shoot for and look forward to? But dealers can be veeery different. Some guys love helping newer guys get aquainted (to the point of being annoying sometimes) but if youve got a master tech in your shop that will help other guys and even lets you use tools here and there. Boy thats a difference maker. Service writers and managers make a big difference too. There are shops where everyone busts their hump all day and no one makes money and there are shops where its kind of laid back and everyone banks.
Yea I’m an IT person and also love working on cars and electronics it’s always been a passion of mine for both now I repair and look at friends cars etc
Flat rate at a dealership sucks. Working on nothing but warranty work does not pay the bills.
Do not do the auto repair industry a disservice advertising TV shows like all girls garage. That is nothing more than a moneymaking propaganda by the velocity channel. It is nothing more than an infomercial for one product or another with very little to know how to actually included. The show has taken a drastic turn for the worst over the years. Not just picking on that one show, it’s all the shows on the velocity channel these days. Much more can be learned by watching RUclips videos such as yours, then anything produced by velocity. I understand the women all girls garage have to make a living, but it does very little to help the industry other than tell me where to buy one part or another which also I can see by simply watching the commercials.
Rick I totally understand your point of view on commercialized TV programs. Yes those types of TV shows offer little to no knowledge or insight when it comes to A viewer that wants A show that will teach such viewer something. I will say that those who can make a pay check by doing such shows should be supported, because we are all car family. If you don't like such shows, like myself, then such person can ignore said item. At the end of the day if I were to think about any of the TV shows that you or I dislike and the people associated with such show, I also remember that I my skill set is and forever will be much greater then said TV show people. That being said I don't really care, because I do car stuff for me
Dan Bertholf I remember old shows like the shade tree mechanic from the late 80s early 90s which actually contain automotive how to. Shows in our days only contain installing parts and information on where to buy said part. Very annoying when watching something put out by someone like Eric, you will see mistakes. Yes, Eric has made some mistakes and show them on camera he didn’t cut and retake and bases videos on a script. This is real how to. I just find the commercialized television programs for automotive how to be a complete waste of time and nothing more than an infomercial. If I want to buy a Harley fuel injection system, I already know where to get it. I am fully aware that Cornwell Matco Mac and snap on make tools. I don’t need to be told that in every show. Also, why not show how to remove an engine from a vehicle with nothing more than a floor jack jack stands and a cherry picker and hand tools. Show people how to do things the way they word be likely to do it in their own garage. This is why I don’t watch those shows anymore, and I stick more with RUclips videos. I know I have been a little bit hard on Eric at times with some content, but his videos are far superior than anything on television these days.
@@rickgaine3476 I never had those shows growing up, and I didn't find Eric's channel Intel after I was a serious technician that had my own mindstate on how I fix automobiles. I watch his stuff cause its enjoyable. I learned how to work on cars because iI had to, so maybe we should make a show together that really shows people something realistic. Im not the best tech in the world, but I do know that all the all nighters i have spend figuring it out has taught me. In modern times there is two kinds on people that watch car stuff, those who just want to see car stuff and those who understand car stuff that need real programming.
Dan Bertholf I remember watching one of Eric‘s old videos years ago when you put an engine in the Dodge pick up only to find out that the engine was pleased. Rather than destroying footage, Eric decided to show the video with the mistake in it which I really appreciate it, because it was a learning experience for everybody. That’s not something you will see on a television show. Eric can be appreciated for that, and for his honest approach at automobile how to repair is. Like I said, I may not have always agreed of them, and truthfully, I have probably been a bit unfair to him in other comments, but his videos really are top notch. And Eric, I do apologize for the snippy things I’ve sent you another comments in the past. Past. I also apologize for the mistakes in his comment due to auto correct on the iPhone.
One thing I would add to the "show up on time" is be able to put your phone down for more than an hour at a time.
I think it's because being cheap and that's customer-wise. A friend of mine took his car to one of the cheapest mechanics in the area. He came back without *interior side lamps* . This scam could happen, because this *shed* was known for lowest prices and that's it.
I often hear about cars that breaks after a month of daily usage. I think it's because of cheapest parts replaced by people who have cheapest stakes for a reason.
Another example: my dad put his van to cheapest guy who even didn't do cars daily. He was to replace an axle with a bearings (it was FWD, though). After he did so, we took the car but something did rumble. Turns out he failed to insert the axle properly, so he applied excessive force and speaking of bearing: no grease whatsoever. It had to be taken care of again.
I do take my car to one of the most expensive mechanics, because I do have guarantee he can't afford to lose his prestigious name so he won't do anything wrong and I know my ride is ready to go anywhere.
