Buying tools is ridiculous, no?

[zakmartin]

It depends on what kind of wrenching you do.

My stepson works for a gold mine in the Western Australian Outback, primarily maintaining a pick-up fleet. He flys in (the nearest town is about 200 miles away), works for 3 weeks and then flys out and gets 2 weeks off in Perth. He went to a tech school and apprenticed with Toyota for a few years, got hooked up working on loaders and eventually made it to where he is today.

He's only 25 and is pulling in about $130,000 US a year. At first, I felt bad about sending him down the auto mechanic path (I worked as an apprentice mechanic for 2 years making squat when I was in high school and during my sophomore year of college). The problem was that he was failing all of his classes in high school, and college wasn't going to be an option for him. We noticed that he loved hanging with me in the garage, helping out whenever I was working on a project.

Turning wrenches worked out for him and I'm really proud of how well he's doing. He bought a condo and is getting ready to build a house. His plan is to be out of the business in 15 years. Based on where he is now and the money he's making, I'm betting he makes it. He says he wants to be a DJ, and seeing as he has absolutely no musical talent whatsoever, I'm guessing he'll excel at that.

 

[Cato]

Can't believe how much time I spent searching for other jobs while being a mechanic. Seriously spent so much damned time searching for better jobs at better shops. 80k at hertz sounds unbelievable! Seriously. If it's true, it's an exteme outlier. Just about every night I was looking for a new job at a new shop. It's deceiving implying that if you really try, 80k/year is reasonable.

It's true. And that was probably 10 years ago. I know how much my brother in law made because I helped him with his taxes.

He started out at an Olds dealership and left to work at Hertz in the early 1990s.

Since it's a rental business, the cars are all new so he didn't have a lot of work to do. In the rare case of a car really acting up they would send the car back to the dealer for warranty repair. Despite all his certifications, he spent most of his time rotating tires and doing car washes.

 

[NC-Shaun]

Any fellow auto mechanics ever feel cheated in this industry?

Show up to your first day at work. Get paid minimum wage, yet you need tools. Bang, now the girl at dairy queen makes more than you per hour.
She screws up a batch of ice cream costing the boss $50 while if you crack a headlight changing a bulb, your boss makes you eat it.
She needs gloves for sanitary reasons, and gets them. You,need gloves so the customers don't complain of dirty steering wheels, on you.

Yes, I know the pros of having your own tools, blah blah, but no one ever felt cheated?

Spent plenty of years in the auto/motorcycle industry tearing up my knuckles, and thousands of dollars in tools. Never got paid anywhere near what I was worth, always making someone else rich.... Hence the reason my profile says " I used to twist wrenches for a living, now I only wrench for MYSELF"

It took me many years to get back the love I once had to build things for myself after the industry took that away from me. I am not saying there isnt money to be made in the industry, I just never found it working for other people.

I am still in the auto industry on the parts supply end of things, and I see from an outside perspective how crappy the techs/mechanics get treated. Never again, not for me.....

 

[Gmonkee]

Not a shot at anyone but an open question.

How does one determine what their work is worth? Is there a formula? Does it depend on materials costs as well as time spent learning the skill plus the job in particular?

Or is it as I suspect a person's idea of what others make for the same job elsewhere sort of balanced against the standard of living he would like to have. As opposed to what he has currently.

Or is it a varied mix of all of this plus stuff I didn't think of to make some magic formula that only applies to the person in question.

 

[defektes]

As a industrial maintenance mechanic, I agree with the poster early in the thread. You mechanics getting treated like **** go work industrial maintenance. We get paid well, benefits, 401k, and typically some places provide you with tools.

Just be ready to deal with stupid *** PPE req. hardhats, etc..

 

[Scott r c]

Not a shot at anyone but an open question.

How does one determine what their work is worth? Is there a formula? Does it depend on materials costs as well as time spent learning the skill plus the job in particular?

Or is it as I suspect a person's idea of what others make for the same job elsewhere sort of balanced against the standard of living he would like to have. As opposed to what he has currently.

Or is it a varied mix of all of this plus stuff I didn't think of to make some magic formula that only applies to the person in question.

You determine what your work is worth by charging the most you can. Find the tipping point, and bam, you found your worth.

 

[tjmonsen5]

I enjoyed reading this thread, a nice change from the tool talk. I agree it's hard to get started, but you shouldn't be a lube tech more than a few months /year. Majority of lube techs live at home and can concentrate on investing in their career.

