Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JB3 · #16 10-23-2012, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Why young people don't want to be mechanics.
A good basic tool set is $50,000.00 USD..
You must digest several 100,000 pages of new material every year because of changes, developments, and laws.
It is rare for a customer to walk in happy..
Today, most companies get rid of older more experienced = more expensive mechanics first.
Shop politics BS frequently pushes good people out.
The work is always on a deadline.
The conditions range from mud trails to a nice mall.
The work is frequently dirty, dangerous, and frustrating.

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

.

x one thousand.

Everyone owes their life to the Snap on and Mac trucks. My buddies in fleet service used to bust my balls for buying tools from walmart, sears, or hunting craigslist forever, and I just replied that I didn't want to have to hand over my first born to the damn snap on truck guy.
If I was buying a 500 dollar air tool from that guy, it was cash up front for me, nothing on any payment plans, a lot of guys don't see it that way, as there definitely is a qualitative difference for the most part, a nicer tool does make the job easier, if you can afford them.

additionally, my impression these days is that its a rare person who understands the value of preventative maintenance and brings their car in to be tuned up on a regular basis. Cars are now viewed as throwaway, not as machines requiring tending.

In one of our situations, we serviced a fleet of 30-50 trucks for a big customer. On a yearly basis, they would drop us after we expanded to cover the whole fleet, even breaking a contract and paying a penalty to do so, and then come crawling back after 4 months when trucks started to fail. All the trucks started to fall apart with poor repairs, and when they came back, the bill to repair them all properly was higher, at which point some bean counter would freak out, and drop us again.
It was like clockwork.

Single customers we dealt with were like this generally IMO, only worse, as for them, even basic maintenance is seemingly preposterous. At least the fleet guys saw the value in changing the oil on a regular basis

barry12345 · #17 10-23-2012, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

How are the prerequisites and conditions much different than other technical occupations?

World of differance in my opinion from most of them. Just my opinion though.

Zulfiqar · #18 10-23-2012, 11:07 AM

The US market is very very different from the EU market, I wish that more people like engatwork would come into business - but the sheer mass of the "gun happy lawsuit fireboys" in the US is what dogs it down.

The issue comes out to the customer "assuming" they bought a solution by paying patch up or hot fix prices.

I never saw that in any other place, I think its got to do with the "strictness" of the driving test - which quickly thins the herd of bad drivers which also means equally bad decisions on repairs.

The other bit that IMO really beats on it is the "show" factor, nearly all people I know in the US assume that a car mechanic is a gomer/goober character - someone who "COULD" not get a desk job.

What really amazes me is that they completely ignore the fact that maybe they wanted to be that. Just read Dr Bert's day thread or some of Roy's threads - anyone with a desk job would long for that kind of fun at work. i.e. if you dont have an angus for a boss

Air&Road · #19 10-23-2012, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymr

Thinking ahead - When you get to be 50, you don't want to be getting dirty/banged up working under cars anymore.

I'm 63 and I rather enjoy it. I grew up in my Dad's shop, so it's quite natural for me.

MTI · #20 10-23-2012, 11:08 AM

Just asking, but it would seem that a person wanting to get into a relatively high $/Hr profession is going to need a substantial initial investment in tools and training; deal with customers not happy with the need for service and expect it to be done in the shortest time possible.

Zulfiqar · #21 10-23-2012, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

x one thousand.

Single customers we dealt with were like this generally IMO, only worse, as for them, even basic maintenance is seemingly preposterous. At least the fleet guys saw the value in changing the oil on a regular basis

I used to work part time at a toyota store, and had a long line of customers (language/ethnicity advantage) story short is

3 days ago I got a call from a person who bought a camry two years ago - as he has a language barrier coupled with a hearing problem he preferred to speak to me. He called me to inform that his ABS, TRC and batt light are ON. I asked him to drive the car to the service - its under warranty. Now the guy tells me the engine is OFF because it wont crank, battery is flat.

GENIUS!!!!!!!! In all his ownership he never bothered to stop the key between the lock, ACC or ON positions - just insert and spin to start.

