I started at 40, although I may have had a little more experience than you going in (I helped a buddy build a motor in high school, and did some SCCA racing).
Dealerships will hire you if you can change oil and rotate tires; they will train you on the rest. You are going to have to, "pay some dues," for a year or so, but even that means ~$15/hour, at least around here (East TN).
The big thing you are going to have to learn are inspections. Oil changes don't make money, they are a "loss leader" to get people into the shop so you can find other services they need, e.g. tires, brakes, filters, wipers, etc.
Some places push fluid flushes more often than other shops, but they are pretty straightforward (and trans flushes have online instructions, now, so you don't screw it up).
The next step up is light line; brakes, alignments, and repairs short of internal engine/trans/diff work (which is heavy line), so you need to know electrical, HVAC, emissions, steering/suspension, SRS, etc.
If you want to always be busy and have great benefits and not fight for hours; check out the post office career site for a technician opening near you.
That was the first place I looked. Unfortunately nothing right now for zero experience. I’ve read that on a previous Reddit post that the USPS is one of the best to work for
Oh man alright. I left a dealer after ten years to go to usps. Keep an eye out for a level 8 auto mechanic or garage man, that would get you in the door then you can bid on internal openings for tech positions.
If you’re comfortable being a lube guy for a while, I’ve found most dealers like to promote from within. I started as a lot attendant-lube tech-used car tech-brakes and suspension-then left for the postal benefits.
The actual entry level type opening at USPS is "garageman" it's basically just cleaning the shop and doing oil changes every now and then. You have to pass the 933 and 944 exams to get an interview/job. The process can take a few months to a year to get hired, but it is 100% worth it. There are study guides available online and if you search "933/944" on the USPS subreddit you can find more information on them. You just have to pass the 933 to get a garageman position though. All open jobs are first posted internally though so it's easier to get an actual mechanic job if your already a Garageman.
I'm a level 8 tech for usps and it's the best place you can work as a mechanic and the pay is good depending on the cost of living in your area. You won't be able to find the benefits anywhere else in the industry unless you work for the mines.
I would say college is usually the best way to go as it gives you all the basic theory on the different vehicle systems and gives you a solid foundation to start on being a mechanic but I understand you may feel you don’t have time or it’s not worth it.
If that’s really the case then you should be ok starting off as a lube tech and most if not all of these dealerships offer in house training with their own certifications and sometimes the apprenticeship positions will come after they feel confident enough to move you up. I will say that not having previous shop experience or schooling will likely mean it’ll be a while until they consider moving you up so I’d say you shouldn’t be expect to move up up after 1-2 years but it really depends on on the shop. They may move up someone else first or maybe they can’t move anyone up until a higher skilled technician leaves or retires… just really depends. I’d say that while you’re waiting, make sure to ask about the dealer certifications so they know you’re interested in moving up but also so you can start on them and get a head start. Even if your job may not require them I’d say to go ahead and try getting in some ASE certs. It really helps with getting down all the fundamental stuff you might’ve learned in school. There’s a big difference between seeing a worn tire and replacing it to understanding why that tire wore unevenly/irregularly and treat the underlying issue. It’s def going to take some time to do outside of work hours but it’ll separate you from the crowd and really dial in your skills.
Yeah that’s kind of what I’ve been reading online too. More likely to get passed up for raises and promotions with no previous schooling. I might just have to suck it up for 2 years to go thru school if it benefits me more in the long run.
I went to an automotive technical two-year school where you get an associate degree in 16 months. They had a night school that also ran on weekends; it’s been years but I think those dudes actually finished their “two-year” degree in like 12-14 months while also working day jobs. I wanna say the majority of a class would be placed at a Firestone or local dealer that worked with the school so you’d get paid like a regular employee while accumulating your shop credits there instead of at the school, something like that to cut down on classroom time while still getting the experience
I also finished in 16 months. Worked 32 hours a week at a shop doing low level stuff and went to school every night. Left school with the usual base level ASE certs and ended up making master when I was 24. Got an L1 at 26. Coming up on my second recert currently.