 

[Kracin]

You determine what your work is worth by charging the most you can. Find the tipping point, and bam, you found your worth.

when people stop bringing you onto their crews for more money than your currently making. and your current employers no longer want to give you raises to keep you on. then thats how much you are worth. if you never try to get a raise or move around, then that is also how much you are worth. see how that works?

 

[92integra]

Not a shot at anyone but an open question.

How does one determine what their work is worth? Is there a formula? Does it depend on materials costs as well as time spent learning the skill plus the job in particular?

Or is it as I suspect a person's idea of what others make for the same job elsewhere sort of balanced against the standard of living he would like to have. As opposed to what he has currently.

Or is it a varied mix of all of this plus stuff I didn't think of to make some magic formula that only applies to the person in question.

this is the current thing i am struggling with. 2 years in the industry 4 ase certs, engines, brakes, steering/suspension and electrical. associates degree in automotive technolgy (graduation is on sunday), first level of certification for bmw's (lvl4). and i make 13 flat rate. there is no bonus's no overtime no extra pay for flagging x amout of hours..... i put in work 55* hours a week and pull down my fair share of flag time around 10 average. don't shy away from diagnosis be it a check engine light or a squeak and rattle. i hustle all day long every day.

i feel like i'm underpaid, what do you guy's think??? paychecks comming in at a grand for two weeks.... thats like 24k a year. Ive put alot of work into becomming a tech, so far i don't feel like its paying off.

also someone made a good point about asking for a raise.... asking and asking and asking. or telling for that matter. that's not my style i dont want it to seem like i'm bitching but something has got to change.

 

[Gmonkee]

Maybe you are asking the wrong boss for the raise. The present one. Ask a few potential future bosses what you are worth per flat rate hour.

Single? think about moving to a more affluent area whie you can, where folks pay bigger prices for the same things you do now. In the future with 4 kids and a mortage that move won't be possible.

Enjoy the adventures of youth while you are still young.

 

[jonjon1]

Not a shot at anyone but an open question.

How does one determine what their work is worth? Is there a formula? Does it depend on materials costs as well as time spent learning the skill plus the job in particular?

Or is it as I suspect a person's idea of what others make for the same job elsewhere sort of balanced against the standard of living he would like to have. As opposed to what he has currently.

Or is it a varied mix of all of this plus stuff I didn't think of to make some magic formula that only applies to the person in question.

I think what a job is worth depends on how many people can do it and what kind of skill or talent it takes to get it done well...

In other words if you are flipping/microwaving burgers, almost ANYONE can learn to do that with a 30 minute video if not figure it out by watching it done once. So the pay is going to reflect the fact that any pimple faced 16 year old can do the job.


Now in mechanics if you are changing oil at a dealership, chances are most high school vo-tech kids can do your job and its a good place to start, but to make yourself worth more, you need experience and training, certifications, and know how that let you do jobs that pay more.
Brakes, suspensions, engine, and transmission work, etc will narrow down how many people can do the job and make the pay for said jobs higher...

When I was hiring techs for my hvac business, I needed to know what they could do and what licenses they had to figure out what I would pay them. So a tech that could just clean boilers was worth a lot less than a tech that could pull permits, diagnose geothermal problems, and install complicated high end hvac systems.

So I say, learn learn learn and learn some more as you do as much as they will let you, get your experience up and get as much on paper as possible, I would be taking what ever endorsements they allow, take classes when ever offered for new equipment and technology...
I had a tech that would NEVER volunteer to take a class, the classes would come accross the supply house boards and he would avoid them like the plague, his exact words "they arent paying me to go there, I am not doing it on my time", well when I sold my business he had 0 endorsements, all my other techs had all kinds of achievements and certificates and they kept most of them, but he was the first to go, because sadly in a lot of cases, these days its a guy behind a desk making the decisions on who is holding the wrenches, and since they don't use videos of how you swing a wrench all they see is what you show them on paper....


Make yourself worth more and then you wont have to ask for more money it will be offered to you...

