I’ve been turning wrenches since I was a child.
I went back to school at 29 to a Community College to get a degree in Auto Repair. As you know, Community Colleges offer two year Associates Degrees.
After one full year, a Ford Motor Company sponsored program opened up that was very limited and hard to get into. For one you had to get a Dealership to sponsor you and it was only open to 24 candidates, every two years.
So I managed to get in and I kicked it’s ass. After THREE years of going to a TWO year college,I graduated Phi Theta Kappa, made the Dean’s List 3 times and hade a 3.71 GPA.
The whole time being half drunk.
I’m sure I could have gotten a 4.0 if I had really tried.
I went to school for 3 months and then worked at the Dealership for 3 months, getting paid to learn and getting college credits for it.
I worked there for 9 years.
There were days that I drove 30 miles to work, sat there all day with nothing to do and drove home, not making a nickel because it was all Flat Rate, otherwise known as Piece Work.
That started happening so often that I finally decided that I couldn’t afford to work there anymore.
It finally got to the point that I had had enough and went to work as a Field Mechanic for a well known local equipment rental outfit at a SIX DOLLAR an hour pay cut and was still taking home just as much as I was working at the Lincoln/Mercury dealership.
In those 9 years I bought THOUSANDS of dollars worth of tools and tool boxes plus going to seemingly never ending training update classes.
So when I say that I lived what this story is saying, It is the absolute truth.
Back then, in the late 80’s Ford was screaming for new technicians to work on their then new computerized vehicles. When I left in 1999, Ford Motor companie’s premiere vehicles had 11 computers in them and they all talked to each other through one twisted wire that had another one twisted to the first one for redundancy. They called it Multi-Plexing.
The wiring harness that went through the Firewall and completely wrapped around an engine shoe horned into an engine bay had One Hundred and Eleven Wires in it.
That was 27 years ago.
What they have now for technology is Light Years beyond what I ever fought with and today’s cars are downright ridiculous to work on.
Yet the pay is not really that much more than it was back then.
Once again, Ford is screaming for new technicians, saying they have 6.000 empty bays with no mechanics in them nationwide but this time they are screaming into the void because the word is out and nobody wants to have to go through all of what I did for no more money than some chick sitting at a desk typing data into a computer makes.
So their cries go on deaf ears. Which is absolutely self inflicted and well deserved.
The very first thing that needs to happen is for them to scrap the Flat Rate pay system and guarantee their techs a Living Wage.
This video is well worth the watch to see what the state of Vehicle Repairs are in right now and you can guarantee that it is going to get much, much, worse.
Well, that’s just depressing as hell. And yeah, I knew some about the tool thing, but didn’t realize it was as bad as that.
And that boys and girls is why you never let accountants run your business, or an MBA.
I worked at a Fortune 100 company and saw the same thing. We would spend 2-5 years training guys and as soon as their commitment was done they left because someone had the great idea to change their pay and benefits (more complicated, but let’s keep it anonymous). In any event our competitors were more than happy to hire trained people. Eventually it was figured out our hourly cost was so high because of the training overhead. The answer wasn’t how to reduce training by paying people to stay, it was if we reduce or stop training how can we get trained people? Head, meet wall.
Holy crap!
I had no idea it was like the way he describes it. Paying for your own tools? I just assumed the dealerships bought the tools as part of their costs. I’m aware of some of the Snap-On jokes but didn’t know a thing about how it’s practically indentured servitude.
The car makers are writing their own destruction.
The theory of providing your own tools is, if they’re just loaned out or provided free to most people, most people will abuse them, steal them, lose them or some innovative combination thereof. That’s the facts of the matter, so it might as well be the theory of it as well, and also why most mechanics won’t loan their tools.
And also, the greed inherent to most car dealerships might well have something to do with it, but maybe that’s just me being cynical again.
No, it’s more that you’re as *realist*.
It’s more depressing because the video appears to be AI generated. While no doubt a true representation of how dealerships treat their techs, it’s just irritating.
I had no idea that the dealers treated their techs so poorly. No wonder all the good auto techs I know opened their own shops. If they had to take the risk anyways, might as well get the reward for it.
I will stick with my old vehicles and manuals. Replace and top off fluids on schedule, treat them with respect, and it is amazing how far even a Ford can last.
We can do that as long as we can keep finding the parts to repair with. I wonder if maybe the old rebuild shops will start opening back up. Alternator and starter rebuilders come to mind.
