Folks Of Interest Professional Mechanics

Have any of you guys been a professional mechanic? Are you still doing that job? If you quit the trade, why? What did you go into? I’m having some difficulty at work right now and it doesn’t seem that very many people stay with this profession very long.


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I'm not a mechanic, but I will go out on a limb here and guess that your Boss is an idiot? Welcome to the club. Every job would be great if it wasn't for the Boss and those pesky customers.
Sorry, that isn't much help for your situation, but at least I can give you an Amen, Brother.

 

After many years repairing/rebuilding industrial machinery my body requested that I relax a little bit. Just not as bendy as I used to be. I recall working in shops where there was one certain Ahole with a bad attitude that screwed with the moral of everyone that worked there. In the Chicago area that usually means the guy gets his ass kicked while rolling his boxes out the door. If it becomes a challenge to go to work everyday, then it's time for a change.

 

This is the reason why "WORK" is a 4 letter word....

 

Once took a job where the shop foreman was always on peoples asses, telling them "That's not the way we do that around here" So one day I grabbed his arm and started dragging him towards the mens room. He shook me loose and when he asked me what I was doing. I told him that we were going into the bathroom so he could show me how to masturbate. Didn't like that job anyway.

 

I was an ASE master certified tech for years. In the late 80's, as computers began to take over in the automotive world, I was managing a small auto parts chain and running the computer system there. That's when I decided that there was more money for less work in computers than cars. I went to college, took a bunch of computer classes, and made the transition to computer networking. From there it has been a continual series of training and upgrading to where I am now, in Information Security.

 

Started as a line mechanic in 1977, still doing it. Not sure I know what else to do.

 

Yes, I worked as a professional mechanic for 32 years. 12 working for small independent shops to start with and 20 years with Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge dealerships. I enjoyed all of it except the last few years.

Flat rate, cut warranty times and a changing customer base that came in for “fix what’s covered under warranty only” made it very hard to make a decent living for the amount of hard work I put in every day. I ran a side business catering to Chrysler products only and did well but wanted more.

I moved to a company that builds Pratt & Whitney aero derivative industrial jet engines and turbines. Started as a mechanic and 2nd shift leadman and over the last 13 years moved to inspection as a way to work out my remaining work years.

Because it’s all hourly pay with OT I don’t need to work a side job. I love the job, inside a temp controlled building (a/c in the summer)

That’s my long story. Would I go back to the car business, NO WAY...

Cliff Ramsdell

 

I’m a red seal journeyman automotive mechanic, I’m now an automotive instructor at a trades school, I now get to teach apprentices.


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I started in a Dodge dealership in '68; spent a year there working as a psuedo-mechanic doing oil-changes and the like for minimum wage. Spent the next 35 years in an industrial plant as a millwright, maintenance planner and supervisor. Finally went to work as an A&P working on warbirds and just retired after 14 years of that. Now just spending the days in the shop working on the stuff I want to...

 

I started as an apprentice mechanic when I was 15, 1957. Boss was a great mechanic, ('Best garage in town')
Got Journeyman papers in '61, went to Cadillac dealer, great Service Mgr. was sick, his illness sent him home, replacement was a REAL asshole.
As @1ton mentioned above, there's always one A-hole in the shop. Seemed like EVERY shop.

 

I've been a mechanic since 1976 , worked in GM dealerships for about 13 years , an independent shop for 15 years , and have been working in a police fleet for over 15 years now . I've had a good boss maybe 14 years total in the past 43 years . I'm 61years old now , trying to hang in there a little longer while dealing with cancer and old age !

 

Lots of good job options here, FBI even hires mechanics if you can pass background check. I went from mechanics to industrial machinist. Find your interest and go for it. Life is to short!

