Auto technician workforce losing employees faster than hiring new ones

[@T10Titan]

16 bucks a hour and you have to buy your tools no one wants to work that.

[@BobTheHatKing]

I never understood why shops don’t provide tools.

[@DJV94022]

That is what never makes sense ..then people complain why theres too many repair shops in town..and then people say why so many close within 5 years or why not be a big company with alot of employees.same with hvac-R is slave work specially being in 140f attics in the summer for 20hr

[@gustavocervantes5604]

Yup basically your check will go to tools

[@mooreAveCrew]

In California you get paid double minimum wage if you provide your own tools.

[@circletech7745]

The McDonald’s near me pays $14 an hour in rural Indiana while the local quick lube shop pays $12 an hour. And they wonder why they can’t get people.

[@ncg8224]

Low wages, pay crap, people leave.

[@MrOiram46]

On top of that, newer cars take software engineers to repair these days.

[@alross18058]

i know techs that make over $100,000. your not going to make that out of school but you must apply yourself and get proficient

[@ArnoldFreeman-n9g]

Besides getting too complicated with electronics, modern vehicles are getting too heavy because everyone wants to drive large trucks and SUVs. So even the simple non-electrical jobs like suspension, brakes and tires are becoming back breaking work.

[@abctrucker8601]

Yep. 100%. But don’t worry the jobs will be filled by illegal migrants soon enough keeping the pay low and the profits of shops up. Illegal immigration directly suppress wage growth for the most underpaid professions.

[@kave9482]

​@@alross18058honestly, most techs don't even make 40000 a year

[@jrmills2468]

A big part of the problem is the shops underpaying the work force. No one wants to be a slave and that's how repair shops treat them.

[@alejandromorazan3420]

And the auto manufacturers adding so much unecessary crap that breaks down and make it 100000x harder to repair and taking a simple system and overengineering , aka german cars

[@mmane257]

@@alejandromorazan3420to both of your statements.i couldn’t agree more.

[@sgtpepperz25]

I thought about doing auto mechanic work, but the pay is too low and the customers are A$$holes that want to blame the mechanic for their neglectful behavior.

[@scottlogan50]

I was a tech for 15 years and ran a business for a few of those years. Stuff breaks too easily, too expensive to fix, tools cost too much and you need a new special tool every week just to do an oil change, customers don't understand and are just stubborn into thinking it's the techs fault. It's the parts and auto manufacturers that are to blame. We're just picking up the pieces

[@AmericanBacon.]

I left the industry 16 years ago, I was an ASE certified Master Technician, unfortunately even then the industry was becoming highly competitive and too cut throat to make any real money and only felt like a job at that point and not a career I used to love I'm glad I left I'm making 3 times the money now and happy with what I'm doing today....

[@eNjoiipiNoY]

Why interview the owner? You should've interviewed one of the techs.

[@stephen0993]

None of the technicians would talk if their boss is there, these reporters had to look for self-employed technicians.

[@MateoDiaz-yu7pp]

FACTS

[@warrenbuffet8630]

Too much cursing 😂😂 industry is thankless. People hate you and love you at the same time

[@jman1989]

Dontnwant the real face of slavery being shown. Best part it you all keep going back, keep spending as fast as you make and their ball just keeps a rollin

[@rickmcsheridan4949]

Because they don't want people to hear the real reasons.

[@jmnz831]

I went to school, graduated, and went to work at a dealership right away.nothing from fake promises, favoritism, and they want you to stay there for years in order to make good money. The hell with that

[@Raeilgunne]

you have most of the skills to go into industrial mechanic work. It pays a lot higher and you just need to learn PLC stuff. They'll teach you how to work on robots.

[@pickleman43]

yup so did i. i got totally screwed when i wouldnt slave for these scumlords. now actively working against them and letting everyone i come across know how terrible they actually are

[@mechtechtools77]

Fixing cars is a fun hobby but horrible career choice.

[@22lrjayden81]

Well said. I love to work on my jeep but ill be damned if im underpaid while i work on other’s shit all day

[@thatonebeone]

@@22lrjayden81 yeah this why i stick to my mid 90s and 2000s cars honda.. easy and cheap to fix myself, i dont need all this tech stuff just a headunit with bluetooth and im good.. new cars now a days are meant to be sent back to the dealers lol especially with software/ev stuff you cant go to local shops as the software is locked to a company/dealer

[@zoomanx9661]

Facts, super facts, especially nowadays

[@Az2FL]

Not at all. Just don’t start when you have three kids, a wife, two car payments and buy $20k in tools off the tool truck. A career choice should be made young and name brand tools come later in a career if desired. I’m a 19 year tech that started young and make well into the 6 figures.

[@MicDropBBQ]

@@22lrjayden81 I wont even date a woman with a Jeep. Mine is so modded (even got a supercharger on it and I put the video of the build on my channel.) A woman would be like, "...can you do THIS to my Jeep???" LOL! Dating a Jeeper is like being a free mechanic. I've had my Jeep since 2019 and I've avoided dating a Jeeper just for this reason!

[@NineInchTyrone]

Meanwhile dealers are MILLIONAIRES

[@adammorgan9060]

I started as a mechanic, now I'm getting my dealers license. I'm gonna treat the customers just like they treated me. Gonna make millions off buy here pay here and I'll repo if the payment is a day late. Gonna repo at night wash it in the morning and sell it before lunch. The United States is 750,000 cars short and I'll be buying dead cars to fix and flip for huge profits. Not even gonna feel the bad in the slightest.

[@bobroberts2371]

Then why don't you open a dealership and do a better job?

[@NineInchTyrone]

@@bobroberts2371 Too honest ?

[@ProleDaddy]

That's how capitalism works. Workers make the value, while capitalists steal it.

[@adammorgan9060]

@mustbetrue1602 $2,000 Down $200 bi-weekly payments for 12 months with zero interest fiance. Selling car I buy, fix, and sell. Plenty of people refuse to learn to work on their cars and their credit. I'll take a gamble, but I'll repo in a heartbeat. I'm no scumbag I'm just tired of fixing cars with zero social status. My dealer license changes that social status and the amount I can earn for my family. If customers get repoed, they should have picked up a side job like I've had to all these years. Sucks when blue-collar people get educated, I know. See you at the lake 😎

[@mattsmith817]

The problem is the pay. Dealerships want to charge 190 an hour but pay the guy doing all the hard work 15 and hour. You’re losing technicians because of greed, plain and simple. I am a career Diesel mechanic and I would never be an auto mechanic because of how they are treated by shop owners.

[@obriantucker2256]

I was a diesel/ cng bus mechanic, now heavy rail mechanic. Couldn't agree with you more.

