auto techs?

Question

Auto techs?
If you're an automotive tech, please give me some feedback please, for example, could you answer the following question:

Do you have a degree or a certificate?
How much did you start off at?
Are you paid flat rate or hourly wage?
How long did it take you to start making a lot of money?
How many days do you generally work? If 6, then is it mandatory?
What's the highest hourly or flate rate that you've ever had?
If your work is based on flat rate, what is the most hours that you have ever made in one week?

Answer 1

I started clean shop and oil changes, Graduated to tune up then diagnostic lane VW shop that was 1972/1973. Back then no associate degree was necessary. $ 1.75 an hour soon to get to $3.50 an hour. Gasoline back then cost 35 cents a gallon. Almost all Automotive techs are paid flat rate hour. The most money I ever made is 65, 70 thousand a year. I mostly average 55/60 thousand. I own a nery nice house. I am earning $24 dollars per flat rate hour and earned last pay period 116.7 hours that's 2,800 for 15 days. After taxes 15% 401 retirement,uniforms laundry and medical insurance FICA federal withholding I got out there with almost $1,900. You get to work in non air conditioned shops freeze in the winter. Working with 7,300 lbs above your head and running machines are just dangerous. Work for a dealership you are more likely to have the special tools to do the job correctly. I own the largest Snap-On tool box completely full of tools laptop oscilloscope obd2 blue tooth diagnostic interface That investment was made over 34 years and some think the $100,000 dollars invested excessive but when you have the tools I have I can continue to work with out stopping. When other mechanics come over to borrow something I have. I tell them three times then you have to buy one. We stagger our work week so 5 day work week. every other month Tuesday Thur Saturday, I am on Monday-Friday in June. The one thing that should change is manufactures set the warranty times for repair and they are reluctant to change the times upward when there is a mistake. Because to control warranty expence saves the manufacture money. Some Manufactures are better than others. Warranty repair times are substancially less than customer pay. CP labor averages 60% more. Leasing cars gas prices really hurts my bottom line. People just don't maintain cars for 10 years anymore. Oh by the way I live and work in Fort Worth TX

Answer 2

Well I worked at the Toyota dealership 3 years ago as a lube tech before I moved to a normal shop after I advanced up. I can tell you this coming from the master tech's there, if your doing warranty work your expected to do it 50% faster and get paid 50% less then if it was a paid job. The dealership's don't wanna pay tech's what they deserve for warranty work. Dealership's say "Quality over Quantity", but act as if they want Quantity over Quality". If you're not making them money then they will find someone who will. Stay an independent and save yourself the stress and unhappiness. Hope this helps