Auto techs....career advice?

[Super-G]

OK so let me lay some history down first. I graduated high school in 1986 and went to 2.5 years of college, then I dropped out and joined the Marines for 6 years. I got out of the Marines in 1995 with ABSOLUTELY no plan for life. (Hey I was young and stupid)

Shortly after returning home, I got a job working at a local NAPA auto parts store as a counterman and I went to school at night. By mid 1997 I finished college with a degree in Political Science and at the same time I had been doing very well at NAPA. I had worked my way up from counterman to outside sales and when I got my degree, I was offered a position as a store manager. Since I was comfortable at NAPA, I took the position and worked as a store manager for about 5 years.

After 5 years, I became very discouraged with the way things were run and how so many things that affected my paycheck were simply out of my control. In 2002, I decided to make a career change I did some research and decided to get my CDL Class A. I've been driving a tractor trailer ever since. I drive local, meaning no over the road. I'm home every night. I wanted it that way because I have a wife and a family.

In 2005 I got a job working for a local union contract carrier. My job has a lot of positives. I'm home every night, my job is very close to home (about 8 miles away). After 8 years with the same company, I have 3 weeks vacation, and 5 personal/sick days. Because we're a union shop, my pay rate is pretty decent. I am at the highest hourly pay rate due to my time with the company. I NEVER turn down overtime and frankly for a local tractor trailer driver I make a nice living.

That being said, there are also a lot of negatives. I start early every day. My start time varies but it ranges from 2:30AM to 5:00AM. I work LONG hours. Due to the logistics of the job and the fact that I am an overtime whore, I average about 12 hours a day. Also there is no set schedule. Basically my day is over when the loads are done or I fight traffic to get back to the yard. It makes it difficult to really have any kind of schedule during the week. Also the driving does get old. I'm driving every day in the northeast corridor fighting traffic constantly, bad weather, not to mention all the wing nuts that cut me off, try to pass illegally, ect. And lastly, I have to admit that the union whining and crying has finally taken it's toll on me.

So here's my issue. I'm 44 years old. I can stay 12-17 more years and retire at 56 or 61 with a 20-25 year Teamster pension...which isn't great these days. Or I can shift gears.

I've considered going to school at night to train as an auto mechanic. For a variety of reasons. For starters I've always loved working on cars. Secondly, my thought is that working as a mechanic might have a more set schedule. And also I can't imagine that a group of mechanics can be as big a group of *****es as union truck drivers. But the reality of it is that I simply want to come off the road. Honestly, a nice steady day turning wrenches at a repair shop seems like heaven these days.

So my question is to all the techs out there. Talk to me. The goods, the bads, and everything in between. Also how about a real world estimate of what a good tech can make out there these days. My wife has a good job and we're doing well. I can take a hit if necessary but I'm not interested in taking it in the ass if you know what I mean.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[vipergrhd]

Oh Hell NO!!!

Greg, You just biatch slap me after reading your post.I am a mechanic/tech for almost 24 years now and turning 43 in a few months i have a lot to share on your current dilemma and i would advise you not to do it as a career change.i will continue this blabering and give you the details of this so called career,let me pause and get back to you.my knees are killing me right now.LMAO

 

[Stick Figure]

My first suggestion is to jump on The Garage Journal and check for similar topics there. This same question has been asked many times although usually by younger guys trying to decide what to do with life.

Myself I do still wrench (once and a while), but I have never been a normal dealer or repair mechanic so I can't comment on the politics or pay involved for those situations. What I will say is be prepared to mess up your body pretty good. I spent about 3 years with a chiropractor trying to fix a lot of the things I did to myself wrenching and doing fab work. I would still be going had I not moved to take my new job, and am looking for a new one here. I also have arms that go numb occasionally. I'm sure that's a combination of many things, but I know when I don't turn wrenches for 8 hours a day I don't have the issue. The final thing I will say is that I had fun cars BEFORE I opened my performance shop, and then they sat, I closed my shop and worked for someone else and still never found the motivation to do much. Now that I am doing something different (still automotive, but not wrenching everyday) than building cool shit for other people I'm starting in on my own projects again.

Edit: Don't forget to price out a full set of tools that you probably don't have now, that sure as hell cuts into your paycheck.

In short I would say don't do it.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Hell, I'm a little over half your age and my back and neck are killing me! LoL

That being said, I would not recommend it as a career change so late in your life. The amount of technology, computerization, and so on have advanced a lot since the early days of wrenching. You'd need to really learn things like OBDII, CAN, EFI systems, Direct Injection, ect ect. Cars are a lot more tricky to fix these days then they used to be.

Not to mention you're going to need close to 6 grand in tools (to get started, don't worry Snap-On or whoever is more than happy to bleed you dry on a loan! LoL) plus some serious diagnostic equipment if the shop you're applying to doesn't have anything.

I would HIGHLY recommend you stay away from Dealerships, the politics and infighting gets stressful and tiring (take it from experience...)

There is a ton more stuff I could write about, but in short. Unless you really want to spend the time and money to get into this field, its a lot harder than just get a set of craftsman tools and start wrenching.

Personally, I enjoy the work I do and find it rewarding in its own little way. I enjoy the difficult diagnostics and physical act of taking things apart and rebuilding them and such. But the politics of my Sales Dept. vs. Service gets old quickly and I'm paying off 8 grand worth of tools and still itchin' to buy another 10 if I had some money. But I think at this point in your life it will be a far more difficult change than it used to be say 10-20 years ago.

