Should You Get Into Auto Repair? -ETCG1

Enjoyed the video thanks! Great info

What is your position on Automotive Tech vs Diesel Tech? I'm familiar with diesel trucks (family business) and it seems like the diesel techs/mechs on the whole are doing better than automotive tech/mechs. I'm going to my local trade school this January, and I've narrowed down my choices to those two options. I would say I like vehicles a little more than the average person, but I get more joy out of actually fixing them (the reason I'm considering the Auto and Diesel programs). Also, I don't necessarily mind monotony; I have plenty of experience in my family's business working 12hr+ shifts, doing hard physical labor, handling shitty customers, etc. Do you think I could make it, and do you recommend Auto over Diesel or vice versa?

I'm a Smog tech in L.A. i get 50% labor on repairs and test, it took me ONE year to get the licence to test and repair, i can get a job anywhere in California.

Thanks for touching on fleet service. I wish I could find more info on fleet shops.

Ya, but your not wearing the hat??? Soo... lol Just kidding Eric! Cheers! Hope all is well!

I used to do consumer electronics repair, really like working with my hands, I'm a former tech with AT&T. But of course as stuff get cheaper it was harder to work, I used to tell customers just take that tv and toss it. I still do as a hobby only.

I know what you mean about tools, not a mechanic, but you need really strong tools for every day use. cheaper tools are great for Saturday mechanics.

I was a mech for 37 years, so glad I left and went truck driving, now retired.

Im 19 at a heavy equipment dealership right now as a shop helper trying to work up to mechanic. Been thinking about switching to automotive...good idea or no?

This is so true!

I’ve struggled for a while. But I’m still going and it’s getting better. But yes!!! Don’t go in thinking it’s peaches and cream!!! Worked on Caterpillar machines and semis now back into light duty diesel trucks. Sometimes it’ll take afew shops and you’ll fail but don’t get discouraged if you truly wanna make it a living.

THANK YOU THE CAR GUY FOR ALL YOUR INTERESTING VIDEOS.

Hit the nail on the head Eric. Correct in every point. After 18 years in the industry still buying tools. You do need to love it. You do need to put your time in and learn. Doing it every day is not like dyi.

Not worth it, shop owners screwing us, insurance screwing us, technicians are the least respected in the shop, we will starve before we die.

Forgot to mention the hazardous chemicals cause early death, breaking your back, cutting your hands every day getting oil in your cuts, lol the 10000 different suv, minivans, sedans, coupes, trucks, Honda, Acura, Chrysler, dodge, Toyota, Nissan, Saab, +100s more, with sunroof, without HID, with parking assist, with turbo, with side view camera, with extended cab, yea right this industry is a fuckin joke

Great hobby, great side hustle, bad career. Ive been doing this 2 years and im already looking to get out of it all the old timers in my shop say run for the hills. Weak benefits, low pay, 1000s in tools, flat rate (rape), and very physically demanding. Even mentally demanding for the newer cars its hard to diagnose, but even the top level techs dont get paid enough, go be an electrician or plumber they make much more plus they have unions. If u really want to be a mechanic work for the DOT or a fleet shop preferably union. Dealerships and chain shops are the worst

Everything said about fleet shops in this video is true. I worked in 2 fleet shops. One bought EVERY tool. The other provided only the big tools. I feel big rigs are so much easier to work on then cars. Yes they are bigger and heavier, but you have tools to compensate for that.

My wife's dad gets a 3500 dollar a year tool fund from the mine he is a pit machanic at

Almost seven years later and Diesel is getting banned pretty much everywhere in Europe. Sucks, man.

I appreciate looking at your web video. With thanks!

The advice at the end really applies to most any job interview.

First 10 years was fun. After that I started to get burned out. After that I had no interest in it as a hobby anymore. Sold off my race car, boats, dirt bikes, snowmobiles because it seemed like a job coming home to work on my own stuff.

Biggest mistake new techs make is spending 10k on a new box and 10k on tools their first year before they even know how to use the tools. I have 100k in tools now and I never bought a new box because there is no value in it. I’ve bought a huge 2 year old tool box for 1500 bucks from someone that was getting out of the business. I bought another big box with a few grand of tools in it for 1800 because the guy was also getting out of the business. There’s always tool boxes forsale for pennies on the dollar.

