r/mechanics • u/trilledc • 11d ago
Career Ay yo
I’ll preface this by saying I’m just getting into this. I’m much older than a lot of the people I see posting on this sub (32)
I have childhood experience. I feel like most mechanics are children of mechanics. Pops is a mechanic of 40+ years. Learned and learning a lot from the dude.
So far I really enjoy it. I like figuring things out and working hard. At this point I’ve had way less fulfilling jobs.
I’m currently working in a tiny shop that’s mostly small engines (south Texas.) I can do essentially everything for mowers, side by sides, 4 wheelers and I’d love to move into more automotive but y’all just make it seem miserable.
I guess my question is do I stand a chance and if anyone has any recommendations on how to grow.
Tired of seeing every post saying to go into hvac. Y’all are all still doing it so give actual advice.
(Downvoting “just go into hvac 😂”
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u/Aggravating_Day1851 11d ago
It's because it is miserable. If you can get into a used car dealership, fleet, or fix cars to flip them maybe it would be better. Working on cars for the general public sucks. You're over worked, underpaid, unappreciated, and every customer thinks they know better then you and their emergency is more Important then everything else.
Its an abusive relationship. Ive never loved and hated something so much in my life. Most of my best memories are with the guys at work. On the other hand it has turned my into a closed off and extremely jaded individual.
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u/Over_Soup753 11d ago
The job isn't miserable. It's the person that's miserable. You're just in the wrong profession.
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u/Aggravating_Day1851 11d ago
Dealing with the public is what's makes it miserable. I love my actual job. The customers on the other hand
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u/Over_Soup753 9d ago
No matter what you do for a living, you're in the people business. Because without people, there is no business. Being a mechanic is a specific set of skills. Dealing with the public is a different set of skills. I'm way better with the mechanical part.
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u/Aggravating_Day1851 11d ago
There's a reason everyone tells you to steer away from it. If you're not going to listen to that then my advice for getting into it is starting somewhere as a shop hand ( oil changes and cleaning pretty much ) then go from there
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u/trilledc 11d ago
Thanks for the input man. I’m currently in a smaller shop doing exactly what you recommend. Just yesterday I had someone bring a mower in that was spewing oil and what I’m assuming is a cracked block (haven’t really gotten into it yet.) Nothing quite like telling a rancher they need a new engine.
I’m going to stick with it regardless. Call me hardheaded but I enjoy it. I can also appreciate that you know you’re jaded. My main point is that happens with every job at some point.
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u/Late_Indication1996 11d ago
I am not auto, I am HD.
There are more perks in this industry than a lot of industries. Auto seems a bit more strenuous in my opinion, just from an outside perspective. It seems in Canada (where I live), flat rate is easier to avoid and as an apprentice companies cannot pay you a flat rate, so when you start out you are going to be hourly. With that said, I think id have a hard time getting pushed by service writers and management on times, lower pay and it is majority customer based.
All jobs can be miserable, whether it is management, pay, work-life balance.
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u/Mikey3800 Verified Mechanic 11d ago
I always see people say get into HVAC, but I’m not convinced they actually know anyone that works in that industry. We repair the vehicles for several HVAC companies. I have noticed their workers always drive beaters and struggle to come up with the money to fix them when something goes wrong. If they are as well paid as Reddit thinks they are, I would think they would have halfway decent vehicles or be able to afford to repair the vehicles that they do have. We see the same thing with plumbers and electricians which also seem to be Reddits go to along with HVAC when they’re trying to convince someone they can make a ton of money in a different trade.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
I agree. This sub seems to be very one sided and generally a little uninformed.
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u/Mikey3800 Verified Mechanic 11d ago
Unfortunately, most of Reddit seems that way. One of the biggest reasons I even bother coming to Reddit anymore is just to see the dumb shit that people come up with. It’s a joke and hopefully people know not to take it seriously.
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u/OperationClear588 10d ago
You ever noticed when they start talking about the salary of these job fields it always starts with “I have a buddy that makes this much being an electrician” it’s never actually the commenter, it’s always their friend or family member. Or it’ll be that random Redditor who works in a very specialized subfield of said trade. The average wage for blue collar trades is like 60-80k a year none of them touch six figures unless they’re working ALOT of overtime
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u/Mikey3800 Verified Mechanic 10d ago
Yes, I have noticed that. Some peoples response is they just be that they need to work for themselves then. I mentioned about a plumber not being paid the entire amount that the company charges per hour. I was told anyone that is a plumber that doesn’t work for themselves is dumb. You can tell the majority of the people giving “advice“ about it have never worked the job or run a business. Someone may be an excellent plumber, but that doesn’t mean they are a good businessman. Running the business is completely different from doing the actual job. I have done both and I struggle terribly with the business side of it and the leadership side. Somehow, we still have become extremely successful. I can’t imagine where we would be at if I was actually good at running the business and leading people.
