Why Mechanics Are QUITTING
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- Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
- Why Mechanics Are QUITTING
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This was back in the 80s. On Thanksgiving day my brother ( a locksmith) was called out for a keys in a car. We went out and my brother told the client if the vehicle could not be unlocked in one minute it would be free. My brother unlocked the vehicle in twenty seconds. The costumer than said he was not going to pay for such a easy job. At that moment my brother locked the door with the keys still in the car and we left....
Lol😅
Good move, teach him
💯 Got my respect
😂😂😂
Good for him . I would have done the same thing
just like everywhere else...it's not a labor shortage...it's a pay shortage
It’s both
Its a pay shortage, i left the industry after 20 year, became an electrician and nearly double my pay.... im telling my kids to work on cars for fun but look for a union job.
@@LuckyLopez777 It's really not. Why work for pennies when you can make dollars in a different field? You would think demand would drive up wages but NOPE...
Sounds like you are kind of in a catch 22
Demographics proves labor is in a shortage and the pay is very low for what is needed to be a mechanic.
I'm a good mechanic, and that's why I drive 1983 F250 6.9.
It gives me no troubles and when repair is required, it's easy and very affordable to fix.
I'm not a mechanic, and that's why I drive Toyota 2.5L A25A-FKS with P710 transmission.
It will outlive you and me both and no repairs are required. Drops the mic.....
8 50th@@danguelph2676Monday to❤
@@danguelph2676 found the toyota cultist. yawn.
I'm a good mechanic also, 2017 wrangler I maintain.
Only way I'll buy a new vehicle is well,....never.
I pay $125 flat rate to an independant mechanic. We have done business for years. When I was running 3 F350's with V-10 engines he kept me in business. I had them pull in his shop at 7PM and ready for the road at 7AM. If he was doing PM and found something, he fixed it. Cost was and is relative. The revenue I could generate in 10 hours paid for his services. I had those trucks in there every 5,000 miles for PM. I never looked at the time, just the cost, and wrote him a check when he gave me the bill. No credit card swipe fees. Sometimes, it was $12K. But he made me money.
A good mechanic is worth every dime.
Also, those V10's saved your business and made you $$$ since it was a good quality engine Ford put out except for the spitting spark plugs like my 2003 f250 super duty had.
@@j.l.salayao8055 And they would still run one piston down.
True
Dam that sucks that the tec put his life on hold for you. I bet he missed all his kids games because he was sleeping . But at least you made all that money.
@@blockhead3654I was not holding a gun to his head. People in this part of the world are not afraid of work. Puts a roof over their kids head and food in their belly. I don't know where you live but $125 hour for wrenching beats wrangling buggies at Wal☆Mart for $11.00
Most car dealers in South Florida charge around $300-$500 an hour to service customers but wont pay technicians more than $15-$20 an hour so they had enough
They're Boomer-owned. They all want to be a Penske or a Hendrick, at the expense of everyone else around them.
Which dealerships which brand
Gotta be Ferrari or lambo.
Nobody's charging no 500.00 an hour...stop the cap.
@@warrenlewis3977 really? Call a few LUXURY car dealers in Palm Beach county ..
@@jimlarkin7859 RR-Bentley, MB,BMW etc
Was a lead mechanic and state inspector, and in MD, inspectors are in high demand. Just got tired of busting my ass in shops that didn’t appreciate me, didn’t know how to build a ticket properly, or could treat their employees decently. $130k in personal tools and toolbox, walked away from it all.
Got a govt contract gig. Damn I wish I had done it sooner.
Youngbucks - if you’re smart enough to diagnose/wrench on a modern car, you’re smart enough to find a career that’ll pay better and not hammer your body to hell and back. Trust me.
To bad government isn't much better to work for unfortunately. Very clicky and often hard workers do all the work and the groupies get together do nothing expect give all their work to the hard workers. While giving themselves raises. Your only good if you dont care about what you do which is difficult if your not that kinda person. Good example forest service office in my home town had 50 employees less then 10 years ago and now has over a 100 yet nobody will actually leave the office and go out into the bush and do there job. And the odd ones that do get singled out and driven out of the workplace since they make everyone look like total idiots.
Best advice anyone could give to younger mechanics just starting. I'm certified diesel mechanic,gave up 20 years ago. Every employer Ive had used and abused me and underpaid. Worst career path I could have ever made!
Plus now with most careers, you can live anywhere you want and work from home.
@@Scottydoing, can’t comment as I’m a contractor (not .gov employee), but the gig I got - my only regret is not getting in sooner.
He forgets to add that automakers are not designing these cars for repairs anymore. They want 7 years and you junk it and get another. Sealed transmissions. Sealed engines. Spark plugs buried inside an engine. No accessibility in many areas.
So trying to repair these are much harder now than in the past.
You hit the nail on the head.
Yep exactly.
I’m new and been seeing this it sucks lol
Yes sir. Had to replace a oil filter housing on a 2019 Chevy Colorado. It was buried next to the frame...8 hrs. Labor....at 225$ 😅😅 new cars are tough to get to basic parts . Including the spark plugs!!!!!ouch
Just wait until all cars are electric
I had a good business as a mobile mechanic but got overwhelmed and started to look bad because I couldn't keep up. So found a shop for rent and it got even worse. People don't want to wait and they don't want to pay. Got in a big hole financially because of that. Mechanics don't want to work even the shade tree. Found a tech job for the Fed Gov. No 🐂💩 with people's cars and make more than before because clock in clock out and back to my life. They supplied the tools too. Not doing work for anyone anymore. Edit: I've been doing some work at home for a handful good clients that won't leave me alone 😁.
That’s the way to go. Left the dealership field for public transportation maintenance working on transit buses. Best decision I’ve made
Brother how you find these typa jobs?
@@AUXTREV usajobs.gov all/most Federal jobs get listed there.
Yes I need to do the same, what do I search up?
County or state jobs basically
My brother was a mechanic. I asked him why he always bought from snap on. He said, when you spent hour trying to get to one bolt. Snap on pulls up. And he's got a wrench designed for THAT bolt. You buy it.
I just spent more money buying specialty tools than I paid for the parts to make the repairs.
Wow lol
He ain't lying, snappy does have a LOT of specialty crap for those pain in the ass spots, it's a good business model really, take mechanic complaints, see the complaint in action, design a tool around the complaint, sell for outrageous price cause you're the only one making it.. like a special wrench that is for one specific car just so you can wedge it between everything to get one sensor or bolt out, may never see that make and model again, but hot damn, snappy just so happens to have it when he pulls up and he wants a premium for it.
When you buy a special tool that may only get used one time I always added it into the repair bill.
@@googleuser868 most managers won't, and force the tech to buy them, and give the BS "it's your repair job, it's your repair tool expense" zero compensation or empathy, and extremely common, another reason you have a labor shortage, techs get fed up with the "you must sacrifice your first born to the shop" mentality.
I've been told many times that being a mechanic/tech is a "noble" profession. It's noble because it requires tons of tools, knowledge, and physical endurance at times for a less than stellar reward. It's satisfying when it goes right, but job satisfaction doesn't pay the bills.
You can’t eat what you don’t pay taxes on.
