Where's all the auto techs?

[DAVE]

Bibbster, you are my kind of guy. I wish I saw your enthusiasm in the young guys I work with.
Even at part time, I get so aggrivated at their lack of self motivation. They would rather stand
and watch me do it then get involved hands on. And since I can only be there so many hours a
week, little or nothing meaningful gets done when I am not there. And what's worse, there are
other accomplished guys there who could be working with them, but they are "too busy".
If you lived in this area and wanted to learn how to TIG weld alloy tube, or fabricate panels out
of aluminum, or any of a hundred other car restoration processes, your help would be welcome.

[2FER SLOTS]

[dge467]

Well I have been working in garages for 26 years now. Went to a technical high school and took auto shop for 4 years. I worked in the trade for years and then I decided I needed a change. I am not into flat rate work, as I like to take my time and I would lose my shirt! I now have been doing auto detailing for a living. I wrench on cars on the side when I not working on my fleet, and find I enjoy doing it that way better. I love working on antique vehicles the most. I always seem to have a friend or neighbor's car to work on. I can't imagine myself working in a office environment. I see a lot of newbie techs fresh out of tech college at work and it seems they have no idea what they are getting into, only a few stick with it. They don't want to get their hands dirty and just want to plug a lap top or scanner in to the car , or play with their smart phones. I have been tempted to get back into wrenching, but you also see a lot of bickering between the techs because this one got the "gravy" job , this one is hogging up two lifts or the service writer feeds certain techs the good paying jobs. Some guys come in early to grab the gravy jobs before anyone else gets there. It is a lot of crap to put up with working flat rate, especially when it is slow in the shop. I think I like working on cars as a hobby more so now, and on the side to pay some bills.

[dreinecke]

DGE - funny - that sounds just like an IT help desk where the techs are cherry-picking jobs.

I always say: no matter the job - it is always a Dilbert world.

[Moose]

Well I retired. . .

I worked for a Fleet for 34 years had my ASE Master in both cars and trucks for over 25 years, I was certified to work on cranes, man lifts bucket trucks generators up to 110k. I also worked in the field in any weather fixing dozer's, boring machines, backhoes, trenchers or anything else wherever they were broke down. I was also the fabricator that got to play with the cool toys to make upgrades on the trucks. I loved the job but no matter what anyone say's to the different it takes a toll on the body. Working over the radiator while standing on a ladder trying to free a stuck bolt or torque headbolts on a 9 liter diesel while you are in an poor position puts the leverage against your lower back to astronomical numbers. I cannot tell you how many broken boners are in my hands but arthritis is taking a toll at age 55 and the flat feet you get from being on concrete all day was no picnic. I have a permanent tan from hardfacing plow blades for hours at a time, I told my son's that I will teach them about working on cars but it is not a lifestyle I would wish on anyone and they should find something else to do.

Right now the local market is paying low bucks for a skilled mechanic. A good tech is worth gold but they are all of the age that they are starting to pull the plug and resting their weary bones in retirement.

The youth of today can't even put a plastic model together. . . . . . . We are doomed.

Ken

[2FER SLOTS]

Ken,that does sound like you had a fun and interesting job. Too bad it took such a toll.
Enjoy retirement :clap:
I'm 54.9 years old too and I gotta admit that I prefer to leave the heavy duty wrenching to the young-uns.
There is enough diagnosis and figuring out to do where my experience is helpful. Then the younger guys can work 'til they get stuck on something. This way they learn the job and I can keep on being useful.
Still plenty of days that I get to use all the muscles and find out which ones haven't been kept in shape.(ouchy)
The shop I work at pays for gym membership if you go 3 times a week,its obvious who takes advantage of the program :lol:

[2FER SLOTS]

Something I keep forgetting to say(years causes that not the job)...
You can't beat the feeling that comes from taking something broken and making it right again!!
Helping a stranded traveler on a Saturday afternoon is top notch...works best if you stay humble and remember who gave you the talent,else you'll get humbled real fast :pray: ;)

[TsgtRet]

DGE467 RE: flat rate. When I first got into service writing after retiring from the AF it was an eye opening experience. In the Air Force, in aircraft maintenance, you assigned a job and the tech went off to go fix the airplane......when I did that the first time at a dealership: "what does this pay?", "why am I getting this job?", etc, etc. That's how I learned about the real world of flat rate.

As for physical limitations due to work, I have lost my high frequency hearing from being around inverters, power units and running jet engines even with hearing protection. In addition, I have permanent ouches from coming in violent contact with certain aircraft parts or landing on the hard concrete after slipping off the wet backbone of a plane.

Ken: Amen on the the youth not even being able to put together a model kit!