I started at $16 hourly as a mechanic at a tire shop, then 1 month later, went to a dodge dealership making $25 with 40 hr guarantee... very slow because it was a new location. Then I moved and got offered $38 hourly at my current job. after 6 months im lead technician making $45 with loads of overtime. I hate trading my time for money, but now that i'm management, I get to go home and focus on my side hustle and work on customer cars or continue flipping/ restoring classics.

I've worked hourly and flat rate. Usually the most knowledgeable techs on flat rate make lower hours. They can get wrapped up in a 4 hour diag job that only pays an hour, while the guy next bay over can bust out several easy jobs that he's done hundreds of times and double the hours. Even if you make 5 bucks an hour more but they double the hours, it blurs the line on who the dumb techs are. Hourly is nice because my mortgage company doesn't care if I had a good week or a bad week.

Did flat rate for 8 years and I loved it made great money but having a family changed that for me. I went on the hourly side and never looked back. I like not stressing about how much I’m going to make this month

I'm in NY. Flat rate means if you not turning wrench you not getting paid. No buffer. No hourly rate make up. No clock in time. I've had weeks when I've gotten 120 hrs in a week and others with 20 hrs. You are in control of your own destiny. Flat rate is a good and bad thing. Also if anyone else is in NY and is flat rate or starting out. The sweet spot is between 50 and 65 hours. Anything after the tax man hits you big time. Best of luck to all my tech brothers and sisters. We got this. Thanks for blessing the ppl with videos like this. Sending love from my family to yours. Stay blessed ppl 🙏

Good video nick! Lots of variables in the flat rate system, maybe one day I too will switch to the hourly life. Keep the videos coming.

Been working @ Nissan for 5 years now am only 23. Went flat rate at the end of 2021 after training with a master tech for 2 years. Flat rate has treated me well. A lot stress but love what I do. When I see my paycheck at the end of 2 weeks I know it was worth it.

I have worked in dealerships and independent shops for many years. Every dealership I've worked in always has one or two techs who get all the gravy while everyone else it becomes a revolving door when you consider factory warranty times are about one third the actual time. So I guess that's why tools boxes have wheels on them. I learned early on while working warranty jobs that the pen is mightier then the wrench.

Thankyou 🍺🍺. We all want to get paid a reasonable wage for work done with benefits. As a mechanic we all know there is no easy job , while getting a balanced Family life . All mechanics deserve more respect for the work we do. Most people don't understand how much we need know and tools needed compared to other trades . We deserve good wages and respect . Do it right men 🍺🍺

I’m still new to the automotive world and I make hourly + 2$ extra per flat rate hour until I’m able to be on my own. Although I know some people making huge paychecks with flat rate hours. I think I’d prefer a consistent hourly check and not have to worry about a slow week, as I have seen guys stressed out the whole day because there’s not enough work coming in.

I’m 19 I work as a diesel maintenance tech, making 26$ hourly I’m switching to 2nd shift soon which is 27$ an hour. Didn’t go to any schooling or college. Been loving cars since a kid, been working on cars for years. Love it but it has its ups and downs.

So proud to hear you getting that class A bro. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

I’m a first year mechanic at a local shop making hourly and I like it for now because I’m still learning a lot and getting paid for my mistakes and taking longer on jobs

You explNed best from the 2 videos I just seen ....gracias👍

I worked 100% commission for 20 years. I was in the top 5% in the country. At the end, the dealership changed, started making less. We had 2 primadonna techs. They remember every car and recommendations. You start at 7, get there at 6:30 for night drops. Work till 6, late nights till 7-8 pm. That's how flate rate makes money. Lot of stress. Now I'm hourly, and it's hard to slow down. Everybody has to pace to end of day near when work is over. Hourly has it's pluses, to make more, Saturday is in picture. Your videos are right on. Keep up the good work. Sounds like cdl a is in your picture to keep this position. Flat rate not so much. Thanks

Very helpful video thank you Nick.

