This can be a very hot button topic for folks. Let's keep it civil if we can . Thanks also to Lucas and Chris for their views. Also id love to hear yout why or why not. A simple no is good, but why is even better.

If working on cars is your hobby, it won't be your hobby for long if you become a technician. It's hard to enjoy working on cars in your free time when you've already spent 8 hours working on vehicles.

Former tech here. It’s not worth it. Not even close. Make it a hobby. Pick another trade that pays much better.

WHY would I ever want to be a mechanic when the Paul install option is SO AFFORDABLE?!?!

My dad is 76 years old…he’s been a mechanic for over 50 years! He started in the early early 70s as a VW specialist working at a dealership in North Jersey. He eventually opened up his own shop in the early 80s and has been plugging away ever since, he’s the hardest working man I ever met. I’ll never forget holding onto the holy sh!t dash bar in his orange bug while he ripped through the gears. Even though he never became super successful, he’s built an amazing reputation and he’s always loved his shop! He’s there all the time tinkering away. He takes care of his customers and they all love him. Since he’s pushing 80, my mom is on him to close up and sell it. But we’re all worried that it might not be the best thing for him. He worked straight through all his chemo treatments last year…he’s a tough SOB. And if he does sell it, I’m gonna have to start paying for repairs! Lol. My hero! I love you Pops!

Another thing to touch on is the heat. It may not be an issue for dealer techs, I’ve never worked for a dealership, but I’ve worked in independent shops for 19 years now, a lot of people aren’t cut out for the heat. I’ve never worked in an air conditioned shop. I’ve seen people quit because of it. It’s hard and it’s something a lot of people don’t think about.

Haven’t watched the video yet but as a SM ford tech for the last 10 years all I gotta say is keep it as a hobby. My back and knees hurt, I’m bald and I’m only 30. It has killed my love and joy for cars. You will make a good living though! These cars are getting harder and harder to fix and labor keeps going down.

Yeah. I had a bad experience. VW dealer told me I needed a new DSG. 2013 Jetta TDI. My complaint was hesitation upon acceleration. I paid the diag fee grabbed my car and left. Went to dealer I knew was familiar with TDI. 30 minutes later fixed. Cracked charge air tube. Warrantied. Went back to other dealer got my diag fee back.

I left being a dealer tech 23 years ago, since then I’ve averaged $75-85k for the first ten years, $75-124k ten years after that and now making $145-165k for the last 3 years. All that by just being a union truck driver. $14 an hour into my pension and 100% employer paid medical/benefits. Best move I ever made.

For every bad mechanic story, I have two about customers. Your average pay claim is total BS. Yes, there are a few who do well. My experience is that every garage has one golden boy they feed and all the rest are on their own. Twenty-five years in the field, ten year shop owner. Getting out of the field was the best choice of my life.

That trick with the pry bar to hold the exhaust pipe 😎👌

This video came at the right time. Ive been a toyota tech at the same dealer for over 9 years, completed my apprenticeship in canada and became a journeyman. This is the only dealership ive ever known, and after getting mistreated by management for a couple years i decided to take a leap to another dealer and product manufacturer. I start on Tuesday and have been extremely nervous about it. This gave me assurance ive more than likely made the right move. Thank you! 🙏🏽

I started my career as a Toyota technician and moved to independent couple years later. Did that for close to 10 years and finally moved on to Heavy duty fleet technician. Ive been a hd mechanic for 12 years and by far my home life has been improved greatly. I recommend anyone looking to get into the trade go fleet medium duty/ Heavy duty. Better pay benefits/retirement. Better home life as your work schedule usually is a 8hr day instead of 10hrs.

Leaving the trade was the best decision I’ve made. I did almost 10 years at a dealership, I now work as a shift manager+sales at a local family owned car/truck parts center. We get paid salary plus commission which is guaranteed since we supply to fleets and dealerships and it far exceeds what I was making as a tech. There’s the added bonus of working in a climate controlled environment and no need to buy tools and do online courses on my own time it was a no brainer move. Still work on cars as a side hustle.

Was in the dealer network for 23 years, the last one for 12. I took a very large pay cut to leave the dealer for a public sector job. Now I am hourly, better benefits, more PTO, better retirement and best of all I do not get beat up from all ends day in and day out. If someone wants to be a mechanic, I always tell them go to a really niche high end or performance shop and get to work on cool stuff all day or go public sector with more options in the long term. The dealer landscape is changing and I do not think in a good way.

I started my mechanic career as a self taught guy as a fleet mechanic at medium sized cities parks department. It paid ok for the time but I’m sure I could make more elsewhere. I decided that wrenching every day was killing my love for cars. After a few detours into other jobs I ended up in quality control in automotive manufacturing! Love it! Pays well, and satisfies my OCD. I do work on cars on the side and spent a large portion of the pandemic buying broken cars on FB marketplace, fixing them and flipping them.