 

When I was 13, I was friends with a kid whose dad ran the shop where people took their outfit when no one else could figure out how to fix it. Those mechanics were some of the wildest, craziest, and skilled individuals I have ever met … I knew that was what I was going to be when I grew up. So, after a few years as a juvenile delinquent and 4 years in the USN, I returned to said shop & told the owner I needed to work there. Since I was the cause of his son being on probation a few years back, he doubted I had what it would take, so I set about proving he was wrong. For the first 6 months I got to steam clean manure spreaders, service a fleet of beer trucks, go on service calls to put u-joints in farm trucks half submerged in ditches on Sunday, paint the inside of the shop, and other similar tasks. I still remember the day he told me I might amount to something after all ...
This job lasted 5 years. Halfway through, his brother bought the business. As a mechanic, he was excellent - as a boss, not so much. He didn't understand why I wanted to paint replacement parts or clean everything … we parted company, but remained friends for many years.
Somehow, a friend of mine convinced me I should join him at an independent VW shop … I made more money there the first week than I made the month before at the old place, and I knew jack shit about VW's. As with the first job, this shop had to repair all the screwups from the dealer & gas stations. Turned into 21 years, 5 different owners, with about 10 years running the place. The last owner & I had to part company while we could still stand to be around each other.
I haven't a single regret … the look on a customer's face when they realized they had received $100 worth of work for $75 is reward enough.

 

Yup, I started in the early 70s and have been in the trade in some capacity ever since. I worked early on at a couple of independent shops and then went to work at an AMC dealership. After that I spent the next 30 years working in and running my own shop, with varying numbers of mechanics in my employ. Fearing personal burnout was coming, I closed the shop in 2012 and reopened it as a one man shop about 6 months later. I now spend my time working on hot rods, muscle cars, classics and antiques. I work at my own pace and take time off whenever I want these days.

I won't say every day has been "the best day ever", but I will say I don't think I could have found a better and more satisfying way to spend my life.

 

Thanks for all of the responses. A little background on me, I’m 45 years old, been fixing trucks, cars, and school buses since I was 16 years old. I graduated top in my class at Technical College with an associate degree. I’m ASE certified in 17 areas, Master Auto Technician, Master Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Technician, with L2 Certification for Electronic Diesel Engine Diagnostics. I’ve been at this shop for 21 years and 6 months. I’m the lead guy here, and let’s just say that my boss (the owner) is very moody and hard to deal with at times. Every place I’ve checked into doesn’t want to pay anything or wants you to work third shift or weekends. It’s no wonder that no one wants to enter this profession.


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I've often thought that a 2 bay garage or service station at a good location would have been a great job back in the day, practically a license to print money. From say, 1920 to 1970. Do good work, charge a reasonable but fair price, and guaranteed to have all the work you can handle. No college degree required. Word of mouth advertising to some degree.

Nothing too major, just tune-ups and tires, generators, brakes, radiators, light repairs etc. Course those days are long gone.

After about say, 1970 or so, the engine bay got stuffed with no room, and ya have to take everything apart just to get at anything. Work isn't supposed to be fun, but Jeeze Louise.

 

Every think about working on heavy equipment? The pay is usually much better than a truck shop. I've been in heavy equipment since I was 20. I just turned 36. I celebrated my birthday in Ghana, West Africa, as I am currently working for a Cat dealer here. Heavy equipment has taken my around the work. And a diesel is a diesel is a diesel... Food for thought.

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I admire what Center of the Galaxie has done. To add to what Truck64 said, I think a small show can still do well. Today's cars are extremely complicated, and once they are out of warranty, stuff starts to go bad. If you can figure out a way to keep these cars running, you'll have steady work.

 

I was a professional for about 10 years, worked in general repair shops as well as alignment/brake shops. Took a lot of shit from clowns who had no idea how the business should be run. I was involved in a MVA at age 23, seriously hurt with a long climb back. Tried to fix cars again but it was too tough on me. Plus in NY, there are really only 4 or 5 months in the year where a shop is comfortable. I worked for crooks who deserved to be shot, but most really cared about the $$ first and the customer last. So I bounced around for a few years and bailed on the trade. I got into it during the '73/'74 gas crunch and also the one in '79. A bad time to be fixing cars. Got into machined parts, went back to get some real training and never looked back. For me, fixing cars sucked. When you start having nightmares about work.. time to say ACMF!!

