Automotive Technicians

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

Looking for several elite technicians at a high volume Ford/Dodge dealer. If your certified in either of these (even if your not, but wanting to) please PM me. We have top pay, benefits, 401k, free education and one of the best work environments in the state.

 

[transfixer]

Hope you have better luck than we had had finding people ! I'm beginning to think there are no top notch techs out there anymore !

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

Yeah I’ve been looking for a couple of years. I started growing my own and that’s working really well so far, always need more though!

 

[earlthegoat2]

Crazy how many mechanics are needed out there.

I was in automotive service for 4 years but got out to be a heavy and compact equipment tech. The amount of money it would take to get me back into automotive would not be agreeable to most.

 

[transfixer]

Crazy how many mechanics are needed out there.

I was in automotive service for 4 years but got out to be a heavy and compact equipment tech. The amount of money it would take to get me back into automotive would not be agreeable to most.

Don't know what the heavy equipment tech field pays, but an experienced top Auto tech can make a six figure income in today's market, especially in a speciality field

 

[earlthegoat2]

Don't know what the heavy equipment tech field pays, but an experienced top Auto tech can make a six figure income in today's market, especially in a speciality field

I hear that a lot. Im still trying to find evidence it exists. I do believe it exists but I also believe the circumstances have to be exceptional. All I can say is if it was common or a realistic future earnings, there would be more techs in the trade.

When I was in tech school, everyone called it the "six figure dream" Apparently it was even possible back in the early 2000s. Still never saw any hard evidence.

I guess I have to ask, have you ever hit six figures in a year?

I know I could have done it back when I was in automotive if I worked 16 hrs a day....and I had the service writer in my back pocket to give me all the most profitable jobs.

Flat rate can be very lucrative or it can kill you. At the time I quit auto wrenching, heavy eq was paying 30/hr with overtime added to that. You can usually get 70-80K yr working 45-50 hours a week. OT is optional for me. No flat rate. Straight 30/hr. for all hours worked. No pressure to go fast. I saw a $20,000 increase in earnings that year.

What was really nice were actual benefits. There were some benefits at the big dealerships but they were not that good. No 401K matching, health insurance they offered was costly, no HSAs, etc. I have found many auto techs dont even know what these things are anyway.

Most heavy eq opportunities have decent benefits. When I entered the heavy eq field, my wife was a parole officer with state benefits which are usually pretty good. Mine were better by a good margin.

Lets just say it wasnt the right fit for me.

 

[transfixer]

I hear that a lot. Im still trying to find evidence it exists. I do believe it exists but I also believe the circumstances have to be exceptional. All I can say is if it was common or a realistic future earnings, there would be more techs in the trade.

When I was in tech school, everyone called it the "six figure dream" Apparently it was even possible back in the early 2000s. Still never saw any hard evidence.

I guess I have to ask, have you ever hit six figures in a year?

I know I could have done it back when I was in automotive if I worked 16 hrs a day....and I had the service writer in my back pocket to give me all the most profitable jobs.

Flat rate can be very lucrative or it can kill you. At the time I quit auto wrenching, heavy eq was paying 30/hr with overtime added to that. You can usually get 70-80K yr working 45-50 hours a week. OT is optional for me. No flat rate. Straight 30/hr. for all hours worked. No pressure to go fast. I saw a $20,000 increase in earnings that year.

What was really nice were actual benefits. There were some benefits at the big dealerships but they were not that good. No 401K matching, health insurance they offered was costly, no HSAs, etc. I have found many auto techs dont even know what these things are anyway.

Most heavy eq opportunities have decent benefits. When I entered the heavy eq field, my wife was a parole officer with state benefits which are usually pretty good. Mine were better by a good margin.

Lets just say it wasnt the right fit for me.