There's a lot of shops looking for mechanics in my area, and they're advertising that you can make x amount to almost double x amount...when you advertise that mechanics can make 60ish-149 k but anybody can go talk to your mechanics and find out they aren't even making 45 a year I think we have found the real reason why most people don't want to be mechanics. if a shop guaranteed me 120 a year for 50 hours a week I'd take the job in a heartbeat when mechanics tell me they work up to 60 hours a week and aren't making as much as a school bus driver who works 36 hours a week, gets tons of time off, and collects unemployment in the summer...it's hard to stomach. Maybe when the industry makes the turn to total honesty (for both mechanics and customers) people will be more apt to take the job.

Being a dealer tech sucks. The better you get, the less money you make because warranty times are designed to screw you over. Being a tech for a indie shop or a specialized shop for a specific brand it great though, since they get the “gravy” like brakes and whatnot. Also don’t do it if you already liked working on cars, because it destroys the hobby for you. I haven’t touched my golf in weeks.

One thing i beat into the new guys head is to buy tools first and THEN buy that $15k snap-on box. A kid got hired and bought a box the next week after for $15k. And kept asking to borrow tools. Of course after the 3rd time borrowing something i told him to buy it but he couldnt because the box payments were so high. After he left my spark plug socket set out in the rain i told him to kick rocks and now he has a giant empty box

To add to the "arent you a master technician..." When you are at the top, when theres new technology, such as a completely redesigned engine, its up to you to figure it out. Theres service info and thats it. No one to call, no one around to lean on. Can become stressful. I welcome it in small pieces but it can wear you down. I recently replaced a cylinder head on a new style vehicle I hadn't even driven yet. But youre supposed to know everything... Uhg

My son is contemplating this question at this very moment. THANK YOU for making this video.

*I started working in the pit in oil change shops at 16, worked my way up to Assistant manager at a couple of them. Then left to take a lube tech/mechanic trainee position at a Midas shop, and was licensed/certified about 2 years later.* *That was about 21 years ago and I have regretted not taking something more seriously that one of the old guys there, told me at the time. “Why would you want to do this? Mechanics don’t retire, they die!”*

One HUGE factor that you touched on is co-workers, ESPECIALLY those in mentor / apprentice positions. Be careful who you get to “help” you. In the technician’s world, on flat rate at least, it’s dog eat dog. Techs want other techs to fail so they can make more money and get better jobs fed to them. I started out at an Audi dealer as a tech and the guy that was “training” me dismissed my questions and always seemed irritated when I asked about things, and laughed at me when I would screw up. I remember the first time I did spark plugs on a D3 A8 W12, it was taking me a while to figure everything out cause the entire upper intake manifold has to come off for that job. I could hear across the shop one of the other guys somewhat quietly joke to his buddy “come on it’s just spark plugs”. Imagine how that made me feel, like garbage. Great video, thank you for making this. I was an Audi dealer tech for 5 years, then a fleet tech at a municipality for another 5 years. Did some other jobs such as parts dept, auto insurance adjuster, class B truck driver, now a year ago I just got into quality control in manufacturing for one of the big OEMs, and am happy to be out of wrenching. You are right, it is not for everyone and I did feel like a failure when I left, but am a lot happier now and making a lot more money with better benefits and better working conditions.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my perspective! Our industry is a better place because of you, sir!

I will add "Don't be afraid of (or to learn) electronics". It is a major part of every car nowadays. Not being afraid to test/repair/cut wires and sensors is important. Nothing to me is worse than hearing "These cars nowadays with the computers make them impossible to work on". IMHO...once you know the ins/outs of testing and diagnostics of the electrical components you may realize that it is actually easier at times to find the issue. There are safety considerations to keep in mind (especially with some of the hybrid/EV battery packs) but otherwise it is a lot less complex than it may seem. Just like mechanical...break it down into systems. This information just improves your overall skill set and options in life. My interest in automotive and electronics is what allowed me to look at 3d printers in 2011 and say "I can do that" which has influenced my career path today. As Charles mentioned....you have a skill set that is valuable. You can roll your toolbox to another shop or even industry.

I'm in college taking electric and autonomous vehicles program. I'm a senior now. The biggest challenge so far is the computer programming and coding classes i had to take. The industry is going to continue in this complicated manner but i love learning and collecting tools, I'm having fun. I do got to say though that apprenticeships out here are seriously lacking and the manufacturer sponsored programs at colleges are also scarce.