 

[WhiffySpark]

this is the current thing i am struggling with. 2 years in the industry 4 ase certs, engines, brakes, steering/suspension and electrical. associates degree in automotive technolgy (graduation is on sunday), first level of certification for bmw's (lvl4). and i make 13 flat rate. there is no bonus's no overtime no extra pay for flagging x amout of hours..... i put in work 55* hours a week and pull down my fair share of flag time around 10 average. don't shy away from diagnosis be it a check engine light or a squeak and rattle. i hustle all day long every day.

i feel like i'm underpaid, what do you guy's think??? paychecks comming in at a grand for two weeks.... thats like 24k a year. Ive put alot of work into becomming a tech, so far i don't feel like its paying off.

also someone made a good point about asking for a raise.... asking and asking and asking. or telling for that matter. that's not my style i dont want it to seem like i'm bitching but something has got to change.

I wouldn't even work for $13 flat rate. That is absolutely ridiciolous. Even Mr. Tire starts no knowledge oil change people higher than that.

Your box has wheels for a reason - roll out

 

[Kracin]

this is the current thing i am struggling with. 2 years in the industry 4 ase certs, engines, brakes, steering/suspension and electrical. associates degree in automotive technolgy (graduation is on sunday), first level of certification for bmw's (lvl4). and i make 13 flat rate. there is no bonus's no overtime no extra pay for flagging x amout of hours..... i put in work 55* hours a week and pull down my fair share of flag time around 10 average. don't shy away from diagnosis be it a check engine light or a squeak and rattle. i hustle all day long every day.

i feel like i'm underpaid, what do you guy's think??? paychecks comming in at a grand for two weeks.... thats like 24k a year. Ive put alot of work into becomming a tech, so far i don't feel like its paying off.

also someone made a good point about asking for a raise.... asking and asking and asking. or telling for that matter. that's not my style i dont want it to seem like i'm bitching but something has got to change.

you could ask for a raise...but asking for a raise is a 50s thing when everybody was stuck at their one place of work for a pension. i'm sure there aren't many people out there willing to throw money at somebody just because they asked for it, they have to be forced into it in a way.

these days its easy to move from workplace to workplace with a 401k. you don't ask for a raise, you apply to other places for work and when you are told they are willing to bring you on for more, you either take it and put in a 2 week. or if you want to stay where you are, you tell your boss the situation and offer him the chance to beat or meet the pay the other guy was willing to pay you.

put your boss in the hot seat, if he doesnt think ANYBODY is worth more, then let him sit on it and leave and get paid more in the process.

 

[kiatech]

13 flat rate? I wouldn't open my box for less than $20 flat rate. I make 18 an hour doing "maintenance" on peterbilts which 90% of the time is doing oil changes and tires. Somedays I don't even turn a wrench, its driving from here to Detroit to see what some driver messed up or waiting for a call to come in, its a stupid easy job.

 

[defektes]

A buddy of mine got started at a mom and pop 10 bucks and hour if he didn't hit his min hours, any time over minimum was 19 bucks, so they just fed him oil changes and diagnosis jobs and had the older guys do the repair jobs. He got fed up, quit, and works now repairing large const. equipment and tractors for 30 bucks an hour, look outside of your traditional auto repair.

If you are not advancing at a present position, even though you do your job well get a new one. Some jobs are a stepping stone, you wont advance but you will get a **** ton experience. This is very true in construction, but also applies to mechanical; you start at the bottom, worthless, you will be treated like scum, but as they teach you and you gain skills they respect you more, and give you more of the "fun" work instead of "grunt" work. You then take that experience and move on somewhere else that can use your newly minted skills, these skills since they were on the job are worth a ton more in these fields than some fancy piece of paper. Also, try to find work with old timers, they are the best to work with and to LEARN from (to new mechs.)

 

[bobcatdan]

this is the current thing i am struggling with. 2 years in the industry 4 ase certs, engines, brakes, steering/suspension and electrical. associates degree in automotive technolgy (graduation is on sunday), first level of certification for bmw's (lvl4). and i make 13 flat rate. there is no bonus's no overtime no extra pay for flagging x amout of hours..... i put in work 55* hours a week and pull down my fair share of flag time around 10 average. don't shy away from diagnosis be it a check engine light or a squeak and rattle. i hustle all day long every day.

i feel like i'm underpaid, what do you guy's think??? paychecks comming in at a grand for two weeks.... thats like 24k a year. Ive put alot of work into becomming a tech, so far i don't feel like its paying off.

also someone made a good point about asking for a raise.... asking and asking and asking. or telling for that matter. that's not my style i dont want it to seem like i'm bitching but something has got to change.