[@jetlivin4176]

Bro your so right. I did the auto mechanic thing right out of highschool, man did it break my spirit. I was bouncing around shops working so hard for 6-7 years. You might as well be a fast food worker because they pay the same as an auto mechanic. Never again! Next year I’m going back to school for heavy duty mechanic

[@ryandarko2115]

The dealerships are the most corrupt and disgusting businesses ever. They pretend they don’t have money to pay their workers. Minimum wage for auto workers is horrible

[@frankroy9423]

And owners driving around in NEW cars and going on 4 holidays every year . Buying new home with the profits.

[@jman1989]

​@@jetlivin4176born and died a slave

[@danven1256]

I became an automotive technician in 1976. It was a non-union shop with a starting pay of $11.50 per hour, that was 50% of the shop rate. I may be off on my calculation a bit, but adjusted for inflation that's upwards of $63.00 per hour. I made good money through the '80s and '90s but towards the late '90s corporate America moved in. A company called AutoNation bought the dealership I was working at and the first words out of their mouth was "we're shocked at how much you people make". From that point on it was downhill. Their tactic was to flood dealerships with people whose experience was limited to picking crops, putting them in a uniform, and calling them "technicians", In fact my manager said "we just need warm bodies to fill those stalls". Yep the automotive business is trouble but they did it to themselves.

[@jackrabbit4383]

Exactly

[@johnjohnii5849]

In 2019 when I was entertaining the idea of the automotive industry, they were still starting people at $11 and hour. McDonalds across the street had a sign in their window, hiring on at $13.

[@maxpower9848]

You're like the younger brother I never had! The things you said are exactly what happened to me back then and even now. I left the dealerships in 2011 and work at a golf course now!

[@Smokedout43]

FACTS! they turn and burn us real mechanics and just hire and burn out new hires and the cycle repeats.

[@jman1989]

Yep, Boomers stole our future because they allowed that to happen

[@TheLanard]

I went to an Automotive HS in the 80’s. We works on 70’s and early 80’s cars. They were BASIC. Carburetor, alternator, distributor, starter, front disk/rear drum brakes, pistons and valves. Now computers and sensors are overwhelming. It’s way too much to learn. And every few years it’s growing. Mechanics don’t get paid enough.

[@jasonn5036]

Who came up with this report!?! These people delusional!?! Nobody wants to be an Auto Tech because the pay is shit!!! You hire an Apprentice and pay him 10-12$ a hour but expect them to buy 30-50k in tools!! You’ll pay a plumber and an electrician huge money and they carry there tools in a 5 gallon pale. Flat rate is bullshit as the times are getting cut by manufacturers more and more every year. An Auto Tech is a form of Engineer. You need to be a good at electrical. Computer programming. Hydraulics. Engine Mechanical. Upholstery and now a High Voltage expert. And all the dealer wants to pay is 25-35 a hour!!?? Like Gimmie a break!!

[@H8RSAPPRECIATE]

25-35 is pretty good but yeah that seems like alot of knowledge and experience would you suggest something like $40 be responsible or $50 ? I don't have any auto tech experience

[@analyticalhabitrails9857]

Notice, the media did not asked a recent ex-tech on why they quit. They should've first asked an ex-tech on why they quit....not the shop owner!!!! Who gives a beep about the shop owner!! Beep the shop owner!!!

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

Same with "skilled trades" starting pay is too low to live on alone.

[@kingdouglas3086]

25-35 an hour in flat rate translates to $20 max to hourly. Flat rate is a joke

[@hihatjas9477]

And only one way to flush a turd.

[@dennyatkins3842]

30yrs ago they were paying $15 per hr. Now they're paying $18.

[@muddywater6856]

​@@simplygregsterevI am an engineer, and they are quickly falling under the same umbrella with management.

[@Akac3sh]

Such BS

[@Akac3sh]

@@mustbetrue1602nah it’s true brother some techs do well but the flat industry without certification just experience will absolutely destroy you finically. Hard labor low pay no wonder nobody wants to do this.

[@azeemali7102]

like roofing and most construction/side jobs and handyman landscaping work repair

[@philkuhn4073]

My uncle made close to 30 25 years ago in ann arbour mi

[@discipline3318]

Oh F***** please I’m not even a mechanic and I know these guys are getting messed up by the flat rate system.

[@DJV94022]

Flat rate was ment for illegal immigrants ..

[@maxwellcrazycat9204]

Former mechanic here. 32 years experience. The person who's name is on the building is making almost all of the money.

[@chrisdominguez5632]

​@maxwellcrazycat9204 i see it 2 alot of people are not going to the field anymore most older guys are retiring early or finding something else

[@vxnpxwers11]

im a 20 year old flat rate tech at a toyota dealer and it is truly hard to find motivation when you get paid 20 an hour, have to buy your own tools, and labor cost is 150$ an hour. im the one doing the labor and i dont even get a 1/3 of that 150$. i love working on cars and endlessly learning but at the same time its hard to stay motivated.

[@inmortal131]

Damn

[@Davido50]

STAY in business. Go independent or find better OEM brand. Yoda notoriously cheap at dealer level. F'em!

[@itsoundzgood]

Get out of the industry while you can. I left 4 years ago and it was the best move I made. Don't let them take advantage of you!

[@jman1989]

The problem is you accept it

[@BobMatlosz]

Get out kid…..you’ll thank me later.

[@Mw-vo6pj]

Maybe if the shop owners didn’t charge $150-$300 an hour while paying the employee doing the work $16 an hour people would want to do the job.

[@jman1989]

They need to be able to have their cake and eat it too

[@shootist279]

They're paying 15 to 20 an hour but charging 150 per hour....Let that sink in.

[@themaverickmechanic7240]

Plus insane parts markups. Don’t forget that.

[@DB52539]

I pay my guys 40 dollars an hour. my shop rate is 140. You are right that most techs get fucked in this business and most owners suck but you have no zero idea what you are talking about saying they charge 150 do you think the rest of my shop rate goes in my pocket?

[@Detroittruckdoctor55]

​@@DB52539 You own your own building?

[@mikeh3558]

​@DB52539 Same here. Our hourly rate is 175, but there's CAN jobs that are at a discounted rate and pull the average down. Everyone is hourly or salary with 2 green hourly guys making 24 an hour. Everyone else 80-100k. A lot of guys don't realize the overhead costs. A good shop will average around 100k a month in revenue. Usually 60k is labor and parts profit. Payroll and benifits take 34k. Shop, insurance, data services, utilities, other costs are another 16k. So 10k a month in profit. If the shop slows down to 80k a month it might break even. Any lower and the business will start to go under. It's all about balance. If a guy is asking for 100k that's fine but the production needs to be there to justify it. As with any job your pay reflects what you bring to the company.