Cheap customers go to cheap ghetto mechanics and get what they pay for. They can cry all they want, I have zero sympathy for cheapskate toxic customers. I also have zero sympathy for the ghetto mechanics that give the good techs a bad name when the customers sues them or brings about payback. Let these two scumbags types of ppl wallow in misery.
I was with my grandfather one time, when he was getting tires put on his Dodge Journey, and they said to him you need to change your brakes soon, when I did the brakes not long beforehand
I work a lot on my car. I have had mechanics work on my car that are great guys. Today’s cars are so tricky and sophisticated that you probably need a back ground before you start. I agree that some high mileage cars needs 1 part to run and a dozen fix its to make it reliable. Most people want the short cuts.
What ever you do to make a living you must work hard. What ever you do
Eric your still kickin man i so happy that you "made it" from always working on the ground in practically a shed compared to your shop now... keep up the goodz. And happy birthday if its your birthday.
Thank you!
Not Worth it anymore
im only 32 and it amazes me how few people just a few years/months younger never had a chance to change oil or change a tire. there is such a huge skills loss on the horizon its scary. my advice is take every chance you get to teach other people any skill you have time for, if you hire or find someone that wants to learn, feed them full of information !!!!
I have been a delivery driver for the past 6 or more years never taking my car in for labor work, needed a diagnosis here and there or a direction to go before replacing parts... I even lost my licence for a year, and tore into the old ej series out of boredom, splitting the case halves, replacing all the main and rod bearings, piston rings, every gasket. learning to measure all the parts and researching the tolerances acceptable for certain parts and the ideal torque procedures and patterns. this motor still runs 60k miles later.
I am not a mechanic and just an enthusiast of all cars, I have considered getting into the field of turning wrenches. but a 40 hour a week job is only part time for me, its not enough. I've always had to work 2 jobs because of this fact.
it seems like if I wanted to only get into a tech position part time to expand my knowledge for my hobby I would be seen as lazy or not wanting to give it my all. Is that how, you may view this? If someone is not diving head first into the field, but just wants it because it brings them peace and wants to learn from a master, be a fly on the wall?
I would love one day to know how to resistance or voltage test everything on my car, I suck with electricity.
Great topic. You hit the nail on the head. It's about work ethic and pride in what you do. Millenials need to step up (for those who haven't yet) and make a living through an honest days work. Wether it's wrenching on cars, banging on a keyboard or flipping a burger...get the job and take pride in it. Own it.
34 years ago I started sacking groceries for a local chain of grocery stores. Now I manage a drug store for one of the largest chains of drug stores. And I make damn good money doing it. And I love what I do.
I grew up wrenching on cars. I have passed that knowledge and love of doing it on to both of my son's. All three of of my daughter's have helped me in the garage through the years and still do at times. They don't always know exactly what I'm doing but they'll turn a wrench or hold a flashlight for me if I ask.
I know have a grandson that I am passing my knowledge on to. Maybe he will be the one to go on and become a service tech. You never know.
Through the years of working on cars with my younger son (who is 24 now) one of his friends would come over and watch us, fetch tools for us, etc... his father and grandfather are/were brick masons. He went to college and got a business degree in accounting and planned to take over the family business one day...then one day his plans changed. He says he was inspired by what we made look so easy and he loves BIG trucks. So moved to Cleveland, enrolled in a tech college, did his time there and is now a diesel tech here in Michigan. He loves what he does.
So there is always hope for MORE people to find their way to auto tech careers.
I'm attempting to get into the automotive repair industry. It's been something been good at and I like doing it. The only thing I don't really like about it it how the clips to the plastic parts break more often than not. The fact that you need a 1000 dollar computer to do the brakes in a 2014 jeep is rediculous too, who is apparently to adjust them after they are on the car.
The lack of people coming into the field is a product of two things. Democrats pushing government dependence and socialism, killing the want for people to earn their own way. Second the declining wages for automotive technicians vs the rising costs of tools and training.
T Web I drove through New Jersey last week and even in the "Nice" areas 3/5 houses are abandoned or on sale for really low prices do to over taxation. I drove past a 5 bedroom house that had a sign for 39k.......the property taxes would be close to 3grand a month
RIGHT ON, BROTHER!!!
@@lovemym16 Here in NJ we are held prisoner by the NJEA or better known as the New Jersey Education Association or a more fitting name is the New Jersey Extortion Association, the school administrators and there are several for each district make ridiculous salaries then there is the busted pension funds now the gas tax is going up 4 % on top of the 23 % a couple of years ago our new Democrat governor as with all Democrats never met a tax he didn't like it's complete madness.
