WHY is there a auto tech shortage in 2023!?

[@rustynut1967]

What other job requires you to have at least $10,000 in tools? You have to know mechanical, electrical, electronics, HVAC, hydraulics and well versed with computers. I think being a doctor would require less training and way easier with better working conditions than a good mechanic. I use to joke, the difference between a doctor and a mechanic is we wash our hands after the operation and have to guarantee the cure.

[@narcissistinjurygiver2932]

md's have the exact same 2. not new models

[@Rusty-Metal]

Right on!

[@jasonleatherwood2172]

10000 might be enough for a lube tech ive inventories and insured my tools for 300k

[@mattmccain8492]

When I was in tech school, my instructors would say being a doctor was easier since the human body never outdates or updates.

[@ClumsyCars]

You're doing it wrong. $10,000 in tools to change oil. Haha

[@bethcook8582]

I need to tell you guys one thing once and for all. I was a master tech from 1975-1999. I worked at many shops and dealerships and it was tough work. I had thousands of dollars in tools, certifications up the wazoo and fixed many cars no one else could, or didn't want but in 1999 I got so fed up with the business, I left for good and never looked back. I can tell you horror stories that would fill KZbin. I got so tired of poor wages(flat rate is fart rate), poor benefits, and poor management. My wages being so bad my family suffered. From what I'm now hearing from you young guys its still the same way. There was a mechanics shortage back then.The automotive field HAS NOT CHANGED ONE BIT. Get it through your head- it never will! You can offer all the solutions and ideas you can muster but ITS NOT GOING TO CHANGE. Take my advise- in 2000 I changed careers and it was the best thing I ever did. Its said, "A wise man learns from his mistakes, but a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others." Wake up guys and move on.

[@xgouldiex]

I hear you I quit a couple months ago and told my partner I'm never going back to it iv since got a night job in a garage and earn more and I'm pretty much sat on my ass watching movies all night

[@oneofmany1087]

let barbie fix their cars

[@-doggy-6670]

I've been a tech since 1993,its a great job but the pay is getting poor....I've needed to upgrade my tools this year at the cost to me of £2000,no holiday this year then

[@wealthyblackman2655]

Computer graphics "designers" and engineers program mechanical arms on assembly lines to assemble vehicles HORRIBLY! The end result is a pos that cannot be worked on by human hands because there is only a tiny hole for a long extension of a robotic arm that has a tiny camera attached to it... GM or (Government Motors) spearheaded "reverse engineering " ... On accident at first BUT the money they made turned the entire automotive industry down a very dark path of evil... While GM is most definitely the most evil, all the other automakers followed the GM plan to reverse engineer everything.

[@jesse75]

Us mechanics buy cars and trucks we can fix. I have a couple of purpose vehicles I won't even put a license on.

[@Koda-Kitikawa]

I bailed after about 8 years of experience, 50k in tools, and still have $8k in student loans. Everything he mentions is true. But what did it for me was when i turned to the old tech and asked, "Does it ever get better?" He said, "ive been doing this since the 80's and they have always said, 'it'll get better, it'll get better.' and it never does." Right then and there i made a plan to get out in one year. I was gone in 6 months. Told my service manager, "hey, my last day is Saturday." (5 days) Saturday comes, made it until lunch and said fuck it. Started packing. Was gone 1.5 hrs later. Best thing ive ever done. And the cool part, kept the skills and tools so i can keep old reliable vehicles running for cheap.

[@jtkrpm1]

After 8 years at the dealer I was so disgruntled that I absolutely didn't give a f and hated everything.

[@MikeMayneMusic]

what did you do for work after that?

[@GianLombardo]

What career path did you chose and how did you made it there?

[@jtkrpm1]

@@GianLombardo UTI, independent shops, Family independent shop, dealer, transit bus

[@joshuathomas4934]

Hmmmmm let’s see. Why is their a shortage? Because you gotta have 10 grand worth of tools and know everything about everything. You then need to be willing to make no money and be treated like garbage.

[@user-fc9iq6le2g]

Thats just BS You need basic tools..........thats a given. You then fix some vehicles and use that cash to invest in more tools and better quality. The tools help you make that money to make the job easier and faster. Example, i wanted a bi directional scanner, a good one. So about $1500........(not from tool truck). I used credit and to pay it off, i started getfing side work for diagnostics only, charging $75. Before my 1st payment was due, i made the cash to pay it off and had more left over. I wanted that scanner for personal use but i used it to make someone else pay for it. I didnt but it.......i didnt spend any of my personal money to pay for it. Thats how its done. If you had any common sense, you should of learned that by now.

[@heystarfish100]

My empty tool box cost ten grand. I own about another 40 thousand dollars in actual tools. This career sucks the life out of you, puts you into debt and doesn’t allow you to prosper. Management all suck and the car company treats you like dirt every quarter with reduced labor rate times. It hurts the experienced technicians and gives the new technicians no chance of earning a decent paycheck for all of the work, hustle and investment.

[@garyosborn3168]

Its free to start an LLC. A decent 7 figure liability insurance policy is cheaper than most standard health insurance payment. Once i realized this, i went independent. I do work on semi trucks and equipment so its a little more lucrative than passenger cars. Now, knowing what i do, ill never work for another employer like that again. I also, dont treat my mechanics the way i was treated. Some companies i know cant keep techs while i have guys literally begging to work with me. A little money and appreciation goes a loooong way. Thats literally all we ever asked for

[@abdul-kabiralegbe5660]

In your experience, why don't more techs go their own way? They already have the skills, tools and clientele.

[@user-fc9iq6le2g]

And thats how its done....... An employer who is understanding and willing to pay fair wages. But i bet you dont buy your employees tools........and i dont expect you to. Good techs have their own tools. You should only provide shop tools and equipment....lifts, jacks, stands, fluid containers....things like that. Now what about keeping up with the new technology? Pay increase for every certification? That doesmt mean you pay for them to get it......its up to them.

[@garyosborn3168]

@@abdul-kabiralegbe5660 if you have tools, a truck, and laptop (or net access) then you have enough to start. Every tech that I've ever met that wanted to go independent, had the same fears. -assuming it's expensive to start. (It's not) -assuming you need to get a business loan and rent a shop from day one (False) -thinking insurance will be too expensive (False) -assumed that you need either money OR good credit to afford parts and materials (False) -fear of not having steady work. (Thi is controlled by you and is somewhat easy to get work once you figure out how to use online services) -not having enough money for bills until work volume comes in. (Easy fix) -just being overwhelmed with the thought of the clerical, and legal requirements, and tax rules. +being terrified of what they don't know because it sounds like a lot. (It's not alot at all, and is super easy actually) Even with bad or no credit or money, there is an easy solution to every one of these fears, that'll resolve them without costing a dime for the 1st 60+ days. Literally, the hardest part of it all is managing the money properly. If you can't set rules and abide by them, you won't make it. Short story long. Basically, most guys assume that they aren't smart or capable enough to handle the business side of it. Like it's not even something that has ever been within reach. Like it's a textbook Pipe dream

[@Anthony-qj7qe]

There are more cons than pros and people are starting to realize that.