Snap-on tools required for minimum wage pay and the shop service advisors suck. So you’re paying for tools, you’re doing sales, and at the end of the day some kid at McDonald’s took home more than you
@@quickdiy8127well when a kid at McDonald's brings home 1500 plus a week I'll quit doing what I'm doing
@@shogunofgrowing4839that’s what I make in a month
It sure feels that way, or the service writers bring home twice what you do and all they do is make phone calls and talk. It's almost a joke especially in the toxic environment of a new car dealership not to mention it is the only field where the more you know and better you are you make less money make when every car you touch has been to 2-3 different shops or has been past around the shop and no one can fix it so bythe time you get it you are fixing 3-4 other problems before you can diagnose the original concern and by this time no one wants to pay. The customer has already spent big money with no results, and the dealer has already paid 2-3 other techs in the shop and all they want is for the car to be fixed and fixed now. And don't even get me started on customers who don't want diag. there are way easier and more lucrative opportunitiesout there @quickdiy8127
I was using a mechanic, a fantastic guy with smarts and integrity, for over 9 years to maintain and repair the 4 vehicles that I own. Last month I stopped by his shop to drop off some cookies my wife had baked and he was busy packing up his stuff. He had sold his business. I asked him why and he said 2 reasons; one, his employees were costing him too much money and he was losing money on too many jobs that had to be repeated because of the work they did. Two, new parts that were no good and had to be replaced, for no additional charge. He told me that he felt at least 50% of the parts he got from Napa and other sources were bad and using your example of the $20 blend door actuator, if you take apart the dash and install a part that doesn't work which in some cases you may not know until you've put the car back together and now you have to take everything apart again, you don't get to charge the customer additional labor. Other than learning to do things for yourself, I'm not sure there's a good answer. Repairs are just too expensive.
I was doing parts management for caliber collision for 2 months and walked off the job lol. Hes right 50% return rate, i would spend half the day just hearing the techs complain the parts were damaged and the other half returning the parts and having to hunt down the refund from the dealerships and find replacements for them to be damaged too. Fuck that job i went to lunch one time and never came back.
Where are these crappy parts coming from??
I believe NAPA because they had/have a good warranty. Which of course doesn't matter when you have to pay your staff labor to remove/install/remove/install@@sincerelyrob4240
@@sincerelyrob4240 🇨🇳
100% parts quality just sucks now a days makes it really hard to be in business
Today's mechanic you have to be an electrician and a software engineer so you better pay more than $40 an hour
You've always had to deal with electrical.
@@wlonsdale1 not to the extent as nowadays
I had a shop sold it and went back to the military after 5 years . Too many people with $ 1500.00 cars needing $1000.00 in repairs and $ 100.00 in the bank . Just not worth it .
Same here. Shut mine down and went back to the corporate world. Still have it for sale.
Just watched your video I was a Tech from 1979 10 19 94. In 1994 I got into the building trades and never looked back. I used my experience in the automotive industry to make 3 times the Money The text that I see nowadays now a days are terrible. They have no experience, just parts changers. Unfortunately being a mechanic was it thankless job I worked in dealerships and mom and pop shops. I would rather work in mom and pop shops. They appreciate you dealerships, don't thank you.
Yup.. Most people just trade their car in when it starts to need expensive repairs for a new one , while poor people watch youtub videos to keep the old ones going..
@melvinmolly4151
Even 'poor' people will replace. My last car was a 2001 mustang. Regularly having to fix something. Me and my father can't do much with newer cars, and he's getting to old. So in 18, got a 19 accent. 6 years without constantly throwing parts at a car, 2x gas mileage.
Used only makes sense if the cost is below new. When driving an older car can reach repairs costing more on average than a new car price...
And if I hold the car for the full 10 year warranty, my yearly cost will be no more than used car cost.
@icecold9511
Tell me exactly how a 10 year old car costs more than a new $60k or $80k car to repair? I'll wait.
I agree with everything he says! Was a line tech for 27 yrs. (Porche, Audi, Volvo, VW) Now retired. When I started it was a good way to make income. NOT NOW!! The flat rate pay system will kill you. Manufactures refuse to pay you to fix their engineers mistakes. So you work for FREE. A LOT! Then spend at least 15 to 20k for your tools. And it will tear your body apart! I have arthritis in my back, hands, feet and hips. Had to have both knees replaced! If someone tells me he wants to be a mechanic, I tell him DON'T DO IT! you will regret it.
i totally agree with you .
The engineers mess up but just remember many of them are being rushed just as much as the mechanics. Many times mistakes will be known and they aren’t given any time at all to fix them
In construction trades, certain ones will mess your body up also n you will be in a lot of pain, like the cement workers, doing concrete work will destroy your back a lot
I took good care of my back doing construction, they tried to injure my back more but I wouldnt let them, I only got a little injury in my back that acts up once in awhile
I could of made a lot more money but I choose to take care of my body more, I see a lot of construction workers in a lot of pain on the job
I wouldn't work every year every week, I took time off n let my body rest n heal if it could
Many jobs n also sports will destroy your body a lot if you work to much each week n don't take time off at times
Young people take care of your body n especially your back cause if you live long enough when you get older you don't want to be in mass physical pain
Another reason many people are drug addicts,cause they are in a lot of physical pain, alcohol is a drug people
He is absolutely right about the blend door actuator. Mine was fine but the blend door itself snapped. It was $15.00, but just like he says it requires removing the dashboard and windshield for my car (2013 Camaro 2SS). The difference is i was quoted $1200.00. It is indeed a labor intensive job.
Instead, I found a "hack" online where you can cut a small piece of plastic out to the upper right of the gas pedal, slide the blend door out, and slide a new one in.
Took me 40 minutes and cost me maybe $50 bucks for the blend door and tools. I saved myself over a thousand dollars and if the blend door breaks again or i have to replace the actuator, I know exactly how to replace it. That of course was for MY make and model thats not the case for every vehicle.
I was a mechanic at a new car dealer. One thing I hated is telling the service manager what was going on with a warranty repair and being told only to fix part of it. Reason is if there are too many $$$ in warranty the dealership could lose self approval on warranty repairs. I always had an open bay policy with my customers. If they wanted to see what was wrong I welcomed them to spot check me. Warranty times became a joke, it was time to move on. I then got on with the state of California as a heavy equipment mechanic where I retired from.
Let me add one time I replaced an engine in a Galant. Car came back 2 weeks later and owner said I broke the lighted N on the gear indicater when I replaced the engine. Service Manager tells me I most likely broke it. I said it worked when it left and I didn’t replace the engine through the dash. BS I had to replace the build for free. I left a week later.
@@ko9446maybe you stressed the wiring when you were navigating the engine through the N of the shifter display. Happens to the best of us.
Smart move. You didn't have to work as fast and got a retirement after 20 years. Can't work on commission and do that. I should know, I was a mechanic for 23 years before I decided to do something else. lol
@@LynxStarAuto thank god I wasn’t the only one who stresses a light bulb lol
Experienced this right here a lot. Case in point, at Acura, customer comes in with a 2020 MDX 30k miles under bumper to bumper. Complaint; squeal from rear when applying parking brake. The actuator in the calipers go bad for the electric parking brake, no big deal. But both sides are making noise, not just one. So instead of repairing both, we fix one side, give it back to the customer, and make them come back for the other one lol. So backwards.
I'm a finished carpenter and it's the same thing. We were building skylight boxes and it was about $50 in materials and $900 in time per box. A lot of people don't understand that someone's time is oftentimes more expensive than materials by a wide margin
Was thinking about joining.
Same here
Meanwhile your tools are being made with forced labor in china.... a 1k sky box is why India and South America will dominate. Those people will make the same thing for 200......
I did it for 25 years, quit 18 years ago. I worked at new car dealerships on flat rate. You couldn't get a job anywhere that was not on flat rate. The warranty times got shorter and shorter, the repairs got more and more difficult. I got tired of working 42 hours a week and getting paid for 38 hours. When I left, I was making $17.50, and the dealership was charging $90 for my labor.
U mean the stealership
@PolymorphicBytes the fun thing is that author of this video pays 20-30$ per hour to his mechanics and charges $120-140 per hour to customers. He puts difference into his own pocket. Yet he made this video where he complains, and cries and licks his snots.