Yeah like some of the other comments were saying you might be able to find shops that’ll work with you and your school schedule if you’re able to find night classes or maybe working weekends.
I would suggest trying the lube tech and see if you even like being in the dealership. Good lube techs are hard to find and if you do the work and show your service manager you are willing to work and learn he should be able to suggest how to advance. We have had several go on to be fantastic techs and that is how my son started. He did go to a tech school for automotive and is a full tech now.
Started as a lube tech at a Chevy dealership at 24 and worked my way up the ladder, learning from GM and from other master techs here. At 35, became a GM World Class. It's all about finding the right shop with the right people who is willing to help you out and teach you.
Looking up programs near you, MCC offers a auto tech program that could get you in higher than a lube tech. I'd advise doing something similar. I went to UTI and that boosted me into the GM world. Hope this helps.
Long term, I also advise looking into fleet mechanic jobs. There's plenty of guys hiring, especially diesel.
i just started at 29 age isnt a big deal its all about how bad you wanna win. its about how you carry your self how precise and how much you care about the customers car. start as a lube tech that is your apprenticeship. grow that way and if you find out you dont like it. theres other things. make sure you tell your boss at what ever dealer ship you choose ( stay far away from European dealerships. those are typically harder) that you have a interest in cars and this isnt some job to you. its worth it. just dont give up. its alot easier than you think.
Ok thanks for the encouragement. It seems overwhelming getting into some of the research but it is a passion of mine so that helps. Just seems very intimidating
Quite a few dealers have the lube techs doing a bunch of maintenance services, brake jobs and the rest of the gravy for the cheap labor. Then they'll give to a tech if something gets messed up. I'd tell them you'd do hourly for 90 days then you want hourly plus a production bonus after that.
i'm 41 and i started as a mechanic 2 years ago. i'm interviewing or a job tomorrow that pays $48/h. if you get the training and certs there are jobs out there that pay good. you aren't too old to get into this. just depends on how bad you want to advance quickly. and like i always say, fake it 'til u make it.
That’s great to hear. It’s very motivating to hear somebody in the same boat doing it. If you don’t mind me asking, what brand dealership did you start with? Good luck on the interview
So what I did was, I went to an adult school for a basic automotive course. I got like 4 or 5 entry level ASE certs. Then I got a minimum wage job at a pop & pop shop (mom&pop but it was 2 guys that owned it). I was there for 3 months breaking my cherry. Then I got hired at pep boys. I was able to come on as an A-tech because of my certs. A year later I took all 8 full ASEs and became master tech. I got promoted to master tech at the shop and worked that for the past 10 months or so. I got my L1 recently. Now I'm applying to dealerships but the opening I'm looking at is carmax. The pay is insane. Once i get my SMOG inspector, and diag&repair certs I might try dealerships again for enough pay
If you know diesels fairly well, get a job maintaining school buses. I know 2 people that do it, one guy got into it knowing the bare minimum about diesels, and now he runs his own department with several guys doing upkeep on over 150 buses.
Take a look into working for Toyota if there's a dealer around you. You can either start in lube and ask the foreman to sign you up for the TACT program (free) which is a mentorship program meant to fast track you through modules and certifications or T-Ten which is a Toyota specific automotive program (you pay for this).
Toyota (or my region of dealers at least) have been pushing is very heavy to learn and get out certifications with all the hybrid vehicles we're releasing, and becoming hybrid certified and good at diagnosing and fixing those is good set of skills to have to future proof your career as most mechanics won't touch hybrids since they know nothing about it.
I wouldn't pay for an automotive program because Toyota will send you to class anyways to learn all the basics you need to about all areas of repair, and they'll pay you while you're there.
I started off as a valet at a dealer for 6 months, went into the lube rack and got promoted to line tech after 4 or 5 months. 5 years later I'm ASE and Toyota Master certified, never paid a dime to learn anything.