Not at all! I’m SO HAPPY I got out of the industry!!

The biggest issue is the peak salary combined with flat rate. Even really good techs are peaking at 80 to 90k, which isn't really great money, especially these days. Sure there's always those guys that flag 70/80 hours a week, the magicians; but that's not typical. If you really want to make money, and want to stay in the business, you need to specialize in a niche, Euro or whatever, or even further narrow it down, and specialize in one or two brands, then start your own shop. I will say I love my current shop. When it was slow for a couple weeks during covid, the owner started towing in project from his home shop, and paid us to work on those. We were rebuilding hydraulic rams for his tractors, all sorts of crazy shit...and we specialize in European lol.

I’m no technician, but this is 100% relatable in the medical industry. Compared to the early 2000’s, we now make about 1/3 of what we used to. Demand and clinic burden has skyrocketed, but reimbursement has gone down so much over the years that many people are not becoming specialized physicians b/c it’s just not worth the burnout and time away from family.

Also, if you intend to make a career out of it, do not start at a store garage, i would even advise against the big commercial tire centers because at either place, you aren't going to aquire all of the knowledge you need in the industry. Those 2 types of places also seem to have the absolute worst working environment that you could ask for

As much I like turning wrenches, I would never like to be a master technician, I’ve seen it happen on my last shop and the guy could not catch a break, almost every 10 minutes he had someone coming up to him asking him questions, even on his days off they would constantly call him, he was so mad one time because he was out hunting with his son and couldn’t enjoy it peacefully due to the shop calling him back to back. Asfter seeing that I rather just keep doing what I’m doing and keep it pushing

I honestly believe that if you happen to be a mechanic in life is because that life chose you. Either inherited or you just happened to have that special click that makes you good at it. Not everyone can fix something without KZfaq.

Great video Charles as always! Thanks for having me share my opinion. Is it worth it? Yes BUT everyone’s experiences are different because there are unfortunately really good shops to work for and really bad shops to work at. As you mentioned there are many factors that go into this conversation. 1. Work culture is huge 2. Work life balance is a massive factor 3. Pay 4. Flat rate must die These are the top 4 things I hear personally hear talking to techs every single day. You can have all of these things IF you find a great shop and yes they are out there and there are more and more making changes and improving. If you are at a crappy shop. Dont stay around. Make a change. Get treated like you deserve and get paid what you deserve. Best statement you said as well is 100% is it’s all on you.

On the day this video was uploaded I turned 22. I started my LV apprenticeship (Australia) in May I've personally enjoyed it so far. Before I applied for the apprenticeship I put so much thought into it and watch heaps of videos like this one. Knowing what lerned I still got the apprenticeship and I dont regret it. I get paid as a mature age apprentice so the wages aren't terrible but my bills are paid and I eat food so I'm fine.

Honestly it's good advice for any profession. The common theme is the speed of change in all industries and the need to constantly be up to date.

Been a Mercedes-Benz tech for 7 years now and I think that if you’re at a dealership that helps you grow then you will be a pretty successful technician and it’s an awesome feeling waking up every morning knowing that you love what you do and love where you work. HOWEVER.. things have gotten significantly harder to diagnose and fix due to all the new technologies and electric vehicles . Hopefully things change in the future so that we can possibly be salary or hourly instead of flat rate since I don’t see how we are going to be making time with these new cars ..

Don't. Tools ,bad backs missing fingers. Exposure to toxic chemicals. And no retirement. And the fact that customers expect more from you that a doctor or lawyer. This is not a career it's a death sentence. Be an engineer.

As someone who fixes equipment for a living, it's awesome to fix your own stuff, but I definitely wouldn't recommend doing it for a living. Constantly having to beat book time really eats away at my perfectionist personality, whereas fixing my own stuff I couldn't care less if it takes me twice book time because I know it's being done right. Not to mention how many times I see something that really needs to be taken care of before it becomes a problem and yet the customer doesn't want to fix it until it's broke and gets *really* expensive.

Hey Charles, glad to see another video on this! I have always enjoyed your Tech related videos - they have given some good guidance throughout my career. My parents were devastated when I took on an apprenticeship at a VW dealer instead of doing Engineering at University 😂 I wouldn't change my mind if I had the choice a second time over! I've had an amasing journey (with its ups and downs) in the Dealership world. I worked my way up and now do Product support at importer level. Direct contact with the manufacturer and regular trips to Germany - life is good! You get out what you put in, in the motor industry. No one is going to hand you anything on a silver platter!

Here in the UK we are also expected to have our own tools. Having worked (42 years) for dealer, non dealer and body shops doing mechanical, electrical and trim I have amassed a very large tool kit. It is constantly growing with the different fasteners and so on that keep being introduced! I have generally enjoyed it but my body is complaining more these days. Money for me has not been the best but that was the trade off for a happier work environment. Great video as always Charles.