[@michaelhuang0417]

shops charge two hrs of labor when a lot of work can be done in one. say you pay 60 an hr for ur rent n utilities, you make 40 off one tech. thats still pretty good.​@@DB52539

[@bluediamondtech4680]

As a ex mechanic over 10 years of experence love being a mechanic why did I leave 2 words NO MONEY

[@alexharper7645]

There’s only money in it if you own your own business.

[@jman1989]

Seems to be a common theme... so where is all the money! We shouldn't all be fighting over one crumb onnthe floor while BEZOS get to eat cake all-day

[@Detroittruckdoctor55]

@alexharper7645 that doesn't mean anything so many mobile mechanic buzzards taking the gravy

[@stevecabrera192]

Ex Tech here, left simply because we are fighting an uphill battle of watching everyone else making money out of this racket except us! From Corporate down to the Tool truck!

[@jman1989]

Those ridiculous 100k trucks, gi e me a break. The worst part is the ppl that need attention run right out and snag them up

[@jtm_-wf9xv]

job description, knowledge of hvac and heating, electrical, engines, transmissions, suspension, brakes, computer diagnostics, MUST HAVE OWN TOOLS... starting pay MINIMUM WAGE. wtf???

[@jman1989]

It's min wage because stupid people accept that

[@jtm_-wf9xv]

i am a 10 year mechanic i advise you to please dont get into this field. if you wont listen join a fleet shop. i shouldve been a doctor , the human body hasnt changed, but im working on these cars and theyre changing everyday!"

[@charlesharnois3684]

Retired Tech, low wages, little if any benefits, dealership politics, No surprise about tech shortage, Going to get worse I personally discourage anyone from getting into the trade! It's a dead end!

[@dustinlahr2546]

Yep I did it for 15 yrs and now industrial maintenance pays me appropriately and I go home with zero issues on my mind

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

Same with IBEW starting pay is too low, buy own tools and books, can't afford an apartment solo

[@maxwellcrazycat9204]

@@MissyMuthaTruckiN IBEW supports Bidenomics. Very corrupt.

[@GTkyle]

​@@dustinlahr2546 we have similar time in the industry. I recently made the switch to the public sector and haven't looked back. Oh, I actually have time off and benefits now, too.

[@oscarperez5539]

Are they talking about mechanics or auto collision repair techs?

[@Max_Chooch]

Hmm, maybe its because flipping burgers in California gets around the same pay as an auto mechanic, except the burger flipper isnt required to buy his own spatulas.

[@wolfstephens]

Yes. Be angry at your fellow working class citizens. Not the companies deciding what to pay 😂

[@jman1989]

Thise burger flippers work harder than you

[@jman1989]

​@@wolfstephensBINGO

[@halffast7799]

@@jman1989 hardly

[@Raeilgunne]

@@wolfstephens I will say that he didn't insult the burger flippers, just described the situation. Being a mechanic should, SHOULD, come with a premium payrate due to schooling/certifications. Then after that every job is a race because they get paid based on the time it should take according to a rate book, and if they go over they just make less money. Couple that with the fact that current year cars are much harder to work on than ever before, and you just pile stress on top of stress. I'm not saying fast food should make less, I'm saying mechanics should make a lot more. Corporate greed and engineering ineptitude are making an absolutely critical job not worth it.

[@Yeezmon3]

First things first... Ask a recent ex- tech why they quit... not shop owners.!!! Most underpaid skilled labour & flat rate is a dirty stratergy by manufacture...!!!

[@deweykendrick1260]

If it was so good the guy doing the interview would still be a tech 😅

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

The manufacturer does not care about vehicle longevity anymore. They just want to sell you a new car every 3 years for greater profits.

[@dkis8730]

Good techs never complain about flat rate, so long as you're at the right shop 🤷‍♂️ Usually the less skilled or efficient ones complaining

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

@@dkis8730 Sounds like your a cranky shop owner, Lol.

[@dkis8730]

@@alexsmith-ob3lu tech

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

Auto technicians were paid $15/hour back in the 1970s (equivalent of earning $70/hour in today money). Then comes Auto Nation in the 1990s who are shocked to see that auto techs “earn so much money” and begin reducing the tech pay while requiring them to buy their own tools. Many workers quit after that and now there is complaint about “labor shortages.” There are no labor shortages. If there were, we’d see higher wages, higher benefits and greater emphasis on workplace training.

[@jeffy1466]

I would gladly pay a mechanic a fair wage to work on stuff. But all the added expenses from a shop or dealer turn it into an unaffordable bill. So i learn how to do stuff on my own.

[@Piccolo_Re]

That’s what I do most of the time. Some things are too complex and dangerous to work on my own like coil springs or air suspensions.

[@themaverickmechanic7240]

This is why I’m a little one man back in the woods operation. I charge half the rate of a dealer and pay myself double what I would make there. Right around $75/hr in my area.

[@firzen0000]

Rocket that took us to the moon had 2 control modules, while an average car has over 40 control modules, yet we are supposed to diagnose and fix them within a few hours for almost no pay. No thanks.

[@jonesy4588]

cars diagnose theirselves now , problem is getting to these hundreds of parts

[@johnmitchell8925]

Sure they do

[@bobroberts2371]

The Saturn V has WAY more electronics that 2 modules. Curious Marc and friends have restores the nav computer ( AGC ) and have nearly all of the radio / telemetry / remote control system restored.

[@edyates7601]

​@jonesy4588 I'm in the trade and cars do not Diagnose themselves plus you have to spend big money on a computer and update them every year and that just points you in the direction of the problem

[@slapshotjack9806]

That was the first rocket that was way back in like the 70s not today

[@Rusty-vq6rv]

The auto industry needs to collapse and be humbled. $70,000 for a vehicle is insane!! And then when you buy a vehicle and you leave the lot the car salesman and the dealership can care less about you. We are the reason their in business they need US!! Not the other way around!!

[@PalmBeachDog]

Until President Harris bails out the auto industry.

[@Darknova591]

Well the US don't have the resources they need to build those cars.

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

To be fair, they can hold most of us hostage because most folks live in car dependent suburbia. Many cannot do basic things without a private car.

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

@@Darknova591 American car makers are more interested in selling $100k luxury trucks than practical work vehicles.

[@dannysdailys]

They only need you until you sign your name. Hopefully on a car marked up 20k over sticker.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

BAN FLAT RATE AUTO TECH PAY SCHEMES.

