A lube tech in need of some advise

[Chris]

Why hello everybody :woohoo: . I have been working at a relatively small dealership and I’ve been hired as a lube tech making barely more than minimum wage, which I understand because I’m just starting out. After my three months there I have learned a little about the dealership works. My question is I have a new team leader that some of the time asks me to perform a certain job for him whether its mounting and balancing tires, 30k services and pre delivery inspections. The problem is that he is flagging these job under his number so ultimately he is getting paid the money for it. I understand that a flat rate technician needs to make money, although I feel that if I am flagging for him that one day management would see this and wonder why I am doing this. He has also taught me how to do some recalls , but I fear he is just trying to teach me so that I can flag more for him. So I’m just wondering what I should do about this situation that I’m in. I usually keep to myself at work and I mop and sweep and do other cleaning, i don’t like doing it but i feel like i have to pay my dues. Any help would be appreciated thanks.

Topic

[James O’Hara]

I am assuming if you just started and you are a lube tech you are hourly. He is teaching you and thus gets the kick back of your work as an incentive to teach you. Aka you scratch my back i scratch yours type deal. If he didn’t what incentive would there be to teach you other then the kindness of his heart. That doesn’t go far when you are ultimately taking money for food away from his family if he wasn’t getting paid. It is normal and the way most places work. Until you are flat rate this kind of behavior is fine. Once you are flat rate there is normally an agreed upon way of doing things when someone is teaching sometimes it varies person to person sometimes its done by the shop. That all depends on the shop and the tech teaching you.

[WOTStang]

If your making an hourly rate regardless of how much work you do, a lot of times the person training you will get paid for the work you do as compensation for being responsible for your training. But then again, this varies from company to company and dealership to dealership. So I cant say if he is correct in what he is doing or not.. It basically comes down to how you get paid (hourly/flat-rate) and if he is getting compensated a training pay or not and your own dealership’s policies.

[Mike]

I agree with what’s already been said, and have a little bit to add. First is that an hourly guy is a rare thing in a dealership because he is the only type of employee that gets paid for doing anything and everything. Techs are flat rate and salespeople, service advisors, and service/parts managers are on commission. In other words everybody else only gets paid for bringing money into the dealer and therefore every other thing they do is for free.

You’re in unique position to be free from being concerned about what you spend your time doing because you will be getting paid for it (and I assure you everybody else is aware of this). By that logic, you’re the only guy who can swab the decks without donating your time. Most of your co-workers who don’t have time for that kind of janitorial stuff will appreciate you doing the mundane shop upkeeping tasks. The quality of that mundane work you do will also reflect on you, just like any job. Sweeping a floor or shoveling snow may seem like nothing, but doing a half-assed job of it will get noticed more easily than doing an exceptional job. It’s just like starting work in construction or a factory. They watch how well you do something anybody can do, looking to see if you are just another half-assing anybody or a not-so-common somebody.

The other thing I will say is that I’ve ‘used’ a number of hourly guys the same way you are being used and I always made it a point to do nice things for them in return. Some guys, who are assholes in general, will just use a guy and that’s that. Another way to look at it is that helping a tech who is a master and a nice guy will net you a lot of good advice and help in return. Doing work for a moron tech is far less rewarding because if he gives you any help/advice, it could be quite idiotic advice. The greener you are, the less you are able to know good advice from bad advice when it is given to you. It’s kind of like the skill of diagnosing car problems with Google. The more you know, the more misinformation you can quickly identify and skip past (and it’s mostly misinformation or speculation).

[Chris]

Thanks for the replies. Does this mean that any tech that asks for a favor, like help with or do a job for them, should I be willing to do it or should be cautious helping them out. I dont mind helping out but I dont want it to be an everyday thing and be know as the guy that will betaken aadvantage of.

[James O’Hara]

Always try and always be willing to learn. Eventually you will learn who the stupid ppl are then you can pick and choose but, remember in most cases there are some people that are really good at one thing and really really bad at other things. Like some electrical people can not tear down an engine and rebuild it and that guy who can might only be able to check battery voltage with a test light.

You should always be willing to do something but, if you think it is over your head tell them that you want to try but, you might need more help then normal. This is fine especially when you are new. It shows that you know how to gauge yourself. If it makes you feel any better my first week at work they threw me on a job with a guy that was an idiot except on paper. I spent my first 2 weeks working with him. They threw me in the deep end on an engine with an idiot to see what would happen. Instead of the truck being done in a week it took 2 weeks because he wouldn’t listen to me. I ended up having to tell my boss he got fired 2 months later. It is pretty bad when someone that is brand new walks into the office and goes look um the guy you put me with doesn’t seem to really know his stuff can you put me with someone more methodical.