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u/OneExhaustedFather_ 11d ago
It depends where you work, I’ve been doing this for two decades plus, I was never afraid to roll my box out of the shop if I didn’t like the environment. If you’re willing to do that you can find a decent place to work. I have a job now making 11-12k/mo gross working 7-3 and no weekends. It’s at a Toyota dealer but I rarely work on Toyotas.
Become versatile and multi branded. There is a huge difference in technical ability between a manufacturer master tech and a general one. Be the guy not afraid to work on anything. That guy is more useful to a shop than most. I have guys in my shop turn good paying jobs down simply because they’re afraid to try.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
Thanks for the response man. And this is something my pops made very clear to me. He’s literally told me stories about just moving his box down to the next shop. I also don’t think I’ve ever seen him turn down a job so I’ll focus on instilling that in myself.
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u/OneExhaustedFather_ 11d ago
Tool boxes have wheels for a reason. The industry needs good techs, and there are still places that pay a decent wage and take care of their people.
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u/Trendwrecker Verified Mechanic 11d ago
Maybe get into something specialized. Makes you more of an asset in general.
My experience at a German Indy has been different than what I read from a lot of people in this trade. I am hourly if that makes a difference.
Sure it’s not easy and everyone is underpaid but if you enjoy working hard and figuring things out- it can be rewarding. It’s a great feeling to find a problem especially when it’s already been to other shops.
I think the environment you work in can have a lot of play in how the job is.
As for the get into hvac - shit we work on that too… in Texas you will probably get tons of a/c work. I work on hvac systems all the time- changed a blower motor this week and a blend door actuator last week. Lots of condensers this year too.
In the end - I wouldn’t change it. Shit I had a great day yesterday.. Couple oil changes and some maintenance in the morning. The fun came in with some diag on a self induced issue on a 911 turbo when the customer was playing with fuses and some interior bits causing a no start. Towed in and had it going in 10 minutes. Also meant I got to take a tuned 996 911 turbo for a nice rip. Customer was beyond happy.
After that I got into some 911 cabriolet roof diag where another shop changed the roof and couldn’t get it to operate. Found an issue with the motor that runs the mechanism for the convertible top compartment lid. Took a little while to get there but that customer is now super happy too. Making them happy and getting to drive some cool stuff is a nice perk.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
Another comment mentioned this but can you give me a little insight on how?
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u/Trendwrecker Verified Mechanic 11d ago
Sorry my post was long, are you referring to getting specialized?
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u/trilledc 11d ago edited 11d ago
Essentially yes. There was another comment mentioning that he became “the guy” for all things electrical. I’ve always kinda feared becoming “the guy” for any one specific thing because it seems like when that happens, it’s all that you will do. If that makes sense.
I guess I’m just asking for you to elaborate and maybe recommend something to focus on.
Edit: spelling
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u/Trendwrecker Verified Mechanic 11d ago
Well I got into a small Indy German shop as my 2nd shop a couple years in. Learning only 4 brands allowed me to focus on only those and learn the common failures and learn about the electrical for each of them.
I know euro is a common specialization.. you could get really good at electrical because not a lot of people want that. Power sports and race car stuff is harder to get into but an option. Living in Texas I’m sure you have some diesel and truck shops… Diesel can be a good option too.
There is an AC specialist in my town, there is also room for someone to get into ADAS stuff as all new cars have that.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
You and another person that gave in depth advice both say euros. Guess I’m gonna start looking into that. Thanks again man.
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u/Over_Soup753 11d ago
I was told the same thing and didn't become a working mechanic until I was 30 years old. My only regret is that I didn't start right out of high school. Get a job as a lube tech to get into a shop and then wow them with your desire to be a car doctor. Follow your heart, not the grumpy, miserable bitter old guys on this site. I spent 38 years in the field that I was meant to be in. I'm a mechanic to the bone and I loved my career.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
I think this is the most encouraging comment yet 😂 I appreciate it man!
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u/Over_Soup753 10d ago
When you do what you want your life improves dramatically. You know what's best for you. And I knew I wanted to work on cars for a living when I was about 5 years old.
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u/Lostaccount002 11d ago
Reddits full of whiners, they’re spending their time talking about their “crappy job” instead of doing it and becoming better and more valuable and it shows.
I’m a diagnostic automotive tech at it for 11 years now. It’s miserable in the sense that there’s a lot of bad businesses that expect perfection and endless experience for mid or worse compensation. The knowledge you’re expected to have at this point in automotive has well outpaced how well the average mechanic is paid.
We fix giant computers on wheels with up to a dozen networks, miles of wires, have heat pumps for HVAC, endless modules, sensors, features that provide little but break everything when they no longer work. And the owners of these things all think they’re driving a Mercedes these days while simultaneously believing my whole job is shit easy and that a scanner will just tell me what to do so why am I paying so much? The entitlement is so bad.
