"Chain" auto repair store experiences as a tech.

[Kozworth]

I always come on here for some auto tech advice because you guys seem to have such a broad response, and usually helps.

Im a 22 year old, just graduated in may with associates in auto tech. I have 6+ years work experience, 2 years paid lube c tech experience. I have about 4 months indie shop experience (have done anything from lofs to timing belts, shocks/struts/, alternators, u joints, a clutch, steering racks, etc).

I am currently just wondering what you guys think of working for chain stores such as Midas, Good Year, etc. I worked at a somewhat type of a chain store (I believe they just have about 4-5 of them in my area), and they were complete bandits. Basically, we had to upsell a 3k car, sketchy services, etc. Needless to say, I left after a short while.

I used to bash these stores, but after seeing some bs in the dealers around me and being new to the industry, I feel that an hourly/comission pay would suit me best.

If anyone has anything to chime in, in terms of: Honesty, operation, pay (comission?), raises, perks of the job, cons of the job (besides being a job), OT, etc.. I would love to hear about it. It helps especially if they are an actual entry tech and not a C tech.

Looking foward to the responses,

Adam

[Exodus_2pt0]

Worked at Midas for a while, and all of management were delusional pill heads.

Then I worked for a Merchants, where the Manager was a greedy SOB who thought it was cool to sell a $150 fuel pump for $800.

Chain stores suck, they pay shit, and they just are shit.

If you want to turn wrenches, In my experience the best place to be is a dealership.

[Farbin Kaiber]

I've been the Service Advisor, Service Manager, Sales Manager, and or many similar derivatives of that type of title in both dealership (Infiniti/BMW) settings, as well as indie neighborhood service shop and Japanese Import (Honda primary)Specialist & Transmission Shop, as well as large franchise chain shops like Goodyear, Big O, Tire Pros, Firestone and hopping around in 13 locations of a regional Jiffy Lube franchisee back in 2000 or so.

With my widespread experience in the front end of the place, pricing, estimating and selling the inspections and selling the required upsells I can say, pretty much EVERY shop that fits into what I described is out to make a buck, and if they can make that three bucks, well, they will go right ahead and try it, and if they get ya, they may add a 10% off discount to make you feel like you were the winner. All these business models are founded around the concept of offering a low cost service or free inspection in order to get your car up in the air, and held hostage, while your oil is drained out and a list of suggested manufacturer based fluid services (high margin/low cost of liquid/aftermarket filter media) and have the owner in a bind with a delay and no route of escape. While in some places this is not the case, some places it is worse, dummy belts, generic worn brake pads, other assorted display items to motivate the seller, along with high tech goodies to show fluid degradation, particulate material in fluids, burned additives and all sorts of other industry buzz words. The name of the game is $/invoice and making a minimum per lift, per hour of open for business hours. Pick a bad shop with a bad name and never see any good paying work, you can drown on $24.95 oil changes if you are flat rate.

The only place you are gonna find the lack of that feeling of taking people for a walk is if you work in a small, independent, focused shop where it's about the love of the car and not the love of the dollar. You wont make as much, but you'll feel good about yourself at night.

The other direction I can suggest is getting into a municipal gig, or a large business based fleet situation where you maintain a pool of vehicles without the context of money being involved. All fleet situations are where a company knows their investment in their vehicle pool, so the proper maintenance is taken care of in at minimum the manufacturer's suggested intervals, on up to much more regularly.

[Roysneon]

Truth

Yup. Some are better than the other but that's how repair shops work.

[der affe]

I am not going to quote all of farbin's post, but a municipal or fleet job is a good place to cut your teeth. You will not learn how to work fast there (comes in handy working flat rate) but you will get a dam good understanding of what you are working on amd that will translate to speed later if you choose to move on.

Another good thing about a municipal job is benefits and retirement. If you keep your nose clean and out of other people's drama, you can hit full retirement and never have to kill yourself to do it like flat rate will.

[flyboyx]

are you set on this line of work? is there anything else you are capable of that is more suitable to you?