[@TunerZen]

100%. I doing maintenance at a water park/theme park now and being paid just a little less but I make the same woth 40 hours or a little more if I get some OT. Instead of cars I just work on roller coasters now. Lol

[@attiumeyami417]

I think we are past the realization part. we are now in finding a new career part.

[@Anthony-qj7qe]

Thats what I did ... its a crappy job no matter how you look at it.

[@darktruths9755]

I hope to be out in five years or sooner. Ever-increasing complexity of cars, but still made from the cheapest plastic crap possible. A broken and obsolete flat rate system, low labor times, rusted hardware, poor working conditions, low pay, expected to be a miracle worker, tool expenses, customers expect quality while management expects quantity, hard on the body, stressful to the mind, not respected while salesmen and service writers are praised, ill-equipped shops with inadequate space, not provided with adequate specialty tools, glitchy computers and diagnostic software, it goes on and on. Until the median earnings are at least $100K, this line of work will never be worth it.

[@TunerZen]

Well said, you nailed pretty much all the points wrong with this industry. I got a whole video coming later on tools too. I could talk about that for hours. Lol. I do hope you find something better within that time my dude.

[@farnorthhomested844]

@@TunerZen he was pretty good. dont forget insurance,(expensive),. also dont forget to mention no guarantee!

[@TunerZen]

@@farnorthhomested844 i was at a shop with a guarantee once. that was really nice for the slower weeks.

[@farnorthhomested844]

@@TunerZen thanks for replying. you said once you were at a shop with a guarantee. if your still in the buisness, i reccomend you find another one. i also forgot to mention flat rate shops that steal from you. check your doobie strips every day.

[@TunerZen]

@farnorthhomested844 I'm trying to get out but money is getting tight so I might have to take this offer I got from subaru. It's flag only at 20 per flag hour. Not really having a good attitude about it but I'm gonna keep looking around for something new

[@theobrown1309]

I went to tech school after high-school. Not much mechanic training before that. I enjoyed the exposure to different cars and all the work around them. After being at a dealer, a roadside gas staition, a mom and pop shop, i decided that the industry wasnt for me. I male more money than a high level tech cutting lawns and the tools are cheaper and thats a truck and trailer and equipment

[@somedude4805]

No respect, sh|t pay, warranty always cutting times…no clue why all of us are leaving the industry.

[@mwileyy112492]

I left ford as a master tech back in 2000 because of a change in the LTS (labor time standard) from ford. One week I was getting 7.2hrs to rebuild a transmission for a windstar, the next week I got 3.6hrs for the same job. I didn’t mind doing warranty work up to that point. After that LTS change, I took my skill and went into manufacturing making more money with much less stress. I still miss working on cars, but not the business.

[@shaggydogg630]

I hear ya! I worked for Ford 31 years. When I first started flat rate wasn’t too bad. Then came the time cuts. Had a general manager sit at the required monthly meetings pounding his fist on the table shouting” you guys got to do these jobs in the time allotted! I had ten years before retirement to get my pension. Worked one month longer to get more vacation time. I was 54 when I retired. Had nightmares for years after. It’s been almost 10 years and now life is great. I would NEVER recommend this career.

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

So the people that took your place accepted the 3.6 hrs?

[@darwinchapmam6343]

Left mechanics and moved to tool and die trade. Still had my tools so I did a good amount of cash side work for family and co-workers. Made it a point to do the jobs for half the cost of dealerships. I personally don't buy cars or trucks newer than 2005. Easy to work on and parts are available and cheap.

[@erty7012]

Body shop techs used to be 50/50 flat rate. The estimating software came along and cut the labor times back. Insurance companies control rates on their estimates and pay for what they think is necessary. Techs in that field had enough of the gouging there too.

[@jesse75]

I'm a retired frame and suspension tech. Done with the bull sh!t.

[@sergeantrandomusmc]

21 bucks an hour - holy crap. I made 23 an hour on flat rate in the late 80’s /early 90’s…. I was ASE certified master truck technician, but it’s crazy that after 30 years, people are making the same or less than I did back then. Switched to working on computers mid to late 90’s and now earn 6 digits.

[@TunerZen]

That's where the money is at. Trade is good but no matter what people say it is not as good as it was and it's because the world of tech is moving way pass it

[@AATGStudios]

I tried my hand at autotech for a few months and the price of entry is just too steep. Tools cost way too much for how little pay you get in return the flat rate system fosters lazy work and rushed repairs. I'm working now as a carpenter and the reward for your work is just so much higher

[@TunerZen]

Exactly, the entry cost is extremely way to high for newer techs. Glad to hear that carpentry is going better. I've been looking at getting into welding

[@AATGStudios]

Edit: I hear your point about morality and that people know who they are. Maybe a better argument is that techs who are dishonest stay comfortable with flat rate because they can throw everything they can at the wall and see what sticks

[@AATGStudios]

@Tunerzen the power tools are very similar (drill/driver, angle grinder and other misc battery tools) but the sense of being part of a team is strong. I'm thankful of my time being a lube tech for building up a toolset that works in both trades. The other carpenters love that 1/2" impact gun 😂 they've never used anything like it before. Buy that harbor freight hobby welder if you haven't already. It just works.

[@TunerZen]

@@AATGStudios it is crazy going into another trade and showing off like a high impact like that to others. lol, I have noticed that too. yeah trying to maintain a decent job to afford that. only doing side work right now to pay bills.

[@TunerZen]

@@AATGStudios yes. I have seen that multiple times in this industry.

[@boris9331]

One of the most underappreciated jobs compared to knowledge required

[@narcissistinjurygiver2932]

1. make an independent party decide the real flat rates based on reality. 2 eliminate team leaders. 3 random dispatch. 4 shop foreman who know how to fix cars and are required to intervene on troublesome cars. 5 abolish auto nation. 6 anti trust laws preventing corps from owning dealerships. 7 criminal penalties for companies refusing federal overtime pay. 8 hold manufactures liable for defective products. 9 laws preventing price gouging on dealer only parts. mb charging 1k for a key is imop wrong

[@MrFaceonline]

starting wage should be aleast 100 bucks a hour. its all about the moniez

[@TunerZen]

Lol, I charge that on side work

[@SUp3RpooP3r7698]