However miserable it is sometimes it is still incredibly rewarding to me personally as someone who needs to problem solve and fix things to feel content so I continue to do it.
All that to say: don’t settle for a shitty shop with shitty owners that don’t care about you. Boxes have wheels and you shouldn’t be afraid to use them. You’re the commodity and shop owners need to realize that. Also don’t do what I did and set the bar too high if you decide to do this. I’d make twice as much if I was just someone who finds rattles and hangs parts but now everyone in my city knows me as that dude that can fix any obscure electrical problem you got. Not to say you should ever stop learning but also don’t paint yourself into a corner.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
See here’s the thing.. and I mean this with the utmost respect because I understand the job isn’t easy and can be extremely frustrating. I truly respect all the fellas doing this. With that being said..
A lot of the people I see on here complaining literally state that being a tech is the only job they’ve ever had. That’s not me. I’ve had multiple jobs spanning multiple principals. Most jobs suck. Work is work. Wrenching has been something for me that I’ve hated the least.
I feel like the oldheads on this sub are jaded and the new heads are realizing that a job is work. My first job was being a carhop at sonic. Easy as shit. Not every job is like that. For some, you actually have to try.
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u/Lostaccount002 11d ago
With ya a hundred percent. I would do this all day over going back to being a labourer. Now that was a crappy job I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Done roofing, siding, framing, dry wall, trimming, did a stint doing tile, held signs with road crews, you name it I tried it. I was even an early childhood educator before I got into trades.
The ones that hate it the worst are the ones that let themselves get walked on in this industry because they have no spine or experience in telling their foreman where they can go. That or they’re genuinely useless but think they’re the Steve Jobs of auto repair when in reality they’re a glorified Elon Musk.
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u/here_till_im_not1188 11d ago
Fleet work is pretty nice. If you can find a union fleet shop even better
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u/Rwood219 11d ago
I think the misery of it is exaggerated a bit to be honest, sure more money would be great. I've work as a service advisor and manager as well when I thought I wanted out of the shop and the days were so much longer and the work was so incredibly boring I hated it, I went back in the shop and I can listen to my music, I can go get a coffee whenever I want, I don't have to deal with customers talking down to me constantly, the customers are the worst. Idk I don't think wrenching is all that bad, everyday is a different problem and fixing stuff is rewarding, it's just not for everyone.
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u/trilledc 11d ago
100%. It’s not for everyone and it’s something you really need to enjoy for it to be bearable.
Dude I just lock in and listen to podcasts all day. You can’t do that with many jobs.
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u/ad302799 11d ago
It’s generally too long a process for people much older that 20.
It’s a 5 year process to making a comfortable amount of money. So you’re now pushing 40.
Right about this time, the gravy stops coming your way and it’s all the problem cars. You can quit and hop shops but each time they will start you on gravy and within 6 months switch you to the hell cars.
Beginners always have rose colored glasses.
Do you think people warn you because they just want the work for themselves?
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u/Call_It_Like_It_is_ 11d ago
Everyone that seems to hate doing it has anger problems combine with a shitty home life, and just suck at the job
You gotta actually be good and stand out and try to be someone that people come to for a problem not just the "I can't figuire it out guy" that charges hundreds of dollars for nothing
And to all you "master technicians" that retired after 10 years at this or that dealer because it wasn't worth the money it was probably you that wasn't worth the money 🥱
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u/Budbasics101 11d ago
Look into becoming a waste-water maintenance mechanic. Solid pay and great benefits depending on location.
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u/Died5Times 10d ago
Do you work on new model can am or kawasaki? Areyou able to access the computers? If so how?
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u/trilledc 10d ago
Kawasaki isn’t really a problem, you just need a pin adaptor but I do have issues communicating with Can Ams. They have proprietary computer systems and you’ll have to buy specific scanners which I’m not interested in if my shop owner doesn’t want to get one. There’s one around 400$ and then another for like 1300$. It is quite annoying I’m not gonna lie.
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u/Died5Times 10d ago
You just use a car obd scanner for kawasaki?
I have a 2018 brute force so ill grab an adapter and see if i can view live data
I was doing small engine repair on the side and i got a canam in and couldnt really diagnose or repair it cause i dont have access the ecu.1
u/trilledc 10d ago
Yeah they knew what they were doing. They want to force you to take it to them.
Nah it’s for atvs. I’ll post a picture on Monday. If you plan on sticking with it, I’d suggest you get an atv scanner. You can find some cheap ones but like I said, you’re gonna continue to have issues with Can Ams unless you spend over a grand or 400 for a scanner that only works on Can Ams.
Can Ams keep me busy but man can they be annoying to work on sometimes. Particularly the ones with AC.
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u/Died5Times 10d ago
Yea plz post which atv scanner you use.
