r/mechanics

Next week, I'm going to start working at an independent tire shop as a general service tech. It sounded good until i was told near the end of the interview that I'll be working from 7-5, and we have a 30-minute break, which is crazy. that's 10 hours. Is that even ethical? At previous shops, I had 8 hour shifts with hour long breaks. I need a job but also I don't like the sound of this. I can see if I at least had an hour break, but 30 minutes is nasty.

Edit: This is VA

Ive been a tech for 10 years. An "opportunity" came up to swich over to service writer. As a tech, i deal with the shortcomings of service writers on a daily basis. I have been interested in the position for a while, if for nothing else but to raise the bar in my shop and fix some of the bottle necks, but i might just blind to their challenges. I expect a pay cut moving over, but dont actually know what the norm is as far as percentage on commission and what to ask for if i did move to this position. Im not being forced into this position, im one of the highest techs and asked about the position when it opened up. Smaller shop, only 2 service writers total and 6 techs incleding me, 5 if they dont replace me, which they shouldnt as we have too many techs for the work that comes in. Any way, what should i expect as far as pay and commisiom, should i fight for a certain number, or should i stay where im at? Im ok with a dmall income loss due to personal events has lowered my bills, but i cant loose half my income.

I’ve been at a Hyundai dealership for two months, and since day one, I’ve been the top performer. My proficiency stays between 120% and 133%, and I’ve touched the most cars, often doubling others. I do everything: warranty work, TSBs, campaigns, check engine diagnostics, and R&R, except engine swaps and deep parasitic draws. But first off, they weren’t even paying me my tiered pay plan—I was supposed to get extra on top of my flat rate for high proficiency, but they never did it. Then they were shorting my hours, and sometimes when I was diagnosing, the service advisor took those hours off. Now I just found out another express tech, with less skill and barely ¾ of my output, is making $28 an hour while I’m only making $17. After all this, do I push to double it, or do I roll the toolbox and walk? What would you do

Any Mopar techs out there? Trying to perform a quick learn on a 2020 Pacifica and star said it could take anywhere from 10-12 attempts at 20 minutes per try and could potentially take more attempts. Anyone have this problem?

What do you do? Spend hours blind or send the advisor back for more details?

We are a busy shop but we handle the work, sometimes we run out of work, yet , while we have a large amount of people waiting to go to training, wanting to level up and get good, instead of promoting within they are hiring master techs from other states, we literally don’t need any more techs and we especially do not need master level techs.

Why do they never consider a technicians growth or paycheck? Why do they never consider a tech making good money is going to produce better work and be happier which does help the bottom line. Why do they never consider a tech you train is going to be more loyal than some random guy from another state. It’s all about short term CSI and hours.

Yes I understand, profit over all, it’s a business after all, vut they want infinite growth, more hours every single week, while making it harder and harder to do our jobs, cars getting more difficult to work on, having to operate as the warranty admin, service advisor and turning a billion hours a week, not getting trained and not getting paid.

I hate these people dawg, I just want to work on cars and get paid

What trucks pre 1996 before the osb port was added was the easiest to fix and repair? For example engines that were bulletproof with solid maintenance and could change a starter in 30 minutes if needed, no software or laptop or scanner needed just solid work trucks.

Just met a tire tech on my weekly trip to Costco after work. I told him I was a technician for Lexus and the Challenger lifts he had were some of the nicest I’ve seen. He later on told me Costco supplies all of his tools and that he makes $37.00 an hour to only do tires. It makes me wonder… What in the world am I doing? Hahaha I might have to go sling tires for a living at that kind of money.

I’m 19. Graduated HS, did a year and a half of a non-accredited trade school where I learned full engine and suspension building (but unfortunately as I realized got no real certs from it). I got level 2 of Subaru’s dealer certs through my school, but nothing else. Good news is I want to specialize in subies and live in CO, where they’re plentiful.

I got a gig doing lube at a Toyota dealer, but have realized very quickly that they don’t move anybody up at this shop. It’s flat rate, for a pittance for the area, and I’m not learning anything. I’ve been at it for 2 months now and know that I need to move shops sooner or later to move forward.

How long should I try to hold on at this shop? Should I try to just go a year and get some shit like my G1 (not enthusiastic about the idea)? Try to immediately just go find a subie dealer? Hunt for an independent shop to pick me up? I feel like I’ve just burned a ton of time I could be using to advance and learn my craft.

Started at a new shop recently. Im used to the "old school" way of doing shit and ive been recommending brakes bc theyre below 10 or 15 percent and I keep being told I have to use the brake pad measuring tool. We all know it. The multi colored piece of plastic that you position between the pad and the rotor snap a picture quick and easy proof it needs to be done. I've been bewildered that I kept getting denied for brake jobs by the office bc like who cares what this stupid piece of plastic says this vehicle is one hard brake away from spitting the pad. And as I was driving down the road on a test drive I had a sudden realization that ive been using the tool wrong this entire time...ive been shoving the flat side invetween the rotor and pad and going theres no way this is 12mm or considered an ok pad....and thats bc thats not how you use that tool. And I know how to use the fucking tool I just for some reason for a fucking month have apparently had my head up my own ass.

Anyways im an idiot and have lost about a half dozen front and rear brake jobs in the past month bc of it

Now, admittedly, I’m early in my career. But it is such a depressing feeling to spend a decent amount of time repairing a broken flex pipe on a 20+ year-old Kia, only to see that P0133 turn into a P0420…

Got a call back from United Rentals and they liked my resume. Waiting on scheduling the in-person interview and shop tour. No experience in diesel or aerial equipment but I have a good automotive background. Here and elsewhere I've read that being a equipment/diesel fleet tech is the best kind of tech to be. Am I making a good decision with moving forward?

How long have any of yall been express techs? Im going on 5 years

I'm a 19 year old who's recently joined and jumped into the field, I got into a local shop (PEPBOYS) behind my house funny enough, they first told me I'd be getting paid $19 an hour. Fast forward literally a week I was told I'd actually be getting $15 an hour after I already started there... So far I've been in here for a month and I'm just wondering who exactly do I contact about this? I'm actually about to apply elsewhere soon but I feel as if I'm owed money that was promised to me. I have a neighbor who worked here right before me who had left and he said they did the same thing to him and once they no longer needed him they dropped him. This can't be legal