Don't look it up, Don't listen to me, go talk to a mechanic in your area. Just stop by and ask them. When you do this as a job it is not longer fun. It was almost 8 year from the day I stopped being a mechainc till I bought a project.

This is a cut and paste from first Craigs list add I found in Allentown. I did not seek out the lowest paying job.

"The ideal candidate should have two or more years of automotive drivability technical experience, ASE certification, and a valid driver's license. Candidates must have a neat, clean professional appearance, and must be comfortable interacting with customers. Only motivated, energetic team players should apply!

The benefits package includes Paid Time Off and Health Insurance. This position is paid at an hourly rate between $15.00 and $18.00. Successful professionals in this position earn total annual compensation between $30,000 and $40,000. The typical workweek is 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday."

Drivability techs and Automatic tranny techs are the highest paid techs. You will have thousands in tools, you will most likely have thousands just in the box. You had some form of training and you have taken you ASE testing on your own time, many times at your cost. (some sealerships will pay for them) No mechanic starts out doing Drivabiity, you have to work your way up. They are looking for someone that has been wrenching 4-5 years. My daughter is a collage student and got a part time job in a warehouse filling orders. She started at 12.79/Hr. (that is a huge effort on your part to $2.21/hr) A CNC machine operator (not high skilled) makes around $22 hours. A decent CNC setup guy will make $27.

With my degree and all my certs I could make about $12.50/Hr in 1990 But at the age of 24 I was even with the highest paid guys in the shop. Maxed out pay at 24 sucks.

70K you better have a 4 year tech degree (yes they have those). Last time I was in a dealership there was not a single mechainc over the age of 30. Why, cause they can make a lot more as maintance man and not have near the stress and no flat rate.

 

What Is a cnc operator and I was actually thinking of working for a shop for five years or more Idk give or take some then open up my own small shop with that kinowledge on top of a two year college and start small then work my way up then.

 

CNC machine are computer controlled machines that make stuff. Let try a movie. This is a movie I made almost 10 years ago. The part being machined was the belt hook side of a battery pack used in early artifical heart. Double click the image to see the movie.

 

Owning your own shop is the only way to make real money the downside is the hours. I had two friends from school start their own shops they where there every night till 9.

 

I wouldnt like that as a Job but I saw your build thread I am curious to know how people learn about all the cars terminology and how they work what parts work with what etc. Is It hard to make a a engine or most things that might get worn out get replaced. I dont see how people know how to do all this stuff like when a person says power steering pump or fuel pump etc I dont even know where those are at and the haynes manuals suck for describing things. I want to learn this stuff. But It seems so hard to know what Is what and how to fix and put back what. When people talk about parts like they have a number before It like .00 tranmission etc or they list all these parts Its like I dont get much of what people are talking about. I dont understand much about cars and Im not sure how to learn because I cant learn when I dont know wtf people are talking about or whats what then.

 

How did you learn how to read? How did you learn how to write? How did you learn how to drive? Etc.

 

It comes with time. When you go to school for it they don't really teach you how to be a mechanic. They teach you the basics on how things work. They start with simple base then they just keep adding on. First day on the job is a real eye opener. You go in there thinking you got this only to find out your cluless. Sure I could tell you how a rack and pinion works but rebuild one? in 1.4 hours? Wheres the manual!

Two years later you can do the Rack in less then a hour while drinking coffee and laughing at the new guy.

 

I kinda see what ya saying but Its hard for me to learn this stuff because I Just dont know much about them and Its all pretty confusing for me like Idk If ya saw my other thread about a thump noise coming from what seems to be the rear right of the car there will be a thump sound when I am stopped then give the car a good amount of gas and I can feel the thump but also hear the thump. People suggested that It could be either a u Joint or a transmission mount. Well Im not sure which one It Is yet because I dont have car ramps to look. But the car also has vibration when In the drive gear the mirrors vibrate a little like I am playing bass but Im not. Im thinking Its a transmission mount but Im not sure. I watched a few youtube videos. But for how simple this Is with a couple bolts I still dont get how to remove and replace one I am kinda getting frustrated that I dont know much and I want to learn but pretty much fail at trying to figure stuff out then.

 

This is the information age. You can find information on just about any subject. Check Youtube with searchs like "Checking Ujoints" or "testing transmission mount"

The nice part about learning about cars is you are learning about all kinds of engineering. Like I said it is a great hobbie.

I think the worst thing about being a mechanic is the people. You really learn to hate people. In what other trade will someone call you a thief and a liar right to your face even when your 100% right. I had a cutomer one time call me a thief because 3 days after her state inspection her timing chain broke. She said I did something to cause it so I would have more work. I had a crazy lady one time tell me I switched her car because her car did not have a rusted frame. She even called the cops. Sure your boss laughs at them but it is still stressful. It is funny people who know little about a car will argue with someone who has dedicated his life to being the best he can because he has a cousin who likes to work on cars and he says I am wrong.

As a maintenance man you tell the building supervisor the compressor in roof unit 6 is shot and it needs a rebuild and there is no argument you do not have to explain anything and if you make a mistake it is just that a mistake, you get paid to fix it (you don't as a mechanic) and not accuses you of trying to rip them off.

 

when I was wet behind the ears I too thought I wanted to be a mechanic. I needed to be sure so I first worked at a new car dealer as a lot boy and parts puller hoping I would move my way up. I remained waiting tables at night just in case. 2 weeks later I could see that the lot boy was what I was going to be there.

I knew the owner of a local Midas Muffler and he invited me to intern there at minimum wage and then i could work my way up to full mechanic earning 11% of all repairs that I did. it was a pure commission play with no base salary. (that practice has now ceased) It was winter, and cold, and crud would drip in my eyes. I looked around at the 40 + year old guys wondering if I could do that at 40,50 and 60?

After several months I knew that it wasn't going to be for me so back to school I went while still working full time at night to pay for tuition.

I still enjoy working on cars but it's a hobby. On my last project I sent the engine out for rebuild and then it sat around for a month because I just didn't feel like putting it back in. I tinkered on other stuff. As a mechanic you don't have that luxury. And, as Gorn said, you catch lots of grief. Heck, look at some of the gripes about mechanics posted in automotive threads. I just shake my head in amazement. If the people who are griping are that expert then why did they need a mechanic?

A good friend owns a shop and his top paid guy makes around $50k per year and he works lots of hours. He charges a shop fee and people bellyache. He's given up explaining the cost of disposing of the hazardous materials. Nobody considers the $hundreds of thousands that he has invested in lifts, compressors, welders, alignment racks, balancers, etc etc etc.

He wishes he could go back to just turning wrenches but he can't make enough money doing that. So, he owns a shop and all of the headaches that go along with it.