Flat rate encourages the tech to take short cuts. On the other hand we pay hourly and I find myself telling my guys to quit fkn off. Tough life.
They charge $175hr now.
@PolymorphicBytes No. The mechanics that sell the most get the raises. If you are willing to sell brake jobs, alignments, and other services that are not needed, you are the most valued employee. The guy with a stack of brake pads under his workbench with 50% lining remaining is the guy that gets the big raise. Seen it many times.
Ive been a GM dealer tech for 33 years and have been trying to get into something else for years. It sucks ass and you get treated like shit, unless they want something fixed. If I could do life all over again, I certainly would NOT have become an auto mechanic. I always tell young (and dumb) techs while youre young, get out and do something else. Its my duty as a decent human being to let them know how shitty this business is
Yep
Problem is this is bleeding into every industry. Opportunities are limited, small businesses and middle-lower class people are getting hosed and the basics are less and less affordable, and big corporations are meat grinders.
Me too. Computers repair, computer security. Or PDR auto body repair. Is a easier better career. Carpentry. Mechanics sux now.
Thank God I worked in a shop as a tire tech with auto techs and they hated there jobs fuck that thank God I got out before I even started not to mention what new bs comes out with all under warranty work fuck that
Let AI fix them.😂
Im not a mechanic, but I am a lube tech for a dealership. I dont do anywhere near the amount of work the mechanics do. However, having to work six days a week back to back to back cars with tire rotations, oil changes, and battery swaps, on top of having service writers up your ass about your time per car, its starting to get really stressful. Dealerships suck.
They jam as many cars on dealership techs as possible and pay them diddly squat.
No wonder they can't find anyone to work.
Dealerships are greedy, ruthless, and80% of them hove no integrity whatsoever. Theother 20% do over half the business. Wonder why that i?? In Vancouver, See Dueck on Marine. Factory MSRP sticker is on the car window. NOT the inflated and phony dealer sticker..Their sales people have been there for 5, 10, 20 and even 30 years. Same with their Tech's If you find one of those, bug them for 5 years to get in the door.
I started as a lube tech at a dealership, it doesn't get any better when you move up. You still deal with too many cars, service writers etc, except the stuff your doing isn't as cut and dry anymore which just adds to the stress.
Yo I’m experience the same thing I work at a lube tech and get annoyed how they want you to be quick with everything while trying to Learn.
I quit the job shortly after making that post. I deliver pizzas now and make the same money. Some days, I make even more than I did at the dealership. Fuck that place.
I'm a tech at a dealer for 20 yrs now. To all the young people wanting to get in, DONT do it. Until the pay model is changed and flat rate is abolished, it's nothing more of scam. The shortage is a creation in its on making by dealers, manufactures and some shop owners
I got out of the industry several years ago and got a great paying job in mechanical maintenance at a packaging plant. If you enjoy turning wrenches, you'll make a better living in just about every other trade besides auto repair. With every new generation of vehicles, there are fewer and fewer things you can service, which means less and less money. The writing is on the wall. It doesn't surprise me that good mechanics are hard to find.
And even less with EV cars/trucks.
That’s great you landed in a better place…
@@abel4776 Half the cost? Not if they follow Apple's lead. They will price the repair beyond the price of a new vehicle.
@@jamesschneider3329 And the new year models won't be compatible with the existing batteries.
@@HiPlains1 I purposely left working on gas cars and went to an EV company (not Tesla). I am hourly, not flat rate. Fully paid healthcare, stock options, made six figs last year, and I don’t come home greasy and bloody anymore. Best move I ever made. It was either do this or leave the industry completely.
Mechanics are quitting because their customers can’t PAY their bills!
Facts!
Dealerships and manufacturers screwed over mechanics a long time ago.
Spot on !
Everybody is getting fu©ked from every direction right now. But if you follow where it came from, 3verybody would realize that it's the bankers that shafted EVERYBODY, even themselves.
@@LuckyLopez777Don't condone that nonsense. These people are quitting because they can't keep up with the technology. I drive a 40 year old car daily and it's difficult to find guys who understand "timing", "vacuum", etc. Thirdly you can't trust a mechanic for shit!! They are HISTORICALLY untrustworthy. Stop playing dumb.
As a mechanic who's been in this for 3 years, I went to college for a diesel mechanic. Graduated, and wanted to work at the shop where I have my internship. They declined me because of my lack of "efficiency and experience." Like, I am fresh out of college and I really don't have much experience.
In my area, they are always looking for diesel mechanics, but they want the experienced mechanic. Not someone who is fresh out of college. This discouraged me from wanting to working in the shop. I am still frustrated since (May, 2023).
So, I just do some side mechanic work and just work at a manufacturing job. It's tiring but I love it.
Keep looking, there are shops that need mechanic helpers. I did it a year ago, I got no experience, I'm middle-aged, I am an immigrant, I came from working in manufacturing. I work in manufacturing for 2 years but I want to learn another skill because working on production lines just bores me. Sure the pay was a little less than but I'm learning new skills and I'm building up my resume. Next year, if they don't give me a raise, I'm moving to work for others. Right now, I'm doing safety for trailers, I work from 7am to 4pm. Hard job but hey we need to start somewhere. So just don't give up, keep looking, someone, somewhere will take chances on you and build yourself from there.
I've been a dealership mechanic, and I've been a equipment mechanic in the military. I wouldn't recommend anyone become an auto mechanic. It's not "getting better" yet. Just a week ago I saw a dealership with a sign out front advertising "Now Hiring Technicians". My first thought was "No, you aren't, you're HOPING for technicians." The military always treated me better and paid me better than the auto dealer did.
The pay outright sucks for the work required. Don't ever discount the extra wear and tear that being a mechanic does to your body. If you make it to 62 years old and can still turn wrenches, you'll be one-in-a-million. Make them pay you as if you're going to retire early. If you're smart you'll get out and find a less stressful job by age 40.
The most scummy salesmen are treated like rockstars while technicians are treated as second-class employees. Never sell your ethics away, and never tolerate an employer who favors someone who does.
The automakers are making cars more complicated, but withholding necessary data from technicians. We saw this back in the OBD-I days where we had to interpret winky lights because there was "no way to pull data stream". Now there are tools to pull the data stream from those old cars - the factory engineers were lying to us, even as dealer technicians. God help you if you aren't a dealer tech, or are working cross-brand.
Warranty pay is a cruel joke.
It doesn't help that there are a lot of bad actors on the technician side. I recently had a shop quote me $2000 to replace the water pump and radiator on an '09 Chrysler 300 - about a four hour job and about $250 in parts. No, thank you, I towed it 200 miles to do it myself and still saved money.
Mechanics don't break stuff to make money, they break stuff to make easy money. I saw it as a tech myself. I had a customer quoted nearly $1000 for brake repair. The technician had bent the backing plate to rub on the rotor. I fixed it for free, educated the customer, and stole the customer away with good behavior.
Yes, customers can be whiny complainers. If they whine you can politely tell them to walk. Call their bluff. They'll be back, and if they aren't, they were going to be high-maintenance and not worth your time.
Spot on about inexpensive tools! I have a handful of expensive tools for specific purposes, but I also buy mostly cheap tools. I never owed the Snap-On man.
Used to be a dealer tech a decade ago and left the crummy industry. You are spot on with everyting!
“Winky lights”…..love it! I have a ‘91 Mustang and that is exactly what I had to figure out…..lol. Great post!
100% right on the money. I quit working on cars 2 years ago. Held out until I was 50 and that was about 10 years too long. It sucks everything out of you physically and mentally and the reward just isn't there.