The only way I’d recommend anyone getting into the business is if they plan on being the absolute best tech possible. If your going to be just your average parts changer you will not make much money and hate the business. I work for an independent European shop and that has been some of the best pay around other than working at a diesel shop. Not many technicians are good at working on European vehicles and diesels. Many diesel and European shops around the USA are at the point that it’s so hard to find really good techs that they will pay you a relocation fee, sign on bonus to move you out of state for an A+ tech.

In my opinion 75% of the technicians are average and just make an average living that you could make in many other businesses that don’t require buying tools and hard work. If your going to be average don’t expect to make much money.

3.00 - a few examples would have been nice

I m doing my businesses day one I graduated from school. I put my intention only diagnose the any car that come to my shop.

The dealership that I work at has now given me a spot as lubetech and are going to sponsor me after 12months and pay to put me thru an apprenticeship program. Im all in now and I hope it turns out as good as they tell me .

Diesel is where it's at. I'm at 39 an hour, at 110k this year and year is not over. Try to get into a union shop

Truth... I loved working on cars until I had to work on cars. The reality, in the automotive world, will, sometimes, destroy your passion as a troubleshooter...

I'm a 52 year old man. I'll be starting school for technician in fall. I know that no job is perfect. I want to do it because fixing cars help me psychologically. When I'm focusing on the car, it takes my mind off other problems

I started at a Toyota dealership back in 2009 when i was 18. Went to Toyota T- TEN got my associates degree, certificate from Toyota and a Certfied tech out the gate. Went flat rate in my 2nd year of T TEN and was enjoying it. Time went on, they started to see what i can do and my hours tanked. Warranty after warranty, noise after noise the whole shabang. I was getting paid in knowledge a lot of my time spent in the dealership. Still, making a living tho.. I decided it 2016 to try the diesel field, got hired at Penske truck rental as a diesel technician 3 and was a fleet shop working 2nd shift hours. Union shop, benefits were not all that great but enjoyed it. Was getting paid a bit more than i was at Toyota not too surprising i was working on Heavy trucks. When i first got hired there it was starting ALL over, all they gave me was PM's after PM's and boring stuff because i wasnt certified and that shit let me tell you gets super boring. But, after about a year they gave me some real work, clutches, drive line repair , brakes , air leak repair , etc. Working on these trucks really takes a tole on your body ill tell you that.. After about 4 years, i finished up a Clutch replacement on a freightliner cascadia and i said to myself, i do NOT want to work in diesel any longer. 2nd shift ( ALOT of diesel shops are 2nd shift ) was getting frustrating, the 1st shift technicians were in their late 40's and 50's and only way to get on 1st was to wait for them to retire ( union rules ) . I wasnt waiting 15 years to get back to a day shift. So, at 29 years old, i decided to get back to the Toyota dealership flat rate again . Not saying diesel is not a good way to go, but in my experience it wasnt all that great, and to be honest just not for me but i gave it a shot. Its nice to work with a lift again and not on my back on a creeper.

If u want to make money in this business you have to prove you are worth it, do the difficult stuff, advanced electrical diag, engine rebuilding. Otherwise you are seen as an “r&r” type of tech which won’t make anything! Anyone can r&r but it takes skill to diag.I see to many techs stuck at B tech bc they just do simple r&r or basic diag. Yeah they make 900$ take home but you could be making a lot more if you stepped up a bit

Good sugestions

Great video

I'm a chemist, but I like fixing cars for fun.

But I'm fixing pretty much everything because it's fun.

Thank you

Follow your passion

He's your dealer, you're the junkie. 🤣😂

Dude i literally volunteer at shops as a mechanic aid. Now school has become My only source of information.

NOOO is the answer unless you want to be frustrated and poor your whole life

google +? whats that?!

For the most part to work on a Honda you need a spark plugs wrench, a 8 10 12 13 14 and maybe a 15 and a flex head rachet, breaker bar and harmonic balancer tool and you got 85% of all your ever need on a Honda Acura

Good advice! U the man

I need 35 to 45 an hour paid hourly non flat rate to ever work in a shop again.

Diesel is dead bitch

As a 40 year professional, mechanic I wouldn't recommend it. Find something with better pay and most of all ,better benefits.

Thanks for your valuable advice and sharing your experience

Thanks for your valuable advice and sharing experience

Start from cheap tool, the. Gradually transitioned into more expensive tool and tool boxes. You will find quickly which tools should be of quality and which one shouldn’t. You never know if your shop will survive, so invest wisely and cautiously

This is not a repair video

Rail also provides that kind of shipment we touch too

You remind me of homer simpson