Not sure whether to be an auto tech..HELP!!!

[Brad]

Hi there:

To all who have seen Eric the Car Guy’s video titled, “Should you get into auto repair ETCG 1”, I am still having cold feet about entering the automotive industry.

For a background I am a 22 year old male living in Northcentral Wisconsin. I can’t decide on a major, nor can I picture staying stuck doing one job for the rest of my life. What I am sure of is I love learning how things work and I like working with my hands, for it can be hard for me to focus on something not tangible for prolonged periods of time.

What’s giving me cold feet about entering the industry is the financial outlook for the industry. I am currently single and have no children, however growing up I’ve always had a desire for money. I want money for security more than I want it for material goods. I always told myself that I wouldn’t struggle like my parents (neither of which have a college degree- one’s a christian radio announcer and the other a medical transcriptionist).

This is a main barrier holding me back, but in addition, I’d like more information from anyone who can help including Eric himself, on whether or not I should purse becoming an automotive tech. I have yet to shadow someone in the industry but I would love to set something up. Seeing as this forum brings in multiple people from all over, I’m not asking for a job shadow but rather honest, and insightful testimonies. I don’t want it sugar coated. I don’t want you folks to tell me that if I love it the money will follow. Although that’s a positive attitude I don’t want to chase it upon falsehoods just because I don’t want to face the financial aspect of it.

I just don’t want to be paycheck to paycheck and feel trapped from doing what I wan’t in life. Traveling and family are huge to me

Anyone please help. No negative feedback please. Just a student whose confused, trying to find his way in the world. To be honest, I’m very scared when I think of the future lol.

Thank you in advance

Topic

[Justin]

Financially it’s a crazy industry. A seasoned tech that has a few years in the field has spend anywhere from 15-50k in tools and those that have been in it long enough even over 80k. Personally I have around 25k invested so far and am 7 years deep in this field. If you look at a journeyman electrician or down here in Florida HVAC is huge, and compare it to what we typically make its crazy. Statistically the avg mechanic in the U.S. Makes 35-50k a year. I have worked with a few excellent 10+ year tech’s that make around 80-100k so it is possible to make good money! The HVAC guys usually invest around 2k in tools around here plus licensing and make close to what the avg mechanic makes if not more. Makes you rethink things if you live around here.

Now this is personal experience to different areas can be much different aswell. Most of the dealers around here garbage to work for. They treat tech’s as an accounting number so to say. If your lucky enough you get some manufacturer training. Problem around here is shops are so cliche type it’s not funny. If your not apart of the “group” you usually get starved.

As of a few weeks ago, I left the dealer world for the independent world. Best thing I have done so far in my career. When I was at Mazda we were beginning to see a lot of cars for the same problems, and recall after recall. Essentially I became bored and wasn’t challenged, came home most nights aggravated because of the bs going on with management and what not. Now I have room to grow, as this independent shop works on anything from performance diesels, to Toyota mr2’s to Jaguars. I rarely see the same vehicles and it’s always different issues with the vehicles coming in. I am finally able to challenge myself and absolutely enjoy my career again.

I will say there are a multitude of things to learn, and I still have a ways to go learning everything but that’s the great thing about this industry. It is always evolving! I’m not going to tell you whether or not you should pursue this career. That’s up to you, but there is some of my insight of what I have been through in my career so far. Take it for what it’s worth! Hopefully some of the other tech’s can fill you in on their side of things aswell.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bluesnut]

I was in the dealer rat race field for a long time. At one point I said enough is enough and went to work for myself.
If you MUST get into the auto repair field try to hire on at a decent independent shop or get into a fleet job.

Over the last dozen years or so it seems that the car dealers are in a headlong race to the bottom by trying to compete with fast lube facilities and chain operations like Firestone. The end result is that the flat rate mechanics are the ones who suffer financially.
At car dealerships there is also a fair amount of backstabbing and politics. Things are tough enough without bringing those factors into the equation.

[Dave]

Hi
Only you can answer that question.
Typically techs show some signs of tinkering mechanical and are inquisitive at an early age. They typically do all of their own car maintenance and can change most components themselves. They often do small jobs or help friends or neighbors.
If you possess most of the above you and are serious then you should shadow an experienced tech.
When you do get a job do not become involved with the bickering or politics that are often found in the field.
Keep in mind that you are most likely to advance based on your skills, your attitude and your ability to articulate your career needs or desires to your supervisors and management.
Any trade will get you quick entry and will let you start earning compared to getting a degree in university or college. The down side is that you may find that your pay is less.
A career in this present are means to possess knowledge and skill set that is adaptable, transferable and update able.
It is not realistic to imagine working in one place for entire career.
Jobs become extinct and companies close down on a whim in this age.
If you do decide to enter this field, seek your place of employment carefully.
Look for a shop that supplies the necessary diagnostic equipment, the proper repair information and supplies any special tools that are required.
See if the employees are happy, stay long and there is little employee turn over. That would be the ideal shop (maybe doesn`t exist).

Buy your tools wisely, don`t go broke or buy too much in the beginning.
Don`t buy what you wouldn`t use to fix your own vehicles in the beginning.
There is lots of advice on what to buy to start off with and what quality to get in the forums here.
Don`t feel that you have to buy what the shop does not have just to be able to do your job or to make it easier. It is not your job to bridge this gap.
That is where lot of the issues in this industry stem and some shop owners understand this but in general the industry has a long way to go in terms of creating a good working environment with reasonable expectations of it`s techs.
Also as Eric has stated in one of his videos there may be a time when your body cannot physically tolerate this trade or you have simply had enough.
You need to consider what career path to transition to at that time.
You do gain useful knowledge and skill, don`t let anything stop you from using what you have so that you can step up to something better if the opportunity arises.

Good luck I hope that you or others in the same situation find this helpful

[Author]

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