From the net: February 18, 2004 DETROIT -(Dow Jones)- Auto technicians will be in high demand in coming years as the industry faces a shortfall of 35,000 mechanics through 2010. A report in USA Today said a recent survey showed each dealer will need to hire, on average, two mechanics within the next six months, up from one a year ago. The job's reputation as gritty and low-paying has kept young people from entering the industry. Many older mechanics are retiring rather than continuing their training to work on today's technology-filled cars. Car dealers, automakers, the U.S. Labor Department and the U.S. military will announce later Wednesday an effort to convince former soldiers to become mechanics. The program will link car dealers with military aide offices to post job openings. The national average salary for mechanics was more than $41,000 in 2002. The highest-paid auto technicians were paid as much as $120,000. -By Sharon Silke Carty, Dow Jones Newswires; 313-226-1249; sharon.carty@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires 02-18-04 0911ET
We had a mechanic that was some ford specialty guy come to my high school and he told us all about the "special perks" ford gave him, like a percentage off of any ford car his family bought, free training that includes airfare and boarding on any new car, etc. Ford sent his family to hawaii for a week for a "seminar". Anyone know if GM is playing this game too?
I was, up until recently, a professional mechanic. Wrenched for 16 years. One of the "perks" I got was severe nerve damage in both hands, wrists, elbows, and thorasic outlets. I am going for surgery #4 end of next month, and #5 sometime this summer. Humans were not designed to do heavy repetative motion 10 hours a day 5 days a week. I am living proof of that. My "bonus" I got from my employer was I was fired after being on work comp for a year while the doctors were/are still trying to figure out all the damage. If I can make one recomendation to kids thinking about getting into the repair field is go to college. Don't turn a hobby into a career. Sorry for being a killjoy, but there is a reason so many of us our getting out of the field, and "not wanting to learn new technology" isn't the main reason.
I agree with the above. I wrenched for about 10 years and all you get out of it is low wages and no thanks very often.If you go to college you can pay some other chump to fix your car. ED
mechanic i started out as an apprentice mechanic in 1973 and have been turning wrenches for a living ever since. i still love and enjoy working on cars. i agree that professional mechanics are underpaid and dont nearly get the respect we should. most people have no idea what it takes to diagnose and repair a modern car.
what john said PLUS usually no health insurance, poor working conditions, (cold/wet/poor ventilation in winter, hot, poor ventilation in summer) minimal paid holidays and vacations, surly service managers, non existent parts source support, unreasonable customers who think for 5 bucks you should be able to rebuild any system on thier car and give them change-i speak as someone who has been repairing automobiles since 1971 and owns an auto repair business. these are the reasons there is a shortage of qualified technicians. I have made a reasonable living in the car repair business, but i WILL NOT encourage my son to follow in my shoes. my love of cars and the repair business has been soured considerably by the above conditions and in the next few years i too will leave the repair biz and there will be another hole created where a competent repair tech used to work.
Mike, im 20 yrs old an am currently a mechanic. i got my first job in a tranny shop at 17 figuring i would turn a hobby into a career and ive recently found out it isnt worth it. its not that i havent worked for the right company or anything, i was at toyota for a while, until the market got slow and i finally quit. im pursuing real estate appraisal work now. i urge any other young person out there that is thining about becoming a mechanic to go to school, dont waste your time being a grease monkey. a good education provides much more opportunity then a set of wrenches.
I agree,Auto Mechanics are paid low wages compared to all the other professions. When you come down to it,they should be paid like a doctor-after all, Auto Mechanics are doctors for cars. They have to put up with all sorts of crap(weather conditions,breathing hazardous fumes,diagnosing those every once-in-a-while sh&tboxes,up to their armpits in grease,etc.)-you get the picture. It is a thankless job. Don't get me wrong,I love working on cars,but there are people that look down on the Auto Mechanic and think they are stupid. I resent that. I want the brain surgeon(that has car trouble) to fix his car-HIMSELF. I betcha he couldn't do it.
Boy, don't get me started on this subject.... 15 years experience at local dealerships, last years W2 says somewhere in the neighborhood of $27,500. I have been in this same building for 11 years in April. The previous owner of the dealership felt my ability and work ethic were worthy of a "salary". After about 1 1/2 years with the new owners, they informed me that I wasn't worth what I was being paid, so back to flat rate I went. Flat rate work is isn't bad "IF" everyone involved with your paycheck does their part. That's not the case here. While the previous owner was concerned about "keeping his loyal customers, the new folks seem to have the attitude of "Get as much as you can while they are here, we don't care if they ever come back". I have an appointment with Sears next week. It seems my experience and training may qualify me as a lawnmower repairman.
If you guys think being an automotive mechanic is bad. You should see what has happened to the aviation industry since 911. We still have all the responsiblity for everything we do and have to work shifts, odd days off, and usually in foul weather. Our benifits and pay have been cut by over one third and the CEO still thinks we are still overpaid. Sorry but I am just ranting. Dave
Wow, reading everyones experiences added a little weight to the other side of the mechanic vs something else debate in my head as to a career move.