I was a tech for Hyundai for about a year, just quit recently. I actually enjoyed working there. I liked the shop, I liked my co workers, we were all kind of buddy buddy with one another. Good chemistry between technicians. But when your management is completely garbage, and you're under appreciated and underpaid, then you have to know when its time to go. Flat rate just doesn't work like it used to anymore. It's totally not worth it. Once I saw my bi-weekly income slowey get smaller and smaller, I knew I had to do something. Plus I started to absolutely HATE working on Hyundai, they're just literally straight garbage. 75% of the work I would get are oil changes and ECU updates (I said Hyundai are trash). Once in a while I'd get a good ticket with some gravy on it. I did full inspections on every vehicle, tried to recommend as much on each car I could so I could make my hours (I'd never recommend something a customer didn't need). Honestly the last straw was when management started going around telling everyone they needed to book 10 hours a day "or else". Well when you have 12 guys working in a shop, and mostly everything is pre paid oil changes and other simple stuff (and customers are cheap don't wanna buy what their vehicles needs) that's not gonna happen. I want to try and get into another place because I've had a lot of different kinds of jobs and I love working on cars the most and it's what I know best. But this whole industry is just one entire joke.... Something drastic needs to change. And as everyone knows .. TOOLS are fucking EXPENSIVE. I'm not gonna waste all my money buying tools I'll never use or use very rarely. I know what I need and what I don't need.

[@TunerZen]

10 hours a day or else type deal... that's not your concern as a tech. That's marketing, sales, and management. Tech is solely to fix a problem, you're not a salesperson. I would leave too cause of that. The field is already high stress alone. And yeah tools is a hot topic I planned to do a good video on. I have never bought more than I need. I never wanted the 50k tool debt cause I'm already working just to survive in today's economy trying to get my own cash flow going some other way

[@SUp3RpooP3r7698]

@@TunerZen yeah I never understood going into debt because of the over purchasing of tools and or toolboxes. I never understood why you'd want a 10k+ toolbox to store your sub 10k amount of tools or whatever the tech might have. I'd rather have nice tools and a cheap box. It does what it needs to. Stores tools. I'm not gonna drop that kind of money on one to do the same thing as the one I got for free 😂 but yeah the pay is the common denominator between all these videos. And the funny thing is we don't dictate what kind of work we do as technicians. We get what we're handed/told to do. Don't like my hour output? Give me more work or sell some of my shit. It's not my fault I'm not making my 40 hours a week. It's your guys' fault. Don't bitch at the technicians. Give me the work I'll give you the hours is what I say. It's true too. And then they'll tell you to not work too fast so you don't cause a problem with something, while at the same time indirectly telling you to work as fast as possible cause your flat rate. It's honestly not worth the drama and mental exhaustion sometimes I swear

[@splintercelloo7]

You ever notice the best times in life are when people get to do what they are best as and what they enjoy doing, without interference of business. Don't get me wrong, business minded people are needed to operate a business, but it's the imbalance of greed that kill the vibe for everyone who enjoyed what they did -hence those expensive tools you mentioned. Your counterpart is out there now saying how much they enjoy making tools that let people do amazing work. But some greedy hands came along and got fat.

[@Deadeye_Donny]

The best is when the GDS is being hogged by someone whos workin with techline. Btw, for the 132 and 123 recalls, we just kept a spare pan with flakes in the oil so you can just take a picture of that instead of pulling the pan to get that extra hour for it being "seized"

[@Clarity199]

Look into working on vehicles for you local city probably gonna be diesel and or median pick ups. from personal experience it’s pretty chill and laid back… although I’d inquire on what your pay would be

[@HigginsHobbies]

My whole shop is salary. Very high quality repairs and we don't rush thru diagnostics. We work on everything from 2000$ cars to Bentley, Porsche , track builds ,performance upgrades ect. Not expected to know everything, but we are expected to fix everything correctly the first time. So salary helps in this situation.

[@00zero11b]

Private shop?

[@five12man]

12 yrs ase certified multiple dealer certs, making way more than that answering phones from home. The industry ground up me and my family for years, excellent skills but it don't pay the bills. Glad I left

[@TunerZen]

Very thankful for the skills myself too

[@tmtheasphaltgambler3709]

There's no shortage of Auto Technicians, just a shortage of people that are willing to work under the current FLR / warranty system

[@TunerZen]

I mean, that would consider being short on people willing yo be techs. I get that a lot of us are passionate about working on cars and such but that saying is the same as saying there is a short on techs..

[@fuckjewtube69]

Theres definitely a shortage of skilled technicians. Theres no shortage of shade tree mechanics who hang brakes all dah

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

There's a shortage of younger people willing to work period. They're all staying shacked up with older folks

[@fuckjewtube69]

@@BruceLee-xn3nn Spoken like a true boomer who has no idea whats going on in the slightest.

[@JCpNK]

Great video man. I've been a mechanic for about 25 years now. Dealers and a lot of independent shops are the problem. Flat rate and Warranty times are killing young technicians getting into the industry. The favouritism stuff as you said is an issue also... I worked for the military for a while and that was great until we got laid off. Now I work as a fleet mechanic and actually run the shop. Getting paid by the hour (now I'm salary) solves a LOT of issues. Most heavy equipment and fleet mechanics are going to hourly and until the Auto dealers go to that they will continue to have issues

[@fishingmontana1564]

I work in a transmission shop and am hourly and love it some jobs I hate and I get all the shit jobs cause my boss can't trust the other guy to do the work so that sucks but at the end of the day I just think I get paid for the day so I doesn't matter what I am doing or how long it will take me I still complain really just talking shit but I would not want it any other way and I hope to open my own shop when my boss retire and I will run it the same way

[@telcobilly]

Truckers have the same problem. Stuck in an exploitative 1930s mileage pay. It's all about greed..

[@dylanpulvermacher9970]

As a older tech I dont even want to do it.

[@gergatron7000]

I'm in Australia where we do a 4-year apprenticeship with incremental wage increases for each year. The first 3 years of that time also has a 1 day out of 5 college day. When you get to the end of that, you may be kept by your employer or tapped on the shoulder. I did my time at a Government bus depot. Afterwards, I worked in a car dealership, truck workshop, Range Rover specialist, another bus depot (private), until finally settling at an electricity company's plant and vehicle workshop. A few months ago, after me being 21 years there, management was starting to clamp down on us, implementing performance management and allegations of safety breeches, etc. I'd had enough. I moved on to a job doing facility maintenance including lawnmowing and vegetation management. I get a take-home truck, work off my iPad, dont get bothered, and am nearly $300 a week better off. Now, after a month in this new job, i can safely say that the mechanical industry is screwed. 4 years of learning at minimul wage, followed by a life of being unappreciated and underpaid, is just not worth it. The only positive now is that I have skills that most other people don't have. There is certainly no prestige in telling people that you're a mechanic, but there should be, given the knowledge you need to be one.

