How Do I Become a Mechanic?

[buzzbass]

Might I suggest Wyotec, Lincoln Technical Instutue, or UTI. The machinist suggestions are excellent. That is a dying breed/skill and will become more and more valuable in the future. the School of Automotive Machinists, in Houston, has an excellent program.

 

[Mike N]

If I do decide to become a mechanic, what kind of job should I seek out? I want to know the best way to get into this kind of career. What about opening my own garage down the road, is that the way to go?

Best way to get in is at the bottom and work your way up. Getting an entry level job at Aamco wouldn't be a bad idea if you want a taste of this business. You're probably going to start out busting tires, doing oil changes, coolant flushes, etc.... and all the other grunt work that no one else wants to do. As your skills and tool collection grow you'll be doing brake and front end work, alignments, shocks & struts, check engine light diagnostics, etc.... Eventually (if you stick around that long) you may be doing engine and transmission r&r, head gaskets, timing belts and the like.

As far as opening your own shop, you're gonna need a fat bankroll to purchase tools and equipment needed for day to day operations. Price out a tire machine and spin balancer sometime- you'll be shocked how much a good (read: not Chinese) machine is. Then, factor in a parts inventory, rent, utilities, insurance and the like and you'll see it isn't going to be a cheap date. If you hang around in this field long enough you may look into taking over a shop from someone that may be getting out of the business.

 

[hbarcat]

look into becomin a machinist. work with metal have access to cnc machines and machine your own car parts.

This is good advice!


You can take a LOT of classes at a community college that will give you all the basics in auto repair, body work, painting, fabrication, machining, electronics, welding, and computers and other systems for automotive applications.

It won't cost a lot, you can usually get classes scheduled while you work around your job and in a couple of years you will have a skill set can be applied to other careers should you decide to change your mind.

 

[greekorican]

Well I gave the guy who runs an Aamco a call today and he says that he can make a job happen for me, which is great, I need a part time job anyway. So I'm off to a start. I don't know how good Aamco would look on a resume, but atleast its some experience. Even if I don't do this as a career, learning something new at work beats bagging groceries.

 

[Headless Llama]

I don't know how good Aamco would look on a resume, but atleast its some experience.

It is more important to future employers that you held the job for a good amount of time, and that you were a good employee (on time, work habits) Plus your still young enough where it doesn't matter, its not like the old days where you worked the same job until you retired.

Keep your head up, take advice from the older guys in the shop and you'll be just fine.

 

[blendermassacre]

Doing something you love while you can afford to is a great thing to have, even if it isn't your career. You may find out that you HATE working on cars, even part time. Either way, get the job and try your hardest. Worst case is you leave with a good reference of your hard work.

 

[greekorican]

I'm reading through Truman College's website (its a community college) and they have a program in automotive technologies. Do you think an Associate's Degree in Automotive Technology would be the way to go?

Another thing I've been thinking of is to become a mechanic working on things other than cars. What about working on tractors, front end loaders, Bobcats, and other machines and vehicles. There isn't exactly a jiffy lube you can take them to, I think it might be possible a job like that would pay better. Any thoughts on this?

I'm also on UTI's website. I'm looking at their Diesel Mechanic Program right now, and I think thats exactly what I had in mind above. I would imagine that it is much easier to land a fleet job working on big diesel trucks or construction equipment, which is what I'm looking to do if I want to avoid flat rate pay, correct? I have always admired big rigs, I would have fun working on big trucks, rather than on minivans and station wagons. There is a campus in Chicago, would going to NC really be worth it for the NASCAR program? How likely is it to actually land a job with NASCAR?

Maybe I'm being too hopeful, but I see a future in this. There is always going to be work for mechanics, I don't see vehicles going away anytime soon.

 

[68Goldfish]

Yeah, and I wouldn't be too afraid of flat rate either. I worked hourly for years and years, never wanted to do it any other way. But my current job (Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge tech) is flat rate and I realize now how much I screwed myself over the years insisting on bieng paid hourly. Granted, you have to be experienced, quick and a go getter, and it helps bieng a team leader but you can make a lot more money working flat rate. I make a meager 26.00 an hour but I never actually make that. Averaged out I make more like 40.00 and hour and sometimes (on a very good week) up to 50.00 an hour. In my two stalls at a dealership. Not bad. Your not going to want to start out flat rate but I'm just saying once you get good enough don't be afraid of it. Especially if your in an indy shop where's there's no warrenty. Then again there's benifits to working at a dealer, like seeing the same exact problems on the same cars all day long. Chances are I know what's wrong with the jeep before I even get in the car to pull it into the shop. It's all about setting them up and knocking them down....all day long.