As a foremen at a busy Vw dealer. Yes, absolutely, it is still worth it. Find a dealer who grows their techs if your just starting out. We grow through our service express program, then move you into the VW Apprentice program, then work along side other knowledgeable techs while you grow and gain more knowledge.

100% not worth it. Most people in this industry have no clue what they're doing and management is always a shit show. It's hard for me to find any positives in this career after 10yrs. I think the worst part for me is you can never get good at anything because once you get good at it, it changes.

Just as a VW technician ,I have been learning through your guides and I just face one challenge pack of jobs and enough tools but all in all I appreciate.....looking forward to visit you one day.

as long as you don’t like working in your own car and like being taken advantage of go 4 it

I really enjoy channels like this because it’s free education for me, saves me money doing my own stuff, but keeps it so I’m not doing it everyday, starting out not being able to afford to live doing this.

Been a diesel tech for 13 years now. Always pushed and was very vocal about getting any extra training I could get. Worked for quite a few different dealers/distributors, completed 100’s of hours of online training from multiple manufacturers. Started 2.5 years ago with my current shop, training finally paid off and was recognized by starting me out $10/hr more than the previous one. A little over a year in, got promoted to shop lead, still turning wrenches and also getting to do a lot of custom work as well, and my hourly pay is almost another $10/hr over my starting wages. But to get to this point, I dealt with the crappy management, coworkers, environment, all of the negative aspects.

This rings true for so many different industry's too. I've been in IT for almost 20 years and sometimes have questioned what I've been doing due to frustrations, etc. The point to keep learning is absolutely essential to keep up with technology. Making good connections/relationships is also key to being successful. Keep doing that and you will see yourself advance in your industry. A lot of work, but the past 2 years has been the best for me.

this video came at the perfect time lol. ill start classes this august to hopefully become an automotive service technician once i graduate high school. appreciate it.

I almost went into mechanics but ultimately decided to keep it a hobby. No regrets

This was such a breath of fresh air, very well summed up video and you touched on a lot of points, I'm a young tech of 6 years and have been thinking of all of these things and agree entirely with the good/ bad mentioned. Times can be both stressful and extremely rewarding but bottom line is its never ALWAYS sunshine and roses. Have to really have your heart and mind into this trade to continue and strive to be better

As someone who recently got into the industry I think you hit the nail on the head with this video. I wholeheartedly agree with all of the points you made and think they are great advice for new techs. For background, I just graduated from tech school at my local community college about 3 months ago and have been working at a dealership for almost 2 years now. I started my career at my local Honda dealership because I was super into Hondas at the time but over the year and a half I was there had a pretty bad experience overall (basically non-existent apprenticeship program, terrible management, and tons of drama in the shop). Unfortunately I was too scared to leave and ultimately got fired over a mistake I made (in large part due to how stressed i was there). Luckily my local ford dealership was willing to take a chance on me and it has been an absolutely amazing change of scenery. I am finally in a position where I feel like I am actually learning and growing as a technician while also having the luxury of working with an experienced tech who I can ask questions to when I am unsure. I still have a long way to go but everyday I am growing in my confidence as a tech and that has been such a rewarding experience.

I love the part of fixing something and helping someone out of a jam. That is what keeps me learning and keeping up with the modern stuff going on now.

Great advice across the board, but in particular about training. The Automotive field is changing at an incredible pace. As a technician, you either scratch and claw for every training opportunity you can get - or don’t be surprised when the industry passes you by. And this is true for any technology field. You have to take an interest in learning new technology. There’s an incredible amount of free/cheap info online about the core technologies like CAN, LIN, OBD2, etc. that are not brand-specific.

I would totally recommend becoming a mechanic. Not only is it an industry with high demand for those willing to put the effort in, but it is very satisfying to complete projects to the best of your ability. No, it’s not easy and it requires you to constantly be educating yourself, but good things never came easy to begin with. As mentioned in the video, there are lots of shops that pay well. You just have to find your mechanic niche and capitalize on it. Cheers from Canada!

Your video is so timely. Regardless of profession or trade, as you so perfectly stated, it is your happiness that counts. As a pharmacist in Canada, the principles you stated sound so true for those entering in and working within pharmacy. What I heard - Corporate support and technical expertise may not bridge the path to happiness, so move on from job A to job B or onto another career. No one can / will / has the right to judge you. Really enjoy your content and philosophy!