I may very sound like a **** here, but 2 years in and you are first graduating tech school so that would tell me you have only worked part time. Certs are easy for a tech school guy to get because you just have to rehash what you learned last month. Im not saying you aren't worth more then $13 an hour, but you are still a noobie. I graduated tech school ASE master and ford senior master, $11 an hour. Changed dealers for $12. Left auto industry a year later for two bucks more in ag repair. 15 years in, work fleet maintance and easily clear over a grand take home a week, hourly.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I may very sound like a **** here, but 2 years in and you are first graduating tech school so that would tell me you have only worked part time. Certs are easy for a tech school guy to get because you just have to rehash what you learned last month. Im not saying you aren't worth more then $13 an hour, but you are still a noobie. I graduated tech school ASE master and ford senior master, $11 an hour. Changed dealers for $12. Left auto industry a year later for two bucks more in ag repair. 15 years in, work fleet maintance and easily clear over a grand take home a week, hourly.

No tech school except high school here. 2 years in with no certs I was at 20. 2 years after that I was at 26. Took a break for a while now I'm at 28. Should be going up soon as well

Working for less than 20 on flat rate is stupid IMO. $11 for a master tech is horrible. But you said 15 years ago. Idk what inflation is for 15 years

 

[Sal Bandini]

I think it would help if you said what location you are in when throwing out numbers. Cost of living and wages vary greatly.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

I think it would help if you said what location you are in when throwing out numbers. Cost of living and wages vary greatly.

That is true, but 9-11 bucks an hour ***** doesn't matter where you live. Most guys working on trucks start at least 15 bucks an hour to do PM's and change oil.

As others have said look into industrial maintenance, trucks/construction equipment, or if you wanna make the most money you can turning wrenches then look into being a merchant seaman.

 

[bobcatdan]

No tech school except high school here. 2 years in with no certs I was at 20. 2 years after that I was at 26. Took a break for a while now I'm at 28. Should be going up soon as well

Working for less than 20 on flat rate is stupid IMO. $11 for a master tech is horrible. But you said 15 years ago. Idk what inflation is for 15 years

$28 an hour in the mechanical field is possible, but extremely rare in these part. $25 is pretty much top out for the vast majority.

 

[Kracin]

$28 an hour in the mechanical field is possible, but extremely rare in these part. $25 is pretty much top out for the vast majority.

about 28-29 is top pay here for maintenance mechanics work here also. not vehicle stuff, but just as broad of a range when it comes to necessary knowledge and skills. kids can get hired on while still in school. my work will pay for all of your 2 year degree while you work part time when you aren't in school. then after graduation you are hired full time at the bottom pay of 23/hr and have to work your way up like everybody else. but i don't know how much better it can get for a kid with zero skills or experience than having an employer pay for your school, give you a job while you are in school, and then set you on a career path when you're done....


surprising thing is that the last 3 kids that have come through on that program have either pointed out (attendance), or failed a class or two (stupid simple classes also) and get kicked out of the program and lose their job....

 

[Dust Devil]

Any mechanic that is not an idiot and actually knows how to troubleshoot and repair his chosen item to work on, that has his own tools, should be making $25hr AT LEAST.

I cringe when I read threads like this and hear what some people get paid to wrench.

 

[bobcatdan]

Any mechanic that is not an idiot and actually knows how to troubleshoot and repair his chosen item to work on, that has his own tools, should be making $25hr AT LEAST.

I cringe when I read threads like this and hear what some people get paid to wrench.

A few examples for my area, City of Green Bay, $22 an hour, highest paying city I know of. Area equipment dealers, $24 top end, takes about 10 years to work up to that. Once you hit that, no more. Michaels Corp, higest paid guy in the shop my buddy works at is $17 an hour, he makes more working in the stock room. Union shops connected to say a papermill can hit $25 an hour, but held tight to 40 hours. I see one equipment dealer advertising $30 an hour, but the whole chain is a giant slimeball. Seeing how the CL ad has been up for over three months, I guess they are not offerening $30 to too many people.

 

[Lassen Forge]

My last wrenching job before my current job was $25 an hour... that was almost 30 years back, but I had to pay for my own insurance, no bennies, and no paid days off. Still, it wasn't a bad living. The only reasons I left it was (a) the benefits (and promise of a pension 30 years distant) were too good to pass up, and (b) the owner was a nice guy, but had no sense for business. I gave him 6 months before he'd be out of business. Ended up I was wrong - he mortgaged his house and stayed afloat for almost a year before he lost everything.

Not bad for someone who took a 6 bit raise when she went from Receptionist to Shop rat... and that raise was HUGE!