Old school mechanics are a dying breed...new guys are technicians and just plug n play with modules..
To go off in another direction i tried getting both my son and step son interested in what im repairing in the garage or on the driveway and theres no interest if it means manual graft or getting dirty...if it hasnt got a keyboard n monitor theres no interest
I worked at a dealership for three years. I found the senior technicians to be most helpful but really had no time to chit chat. They were all flat rate and were focused on making good money. They were invaluable to me when I was doing a job for the first time and took their time showing my how to beat the flat rate clock.
The eighteen to twenty year olds had a different focus. Their two concerns seem to be time off first and money second. I was frequently assigned a new person fresh out of high school. I liked them personally but trying to change their perspective that time is money and doing the job right the first time was hard to impress upon them. What annoyed me about them was having them wear an ear piece in one ear when I trying to train them. An auto shop is a place where you need to know what is going on around you.
For the younger generation I could feel for them. Tools, good quality tools, are expensive. Our director came up with a great idea. He would buy a decent shop cart, a couple of air tools, impact sockets, ratchets, wrenches, 1/2 inch torque wrench and brake tools which he purchased from Napa at a discount rate . He then let the new employees purchase them with a six month payroll deduction plan. They really did appreciated the tools but were anxious when they realized they would have a monthly $200.00 tool bill if they choose to remain in this occupation.
If we are to keep them in the field we need to figure out a way to allow them to make money and have a forty to forty-five work week. The 7:00 am to 6:00 pm work schedule is not attractive to them. I retired from the US Army prior to becoming an automotive technician so long hours to me were normal. Not so for the new people looking at the automotive trade as a career.
Thanks for listening.
Hi eric i liked your comment about the industry. After thinking about what you said I believe it's a case by case basis. When I started as a Technician I had to learn the old obd1 and OBD2 systems. I remember I had to face reailty in what I got myself into as well and be as fixable as I can.over the years you have to lay down a plan and set your mind too.
like ourselves we have to change how each generation thinks and understands.As for older Automotive Technicians like ourselves been in the industry for afew years could be difficult to figure out how to relate to young people. I started out the old fashioned way and earn the respect of my peers as I was only the Apprentices but I like learning. Over time trades people don't give out there deep understanding and skills if you don't put in the time and stay. Some where grumpy and some others where happy to so U have to work out in time who's willing to give that kinda real world based reality.
My own throughs about the industry is I believe there has to have a total attitude change in all aspects of the industry. More and more cars are coming very close to fully electrical so there's always something to do .
Just a question Eric would you take on a guy from a training program to get a teste for the trade for work experience?
At the age of 42 I spent 2 years at automotive training school. Spent 1 year and a half working at 2 different dealerships. You only get 90 days on salary before they throw you into flat rate. That is what pushed me out. Flat rate stinks when you are a new mechanic. I think that they need to give you at least a year on salary. What I didn't like is when there is no work you are not getting paid even though I made the effort to show up. When people depend on 40 hour paychecks to live they should compensate you in some way or let you go home if there's no work. I still work on cars. I build law enforcement vehicles. In the first year doing that I made more money (including overtime) than I ever did at the dealership. Plus it is so much less stressful. I was constantly in the service managers office for not recommending this service or that service. It was getting to the point where I felt like I had to rip people off to make money and that was another reason I left. At dealerships especially its all about money. Cram as may jobs in the day as possible. On saturdays I would be working on 4 cars at once. Until the industry changes I can wouldn't blame anyone for not going into the field.
In my area, it’s hard to make a living working at a dealership or at a local shop. You almost have to own your own shop.
Dealerships are looking for techs that have a certificate or degree and want you certified in all aspects of vehicle repair, and they want you to have all of your own tools. Then they want to pay you $13-$14/ hour; $15/hr if you’re a diesel mechanic. I’m better off as a delivery Driver at $20/hr.
Also, people today are less and less likely to spend money on their vehicles, even if it’s preventative maintenance or it’s the “urgent” type of maintenance.
Nobody wants to get their hands dirty and fix anything, it’s easier to just get a new one!
Probably the biggest thing i find being a tech is mainly how we are all treated.
Basically we are suppose to know everything and be able to do all job in half the time.
Can jobs be done in half the time. Of course.
Do i like being treated like a machine to pump out work and get no recognition. No, no i dont.
Also yes you can make some really good money on piece work! Like real good money. But when starting out its REALLY hard for find your pace and time mange. Your very right there.
I think it just needs some tune ups here and there, and then its golden.