 

Never wanted to be a mechanic. Started as an alley mechanic around 1974 (keeping friends cars running so we got to school) had a friend who owned his own shop. Helped him out when he got busy. Ran out of money to go to school. Lost job. Got a chance to work at a chevy dealership. Really liked that job. ASE Master over 25 years. Book times got less, I got slower, move to a fleet shop for a major airline. Had to work weekends and nights but paid a good wage. 31years still counting.

 

I decided early on that I didn't want to be an automotive mechanic.
I didn't want to spend my days bent over or under someone's vehicle on a hoist or otherwise up to my elbows in someone else's grease fixing their self induced problems due to neglect or lack of maintenance.

I was especially glad when mechanics ceased to be mechanics and switched over to glorified parts swappers.

I didn't want to ruin the experience of working on cars for a hobby.

There was an old joke, if a used vehicle ad said mechanic owned, don't even bother calling, their vehicles were usually neglected.

Instead I went into welding and learned fabrication and welded pressure piping with Tig and stick and kept my car stuff for a hobby.

Teaching Welding for the past 21 years has been great, possibly you could look into being an auto shop teacher.

 

"Specialization is for insects". Not too sure about that. When I was in the .mil we only worked on a single airframe type. Enlistments were only 4 or 6 years, it took maybe about 10 years for a guy to get reasonably competent at maintaining it, knew all the ins and outs. But by then he's moved on to "supervising" or punched out back into the civilian life.

What I'm getting at, working on a single platform is one thing, but to hang yer shingle out and be ready and willing to work on just anything that crosses the door seems crazy. Sure back in the day a Stude was different than a Chevy was different than a Ford, but the basic systems were all identical and most importantly easily accessible. A lot more parts interchanged or were standard sized and could be made to work in a pinch.

Now, it's all proprietary boutique unobtanium shit, inscrutable black boxes and gee-gaws that isn't even available except as part of a larger assembly. $$$

So you try to cut a deal to a good customer, still have to quote some outrageous sum, and they start to think you're a crook. I bet it's maddening. Like I said, give me a time machine and I'm gettin' me a Sinclair station somewhere on Route 66 about 1956. Gotta help all those folks with their new 12 volt systems!

 

My motto is "I Have A Ride Home" I don't care if they want me to fix it or not, and when they come in and say that they can't afford the dealer to work on it I tell them I don't work cheaper than the dealer.
A lot of the work I do is stuff no one want's to work on or no one can figure it out.

 

I was a mechanic for many years. Elevators and escalators.
Best job ever. I retired almost 20 years ago.
Elevator mechanics are now making around $60 an hour, plus, plus.

 

LOL

I bet you're really fun at parties.

 

You know the saying, " No Need Being Tired And Hungry "

 

Most of my friends like me.

 

Hey, Andy;
If I knew back then, what I know now, I never would've done the work I am doing now. Bus repair, hvac splty. Have managed to damage my lwr back, knees, feet, hearing, + other stuff. Trouble are going to be w/me for whatever life I have left. Ya, fun... It's also pretty much destroyed any interest in wrenching on my own stuff, much less building toys. Pain n slowing of the body really mess w/the attitude. At 64yo, only have 1->2 more years to survive, n I'm gone. I'll admit that the mgrs have been getting better, most of the new kids coming in are decent. But the basic design of the buses have been getting worse n worse as related to work-ability-access. & it doesn't have to be that way, mfgrs literally don't care, nor does the co. Oh, n watch out for work-comp. Although it's been said for 30+ yrs, that no-one ever died of overwork at MTC.

However; if you want a decent job opportunity were benefits n pay aren't completely horrible, want to keep swinging wrenches, maybe move to mgmt, & are willing to move to MN(beautiful state, but political climate sucks ass), PM me. MTC is hiring, & w/your qualifications/experience, should be fairly easy to get in. (Ya, it's union... ,rolls eyes).