Do NOT Become A Collision Tech in 2023
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- Опубликовано: 9 май 2023
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In this video I cover my thoughts on the whole collision trade, this is part 3 of the small series. Let me know your thoughts below
Thanks for watching!
👉Website: customgarage.biz
#customgarage #collisionrepair #collision
As an automotive tech that works at a dealer there's a very simple solution to this problem: Say no. They want to cut 4 hours from the repair? Cool, tow it out of here we're not touching it. Who are they going to bring it to? As you said the profession is stretched so thin they don't have many options. If you're a skilled technician and know your own worth simply refuse repairs that don't pay what you think they should. They'll either pony up the cash or it'll get towed out. I don't know about you but my shop is 3+ months booked out. There's no shortage of vehicles breaking these days with how poor major brand's build quality has become.
This isn't only happening in the automotive industry, it's in all high skilled trades.
I get on auction sites, they are totaling cars that were easy fixes 10 to 15 years ago.
All that on top of the hazards to your health with dust and fumes.
This trade sucks!!! 23 yrs in and its sad
Been doing this over 35 years. Not only do I hate insurance companies but the new cars are way to complicated! I'm 55 and plan on getting out as soon as possible. like within the next year! I make well over 100k a year and I hate this industry, It's not worth it to me. Nice video 👍
It’s true, I was a collision tech for 20 years. Best thing I ever did was did was quit the bodyshop. Insurance is the closest thing to extortion I’ve ever seen.
Been in it for 3 years now, can't disagree with anything you said. I've already been looking into other paths. It's not totally impossible to find a shop that works for you but it sure feels like it. The techs who managed to find their groove are gonna keep their groove for themselves and I don't blame them. Also not too many industries I can think of that ask for everything from you including your own tools and expertise and give you almost nothing back, not even benefits sometimes.
I worked for a major insurer for 20+ years and he is telling the truth
Thanks for your support.
Yeah, but many of us in insurance, unless you're in upper level management, aren't making 100k+ a year. I'm not sure where he got that from. Everything else he said was pretty much correct.
You sir, are a "force to be reckoned with"..
They will still get guys to become body techs. They will have training centers advertise that you can make $200K working 40 hrs week. The schools make money and the body industry can cycle through body guys, rinse and repeat. This happened to me as an aircraft tech in the early ‘80’s.
When I write a estimate on a customer's vehicle At my shop when the adjuster comes out to cut it One penny I tell him to tow it off my property immediately And I charge storage and a tear down fee. I charge a very fair price for what it's going to take to make my customer happy period .. I politely tell them to get their fucking ass off my property immediately
It hard work . No guarantee you even ge a check, thing need to change estimate make more the tecs , tool cost.
I'm calling it the auto body Apocalypse. You can go do anything else and make better money. Some of the most talented individuals can't make a living doing this good luck.
So true
I retired from this business about 6 years ago and moved overseas
Started as a combo man and worked my way up to manager
You’re absolutely right about this industry
The insurance companies are the biggest crooks
I think that eventually, with the shortage of techs
The ones that can hang in there will be able to see a huge increase in labor rates
I used to be full time mechanic and transitioned over to body tech, I dont do bondo, I do core supports and side posts, frame rails etc and mech work if needs radiator or suspension work done, I make way more more now then i ever did before, but heres the trick, you have to get a salary job no flat rate crap. Try to find a old mom and pop shop and stick with them. Flat rate metal body repairs dont pay what it takes to do. Bondo work does though for some reason its like it overpays, Our bondo guy can do a 20 hour bondo repair in less then a day easily. I cant put a 20 hour engine swap in that fast, just not possible.. We use a lot of salvage quarter panels etc, imagine the shop paying you to do the job, plus half time for removing the junkyard quarter without damaging it etc. That is why they pay salary lol 😂😂 it works for me.
Hmmmmmmmmmm, I can see that happening in Calif. with EQ insurance. Lived very close to Northridge 1994 and Sylmar 1971, when you are close to epicenter, earthquakes are the scariest thing you can live thru, getting worried way too much time since last Quake. Cars, everything you say is why I will never buy a brand new vehicle and continue to buy used with as little computer parts as possible.
All true words!