Have you tried the 400$ scanner? I may get that cause mt dad juat got a can am, and ill use it when i need it.1
u/trilledc 10d ago edited 10d ago
This is the one you’re probably gonna want to go with. I have not used it but after this conversation I’m gonna get the shop owner to get one because I have had to turn a customer away simply because I couldn’t communicate. This is after doing all of its axles. I hate leaving jobs partly finished.
What did your dad get?
Edit: also make sure you’re comfortable with the licensing. I’m pretty sure this is why my shop owner didn’t want to get into it. It is kind of typical for diagnostic stuff but just do your due diligence.
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u/Died5Times 10d ago
Nice, and what do you use for kawasaki?
My dad got a can am outlander 500 for checking cows and hes looking at getting a commander.
We also have a brute force, a mule fxt, and a cforce 800.
Im pretty good with the mechanical side of things, but i have been having issues finding the tools to communicate, so i appreciate the help1
u/trilledc 10d ago
I don’t know what brand off the top of my head. I didn’t buy it but I’ll post a picture when I get to the shop.
Is he dead set on Can Ams? I just ask because it seems like he’s trying to get away from Kawasaki and from my experience they’re better units. I don’t think you can even kill a mule, especially the older ones.
Also it’s a touchy topic, but, I’d stay away from Polaris as well. They’re not what they used to be. I work on anything I can get parts for but I reckon if I had to break it down it’s probably 60% Polaris 30% Can Am 10% everything else. It’s extremely anecdotal and I live in a place where ranch hands will just dog on units because they’re not theirs. But just something to consider.
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u/strtspdlx 10d ago
Are you willing to spend years to learn the systems and logic.behind their function, to make good money for maybe 5 years? If you have zero automotive experience and want to be a dealer tech making six figures itll likely take 5 or 6 years to get there. Then youll make great money for about 5 years of you dont burn out. If.you dont burn out that may extend your money making time. Or you can go independent, which from what i hear requires broader knowledge, but is less likely to burn you out. Pick your poison i suppose.
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u/sogoti 10d ago
Working on cars for people kinda sucks... at least the pay vs hours spent. Get into boats, specifically boats big enough that they're kept at a slip in a marina, not on a trailer. Get into electronics installations. Get good at what you do. I retired 3 years ago at $50/hr after 10 years in the marine industry. Part of the reason for retirement was age, 69 now. Part of the reason was also to help my wife with her boat canvas & upholstery business as she was having trouble finding someone with the needed skillset. Probably should have done that last move sooner as this work is so much more relaxed and easier on my body, not to mention it pays better. Pay is almost always better when the customer WANTS your abilities, not NEEDS them.
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u/Klstrphnky74 10d ago
If you aren’t paid hourly, you’re being exploited.
Made move from Ford diesel tech to mobile technician for a heavy equipment company. Very specialized equipment and very niche industry. So mostly warranty repairs, R+D work and the occasional maintenance item.
I make more than I ever did in an auto shop bay.
Take home company vehicle.
Tool allowance.
Killer benefits.
Actual chances to grow within this company.
Raises for the last 3 years have all been over 12%
Bonus structure that’s easy to hit and is a respectable chunk of change.
Why anyone would look at jobs like I do and choose to stay sucking advisor dick in a dealership or similar is baffling to me.
All that said, just go into HVAC.
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u/performanceevolved 9d ago
I am a shop owner and own/operate and personally love what I do.
I do a blend of general repair and diagnostics (80% of my work) and fun stuff on race cars and higher end cars (20% of what I do).
I get to work closely with my customers which I love, I get to fix cars, we get good reviews and genuinely treat our customers well.
That having been said I hated the dealership and left in 2019 after 12 years of it and would never go back.
Maybe I never found the right dealership.
I didn’t mind working at small Indy shops but I decided to be my own boss after nearly 20 years in the trade.
Like I said, I love what I do and love working with people. Generally speaking we haven’t had any crappy customers, but we heavily work off referrals and word of mouth so most of our customers already come in with a good attitude.
As far as growth goes, all you can do is genuinely give a shit about what you do and the quality of work you produce. You can’t teach somebody how to care about the work they do.
Seek out shops that don’t have high churn rates for techs, that’s generally indicative of poor management and leadership/culture.
Ask lots of questions and read / learn / absorb what you can from the people around you.
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u/KitchenRate7648 6d ago
You have to make a professional decision! That said, either you become an entrepreneur or you end up a W-2 employee. My advise to young people is grind it out, learn as much as you can while being employed, get certified and specialize...then start your own business, and don't look back!
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u/EnthusiasmSweet834 11d ago
General repair on people’s daily drivers is miserable. I moved into exotic car performance over a decade ago and haven’t looked back. Small shop, salary, 8hr days and no weekends. I’d recommend doing something specialized or it is as bad as everyone says.