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I was making $9.00 an hour at Jiffy Lube as a hood tech(with zero experience), about 5 years ago, and I had NO tools. So expecting 14-15 per hour should not be out of reach.
i asked this question when i was an entry level technician.
Even a C level tech wi their own tools should be making no less than $14-15 an hour. I would start looking elsewhere, like not in PA. I've hit the point in my career where I pretty much tell employers what they're going to pay me......and it works. Currently L1/2 master certified, automotive and heavy truck. 17 years experience.
I'm currently making $28 hr. HOURLY, not flat rate. FWIW, get out of the car business and move to heavy truck. That's where the money is. You will get there eventually if you're serious about your career.
Veyron, I'm thinking the market is local in Houston, and what you made in PA may or may not have much to do with it. If you start at say $15/hour at a good shop, if you are good, if they see you are worth more than that they will give you a raise, if not you can move to a different shop.
I would concentrate more on finding a shop you want to work at, than the starting salary.
everybody keeps saying 15 which would be awesome. i thought 12$ an hr would be too much.
The wrench turning business is totally different than it was 10-15 years ago. Used to be that a technician could get by with on the job experience, but since the advent of computers and fuel injection the whole game has changed.
I am a pretty fair mechanic and build hot rods as a pretty serious hobbyist, but I don't even open the hood of my newer daily driver because there are things under there I have never seen and do not understand. If you can not diagnose a car with sophisticated electronic equipment today you are SOL. Our techs at a marina I worked at kept going to school to upgrade their rankings and also to learn new methods to diagnose and repair engines and drivetrains.
At $10 per hour you are only seen as being slightly better than a McDonalds employee, and you will not really advance until you get some education and wall plaques to your credit.
i asked this question when i was an entry level technician.
Not to be mean. But if you typed up my work order like you did this thread I would ask for a different mechanic. I carry a dictionary in my tool box and learned how to use the capital key back in 1974. Details matter.
The wrench turning business is totally different than it was 10-15 years ago. Used to be that a technician could get by with on the job experience, but since the advent of computers and fuel injection the whole game has changed.
I am a pretty fair mechanic and build hot rods as a pretty serious hobbyist, but I don't even open the hood of my newer daily driver because there are things under there I have never seen and do not understand. If you can not diagnose a car with sophisticated electronic equipment today you are SOL. Our techs at a marina I worked at kept going to school to upgrade their rankings and also to learn new methods to diagnose and repair engines and drivetrains.
At $10 per hour you are only seen as being slightly better than a McDonalds employee, and you will not really advance until you get some education and wall plaques to your credit.
Don
Work for a decent shop or a good dealer and they will be glad to train you periodically and keep you up on the newest technology.
Also, problem is with some techs, they are too proud to learn. Much less learn from a newer guy in the shop who was probably trained in newer stuff in school.
If OP is serious about the Automotive field, you can make some decent money. If you were making 9-10 hr range at a dealer, I assume you were still in the entry level somewhat? Most lube techs start around there. Moving to a new place, dont turn away a lube tech job if it's a foot in the door to a good dealer though. Once you learn more and move up, you can get closer to the teens and in a few years, I don't see why a good tech couldn't get into the twenties.
You gotta bust your butt though and learn as much as you can. You're not gonna be the guy they promote to the next level if all you know is brakes for example, no matter how hard you work. Now would be a good time to get in because of the EVs coming out and the boomers retiring.
Few key things.
Turning hours is the main way to make money. This means knowing the craft, and busting butt sweating.
It's a tough field, and will wear you down physically. May want to consider other areas of Automotive as future moves.
There may be drama aka politics that get in the way. The way I work is no loyalty to anyone and no fighting for work/tickets. Friendly but firm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferretkona
Not to be mean. But if you typed up my work order like you did this thread I would ask for a different mechanic. I carry a dictionary in my tool box and learned how to use the capital key back in 1974. Details matter.
Not to be mean, but if you carry a dictionary in your tool box, then English class should be taken before going to any tech school. And most places, techs don't write up the work order. There's a service writer for that.
and im trying to relocate to houston tx as a c level technician.
You should be able to at least get a job. Where, and how much you get paid, will depend on the local conditions.
Go get 'em!
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