I really enjoyed your story about being an auto mechanic...thank you. I'm a software engineer in Silicon Valley and enjoy DIY work on my "family fleet" of 3 cars and 3 motorcycles (recently replaced the timing belt/water pump on my wife's 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid). I've always thought about switching careers to become an auto mechanic because I enjoy fixing things and think of myself as having a little bit of talent, however I also enjoy the constant and fast speed of tech changes in programming that force me to constantly keep up, and making a similar salary as an auto mechanic is probably unrealistic, even though good mechanics need just as much intelligence, continuous learning, and problem solving skills as a software engineer, not to mention the uncomfortable contortions, bloody cuts, and nasty grease under fingernails after certain jobs. When I retire I plan to just fix my friends and family cars and possibly run a small word-of-mouth-only garage out of my driveway to keep having fun in my hobby. I hope that one day auto mechanics become another guaranteed $100k/year job (or $150k+/year + in a high cost-of-living big city) with great benefits that kids with above average IQs desperately want to break into.
Trade schools are recruiting by telling teenagers that they could make $100k+ in the automotive trade. They were telling us that back in the '90s. To this day I've never met a $100k+ mechanic. I really wanted to get into programming, and I had a talent for it, but there was no support structure for a high schooler to learn programming in Oklahoma. Thanks for watching!
I grew up very poor so I had to wrench on my own vehicles didn't really have a choice. Now that I'm almost 40 and have a decent income. I tried having mechanics do the work and have had terrible experiences. Now I just fix it myself I don't need the headache. Even if I don't really have the time because I'm working I will squeeze it into my schedule. I typically work 6 to 7 days a week. While growing up poor I thought it was a curse. turns out it was a major blessing. If you aren't handy today, and physically able to do the handy work. you are at a major disadvantage.
I wasn't poor, but I didn't have front pocket money. My friends and I were always wrenching to keep our rides running, dreaming of being able to afford a hot rod. That has certainly served us well. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching!
Good video Erik. Couple points - the dealership service model is dead. No person in their right mind is going to customer pay for service anymore. Anyone that understands anything about automotive maintenance knows to only use dealership service for warranty only - and even then thats a crapshoot and you better check their work (because we know OEMs are cutting warranty time to bare bones as well). But the bigger point is that to really be a good technician requires a person to be part electrical engineer, part mechanical engineer, and part craftsman. Anyone that talented and intelligent is not going to suffer back breaking work making $20/hr working for selfish idiots - they are going to go into business for themselves or find a shop that pays them what they're worth.
Good points. When I was a tech, about 80% of our work was warranty. I'm sure it's worse now. My Mustang never saw the dealership after the warranty expired. Thanks for watching!
@@MireilleMalcomnson Dealerships have no problem telling technicians "How about you go work for down-the-road-motors." i.e. find another job. They just didn't realize it's a two way street. Never be afraid to jump. Keep a three month emergency fund and you'll find yourself with more freedom of choice. Thanks for watching!
Stay positive good man. You're future will be bright. I'm younger than you but left the industry for nearly the same reasons. Constant blame on technicians with no support and low pay. Not to mention when the service writers begin playing favorites with what jobs get assigned to what techs they like. High School allllll over again....
In case the video wasn't clear, it's been a while since I left the auto business. I've been seeing more and more commentaries on what's wrong, and it's the same things I saw wrong twenty five years ago. I'm in civil service now, where I'm treated as a valued member of the team. Thanks for watching!
In the video I didn't state why that was important to me. After being hired at that defense industry leader, they lost the contract and the shady company that took over routinely hired unqualified people so they could pay them less. It was terrible. You say "credentialism", I say "qualified". While I could accept working for someone without a credential who could do the job well, it usually just doesn't work that way. I agree that competency matter most, but most people are trying to move upwards, and so they likely haven't done that job before. Study up on the Peter Principle. Credentials have a purpose. Thanks for watching!
Yup. Unfortunately, I think it will get worse before it gets better. As a starting tech in 1999 I was getting $13 a flag hour, which equates to $24.50 today, but starting techs are lucky to get $20/hr. At the same time the labor rate went from $75/hr to nearly $200/hr, far exceeding the $141/hr that would have been appropriate with inflation. I think Millenials and Gen-Z can tell when someone's whizzing on their backs and telling them it's raining. I have zero sympathy for dealerships. Thanks for watching!
Mom and pop dealer are great because most care about their employees, but corporate dealers you just a number, we had the foman die on the week end he had been their 25 years the ownets who were a tri state company didn't even show up for his funeral. I recommend not being a mechanic.
The first dealership I worked at was a local chain, and they were fairly up front and honest. They sold to another local chain that was shady, but very profitable. That chain then merged with a nationwide conglomerate. It quickly became a race to the bottom for pay and respect. The market has been consolidating, and there's no guarantee that a mom & pop shop will stay locally owned. It's pretty assured that they will sell out in the long run, because they can't compete. Thanks for watching!