As a service advisor at a shop. I completly agree with all of this
When I worked in a shop and I did side work, I always had a hart to hart with them and explained their car needed care and it was about to explode and if they didn't listen they would have issues. Had a guy ask me to do a tune up on his old Jeep, I told him his radiator was almost rusted away and needed immediate attention... two weeks later I get a frantic call to come look at his Jeep and there was coolant just pouring out of a big rust hole in the radiator. Some people won't listen.
I had a Dodge Neon with over 400K miles before I rebuilt the engine... if people would just listen to their mechanic.
Part 1 - (who am I) I am a Data Center Storage Engineer who now freelances talent to business. Having said that, I also have a well equipped garage and just rebuilt a Ford Focus Engine and dropped it back in the other night. So I have both the mechanical and IT. Part 1 - Over the last year or so I was asked by the owner of a local auto repair shop (he actually owns two) that has 10 bays, two buildings. The owner is a friend of mine though another interest. One day he pulled into my driveway (just moved and no one knew where I was) and told me he needs me to redo his business. He wanted new computers, updated shop software, new phones, a video security system, wifi, integration with tablets and print stations for wiring diagrams. All of which I did for him. 70 network ports and counting at this point. Everyone has tablets, Identifix, shop management access, you name it. Access to all the information at their finger tips. During all this I learned from him a LOT about the stress points of a shop like that, got to know the service writers and the mechanics. The owner and the mechanics are all now "integrated" with IT and information to cope with the vast changes going on. This. . . .is were it is going.
Got ripped off a few times, so learned how to repair just about everything myself , bought self help books years ago, then when the web expanded learned quite a bit on utube google etc.I save plenty of money , expand my tool collection . Got a good hvac kit, auto brake kit with what I need ,power probe kit,now just picked up a nice evap smoke machine. I'm retired and enjoy the challenge and satisfaction at a successful repair. Saludos a todos god bless
The Godfather of RUclips automotive repair! It was nice to meet you at the 2016 meetup and I continue to enjoy your channels. Nice meet up with Charles and Bogie. I didn't realize she had a channel..subscribed.
Thanks! It was great meeting you too. Thank you for your continued support. I really appreciate it.
I’m a younger guy trying to work my way up, and I can honestly say I love having the older guys around they have so much knowledge, tips, and tricks that help tremendously! Us younger guys just need to listen and come ready to bust some ass everyday.
Those of us that are considered "senior techs" are looked at by the younger group coming in as more or less "old salty pricks". We do have personalities that can at times be pretty intolerant, but in my own opinion, our bodies hurt, we are tired, we are busy and generally don't want to have to deal with someone straight out of tech school that has yet to pay their dues yet still run around with a chip on their shoulder. However, I have yet to meet one of us "old guys" that wouldn't hesitate to help, mentor, or share their skills and knowledge with a rookie that comes to work, ready to learn from us that have already been there, and is respectful to us, our tools and our experience. Those are the ones that in my own objective opinion have what it takes. It does seem harder now than ever to make a decent living doing this. I've been in for almost 23 years as a diesel tech, and the last inventory of my tooling, including laptop with dealer programming and protocol boxes/cables, tool box and cart was over $45k. That doesn't take into account the fact that most manufacturers require techs to go through countless hours of online training that most dealers refuse to pay the techs to do (techs have to do them on their own time) before they can go to actual classrooms to get their master certs. If you work for a multi-line dealer it's not uncommon for a tech to have spent 200+ hours online and another 200+ hours in a classroom (dealers usually do pay the tech for classroom hours). This is all usually just for the chassis side. Then you have to deal with the engine side. It's a massive huge investment for the techs and their families both in time and money. Manufacturer warranty processes are getting crazier by the year and book times are getting lower. Case in point, paying .3 to load test batteries, which is a requirement for some failures, and requiring that the tests be performed with the newer style testers which log the tests performed in their specific sequences required (starter draw, voltage drop to starter from batteries, voltage check at alternator, drop from alt to batteries and then finally the battery load tests both full bank and individual), then tester connected to computer files uploaded to computer and then included in an tech assist case to some turd engineer that determines yes batteries failed, ok to replace them. Tech had to go out get the truck, jump through hoops for the testing,submit the results to some office in BFE clock off of the job and wait for factory approval. Then when approved, stop the next job, get back on battery job, get batteries from parts, change them out, verify the repair, tag all the old parts, turn them in just in case the warranty center recalls them, enter the mechanics notes (in detail including reference #s to previous submissions via email) and advise shop manager and sometimes customer of completed repairs. All tests and emails have copied and emailed over to the warranty clerk for filing the warranty claim. If a tech is paid $25/hr (tech wages suck around here, most I've seen per hour is $29 for a flat rate tech) then that $25/hr tech just made him a whole $7.56 for doing all that and it is absolutely impossible to do in 18 minutes. Parts guys don't give a dang about your checks they will get to it when they get to it, dealers are waiting until claims are paid before they pay the tech for the job and that usually carries over into the next month because of "business cycles", the took truck wants his money as do the utility companies, the Auto finance companies, the mortgage companies and you must be able to feed and clothe your family and meet their needs. It's getting really really hard to make the living you once could doing this. I can remember when the flat rate guys got 30-40% of the shop rate because their necks were out there too. You botch a job you eat the labor for the comeback. Now you can't get 15-20% of the shop rate, which I've seen close to $200/hr. Our costs have gone up, tools usually increase from 10-30% yearly, plus general cost of living and wages have gone either flat or lowered. There isn't a lot of incentive to try to help the industry move forward other than our own stubborn pride at being able to take pile of broken junk, and repair it back to a useful piece of equipment.