[@BobTheHatKing]

Actually if you’re a good mechanic you can make a lot more with flat rate, or you can log 8 hours of labor in just a few and then you get to go home and enjoy yourself

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@@BobTheHatKing That's great. I'm not talking about the expert mechanic. I'm talking about the dozens of entry level mechanics who would be on their way to becoming master mechanics, but who won't exist because they were horribly paid and never taught anything by the older techs because of flat rate. The viability of automobile culture doesn't depend on a few master mechanics. It relies on a whole sustainable garage ecosystem of masters and student mechanics. If you don't have the latter, the system falls apart. We need to couple this with mandatory repairability standards for vehicles and appliances. Starting with mandatory dipsticks.

[@NineInchTyrone]

There is a reason for them but they need to be realistic

[@judyroth-tf9df]

Flat rate makes money problem after 40hrs they give jobs that suck trouble shooting and you lose your ass

[@jonnantau9354]

Sorry bud flat rate WARRANTY time, your not making money.​@judyroth-tf9df

[@TheGrimFoot]

The cars are absolute nightmares to work on. The wages are absolute nightmares to live on.

[@Jameskelvin89]

Auto manufacturers want to make throwaway vehicles. You have any idea how frustrating it is to be a mechanic today and find that everything was designed to cost the customer more? It's all engineered to be unnecessarily difficult. I can't count how many techs I've seen leave the field for AC or Electric work because they got sick of working on these terrible designs they came out with. It's not hard to diagnose, it's not hard to get parts, it is hard to tell someone their ford with only 50k miles needs an engine and that customer can't afford an engine or another vehicle. It's depressing to see the direction manufacturers are going because soon it will only be the rich driving. You won't be able to afford to get your car fixed because there won't be mechanics willing to do it for cheap anymore. Everyone with car payments will eventually have debt and no vehicle because it now takes longer to pay off a new car than it takes for that new car to cost you more than you can afford in repairs. You saw it happen with refrigerators, washers, dryers, and now cars, it's throwaway society and it's what the movie Wall E was trying to warn us about.

[@stephen0993]

Great comment👍, totally agree.

[@CaesarMonzaro123]

Underrated comment brother

[@jman1989]

See that will happen if we let it.... thats where it's going and that is their plan... you nailed it. The only flaw in their well thought out plan, on your dime to fk u over, is that we all need to stay just barley happy and complacent. Picture carrot amd a stick.....

[@Jameskelvin89]

@jman1989 I think the words Deny, Defend, and Depose, prove they went before that barely happy. Give it time for the freedom fighters to pop up everywhere now.

[@CaesarMonzaro123]

@@Jameskelvin89 comments like this just make me think the fbi is trying to catch commenters for “inciting a riot”

[@nathanielpreble5108]

Having to buy your own tools Low wages, physically demanding poor working conditions Lack of respect from employer High stress of GO GO GO "customer needs this in an hour" NO THANK YOU. FIX YOUR OWN DAMN VEHICLE

[@johnmitchell8925]

🤣

[@podunkpennsylvania292]

customer needs it in an hour, but its been messed up for 6 months . Lack of preperation on your behalf does not constitute and emergency on mine

[@chicanobluesaz4191]

And absolutely zero representation. It's the manufacturer's or Dealer's way or the highway. We are the proverbial red headed stepchildren.....

[@helljester2395]

😂😂😂

[@kerrylee4633]

With the exception of the tools you just described paramedics, firefighters, police and dozens of other service industries. High stress of " customer needs in an hour?" How about stress of "is this man going to shoot me?" Or stress " that going to blow up?" Save your own damn life!

[@patrickcarrillo714]

Low pay is the problem and that seems to be the problem EVERYWHERE in the workforce not just automotive they can beg and complain all they want but if they aren't going to open their wallets and actually pay people a living wage, Good benefits, Union opportunity, and actually give decent quality training and not have ridiculous employment qualifications why bother. There's so much greed in every single industry when it comes to underpaying and overworking staff and overpaying management and executives who don't do actual work. Something is going to give one of these days.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

They need to ban Flat-rate auto tech pay scales that pay entry level techs below minimum wage and discourage the transmission of knowledge from older techs. Flat rate turns garage owners into landlords who rent shop bays, and Auto techs into sharecroppers.

[@ArnoldFreeman-n9g]

Thats how it started a century ago with the model T , mechanics were contractors. Someone made a shop to rent it out. But now the shop owners a t like they own you and still want to pay you like a contractor.

[@bluelightguy1]

It already has , there is no chance of coming back from this

[@jman1989]

You're right and it's reaching a head. Now WE THE PEOPLE must decide if we are going to lay down and let them live our li es for us or take back this great land and add some discipline in the mix for being a traitor to the american people

[@Gizmo82477]

They pay them 20 bucks for an hour and charge people 200 bucks. That’s depressing

[@Niklez7]

is 20dollars with taxes or without?

[@ronenton4037]

@@Niklez7before taxes.

[@randydomingo4614]

Mechanics should be payed at minimum 30hr w/taxes 28hr/without taxes. Dealerships and shops need to stop being greedy. Ceo's and top Managements shouldn't receive bonuses.

[@jackrabbit4383]

​@@Niklez7everything is taxed

[@stephenneil9345]

​@@randydomingo4614 won't never happen.

[@jessejuliano5336]

The real reason for the shortage of techs is the job absolutely sucks for a career. Work is hard, quick times are a mandatory, conditions can be brutal, there is a massive and contant investment, and most customers have more respect for a teen that hands them a bag of food.

[@halffast7799]

You need to interview the techs if you want the real reasons, not the owners.

[@wsmith3849]

I worked at Firestone in the 70s and all it took was a good set of hand tools to fix most problems. Now you have to be an IT tech to hunt down codes and modules and have hundreds of specialty tools. It used to be easier and somewhat fun to work on cars.

[@jman1989]

But nobody want to work right?

[@Raeilgunne]

hyper-engineering has killed the fun of mechanic work. I'm an industrial mechanic, so I don't match exactly with automotive, but I saw the difference in the newer machines in the shop. The old machine you could just look for oil or listen for an air leak to diagnose. The new machine had you going through a laptop to find out witch sensor fried.

[@fraymond3]

It's still fun, if you have the expensive crap required to do the job. Pay still sucks though...

[@andybub45]

I don’t understand how people are so shocked, I’ve been in this industry for 3 years since I graduated high school and I’ve almost given up. I like working on cars. But doing it as a job at a dealership takes the fun away. Cars are now made for ease of assembly, not ease of repair. We have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on tools just to be underpaid and overworked. Flat rate is a garbage system if you want to actually diagnose and fix cars properly. And with the manufacturer and management constantly cutting hours, it makes it wage theft (but somehow perfectly legal). This industry needs serious changes starting by outlawing flat rate and making warranty pay illegal. Especially since the advisors (wannabe technicians who sit behind a desk and whine about how hard their job is) get paid more than we do!