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I really enjoyed your story about being an auto mechanic...thank you. I'm a software engineer in Silicon Valley and enjoy DIY work on my "family fleet" of 3 cars and 3 motorcycles (recently replaced the timing belt/water pump on my wife's 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid). I've always thought about switching careers to become an auto mechanic because I enjoy fixing things and think of myself as having a little bit of talent, however I also enjoy the constant and fast speed of tech changes in programming that force me to constantly keep up, and making a similar salary as an auto mechanic is probably unrealistic, even though good mechanics need just as much intelligence, continuous learning, and problem solving skills as a software engineer, not to mention the uncomfortable contortions, bloody cuts, and nasty grease under fingernails after certain jobs. When I retire I plan to just fix my friends and family cars and possibly run a small word-of-mouth-only garage out of my driveway to keep having fun in my hobby. I hope that one day auto mechanics become another guaranteed $100k/year job (or $150k+/year + in a high cost-of-living big city) with great benefits that kids with above average IQs desperately want to break into.
Trade schools are recruiting by telling teenagers that they could make $100k+ in the automotive trade. They were telling us that back in the '90s. To this day I've never met a $100k+ mechanic. I really wanted to get into programming, and I had a talent for it, but there was no support structure for a high schooler to learn programming in Oklahoma. Thanks for watching!
Spot on commentary
Thanks for watching!
Good video. This is causing the downfall of America
I don't know that dealerships are causing the downfall, but the short term profit mentality is. Thanks for watching!
I grew up very poor so I had to wrench on my own vehicles didn't really have a choice. Now that I'm almost 40 and have a decent income. I tried having mechanics do the work and have had terrible experiences. Now I just fix it myself I don't need the headache. Even if I don't really have the time because I'm working I will squeeze it into my schedule. I typically work 6 to 7 days a week.
While growing up poor I thought it was a curse. turns out it was a major blessing. If you aren't handy today, and physically able to do the handy work. you are at a major disadvantage.
I wasn't poor, but I didn't have front pocket money. My friends and I were always wrenching to keep our rides running, dreaming of being able to afford a hot rod. That has certainly served us well. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching!
Good video Erik. Couple points - the dealership service model is dead. No person in their right mind is going to customer pay for service anymore. Anyone that understands anything about automotive maintenance knows to only use dealership service for warranty only - and even then thats a crapshoot and you better check their work (because we know OEMs are cutting warranty time to bare bones as well). But the bigger point is that to really be a good technician requires a person to be part electrical engineer, part mechanical engineer, and part craftsman. Anyone that talented and intelligent is not going to suffer back breaking work making $20/hr working for selfish idiots - they are going to go into business for themselves or find a shop that pays them what they're worth.
Good points. When I was a tech, about 80% of our work was warranty. I'm sure it's worse now. My Mustang never saw the dealership after the warranty expired. Thanks for watching!
What a system! I feel so bad for those technicians who work so hard…😢
@@MireilleMalcomnson Dealerships have no problem telling technicians "How about you go work for down-the-road-motors." i.e. find another job. They just didn't realize it's a two way street. Never be afraid to jump. Keep a three month emergency fund and you'll find yourself with more freedom of choice. Thanks for watching!
Stay positive good man. You're future will be bright. I'm younger than you but left the industry for nearly the same reasons. Constant blame on technicians with no support and low pay. Not to mention when the service writers begin playing favorites with what jobs get assigned to what techs they like. High School allllll over again....
In case the video wasn't clear, it's been a while since I left the auto business. I've been seeing more and more commentaries on what's wrong, and it's the same things I saw wrong twenty five years ago. I'm in civil service now, where I'm treated as a valued member of the team. Thanks for watching!
Well said!!!!!
Thanks for watching!
Great stuff.
Thanks for watching!
@12:10 Credentialism at its finest. 😂 It should matter whether or not someone is competent in what he does not how many certificates he has.
In the video I didn't state why that was important to me. After being hired at that defense industry leader, they lost the contract and the shady company that took over routinely hired unqualified people so they could pay them less. It was terrible. You say "credentialism", I say "qualified". While I could accept working for someone without a credential who could do the job well, it usually just doesn't work that way. I agree that competency matter most, but most people are trying to move upwards, and so they likely haven't done that job before. Study up on the Peter Principle. Credentials have a purpose. Thanks for watching!
There is no mechanic shortage.
Just a shortage of people not wanting to be under paid, and treated like crap.
Yup. Unfortunately, I think it will get worse before it gets better. As a starting tech in 1999 I was getting $13 a flag hour, which equates to $24.50 today, but starting techs are lucky to get $20/hr. At the same time the labor rate went from $75/hr to nearly $200/hr, far exceeding the $141/hr that would have been appropriate with inflation. I think Millenials and Gen-Z can tell when someone's whizzing on their backs and telling them it's raining. I have zero sympathy for dealerships. Thanks for watching!
Mom and pop dealer are great because most care about their employees, but corporate dealers you just a number, we had the foman die on the week end he had been their 25 years the ownets who were a tri state company didn't even show up for his funeral. I recommend not being a mechanic.
The first dealership I worked at was a local chain, and they were fairly up front and honest. They sold to another local chain that was shady, but very profitable. That chain then merged with a nationwide conglomerate. It quickly became a race to the bottom for pay and respect. The market has been consolidating, and there's no guarantee that a mom & pop shop will stay locally owned. It's pretty assured that they will sell out in the long run, because they can't compete. Thanks for watching!
Where did you work?
It was twenty-five years ago. I have no need to name names. Thanks for watching!