I do rotisserie restos by myself everyday. Good help is hard to find and when you find an ace they are strung out. Its always the best that are the worst
Hi, just want to ask what do you mean by strung out? Never heard of it used before and looking it up the sentence doesn't make sense. Seems like you mean they're not there for a long time but want to know otherwise.
Strung out on drugs.@@RickTrajan
@@RickTrajan means they have a drug/alcohol problem generally, and sometimes specifically refers to narcotics like heroin/fentanyl
They're already preparing for this to happen. More and more cars are being built out of more and more modules that are simply replaced instead of repaired. As the price of doing these jobs rises, we get closer and closer to a throwaway culture for cars. But are the people doing the repairs making all that money? No, it's the big guys at the top-the insurance companies, owners, and so on. Greed is ruining this country.
What about owing your own shop? Doing everything. Rust, collision, restoration, fiberglass, boats, etc… is it worth the headache? Basically my question is, should I change my goal? Because my goal is to open my own shop.
open your shop trust me you will make tons!! do good quality work though. dont do boats unless you are in a area that has tons of boats. stick to cars, trucks etc. its hard to do resto work if you are worried about production. Cause the quality will drop trying to paid from it quickly. If you are gonna be a 1 man crew like i am stick it what you are best at, and dont over work yourself, and do not take in every job if feels like it is not worth it!!! If the customer seems like a pain in the ass send them down the street. Heres the best tip, "Not all money is good money" remember this and you will do well.
People with rusty cars don't want to pay, rust tends to come back unless you spend way more time than the car is worth. The collision market is tied to insurance companies so be prepared to deal with them IF you get approved.
Restorations are a losing battle unless you get hooked up with someone with $$ that does not care about how much it costs. Sticking with one series of cars to restore is about the only way to make $$ as you would have built up a knowledge / parts base.
If you are going to open your own shop, take a small business course at the local community college. Many businesses fail due to poor management of $.
I worked 26 years in both independent and dealers I.car combination , body frame , paint. Direct repairshops for all insurance companies, what a scam this man is soo right I quit in 2020 I started in 1972 .I just retired after 24 years driving a 18wheeler coast to coast border to border. I still have thousands of dollars worth of body shop tools in my garage I'll never use again 😊 I'll throw them away just so no one will be tricked into this shitty under paid predatory job market 😅
Its a shame the industry lost you but I completely understand and agree with you, if its to survive it needs a serious overhaul
I’m 20 yrs old and I’m going to take over my dads small body shop and try to turn it into more of a production shop, do u still think it’s not worth the money?
I think if you have a ton of passion and apply oneself to it, then you can make that all work
You will have to know your numbers. Also need some techs that are hungry and quality minded. If you can build a customer base and stay away from the DRPs . Good luck to you
@@paytool what’s wrong with the drp shops?
Yes you should, just need to find some good body technicians, look outside of your country for good tech
If you were a Collision Tech and working somewhere like Australia as just a tech you would be getting $130-150 hour + All Benefits on top of that plus also a pension your boss must pay into ONTOP of your wages.
where?
us or au dollars?
even au dollars who is paying 150 per hour to panel beaters?
@@andypandy2848 A Normal Mechanic is $120-$140/hour in VIC
(Tho more than $80 of that goes directly to Insurance for Mechanics.)
From what I understand, Australia tends to list cars with minor damage as " statuary write off " meaning, they can never be on the road again. I tend to think this was left over from the days of domestic car production as a way to protecting a shaky auto industry.
Caliber service king etc … worst employers on the planet
Is working for caliber collision that bad?
@@ojpayneproduction yes
Man I’m 2 years in and I’m trying to go from hourly and commission. The times I get don’t add up .-. I work at a shop were the owner steals hours from us every check
You need to call him out and contact your labor board in your state and report him. They love to help employees that have been cheated out of pay.
Get out of the business soon as possible. There's never been a future in it
Its just the system working as it was meant to and the corporations built it through lobbing the government
True
Body work already costs more then cars are worth. Only the insurance companies can afford paint and body work now. How much more you guys trying to make?
Can't hate on people for running a buisness and trying to get rich or not be poor
boomer complaining about a system they voted in, just to get caught into it right before retirement.
boomer we were here since 2008, get our level or go retire in your single wide. (if the 1600 a month will even pay for that anymore)
You're dumb😂