OT-I need a well qualified mechanic!
- Thread starter butchlambert
- Start date
timeout
Silver $$ Contributor
Well this has gone way off the rails. I can think of several poorly designed deals that made it miserable for mechanics back in my day as a mechanic. One of the dumbest was Chryser's slant six. They built what could have been an oh so easy to work on inline 6 cylinder engine and tipped it on its side - distributor side down and under. Miserable to do a tune up on. I'm out of this conversation. Hopefully Butch will find the employees he needs.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
This has dissolved into two threads like many do. First you need to understand cars are designed to facilitate building not repairing. Just the way it is.
Now mechanics, I spent 45 years in GM dealerships running the back ends or training. 25 years at one of them. Our techs use to mostly be ex farm boys with maybe some HS Votec added. Occasionally a tech school added.The ones who did not fear electronics playing a bigger roll ended up being excellent techs. But the farm boy pool shrunk. So after a brief period of trying to buy techs we got smarter. I became involved in the local vo-tech program which drew students from a half dozen schools. Most years 1 or 2 would look like they had potential, we would do our best to hire them. Some of them would end up good techs, some would float way. My dealer liked the back end and knew it's value. We normally had about 30 techs between Service and Body. When I left over half had been there 20 years or more. You need to work at it every day every year. After 15 years they had 4 weeks vacation. Good health ins and good matched retirement plan. We had a multi national machining business up the street. When we were billing at 60.00 per hour years they were billing at 150.00 per machine hour. It's hard to compete against that. I could write a book, or two.
Now mechanics, I spent 45 years in GM dealerships running the back ends or training. 25 years at one of them. Our techs use to mostly be ex farm boys with maybe some HS Votec added. Occasionally a tech school added.The ones who did not fear electronics playing a bigger roll ended up being excellent techs. But the farm boy pool shrunk. So after a brief period of trying to buy techs we got smarter. I became involved in the local vo-tech program which drew students from a half dozen schools. Most years 1 or 2 would look like they had potential, we would do our best to hire them. Some of them would end up good techs, some would float way. My dealer liked the back end and knew it's value. We normally had about 30 techs between Service and Body. When I left over half had been there 20 years or more. You need to work at it every day every year. After 15 years they had 4 weeks vacation. Good health ins and good matched retirement plan. We had a multi national machining business up the street. When we were billing at 60.00 per hour years they were billing at 150.00 per machine hour. It's hard to compete against that. I could write a book, or two.
I could write a book too! Started in 1975, rebuilder at AAMCO Transmissions. Then, 8 years at a couple of GM dealerships. ASE certified Master starting back when it was NIASE. GM Master Technician Elite, Advisory Council (one of top ten techs nationwide per GM). Went to work for GM Service Technology Group (STG) first as a technical instructor, then lead instructor (train-the-trainer) and finally working in training program development at the GM Tech Center in Warren, MI. GM fell on hard times (you may have heard) and got rid of STG along with Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and other big changes. I went to Chrysler doing the same job as I did at GM. Lived through the DaimlerChrysler era until hard times fell on DC (you may have heard) and training was virtually eliminated. Opened a transmission shop. Crazy busy, was getting tired of 80 to 100 hour weeks and not having a life (I could tell stories about “employees”!) After 5 years paying myself quite well, became sick, nearly died, 3 months unable to work. Closed the shop. Time to retire.
That's just a simplified overview. There is so much.
I’ve been doing part time tool and die work because the wife’s employer need the work and can’t find anyone, and I enjoy it. No more automotive for me! Had enough. I just maintain my own vehicles now.
That's just a simplified overview. There is so much.
I’ve been doing part time tool and die work because the wife’s employer need the work and can’t find anyone, and I enjoy it. No more automotive for me! Had enough. I just maintain my own vehicles now.
dthomas
Gold $$ Contributor
I've been a mechanic for 30 years and love drivability and electrical problems, I would not do this for $25 especially flat rate. At this point if I could find another career I would leave in a second. Just don't know anything else. Tried the oilfield for a year got laid off when things slowed down and went right back to auto repair. Can't seem to get away from it.
Like most tech fields, talented folks are hard to come by. If you have that mechanical talent, look to the aviation field. Spend 12-18 mo in school and get your Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification. You can work in several different areas, general aviation, corporate , cargo, or major airlines. Depending on where you choose to work (you go to where the job is) money can be very good. UPS/Fed Ex will hire after 3-5 yrs experience and the pay is six figures and overtime adds to that. There is such a shortage of pilots and mechanics that once you meet the min requirements for the larger organization, the pay is there. Mostly a union environment but not always. A really great career if your not afraid to work.
ELR LVR
Silver $$ Contributor
My 23 yr old son was recently making $25 / hr
....at a tire shop
He later went to work for Bobcat as a Tech, making of course more than a tire tech
$25 hr was what I got paid back in 1999 as a welder
That boss at the time kept telling me, "You'll never make any money working for someone else"
He was right, $25/hr Wasn't enough when having a family and house payment
So started my own business and went independent
Not much overhead as a mobile welder
---
Most guys, when they have enough experience, see the benefit of working for ourselves
20 years ago independent welders were making $70 / hr easy
why work 40 hrs for $25 when you could take a couple 8 hr jobs during the week and make the same?
---
the dollar is inversely proportional to the price of Gold
The more Gold is worth, the less your dollar buys - (IE: the more we need to get paid, cost of living)
anyone check the price of Gold lately? I bet you thought $1500/oz was high huh
Point is -
$25 / hr aint much incentive to even get out of bed anymore
not when Jack in the Box pays $20/hr and you get paid every day
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Steve Donlon
Gold $$ Contributor
My nephew went to collage to learn robotics, mechanical engineering, and computer science and now can get a job anywhere he wants for a big salary. Making the machine to do the job operatated with computers.
Retired shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
I agree $ 25.00 an hour is nothing in itself, throw in full benefits, health insurance, paid vacation, sick
leave, temperature controlled work environment, sometimes profit sharing. That all adds up.
Back in late 70s early 80s for about 10 year period I was doing same as you. Rig welder, sub contracted.
Gas plants, pipeline, construction, fabrication, farm repair. Welding & machine work. Sometimes 10- 12 feet down in a bell hole making a hot tie in, sometimes 50 - 60 feet up in a crane suspended bucket on the side of a tank vessel, or on platform of telehandler, or 7-8 story tall bldg Welding. Below freezing, snowing, raining, or 110 degrees with 70-80 % humidity Sometimes 80 - 100 hrs a week that's on the job hours, didn't include traveling to & from. No paid insurance, no paid vacation, etc. Worked when work was available whenever, wherever.
To get back to the OP thread. I don't have the answer. Don't believe any of on this forum have the answer.
There is a big group of Real Smart Guys here, a vast knowledge, & experienced people. Todays world is not the world most of us grew up in. There is no employer loyalty, in today' world. Maybe smaller family business, definitely not big business. I'm done, no more from me didnt intend to get off main subject. That's my nickles worth, pennies are now obsolete.
Best wishes, & Good luck Mr Lambert.
You better believe it does. Being self employed in my early 60’s, health insurance is really making me work for much of nothing. Add any Dental which insurance doesn’t touch too.
Mr. Lambert is going about this the right way, seeking a recommendation or referral from a community he knows and trusts. The traditional ways of hiring are as outdated as the world most of us grew up in. Finding the right person will be a very good thing for both Mr. L. and his shop, and the person he employs. That person is out there, somewhere.
NorCalMikie
Gold $$ Contributor
Outrun everything but the "police radio".
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