 

[03silvergt]

so whats stopping these kids who can't find good jobs from joining the military, straightening their life out and earning a fine paycheck for serving their country? at the end of their time if they so choose, they could go to college for free and do whatever they like afterwards on the governments dime with the GI bill...


i always wondered why there are so many entitled kids that don't consider 4 years of their time for a future of solid living?

This is what I did. A little over 4 years in the Air Force, Uncle Sam paid for college and paid my rent while I was in school. Now I don't make a ton of money, but I sure make more than I would without the education, And I'm happy.

 

[92integra]

thanks for all the posts and replies guy's

I may very sound like a **** here, but 2 years in and you are first graduating tech school so that would tell me you have only worked part time. Certs are easy for a tech school guy to get because you just have to rehash what you learned last month. Im not saying you aren't worth more then $13 an hour, but you are still a noobie. I graduated tech school ASE master and ford senior master, $11 an hour. Changed dealers for $12. Left auto industry a year later for two bucks more in ag repair. 15 years in, work fleet maintance and easily clear over a grand take home a week, hourly.

i think this guy hit the nail on the head with what poeple really get paid comming out of school. now I'm no top level diagnostic guy but i out work poeple to death. 12hr's is my minimum while most guy's in the shop put in 8, whatever I'm the new guy I'm there to prove my self everyday..... i still make dumb mistakes as well so it's kinda hard to go asking for a raise small stupid mistakes haunt me.(going to a customers house to reset an oil light tomorrow) I'm going to keep busting *** doing bigger job's and see if they actually want to pay me, if I'm very confidant with my skills at that point then ill be ready to roll the hell out. right now just want to focus on learning as much as i can and gaining as much experience as i can.

 

[crab]

There is a business principal that says a worker sets his pay level himself, you're worth what you're willing to work for, no more no less. If you're in an area where most techs are paid 15 bucks an hour, well that's what they're willing to work for.

 

[ckblum]

I got into aviation thinking it'd be a good paying gig, figured I'd enjoy working on helicopters and make a good wage in the process. 5 years later, licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and I leave the industry making $22CAD an hour, start as a first year apprentice working in the mine and heavy equipment industry making more than I ever thought I would as an AME.

Before all this though I was busting tires in BF nowhere for $12CAD an hour. My work ethic and skills were outstanding and the fact I don't drink is a huge asset as I could always be relied on to show up to service calls sober. My boss was literally in tears when I left, asking me what it would take to keep me, but also encouraged me saying I should pursue what I wanted (AME at that time). He gave me the best reference I've ever gotten.

This isn't to brag, just saying your work ethic, attitude and even what you do in your spare time can be a huge consideration to employers. Are you the type to post pics on Facebook of yourself on Friday night getting wasted? Or do you spend your free time volunteering in the community? Maybe your the 420 friendly type, "laid-back", "easy-going", well no employer sees that as an asset to you. You are as valuable as you make yourself. Get a haircut and get a real job, clean up your act and change your attitude, change often starts with little things.

 

[bobcatdan]

I will say this from my personal experience. I have somewhere between $75,000 to $100,000 invested in my tools over my working career so far. They have helped me earn every dime I have had on a paycheck. I'm doing alright. The GF has over $100,000 in student load debt between two bachelors degree and a master in the education field. What has that gotten her but a $13.00 an hour job. You want feel trapped, try her shoes. Rejected from over 100 university jobs she was quailied for trying to leave a job that is killing her. All for what, 90% goes to pay student loads. She would be happy to find a $15 an hour job just to get away from working 17 on, 4 off, 17 on again and again. If it wasn't for me, she would be living at home and probably walking to work. A good living can be made as a mechanic, you just need to find the job that pays.

 

[Askme42]

Any mechanic that is not an idiot and actually knows how to troubleshoot and repair his chosen item to work on, that has his own tools, should be making $25hr AT LEAST.

I cringe when I read threads like this and hear what some people get paid to wrench.

I'm a ups man and had a just fabulous interaction at a dealership awhile back. I drop of the stuff. Just needed a quick signature. Guy says hold on I'm helping this mechanic. Punches stuff in then goes to the back and gets a part. He comes back I said I just need you to sign. He says you're gonna have to wait a few minutes. I said ok you're refusing it and left.