Now the tv techs just change out circuit boards, they really are not' techs anymore like you. I know how to read diagrams and use a oscilloscope, many don't today.
Worked hard all my life. Showed up on time. Did quality, conscientious work always with integrity and not taking advantage of the customer ever. Sometimes even did work for free to help someone out in a bind with their car. But bosses still screwed me over. What gives? Such is life. Phil
Thank you for your integrity. I've heard some good advice: Don't take it personal if they dont thank you or appreciate you for you going the extra mile. Just do good for yourself knowing you dont screw ppl over like the rest of the super star productive workers aka scumbag cheats. But do look out for your own interests. If they want you work on your days off but wont pay your overtime rate, then decline politely saying you have plans. If you find a better opportunity leave. Always stay professional and polite no matter what. Also, stay positive by not associating with the cheats and get a hobby to take your mind off work all the time.
I think it starts back in high school where they have removed most shop type programs. cars, wood working, ect. I personally think the flate rate system needs to change... Warranty times are getting cut all the time, the average time now to overhaul a transmission is 5-6 hours the manufactures state you can get extra time it just needs to be signed off on, but every dealer i've been to or talking to guys at hands on training classes, the dealers don't to fill out the extra paper work. You can make a ton of money doing routine maintenance how ever most of the time you get a job its after someone else has done all the maintenance and they are coming in for a problem that only a handful of guys can diagnose. Personally for me if my paycheck was x amount every week id be happy no matter what id did. I'm fully certified in electric cars and have all 9 ases with 100% in GM training. I love my job, often i just hate how we are paid. The one good thing gm has done is offered up to an hour for electrical diag, you just have to have your punch times in place and a story to back it up.
"Write your stories" as HumbleMechanic likes to say. Hang in there, and thank you for your input.
The problem is you went into a dealership in the first place. This limits your ability to learn like tech in independent shops, were you need to be diverse in many makes and models. Maybe you start your own shop doing GM only, give better service than the dealer and their(GM) junk you'll be plenty busy!
I just started my first day at university for an Engineering degree today, and feel optimistic about it. Was in a dealership for almost 4 years and was good at it, but didn't see much of a future for myself long-term. As you said, both sides need to step-up. Many techs at the dealer left for greener pastures, but came back some time later, which scared me as to where things were headed. I do miss it sometimes, getting dirty with my hands, and being around my co-workers was fun. But rent kept going up, and my paycheck wasn't. I came in at opening and left short of closing too. Maybe after I graduate, I'll become the very thing I hated most when I questioned who the hell built whatever I was working on at the time.
The industry really killed my love for car repair unfortunately not enough money in it I was a technician for 8 years working for a guy who cared less whether I can feed myself let alone my family stressed all the time debt coming out of my ears all for a 800 to 1000 paycheck most of that went to tool truck accounts jus to have the tools to my job I was fed up for a while and I got an opportunity to leave I took it now I sell golf carts make 2 to 3 times as much I used to with little to no debt and on my off time I can actually build my childhood dream car something I didn’t have the time energy or money to do as a technician and on top of that in those 8 years I gained a lot of weight from fast food all the time and stress leaving the business was the best thing i ever done I got my love for cars back too I love working on my own shit I could care less about your tho lol I’ll direct you to the nearest shop that’s all I got fer ya
I graduated from Lincoln Tech at their Indianapolis facility back in 2001. I went through the auto tech course, came out working on tractor trailers. We can talk salary all day, but the hidden cost to do the job hardly talked about by tech schools. This is why I push my younger relatives away from it, unless they really want to do it. Other fields pay way more for less of an investment. I been at it for 15 years and some change, still have not broke 60,000 for yearly salary. That is almost base pay for an IT person and all they need is a brief case for a tool box. A good welders can make 30 bucks an hour with in a few years of starting. Money will always be a driving factor for any field and right now the nursing and medical field is paying substantial better then most.
