Auto Tech Basics Explaining the Flat Rate Pay System

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[@shawnbauman5463]

If you want to get it done fast, don't get in a hurry. Just stay busy the hours will worry about themselves as long as you're efficient.

[@chiparooo]

Very interesting to me as a consumer and weekend diy mechanic.

[@zackiethetech5860]

Hey FRM love your content. Weird request, but could you make a video discussing on when moving lube techs to main shop techs. I see a lot of shops move up Inexperienced lube techs before the more experienced ones, and that causes them to leave because they get pissed that someone with less experience got the promotion. I knew too many techs that went through that.

[@robotron1236]

It’s because they don’t care about how good you are; they only care about how many hours you can flag. That’s it. Get out of the industry. There’s a reason it’s filled with morons; and it’s because anyone that’s smart enough to be a good technician, is smart enough to see through the bullshit our industry sets as “standards.”

[@pomaicarpenter4315]

Honestly the flat rate pay scale has been good to me, I flag close to 70 hours every week. I don’t do major repairs like engine swaps or transmission work but at my shop with the type of customers we have it just works

[@iGaRaai90]

What do you do?

[@E99584]

@@iGaRaai90 probably gravy every day. Guessing he's not getting warranty problems either

[@eddieds312]

Exactly my good man I work 8.00am to 3.00pm and i Usually flag between 8 - 10 hours a day.

[@zoticus1]

The right Location and the right customers is everything. You cannot do that here, unless you are at a major dealership and they're problematic employers.

[@joshfine6447]

8-3, yall hiring?

[@smitty2jones]

Worst thing, for me, about flat rate is when things slow me down that aren't my fault. Wrong parts being the biggest thing. If I specifically told them what I needed and didn't get them? That's gonna piss me off a bit, because now I'm sitting around because both of my bays have torn apart vehicles in them and I can't do anything.

[@qualityautorepairtireautosales]

I wish I could add a picture. At my shop we offer 2 inspections that we charge for. I have 2 signs that I’ve found when we offer these inspections to new customers the signs sell them. We charge for these 2 inspections. When customers pays for us to present list. They got their wallet out they just don’t know how much they’re gonna spend. Customer feels better doing work we are advising. These inspections don’t include testing/inspecting charges for check engine lights, AC, or electrical. I also pay flat rate - it’s a great way to make sure our customers vehicles are up to par & feed techs gravy work. When customer declines inspection we know not to spend a lot of time when they are gonna spend money anyhow. When customer declines inspection we state “if discover a safety concern, would you like us to let you know” What’s an email address I’ll send these to you be great to add to a video. These have been a game changer for our bottom line & customer satisfaction

[@nbates723]

I’m hourly, but I like to get as much done as possible. Sometimes, the 1st time, you lose your butt, because you think you might be able to do it without removing something. Then, you learn that you spent more time fighting it, than you would have to just take the extra step

[@terryharvey4811]

Often spending time to make more room SAVES time on the total job.

[@nbates723]

@@terryharvey4811 absolutely! We don’t always know until the job’s done which way is quicker

[@hippyinbkack5679]

Needed this video, can you make a video about different school options and specific brand training options

[@1971anaconda]

Just wondering so I can understand you say .3 for a oil change is that change oil or do you do full inspection and rotate 🇦🇺

[@doug22746]

This is true, what I find really interesting is the difference between flat rate tech and flat rate autobody tech. I work for a Gm dealer as an autobody tech and our flat rate system has to be the most complicated pay structure out there. Biggest difference is that for every hour flagged the tech as to cut that time in half minimum to make money and the majority of work comes from insurance companies.

[@TWR358]

I enjoy your channel and info. But, I’ll keep my hourly pay.

[@inverseuniverse5727]

Mike , do you think hourly technicians are not pressured my management ?

[@ozzstars_cars]

That's good info Mike

[@JJ-iw7nh]

Dealership world. 19 TLX transmission is 6.4 hours. Good luck

[@Dpfdoctor]

what is a 19 tlx transmission? Marine engineer from UK with extensive mechanics knowledge of most UK and JDM performance cars. I have no idea what a TLX is.

[@JJ-iw7nh]

@@Dpfdoctor Acura TLX

[@ronjohnson8119]

Yeah, screw that. The dealer isn’t where it’s at for a tech.

[@inverseuniverse5727]

Depends on you definition of "oil leak" is .."Is" ..drip or damp ..?

[@aleskyfinis1025]

Yeah I agree with you man

[@terryharvey4811]

Upselling to make hours/money is screwing the customer. Upselling because the repairs are needed is doing the customer a favor. Some customers distrust mpi's but if they then have a failure or it shows up again on their next mpi,, they may come to trust your recommendations. A wise shop owner once told me "If you take care of the customers needs, the money will take care of itself".Add to that my advice to shop owners of "We owe it to the customer to charge enough to be here the next time he needs us".and you should be able to make a good living in this profession...