That's why I tell everyone I meet who likes wrenching to do it for a hobby (saving many tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime like it has for me) and join the Air Force for a CAREER. Following your passion off a cliff is questionable but once you vest a government retirement you can afford to explore other jobs (and if you played it wisely won't need to). Show me a line mechanic job that lets you retire at 47 (I enlisted late in my twenties) while your peers have to wreck their bodies and deal with horrible retail customers in the auto mechanic world.
There are too many people who work cheap and undercut everyone else which has always depressed compensation. I've spun wrenches on industrial machinery, cars, trucks and more but never considered a career outside military aviation. If you work until 65 then you only have a few unhealthy years left before your dirt nap. Choose wisely!
Ever thing you say is true
I own a 2 bay cinder block building next to my house and charge $105/hr. My wife does the books and estimates and I do the work. We are as busy as we want to be and I can pick and choose what I am willing to deal with as far as customers and jobs. We don't advertise at all strictly word of mouth and to be honest I'm picky about who I do work for. I mostly take care of locals in the community. You have to charge what it's worth. Not rip people off but don't rip yourself off. Build trust with your customer base and you will have them for life. I've worked at dealerships and independents and yes they will run you ragged. There's plenty of work out there to go around.
Thank you. You are an honest hard working Mech who is a professional. Guys like you are HARD to find
Are you a legal repair shop?
@@garagekeys are you a legal US citizen?
@@VWLIKEWHOA I am going to take that as a No and that you are not a registered shop with the dept of motor vehicles. That explains it
@VWLIKEWHOA how can you be an illegal US citizen, that doesn't even make sense
I worked a salvage yard where a customer needed a mode door motor out of the dash. He wanted to see how to take it out. It was an older model and part was unavailable. So i smashed part of the dash out took out the 3 7mm bolts and handed it to him. He had agreed prior to 50.00. After that he refused to pay saying it wasnt worth that because i didnt put much effort in it. He said it basically wasnt worth anything. I threw in the furnace on the way out to the office (i live in the north east where it's very cold) i said well it's worth something... heat. Then went about filling my next order. I hate walk in customers so much. 😂
I work at a European repair shop in California and our policy is to be compensated for all Diagnostics. If it takes 5 hours they pay 5 hours. I've been doing this for 40 years and I really think too many places are just afraid to charge. Sure some people say I'm not paying that... those aren't our customers. But there are plenty that'll pay. Book time is the biggest problem with the industry.
The book time has not way of being accurate for the most common problem, connectors and cables. The number of pin connections is to large and the bus is not protected from the other modules. The $2500 tail light controller repair on the F150 is the prime example. The module needs 3 inputs and 7 outputs to LEDs. There are something like 7 inputs and 35 outputs on the F150 tail light controller, the cable for the rear body is cheap at $200 but takes 2 hours to remove and replace. If it stops the automobiles bus the truck is a brick at the side of the road.
Tweakers pretty much disassemble the entire car and then diagnose the problem.I imagine there’s a ton of them in Vegas. A lot come from chop shops and are trying to work “honestly”. Pretty damn funny watching them work though.
Yes
How do you like that misfire code ?
Kudos. Own a indy shop in northern california $225 per hour. The whole industry needs to charge more.
One of the main reasons for techs leaving is warranty cutting time like crazy, recently has been worse. I moved to a fleet shop that pays hourly and good benefits, and at that fleet shop, we are getting a crazy amount of technicians applying, and most of them are dealer techs. Dealers are losing way too many techs due to underpaid warranty jobs.
Is it because the car makers being cheap to the dealerships ?
@@MontyGumby Pretty much. When a warranty order is issued, the shop time that the manufacturer claims is necessary is usually significantly understated. And, the manufacturers don't pay the same labor rate as you or I would pay - they pay maybe half, at best, of what a walkin customer would pay.
That's why I retired at 62.
Exactly, dealers also stopped diag time ,starts tossing parts instead I'm firm believer in diagnosis,no guessing....No more sick feeling in tummy guessing if fixed
I wanted be best at what I did,good reputation..Want it right the first time.I live by the three C's 1.complaint..2.cause..3.then the Correction..... Most so-called techs only correct,missing the cause n repeated repairs customer pays for🤨
Respect the knowledge!! People who work with their hands are not idiots! Everyone should respect the training and knowledge of mechanics
35 years in collision repair, and I thank you for such a good video. The trade has been a blessing to me, and that mixed with construction, and I was able to retire at 50. The only problem is I enjoy the field and the problem solving, so I keep going back. The worst part of the trade is bad employers/ managers. Finding a good boss ( even if they don't pay as much) is like gold.
I'm 68 and wrenched all my life. This guy is giving good advice and i suggest listening to him. Especially about tools. No way in hell i would buy snap on, mac or cornwell unless it is a specialty tool that i can't get anywhere else. They are overpriced and always complain if you need something warrantied.
I was a technician off and on for the last 40. I started back in the 80s when electronic fuel injection was new. I did not go to tech school, I learned from doing. And now I have experience in working on just about everything on the road. I had all snap-on and matco tools and boxes.
Cars became more and more complicated and the paid was not worth it. Now I am a mechanical engineer, with all harbor freight tools . I still do side jobs for friends and family, but I will never work in a shop again. Everything you said in the video is 100% accurate.
I left the dealer at 19 years old in 2008 I started as a helper at 16 from HS . I listened to the older guys who were awesome and didn’t make much at all and they gave me great advice . I got into low voltage controls and did very well before becoming a operating engineer. I’m 35 and do very well and have to since I’m a father now . Always do what’s best for you and your family . Of the 30 techs that’s worked at the Benz dealer I worked at if they are still in the industry they are in fleet work much less stress and good benefits . Things seem to have gotten better since I left . For one you don’t need to go crazy with tools anymore there are good quality cheaper tools . Community colleges with manufacturer training for cheap . There are some options compared to years ago .
It is hard enough to learn how to diagnose constantly changing technology. But when you top it off with customers mentality, the terrible toll on your body, the nightmare of getting quality parts in a crumbling supply chain, and being paid less than a kid working at a pizza place, a career change to wrestling alligators in a pit of razor wire can be appealing.
Yup
@@mizzouxc3824 I was self employed, so the boss was making $30.00/hr. The customers was spare no expense when it came to buy the gizmo filled glorified golf carts, but when I charged $80.00 for a brake job, they acted like I was stealing money from the widows and orphan fund.
nailed it
Im 14yrs auto tech & you said it perfectly. Cars are more complex now & the pay doesn't match. I shifted to Raodside Assistance, every job is quick simple easy & no bs. The extra knowledge i use on my own cars & jus educate customers with what they may have problems with.
20 years in automotive vs 20 years working for Costco.
I worked in the automotive industry for 24 years to be specific collision repair and while I made good money it was without any real benefits like great health insurance, sick pay or vacation pay as you only earned the hours you flagged, I never blamed the collision repair shops as it was the insurance companies that really controlled what was being paid. I finally got worn out and tired of not being compensated so I took a job with a cut in pay but provided all the benefits I was not being paid for, fast forward 20 years and I have over $1,000,000 in my 401 and make $74 k per year not including benefits with 5 weeks of paid leave plus 80 hours of personal / sick pay per year and a company that matches my 401 at 8%.
I have been a tech for 14years and i have to say i picked the wrong field. Long hours, low pay, and the toll it takes on your body. I took a management job in the shop. And yes i will be buying cars and fixing and flipping them soon. Working for yourself is the only real way to make money. My son likes cars but i have told him he wont be getting into the field.
I'm so happy to see this happening. Dealerships are so damn shady, and they are trying to pump the money to the front of the store instead of fairly distributing it to the mechanics.