Been there, done that. I tell young people to “learn a trade. Go to work in a STEM field” Just don’t go work on cars.
Don’t get me wrong, the trade fed me and my family. Barely.
I always had work. Because cars are way too complicated and there’s ZERO loyalty in the customer base.
I never had a problem buying tools. Because tool trucks are kind of predatory and shops are REALLY stingy.
I never had a problem finding a new job. Because every scheme is always looking for new victims.
Yeah, I walked away 15 years ago. The best career move I ever made.
Cars are now a STEM field…
Never wanted to be an ACTUAL mechanic, but glad I learned to be one – saves me beaucoup bucks because I can keep my personal “fleet” going strong.
Sad to say, now that my bad back keeps me from doing most things I have to farm it out to the non-dealer mechanics, but the good part is my cars are older and most mechanics, even the newer kids, have no problem with fixing ’em. It’s just expensive, that’s all…
I have known several shops where the owner and his kids do a fantastic job. Unfortunately, now that I’ve moved it will take me many moons to learn where the competent shops are around here… sigh.
Here in central calif I have been unable to find a good repair shop after the one I used sold to a chain firm. The ones I have gone to have charged more than the dealership.
Spent 4 years as a mechanic in the Army, got out in 1979 and went to work at a Volkswagen dealership. Talked with the other guys that worked there and found out that the guy who had been there the longest (10 years) was making about as much as I was when I got out of the Army. A month later I was back in the Army.
I never worked at a dealership, but at a “chain” service center. When I first started, they owned the tools and it was hourly wage. It wasn’t much, but fresh out of college it was survivable at $5.50/hr. Then they went flat rate and made us buy the tools we were already using. Every time we figured out how to make money, they would change the pay scale. It wasn’t long before me and management came to an impasse and we parted ways. It was about a year or two later and the whole chain collapsed.
I never went back into automotive repair as a main means of employment. I’ve been more industrial maintenance, with a couple stints of industrial construction, ever since.
As far as the never ending tool truck payment, I managed to avoid that entirely. I have been buying tools as I need them since I was 10. At this point, I imagine I have over $50k in tools. Probably even more. And yet every week, or so, I buy more tools. No Snap-On, but good quality equipment just the same – SK, Proto, Blackhawk, OLD Craftsman, Klein, etc, etc.
Hell, at this point Hobo Freight is making serviceable tools on par with most big box stores and Craftsman. Pittsburgh tools are what Craftsman USED to be. Their ICON series is fairly expensive, but as good as the “Tool Truck” brands and less than half the price. I never thought I’d live long enough to say that and mean it.
I just wish I had money enough to buy BIG equipment – loaders, track-hoes, dozers, etc, etc. Dirt work is about the only thing I have to farm out at this point. I have some good contractors that treat me good. So, I guess I’m not too bad off.
Leigh
Whitehall, NY
I’d say you’re keepin’ on keepin’ on, buddy.
It was my sincere desire to be a mechanic starting about 10yo. And I was. If it had nuts and bolts on it I was all over it. About 90% of the time I could put it back together too. Went to auto mechanics class in HS and excelled. First job was in a Texaco service station. I had no professional training or certs and the tough as nails WWII vet that owned the place never asked. AFAIK, no one ever came back because of a screw up on my part. Got married to an active duty USAF member and she got orders to move to the UK so my wrench turning for money mostly ended. Got into the Grocery business for a time after that then a cement mason and now, specialized semiconductors. Every change was a step up in $$ and I excelled at everything I quickly excelled at everything I ever did. Kinda glad I got away from turning wrenches especially after seeing this vid. Retirement is creeping up on me now. Not really looking forward to it TBH. Managed to save a fair bit of $$ despite just scraping by for many years. I like working and will likely do it until I die, even though I don’t have to. Kinda strange how life turns out sometimes.
This computerized bullshit is disgusting.
Build vehicles that use computerized engine controls only and do everything else as it was in the fifties.
When I worked as a flat rate mechanic in the 70s the rules were you can drink on the job but must bring your own beer. Do not borrow tools! You can smoke dope on the job but you must share with the boss. And most important do not eat anyone else’s lunch or you will be fired. Tom
There is no excuse for designing inaccessible parts. Perhaps it’s time to force the Auto industry engineers to spend 4 years as a mechanic before they can design cars.