A huge advantage to becoming a mechanic right now is with only shopping there are so many great tool brands and options, so you arent forced to buy only from tool trucks. Also I did automotive for three years before switching to heavy duty. I love both but way better pay to be HD and most companies pay by the hour, not by the job. So i do HD for the money and srill do auto on the side as a passion

I also graduated UTI at Glendale Heights, IL and Volkswagen Acadamy with Hans Bach… Sounds like we were there about the same time, cheers my brother.

I’m 5 years in professionally I’m getting burnt out got a bad back with a metal cage in it In Serious tool debt and a family of 4 to support I can’t stop

Hell yeah granted there are plenty of headaches involved but definitely worth it overall just for having the knowledge alone.

Great video, really makes me think. I have been retired for 7 years now after 47 years at VW/Audi dealership and also when we had Porsche as well, I was factory trained in all 3. Was good in the 70’s,80’s and 90’s, but then they didn’t pay well and some technicians left. Before retirement I certainly was the senior tech but would get all the diagnosis on warranty cars and was losing time and money, not to mention getting every Vanogon, Eurovan, and worse Rialto’s. So it is hard if I would do it again. Maybe having my own shop and passing knowledge to a younger tech would be more satisfying.

THM is my favorite channel. Thanks for sharing

I love this video. I’m going to start my journey on becoming a mobile mechanic starting from scratch. There is a TON of money in this field if you are willing to work.

This is a great video! Whether or not its worth it to become a tech in 2024 truly depends on the individual. Not everyone is the right fit for the job, and definitely not every tech is the right fit for every shop. You're helping new techs make good decisions and setting the expectation for the industry. I'll be showing this video to new students in our program to generate conversation and help them decide if automotive is the right path for them.

Ive been an apprentice for 3 years (not a lot of time but enough to see some things) but in France so the work environment is not really the same as we do not have flat rate here. Personnaly I would not recommend being a mechanic, this job requires so much knowledge but the pay is just not following. To be good you need to be familiar with electronics, hydraulics and pneumatics, you should not be bothered by getting dirty, working in cramped spaces, getting hurt (a lot)... I have 30 years old colleagues who already have knees and back problems, and most of us do not even want to work on our own cars as this industry made us loose that spark. Customers do not appreciate the work we do and the majority do not even trust us, we can't really blame them as you said because a lot of them had bad experiences. Most of them do not know how complex cars have become, you need a scanning tool for ~70% of the cars that come in and even for a majority of brake jobs now. Now that I am familiar with this job and cars its easier but if it was to do again, I probably wont do it or might work on something other than cars.

Hey Charles, great topic to discuss. Personally, I've been in the automotive industry for 44 years. Just like you, I've worked in dealerships, specifically for Mercedes-Benz and BMW. I eventually worked my way up to doing roadside assistance for Mercedes-Benz. However, I found myself wanting a little more out of my career, and an opportunity came up to work for Snap-on Tech Systems. Initially, I felt like the industry knew more than I did, but in reality, it was the other way around. You never really leave the automotive industry; you just get recycled. As I moved on to Federal-Mogul, I realized this even more. Just like you, I hold an ASE Master Tech certification, Parts Specialist certification, Service Consultant certification, and now an EV Electrical Awareness Safety certification. I can physically walk around and ask 10 shops the same question and get 10 different answers, even though they all perform the same service. This highlights a big issue in our industry: we need to start with education. The point I'm trying to make is that there are many parts of the automotive industry you can be involved in; you don't need to be turning wrenches all the time. I believe the next chapter of my life is to write about my experiences with shop owners and techs so they can learn from some of the opportunities and pitfalls in this industry

Don`t forget to mention that no matter how clean you work, gloves ect. You will always be a bit dirty all the time. Every fluid will eventually find it`s way down your arm into your shirt and other worse places. But it`s just part of the job. I was a technician for over 10 years and never really complained at least not that much. Now I work the parts counter at a local dealership. Pay isn`t as good but still making a descent living.

@HumbleMechanic this was a very well thought out video, I like how when it comes to the field you are unbiased in your opinions on these topics bi personally love the automotive field and being a VW tech. Do I think I should be making more for what I do? Sure. But at the end of the day, even dealing with crap or at times the negative vibes, I still get satisfaction from fixing cars.

So much of this advice is relevant even outside the automotive repair industry. Thanks for the career advice, Charles!

Thank you Charles for this, it is so applicable to so many people in any trade. As a professional driver I considered a lot of what you said to be very helpful. Thank you again, keep doing the great work you do!

It’s paid all my bills and beyond but I cannot in good conscience recommend this industry the way it currently is structured. The problems are not a secret and yet no change has been made at scale. Everyone plays but only a few win the lottery. If you must work in this industry be a service advisor, they make the same or more pay. They don’t have to buy tools or work in the heat and don’t take a physical beating.