[@user-fc9iq6le2g]

I understand......i was at a fund raiser with rich peeps just there for tax write offs. When asked my profession, they looked down on me. But i stood my ground and told them, i get to charge you a good amount because i know you dont know jack about vehicles, especially electrical issues. They suddenly changed their attitude and got my number. I charged $200 for a loose connection on a battery. Mechanics is a great profession, you got to know how to use it to make that $$$

[@Marks-Law]

Service Writers are making money for their 2-3 layers of management. Lube Rack guys made a fortune selling filters and brake replacement, tires, batteries. In the summer months we’d average $400,000-$450,000 in labor sales. Everybody made money. I would agree people are leaving. But I think it’s benefits and retirement wages. A 401 does not get close to what a retirement package is worth. A lot of guys have left the dealerships to go to work for the city and Post Office always needs a competent technician. It’s really great money followed by 2 months of squeaking by.

[@neilyounan3241]

Service advisors make money ??? Are you serious? Try it it’s the worst job in the dealership I know did it for 20 years horrible job !!!

[@davidortiz173]

I was a mechanic for 20 years. Now I'm a plant maintenance man and I am happier and have a 401k. Warranty and flat rate broke me. I will NEVER go back!

[@TunerZen]

I enjoy seeing the comments like this. Proud of you man.

[@GregFeeney392]

I left the auto dealership life. Got into road service on semi trucks, got into towing and working on heavy equipment. The shop i got into does alot of different work. The skills i learned lead me to land a civil service job. There's no money working on cars. I started making money on big rigs especially after get my CDL.

[@csinalabama]

Back in the late 70's when there were service stations, the shop rate at an Exxon was $16 an hour and the mechanic made 8. It should still be 50/50 for an A level mechanic.

[@scrappy7571]

It would be awesome if I was paid 50% of the $200.00 shop rate here. Instead I get $30.00 per flat rate hour, and lucky if i can flag 30 hours with all the labor cuts and free shit. Made more take home in 1997 than I do now.

[@jamesboone3678]

I was going to be one until one of my friends who was a master tech while I was trying to figure out my life said do not do it. He's 8 years in the business and makes less than me 2 years into plumbing. Which is pathetic.

[@andrejsbondarenko7872]

I am just not getting why you are complaining about tech shortage as this is the BEST thing that could possibly happen. We don't need more technicians - we need less, much less of them. Only then does our work gets appreciated for what it worth.

[@ericwitt4586]

I was a auto tech for over twenty years ase master tech my main was drivability, a/c ,engines, and electrical , I made a decent living I worked for Chrysler and ford and then went independently the tools are what make you money faster but I’ve got over 120,000 dollars worth in my shop at home im a millwright now and make 37.90 an hour every hour working on cars it was feast or famin that’s why I left for consultant pay I do miss it !!

[@lilricky5483]

Wait so you're telling me your a master mechanic and making just $ $37 wtf

[@GL0697]

@@lilricky5483 You can't master something that changes every six months.

[@Dan-oo1tm]

@@lilricky5483 If he's in Mississippi he is doing REAL good. On Long Island, he is begging for change on an off ramp

[@ericwitt4586]

@@lilricky5483 no I’m a millwright now have been for several years I closed my tool box in 2005 bud for a steady paycheck lol !

[@ericwitt4586]

@@lilricky5483 what do you draw in knuckle busting ? There at 50 now for top techs here in town in north Georgia

[@str8outtacontent231]

Sounds like the industry should unionize

[@Collindraker]

Like the video. I was planning on doing the same thing here soon. I’m debating on getting into a new trade after being a tech for 13 years. ( since I was 18 ) more techs need to come out and complain about what’s getting them to leave the industry. A remodel of the industry is way over due for a over haul.

[@TunerZen]

I agree 100%. It's gonna take a lot of time to make it better but I think it can be done. But until change starts I won't be back in it for someone else. I'll do my side jobs

[@Collindraker]

@@TunerZen i am right there with ya my man.

[@attiumeyami417]

complaining won't work. management and manufacturers are well aware of what the problem is and have been aware for many years. They have simply chosen to ignore it and blame the tech shortage on covid. now is the time to simply cut our losses and move on. u can either find a new career or go off on your own and do your own house calls. I did both. I started working as a mobile mechanic, posted some adds on instagram, FB and other places. got some signs and the work started coming in. wasn't. much at first but still better than what I was getting paid at the dealership. as I learned more about cars it got better and I also branched off into other lines of work got my licenses and now live better. trust me let them suffer they made this shortage. covid was just the last straw that broke the camels back. this had been a problem long before covid

[@attiumeyami417]

@@TunerZen no tech should earn less than 60k (unless ur a lube tech) in which case 30-40k is fair but the lube tech should also get other responsibilities to account for increase. government intervention is required on warranty work forbidding the manufacturers from paying whatever they feel like paying. a computerized system should determine who gets what job based on skill level and production. that way we can kill favoritism at least on the job distribution level. a clear standard needs to be made for training technicians. im not talking about bs ASE im talking about actual in-house training that followed a standard. last but not least fire those useless f*cks in white shirts. they don't need to make 200k and all they do mess sh*t up for everyone.

[@Billy_Built]

I'm 4 minutes in and Buddy.. YOU FREAKING NAILED THIS RIGHT ON THE HEAD. Hopefully some of these manufacturers see this.

[@marksr49341]

In the late 60's my dad was getting 50/50 at VW in 92 when I left I was getting 33/66 why are techs not paid like other trades?

[@TunerZen]

That's a great question. I don't have a factual answer. But I believe the labor rate is too low. 140 seems like a lot but with the overhead cost of a shop it's a lot to maintain. And shop owners want the best for lowest cost

[@johnrpizzaguy]

When I started in 1984 the shop rate was $60 per hour and the technician got 40% of that. I went to dealerships after 6 years of working at an independent shop, the dealerships treat you like shit but I did get years of factory training in Toyota,Chrysler,Nissan and BMW. My at no cost to me has allowed me to now for the last 10 years have been a fleet mechanic at a commercial bakery with 25 delivery trucks,I’m paid $40 per hour plus overtime I’m very grateful and consider myself lucky to have been rescued from the dealership machine that eventually will spit you out when they’re done with you or hopefully you find a different way to use your skills. Good luck and wrench on.

[@RikuHino]

Flat rate doesn't make dishonest techs. But it does incentivize that behavior.

[@jasonw2696]

A shop gets what it pays for in c techs and A techs 🤷🏻‍♂️ . A , C tech is just going to change the oil nothing more simply because that's all they're paid to do 🤷🏻‍♂️... I personally will not show up to any shop for anything less than $100 cash per hour 🤷🏻‍♂️ expected payment at the end of every day 🤷🏻‍♂️ Preferred method of payment, gold, and silver . 🤷🏻‍♂️ 🤣🤣🤣 i made shit pay at dealerships and moms and pops shops. For sure the moms and pops shops are always better. But when you have 100 K in tools and equipment . It was far more profitable to work for myself as a private contract mechanic/ tech 🤷🏻‍♂️. It's certainly eliminated the headache of having to be concerned about how everyone else or anyone else was eating or feeling other than myself and my family 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jayztools4038]

I am a fleet mechanic. I have 8 cars and vans and 22 trucks, everything is a Ford. FORD WARRANTY SUCKS. The dealerships treat me like a third class citizen. We have has over 12 transmissions go down in the last 3 years. Half of them were under warranty. So funny you mentioned Ford. I have heard rumor that Nation wide we are ditching ford. Hello Freightliner.