 

[NorCalBorn]

^All the above said.










FWIW @ 37 I went back and upped by business education with degrees in Social as well as Behavioral Sciences. I ended up wrenching, again. Then I jumped back into a Parts Rep spot and might have something in the works. I complain all the time but things could always be worse. Don't worry be happy man.

I'm now 40, been in two car accidents within the last 3 years, neither my fault. My back will hurt, my legs, arms, etc will get sore and/or snap crackle pop.

That said I always shake my head @ viperGRHD and how he sits there wrenching on his weekends too. STAY PUT. Unions will figure their crap out as soon as the money rolls in again. They're just crying b/c for the first time since the 70's they actually are like the rest of us and have to work for the money.

As for the jack-holes on the roads, yeah, get used to it, it won't change. It's what I've always called the "Population Differential".

20 years ago the population was far less so the 10-25% of idiots on the road you'd rarely run across. Thse days I can't drive for more than maybe 5 minutes without having to restrain my mouth or middle finger.

Take a day off. Come evening time grab a box of Triscuits with some good slices of cheddar, and a beer or soda of your choice, don't give a rats butt about the calories the doctor warns you about, and watch the sun set from the comfort of a good lawn chair.

It will all fall back into place.

 

[Super-G]

I posted this same question on a Pontiac website I frequent as well. Basically 100% of the responses I received were "don't do it". If it had been 50/50 I might have taken the next step and started researching it but since basically 100% of the responses advised against it, I've decided to just let it pass by.

As I said, I don't HATE my job. I'm a good worker and my company is pleased with my work. I've received the "Driver of the Month" award 3 times in my 8 years of employment and last year I was a finalist for "Driver of the Year". Over the 8 years I've been there, I have been accident and citation free which nets me a $1000.00 safety bonus every year at Christmas time. Not only do I have a union pension but my company also has a company sponsored 401K plan that I contribute to as well. So I have 2 retirement funds going at my one job.

Like I said for me the biggest complaint is the driving and the schedule. But that being said it's not bad enough just yet to FORCE me to find another job. After giving it some thought, I've decided to just ride the wave and continue driving and hope for an early retirement. In 12 years I will be 56 and have 20 years of service to the company. My wife will be 53 and have almost 30 years with her company. I only have 2-1/2 years left on the small mortgage on my vacation home in the Pocono mountains and my wife and I hope to have our primary home paid off by then as well. (We are 4 years into a 15 year mortgage). The only unknown at the time will be college tuition for the kids but we should have plenty of equity in our 2 homes to hopefully help with that. We're just going to roll the dice and hope it all works out.

 

[Pmcmasters]

I know you said you're going to let it pass and quite frankly, after reading all of the above statements I would too, but being a tech isn't all that bad. We go through good times and bad times just like everyone else. It wasn't that long ago (before the economy tanked) that I was making plenty of money. You did ask for some actual numbers, so here you go- just before the down-turn a lot of us 100% commission techs were earning anywhere from 80-160k a year without blinking an eye. If you had asked then if becoming a tech was a good move, I would've told you flat out NO! That's because you would've been competition for us, taking money out of our wallets. Now, the amount we were earning just isn't there anymore. Lots of techs are out getting second jobs or changing careers because we got used to making a certain amount of money and now we aren't. We got used to a certain lifestyle and now we can't afford that same lifestyle. Now is not the right time to ask a seasoned technician if it's a wise decision to become a tech. I'm in my early 40's and have been turning wrenches at the same dealership for over 16 years now and I'm still making enough money to support my family and pay the bills. It just required an adjustment in my lifestyle. I'm not going to lie, it will take a substantial amount of money up front for tools and a toolbox if you don't have them already. Being a tech you will never, ever stop buying tools so just plan on that. But if you actually enjoy working on cars then why not do it? You don't have much longer to pay on your mortgage and your wife works, why not try doing something for the love and enjoyment of it? I have always loved working on cars, ever since I had my first car. There is just something about pulling a car into my stall that isn't running or handling right and being able to diagnose it, repair it and send it back out like new again. There aren't too many people out there that get paid for doing something they love.

Working at a dealership I get vacation pay, benefits, 401k and the support from the manufacturer. I work Monday through Friday from 7am-4pm. I do work an occasional Saturday here and there but that's overtime. I don't work for a union. I'm 100% commission so I can stay working if I want to make more money or I can just leave at my scheduled time. I don't take my work home. Once I leave at 4pm, that's it, I forget about work and focus on my family and free time. I'm in a safe working environment, I don't have to worry about other knuckleheads on the road, except while I'm on a quick test drive! It really isn't as bad as most people think. There ARE politics and drama working at a dealership and all the issues that go along with that but if you stay out of them they won't concern you. I realize I might be playing the devils advocate here but I just thought you might want an honest opinion from someone who actually enjoys where he works and what he does. Good luck with whatever you decide on...okay, I'm stepping off my soap box, as you were.

 

[moonkrj]

Auto-tech hw domyhomework4me​

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Hi, I'm aware that it's a long path to become a competent pro mechanic, cause it may take 5+ years + 2-3 more years of an autotech internship. Any tech colleges with evening classes or part-time night courses in Ohio? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

RJ