 

[Truktek2]

Yeah, and I wouldn't be too afraid of flat rate either. I worked hourly for years and years, never wanted to do it any other way. But my current job (Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge tech) is flat rate and I realize now how much I screwed myself over the years insisting on bieng paid hourly. Granted, you have to be experienced, quick and a go getter, and it helps bieng a team leader but you can make a lot more money working flat rate. I make a meager 26.00 an hour but I never actually make that. Averaged out I make more like 40.00 and hour and sometimes (on a very good week) up to 50.00 an hour. In my two stalls at a dealership. Not bad. Your not going to want to start out flat rate but I'm just saying once you get good enough don't be afraid of it. Especially if your in an indy shop where's there's no warrenty. Then again there's benifits to working at a dealer, like seeing the same exact problems on the same cars all day long. Chances are I know what's wrong with the jeep before I even get in the car to pull it into the shop. It's all about setting them up and knocking them down....all day long.

Different strokes I guess. I would quit the field and flip burgers before I went back to a dealer. Nothing like having a job that pays .5 hrs, takes 2.5 to fix and spend 20 minutes at the parts counter. Running around like a headless chicken trying to make time while the dispatcher takes care of his buddies. No pension and all u leave with after 20 years is the same toolbox you rolled in. And then spending more time coming up with b**lsh*t stories on warrantee claims than fixing cars. No thanks.

 

[68Goldfish]

Different strokes I guess. I would quit the field and flip burgers before I went back to a dealer. Nothing like having a job that pays .5 hrs, takes 2.5 to fix and spend 20 minutes at the parts counter. Running around like a headless chicken trying to make time while the dispatcher takes care of his buddies. No pension and all u leave with after 20 years is the same toolbox you rolled in. And then spending more time coming up with b**lsh*t stories on warrantee claims than fixing cars. No thanks.

LOL. Different strokes allright. I will agree with you that warrenty sucks. There's nothing I hate more than working for free or close to it. But....that's why I talked about the flip side where you see the same problems all the time and when it's customer pay (which is about 85%) you can make real money. One or two makes and a handfull of models, not every car ever made. I don't stand around at the parts counter for twenty minutes, I don't run around like a chicken with my head cut off and I don't spend a lot of time writing BS stories for warrenty claims. I worked in the indy world.......for a long time, years and years and I wouldn't have it any other way. And pension? I thought we were talking about bieng a mechanic. What job has a pension? Maybe one at the county or state I suppose. And if you can get one of those go for it!

 

[SteveC]

What kind of jobs should I be looking to get if I want big money?

I'm guessing the job at Amoco and attending a Tech school are a good start.

You should do what you like. There's more to life than a lot of money. Its nice, and it makes things easier, but it isn't everything. You will be working a long time - you should be doing something you like.

 

[Truktek2]

LOL. Different strokes allright. I will agree with you that warrenty sucks. There's nothing I hate more than working for free or close to it. But....that's why I talked about the flip side where you see the same problems all the time and when it's customer pay (which is about 85%) you can make real money. One or two makes and a handfull of models, not every car ever made. I don't stand around at the parts counter for twenty minutes, I don't run around like a chicken with my head cut off and I don't spend a lot of time writing BS stories for warrenty claims. I worked in the indy world.......for a long time, years and years and I wouldn't have it any other way. And pension? I thought we were talking about bieng a mechanic. What job has a pension? Maybe one at the county or state I suppose. And if you can get one of those go for it!

Customer pay 85%? WOW. When I was at a Ford dealer about 7 years ago CPL was about 10% the rest was warranty. And no I'm not exaggerating. A lot of people are leasing vehicles and nobody would put money into their cars. Last I heard they switched to a 4 day workweek to avoid layoffs. Big companies still have pensions. just have to look around. ups. fedex. postal service. municipalities. caterpillar coca cola etc. Plus you can actually spend time to fix the vehicle instead of throwing it out the door with my ratchet inside and extra bolts in my pocket

 

[85vf500rr]

I won a scholarship when I graduated from high school to attend the Ford ASSET training program at a local junior college. I earned an associates degree with the program and shortly after earned the ASE Masters certification. The ASSET program was a 2 year CO-OP degree where the school semester was 10 weeks of class and 6 weeks of working as an apprentice in the dealer. After graduating I worked at a Lincoln/Mercury dealer for 5 years, fought the flat rate paycheck tide, learned a LOT about life, developed my mechanical abilities, and eventually decided to go back to school. I went back to get an engineering degree and now I am an engineer. I think the experience I gained as a mechanic not only made me a better student, but has also made me better engineer as I have been on both sides of the design table.

If you don't feel like school is for you, try working and taking a few night or weekend classes at the local junior college. Maybe the time isn't right for you yet. Had I gone for the engineering degree when I was 18, I don't think I would have made it. Everyone is different, but for me, the path I took has been a good one. A few years working in the real world really helps to screw your head on straight and get an idea of where your priorities should be.

I still have all my tools. I still do most of my own work (time permitting with 2 kids). My experience as a mechanic gets put to use on a daily basis in my field of engineering, so the career change was really just an evolutionary step.

I encourage you to give your best at whatever you chose and try to learn something in the process. Even the simplest of tasks can prepare you for whatever you do in the future. Kind of like learning the basic scales on the bass...