Glad you guys had a great experience. Literally every shop that hired me thought I knew everything fresh out of my tech school and that’s just not possible. Also of the 4 shops I worked at all 4 very toxic environments, played favorites, and put people in place to tell me that I shouldn’t move up. Also, 2 of the shops hired me as a tech just for them never to send me to classes to move up and or was not letting me take courses for gm. Don’t know if it’s just me being at 2 gm and 1 Toyota dealer but, I would never tell anyone to go to either of those shops I was at. Don’t know if I should ever go back to automotive industry but, if I do idk where I should start with finding the best shop for me. Hell maybe I was the problem who knows. Also, all and I mean all my service managers had no idea and anything car related and that also didn’t help things either

From experience I can say that if you’re passionate and intend on putting in hard work and learn as much as possible every day you don’t have to worry about average wages. Because you’ll far surpass the mediocre and earnings will be uncapped. 🤝🎉

Same story here like everyone. Stick in learn as much as you can strive for perfection and set yourself into ownership and working for yourself and pick and choose work you want to do. I have made dealers and shops more money over the years while I squeak by and just made enough to live but wasn't homeless or car less may have had older vehicles but saved and finally got into my own shop happy now working alone but still demanding because there's so much work out there. I keep update and still lack time for vacations but when I get away I am ready to be back at work after 3 days off and still working from the phone but ready to be at work.

This was such a REAL video. You spoke about both sides, realistic views plus gave great advice. I’d highly recommend this video to a friend.

My answer as an auto tech is NO depending on location. Atlantic canada has a technicuan shortage, but nobody here wants to pay more than $15/16 an hour for new fully licensed red seal techs. In my city no tech is making more than $22/hr. Factor in $20-30k in tools, $15k in student loans, two kids and a house, and thats not cutting it. This is why we have a shortage. Mechanics need to unionize. And lets make some sense of this. I can hop on a lawnmower tomorrow, smoke as much weed as i want, and have barely any responsibility, and start at $18/hr. Some pay more.

After 25 years, if i was starting out again i wouldn’t do it as a job more of a hobby, but that is more down to how dealerships ive worked at have been run. Like everything there is pros and cons.

I've been back and forth with myself for years about whether or not I want to keep doing this... I've come to the conclusion, I've already invested a ton of time and money and frustration in this career path. We're in it to be the best we can be and do everything possible. Keep learning

I can't really speak for anyone else but I've been wrenching professionally for 16 years and I love every minute of it. If you have the passion, don't let anyone try to talk you down. If you feel like the shop you are in is not helping you in your career goals, find another shop. Like Charles said, there are a lot of really good shops out there, it's just a matter of you finding them. Also, absolutely do not get hung up about the brand of car you are working on. If the shop is good, the skills, knowledge and experience will transfer to any other brand if decide to move on. I worked in 2 different manufacturer dealerships and I was happier at the dealership where I did not care for their cars. It sort of fed my mentality of "these cars are total pieces of junk but they break down so much, it allows me to make a good living repairing them". I was well trained and well paid at that dealership and I was able to take all that experience with me when I decided to leave as a better technician than when I rolled my toolbox into that shop.

I just started working as a quick lube tech at a vw dealership and after about a week I had my own bay, after a month I started my apprenticeship, and I'm now finishing up that apprenticeship and working on my experience. Ev cars don't change the demand of cars needing work. If anything they help it. But the industry is definitely going through a tough time right now. I love it, but I will always take the chance to move up moving from dealership to dealership, company to company.

Not a car mechanic but as a service engineer can absolutely relate about the feelings of earning and re-paying customer's trust, you feel good when there are a number of other people available but a customer wants you to deal with their issue. But it can also work against you if you're not able to detach from the issue at times and think like a boss 😎 👍

I started as a automotive technician and worked my way up to my current position as technology field service technician at a cat dealership. I love my job currently but i don't think i would enjoy being an automotive technician. The way i see it can be a stepping stone, start turning wrenches, and get the experience and many doors will open up for you

My grandpa owned his own shop, my uncle has worked at a dealership for 30+ years but both told their kids to find a better job. If you like working blue collar work go HVAC or something. You still get to turn wrenches but the pay and retirement is so much better. Even plumbers, electricians all make better money in less abusive on the body environments. What also is unfortunate is the cost of these things is sky high and the cost to repair them is high to the customer (you do get paid more but not near the shop rate increase they are charging for your labor). It is hard to feeling like you are really helping someone when a lot of the simple jobs are 3-4k. Most people don't have that kind of money to dump into a car they already paid ~40k for. I think his point is valid though, if working on cars is you then you are the type who will make it work and probably have a great life. If not though and you are looking for a job that will enable you to live a life outside of work this is probably not the best option for you. “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ― Mark Twain