Come back later for the pick up and they were rasing hell. We got a mechanic waiting doing nothing at $100 an hour you'll just have to wait on us. Well I had to inform them I knew no one there made that much and that every second they cost me was overtime for me at over $50 an hour. They weren't too happy. Lol

 

[Askme42]

I will say this from my personal experience. I have somewhere between $75,000 to $100,000 invested in my tools over my working career so far. They have helped me earn every dime I have had on a paycheck. I'm doing alright. The GF has over $100,000 in student load debt between two bachelors degree and a master in the education field. What has that gotten her but a $13.00 an hour job. You want feel trapped, try her shoes. Rejected from over 100 university jobs she was quailied for trying to leave a job that is killing her. All for what, 90% goes to pay student loads. She would be happy to find a $15 an hour job just to get away from working 17 on, 4 off, 17 on again and again. If it wasn't for me, she would be living at home and probably walking to work. A good living can be made as a mechanic, you just need to find the job that pays.

Wow. My wife has 200k in student loans but also makes 200k a year. So it was worth it for her.

 

[Kracin]

I will say this from my personal experience. I have somewhere between $75,000 to $100,000 invested in my tools over my working career so far. They have helped me earn every dime I have had on a paycheck. I'm doing alright. The GF has over $100,000 in student load debt between two bachelors degree and a master in the education field. What has that gotten her but a $13.00 an hour job. You want feel trapped, try her shoes. Rejected from over 100 university jobs she was quailied for trying to leave a job that is killing her. All for what, 90% goes to pay student loads. She would be happy to find a $15 an hour job just to get away from working 17 on, 4 off, 17 on again and again. If it wasn't for me, she would be living at home and probably walking to work. A good living can be made as a mechanic, you just need to find the job that pays.

not every student loan is worthless. the problem you get is people think they can land a million dollar job right out of school with no experience. the best route for people would be to either work in their wanted field for a certain time while going to school, and then they will have 300% better chance at getting a great job after graduating. experience can easily trump schooling when it comes to an employer looking to get work done right away after hiring somebody.

 

[cgv69]

I posted something along these line a ways back. I'll tell you the same thing I told my son and nephew...

if you truly love working on cars then fine, you'll have to take the good with the bad but if you are simply looking for a career\trade, there are much better options IMO then being an automotive mechanic.

My son listened (sort of) my nephew didn't. The nephew has been doing it for a few years now and is already looking to make a change.

 

[Kracin]

I posted something along these line a ways back. I'll tell you the same thing I told my son and nephew...

if you truly love working on cars then fine, you'll have to take the good with the bad but if you are simply looking for a career\trade, there are much better options IMO then being an automotive mechanic.

My son listened (sort of) my nephew didn't. The nephew has been doing it for a few years now and is already looking to make a change.

theres somebody for every job. you can get a guy who is content and happy doing garbage collection. and a guy who loves to clean up office areas late at night.

there are a million jobs out there, find one that you can at least stand that gets you by, but don't do something that stresses you to no end with no equal reward at the end of the day.

a friend of mine in hawaii is an amazing bodyman and mechanic. specializing in european cars and he had been rebuilding cars with his dad since he was 10, heads, complete rebuilds and all and he wouldn't change anything. he even opened his own shop now in hawaii and last i knew was doing really well for himself.

everything you can think hes done it also, and he isn't even 30 yet (maybe just turned?). after working on customer cars all day and sometimes into the night, he spent his time messing with, fixing, and modifying all his other cars and toys. because that was his release when he got to the weekend, either cruising around in the car he was modifying, turbocharged anythings, from supras to sc300, to rock crawler/offroad trucks when he went offroading with other friends into that scene. to european restorations, and even built his own towtruck so he could eventually move out of the current boss's shop and start his own (which he did).

some people are born to do it, and some people try way to hard to pretend like they love it. thats all there is to it.

 

[NC-Shaun]

The top techs at the local HD dealer arent even getting $20 an hr. One day I asked the senior tech at that shop if he had it to do over again would he work for HD. He said no. Then told me what he got paid. He isnt there anymore.

I have 15 years experience, and the useless papers that say I know what I am doing. I refuse to wrench, supply my own tools, and fix these new fangled contraptions that require a scan tool just to reset the service indicator lights for under $20 an hour. I know the shops never pay that much, so I moved on. It just wasnt for me, the thought of wrenching again for a living turns my stomach. I did relapse back into a shop for about 6 mths to square away some debt, then I immediately went back to my auto parts supply house gig. Much happier this way.