Another thing is the tech schools are failing, when I hear someone tell me they were not allowed to mess with any part of vehicle. Why are they not? I don't care about what it cost that school, school is their to educate and fucking up is a part of learning. So when they get in their first gig as a mechanic, these schools are relying on older mechanics to be a free tool for their profits. These schools need to step up and start booting students who just are not capable of being mechanics instaed of just cashing in on their students loans. Start cutting loose instructors who just don't care and just there for a check. I was lucky enough to have majority of my instructors to be caring.
Eric, I will continue being an asshole to lazy and shitty mechanics. And pass my knowledge on to those who really want it.
My experience over the past 30 years as a DIY mechanic. Most independent garages succeed or fail on their reputation and the good honest ones float to the top of the tree. main dealers in the UK have become so large they care little or nothing for customer service and will charge as much as they think they will get away with and they keep the technicians hidden away, in case they might blurt out the truth about your vehicle.
All I ever wanted to be growing up was a mechanic, I kept everything on Dads farm working. But Lincoln Tech didn't teach me anything about repairing computerized cars and I started out in the business right when the scrappy early models hit. Cars would come in with problems I could easily fixed on pre computer cars but I had no clue what to do so I told myself it's either back to school or get out, I got out. Just didn't have any desire to work on those miniature computer powered junkers.
I considered going to school to enter the automotive technician industry but I had a stroke leaving me without the use of one hand so it would be pretty hard for me to do a lot of things that would be required for me to do, while changing brake pads and rotors might not be too overwhelming, I definitely couldn't do something like heads or exhaust work.
a retied Master mechanic here and all i can do is lol. i watched and became quite well off in this industry got my first license in 1980 back then being a mechanic was a badge of honor, and in most commounties you were highly respected. Then came a.s.e. the time labor guide and with it the flat rate and than the fall began. I wish you youngsters luck but i would never recomend this field as a career path perhaps a part time job but i would look else where if you need to feed a family
Shops and tool manufacturer's are something overlooked. There is a very high cost to entry point for anyone who works in the auto repair industry. Shops should likely look closer at how to own tools vs having tradesman own supply their own, and tool manufactures should be doing more to support that entry point.
Eric I believe you made some good points in this video! As a former VW mechanic and ironically a former UTI student, there's a lot of hope built up into new recruits! What these tech colleges DON'T mention is the low side of the flat rate system, or "guarantee" rate! I left the automotive field for just that reason! A lot of people that go into the field aren't aware of the shop hierarchy or pecking order! My twin brother and I were 2 of the highest skilled techs, but we got most of the "grunt" work! Our pay was mostly guarantee rate! My brother was the only master tech in the shop! I took great pride in the work I did, but simply didnt go anywhere!
In the shop there was two different techs! You had actual technicians, and you had the garden variety hacks! In a 5 year stretch, I had ZERO comebacks! I took the time and actually diagnosed the problem! The "hacks" would simply change the part they thought was bad and move on! By the time the problem resurfaced, they had already been paid! If they were busy working on something else, then that comeback would get handed off to the next lowest person in the pecking order! The only problem with that is that the comeback DOES NOT get charged to the customer! If it goes to the original tech, then he gets paid nothing! If it goes to another person then it gets charged to internal!
I could go on a lot longer about this! I think your videos are great! I've watched everyone of them! The information you give is probably the best I've seen! I simply have a problem with the internal workings of dealerships, and how they accept new techs! Do they have to prove themselves, YES! It's just very hard for new techs to prove themselves, if the service managers or advisors simply won't give them the chance to because someone else is quicker!
Being a younger guy in this field i often look at the older guys in this business and do not want to be that in the future. The lead tech at my shop is always in pain. I know this can be minimized my being fit, but speaking from experience being fit is a lot easier when your job doesn't take all that out of you. The price of tools is also pretty off-putting. I find myself looking at a set of wrenches and saying, "That can pay for three credits of school" . One of the reasons I'm going back to school is because as much as my company preaches about tech development they don't follow through.
I seriously just applied for financial aid this morning to get into a trade school & become an automotive technician.