[@a.a7648]

Can't say it better

[@thewiseguy3529]

A shop service advisor is nothing but a salesman

[@tonyalston4838]

🎯🎯🎯

[@bluelightguy1]

Simply quit and take your hard work somewhere else, hopefully for yourself

[@michaelmurphy6869]

You've made some very good points, another is the customers attitude. What l mean is, some feel entitled to free repairs for as long as they own that vehicle others can have a "you're going to screw me" mentality and then you get the ones that become instant experts because they watched a 10 min video and know what's exactly what's wrong then tell you "it should only take this long to fix it" and it goes on and on. Dealerships using a labor matrix, means you make less for working more. Parts availability and quality. Techs getting hit with a comeback because a part you installed failed. Every day can become an uphill battle, after a while it becomes a hostile environment to be in, cut throat, stab in the back. It's just not worth it.

[@Gonzo_Filmz]

A lot of mechanics are starting/opening up their own Mobile mechanic business. Why would they go back to work for a boss who treats their workers like shit and pays them slave wages for the work that they do.

[@andybub45]

Exactly. I have a small engine repair business I run on the side, I can’t wait for the day I get to take it full time.

[@shevanmertex2193]

It's just as bad . Self employed mechanic have a whole bunch of problems when it comes to working with people that think repairing a car is simple as 123. They don't want to pay and they want everything at the snap of their fingers 🤌 .

[@RonLo]

Absolutely true, customers have to have a car, but they don't want to pay. They buy a nice purse or gaming system. But i do believe, once you establish yourself as a good honest mechanic, the referrals will be rolling in. Everyone needs a good mechanic. @shevanmertex2193

[@ChrisWigal-qn6lh]

Pay not good enough for new hires. Older mechanics with knowledge are sick of all the electrical and computer shit! Special tools that they have to buy. If the engineer who designed this shit walked into these places, the mechanics would probably be willing to catch a felony just to beat their ass.

[@raw_si_siht]

Bet.

[@halffast7799]

The pay for the working class is crap. Then lets add in the absolute stupidity of engineers. Someone would have to be insane to work for flat rate also. Dealers and automakers are crooks.

[@adam1885282]

Huge disparity between what shops charge and what they pay techs

[@RobertMesa-fu9oy]

I work on my own car i can't afford to take it to a mechanic

[@DJV94022]

And thats even better. Because youll be having tommy the new 18 year old working on your car while he played around in automotive tech school so he'll be learning on your car whether he leaves the oil filter loose or not.or installing thr brake pads backwards because he was talking with his buddy next bay over

[@NineInchTyrone]

I am going there !

[@RobertMesa-fu9oy]

@@NineInchTyrone I can tell they do good work

[@analyticalhabitrails9857]

That's what I rather do. Fix my own.

[@erictech201]

Go ahead and fix your own car. Until you can’t lol I’ve seen customers fix their own vehicle and make it so much worst good luck 🍀

[@kusanagi395]

we can start by having cars stop being so complex for no good reason and paying more.

[@jman1989]

Don't buy them, they won't sell them, they have no reason to make them

[@larryreno8293]

First off, I want to know what world you people live in…$16-20 per hour? I left my dealership job at $43 p/hr booking 68 hours average a week. The money wasn’t the issue it was the manufacturer deliberately finding every way to screw the mechanic and dealership. Waiting 6 months for an engine for a warranty vehicle, making us jump through hoops for obvious and know issues. Nitpicking the claim and rejecting $4000 claims for a one time use part that wasn’t charged to the repair because the parts department forgot to.

[@DaddyJoe_]

This is why I’m working to be a self taught mechanic. Own hours and you know you can help people and save them money it feels good

[@CaesarMonzaro123]

You'll fail. You won't be able to source the parts cheaper, nor do you have the tools or credentials to pass a vehicle inspection if one of your customers need one

[@father5946]

@@CaesarMonzaro123 That's crazy work lmfao Bro's gonna be just fine if he learns well.

[@sellickusa]

Pay and benefits are the issues. Charging $150-300 an hour to the customer and only paying a master certified technician $45 with shit benefits is the issue. There's the hard truth for the masses

[@iCANT_BELIEVE_YOU_SAID_THAT]

WOW! What a scam.

[@jasonleatherwood2172]

Not close to 45 in my area master gm tech pays 30$ ase tech 22 lube tech 15

[@PAIDFOR50]

IF $45 an hour isn't enough money then you need to start your own business and stop complaining. $45 per hour is $90,000. I think twice teachers pay is plenty for an Auto technician.

[@LoneWolfSparty]

​@@PAIDFOR50that's flat rate hour not per hour. Big difference. If the book time calls for a 0.5 hours to complete the job from start to finish, his rate is cut in half. If it takes him two hours to do the job from start to finish, he still only gets paid the 0.5 hours regardless of how much ACTUAL time it took him to do that job.

[@johngraves1216]

@@PAIDFOR50 teachers hand out government approved packets. technicians fix things and are expected to fix whatever brand shows up. techs could possibly be injured or even die at any point in their day. they have many of them over 100k in tools many of which cost upwards of 9000 to 12000 each that must be updated yearly at the techs expense. yeah they are totally wrong for thinking getting paid for their skills and knowledge is reasonable and lets not forget they have the tools to fix your junk

[@TyTap-k3s]

Spend thousands on tools, countless hours of training, working in physical and tight spaces that are dirty and dangerous just to make low wages. Yup sounds like a great career. The last few decades skill trade wages haven't kept up with the cost of living.

[@jonathantaylor6926]

The dealers expecting techs to work on warranty claims at a cut rate is the most ridiculous thing ever... the tech didn't sell the warranty why should he make less just because the auto maker screwed up at the factory?

[@kellyjr22]

🎯🎯🎯 warranty work is easily my biggest issue with working at a dealership

[@angelodavila2280]

I did that work for years and I gave up on the industry because of the way that they treats their employees bye

[@DFRKR]

Every mechanic has refused to fix my f****** card no matter what no matter how simple the job is when I have basing the job is no matter what so now I'm having like a freaking hand pump on a f****** bucket

[@workingcountry1776]

Hardly over minimum wage work. Constant in-dealership politics, parts are poor quality with regular factory defects, cars that are utterly disposable and over complicated (condensation in break light causes transmission, HVAC and radio problems and thousands of dollars in diag and repair)

[@devanrogers3133]

Brother, What in the junk kind of vehicles are you buying or working on?? I have had my drivers license since the year 2000 and during the last 25 years I have owned a 94 Acura Integra, an 07 Dodge Charger, a 99 Land Rover, An 03 Nissan 350z, a 2008 Lexus IS250, A 2011 Chevy Tahoe, a 2014 Lexus IS350, A 2017 Audi SQ5 and my vehicle now is a 2014 Lexus GX460 and I have never once had condensation in any of my tail lamps. I live in the midwest and drive them through all 4 seasons and never had this issue........