[@TunerZen]

Being in the field the biggest topic inner circle is ford and yeah ditch ford's. They are not what they use to be anymore and a big reason why warranty is not going through or taking long is ford doesn't wanna do it or because of the shortage of techs around. There is so much more of ford I know about and I'm amazed they still sell cars.

[@internetpointsbank]

Never got why Ford is more popular for fleet when I seen so many Chevy Express vans with over 600,000

[@Rusty-Metal]

Dealers are scams. Everyone that owns one is mega rich. They don't even provide all the needed equipment to work on the cars. Biggest joke around.

[@RoadsEndGarage]

Flat rate has been around for ages as you stated in the video. Thus, it will not going away anytime soon. Lot of techs think cashing-out is the best answer, and probably truth be told, it is. But I doubt the dealerships or shops will suffer indefinitely because there will always be no shortage of entry workers willing to work for peanuts (especially if illegals can somehow gain employable status). BTW I was a automotive technician in my early 20's, but it didn't take long at all to see starting out that you were mostly supporting someone else's dream. One thing that left a huge impression on me was when I was dirty in pit cursing at this Dodge where the owner *goober* bent the transmission kickdown rod to hell. Right at that moment, the shop owner pulls up just outside of the bay in his new Mercedes sedan car he just bought. He steps out of the car, out comes his trophy wife from the office, she walks over wearing a coat and boots, gets in the car and does her makeup routine. The owner came to over to me and said "I know you have been working hard on this Dodge, but I really need you to get this Calais (POS GM fwd from 80's) done today". At that point I'd been in the hole hours on flat rate on this Dodge. I look at his new car, and I was like thinking in my mind "WTF am I doing, I should be the one driving that car, having that hot wife instead of being sacked with fixing garbage vehicles no one wanted to touch (I was the newer guy at that shop so I constantly got handed the shittiest jobs). That humbling experience was enough to make me choose a different career path taking skills and applying them to niche areas of employment that allowed better income and further education on the job. Never looked back. I honestly would never recommend anyone be an automotive tech working flat rate.

[@Shockz_BE]

What blows my mind as a European, is that you guys have to have your own tools ? like what the f*ck man :D Here in the EU being a car mechanic earns you a very decent living, same as maintenance engineers and other guys in a specific trade. With benefits,vacations and just a steady monthly pay. the way the USA works confuses me sometimes and everything seems so backwards over there. Stay strong brothers, if you have the tools anyway i would just suggest open your own shop and make a name for yourself ? I bet you have more work then you can handle and be your own boss. Many automechanics i know overe here, also fix up cars of friends and family besides their hours they work for a dealer. Not because they have to (money-wise) but just as extra money/passion and try to make a name to eventually start on their own. And when that network grows and grows, many of them start on their own brand specific or all brands. I trust my car more with them, then i do at ANY dealership.

[@tallicafan85]

Yes im tired of this field and wish i never did it. I just wanted to learn how to work on my own truck and that was it then made stupid mistake of going into it. I’m looking for a night job that would be better for me. Our dumb shop has guarantee of 30 if you don’t make 40. So stupid, its so great working 50 hours to be paid 30 or so.

[@ya472]

Early in my career I trained as an auto mechanic, because I enjoy working on machinery, and operating machinery and vehicles. That career did not last long because the working conditions sucked. We were expected to work on a hot engine in the summer, a frozen car in the winter and my wife wasn't pleased with my 'dirty hands'. I also enjoyed the 'cleaner' environment and working conditions when renovating homes. I excel in mechanics, and most trades, so I could take on nearly any project, and while self-employed, I could take time off whenever I wanted, between jobs. I have taken my vehicle into shops and experienced many incompetent mechanics and shop rip-offs. I think it is pretty bad when I have to 'teach' the mechanic. Granted, unless you specialize, the field of knowledge is huge, lots to learn and diagnostics is not everyone's cup of tea. (try solving a math word problem, many can not.) I was top student in classes, so it also worries me that many pass with the basic 60%. Well trained mechanics are always in demand, as are home renovators, but it isn't easy to get respect in fields that employ so many shady tactics, and incompetence, and rip-offs.

[@TunerZen]

I suffer from lack of education and that is definitely another part of this issue which I plan to talk about and share my thoughts on as well. You're correct though. It is really hard to find great techs and in my career I have met maybe 3. While I was around I did my best to learn all I can from them. It has made me a better mechanic but I still have a long way to go myself but now I am not sure if I wanna stay in this field any longer than I already am.

[@ericwitt4586]

I had the gift of being an auto tech instructor at a vocational college in my local area i always pushed honesty to those kids the more repeat coustomers u have the more successful you will be !!

[@TunerZen]

@ericwitt4586 it's great that you mentioned that. In one of my next videos I literally talk exactly about how shops thrive on repeat customers that can trust an honest shop.

[@123m-n5g]

I do body repair and i can tell you mechanics deserve better I wouldn’t dare to be a mechanic it’s a lot of bs

[@jasonleatherwood2172]

21$ flat rate or around 40k a year i know a girl taking photos at ripleys aquarium at 18 years old making 60k a year lol

[@TunerZen]

Every job is a joke. It almost make zero sense to break your back every day for just getting back not even living when there is jobs out there that can do that the same without having to kill your body over.

[@jasonleatherwood2172]

@@TunerZen lol true im working opening up my own shop but my septic leech line started failing so i had to use the land my shop was gonna be built on for poop water now ugh and the 40 by 60 shop doubles in price in just 4 years and my 20000$ roof is shot on my big ass house so i keep slaving away

[@Dan-oo1tm]

30+ years in the field, I started at a Dodge dealership and lost my shirt. Then I went to diesel school and got fleet jobs. Now I have my own shop with a municipality. Guess I was smart in my 20's because I'm set now.

[@thorsrensen3162]

Horrible business, young guys should be warned about this when they consider entering this field. I suppose a lot of younger people have a dream of working on fancy cars and driving them around and do upgrades and tuning of engines. But in reallity they are going to work on a lot of crappy daily drivers and get a lousy pay.

[@TunerZen]

You're preaching to exactly one of those guys...

[@thorsrensen3162]

@@TunerZen I wish you could change the system so you are getting a bigger part of the cake. Here in Danmark it is not as bad as in usa with the salary, but anyway the shop where I get my car maintained they are going on retirement very soon and no one will take over. The young mechanics are leaving the business and takes better paid jobs in factories etc.