My brother in law owns a shop and has the hardest time finding people who will A) show up more or less on time and B) not be drunk/hungover at work.
Most important thing from a mechanic stand point of view is that I keep saying, Damn I wish I had a full blown working metal shop to build something so that I could repair all those things, in example, headlights need to be taken apart from time to time, an oven with temp controls would be awesome for that , I would make a metal oven if I had the materials and the machines you would find in a metal shop to be successful in restoring headlights inside and out, thus being better at recycling and profit at the same time, here is my input on how to make it better, combine as much as you can to make the ladder.
Thank you for your videos. I am sure your videos help the old pros, the newbies, and also those folks who just want to know what their downtown mechanic is talking about when they bring there car in for service.
Flat rate needs to go, shop conditions need to improve, and owners *should* be giving the techs at least something towards their tools. Even if its some small token gesture, something.
But more then anything, current techs need to be more encouraging. Eric and Charles are the first 2 techs that I've EVER heard encourage people to become techs. Every tech I've encountered in my day to day work, and using their services would never tell someone to get into this. They'd say the exact opposite actually. That probably needs to change, of course that isn't every tech out there, but the many I've encountered almost speak of their trade like they made a mistake.
I took my car to a place and suddenly I needed an oil level sensor and the coolant expansion tank needed replacing as the dip stick was broken. Yeah, I know both were ok. And I fixed both myself.
Guam here,
it's an interesting perspective, because the automotive scene almost feels like it's set back a generation here. You could throw a stone and hit 3 shops before it hit the ground, and it would fly over 10 shade tree mechanics in between each one. I myself ended up being that kind of guy sort of. I worked at a dealer for only 6 months, coming into it knowing nothing more than how to do an oil change. I took only an intro class at the community college and only got in the shop because I knew a guy who knew a guy. Shop training manager was harsh but started off as a pretty good mentor. Eventually, babysitting me became more trouble than I was worth and I could see it in him, so I had a mano-a-mano and we decided it would probably be best that I come back with more know-how than I had. Something he told me at the beginning of my time there that really rung true a majority of the time was that a dealership is a place of work, not a place to learn. Can you pick stuff up? Absolutely. But what starts as learning turns into just scanning DTCs and asking your boss what it means half the time. You just try to memorize patterns because it's all you have time to understand, but you fail to pick up on why you're doing what you're doing. Why am I replacing this IAC valve, why am I replacing this throttle body, etc. I caught myself in that cycle and so did my boss, and that's why I decided to leave. He gave me props for knowing when to fold, because he knows that a ton of other guys would kill to be in my position only to do a piss-poor job at it.
Maybe it's because I'm young as hell or maybe it's because I'm a kindergarten baby, but I never really took to the crass environment. Eventually I got jaded to it, but I never conformed. You think it's a small deal until you realize that you're the only odd one out and you don't have anyone to talk to on breaks and between jobs, other than to borrow tools or ask for help the millionth time. When service advisers spot your softness, they'll screw you over sometimes and you find your whole schedule filled with either warranty jobs that don't pay a dime, or jobs so bad that they aren't worth the time it takes to do them.
School environment actually isn't bad at all. Going through the classes I did (after leaving the dealer), the teachers at the community college are actually really good. The head of the department had a really good grasp of issues with the industry and he did what he could to make sure that everyone who took any automotive class at the school would come out of it with their money's worth. Not to mention that the school is pretty cheap. Basically free if you can get a full pell grant. I've yet to complete the courses, but I've had a change in career choices so I don't think I'm going to any time soon. Found that I have a better understanding in the electrical aspect of automotive by magnitudes compared to the other subjects (engine repair, transmissions, etc).
Honestly, the kind of money I was making at the dealer, I'm making more doing what I do now and I'm only part-time at my current job (I'm in an office now, I'm not yet an electrician, though I'd like to be). That's not even accounting for the fact that since I came into the scene brand new I was basically buying a couple tools every other paycheck. And with 6 months, I don't even have that many. Now I just fix my own stuff when I get the chance because I still do like the work and I try to help out friends when I can. I still think about going back to it sometimes, but I doubt my old manager would take me there's only one other shop that sounds better; everywhere else, it sounds like they treat you like a rat. And I'm not at the level of being able to work at a private shop, because everyone who does just "knows" what to do. I'm still very much a by-the-book mechanic.