[@robotron1236]

You can’t make a good living in this profession. Everything the trade schools told us was a lie. The writers never want to pay us for the work we do, and then they sit around and wonder why there’s a tech shortage. They chalk it up to “people just don’t wanna work nowadays.” No, dumbass, people just don’t want to work on cars. Piece work has ALWAYS been used as a way to get around labor laws. It’s a loophole that needs to be closed, or the automotive repair industry will remain in shambles.

[@sonofmontezuma3732]

Flat rate is only good as the leadership your working for. Shitty shady leadership your going to drown there. Honest leadership your going to love it. So to say flat rate experience will vary is understatement

[@SuperMarioDiagnostics]

I don't think ANY first day technician should even care for what flat rate is. Only a garbage shop would put a tech with absolutely zero experience on flat rate.

[@TheMechanicj]

Saw many lube techs get promoted and asked to step back down after 2-3 weeks cause their pay was cut in half cause they are slow

[@flatratemaster]

Mario, I 100 % agree, but new techs do need to understand the system, if they wind up getting paid FR or even if they don't

[@Adam-kk7nw]

@@flatratemaster what going to happen tech with all electric vehicles coming

[@kylepowell4906]

As a dealer technician. I don’t mind doing the mpi however like you said at 5K it doesn’t matter. That’s where we get annoyed

[@crcdesign9886]

Majority of my work is warranty at the dealership. If it weren't for MPI's I wouldn't get any gravy work.

[@gremlin7599]

For all those things you discover on MPI, don't you have to either call or go out and talk to the customer and get permission? When we're talking about .3, that adds up

[@robbiesantos7677]

.1 = 6 mins .3 for an oil change means you got 18mins. Good luck giving someone any sort of quality in that time frame.

[@jorgecervantes185]

Most definitely man, my old job only paid .3 for an oil change and a MPI which is a load of bull crap! My new shop pays .80 for an oil change and MPI which is more reasonable

[@horacecomegna335]

On some vehicles like Infinity etc, it takes .3 hours just to remove the 18+ screws that cover the oil pan and filter in order to do an oil change. 😂😂😂

[@everydayfleettech2286]

If you have an employer that actually cares about the employees they will pay a fair hourly wage. No worrying about making a paycheck, no worrying about the economy, no worrying about other techs stealing jobs, not being encouraged to cut corners, etc. etc.etc.. Ive had flat rate and will never go back. Its an old and outdated system. Just like servers at restaurants expected to live off of tips. These old practices are one reason for the huge labor shortages were experiencing now

[@philh9238]

Exactly. Negotiate at the interview what is a good pay for the week

[@honda_doc6826]

Thanks.

[@ThePapapri]

It doesn’t matter what we do in a car at our shop, they don’t ever charge for replacing air filter regardless of what it takes to replace it

[@politicalpotato8383]

Thats the game boys and girls. Im just a retired tow Jockey from another part of the world. Called Miami- Fort Lauderdale. Thats how it works down here. ...I have met all those same Personalities this far South. And i dont care if you believe me. ✌📡AtL.

[@nathano148]

Transmission service if it's never been done at over 100-120,000 not touching it get it most so than not.

[@briancradicsandiego5254]

👍

[@E99584]

If you don't get a 40hr guarantee at your shop, find another shop

[@alfonz0010]

Seat with the advisors every once and awhile to see if they actually trying to sell what you find.

[@javiervalderrama2868]

Sometimes gravy fights back and decides to make it worth it 🙃

[@nismo2070]

If I wanted to sell things, I'd be salesman. I diagnose and repair complex systems on expensive pieces of machinery. I leave the selling to the ones that can not do my job.

[@horacecomegna335]

I’m have been both a mechanic and a service advisor ( salesman) and I definitely can do your job.

[@jasonsanchez3441]

There's a lot of mechanics that say this customer never fixes anything or look at his car it's falling apart but meanwhile no one's ever told him anything.

[@JMKady76]

Used to work with a guy that would never inspect anything, he'd just say "That guy already knows all that stuff is wrong, that's not why it's here"

[@horacecomegna335]

@@JMKady76 some people only care if the vehicle gets them from point A to point B, not how safe the vehicle is for themselves or pedestrians.

[@JMKady76]

@@horacecomegna335 True, the point was that people don't know shit about their car, and no they might not know enough to know there's anything wrong with it.