[Rick]

[quote=”wtfisyoda” post=128203]Why hello everybody :woohoo: . I have been working at a relatively small dealership and I’ve been hired as a lube tech making barely more than minimum wage, which I understand because I’m just starting out. After my three months there I have learned a little about the dealership works. My question is I have a new team leader that some of the time asks me to perform a certain job for him whether its mounting and balancing tires, 30k services and pre delivery inspections. The problem is that he is flagging these job under his number so ultimately he is getting paid the money for it. I understand that a flat rate technician needs to make money, although I feel that if I am flagging for him that one day management would see this and wonder why I am doing this. He has also taught me how to do some recalls , but I fear he is just trying to teach me so that I can flag more for him. So I’m just wondering what I should do about this situation that I’m in. I usually keep to myself at work and I mop and sweep and do other cleaning, i don’t like doing it but i feel like i have to pay my dues. Any help would be appreciated thanks.[/quote]

I’m an hourly lube tech at a small dealership also. And what’s happening to you is normal. For many months any flag hours I turned were given to techs with low flag hours, or my lead lube tech. If someone shows you how to do something your lead tech can’t do they get to claim that portion of the ticket. Bottom line is while you are hourly you get paid the same pay if you do a short block, or a wheel balance.

Also show techs that you want to learn. Never say “that’s not my job”. Clean their bays for them, if they have parts ready and you know their tag number bring their parts to them. Ask if you can help in some way. If it’s as easy as checking tire pressure then do it properly.

[Bluesnut]

When I first started turning wrenches for car dealers I was under the wing of a lead tech who provided advice as needed and flagged the repair order hours while I got paid hourly.

In my case, I had a mechanical background and caught on quick so a month or so later I had gotten the hang of how things were done and asked to be taken off hourly and put on flat rate; which I was. That was the end of life as we know it……….. :sick:

[Ed Curry]

I’ll share my experience. I’ve been a lube tech at 3-4 different shops. I’m almost eligible for certification (5 months shy). I’m 29 and I currently work in a grocery store slicing meat/cheese.

“Being taken advantage of” means shit to a lot of shop managers. The phrase is more “How much money can be saved?” Like the previous posts it is a double edge sword. The only way to learn is to start small and take the hourly pay like a man. Some places are better to work at than others. YOU have to decide where to draw the line when it comes to being taken advantage of. The last shop I was at, I was told I was pulling in more hours than the mechanics, was paired up with the most knowledgeable mechanic in the shop and our bays were packed almost every day. oil changes, to head gaskets, to diagnostic work, to a/c work, brake jobs, engine replacements, transmission removals…it’s all a learning curve. Everyone has their breaking point and I guess I finally reached mine. By the end of my 7 month journey, I couldn’t sleep at night and hated every minute of being up there so I quit and am working at my old job in the grocery store.

So I guess I’m a failure; but who gives a shit. I’m currently trying to find a new place to get my 5 months and move on in this career. I hope this is inspiring lol.

[Bluesnut]

65Chevyc20, I don’t consider you a failure at all and fully understand what you, and a lot of other mechanics, have had to face.
The general public has no idea at all about the crap that often goes on in the shop even though while standing at the counter they think everyone is so polite, the shop well lit and humming along quietly. Volcanos operate on the same principle…….
You simply resolved to not be treated like dog manure anymore.

Quite a few years ago I reached my snapping point due to multiple BS incidents in one week and left. I sat at home for 2 weeks stewing mad and vowing to never work for another car dealer. Ever. I went to work for myself and it was a struggle at times but far less BS.

Also quite a few years ago I got involved in local government as a city council member. If you think turning wrenches is bad………….
I have never seen so much waste, fraud, and sheer idiocy in my life until I got involved in this. It wasn’t just one person; it was all of them. I was the odd man out because I insisted things be done legally and out in the open. Others did not like that.
I finally resigned because my blood pressure was through the roof all the time and I was lying in bed all night long unable to sleep while pissed off clean to the bone marrow and suffering gigantic migraine headaches.

[Ed Curry]

Well much obliged; I’m glad I’m not the only one in the boat. I guess I’d rather be up shit creek rather than in it. I envy you for sitting in on any government charade. I wouldn’t even be able to work at the post office due to their lack of organizational skills delivering mail.

On a positive note I just passed A5 this morning woot! I’ve considered going into business for myself for years but financial obligations have hindered that notion. Although this year is looking up, perhaps I’ll register my DBA finally.

[Author]

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