They're no shadier than any other business. I'll bet you didn't know that most dealers break even, at best, on new car sales. Their profit is in used cars and service.
I went to school so I could be my own mechanic. It’s been a blessing.
thats what id like to do pretty much for that only ..as a hobby
I graduated Auto Mechanic School in 1983 and realized, even back then it would not be a job where I'd be properly compensated or appreciated.
Ended up becoming a helicopter pilot in Manhattan for thirty-five years.
Best decision I could have made.
I keep my cars and trucks going to this day without difficulty even if it involves replacing engines or transmissions.
"Properly compensated"... what do you think a decent enough mechanic should make??
@@warrenlewis3977
$80,000+
you are much smarter than I
@@warrenlewis3977 Well I think they should make at least as much as the average plumber in the same zipcode. Because cars are 100 times more complex to work on than a toilet, and we have to own far more expensive tooling.
@@TheDeezelsmoke Tools are the cost of doing business. Tired of hearing you dudes whining about "tools". I guy who replaces a starter or a alternator shouldn't make as much as a plumber. Engine rebuilders, transmission rebuilders, dudes that are hard to find and replace should make about 35-45 an hour. A guy replacing brake pads should not.
Our shop/lot/wrecker service is aware of the people issue too....5 years ago my daughter told me she wants to be a tech. I wanted to guide her and told her just because she grew up with shops, wreckers and race cars she doesn't need to do this to make me happy. She laughed and said no way she is going automotive and dealing with customers, she was going into aviation! Fast forward to now and she is an A/P and working on jets!!! Plus she's a new mom doing it all on her own because fiance split before baby came.
Perfect choice hopefully with big airline for pensions and insurance…! 👏
What is A/P and how is the industry in that field?
@@TheSeaOfAsher Airframe and powerplant for aircraft. If you're smart, a great mechanic and can pay attention to details on all your paperwork it might be a career for you too!
I am a current A.S.E. certified Tech in my early 60's, I retired at 60 but actually stopped wrenching at 30 due to a serious on the job injury, and went into auto service management and service contract administration. IMHO just about all aspects of auto repair / service / and extended service contract administration basically suck. Back in the 70's, 80's, 90's the cars were easier to diagnose service and repair and (adjusted for inflation) the pay & benefits were much better. I don't recommend anyone become an auto tech, unless you plan to go into business for yourself which could actually be "worth it". I often regret not opening my own shop, could have made a lot of money especially when cars were much simpler and easier to service than today
I am not trying to be a jerk. But you haven't been a mechanic for 30+ years. You maintained a certification for credibility in your career past being a tech.
You do understand that the ASE has to be renewed every so often right
@@mph5896 He literally said he'd quit at 30 yrs old due to injury, not sure why you had to jump on his sht for that.
I got out of it because the pay just isn't there. You have to buy your own tools (which is fine, cuz they're yours), you gotta learn at school, entry level jobs don't pay well, there's no guaranteed pay, you can't show up to work without the promise of being paid (unless I get to leave and go home.) If I'm staying all day I'm getting paid. Everyone thinks that you're there to steal their money. The pay just isn't high enough. Repair times on some of these jobs are just a joke, especially warranty work. The newer stuff just isn't as reliable, way harder to fix also. I make way more money doing what I'm doing now. I use the skills I've learned to save thousands in repair bills. Plus I can make more money on the side when I'm not at work, where I get to keep all the money. Not a shop, with some guy that in some cases doesn't even want to pay you.
Master tech that specialized in hybrid vehicles. 10 years of real world experience no education all learned on the job fixing everything. I'm 33 years old and in my prime, but 3 months ago i relocated to Phoenix AZ and retired. Now I'm a service advisor at a powersports dealer until I can line up the funds/paperwork to start flipping cars myself. I'd love to pay to learn from you, Lucky.
What made me decide to leave was the nonsense on getting paid. Having to meticulously track your hours, walk up to the office and provide proof as to why you were shorted on this job (it shouldnt be my job to get paid correctly). Having to spend 2 hours replicating, then diagnosing (PROPERLY) an intermittent hybrid warning light due to a frayed battery-to-invertor main cable and not get paid a dime because the brand (well known japanese brand) "doesn't pay for warranty diagnosis" and no shop has ever, ever, had the balls to step up and pay a tech when a brand won't. No one wants to step up and do what's right? Well, then my box has wheels for a reason.
If someone in the east valley (or western US) hit me up offering to properly compensate me, i'd prob go back to it. but im too entrepreneurial and i cant look past the 10 hours working for 7 hours flagged loss of my valuable time. until then, my power probe and impact gun sitting inside my matco 4S w/ hutch will just be big chillin in my storage unit. I've had enough of the failures in compensation.
Flip tip dealer style:
I worked for one who never technically "financed" but charged X price then took payments. That completely gets around finanicial regs because you are simply NOT financing (lending money at interest). If you set up a small dealership but with ample storage for auction buys and organ donors that does not come under "salvage" permitting rules because you never sell parts to the public (and I do mean never because Uncle Sugar loves taxes). Then after you've stripped out your donor vehicles and have the usual 100 car minimum you call in a portable crusher to get paid for the scrap at the time of your choosing. Call the cat buyer first because they pay cash off the books and do all the removals. Never store cats where outsiders know their location.
The shop did their own repos but they didn't have to do many because the owner told buyers he knew life happens so if they returned a car they could not pay off he wouldn't dun them for the rest of the debt but would sell them another ride when they got on their feet. He had GENERATIONS of customers from the same families.
Yes! Harbor Freight Icon series tools are great! Been getting this line for young local guys who are learning. Always pay cash for your tools, or pay off your card at the end of the month.
I have a rusty 2002 Sonoma 4WD that I’ve been working on since late 2023. I’ve replaced valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, oil return lines, and am now rebuilding the entire front end suspension including upper and lower control arms. All I’m using are Harbor Freight tools along with 2 Icon torque wrenches. I do have a Milwaukee impact wrench. Most of my kit comes from the Pittsburgh 225 piece set. I beat the living crap out of these sockets as everything is solid rust. Nothing has failed yet other than my body from wrenching on the ground 😂👍
Our family auto shop has been around since 1969 when my dad & his brother went into business..i got into the shop at age 18 in 1978 I finally got out in 2013 at age 53 due to cars becoming too complicated & too many expensive specalty tools to purchase..P.S. our shop is still alive & well
My two brothers and my son run an automatic transmission rebuilding shop since 1977 ,my son over 20 years ,the local college sends teachers to us to learn how to teach automatic transmissions
You're right about the tools. As long as you don't abuse them, any decent set will serve you well.
My husband just quit his dealership after 18 months. They had a school they ran that was free and they paid him while he was there, worked the lube line until he graduated with 4000 dollars worth of tools they bought then sent him to some more outside classes and moved him to a mainline tech. It was the customers and a crappy service writer that made him leave but for the better. He’s now working for a county and uplifting police cruisers. They pay is slightly less but the benefits outweigh it all. When his dealership found he was leaving they offered him a raise he told them it’s not about the money but my home life. Great video
Sounds like a two income house
My cousin was an over the road truck driver. His wife convinced him to take a local job so he could be at home at night.
Locally the auto repair shops are charging around $135 an hour. No idea what they actually pay their mechanics. But I've had problems with (for example) wheel lugs not properly tightened after a tire change and the wheel flew off about two miles down the road as I doing about 70 (I managed to control the car with minimal damage to it); and a simple oil change where the plug wasn't tightened and blew/fell out ten minutes later as I was driving leaving a trail of oil that the car following me noticed and motioned me over. I change my own tires and my own oil these days.
You got a lube tech and they got paid $15 to $18 an hour.