I’ve been working @ Jeep for 3 years now I recently became flat rate. I’m only 20 years old. I definitely don’t have as much experience as my co workers but I like my job. Flat rate has treated me well. There are still some learning curves, but you just to man up, get through it and chase that bag 💪🏼

I’m finally moving over to flat rate at Nissan after 2 years of being a lube tech and training with my shop foreman. Went to UTI and did the Nissan program I’m 25 and looking forward to it. Also in Cali

You work hard to be where you at Nikki. You deserve it

I feel very fortunate to work for a company that pays me hourly plus commission after I reach my monthly gross. So like a flat rate the more vehicles I get in helps me meet my “bonus” which calculates out to another paycheck plus my 2 other paychecks for the month.

Thanks for this video. I'm getting back into the automotive field due to teaching in Chicago public schools being very unreliable and seasonal. 😊🎉

Im a fleet heavy duty mechanic and I work on huge equipment and trucks. Im hourly and make $28 hourly. I get mad overtime. I love it man. I make more than most of my automotive friends and im also less stressed. Sometimes repairs take a day or two but im getting paid regardless and gives me time to look for more issues. It also gives you the chance to take the time to work safely and use lifting devices. My dad is a master mechanic at RWC dealer (international, hino, izusu, etc) and is flat rate. Hes more stressed out and has wrecked his body due to rushing and not being safe. Parts get heavy and you should think twice about picking them up. I don't think with the stress and potential injuries from flate rate is worth it and would burn one out quickly. I hope you're loving the heavy duty stuff and rock on 🤟

Favoritism. So true. Flat rate kicked ass when it was good but when it was SLOW, fuck that's torture. Dealerships are way more fucked up when it's flat rate. It can be a snake pit in some places when the car count gets low. Im happy to be hourly. Over-Time and Double-Time is my new money maker. It's a lifestyle change. Good luck dude

These videos are really helpful man. I thought I was expected to know everything when I graduate trade school. Kind of glad that I'll start off at the bottom for a bit and slowly progress to a flat rate mechanic at some point. I switched my career path from film student to automotive technician with specialized training for Toyota so this gives me some insight on how it works.

I’m 26 working for Pepsi Beverages as a Fleet Mechanic making 38.50 , left the dealers as an apprentice making 26.50 and it’s the best decision I ever made. I Was flat rate for the last year at the dealers and would get rocked by warranty times not to mention we only had a 36 hour guarantee. Recommend fleet for anyone getting in the business

I’m looking to get into the auto mechanic industry and your Chanel has been really helpful and informative

i love flat rate for many reasons when i was hourly there is always the tech or shop foreman who wants to drain or that guy you work with who gets pay hourly but doesnt help you but the shopforeman likes him because its his race or simply jiat likes him ❗️

Where im at, we work on a team system. The team leader gets $2 for every hour we flag and if we meet our daily hour goal and have the best effeciency out of the rest of the teams then we get cash rewards. So there is team motivation there lol

I just left a union shop in Illinois and the contract guaranteed that the flat rate tech would get 35 hours paid a week if there wasn’t any work, no matter what. Another thing is that if you’re working not clocked in or taking short lunches, you better not get hurt while you’re not clocked in or the management will just laugh at you.

I was a flat rate tech for years, but they revised it pretty tight lately. Where I worked we were 1099, paying our own taxes by set times of operation. No insurance, no retirement, it's all on you. I worked independent shops.Big tire chains expect a minimum $$ sold & logged per week. This is where guys are tempted to sell unnecessary repairs. Bc they will fire you for low profit. I live in the rust belt and they will debate you on extra time for rusted seized parts. 2.5 hour jobs turn into 4 hours with bad rust quite commonly. I live in a smaller city and did fine until the 2009-2016 slump recession. If you work fast and accurate not sloppy, you can make good money. If you're sloppy, cars will come back and you will get fired. Dealerships get paid 75% of the flat rate for an independent shop bc you mostly work on one kind of car and know what tools & how to take short cuts etc. I'd recommend find a shop that takes out taxes, pays workers comp, pays 50/50 insurance at least and some 401k etc. If you see same guys getting the gravy jobs, push you box out, that's why they're on wheels.