[@sgtpepperz25]

​@@devanrogers3133 Defects happen, that is why there is lemon law.

[@TEXPAKI1313]

⁠@@devanrogers3133see it all the time in texas.

[@BobTheHatKing]

@@workingcountry1776 brake*

[@johnmitchell8925]

Your just a baby and your not a mechanic

[@geshtal2056]

I quit being a mechanic not because of money, it was the over engineering of vehicles to do the easiest thing (think any German car). My pay was decent, not great but I was able to live comfortably. Another thing that made me leave was a customer not being able to balance their time properly and now I have to rush. To any auto repair customer reading this, your lack of time management is not MY emergency. You will wait just like everyone else. Don't want to wait?, go somewhere else!

[@garyr7027]

Heard that I did. They'll wait like everyone else. They want it done right then stop rushing the job. Can't stand customers who want it done at the last minute because they put it off. Take a damn number and get in line like everyone else.

[@kennethobando5755]

Easy. No one says it out loud- no hourly pay. Flat rate pay system. Which also makes for no overtime pay. And have to purchase own tools. Thats why people don’t stay in it.

[@Tylnorton]

Paying for tools is fine. It's the management and the pay. I work in a boat yard, my pay isn't great but I like where I work and the overtime is good. It does suck that many people I know are leaving automotive though.

[@rogueinvestor2375]

If the reporters say it out loud, they will make their boss's friends look bad and won't get invited to cocktail parties. No invitations, no promotions.

[@patrickvanhoesen9425]

Mechanics want too work on cars, not computers

[@rammone5241]

I blame it 100% on the educatino system. Go ask a 11 year what a vol tech school is. Not everyone of the 30 students want to go to college but we were groomed that way since junior high. You teach a 14 year old how to turn wrenches and direct paths to being a mechanic or engineer or both. All the teaches I had from middle school to HS neveer ever got their hands dirty in any job, they would not even mention a voltech school. Now we are short on mechanics. I blame the school system 100%.

[@fredastaire6156]

Honestly, and I’ll be as tactful as I can, it’s unrealistic expectations, very little pay, customers treat you like crap, senior techs treat you like crap, mgmt pays lip service…says they hear you but treats you like crap. The profession has built itself on rugged, cowboy principles with very little mentoring and support for the younger generation. Why would anyone willingly want to get into a situation like this is beyond me. The automotive industry has built this house, now they see the consequences of those effects. Left the field over 6 years ago, it was bad then. It’s much worse now. I work on my own cars and could not be happier. I also now work in healthcare; which is not as bad 🙂

[@JayMak1963]

true

[@LionsTigersBears]

When i used to work in the industry. It was a great field. Now the wages are not that much higher than twenty years ago. Maybe a few dollars more per hour. But the drama is ten to 15 times more.

[@steveg2277]

Harsh conditions, shit pay, constant need for retraining. They’re not looking for techs at this point, they just want to find underpaid engineers. Just not worth it.

[@dkis8730]

I'm a tech and I'm in college for electrical engineering right now 🤣

[@steveg2277]

@@dkis8730 Wise move! That’s the path I took. Mech. Eng. though. Then a masters in physics. Not gonna pretend my hands on background didn’t give me a leg up in engineering…but the trade as a whole is so pathetic these days. Better to take the road you’re on even if it harder in the short term. Good luck!

[@dkis8730]

@@steveg2277 yeah ngl it's a bitch to keep up busting my ass 5-6 days a week with my school, but hoping esp with hands on experience it'll pay off in the end, was looking the other week, and GM has Electrical hardware engineering internships that can start over 6 figures and available to students, so hoping it works out. Masters in physics is hella cool tho. What field do you work in now?

[@dkis8730]

@@steveg2277 yep definitely harder in the short term... That's for damn sure. Been stressed asl lately. But gotta think of the future. What field do you work in now?

[@steveg2277]

@@dkis8730 Business mainly. Haha! funny how that works. I have 2 companies based in TX. One is still new, working on the manufacture of what we hope to be a pretty revolutionary piece of equipment in the construction world. Hoping to help bring down the price of housing in the medium-long term. The other is a company focused on full project engineering, cnc machining, laser cutting, etc. we primarily service oil/gas, aero, and other fabrication/mfg companies. From tiny laser cut parts up to 60” piping flanges. It’s been a ride. Started with making the choice to do something hard. Something not many people want or are willing to do. You’ll go far brother. Stay the course.

[@franko8572]

Long hours, low pay, high stress. No thanks.

[@Trex2802]

Worked at a dealership for 3 years and if hadn't found my current job I would've sold my toolbox and every tool I had and never been a mechanic again the industry almost killed my love and passion for working on cars

[@ronnieortiz6803]

Good. The entite industry is a scam. From automamers to dealerships.

[@aarons.50]

Ford and GM need to stop building crap that doesn't make sense

[@mrsamsung8184]

Take it from me it's the worst occupation in the world and it has been for me for 40 years and it sucks and I would not recommend it to anybody especially with changing technology

[@kelvinhayes4177]

Car nowdays are junk. They not worth fixing, buying parts for. Some parts cost more than the vehicle is worth. Not enough money to pay a mechanic to fix it.

[@kinggrooms7473]

Bro as a plumber I make 45 per hour plus 5 percent and overtime wtf you need to pay these guys more per hour

[@SgtJoeSmith]

problem is people get stupider every year

[@SgtJoeSmith]

@@UnHInGed_Llama obama

[@fringestream990]

Or young men are waking up it's not worth being a cog in this system

[@johnd.5601]

Why become an mechanic when a job that takes no investment and no specialized training make more money? There's no money in fixing cars and it takes a high level of intelligence and problem solving.

[@adammorgan9060]

The future is mechanics getting a dealer license and making doctor money. Most dealers are not mechanics so when the mechanics get involved it's gonna change the dealer landscape forever.

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

​@@adammorgan9060I like the sound of this.

[@adammorgan9060]

@abdul-kabiralegbe5660 Look into what you need for your state. Some state you don't need a lot, only am office. With wholesale you can legally run it from your house. I'd rather sell to dealers to get started as they actually have money (floor plan).

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

@@adammorgan9060 Thanks.

[@angrybeavergarage1247]

For me, I quit autoautobody because PAY, flag hours,cheap insurance companies, over engineering of cars, toxic people,no health insurance or 401k. Oh, I forgot the 100 Plus degree shop in the summer is always fun 😢 an office deskie would never understand

[@johnmitchell8925]

And don't forget all the noise-toxic fumes and chemicals. OH and freezing to death 🥶🥶 in the winter

[@fringestream990]

​@@johnmitchell8925 bondo powder lungs

[@Rah-know]

Don’t forget paying the tool truck every week…

[@angrybeavergarage1247]

@johnmitchell8925 our shop had heat In winter, the boss man must have really hated yall lol 😆

[@deweyl.3714]

Former tech here. Shop rate double to $200 an hour, tech pay is the same 25 five years ago about $30 an hour. Me and my buddies switch career and never look back. Make more money now and way less work. I don't recommend anybody going to automotive field.