@@davekohler5957 Whatever it was, it was too much. But I never thought either of these guys were actually mechanics.
I call 🧢 u ignoring the fact that alot of mechanics now a days arent honest. They lie and do half ass jobs. I tell everyone buy your own tools and learn to work on your own car. The info is out there
Shops rush there workers to hurry up get it out the door to get next one in and out 😂
I flipped cars for years using nothing but craftsman and pittsburgh tools never had an issue both have lifetime warranty.
Actually, nowadays the medical industry and doctors are starting to get a pretty bad reputation in the United States due to the lack of preventative medicine, absorbitent medical costs and also because of the stuff that happened in 2020.
yep and because med schools resist any serious training in 'nutrition'...when what we EAT is 90% of what ails us. They want to push pills and surgery...and not PREVENT the disease in the first place. They say patients won't listen to diet advice, so why waste time informing them? Lousy and unconvincing excuse.
I've been in the auto repair industry for 30 yrs. Shop owners are the problem , not customers. I Now work for Hi tech company and much happier.
Stuff, jesus that had Nothing to do with medicine, that was the worlds biggest SCAMM IN HISTORY & transfer of wealth too I will add not to mention what the POISON INJECTION did to so many, it's no wonder no one with a brain doesn't Trust them anymore.
The medical industry, the car market, the housing market, the entertainment and news media companies, the food companies selling poison. Whats good about the US anymore? Oh we can have guns? Wow. So that way we can possibly have a bloodbath of a civil war in case the government wants to take them away? Just so we can maintain what shitty lives we have on this fucked piece of soil? Awesome, love you America.
Doctors can't be trusted. A lot just want to make $ off medication and their troubleshooting is terrible. They barely ask a patient questions. I went to the hospital and was told I would die if I didn't get an ultrasound...dumb shi*
Every Mechanic I know developed serious back problems. One chose to go into service adviser role, and took his experience and credentials to get a Manager role at a Hospital Ambulance Garage that was solely for a ambulance company that did Insurance calls. From there, he got a job as a Director of Fleet Maintenance for a National Rental company. Now he works for a Department of Public Works as a director of their fleet maintenance. All the others who were Mechanics/Techs quit after 20 or so years in the business. They just could not take the abuse, low pay, and back pain any longer. All those gys were Muscle Car or Sports Car enthusiasts, and they generally exited the racing scene too...right around 2019/2020 they all quit. All of them dropped out around age 38 to 42.
When I do repair jobs on my cars, I always say how the heck do mechanics deal with the ohysical part of this and especially their back. I am constantly leaning over or getting up and down. Its a very physical demanding job.
Humans are made for pursuit hunting not heavy lifting. Nearly everyone WILL have a bad back eventually no matter what their job but I make a game of building ways to lift and move basically anything from shipping containers (my home shop incorporates five 40' High Cubes) on down. The smart play is move upward and don't BE a 20-year mechanic. By then you should have moved up and or laterally.
Good day, I am good Auto Mechanic and would love to come and join your team, or get a job as an Automobile mechanic over there. I currently residing in Nigeria but am willing to relocate
I'm a retired journeyman machinist, I went to a two year vocational school, then a four year apprenticeship, six years total to earn my journeyman-ship. The machine trades are just as bad if not worse than mechanics, you put in time and money into your career to make a little bit more than the pizza guy. I married a school teacher, my cousin once asked me if it bothered me that she had a college degree. I explained to him that I had more time invested in my training than she did and that I felt that my training was equivalent to a four year bachelor's degree. I feel that high tech professions that take years to learn should be degree programs. Today in our complicated world technicians need to know most of the same things that engineers know one of the main differences is that the technician isn't in a clean air conditioned office.
Why i could never be a mechanic was because i was to slow with many of the jobs . It would pay 3 it would take me 5 . I only fix my own stuff now and saves a bunch of money and i can go at my own pace . I give much respect to the fast mechanics that do a good job.
I once watched a documentary on how to be an Army Tank mechanic. The final exam involved the teacher reaching into the middle of the engine block and taking apart one little electrical connection. "Let's see exactly how long it takes someone to find that little non--connection. " the teacher muttered under his breath as he invited the student in
I love doing this.
Reminded of a story from back in the 60's where some reporters were testing auto mechanics across the country... they'd pull one of the wires loose from the the distributor cap, come in complaining that the car ran rough (of course) and see what happened. They had everything from one minute "I plugged it in" to people literally pulling the connector off the wire so they could charge more to replace it, to gas additives out the wazoo....
@@MephiticMiasma They used to do that in the '70s, and the '80s, and the '90s. Don't know if they still do that. The whole point was: anyone who even charged a basic diagnostic fee was a rip-off, and anyone who took a quick look, plugged the high tension wire back in and didn't charge for it was a good mechanic.
Never mind that the mechanic, and by extension, the shop, didn't make any money on the job.
@@tetedur377 That mindset is exactly what this video was about.
@@tetedur377 back then mechanics and auto shops had integrity. We now became a greedy con artist society.
The issue is shops. Shops wanna charge 180 an hour and pay 20$ an hour to the tech. Who then has to buy their own tools…
Interesting points but we both know that there are plenty of crooks in the automotive industry. The reputation is earned. Not only that but many auto repair bills are $1k+ per incident (especially with newer vehicles) and most people don't have thousands of dollars stashed away for auto repairs. This is why I learned to work on my own vehicle. I maintain my vehicles and keep them 10-15 years. It has served me very well.
many mechanics are rip-off artist and many just are any good. Customers treat them badly because mechanics treat customers
badly
When techs and writers upsell parts and services that aren't need. That destroys the relationship. Everyone is greedy in automotive because it's all commission based. The owners of dealerships make out like bandits ripping off both customers and employees. The majority of millionaires in the US are dealership owners.........
great video,I started my career in 1977 when we used to solder diodes in alternators,starting wage was 2.10 an hour as a helper,eventually went to rebuilding automatic transmissions on my own on a shoestring budget.Im 61 now and supposed to be retired lol,people still after me to build transmissions,it was a great run but kinda scary now with parts being made offshore and almost double parts cost from 5 yrs ago
The number of times I fixed vehicles that were repaired by so called techies or mechanics is to high to count. Having been in the business for a good bit of 20 years it hurts me to admit this fact. Yet you are correct, there are many good men in the field.
The video was well done with very accurate facts Sir. I do not believe this trend will get any better sorry to say. Good day too. Peace v
The pay is a big issue and unfortunately some shops have favoritism that allows certain techs to get away with murder basically. I actually miss working at dealer, because of the training and resources that were available but the pay was horrible. I hated watching new techs that had their dreams crushed by managers that didn’t care about them as people.
I now work for a diagnostic firm that services mechanical and body shops for electrical repairs and Adas calibrations.
My uncle was a mechanic for 40+ years for various major dealerships, mainly GM. He retired early and said the worst thing about being a mechanic was the pressure to up-sell the customer by the shop managers. He still gets calls every week to come back and teach new techs.
Our ford dealership in Northern California is in a small town. Our seasoned techs all make over 100k per year.
We can’t hire them so we find them at UTI or a tire shop etc. then we have them stert all the over 200 online courses before we send them off to the 2-5 day classes.