You should see some of the ads dealers post in my area: “Always looking for electrical/driveability techs.” Might as well say, “Volunteers needed”

Not a complaint. I started 50-50. $2.10/hr Later 40/60. Then 30/70, after 48yrs most dealers were corporate and were tightly run. Manufactures cut times, Dealers cut times, Recalls were more prevalent, Maintenance was cut substantially, no dealer retirement only 401s, inflation constant, age is factor later on. Technology can pass you in a instant. I enjoyed recalling All you talked of. Money management is at the top of the list. Thank You

Went from flat rate to hourly. If you are a master tech, you are getting the difficult warranty work with labor times that are sometimes impossible to beat, or diag tine that is never paid. Now i get paid the same every check with the option for overtime. Even get paid to fix mistakes. Flat rate doesn't work anymore. Companies have figured out how to weaponize it against the techs

I work at a Dodge Dealership in Northern Cali, what they do at my place is a minimum rate which for me is 30/hr thats if you do not produce your 40 hrs (weekly pay over here) but if you produce at least 34 hours you get a production rate at 35 hr. Chrysler Warranty time is Horrible!!!!

I started as hourly wage at 21 per hr. After about 16 months I went flat rate, but quit after 3yr I hate the stress and uncertainty, money was ok. I got a job with state gov. Being there 9yr Mon to Fri steady income no complaints still going.

Here in CA i’ve only worked at independent shops and made hourly pay. Only a few of a dozen shops are willing to pay the double minimum with your own tools.

Iam 35 and have been at Toyota for 14 years as a master tech with hourly pay with flat rate bonus and pretty much it’s like this in most of California shop

Was flat rate for 18 years and recently went fleet with my municipality. I should have went hourly from the start. My stress levels are so now zero, and I can focus on just doing the work. The pension, benefits, earned days off, holidays, sick leave far FAR outweighs any extra money killing yourself on flat rate.

Flat rate will teach you how to hustle, and about how important productivity is. Great for young guys, but it's not sustainable as you get older. Look around what's the average age of the guys around you at your shop and other shops. Look at how they move their backs, knees, arthritis.

damn Gomer Pyle, looks like a true USMC. Thanks for sharing your knowledge man.

Good For You Bro!! I Totally get it... Stick to Hourly ...

Been doing this for 20 years. It's time for flat rate to be abolished in its current form. Everything is going electric. These days I'm an electrician or software engineer at my local dealer. The good ol days of crazy high hours are over unless you're at an independent shop. Dealer work is now oil changes, warranty and crap work.

I had no clue how well Cali paid techs. I've known many techs who were and are being paid ~$28/hr CANADIAN. This is for hourly work and not flat rate, but man is the discrepency huge. I definitely feel like the trade is underpaid where I live in Canada. Great rundown of your own experiences though! Very informative to watch.

California, its nick named the tool wage. If you are required to supply your own tools, you are given double minimum wage. But during the initial training period, you get a few more dollars per hour than minimum wage. You get more money supposedly if you go over 85% efficiency but the managers get their bonus .Im in the RV industry and ive never gotten over 85% efficiency 😢 but generally there is more subjective repairs with no real tech support. So many different floor plans and my particular shop doesnt get access to wiring diagrams. I have to google that shit on RV forums.

My dealership went to a 40 hour weekly guarantee this year with bonuses for flagging over 40 hours per week. As much as I hate flat rate, I’m kind of addicted to it with always trying to make my hours or get into the bonus ranges. You get that nice paycheck from bonus and then you keep pushing to get it again. Then you have a tough week where you have to take the guarantee and you feel like a loser. Hourly would be more relaxed but I like the opportunity to double my paycheck because when you do, it’s a rush!

I did 34 years flat rate in a large GM dealer with no hourly guarantee only getting paid the hours you made. The stress of never knowing what you will earn week to week is very tough and that never changed. Most my years I averaged 10-14 hours per day. My best 2 days in a row was 41 hours flat rate. I was earning around $34 per hour with my level of training and certifications. That was a few years back. My average 2 week hours were usually between 100 and 120 hours. It was a dog eat dog way of making a living our shop employed about 18 techs. Everyone was always watching what everyone else was getting for work. I hated flat rate always wished they would pay a fair hourly rate. Flat rate encourages repair short cuts and over charging practices giving the industry a bad name. Glad I am retired now.