[@SkyScourgeGod]

What are you doing now? I'm also in this industry but I might be looking to get out.

[@deweyl.3714]

@@SkyScourgeGod I took hvac and refrigeration classes at community college. Took electrician classes and one carpenter class also. Go for industry refrigeration. That where the big money is and its a easy job. At the beginning I work with a small company for two years and learn all the equipment in fast food restaurants. Walk in freezer. hvac unit and etc. My goal was to work as a station engineer for a hospital. Just a fancy title but require havc and r exp. After that I work for Tyson as an ammonia refrigeration tech for 3 years. Also big money. I now work for a drug manufacturer. Ammonia refrigeration operator. This year I made $150k and all I do is watch the equipment.Easiest job in my life. Took me 5 years but worth it. I can apply for anything .I can apply for station engineer in a hospital or govt. jobs. Its a $70 an hour job. Plenty out there. There are more. Its a unknown monster trade for hvac and r. If you are good in electrical and mechanical its an easy transition to the field. I am not the only one. I know more mechanics got out and make more money and have a easier job than mechanics. Love working on cars but BS paid.

[@grunkalunka3449]

Been happening here in Australia for years. No one listened 20 years ago when they were warned. Now we have substandard technicians doing repairs cause there’s no one else.

[@ridds777]

Low wages. Flat rate, warranty time... having to purchase tooling... pass

[@arcticwolf8150]

Don’t forget the dumb recalls too

[@ridds777]

@arcticwolf8150 recalls are in the warranty time as they are not CP. Already addressed.

[@intorsusvolo7834]

Stupid time limits, being blamed by management and customers for things that aren’t your fault.

[@ridds777]

@intorsusvolo7834 they industry is stuck in the past on how technicians are paid. Until the trade modernizes, techs will leave like I did, and new apprentices will not join.

[@MFJAY47]

Pay people more.

[@lowkeehkis2454]

Diesel mechanic here, I asked my dumbass boss why he thought I should buy my own tools and get into thousands of dollars in debt, to do their jobs and he said I can take them home with me. Like I have a Peterbilt Waiting for me to fix her when I get home.

[@melissachartres3219]

If your "dumbass" boss had been honest... he'd have said: Because you could steal them from our garage, but you can't steal them from yourself. He just has too much tact and diplomacy to make waves. He needs you and wants to keep you content if possible.

[@lowkeehkis2454]

@@melissachartres3219 I like your answer and it’s most likely the reality. But he is dumb as shit. And I hope he one day reads this, Chad from from a certain shipping company, diesel shop.😂😂😂😂

[@lowkeehkis2454]

In anchorage, Alaska.

[@lowkeehkis2454]

*cough *cough Carlile…

[@johnrpizzaguy]

I’ve been a master mechanic for 40 years and I highly suggest that people find another trade to get into. When I started tools weren’t cheap but nothing like today and in the 80s a tech in LA could expect 40% of the shops hourly rate , but now it has slowly worked down to about 10%, plus a lot of techs went to those very expensive trade schools ( $60 - $80,000 ) in loans along with buying your tools.. The numbers don’t add up,become a plumber or an Electrician!!!!

[@indawoods123]

Honest truth is its the only trade that is paid by flat rate hour were the shops fill all the bays with mechanics because they dont have to pay unless you are working on a vehicle and the pay is terrible they expect you to buy a lot of expensive tools and the shop keeps 80 percent of the labour profit!! Another big downside is the shop supervisors playing favorites and feeding some mechanics and starving others and to be perfectly honest you get sick of selling work that is really not needed there is too much greed in the industry and all the good techs have had enough!!! That is the true story here

[@user-tf2ls7jb4m]

All these new cars suck to work on. Not interested. Im cool with my 1985 pos chevy.

[@HiThere-du4up]

Could it be for the fact that most dealerships have the habit of overworking the tech and underpay them on per hour service rate.... It is the dealerships that not just screws their their customers but also their own employees.

[@adammorgan9060]

Mechanics getting dealer license is gonna be the next move.

[@TechnMoto]

Dealer charges 245 per hour and pays technician 20 an hour. Plus tech has to purchase own tools and diagnostic equipment. No thanks. I left that business 20 years ago- best decision I made.

[@ehsanull]

I studied for mechanic and worked in the shop for 5 years, I was underpaid tools were there, but If I would get hired at a dealer, I would needed to get loan for tools, plus the pay was not good, I quit in 2016 and started working uber instead.

[@garysgarage.2841]

Dealers and shop owners are greedy they want cheap labor but expect professionals with years of experience.

[@chrisevenson9454]

I saw an add saying "A level techs wanted starting pay $20 an hour" .

[@xianxu137]

Mechanics are expected to spend a few years in schools to learn the new technology. Then pay $100K in tools and equipment to earn only $16hr. A person is much better off going into other trades.

[@justinwhite7980]

I operate my own repair shop. Spent years slaving at other shops/dealers making next to nothing. I charge $100/hour now, pick what I want to do and the people I do it for. Every dealer I worked for was terrible would eventually screw you but I learned from it. Best advice I could give is this: get on with a best place that will teach/train you, invest in good tools/equipment (used is perfectly fine) and set a goal to be on your own in 20 years. During all this, save and invest---be frugal---if you work on vehicles, you never have make a car payment again if you are smart about it.

[@themaverickmechanic7240]

Accurate, go to auctions, flea markets and yards sales for tools. It’s amazing what I find. Turns into an eBay side hustle that pays for tools. Also picking up cars to flip or fix not to mention all the repair bills you save.

[@jaylinmoseley3910]

$15/Hr, have to buy tools, have to work 5 days a week to barely survive in hopes of becoming a flat rate tech in an industry where cars are now all computers and take hours just to diagnose. A job that only pays thirty minutes takes hours because you have to check twenty different computers for a module that's broken and you spend five hours on a job paying thirty mins. Fk that

[@drofmah3836]

As a 50 year retired auto mechanic starting out as an apprentice in this field as time went on cars were becoming more and more harder to work on and then with the introduction of computers everywhere on cars that just complicated things and became frustrating for most mechanics and I think that is when more people found being a mechanic wasn't worth it especially in a new car dealership. Shops not wanting a Union or piecemeal work is a huge negative for hiring mechanics

[@dallasryder8125]

They can’t afford the new vehicles they’re being told to work on. One of the few industries you have to purchase your own tools, pay for your own certifications and advanced technologies. Employers want only profit on the fast end, not bigger slower profit with investing in workforce.