I went to school for an auto technician starting with Asian vehicles and did it for 12 years ending with the euros. I switched to industrial maintenance 3 years ago. The learning curve was super easy mainly paying attention to ac voltage vs dc. I'll never look back at flat rate. It's so much easier and alot less stress(plus more money). I find myself taking vehicles on the side and noticed since I've taken a break it's like all the information I learned while doing cars had time to settle. I even take time on weekends to fiddle with my personal vehicles. I feel blessed to learn these trades from simply being too broke too pay someone else too fix my stuff in my teenage years, but no matter how bad the economy gets.. finding work won't be too hard. Just giving a shit and not sending out shotty work or potential come backs goes a long way!

So, let me share my background. In the early 2000s, I took a few auto shop classes. Liked the hobby because it's therapeutic. Yes, I know this sounds familiar up until one is actually working in a shop. At any rate, I interviewed at a company who had an entry-level GS position open and a Tech-C opening. The service advisors noticed immediately I am not entry level but more so Tech-C due to my background modifying cars, working at a performance shop, troubleshooting my own electrical issues, etc. Thus, they made me a flat-rate offer against the hourly we agreed upon. However, what I am noticing is most consumers are elderly. Thus, they aren't focused on installing turbos, superchargers, troubleshooting performance mods, but day-to-day maintenance and repairs (if absolutely needed lol). What I recently learned is hourly is more financially stable. Whereas, flat rate one can earn more. However, I learned flat rate mechanics can get screwed. For example, someone can bring their car, have flat-rate mechanic do the work, only to NOT get paid because the customer doesn't pay for the work that was done or simply abandons the repair order. Whereas, I feel hourly or salary is the way to go (financially stable) + how one is exposed to more cars outside of your expertise (i.e., BMW, Infiniti, Nissan, Honda, Acura, Porsche). I also learned on threads that most flat-rate cut corners. Well, if one is ethical and wants to be thorough...is flat-rate still ideal; knowing if you take your time is how it can screw you? Plus, I realized while I have auto tools to perform most maintenance and some advanced jobs depending on the screws....is how I'm realizing I might go into debt due to this flat-rate dynamic. Is this a common concern with many?

I really wanted to be a mechanic but because my father was one and a good one it was expected that i be better than him. This was sixty years ago and i still enjoy playing with my cars and still relate back to what i was taught by my father. Did enjoy your segment and the rest of your shows. i have a fantastic technician how does most of the work on my VW 2009 Touareg 3lt TDI have nothing but the up most respect for him and he has saved me heaps of money and kept the car so reliable

I left my tree trimming job of 15 years because i got tired of getting the crap kicked out of me everyday. Took a job as an equipment delivery driver for a heavy equipment rental place. I was told that I'd have to do a little wrenching when trucking was slow. I've been there a little over a year and have been wrenching about 80% of the time, to the point where i bought a bunch of tools so i wouldn't have to keep borrowing from the real techs. I've found out, from both the substantial pay cut to the worsening carpal tunnel, that i may have made a mistake. Wrenching ain't for me.

As a starting line tech hopeful that I become a main tech over time. Working at my VW dealer has been so much fun, it may not make the most money, and yes I have to work on VWs but I just love what I do and at the end of the day I feel like if you love what you do you can be successful at your passion.

As I live in Sweden where businesses have to provide all tools and equipment required to do the job they hire you for I'll never get used to hearing that Americans have to buy their own tools for a job they're employed to do, I really don't get that one to be honest.

LOVE THIS VIDEO Volkswagen Guy. I'm an HVAC tech and we have alot of the same issues and concerns! 😊 Especially as a 20 yr old kid trying to figure your way thru. Thanks 4 giving some EXPLANATION 2 these topics!

I was a technician for a couple years....i spent so much on specialty tools to make little pay. When other trades literally got tools handed to em and made more. The job is a pain aswell. I started my own shop and it was alittle better but i stopped doing maintenance and only do fabrication

im 2 weeks in right now... im working at a hyundai dealership as a porter at the moment, but im getting trained to be a technician. im so scared of the future, im 19 and really hope this goes well. great people, i enjoy the envierment and they are supportive i dont know what to think about it quite yet im staying for now, but if the shop becomes crappy from management change or other things, ill likly leave

I was a tech for 19 yrs. I went to 2 automotive schools and got an associates degree at 32 yrs old. I worked at dealers and "mom & pop" shops over those years. I left because after all that time I still wasn't where I wanted to be. When he talks about schooling and training, he's spot on. I begged to go to any and every training class I heard about but rarely got sent because I was the new guy. I really enjoyed working on my own stuff and there were certain brands I preferred over others, the people I worked with were mostly

I moved towards specialized industrial equipment, cranes, and automation. Income there is way higher but is also fun with all the big toys to play with.

