Why become a mechanic?

[94_C/1500]

I've always liked cars as do most people. I took the classes at the local career center during high school and went to NADC. Took forever to find someone willing to hire me and just as soon as I was getting used to the job I got canned. Replaced with someone cheaper. I've got other mechanic job offers but they were ****. I make more money delivering parts and tools than I did using tools and putting on parts. Plus the dealer I worked for was crooked as could be. For instance a car came in my first week that their top tech worked on. Had a valve cover gasket leak and was misdiagnosed as a rear main gasket. The customer was charged over thousand dollars anyways even though the manager had found out. Stuff like that happened too much. So I'm starting my own shop. I've been in the construction world too, I still make more as a hotshot driver at a parts store. Only way to make good money is have a good boss with lots of money or own the company.

 

[gooseadrian]

Trucks brother...I'm a truck tech but quite honestly want to go to cng

 

[OutsideMachinist]

This has been discussed at length here a few times. I worked in a few shops when i was younger and thought I wanted to. I had some bad experiences that arent common every shop, but gave me an idea of how things could very well be. I decided personally I didn't like the idea of working flat rate, or having so many other people/variables that effect your pay.

There are auto techs who make a great living and more than quite a few office workers. They are really the exception in my opinion though. Look into going into an industrial field. Maybe become a millwright or something similar.

I wouldn't say other trades require less skill. They definitely can require less tools and investment. I just didn't like the idea of other trades making the same money or more in some cases, plus guarenteed money and overtime. Plus depending on the situation much better benefits.

 

[Rusty32]

I work on garbage trucks and recycling facilities my job is defiantly not going anywhere. Throw away society that we are in just makes my job more busy. Some days I love my job some days I hate but that will be anwhere. but in the end I have a great family and every possibly material possession I ever wanted so I guess Im winning in my mind.

 

[Cato]

I am an ac tech pulling in around 120k.

Seriously? If you don't mind me asking, do you work for public or private?

 

[markbugno]

I disagree, anyone with mechanical skills can make good money. Most industrial plants will hire someone at the bottom of the food chain and you will move up.



Most industrial mechanics make 20+ a hour after a few years of experience. Most companies will pay for any classes and certificates too. Sure beats having to pay off a student loan for the rest of your life. I may add too many have 401k and health benefits.



I have many friends that went to school got the 4 and 6 year degrees in good fields (IT, law, business) they make less, and have a harder time finding work. You can train anyone to do something, but you cannot train a competent mechanic, that's a birth skill that needs to be honed.



Skilled trades is where it is at.

You can absolutely train someone to be a mechanic. It's not magic, it's a skill that's learned like anything else. Happens all the time. I'm one of them.

Industry is where it's at. Unions are also where it's at. Combine the two and you can make some good money with great benefits.


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[JKady]

Being an automotive tech is what you make it to be once you're in the field. If you're not making money at it, you have nobody to blame but yourself. Am I getting rich? No, but I have union benefits, a great schedule and I enjoy what I do. I could go back to working in hourly shops for **** pay and **** benefits with the luxury of getting to **** off all day, but I make better money busting my *** and working the system as a flat rate tech at a dealer. I have also worked in a number of shops roughly equal to the number of years I've spent in the field because I've found that managers and owners don't reward loyalty, they exploit it. One joint I worked months on end 6 days a week, went above and beyond for and they didn't bother offering me more money till I was backing my truck in to load up my tools.

I plan on staying where I am now because I have a union on my side now to fight back. The automotive world's resistance to the very idea of a union is why it's a tough gig a lot of the time. I have worked for a few guys that are happy to go through a bunch of 15 an hour kids before they'll pay a competent guy 25. Simple things like free inspections or free diag etc... can make a huge difference on your paycheck. I get paid for anything that I do to a car beyond pulling it into or out of the shop because our union fought for it.

 

[xXSanderXx]

I'm 23 years old, and work since my 16th as an automotive mechanic (did 5 years 4 days work/ 1 day school). When I was a kid, I loved cars, tools, working with metal (and wood) and fixing things in general. It was an easy choise to start an automotive career. I did the job with a big smile those years, worked for a Mazda/ Suzuki dealership and now for a Land- Range Rover/ Jaguar dealer. The last year I got to some point where I asked myself do I want this for my hole life? The answer is: not as a job! I don't like working on cars in my job anymore. Besides that, it's always that time/money pressure and already got some back problems. Right now I'm studying for occupational therapist (love the medical world and working with people) and still work a few days a week at the car dealer.

I have to say, the more I put my time into the new study, the more I love cars again. I always did some repairs at home on the driveway (friends, family), and still do that. When I was full-time mechanic I hated the work at home which is most time maintenance, brakes, exhaust and some eletrical problems. Right now, when I have a busy week working on my new career I can really enjoy it to work on a car at home (also still love the wood/ metal fabrications). Lots of people who know me thinks I don't like cars anymore, it's wrong! The passion is still there, but I have to find other ways to do that passion. Automotive mechanic is a nice job, and it's great to have the skills. But a job for your hole life? I don't know.

My best advice today: You'll never know what the future will bring and how you think about you career when you're older. It's important that you have a job that you love. When you ever have a job that you don't like anymore, don't be afraid to take an unfamiliar path and rebuild what you want.

Another great advice: Read this text below extremely carefully, especially the last bit!

Been discussed many times but to be blunt the Automotive field has become drastically more complex since the 60s, 70s. and 80s however the industry standards for employee selection and training have remained pretty much identical. You haven't been able to fix a car with just a set of wrenches, sockets, and a test light in decades but since tool bills are on the mechanic the shops can ignore that. Unions are also few and far between hence flat rate pay is an industry standard and some (not all) ridiculous book times.

Some, if not most, will say its a terrible field to get into. Some will say they're making great money and are doing fine. Fact of the matter is a auto mechanic or "tech" is still essentially treated as an unskilled profession so the pay is often garbage. Average salary of a mechanic in the US is a pathetic 40k or less while on the flip side, to be truly competent, it requires tens of thousands in tools, a huge wealth of knowledge, a strong body and mind, and continuous training. I struggle to think of a worse field for requiring so much and getting so little in return. You can offset this by getting into good gigs like government fleet or private (that pay well and have good benefits), beating flat rate with tricks and unsavory methods, or becoming specialized in drivability/electrical which is extremely important as vehicles become more and more of a giant computer. The more you know the more you're worth but even then you may have to travel a good bit to find good money. Road techs, heavy equipment, oil and gas, marine etc.. in general all pay better so if you just like playing with and fixing mechanical stuff don't limit yourself to just the automotive field.

If you think you're going to make great money doing brakes, exhaust, suspension and the occasional transmission/engine swap think again. As hard as you might work you're too redundant and employers will abuse that fact and pay you poorly.

Other trades like HVAC, plumbers, electricians, have a similar crappy journeyman program but once that's done your pay can skyrocket (area dependent), and you know your paycheck will be reasonably steady so less worry about paying bills. A shop on flat rate can be a bit like a roller coaster at times.

I'd tell anyone who is thinking about becoming a mechanic to stay in school. Finish high school/get your GED, find a local community college with automotive classes and take them along with others such as business/accounting. This will get you credits and give you an out if you get burned out in your first few years as a mechanic or change your mind. A lot of young guys enjoy doing drive-way repairs and think the field is for them but quickly realize its no fun doing it 5-6 days a week. Whatever you do, do not waste your education funds on a pricey technical college. The vast majority teach you very little and send you on your way AND your "education" is worthless for anything other than a highlight on an automotive resume.