 

[tycobb73]

Do what makes you happy but don't go into it blindly. I'm a business consultant and one of my customers is a body shop. All of the workers are still lving with their parents. I can make in a day and a half what they make in a week and I'm a cheep business consultant. The advice about being freinds with your writer is good. My in law is a writer and if one of the mechanics pisses her off, its oil changes for them. Dont let everyone say automotive engineering is great either. My former lead singer's boyfreind got laid off in the feild. After finding nothing, and this is Michigan, he is now working as a construction supervisor.

Another person in my wife's family spent his enitrely life as a heavy equipment mechanic, most recently farm equipment. Around 60 years old and his body is shot, specificly his knees and shoulders.

The best thing about being a mechanic is your job can never be outsourced.

 

[Mike N]

The best thing about being a mechanic is your job can never be outsourced.

Yes it can.

While they can't take your job to China they can bring China to your job. What I mean by this is they're finding ways to get the older, more experienced (and better paid) techs out of the shop and fill the stalls with low paid parts changers. While at one time you may have seen five or six master techs in a shop, now it's one master (that gets all the nightmare cars) and four or five parts changers. You read 68Goldfishes post about seeing pattern failures, now do you think they really need to pay him $26/frh to fix a pattern failure when they could hire an idiot and pay him $9/frh to fix the same thing? Heck it's even gotten to the point that we have service writers that will go pull a code out of a computer, and then have me fire a part at it hoping it cures the problem. They're calling this streamlined diagnosis. This way they don't have to pay me to diagnose a car, but I'll catch hell if the car comes back for the original problem (at which point I inform the SM about the benefits of self fornication, and walk away).

Also factor in using cheaper parts (with ridiculous price markups) and reduced labor times (ask any Ford tech about the Re-engineering of SLTS), and you'll see that the shop makes more money while paying out less in labor. In essence to me this is outsourcing.

At this point some are probably thinking if it's so bad why do I stay? Well I've been in the same shop for 23 years, and for the first 18 everything was great. We had a SM and writers that really cared about the customer and they made sure the techs got fair treatment. However the SM left after being diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer and things went steadily downhill since then. Now it's all about quantity over quality, gross margins and key metrics. Doesn't seem to me that anyone gives a crap about the customer (other than myself) and it's driving me nuts. I have been trying to find a state or fleet job, but with the current state of the economy and hiring freezes all over, no luck at this time. Plus, no one wants to hire a 40 something year old tech and pay him what he's worth. They all want that young gun that they can expect everything from and pay next to nothing.

 

[McHaven]

My dad became a mechanic straight out of high school. He worked for the Honda dealership at age 18. He then went to a Ferrarri dealership for 2 years. After that, he had enough capital to open his own shop. He's had great success with it.

If you want to make a good living as a mechanic, perform everything to the highest standard you can. Always use the best parts, refuse to do lower quality service. You want the image of a professional, automotive technician. Not a garage greasemonkey. Get qualified for everything you can. Keep up you ASE certification etc.

My dad cornered the market on European luxury cars in a growing upper class part of Houston, which has now expanded incredibly. By maintaining a professional appearance (both his workers and their uniforms, and the shop's cleanliness), doing the best work possible, and networking, he has been very successful. He does better than any other mechanic I know. He's also worked day in, day out for the last 30 years. His personal life was partly ruined by it. Divorce, isolation from family etc. However, that may not be the route you go.

However, its been hell on his body. Years and years of being on his feet ,leaning over cars, looking up into cars, looking down into cars etc etc. His back and neck are constant sources of pain and there's not much he can do about it. He's got an infinite prescription for vicodin now. He's the Dr. House of the automotive world. "Its not the time, its the mileage" he always says.

Anyway, it can be a good career path, if you're smart and business-savvy.

 

[Mike N]

McHaven, your Dad found a specialty niche and it worked well for him. There quite honestly aren't alot of shops around to service high end luxury cars, be it foreign or domestic. Tools and diagnostic equipment aren't cheap, especially for the European stuff. Once you establish yourself and word gets out that you're doing quality work cheaper than the dealers, you're golden.

The problem with the other 98% of the cars on the road is that every corner garage gets the chance to work on them, and there is always someone willing to do it cheaper. In today's economy people are shopping strictly by price, so I lose jobs to the guy down the street because he's a lowballer that uses the cheapest junk Pep Boys has to offer.

 

[mike phillips]

Now it's all about quantity over quality, gross margins and key metrics.

no, no, no, oh, dont even get me started on this bu11s($t.

 

[Mike N]

no, no, no, oh, dont even get me started on this bu11s($t.

Typical corporate bs, just seems worse in the last few years than it's been. If I knew all this in 1983 when I started in this field, I'd have done something different.

The key metrics bit just started. Must be December's flavor of the month.

Can't wait to see what January will bring.

 

[mike phillips]

we been on this key metric bit as well. i started doin this the summer of 78. wish i would have done something else as well. too late now, i gave my back, neck and knees.