Wow, this is all news to me. A few years ago, I worked on Long Island as an apprentice tech and was making $14 an hour.

I always stayed away from flat rate because I was never efficient to make book time in independent shops (2yrs experience). Independent vs dealership imo independent is hard cause you have to work on bmw one day and a ford the next. I now work at a independent shop were I work hourly But if I make flat rate hours I get paid double my hourly rate for jobs finished. Double edge sword.

hey nick, a great subject describe what type of level of technician you are in the heavy line and what are your goals to reach to top pay vs working at Toyota. I know it can vary from job to job, but at your job is there step program base on your annual evaluation or base on ase and productivity to move up in position.

Can you do like starting tools for diesel tech

I've been on an off with aamco transmission's for about 27 years I make great money I can't really complain some time shit gets crazy but welcome to getting up an go too work

if you are thinking about getting in this career read this. We have a guy in the shop that'll turn 230hrs multiple pay periods. So far this pay period I have 15hrs while my other team mates have 50-60hrs. I have just assembled a cylinder head on a new short block last period for a 2019 camry, replaced evaporator core on an equinox (pia), a blower motor box assembly on a 2020 highlander under warranty, and a frame recall. They do the brakes and the easy stuff. And talk shit to me about how bad I am at my job.. Btw the frame recall on the tundra was my team leaders. He didn't want to do it. And he has an extra bay for his apprentice to do a questionable amount of brake jobs. Speaking on which, I haven't seen a repair order with a brake concern in a long time. a long time. a long time. So much for the top leaders controlling the box. Good thing they're not politicians.

Use to work in a shop in VA that was flat rate, but with bonuses. Basically we worked like 50 hours a week, and I was getting paid 20/hr (this was mid 2000's). The bonus kicked in when we closed out 50 hours, we got $1 more per hour, and every 10 hours it added another $1. My best week was roughly 115 hours (I worked 70 hours that week) and it was hectic. It was a nice paycheck but i'm never gonna do that again. But on the flip side, that same place, if we didn't close out 30 hours of work, we got paid 18/hr for the time we clocked.

Best advice I can give. Develop your own clients do side jobs, invest into yourself (service truck, small shop) and then go independent. I can make a weeks in a day sometimes with less work since your making money for yourself not a shop.

About to start flat rate next week. It's a guaranteed 30hrs and I'm getting paid 20. Was paid 17 Only doing it to mostly push myself and grow as a tech.

I work at one of them dealerships where our "foreman" gives me and a couple other guys crappy tickets and like recalls and small stuff and gives about 3 or 4 guys easy stuff they can do quick and make about 5 hours in about a hour or 2 and also if a vehicle comes in for a basic tuneup he will always keep them for himself so thats like 5 hours for 30-1hour of work

In my experience, not much. Maybe I’m just a crappy mechanic but after putting almost 10 years into the gig and growing up around it I’d like to think I know a little bit. I never saw very good money doing it. Especially not when you factor in the expense of tools and the toll it takes on your body. Depends on the situation though. A service advisor/manager can make or break a flat rate tech if they want to.

30 + years at dealerships. Take the good with the bad. It all works out. Pencil whipping is a art.

Btw does your shop have all data? And do you miss the gasoline industries and people friendly environment (stores, food, malls)

We get shafted in England your base is $2400 every 2 weeks before tax in the uk mine is £2800 for 4 weeks then tax and national insurance is taken off that

wassup man, we missed you

Great vid…Stress level is a major factor since I turned 45

I just started working as a flat rate lube tech at a Nissan dealer. I like the idea of being a flat rate lube tech but in reality its pretty slow and id be lucky to break even this pay period.

just got into the industry about 2 months ago. work at a shop that does truck and car, im paid $18/hr, it can get slow sometimes and i hate picking up a broom. but sometimes i get a job thats supposed to be simple and ends up taking me forever. I want to work flat rate cause i hate down time but im scared about jobs going sideways or getting shitty work.