[@pauldhiman8369]

Worst job ever…. I dont recommend that crappy trade to anyone…. Waste of ones time and money

[@johntrott1872]

Work on airplanes 2 years in school,,,,start 35 hr and top out 60 a hour

[@crasher88]

The problem from my end is no one will hire me. I have the tools, the certifications, the desire to work, the desire to want to learn, but because a bad choice over a decade ago I am passed over for for every job I interview for. 70+ interviews over the past year and a half and still can't get a job. So for me I don't want to hear about how employees can't get help.

[@truthsmiles]

I'm sure you've already done this but keep trying with independent mom & pop shops. Assuming you have a record, the big companies will have policies they'll never make exceptions for, but independent shops have more flexibility to give you a chance. Maybe even offer to work for free for a week to see how they like you. Even if you're sweeping floors, it's better than nothing.

[@o0OBLACKIEO0o]

U dont need to work for a shop to be a successful mechanic bro.

[@quickturn66]

Lie , what are they going to do

[@Not2day-Satan]

When you see those techs making 100k. Thats the bait. Ask that guy how long he ate BS and how many ppl he had to grease. It never stops. Best bet, become the service director or another job.

[@warrenlewis3977]

Or maybe he's efficient and professional. If he's making 100k maybe you should take a page from his book and stop hating.

[@RussLittlejohn]

Using the tech with the least amount of experience to do the inspection of a car is a failure. Most shops do this, so most will keep failing. We don't use privates to recon the enemy objective. Your best talent must be used to find the issue and explain that issue to the customer. Here's another way to look at it. The medical assistant does not examine the patient. That's done my the doctor for diagnosis of the patient. But in the auto world we trust the examination of the patient to a brand new lube tech and then wonder why we're not getting any work or leads to the service writers to sale. Your right though...flat rate is a disaster and has killed quality of the mechanic world.

[@TunerZen]

Man, what you said is a great way to think about it and now that's another way I am gonna explain it to others. You're 100% right about that too.

[@HansensUniverseT-A]

I considered joining the field a while ago but came to the conclusion it was not worth it, and the car thing remains a hobby which i am totally fine with, besides, i don't want to work on modern cars, i am oldschool, i want my cars analog.

[@garystillman2724]

Dave Vizard has a video that proves Carbs are more efficient than EFI🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@HansensUniverseT-A]

@@garystillman2724 Even my body can't run right without carbs, it's a sign from god.

[@tormentfromhell73]

Flat rate truly is killing it. No one wants to be the new guy getting all the 15 minute warranty jobs, making MAYBE $12 an hour. Probably less.

[@michaelmustic6645]

Base hourly rate, plus hours turned bonus will be the answer. Plus we need to be making 100k a year minimum for level A techs .

[@TunerZen]

Well over 100k. I would 150 to 200 for A levels. I'm a B level tech but I tell you. 43k or less was BS for some of the diags and other shit I had to deal with. Schooling is outdated. I learned more then a lot of those that went to school for it.

[@GL0697]

Agree with pay structure, A level techs need to be proven, I have seen some horrible so called A level techs.

[@narcissistinjurygiver2932]

@@TunerZen yep. 47k for me as a master mercedes tech

[@warrenlewis3977]

Mike everybody thinks they're a Level A tech... everybody.

[@06Machine]

Yes if you’re thinking about becoming a tech in the auto body or mechanic industry don’t do it the only way to make it, is with your own shop.

[@andrejsbondarenko7872]

If you are an automotive tech and not working for yourself in your own business - then you are your worst enemy. I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever go back to employment in this business. The difference between being an employee and working for yourself in this business is more than just "dramatic", it is literally life-changing. If you can't do your own business - then get the hell out of this field, save yourself from this misery.

[@TunerZen]

Not everyone has the balls I shovel shit for months maybe years before making money. Also has to do with not many people think long term in life.

[@TunerZen]

I'm with you on this but you need employees for business otherwise you'll just work until you die. So the problem for me is there needs to be more awareness of the problem then find a solution to said problem. I am starting my own business. Whatever that may be but I'm focusing on repairs and fab work. But I know in 10 years I don't wanna be the one doing everything in the shop.

[@Dhalin]

My dad was THE epitome of what all of these companies hate so much: He was a DIY guy who had a general background in pretty much everything under the sun except computers. He sadly passed away last year at the age of 73, but before then, in his prime, he could fix cars, tractors, he built two sheds and two decent sized barns, designed and helped build the basement the house sits upon, helped an uncle build his house, the two-story garage, and several pieces of furniture. He could pull the engine or the tranny out of a vehicle, take it apart, and put it back in, and he maintained his own cars, only going to a mechanic for extreme stuff like boring an engine that required special tools he didn't have. That said, when I bought my '93 Bonneville years back, he said that cars are starting to get too hard to work on and when I got my '10 Impala, he said that doing much of anything with the engine was nigh-impossible. Now, some of that might have been the cancer talking (he got real tired and lethargic in his final few years), but I remember helping and watching him work on these cars and I look in the engine bay of my '10 Impala, or worse... the '03 Chrysler he had before I scrapped it, and I just shake my head. Pretty sure they designed these cars that way on purpose to prevent DIY work.

[@scottfishman6254]

I’m 58. Have till 62. 4 more years and I’m done. Not fun like it used to be.

[@rodhonco5681]

I’ve been in mechanics since High School. 45 years now. No flat rate. The complexities do wear on me but I like to be challenged. I still enjoy the career. Management always wants a quote. That’s why they are in management. What we work with today makes our job impossible to quote. For me to survive in this job, I comply with all their training and compliance, then turn a deaf ear toward that and do my job. If I didn’t, it would be all over. There is a path in this business. Getting to know Customers, put a smile on their face (yes that is possible), bring a good attitude everyday, learn to Serve (we are in Service), break down a job for the Customer (we all know money is super tight since Biden took over), don’t be afraid to ask for Compensation in line with Inflation. A very good shop tech makes $30.00 to $50.00 an hour.

[@jessestreet2549]

"We all know money is tight since Biden took over "? No WE don't. Money has inertia and the present is affected by trump, his daddy putin and the UAE screwing with the world. I won't bother mentioning trump's incredibly inept, even malicious mismanagement of covid. The present is heavily influenced by the past. "It's just a thought".

[@mattfanslow]

Flat rate isn't inherently evil, or "bad". Many, many, techs have made a lot of money because of it. It's very meritocratic. But, it gets abused. Techs can abuse it, but often that's forced or unwittingly encouraged by management because of a lack of work forcing checks low. It really gets abused by management. You're treated like some bad combination of employee and independent contractor.

[@DK-nt1nn]

That's messed up. Basically, dealers have techs subsidize the Warranty work. The techs shouldn't be forced to work on cars for half the pay cause it's under warranty.