I have hit six figures a year,,, yes,, but in my industry the pay is different, transmission shops in general , don't pay flat rate, they pay hourly or salary, for the most part I've always been salary, I build transmissions, sometimes do diagnostics, sometimes do reprogramming, but my main job is rebuilding, because there aren't many guys that can do what I do, especially with over 30yrs experience, and with a less than 5% comeback rate, I get paid rather well, but I know a couple guys that make a little more than I do. My job will probably morph out in another 5, maybe 10yrs, and it will turn into diagnostics and computer reprogramming almost totally, with the current trend of where transmissions are going, won't matter to me by then I'll be retired, or just working 2 or 3 days a week in some shop

A general automotive tech will have to bust his rear end to hit six figures,, granted, especially if he's in a flat rate shop. some of the labor times on today's vehicles are very tight, hard to do an 8 hour job in 2 anymore,

The other fields that are hitting six figures are diagnostician guys, especially the diag/computer reprogramming guys, who do mobile diagnostics, which has exploded in the Atlanta and other metro areas in the last 10yrs, they go from one shop to another daily, doing nothing but extensive diagnostics,driveability, and reprogramming/ reflashing of computers,

 

[dslc6487]

Too much free money out there right now to get people to come to work, no matter how qualified they are. Sad to say it, but there are those that had rather stay at home on the government free money and do nothing but watch big screen TV, drink beer, and just get by, than they had take a 6 figure income and better themselves and their family..
Our nation is in a sad state of affairs, thanks to biden and his admin...

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

I have many techs in 6 figures working in my shop. It is very much achievable. And some of those guys are on a 4 day work week schedule.

 

[transfixer]

I have many techs in 6 figures working in my shop. It is very much achievable. And some of those guys are on a 4 day work week schedule.

a 4 day work week is something I'm going to approach the owner about in the near future, I'll gladly do 10 or 11 hour days to have Friday off,

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

a 4 day work week is something I'm going to approach the owner about in the near future, I'll gladly do 10 or 11 hour days to have Friday off,

Some of the guys like it and take advantage of it (ie if they can turn the hours they want) and some have to work 5 days to turn the hours they want.

 

[riskyb]

A little info on your shop?? Akins??

 

[Liberty]

I was a Mazda/Ford dealer tech and made good money until 2009, then the bottom fell out. I think all but 2 of us got out making $75 a day flat rate on the slowest days. There is a whole generation of us that got burned and moved on. I suspect most techs now are under 30 or over 50.

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

A little info on your shop?? Akins??

Yes, Akins in winder. If you or anyone you know are qualified/skilled techs let me know! Even if you refer someone and I hire them I’ll put some cash in your pocket

 

[riskyb]

Tony still there running the shop?

 

[riskyb]

I think one of our cap students came to work with you a while back.. Tyler??

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

Tony still there running the shop?

No, she has moved on to bigger and better things

 

[ADDICTED2HUNTIN]

I think one of our cap students came to work with you a while back.. Tyler??

Yes, Tyler was with us for a little while

 

[M80]

I’m the shop supervisor for Fleet Maintenance of the county I live in. My problem is I’m 42 now and don’t really want to turn wrenches like I use to but what I make after 21 years is ridiculous. My 18 year old son will be making what I make within 3 years. There are to many jobs now paying good money. Buckees gas station is paying girls $22 an hour to make fudge. There isn’t a lot of younger folks that want to do hard work anymore and us that has always done it are pretty much stuck where we are and don’t want to make a jump.

 

[transfixer]

I’m the shop supervisor for Fleet Maintenance of the county I live in. My problem is I’m 42 now and don’t really want to turn wrenches like I use to but what I make after 21 years is ridiculous. My 18 year old son will be making what I make within 3 years. There are to many jobs now paying good money. Buckees gas station is paying girls $22 an hour to make fudge. There isn’t a lot of younger folks that want to do hard work anymore and us that has always done it are pretty much stuck where we are and don’t want to make a jump.

I realize county employment comes with benefits,, but unless those benefits are substantial ? you should leave and go into the private sector, at a busy independent repair facility, pay is about as high or higher than its ever been for experienced techs, I'm currently making good money, but I've been offered between 15k-20k more yearly in the last couple months to come to work at another shop, and likely will do so after some final negotiations.