[@TheMechanicj]

20$ to change a alternator 15$ warranty no thanks lol

[@corbettknowles9942]

the service writer where I work at doesn't try thar with me last time he tried that well let's just say he was mad because one I told him like it was I used that statement the car will be done when it gets done and not until then it what it is and I still didn't go any faster than I was goingby end of day he was fuming mad he wanting the car dome at 2 I finished before book time and I had done by closing

[@horacecomegna335]

This is why service writers need to be straight up and honest about the repair time that it’s going to take to fix the customers vehicle before it’s admitted into the shop. When I was a service advisor, I used to tell customers to have somebody follow them up to the shop so they could drop their car off with us for the entire day, that way they’re not waiting in the lobby bored and harassing me about when their vehicle is going to be finished. This was especially important for people who had children with them at the repair shop.

[@jeffl1944]

Give me a nfl contract 275 mill for 5 years get hurt and still get paid

[@chryslertechnician3439]

What about free air filter changes and hvac filter changes? Fucking bullshit if you ask me

[@PhillyDee215]

😉💨💨💨SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS FLAT RATE AGAIN😏LOT OF JOBS THAT I DO THAT I KNOW I WOULD MAKE MORE MONEY IF I WAS FLAT RATE😎‼️

[@kurtkennedy5370]

wait...people still pay flat rate?

[@flatratemaster]

wait... shops still pay crappy hourly rates and claim they are helping the industry by paying their techs hourly???? LOL just a joke Kurt🤣I don't mean you

[@victorjay9586]

Our dealership switched to flat rate ‘1.5’ years ago and I noticed my income went up 30%, even though my hours stayed pretty much the same. I found it a bit stressful on slower days but that gives you reason to recommend upsells. It’s a win for both you and your shop.

[@kurtkennedy5370]

@@flatratemaster Man i get it, which sucks shops get the rep they do and treat techs the way they do! Awesome video as usual man!

[@michelleking5481]

@@flatratemaster Sorry , I know this is an old video but what is your opinion on -for example- guaranteed 40 hours a week at $20 an hour and anything flagged over 40 hours the tech gets $26 an hour or Something of that nature. Sorry if this has been discussed.

[@robotron1236]

It’s basically a way to trick mechanics into giving up their right to be paid overtime. Can you game the system and flag tons of hours? Sure; but it’s still basically a way to make sure they don’t have to pay you when it’s slow, or the service writer is too scared to tell the customer they have to pay for the mechanic to look at their car. I’m literally told that I’m not allowed to claim time on diag, until after the customer decides wether or not they want to do the work I recommended. This industry is an abject failure and it’s why most shops are struggling to get technicians.

[@nismo2070]

Diagnostic techs are taking it in the ass with flat rate pay. The service writers want you to figure out why a 80000 dollar piece of machinery doesn't work for one hour of pay. lol.

[@robotron1236]

@@nismo2070 I’m getting into the tech industry. I’ll work from home, make more money and actually have a ladder to move up. This was a good job for the past 10 years, but it certainly isn’t something I’d call a career. How can you work somewhere, for 25+ years, and be in the exact same position you were in when you started? You’ll make more money, but you’re not actually getting promoted. Techs stay techs forever. That’s it, end of story. At least I’ll never have to pay anyone to fix my car 😂😂😂

[@philh9238]

Dude just give me hourly. I don’t got time for the stress of up sells.

[@MrUWcontrol]

Most shops are going to track your flat rate anyway to see how productive you are. The shop I work at we have a flat rate guarantee it's good to get somewhere like that. Learn the trade and then make your money I bill over 65 hours a week and I work 40

[@philh9238]

What is flat rate guarantee?

[@MrUWcontrol]

@@philh9238 no matter what happens you get paid for the hours you work or your flat rate hours whichever one is higher

[@GIXXERyan]

Exactly! Im hourly and I’m here for 8 hours a day. Give me what you want me to do. If you want me to do a bunch of waiting oil changes, sure no problem if that’s what you feel is the best use of my time and skill set.

[@thenhraguy4935]

that's why I quit within the first MONTH!!! it's a legit joke 😂😂😂

[@MrROTD]

Flat rate is BS. For instance if an oil change takes 20 minutes the employer also expects courtesy checks which take another 30 minutes if you are fast and thorough, therefore it's a rip off of your time. Also the book times are only realistic if you know the particular model and procedure to fix it. I get paid an hourly rate only and its a high enough wage I'm happy because my employer knows flat rate is total BS and is the main reason technicians are hard to find. It's way too stressful and dangerous even because technicians might cut corners because pressure.

[@alenmihelcic8267]

If pay only 1 hour, this shops use money on parts. No oder explanation.

[@ronjohnson8119]

?