So there's the good the bad and the ugly for ya from me.
i've been watching your videos for a while, i'm 29 years old, almost 30 in a couple of months, i've leave my carreer at international bussines because i realize that the greasy world of engines and tools is what i really like, i'm just starting study to became a technician, even if it's not from cero, because som knowledge i already have, i'm just a newbie in this world, but your videos, the old ones, motivate me, thanks, and yes, the development of the technology changes, but everything changes everytime, we just have to go with it. :)
I started work at a medium duty truck shop last year, I moved up quickly replacing the shop foreman when he retired. That being said I do diag work all day, our techs get teased & belittled by everyone in the front office on a daily basis, The service writer, manager & parts guys always give insulting nicknames & just general harsh insults. I get insulted all the time.
We have an extremely hard time finding experienced technicians & we are short staffed so I end up holding hands all day & taking responsibility for tech mistakes. Its breaking me down, I'm thinking about leaving. I have mentioned that I want to leave & my manager respond "do you need a raise?" Too which I reply " No I need a good lead tech & more guys who can diag. Tired of being bounced around the shop all while having 5-6 trucks to diag. They call me "king of the stupids" it is wrong the way they treat the techs, I have a hard time getting the techs to go in the office!! They fear they will be teased. I have mentioned this to managment ( but management does the teasing too) problem is the techs are like their vent.. They can blame us for their hatred for the field. I'm going back to Hvac
After getting ripped off by a mechanic whom I was considering a good friend. I took it upon myself and decided to take matters into my own hands. In 2017 February I bought an old Lexus LS400 and the first job as DIY I did, was replacing the brake pads. After doing that I kind of liked it because working on my own car gives me satisfaction and I believe I take more care of my car while working on it than a paid mechanic would do. In just matter of 14 months I learned replacing timing belts, water pump, throttle body, transmission pan , suspension parts etc... The only time I would take my cars to mechanic is that if I have swap the engine or transmission. Thanks to all RUclips mechanics for uploading videos that helps noobs like me how to work on our own cars.
At 28 years old I just recently made the leap to pursue my passion. I started going to night school for automotive repair and within a month was offered a job with a great opportunity. I am paid hourly with full benefits. I start just a month ago at $22/hr and was given a $3/hr increase today. If you are passionate have the desire to learn and have good work ethic you can succeed. I'm my personal opinion flat rate and dealerships in my area are what is killing the industry. Go find a independent shop where they care about their employees
I encourage everyone to read all the comments. They show the true nature of why there is a “shortage” of techs, and why the auto industry, not just the repair part, is in trouble. Many of these same issues extend to other consumer durable product industries and consumer trust continues to decline. Continue the race to the bottom, and there will be nothing left. No employees, no customers, no profits, and No Business!
As a UTI grad (Jan. 12th) I gotta say, UTI is wonderful for getting a pretty good understanding of how everything goes. Unfortunately, there are those who like me, will graduate UTI to find that this field isn't quite what they're good at, ajd at UTI I've seen students who go there only to scrapbe by whilst doing minimal work and learning nothing.
We need to Unionize!!
Heres my story/reason:
After getting professionally trained in college for a couple years, becoming master certified, and spending more than I care to mention on tools; I worked in at least 10 different shops over the course of about 5 years and now Ive decided to hang it up and change directions while im still young. No matter where I worked, how hard I worked, or how much I knew, nothing ever changed. And I would work next to guys having been in it for 20 or 30 more years than me and they're still getting payed about the same and treated about the same, and I would think, "This is my future?."
In my time in this industry my answer to change it has always been: Unionize! Theres no nationwide union for auto techs on par with other trades such as electricians or carpenters and such. So the employers/shops running the industry can do w/e they want cuz theres no collective bargaining. What u get is "U should be lucky u even have a job, u can take what I give u or u can leave and Ill replace u." Heard it a million times.. There is a union difference. The difference is in a 5 year span I worked on rolling rocketships, never even made 35k/yr, never got any benefits, i still cant move out of my parents house and if i stayed in it i probably would never get to retire; my buddy has been in the carpenters union for the same amount of time, he just cuts a couple boards n screws them together, makes over 100k/yr, benefits out the butt, owns a house, and if he stays with them another 20yrs he can retire and theyll pay him to sit on his butt the rest of his life.
We need to rise up and take the industry back from the liars and the cheats and look out for each other or its just going to keep getting worse until the day comes when youll just have to buy a new car everytime something goes wrong with it cuz therell be no one left who wants to fix it. Lol
Well said ETCG. Just as a side note the electric cars still use wheels, tires, brakes, suspension/handling components , and to mention COMPUTERS.(as well as HVAC Systems) So I believe no matter what propels our cars into the future auto techs will always be needed. As well as educated DIYers. There will be dirty jobs a plenty in the future. Have Fun, Stay Dirty.