Flatrate is the reason why some dealerships have low quality work. Some do not want to troubleshoot the problem. Warranty work pays less at some dealers causing the Mechanic not wanted to deal with it. Usually come back and say No trouble found or could not duplicate the issue.

Bro just hit a reality check on me I’m a tire tech making 28k after tax. buying and selling cars is my real passion lies. That’s where the real drive to learn the whole chassis was for me. Old cars, new cars, domestic, foreign, trucks even foreign ones, gas, diesel. Just turned 24 and honestly I’m tired of it. My job isn’t the best but it’s the management. Where I’m at there’s literally no other option other than side jobs. But doing tires all day just sucks I find a lot of tire rods that I can’t fix because of no alignment machine in a 100 miles. The shop I’m at is going to get it installed at some point soon. But I feel like I’m going to get screwed again. Because I had to fight for my raises once the oil services got added. I literally had find them and list what was needed with purchase links. Just to get them started. I see a lot of messed up things and they all are stuff I can’t mess with because I can’t find a scan tool that is reasonable that doesn’t work with out Wi-Fi or a subscription. That’s what originally set me off about the industry. Back when I didn’t have a scan tool that only does obd2 I had to turn people away. Got it and figured out that it didnt do everything but it helped a lot in diagnosing. I can’t go into individual modules to test or code. But honestly trump helped a lot. Because with that money I bought cordless tools. Even then it’s an art with those tools. Because I never believed in Ugg’s dugga specs. Then come to find out that some of the service specs are not available with out another subscription service. This is a hit and miss issue but still. If you’re not at a dealer or a shop what can you do as a mobile guy on the side. I just hate to be the guy that ruins something because of something simple as things not being tight or being too tight causing failure. Now I have a better feel after years but. Starting from nothing and getting to where I’m at is my success. After trying to apply at shops out of town and most not even calling me after I got out of college with a diesel tech degree . That is what really got me. I tried literally every where I possibly could in other places with family. Nothing. So I wasted about 3/4 of a year just waiting. Till I finally dedicated myself to the mobile stuff. I never even posted anything about my skills. After my summer job contract expired I just finally started working on peoples stuff because after I came back from school word of mouth got out. That I graduated with my degree. Then was the next issue parts aren’t available in a 100 miles. Then parts stores give me the wrong stuff. And online options are hit and miss too. Through all this I still made it. Just so much dedication for so little. But I can say I had fun. I guess that’s a win if you can call it that. Having to be at this level of comprehension just makes me think if I shot higher years ago I could be farther. But the success I have is made by me alone. And that’s why I can still wake up and do it all again every day. I swear if I was born in the 1960 I would have been an absolute god. Because that’s what I started on and that’s what came natural is the 70’s era of vehicles. Back when all you needed was a chiltons book ,and a test light. For specialty tools and service information. Yes you still can now but that only gets you so far. And will all the different types of things I run into google is all I got. It’s honestly amazing what I can do with $3k in tools. But it’s because I have exactly what I need. Honestly the pandemic didn’t help because I was supposed to go back to school for hvac but the pandemic ruined that. I still want to go a different direction but I really can’t figure out the work balance side because of how talented my hands are but my body is starting to feel the wear. Even with working safe. I only had two small dumb injuries. Ironic how this video came out when I’ve been contemplating these thoughts of is it worth it.

Another great option for those who want to work with their hands is becoming an Aircraft Mechanic. There are so many options for work anywhere from small airplanes, to building rockets. 🚀

I almost went into autobody when a friend’s father recommended getting into diesel. That was the best decision I ever made because I’ve pretty much have worked for construction companies maintaining their fleet and the job is a little more laid back than a dealership, and the pay seems like its been better ( there are some high end techs that make a lot of money at dealerships ). It’s also been good because I kept cars as my hobby and dont get as bored with my own stuff after working on heavy equipment all day.

Keep it as a hobby, I’m self taught as a tech and engine builder no school nothing just old school learning from racers . I worked in tons of shops and boy it’s rush rush rush horrible mangers. No personal touch to keep your customers always happy. I would say do performance and custom stuff for fun Then work a different job as main

Fuck nooooo i regret it so much I shouldve jusy put 4 yrs into a bachelors and I would’ve been wayyy better off now at 31. Health science or tech is the way to go fellas, STEM jobs are the way! NOT BULLSHIT FLAT RATE DEALER LIFE.

This is so good!