[cuchullainn]

are you set on this line of work? is there anything else you are capable of that is more suitable to you?

I can't stress this enough, it's just not worth it to be a mechanic anymore unless you're in business for yourself. If you meet a technician from upstate NY who says he makes good money, he either owns his own shop or is full of shit.

[Exodus_2pt0]

Also a solid point.

It's hard to find good work as a tech anymore because the market is flooded with us.

As to the fleet jobs, I agree. I am currently turning wrenches on passenger trains. Been doing it for a month now and will never go back to flat rate.

[kwill22]

I also work fleet. I wrenched on cars before I got this job 3 years ago but It has helped me become a better mechanic and learn tons more than I would've working on random stuff in my garage. It definitely is doable to retire in the field and you don't have to kill yourself working flat rate speeds. Efficient and productivity are tracked though. As long as you like the place and can stand the people it's not a bad gig. You won't make tons of money though. Our master tech makes only around 40k a year which may be fine for some people but my aspirations and goals are higher than that in life so I'm always looking for opportunities to move up and into management.

Of course your pay probibly varies by region. But I do agree the industry is not worth it anymore unless you're in business for yourself or a specialty shop. AMS for example. Everything these days is about money and corporate America is running the table.

[Kozworth]

I understand I will not be able to own a nice car or go on fancy vacations as a tech. I graduated one of the top students in my class. I am working 50-55 hours a week and making about 20k a year. That's like fast food salary.

Now even living with just some minor bills like rent, util, etc its still pretty constraining. 40k for a master tech seems like bs.

I understand that I am a fresh grad and I have some skill just not speed. However, I made about the same pay per hour if not more before even entering auto school.

[kwill22]

40k master tech is BS but its fleet so it's a gravy and they pay that because they can. If not they'd be grabbing the next noob off of the street that doesn't know about the business and pay them less. Dealerships different because its about the money. Fleet is about the money but not in the same aspect.

And I know exactly how you feel. make barely enough to live on and the bastards have the nerve to say you make enough or even too much. It's tough living off of 20 a year I've been there. You have too find a niche and exploit it to the fullest; and having a degree helps considerably. Just about mandatory now a days

[Andy.B]

I can't stress this enough, it's just not worth it to be a mechanic anymore unless you're in business for yourself. If you meet a technician from upstate NY who says he makes good money, he either owns his own shop or is full of shit.

Truth.
I make more money working as a valet, part time, at a country club than I did as a certified land rover tech with an auto tech degree after 4 years at the same shop. I'm back in school for bs in IT, and couldn't be happier.

[kwill22]

I'm doing the sane thing. About to start Back school in a month for a bachelors in IT.

[Exodus_2pt0]

I understand I will not be able to own a nice car or go on fancy vacations as a tech.

Sadly that is the way the industry is going. However, there are great fields that you can branch off into with the knowledge you gain from wrenching.

I won't go into detail on what I make, but after 10 years of turning wrenches on cars, and having a Master ASE title, I am now making more money than I ever made. And that is starting salary in my current field.

Start off turning wrenches, with your end goal focused NOT on cars. Sadly the auto repair industry is turning into the auto maintenance industry. No one repairs anymore, they just trade up. The only people making money on these things is the used car prep guys.

[Kozworth]

I am fine in a sense of making liveable money. My family wasn't poor but they weren't well off. This 20k a year busting my balls buying tools every paycheck is crap.. I made more waiting tables with zero f"s given.

I just feel like I should be in the industry. For the most part, its decently enjoyable and my mind always wants to advance. It's getting to the point that if I just did what I do now, sell my tools, and go off to college part time for 2-3 years I will e way better off rather then wrenching.

I mean.. Average income is like 30-40k? But the Midas down the road offered me an increased "rate" of 12 an hour no commission.

I don't want people to get the wrong impression. I am still learning so much. But I feel after what I put forth into this field this far and my experiences, I shouldn't have to struggle so hard as is.