Lee Ayrton wrote:

> According to the US Department of Labor, median income for automotive
> mechanics is about $36,000US, with the middle 50% earning between
> $10.61US and $19.84US an hour. See:
> <URL:http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos181.htm>
>
> Those interested can go to <http://www.salary.com> and plug in their own
> zip code to see what the median income in their area is. (That part is
> free but the site looks like it charges for some info.)
>
> The $20/hr plus flat rate to start sounds like an ad from a diploma
> mill: "You too can be a highly-paid automotive technician by signing on
> now with the Dinkelacker School of Cosmetology, Radio Broadcasting,
> Culinary Arts and Auto Repair. Work on actual cars in our state of the
> art warehouse! Student loans are available! Call now!"

And is this based on guys working in a gas station too? I'm telling you that
I worked as a car salesman at a Pontiac/GMC dealership (now Buick too)
around 1997 to 2000 and I personally knew mechanics that were making $17/hr
flat rate back then, and I know their rate has gone up since then. Now, not
every week, but there were quite a few of them, these mechanics would turn
in excess of 70 book hrs. and many times near 80. What I did, and I stated
so in a followup post, was assume these figures were constant, which of
course they aren't as mechanics vary their turned-in hours each week, and
I'm pretty sure that these same mechanics are making at least $20/hr on
flat rate with adjustments to their rate since 8 years have gone by (they
made that rate in 1997). I have idealized the math, assuming the most hours
on a weekly basis. Now, simple math gave me that figure.

Reality is that you have to be a veteran mechanic with all the proper
certifications (there are even manufacturer certifications such as GM
requires only Duramax certified mechanics to work on Duramax equipped
trucks) working in a dealership, and not some BP Procare station or hole in
the wall shop to make that kind of hourly rate. It is not uncommon for such
a mechanic to make in excess of $20/hr. flat rate in a dealership. I know
this to be true because I personally knew several of the mechanics in the
dealership very well. Also, as hours output during the week vary, and not
just based on the mechanic's ability, but other variables such as service
department traffic, they won't be turning those hours each week. There may
even be some weeks when they work 40 hrs. and only turn in 40 hrs.. So
chances are they'll never see the idealized $80 grand a year. Mechanics pay
is based on output, and not hrs. worked, and is what the flat rate system
is all about.

These mechanics usually have $25,000 in tools and a $10,000 toolbox to put
them in. If they only made $36,000 a year like your information suggests, I
seriously doubt they'd be spending as much buying premium tools like Mac,
Matco, and Snap-On.


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Registered Linux user #378193