For such owners - changing oil, brake fluid or other lubricants or even general parts is

retmil46 · #22 10-23-2012, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

additionally, my impression these days is that its a rare person who understands the value of preventative maintenance and brings their car in to be tuned up on a regular basis. Cars are now viewed as throwaway, not as machines requiring tending.

You'll get a hearty "ah-men" from me on that as well. And IMHO that same attitude is why POV diesels - other than the heavy duty pickup truck segment - will never gain a major foothold in this country now, other factors aside - diesels do require different and more maintenance than a gasser.

Also explains the popularity of leasing the past couple decades or so - you're basically renting a car, the same way you'd rent furniture for an apartment - and in the end, someone else gets stuck with the maintenance, plus whatever wear and tear you've put on the "appliance", while you walk away from it to your next new "toy".

Only way these days I'd consider opening a shop, would be along the line of the auto hobby shop on military bases - I'm renting you the garage space and basic tools for YOU to do any work you want to perform on YOUR vehicle - for those that are inclined to do so but don't have the facilities or tools themselves - with the waiver up front that whatever happens to you or your vehicle, due to YOUR actions, is on YOUR head alone.

raymr · #23 10-23-2012, 12:05 PM

What about a Dent Doctor franchise?

Zulfiqar · #24 10-23-2012, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retmil46

I'm renting you the garage space and basic tools for YOU to do any work you want to perform on YOUR vehicle - for those that are inclined to do so but don't have the facilities or tools themselves - with the waiver up front that whatever happens to you or your vehicle, due to YOUR actions, is on YOUR head alone.

Man - would I love to rent it out if it provided a lift and some long necked stands and... btw does this sort of facility exist anywhere?

Stretch · #25 10-23-2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

...
additionally, my impression these days is that its a rare person who understands the value of preventative maintenance and brings their car in to be tuned up on a regular basis. Cars are now viewed as throwaway, not as machines requiring tending.

...

That's also industry encouraged - 5 to 7 years and then buy a new one please!

Some people have been quite shocked that I can (or we can!) still get spares for my (our!) 30+ year old car(s) when they struggle to find parts for their 10 year old eurobox...

engatwork · #26 10-23-2012, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Man - would I love to rent it out if it provided a lift and some long necked stands and... btw does this sort of facility exist anywhere?

There is an auto repair shop in Dublin, Ga that just set one of their bays up like this. Looks like they are staying busy with it.

Palangi · #27 10-23-2012, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

There is an auto repair shop in Dublin, Ga that just set one of their bays up like this. Looks like they are staying busy with it.

Mobil did that on a trial basis at a few stations in the Dallas area in the late 70's. It only lasted about 6 months. They dropped it due to liability issues (I think a few cars may have slipped off the lifts). Also, DIY'ers would sometimes get in over their heads and could not complete the repairs.

retmil46 · #28 10-23-2012, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zulfiqar

Man - would I love to rent it out if it provided a lift and some long necked stands and... btw does this sort of facility exist anywhere?

They're on practically every military base - they call them "auto hobby shops".

Air&Road · #29 10-23-2012, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

Mobil did that on a trial basis at a few stations in the Dallas area in the late 70's. It only lasted about 6 months. They dropped it due to liability issues (I think a few cars may have slipped off the lifts). Also, DIY'ers would sometimes get in over their heads and could not complete the repairs.

It has occurred to me in the past, that there might be a market for a DIY type shop with services available to "assist" when/if necessary. Although the thought has occurred to me, I can imagine that there could end up being lots of pitfalls in this. I expect that some customers would screw things up such that it would cost more in hourly service rate than if they had just driven it in for service to begin with.

Delibes · #30 10-23-2012, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

Don't forget:
They've been convinced by their parents that they need to go to college.

Heck yes. All my life I have been discouraged from manual labor in pursuit of "higher", "cleaner" professions. My mother almost got a heart attack when I told her I started working as an apprentice –she did not even care that I wrenched on Gullwings. I do have the huge regret of not having a philosophy of DIY in the family: getting to fix my own stuff (anything) took me quite a good while, unlike many Americans, who start in their early teens in their father's garage. No such thing in most of Europe, where people live in apartments and park in the street.