It works for us
The days of paying $15-$20 an hour went out with the 20th century
Loved this video! I retired from a dealership. Spent 99.9 % in the GM shops and I can tell the guys just getting into it this field is dealerships suck for many reasons. First 60 -80% of the work is warranty. Times paid on warranty is dictated by people you don't even work for. The dealer principle is who you work for not GM but the dealer doesn't want to pay you the industry standard times because he has an out with warranty rates. A warranty repair pays up to 80% less than a customer pay repair! You are correct in saying work in a shop who services all brands, you're more valuable to any employer! keep in mind that they need you and you do not need them. If any shop doesn't want to pay what you ask, being reasonable, just move on! You can get a job anywhere or start your own business. Here is why you need to get paid, Tools, regardless of what brand of tools, you'll need tens of thousands $ in tools as you go along and yes Snap on has nice tools but lets face it Snap on rips you off like most of those companies. Never sell yourself short, if you are in other trades you basically learn one specific thing and a pouch of tools gets you by. As a technician you know hydraulics, pneumatics, thermodynamics, communication systems, high speed/low speed data systems, computers, fuels systems, air conditions systems, cooling systems and the most important ,I think, is electrical diagnosis. You are worth the money, you don't need to turn a wrench, you know shit and know how to fix it and you can work anywhere. The last thing I would say is have some fucking integrity! I've see techs get wealthy by ripping people off as the dealership allows it because they get rich. If you have integrity ,even when the bottom drops out in the repair business, you'll always have work.
You are the best Mr. Lucky. I just want to thank you for your honesty and straight forward information. 💫
Thanks for watching 😁👍
I'm a recently retired fleet services mechanic for a large municipal fleet department. 37 years on the same job. I worked on everything. Cars, pickup trucks, heavy trucks, diesel trucks, heavy equipment, graders, backhoes, tractors, street sweepers, and once in a while, small stuff like lawn mowers, weed eaters, chain saws, etc., though that stuff usually wound up on a pile out back and never got worked on. I did not go to school. I joined the Marine Corps at 18, did 4 years, then was hired by the city I lived in, basically as a shop rat. Cleaning, parts getter, and assisting mechanics when they needed help, etc. I already had mechanical experience, I rebuilt my first car engine at age 14. I worked on my dad's car, I worked on farm equipment (I grew up on a farm) and I was mechanically inclined. Back then, in 1981, cars were still pretty much cars, so I understood them. I got into doing routine maintenance, brake jobs, and progressed from there. After about 10 years I had gone as far as I could go without becoming a supervisor, which was not for me. So I stayed where I was at. As time went by, the job got harder and harder. Front wheel drive, EFI, OBDII, cars became a nightmare to work on. It was no longer mostly mechanical, it was like working on computers, which is actually what it was. A couple years ago, I'd had enough, and retired at 62. Modern cars (or more accurately, computers on wheels) were driving me right over the edge. I had to get away from it. My hobby is vintage (1960s and 1970s) American cars. I'm a hot rodder and amateur drag racer. I can now work on the things I love. Things I can relate to. I have my sanity back.
If you are a car guy, I recommend staying far away from working on cars as a career. It will ruin your life. Trash technology on newer cars has passed the point of absurdity. Find a job that has nothing to do with cars, and keep cars strictly as a hobby. Not only will "modern" cars drive you crazy, but you will make very low pay, and you will not be appreciated. Since I was working for a large city government, I was making a lot more than what you would make in the private sector, and the benefits were unreal. To me it still wasn't worth it for the last several years I worked there.
You are 100% correct on the tools! some tools you have to pay top dollar but must hand tools you don't!
I was a mechanic from 1982-89 hardest workers in any of the trades. I got out because I didn’t have a love for the trade. After taking a a whole front end off to replace a water pump only to find the new pump was defective I knew it wasn’t for me. God bless you mechanics out there.
Hard work often doesnt pay well. Makes no sense and im done with the system. If its not going to serve me it can dissolve for all i care
Wow you hit the nail right on the head I've been doing this at my own shop for over 50 years when I need to have five or six really good guys working for me someone was with me 1415 years and we were really doing good work and making good money and then all the sudden everything started changing everything got complicated more complicated more school more school buying more stuff more expensive tools gave up on snap-on and Mac I buy icon from harbor freight and it's great tools it works and they're they're very tough and they look good too but now I have the last 3 years and I'm in my mid-70s and I can't find anybody I've had so many guys work for me and they just can't I can't get it done the way I want it done quality control now I'm thinking about pulling the plug and getting out of it but I have enjoyed the business mostly for 50 years but it has gotten really complicated in the last four or five years
Most mechanics doesnt realize it's more of a hobbie than a career. Im glad i did. It's a never-ending headache, backbreaking, tedious job. And you still have to go to classes to update on new types of cars.
Congratulations! Thanks to the incorporation of electronics into automobiles and so many other things you're beginning to realize what I realized during my first career as an electronics technician (1977-1988 & again in 1997). Although I was good at my job, I was ALWAYS underpaid, disrespected, and sometimes even cursed by a general manager at one particular company. The man was a World War 2 vet 60 years old and had no idea of the complexity of newer electronics and what equipment was necessary to test and troubleshoot them. Still I was a fast and profitable employee on nearly every project I worked on.
Because of being underpaid, I did all my own mechanic work except for alignment and tire work. The rate dealers charged for mechanic work in those days was always 5 - 8 times my pay rate. Plus I built my first house with my own hands from the foundation to the roof.
Altough I could out-troubleshoot other technicians who were college graduates or students, and even some engineers, on my last job in electronics, they only paid me $9.76 per hour (in 1997). So when MBUSI offered me 40% more to build the M-Class, I bailed out from the electronics field.
So, I say to mechanics everywhere, "Welcome to my world! Quit whining, or just quit!" 😂😂
My local Nissan dealership has screwed me over a few times. Their service staff was fired for purposely missing service maintenance, so bills would be higher, which led to higher reapair bills later on. They told me I needed a new window switch assembly after I changed my battery, and the window would only go down and not up.
$1200.00 just for the part!. Turns out that after the battery has been replaced, the ecu needs to go through the relearning process, which they claimed they did. I downloaded their actual service repair manual and referenced the page right out of their own book. Corporate got involved and gave me back my hour of labor on credit😂. So after I drove it home from the dealership, the relearning process was completed, and the window works fine. After telling them this, they then said "ohh uhh it's going to break in 6 months, and you still need the part." It's been a year, and the window is great. Many mechanics are scammers.
Same for carpentry or trades in general. HVAC guys have it the worst…. For mechanics, it’s not just wrenches to fix a problem. It’s a $10k computer you have to update for a fee to keep up to date.
Great stuff. I always tell my mechanic friends how smart they are, the problem solving skills they need and the broad knowledge they need to keep up.
Your spot on! Its so sad tho.
I remembered when i started as a mechanic , i went automotive schooling. And i walked into a Chevrolet dealership and 3 mechanics walked up to me and said. Kid Your young, auto mechanics doesn't pay. I thought there full of it. I found out they were right. I did become a Master Mechanic. But the pay just wasn't there. This back in the
90s
As a mechanic, it is disgusting how complex and cluttered new vehicles are. It is impossible to fix this shit. Car makers, make simpler cars !!
I've kept my 1980 Ford F-150 short bed for the simplicity, 300 inline 6 , no A/C. You're correct about the complexity of new vehicles.
You ain't NEVER lied about that moving the whole dash to switch out a cheap part!! I tried to change my own and got down to the LAST bolt and could NOT remove it! I took my baby to my mechanic and told him that I couldn't get the last one and dropped one of the screws down in the glove compartment lock 🙄, and he smiled and hugged me! Said he actually liked that I didn't think that I was too good to get a little dirty, but had good enough sense to stop before I damaged something! I learned, the money IS worth it in MOST cases! And he didn't overcharge since I had already removed most of it (I have an honest mechanic, thankfully)!
Yes, it's hard to find a good mechanic. That's why I do most of my own automotive repairs. It also helps that I have older vehicles that are less complicated to work on.