Here in the province of Québec, Canada, I get the feeling there's not a lot of flat rate. I've been on hourly my whole career as a tech, and honestly, even though I've never tried it, I wouldn't want to work flat rate. Part of the reason is I specialize in complex work, either electronic diagnostics, or deep engine work (timing jobs, cylinder heads, piston rings, etc.) I don't think that type of work is profitable on a flat rate system. I've been thinking of moving to North Carolina and get a job there as a tech, but I'll certainly keep in mind the flat rate aspect, which seems to be much more popular in the States...

Why is the rust belt the same rate as say Arizona. When I worked in Chicago 40 + years we had Oxy Acetylene carts about every 3 bays. When I moved to AZ the shops did not even have 1. When the snow birds came down with there rust buckets they were charged time and material.

Hello nick I'm a new auto tech working for a chain store. I'm paid hourly and it's nice having the guaranteed pay every week but I eventually want to go flat rate.

LETS GOOO 🔥

what about tool cost... how much did you spend on tools in the year... what does the service writer make? how much where his tool cost?

Flat rate is design for Tech to get greedy,Hourly is for slackers i did both .I like hourly tho less stress and honest money

In CA it's double minimum wage at 160 hours for flagging techs. I'm a dispatcher at a dealer and the lazy younger techs make a little over $5400 a month doing f all while the older more hard working techs make well over 10k-12k.

@8:10 Preach it Rev.

Holy shit I had no idea California had such an amazing mandated pay scale for flat rate techs. Really puts in perspective how screwed over some of us are. My company has stores in California yet where I'm at they're pinching pennies with their best techs that make them 6 figures of profit a year and letting them leave because they aren't being competitive enough with their pay rates, benefits and work environment. They only pay some master techs $30 hourly rate it's crazy that's a minimum for flat rate techs there. $2,400 every check would be fucking amazing right now alone

Many truck companies now have gone to automatic transmission trucks.

From California went to Texas to work at a dealership and didn’t know we strictly get payed for flagged hours with no safe pay

I typically do a 12 hour day eat lunch on the go. If you work hard it’s great. Worst jobs are rattles/suspension type noises. I do a lot of HV battery repairs as well as EV and Hybrid repairs. The times are very poor. Service times are great so the lube techs can flag more hours easily. That said I rather do the skilled work.

I’m hourly @$25.50 rn as an apprentice in a union Toyota shop. Also our warranty is times 1.5. Some law that just passed.

I'm a salary specialist in computer data communication and Air Conditioning and will do the Gravy Brake jobs and light mechanical stuff like belts and fluid maintenance. 70K a year.

Nikko, Wanted to ask your opinion far the best tools for your buck, Im starting School soon at a tech college for auto mechanics and wanted to know where to get the tools for class with out spending 15k

At this point in time, I started at my Chevrolet/Cadillac dealership as a lube tech. Right now I’m what you would call "split-pay", I get a]$11/hr on hourly, and then I get $7/hr actual work time. So I’m averaging about 35 hours worked (flagged, if you would say that) but I don’t flag work. Since I’m a lube tech, because this is my first "tech" job on the books so I have to work my way up and go through the online training and such before they move me up to B Tech. I’ve been at the dealership since august. I do love it, the place I’m at I have overwhelming support from my coworkers. ANY question I have I can go to anyone and they will take the time to explain it or most of the time they will actually come to my bay and look at whatever I’m asking a question on. If I could I would do brake jobs and differential flushes, coolant, brake flushes, etc. but my current job doesn’t have any of that in description. As a lube tech it’s oil changes and tire rotations, mounting and balancing tires, air filters (engine and cabin), wiper blades, Batteries, key fob batteries, INSIDE tire patches, SOME recalls like the super simple recalls like the 3rd row seat seatbelt retentions. I’m averaging about 13 cars a day. We can get overtime every single week if we want, like after 3 weeks of starting at my job, I asked for every Saturday to work and so Saturday is only from 8am-1pm, so that’s just straight overtime. My actual hourly is about 40-47 hours every week, my actual work flag time is about 35 hours. And that’s 95% of oil changes and tire rotations, trying to up sell stuff but not much sells. This job I have is the MOST I’ve ever gotten paid at any job, Work time for jobs, LOFRT: 0.7, LOF: 0.5, mount and balance 1 tire: 0.4, Mount and balance 4 tires: 1.6, Corvette/Aftermarket Big Wheels: 0.8 per wheel, Engine and cabin air filters: 0.3 each (depending on the car, may be longer or shorter), tire patches: 0.5. There’s more I can think of off the top of my head. But having the support I have it’s awesome. I’m gonna be finishing up my on,one classes for work and then after that I’m gonna be going to the B Tech position. And I believe the B Tech starting flat-rate tech is I THINK $23 starting.

