CALLING ALL AUTO TECHS. Advice needed please.

[Andy22882]

I've never posted here before, but I am a professional tech and felt the need to give you my opinion since you asked. I work for myself, but I totally agree with the others that tell you to find a job working for a municipality, city, county, etc. Not only do you have great insurance and benefits, but I have talked to salesman who go to these places, and the amount of money that they have to spend on tooling is huge, generally. That is significant, it makes a difference to you.
The other option would be a good, well tooled independent, who cares about training and offers decent benefits. This is not easy to find, but they exist. Forget about the tire store type places. By well tooled, I mean someone who has factory diagnostic tools for the car lines they work on. Specializing is the future of this business. The day of one scanner for every car line is gone, so don't bother working for someone like that.
Anyway, I hope this gives you some direction in what to look for. Forget about the dealership, I've worked in dealers before, I am worth more than the way they want to pay.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm need some advice guys. I am 18 (almost 19) years old and I am an entry level auto tech.

If you don't have at least a 2 year degree in auto tech from a Community/Junior College you don't have a bright future. Not many dealers are going to send you off to a school unless you have shown some initiative ahead of time.

Auto tech starts wearing on your body over age 40. The pay isn't that fantastic unless you specialized in electronic diagnostics.

 

[KineticDissent]

Dealers are a how fast, how many and how much can they charge. It's an ugly side of the automotive repair business. If you really enjoy actually fixing things you need to look at fleet maintenance and repair. The pay is a little better and you are rewarded for taking your time to do it right. Fleets usually let you use the shop as your own as you are not stealing work from them.

 

[Oldb]

Some things I would mention in favor of a fleet environment. The pay, benefits, and retirement as mentioned several times above can be very good. There is training, often on state of the art equipment. You take ownership in the equipment like you would your own, you know its history. You will start at the bottom, lube bay, cleaning, most likely on the night shift when the equipment is in. But if you stay with it you will likely advance. It could be a very good career for you.

B

 

[Quercus]

Interesting perspectives guys. I spent some time in independent motorcycle shops, but auto techs seem to inhabit a different world.

 

[superchargedv8]

It is always fun when your young then it tends to turn into work and the fun is no longer there. I would look into other career options just so that you see what else is out there. I was in your shoes somewhat when i was that age and almost done with my mechanical engineering degree.

 

[redmondjp]

I've done a bunch of automotive work and several of my friends have both worked in dozens of shops as well as ran their own repair shops. Lots of good advice above.

One of my favorite careers to recommend these days (at least in my state) is electrician. Takes four years to get state license, and your job can't be outsourced to India. I spent six years getting my engineering degree and I don't know that I would do the same if I knew what I do now.

The only way to really fully benefit from your own labor is to work for yourself - otherwise, you are working for the man in one way or another and you have to accept the conditions that go along with that.

One thing is for sure - there are very few places where an auto tech can work and be appreciated and properly compensated. The owners of the shop may treat the customers right, but that is almost always at the expense of their own workers (ie expecting tech to do a free vehicle inspection while getting paid 0.1 hours to do an oil change).

 

[Throbbin Rods]

Consider looking at large hospitals as well, many keep a mechanic shop to service their pickup trucks etc. Less stress, less pressure. I went to a 2 year program, worked as a tech for 10 years and could already feel the effects on my body, thanks to an allergy I had to leave that world. I worked in a factory making power supplies, and managed to parlay that up to a position where I reported to the CEO. The diagnostic and analysis skills are portable, most things in life are logical, if this doesn't work, why, where does it get it's power, fuel, air, computer signal, software instructions. You can do other things with your skills and training.

 

[75gmck25]

Based on my experience as a customer, if you want to stay in the automotive field I would become an expert on electrical and electronics in the cars.

It is hard to find a mechanic who understands how to effectively troubleshoot relatively simple electrical problems (bad grounds, shorts, etc.), and if the problem involves the newer computerized equipment its often just left to the diagnostic gear from the manufacturer (plug it in and see what the tester says). However, folks are keeping cars longer now and when its out of warranty they don't want to pay for trial and error replacement of components when the components cost hundreds of dollars each.

Example - my 2005 Mustang GT gauges started getting very screwy, and the only offer from the dealer was a complete instrument cluster replacement (expensive because to be legal it has to be reprogrammed by the dealer and they will only reprogram a brand new cluster).

However, the problem is due to small stepper motors that drive the gauges, which also a common failure on many GM vehicles. The "motors" cost $30-$50/set (6 gauges) and it only takes basic soldering skills to replace them. There is a guy out on eBay who has a business doing this type of replacement and he used to charge about $150 for the fix if you mailed him the cluster. When I replaced the motors myself it took me about 1.5 hours, but I could do it now in less than an hour. If that guy is paying $30 for the new motors, he is getting $120/hour in labor and all he needs is a $10 soldering iron (he doesn't even get his hands dirty). He is being paid for his skills and knowledge, not for back-breaking labor.

Bruce

 

[Ckengine]

Let me start with a little background. I went to a 4 year Military ACD. and got out with a degree in Marine engineering. I have been going to sea and wrenching on ships for the last 12 years and have worked my way from entry level to Chief engineer. When I am home from sea I have my own small mechanical repair and welding business, working on everything under the sun.
Now that being said if you truly love what you do then stick with it, because if you do what you love than you never work a day in your life. As far as getting faster that with come with experience, experience is something that you cant buy or sell but have to earn. In the mean time do the job right even if if your are a little slower, you wouldn't believe how many people come to me to fix there cars because it had been to the dealer x times and it is still doing it and I have paid x dollars and they have changed all these parts. Generally speaking it is a trouble shooting issue, the dealers would rather change all these parts and charge you then take the time to trouble shoot properly unless its a warranty thing. Now I know that all dealers are not like this and there are good ones and bad just like you have good techs and bad. While you are young you want to establish good habits not bad. I get more upset with my guys if they speed through a job and screw something up then if they take a little longer and do it right. And time is always a factor in shipping if a crane is down or a engine that is all lost money. I hope this helps you

 

[Tripn88]

Become a marine technician "boat mechanic" and live the high life.

If your taking longer than book time yeah you need to hurry up. It's a tough world out there. Time to grow up and get use to it. I wanted to be a diesel mechanic specializing in locomotives. I realized it wasn't in my best interest at the moment. I love wrenching as a hobby and I'll keep it that way. Now I'm doing oilfield services and I couldn't be happier. Your young the industry is always changing. There will always be someone you don't get along with at work. Just know your place and do your best.

 

[merbie]

Okay OP I'm 19 and I worked at a in day shop since I was 14, started on simple stuff then moved on to more complex jobs, I knew by the time I turned 18 it wasn't for me, when I got home from work I had no ambition to work on my own cars and I knew it was time for a change, I liked classic vehicles but hate knew ones, no room to work and far too much ****** plastic, so I then moved on to bugattis building vintage racing cars where I still am today, I'm in the engine room, I do like what I do but I'm never going to earn enough money to do what I want to do, so I'm leaving in June going travelling for three months then disappearing to university when I get back to study architectural engineering, believe me unless you have an undying passion for working on cars I recommend a different career

I'd rather close my **** in a car door than wear a headlamp.