[@TunerZen]

Unfortunately that's how it works. There is also back flagging. So say you get a CP (customer pay) transmission job. 10 hours let's say. But later find out they have extended warranty. At the end of the pay period your sheet will be missing say 6 hours from that job. It will be called back flagged. And that hits efficiency. It's to not let techs over charge customers but a mistake out of your control it can bite you cause at the time of the ticket it was a CP but turned into a warranty cause someone forgot, or dropped the ball, or whatever the case may be.

[@jackass72]

Just visited our local Lincoln Tech. today, to check out the school with our son, who says he wants to be an auto mechanic. Been there, done that. I wasted too many years of my life in that dead end career. I told him, "Don't do it. You can probably do okay if you take HVAC or electrical, but you DON'T want to be an auto mechanic!"

[@narcissistinjurygiver2932]

15% bs. I was a mercedes tech. i topped off at 47k while generating over 1 million a year

[@TunerZen]

15% is an average. I hope you're not there still... thats taking advantage of you on the dealers part.

[@narcissistinjurygiver2932]

@@TunerZen left 14 years ago and i made a fortune on my own

[@TunerZen]

@@narcissistinjurygiver2932 I'm in the process of starting my own shop or buying one that already has cash flow

[@narcissistinjurygiver2932]

@@TunerZen i started in my front yard and then rented a warehouse. now i built my own shop with 2 lifts. been on my own for 14 years. going into buying old MB and restoring them in my retirement

[@furmaster212]

I went to school for 3 years at a tech college for Mack/Volvo, took electrical engineering at the local U, and state certified emissions and HVAC....hydraulics courses at CAT training center and still need 15,000$+ in equipment to do a job i went to school for half a decade and nobody wants to hire me because "no experience" I've been working at PizzaHut for a decade now.......................

[@fredlong9745]

Worked at the dealership for 33 years- 20 as a tech- 13 as a shop Foreman. Started my own business 10 years ago. I charge a fair rate. Only regret - I should have done it sooner. Don't have to deal with any warranty.

[@user-fc9iq6le2g]

Holy crap....... All i read is blah blah blah.....whine whine whine....... 20 years ago, where i was working in dealership....it was cash flowing out the ears......... Today, i understand that inflation keeps going up while the pay stays the same. (Dont talk poltics because i dont play that 1 sided arguement BS....its a rich man game and none of us are rich...so dont go there) Im at a school district and it doesnt pay that well. I just like the time off cause of my family. But RTA pays way more and TX DOT pays even more. No flat rate.....RTA gives vouchers for tools......tx dot supplies the tools........both give training. I know guys in flate rate making $45/hr and are killing it. The only people i see complaining are the ones who dont go and get it. They want it how they want it, instead of going where the cash is. Some people commute 30 to 1 hour but thats the only complaint. There is money to be made in mechanics.........learn how to make that cheese, especially while youre young. Stop listening to the whiners and drama queens.......pay attention to the ones who got it going on.

[@TheAussieincalgary]

Started my apprenticeship 42 years ago. The industry has gone through several changes. As of about 3 years ago it seems the focus is to make purely luxury mobile entertainment packages rather than just good solid reliable long-lasting vehicles. I plan on retiring in about 5 or 6 years... but I can see the next round of tech being shoveled into every model and brand. I pity the next generation of both techs and owners that has to deal with out of warranty repairs. Like, when did it become OK to charge $3500 for a base model stereo player.

[@JenGM24]

I made a living out of fixing cars for about 2 years, After that i had enough, Customers whining about the prices and about everything, Now I'm just my old little car personal mechanic😊

[@raylamp4505]

I enjoyed my job and customers but the warranty dependent, recall plaqued trash and the flat rate system was costing me to much money in the end.

[@andreybondarenko3042]

There is no shortage. Stop saying that while whining about low pay, hard work, bla-bla-bla. The true assessment of the situation is that there are still WAY TOO MANY auto technicians now and it was even worse in the past. Excessive supply of mechanics is the root cause of low price for their labor. This is a very simple concept but you, guys, can't grasp it somehow!

[@hatertime]

This is an older video, but instead of waiting for diag time I would just do the diag and withhold the answer until it was approved. That way I could keep moving. 90% of the time it's something easy that you've done a billion times. Maybe if I had to remove a lot of stuff I would wait for time, but like I said that was so rare. My service advisors know how I do things and they would be sure to either sell the time upfront or let the customer know there might be a charge and if they're OK with it. That's the way I did things for years and I can count on one hand how many times I got bit. Just keep your feet going and you can make money

[@vqmedia7513]

As an IT guy for 10 years that got ran out from the population of college graduates, that recently went to a dealership as a lubie the last 5 months (I’ve worked on my own vehicles ever since I was a child) it kills me to see some of the other lube techs that will obviously miss things, or intentionally skip over things because the shop foreman is rushing everyone to hurry up, or they did this or that wrong. Then on top of that we had a service advisor that came to me about listing the rear brakes were drums, and asked what drums were! They are just hiring bodies to fill in the spot, how can a service advisor advise on anything that they don’t know about? How can our lube techs that make $17 an hour keep going harder and harder, when apprentices don’t make anything extra but now they are stuck with having to ‘make up hours’ but the two main techs are covering over 100k a year. But they even have comebacks because they have to get things done quickly. Right now I’m between a rock and a hard place. Because IT work has drained me mentally, but liked the pay. Where as automotive I love the job and the guys I work with, but hate the pay and the management.

[@Kenya-Kikuyu]

Yall aren't even talking about work injury like cuts and neck problems steming from looking up under a car. I went to that std school called UTI and it was a waste of money back in 2010. I worked in a lot of dealership unit i have up in 2012 because i always felt that service writter and parts guy were making more money then me and not having that much invested for instance purchasing tool like evey 3 days. So i quick and went back to school and gotten my bachelor degree in Computer Science and never looked back. Thank god i quited early before i was 23.

[@MarkVanTasell]

37 YR VET 1 ABSOLUTE IDEPENDENT/MAJOR SHOPS ARE CLOSED WITH OUT US! STAND YOUR GROUND,BE A SHOW AND TELL TECH.KIDS TODAY ARE UNTRAINABLE!NOT PUTTING MY TIME/ENERGY INTO THIS.3/4 KIDS TODAY DON'T KNOW WHAT A GREASE GUN IS!!!!!!YALL THINK ABOUT THIS

[@mirukuchan]

Guess im sticking with my title as diy mechanic and not quit my day job 😅

[@brightbrass29]

Hate saying this//would definitely agree with you the first 3 or 4 of my 10 year tenure as an auto tech: “don’t sacrifice quality because there’s a time limit.” False. The time limit is an arbitrary profit squeeze by your employer. If they want top notch quality, they should pay their techs hourly rates.