The pay changed big time in Australia , The government kicked out all the people from overseas when covid came in, so there were hardly any mechanics left . At one stage if you were an Australian mechanic you couldn't eve sit down for lunch without business owners ringing you at work offering some dam good pays trying to get you to work for them .

Been a master tech for the past 23 years and work hourly now at 35 an hr but I still have the flat rate mentality due to working flat rate for 15+ years and always pushing more hours than I am clocked in for. New guys that come in and work hourly that never have worked flat rate are the reason why the flat rate pay scale is still around by how lazy they are on hourly and not being efficient at all, costing the shop time and money.

Clean undercut cuh

It's amazing that everyone is being transparent with their income. It's a shady practice to not be transparent with things . Like "what are you hiding" ?

How do you feel if your flag rate is less than your hourly? I tried to think about it too much and I try to make the dealership happy by providing them with an 80 x 80 work week but to be honest, there’s no incentive because my flat rate is one dollar less than my physical time. Just want your thoughts and opinions. Thanks brother.

Making $25 hourly as a tech at an independent shop, 4 years in with 3 tech school certs and ASE master/L1, 609 etc etc. If I work overtime 6 days a week I can barely hit $5k a month. Thinking about flat rate... thanks for video

The trouble with flat rate begins with the service advisor and he will sell you short for the job every time Flat rate is good if you know how to weaponize it for your benefit . The shop owner knows how to manipulate it , thats for sure

I’m going to school to get ase certified and I’m confused on which to be flat rate or hourly 😅

Where should we start to learn it?

I was just curious how many electric wrenches did you have did you have a three 8 1/4 or did you just have a 3/8 and put a quarter inch adapter on it

I live in NC making 65$ flat rate at a small shop with an average of 40 hours a week.

At 9:26 - that's not bad for being early in your career. I'm curious how many more years until you can get $150k/year? (and assuming you work in a major urban area with many high paying white-collar jobs)

ITs interesting video. Thanks. I was work in BMW Europe which we have a monthly salary with company Tools And 30 days Holiday. And Now i work for BMW in canada with flat rate system. Which i have not for money because but the different between hourly And flatrate Is delivery service for customer. In flat rate everyone with my Canadian colleage try cheat something And they don't good quality job. I would Like to Heard your opinion for this . Thanks And enjoy Cali lifestyle.

I once worked in a body shop and the guy who was my training lead flagged 235 hrs my first 2 weeks and 255 in the 2nd 2 weeks

Video on tools you use as a fleet mechanic? 🤔

In Sweden is almost the same but you get a month salary. And we pay for the hours the work takes. And OMG you get good paid in USA as mechanic. In Sweden a mechanic do 2 466,87 dollar a month = 160 hours. and then there is a 32 percent tax rate on that.

Flat rate world is for people who hustle and aren't afraid to work hard. People who are chill and barely do the minimum tend to move on pretty quickly. We really should be paid a percentage of the labor rate, but that ended years ago. It amazes me that in CA they pay mechanics on flat rate $30 and hour for not accomplishing any work. I'd imagine that start ending people home if it's slow?

Left after twenty years. Now a railroader was the best thing that ever happened.

what's your plan with the cdl? is it to be able to pull the fleet vehicles in legally?

Flat rate first get that experience! Then switch to hourly fleet.

How much are you paid to diagnose I think that is the hardest part of the job