[@siegessaule]

Wage stagnation just like construction. Went from a solid middle class career to something parents hope their kids never want to do for a living.

[@joshuarivera428]

I work on my own cars bc shops charge too much, yet the pay their workers minimum wage and make you spend thousands on tools. Pay them more. I left the industry bc it just wasn't worth it.

[@ilzium8210]

Makes no sense when people are like nobody wants to work anymore but then they be paying them pocket change 😂😂. I can assure you if he paid whats right he wouldnt have a problem having employees around

[@Anomize23]

Funny how they do their best not talking about that topic ehh?☝️MONEY DOES THE MOST TALKING

[@localfreight4222]

Main problem is pay , in what head fits that I have to buy all this tools , get all this FUCKING ASE, and get pay 16-20$ flat rate U better working for Uber make more , Less stress and u are clean

[@H33t3Speaks]

The work is expensive, nobody wants to pay us what’s fair so… we’ll just keep our own machines running to the best of our abilities until the market comes to its senses. It’s something interesting to watch… I see the fleet literally being driven into the ground through deferred repair and poor workmanship.

[@joecummings1260]

I'm 63 now and could give a shit less, but the college boy types have an absolute lack of respect for us and think we are easily replaceable. I have done trucks and equipment most of my life but also my fair share of being an industrial millwright. Some of my friends are union stewards at a large plant here and they are concerned that about 10 key guys in maintenance are going to age out in a year or 2. One of the most knowledgeable supervisors that worked in the plant for over 40 years just died 2 weeks ago. So anyway these are guys that maintain a 12.5 kilovolt plant distribution buss and a 4,000 horsepower boilerhouse. There is a sewage plant. five 250 hp air compressors, and the lines are mostly all automated with PLCs and VFDs, all kinds of machinery. So they talked to the plant superintendent, and he said "We'll just hire more mechanics when they leave".

[@a.a7648]

Nothing will go back to it's normal

[@bluelightguy1]

Very well said

[@slapshotjack9806]

I was looking for collision repair shops to work at in my area a few days ago and there were almost none that were hiring and if they were they were starting at like 11 to 13 dollars an hour to break my back to fix these cars, meanwhile I’m making 14 an hour to sweep floors as a custodian while also being able to chill when I get done so yeah I’ll take sweeping floors any day over destroying my body for less

[@donaldlee6760]

I'm a software engineer in Silicon Valley but also do advanced DIY work on my "family fleet" of 3 cars and 3 motorcycles. I enjoy auto work because it involves problem solving and an above average IQ. As every other commentor mentions, a person with an above average IQ has many good career choices that pays far more than an auto mechanic. It's uncommon today, but in the past some auto shops seemed to be staffed by employees with varying levels of substance abuse issues or oddly proud of their former criminal background (at least in the small Texas town I grew up in) and was a big reason I had zero desire to go into the field even thought I suspect I would have been good at it.

[@JohnZornAscended]

“Some.”

[@donaldlee6760]

@@UnHInGed_Llama - sorry if my intent came across wrong. Being a mechanic might have been simple decades ago, but today diagnosing a modern car can sometimes be extremely difficult and really needs a person with a high skill level and "deep thinking". Companies are willing to pay a high salary for people with these skills, but sadly this does not include most auto shops. If your local auto shops only hire mechanics that default to shooting the parts cannon then doing DIY auto work is a real advantage.

[@firstlast---]

I disagree about needing above average iq to fix cars. It's just nuts and bolts. Electrical isn't that hard either

[@JohnZornAscended]

@@firstlast--- You need an above average I.Q to correctly diagnose a problem. If a customer brought a vehicle in with a misfire but it had brand new coils and spark plugs where would you start?

[@MrBeefsnorkel]

@@JohnZornAscended relative compression test, and perform next diagnostic step based on the results of my previous step. but wait, the manufacturer doesn't pay me as a fully ASE certified hybrid vehicle expert (or pay anyone at work) diagnosis time, so what I'm going to do is scan for codes and slap the most likely problem part because it's under warranty, customer isn't paying, i'm not getting paid for diagnosing it. What a bizarre world we wrench in

[@brendanmay8527]

The reasons I left: Shit pay, cost of tools, shitty work environments etc. I make way more now for a fraction of the work.

[@delbertdemarco6921]

The new vehicles are all garbage as well and a nightmare to work on.

[@garybongard2711]

Was a tec for 45 years, low pay, no respect, working different shifts everyday, you freezes in the winter, boil in the summer, take a shower when it’s raining or when the car is full of snow, $50. + a week for tools you have to buy, no why would anyone ever want to work in this field, not to mention the toll it has on your body. The wage has gone up in the last 7 or 8 years but not much else has changed.

[@jbsbayarea1]

When I was young and tried to look for a job and willing to learn, I always get that "we need experience people".. If you're picky and not willing to train, then deal with it.

[@Kingswood7189]

Irony, lol. You want experience, but how does one get experience just sitting on their hands, willing to acquire "experience"?

[@annoyedok321]

Just lie and say you have experience. If they find out later, tell them you must be a good salesman if they bought your bs.

[@trogdor2002]

Most of the engineers- or better yet, the bean counters building modern cars would paint the ceiling in an hour if they had to pull an evaporator or diagnose a wiring fault.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

We need minimum reliability standards for cars. I have a whole list of proposals, starting with mandatory dipsticks.

[@losidude11]

@@gregorymalchuk272dont forget chain driven oil pumps and no more plastic oil pans 😂

[@connor_flanigan]

"paint the ceiling" 😄I THINK I know what you mean! 🤔

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@@losidude11 I had something about no belt driven engine vitals on my list, but I didn't even know they made plastic oil pans. I know about plastic intake manifolds and timing gears.

[@bluelightguy1]

@@gregorymalchuk272 the dip stick is the engineer who built it

[@arturopuebla4924]

Sometimes at my valet job I make 33$ per hour after tips just standing most of the time. I am happy I found out about valet when I hear about other jobs.

[@ES-nx7hl]

Mechanics are not paid enough. Shops are greedy, and vehicles are becoming too complex and disposable.

[@RoyFabian]

Vehicles are becoming more and more asinine to work on, tools and equipment are becoming way too expensive and so many more specialty tools are needed, and they pay just isn’t adding up like it used to. Long stressful hours and dealing with idiotic customers. Im glad i went to school for it, did it for a bit, and can work on my own stuff. But i will never become a mechanic again.

[@lotsofthisandthat9791]

Can’t blame you. I get it. Best wishes.