[@guyconnell2250]

So now we have a situation where new cars are priced almost obscenely. And they have become so complex and digital that the average person cannot diagnose or subsequently fix them. And mechanics are leaving the industry. For any number of reasons including low pay. Flat rate works out very well for the manufacturer and the dealership. Or at least it did work out for them. We also have to accept the responsibility for this conundrum as a society of consumers. We choose to pay the obscene prices and insist on long warrantees. Given the complexity of vehicles nowadays, the warranty is almost a necessity. And we insist on 'free" repairs. And we insist on bells and whistles we, arguably, don't need. I hope that supply and demand principles fix the mechanic shortage. But, I don't see that happening without already obscene prices of new vehicles increasing even further. We, as consumers cannot have our cake and eat it too. We need to be willing to have less and less bells and whistles, and, in fact, demand less complex vehicles that don't require expensive fixes and, most importantly, don't require frequent warranty work.

[@williamweber5368]

About your comment about favorbility. IF you are the writer who has to deal with the paying customer you would want the job to go to the tech that you know will fix the problem the first time so you don't have the job coming back and the customer all over their ass. IF you want to make good money you pick a car manufacturer that you like and get a job at a dealership and learn the product. The trained techs make 100k '+' while the HAMS 'half ass mechanics' get the less paying jobs.They are usually the ones that go from one shop to the next.Flat rate is not hard to beat when you know your product and salary makes sorry hams even sorrier .

[@mrDmastr19]

Yeah I’ll spend years training learning mechanics, hydraulics, electrical, computers, and buying thousands of dollars worth of tools only to finally get a job that will barely make me able to rent an apartment. It’s just like any other job in America. Wages have not increased with respect to increases in prices over the last 50 years. We’re basically turning into a society where it doesn’t matter what you do, you’ll never earn enough to buy a home off the career you do. It’s a society of serving the rich and if your lucky enough to be born into money, you’ll most likely be fine. But the general folks are basically screwed.

[@spanionneo]

Don't buy the shortage hype. There are way too many shops and way to many mechanics. Pay is very low and expectations are super high. Consider flipping burgers before you come into this industry. It's trash.

[@1FiftyOverland]

Manufacturers screwing technicians on labor rates is the reason I left being an automotive technician after 14 years.

[@billy_on_2_wheels]

Because we're under paid the shits over complicated and people can't afford the repairs on newer and newer cars 😂😂😂 right laugh propper it's a fucked economy especially here in the UK with the corner cutting driveway specials with adjustables and crayons 😂😂😂

[@johnvillanueva1240]

As a diesel mechanic student I never wanted to be an automotive mechanic just cuz pay is lower they spend more tools than us, and they’re harder to work on than ever just cuz you have multiple electronic components that Can fail a car

[@jasonkortink4785]

For me it's all about when cool cars were around ,now it's ev or cloned all look the same .no character and I've been mechanic for a long time seen the greed and electrical issues with fuel injection ,mostly chasing sensor codes and waiting on parts as throwaway parts ,can't strip a carb etc ,wish they could bring back carburettor engines ,EVs are very bad for fire and toxic smoke and so many jobs lost if EVs continue to be pushed on us,

[@rsxboss302]

I’ve been at 3 different dealerships so far , my current one I turn the most hours at but the pay rate is lower. It’s not worth it . I’m done . Had to do a catalytic converter as part of a warranty job last week and they only gave me .2 . 2 tenths to replace an entire Cat on a V6 engine . I’d like to meet the absolute scumbag who came up with that time . After 10 years , master tech for Mercedes , Im done .

[@jamesthornton9399]

Flat rait does not encourage good work. Some work can never be done in thel time alllowed.

[@skillz1855]

I was the tech they Fed. No comebacks and in out in record times.i made the dealership a boatload of money. Then i opened my own

[@da9ej1eg99]

I Been quit this bullshit industry. Shop owners like to pay like this is a fast food industry.

[@rtaggs8178]

Pay for one. The goods ones are like any educated professionals, you want the good ones you have to pay and pay good. Seen educated medical doctors who don't even know whats under the hood of their expensive vehicles and when it breaks its Ford, Chevy, or Dodges fault for making a supposed bad vehicle, wrong ! I have a degree holding seminarian in my work place that does not know his head from his ass about cars. Apparently he has led a charmed life having everyone else take care of things for him. Does not know a damn thing about just maintaining a simple daily driver. Its very sad to see a new generation that has their head stuck in computers and cell phones and does not even know how to put oil in a car.

[@philliphall5198]

Dealership put there money in big fancy buildings and not in there mechanics Walk off men and let the owners do the mechanics work Never work for the big fancy building dealership

[@turboflush]

Hourly. Can make for lazy also. Rampant in an city, state, government job. But then they lack the fear of loosing job.

[@aaron1992lee]

Flat rate versus hourly rate is a tough decision without limitations on the hourly rate. If a customer comes in to get a new alternator installed and a seasoned. Technician takes 1.5 hours and that customer is only paying one point five hours of labor. And then another customer comes in and gets a newer or slower working technician and it takes him 3 hours. Why should one customer have to pay more than the other at the same dealership for the same job. Hourly is the way to go but basic jobs definitely need time limits.

[@TunerZen]

I get what your saying and I definitely should have added this in the video. But labor times I think should stay the same. Customers still get charged 1.5 if it's that regardless. And to reward techs that are seasoned set up a monthly performance deal. I also don't agree charging one Customer one rate and other a higher rate. You made a great point though that I left out. I was more focused on the techs who would take advantage and milk the clock.

[@GL0697]

@@TunerZen What your forgetting is flat rate times are set when a car is new, twenty years later should the times stay the same for said vehicle? Heck NO.

[@thatfoojosh]

The shortage is being forced into the industry. Hear me out, the new cars are engineered purposely to make it harder to fix, and costing the consumer even more money to get them fix because of the time it takes to make simple repairs that are now harder because of how they are built. I think they are being engineered this way to push electric vehicles into the market. To basically get rid of all gas powered vehicles off the roads.

[@heisrisen6898]

Because being a auto mechanic for a living sucks, definitely not worth it it’s pain and torment. Worst of all the pay sucks.

[@MechaniclifeJDM]

Flat rate=profit above all, including quality.

[@jonathanford9774]

In Your diagram hours per worker which guy is the. GRAVY GRABBER ? 😂

[@danielwoods5605]

Hints why electric cars will totally bring this industry to its knees, you have guys in polos and khakis with laptops fixing your car…

[@GilFavor101]

Tech shortage is because there is no such thing as "on the job training" these days, or it's hard to find.

[@justindressler5992]

Wait until the electric cars take over, with unserviceable propitry parts. Old cars most people could service with a little determination. When battery cars are your mainstream business your stuffs these are no oil or seals to be replaced. Just high price electric motors and batteries.