Me and my dad do most of the fixings. We only go with a mechanic when it's required with the big tools like lifting a motor, etc.😅
I have older vehicles too but getting parts for them is a pain in the ass
That's why I stayed to read car's manuals watch videos and started doing my own repairs at least it's really complicated I bring it to an experienced mechanic and I acknowledge and recognized their experience, patience and habilities without complaints
As a technician and also someone that went to a technical school over 10 years ago. I can definitely say I learned way more in the 1st month or 2 of the job then I did the whole year in a half at school. The school was good for learning fundamentals and things of that nature that help with diag, but now UA-cam is so big that there isn't really that much of a need for it. I also agree if you want to do it just go get a job in a shop and clean and help them do bs. You will be on the top roster in no time. If you're already mechanically inclined I also highly recommend doing fix n flips as you can make some pretty serious dough doing that. Which is what i moved to a few years ago. To bad im not in LV or id stop by and shoot the shit! Good work man.
15 years on the tools was enough for me. Shit pay, shit conditions, shit customers. It's little wonder nobody wants to work on cars anymore.
In 2009 when the warranty on my Audi A4 expired, I took my car to a mechanic shop that my cousin use to go to. There was a loud hissing noise when I got on the throttle and in 3rd gear the car use to shake like it wanted to turn off. The shop owner and I went for a drive and he say to me that it was the turbo that needed work. He wasted 3k to fix the issue. I told him I was going to come back another day. I called a friend who was a mechanic and he told me to bring the car to the shop where he worked before he open his own shop. He put the car on a lift and started squeezing all the hoses and found one of the vacuum hose had a nasty hole. The Audi dealership wanted $120 for hose but he got it for $40 from Volkswagen🤣. He told me to give him 60 bucks and to get the heck out of the shop with that piece of trash car. Around that same time I decided to learn how to fix my own cars, which I do now thanks to my friend and UA-cam. I fix my nephews and my sisters in laws car or should I say I replace parts in their cars, but whenever I get into a little trouble my fiend is always there to give me a hand.
i remember working as a mechanic for Beverly Hills Mercedes. there were water lines marked NOT POTABLE clearly warning us to not drink the water. the manager was so cheap that he did not want to spend for bottled water so he connected drinking fountains to these pipes for us mechanics. That was the best out of the 4 dealers that i worked for. in my opinion the dealership are in a cartel and have illegally suppressed wages for mechanics. there is no free market. also every dealership went to a team leader system and that is a scam as well. Also Auto Nation is the worst in my opinion
I'd have thought Beverly Hills Mercedes would come with Beverly Hills wages for you mechanic dudes?!
@@LandersWorkshop nope. i ended up leaving ca as I could not afford to be there even working full time as a mercedes tech
As a HVAC tech for 40 years I completely understand. For the last 20 years the systems are getting more and more complicated and more circuit boards. My last job was really good because I could do my job with generally less time than the job was allowed hours. I’m glad I’m retire now after 40 years I’d had enough of the rat race.
I’m glad I took a different route for work. I have lots respect for auto mechanic’s.
I just work for myself and am retired, but LOVE Lucky's content always... UNBELEIVABLY good advice as usual. I only work on my own hot rods and my kids stuff for just the same reasons. EVERYONE asks you "Can you fix this" "Can you Fix that" ... Sure I can, but I tell them I only work on my own. I have found that no matter what I told people in the past, and no matter the "Deal' i gave them, it was a mistake cause if ANYTHING went wrong in the future on ANYTHING Related to what I repaired, it was ME WHO CAUSE IT! So I said NO WAY, I just buy and sell.
I have a DELTA Pilot "Friend" who has continusally asked me to install engines for him. ALWAYS want's a "Deal" and I've never done it cause if ANYTHING goes wrong, he'll blame me first.
Flat rate pay and cars being engineered to not to be repaired killed it for me. I work as a consultant now and mobile tech when i feel like it never been happier 15 years in shops burned me out.
Great take lucky!!!!! I agree! I started in the mechanic field, then body/paint, now dealer. The knowledge of working on a variety of makes and models helps tremendously when you get to the dealer side. Not only in what you buy and sell, but how much you willing to put into it. Great thing about the entire automotive field is that it's constantly changing and if you love learning, you will never have a dull day. That's why I love it, and like watching you guys videos.
Never tell anybody I'm a mechanic. I tell them I'm a janitor...and they leave me alone. No more can you take a look (fix) at my car on my day off.
I experience that to an extent when I tell folks that I'm in information technology, and they're like "You know computers? Can you look at my computer? It's doing XYZ". But I can't imagine how much worse it is to tell someone that you're a mechanic.
When I was a kid out of high school in the late 70s, hardly any shops wanted to hire an apprentice. Everyone seemed to want at least 10 years of experience. It was brutal. Now that I'm retired there is a glut of positions. Things have done a total 180 degrees because society has brainwashed young people into thinking that they need to go to university to get a good job. Trades work has also been looked down upon. One my most hated terms is 'grease monkey'. Grease monkeys died out decades ago when automobiles started to go electronic. You need to be smart to be a good auto mechanic nowadays.
These are dark times and it’s only going to get much worse 😢. Every Professional deserves Professional PAY 💥❗️
I wish that I had a Shop like yours here in Paso Robles.
I really hope that you’re staying busy. Blessings, Carlos ✝️🙏❤️😊🇺🇸
Ehhh as someone who got an automotive degree and worked for some time as a mechanic I have seen plenty of “mechanics” who don’t know what they are doing and plenty of dishonest shops. For the average customer who knows nothing about cars it’s not always easy. I understand the mechanic end too, it’s just a difficult industry all together
needed my water pump replaced on my 19 durango RT dealership told me $1,100. I went to Advance got a new one and changed it myself in half a day.
GREED! overall GREED is destroying the automotive industry! Including mechanics
Greed is everywhere in America
McDonald’s pays more than being a auto technician. 😂
💣💣💣💣💣💣💣
Left the industry 20 years ago ago and became an electrician
EVERYTHING U talk about is 💯% truth, and something that i myself had to learn the hard way. GREAT VID.
Worst mistake I made was going to school. It was a huge waste of time and money. Second worst mistake I made was walking on to a tool truck.
Get your tools online or at Harbour freight. Home depot always has the best deal on a box.
Buy a graphing scanner and a scope. Get a job at an independent shop to learn and watch UA-cam for building skills.
Lastly, customers suck. Focus on doing a quality job and be honest. Don't worry about customer happiness.
"Customers suck"..."Don't worry about customer happiness". See, dudes like you ARE THE PROBLEM!! Ur in the wrong buisness. With that attitude you better keep a boss and don't dare go on ur own you'll starve.
If the mechanic was honest and did quality work i would be one happy customer even if we didnt have a friendly social chat.
@@JohnS-il1dr how do you know he was not honest? What was the quality issue?
@@warrenlewis3977 dude, I had to literally study about sociopaths and psychopaths to avoid being destroyed by them. mechanics have to deal with the worst of the worst. I was even given special training to learn the scams they play on mechanics. we are not the problem. 10% of the population are just bad people who f everything for everyone
It's very hard to find a really good independent shop these days, they want to charge dealer prices for service but they don't want to pay experienced auto techs, the shop owners just want to get rich. I scolded a shop a couple of weeks ago that cross threaded two lug nuts on the same wheel, I discovered them when I went behind them and checked the torque they had applied to the wheels (which was wrong). I replaced the studs and lug nuts myself and presented the broken parts to the shop owner, he paid me for the parts. My car will never go back to that shop since his people don't even know not to thread lug nuts with an impact tool or how to set the correct torque.
I agree totally! I also do all my own maintenance for the reasons you mention....
I know for a fact that some mechanics dont bother with torque wrench when reinstalling wheels. Theys simply go max force on their air torque gun....