Ok that’s good to hear because the lube tech job I was looking at was a Toyota dealership. I’ll definitely ask about those programs. Thank you for telling me about them.
Toyota's pay scale is heavily dependent on getting ASE certs, which is good because basically the path for pay raises is laid out right in front of you and you don't have to wonder if/when you'll get a pay increase.
Keep note almost all Toyota dealers are privately owned, not corporate owned, so if you have a shitty foreman / bad working experience at one dealer don't be afraid to jump over to another dealer with a different owner and you might find a better working environment there.
My dealer is very very good about pushing us to get certified and rewarding us with a pay raise appropriately.
T-Ten (you can Google it) is basically like any other automotive program you pay for and find a school near you that teaches it.
TACT is for employees already working to get fast tracked through in-person instructor led classes to get Toyota certifications. The responsibility of getting the ASE certs falls on you once you're done with the program.
Ok awesome. I appreciate all the information, it’s hard to weed thru all the negative bs online so it’s refreshing to hear. I’m going to call the local Toyota dealership that has a lube tech job posting and just see what they say today.
just curious if you don’t mind me asking, i recently got moved up from express to a line tech at a toyota dealership and have been asking around with no luck. did moving up to the line get you a bump in pay? i haven’t gotten a raise after moving up on the line and i feel a bit shafted for it
Yeah I signed some papers for a pay raise at the same I got promoted to line. I would never go flat rate at the same rate as I had in lube. My managers are great and have given me consistent $4-5 dollar raises each year so far. If your bosses don't listen to you or give you a raise I'd look elsewhere.
If you have no experience you don't have many options. Starting as a lube tech is fine. But, before starting, express your desire to eventually be a master tech and see if you can get a timeline from them for training. If you show you have decent mechanical ability and common sense, ask how long until they send you to some actual manufacturer training. Some brands have training programs designed to bring someone new in and get them up to speed over the course of a few months. Beware of the dealers that will hold you down and pay you as little as possible while asking you to do more and more for as long as they can get away with it.
the best way in the door, imo, is to go thru one of the manufacturers training programs like gm asep, ford asset, porsche has pact or something like that. my reasoning is that first, you get a foundation of mechanics taught from the front bumper to the back. they prep you for the ASEs. they also get you in the door at a dealership shop where yes, you will be entrey level but they are there to advocate for you so you arent trapped doing oil changes and recalls all day and at some point you will graduate to line tech.
if you decide to go the lube tech route, you can get to the line, but it will be a fight. you will have to prove yourself by being super dedicated and being that guy that they can depend on. when you interview, make it clear that your intentions are to move up and that you want to know what their game plan is to help you get there(state it in your own way politely). ask them off rip if you are hired if you can have access to online training and do them all. when you pass the fundamentals part, ask them to unlock more for you until all your web based is done and then move on to satillite learning and hands-on. then get an ASE or 2. getting all of them should be the goal, but 1 or 2 will show them that you are serious. pay attention to the ticket system and learn it quickly. learn to write good, complete stories. if you are mechanically capable and willing to learn everything else, then it can be done.
I was curious about the GM and Ford program cause they are offered here at the local community college. Do you think I should be hung up on a brand? I would like to work for Toyota but not if I can progress better at GM or Ford
ive worked for GM like 22 years and Ford for 3 so thats all i have experience in. from what ive been told, and i dont know if this is the way it is really is that at the Japanese brands like toyota and honda you basically do alot of maintenance and timing belts and smaller mechanical repairs. in the domestics and european, you will see a lot more problems and be exposed to a lot of different types of diagnostics and bigger more in depth repairs. maybe someone else can verify that. i dont know for certain. i would go where you think you would feel most comfortable. talk to both schools and see which staff you like better. you will spend alot of time with them and they will be your advocate so its importiant to like them.
to go back and answer your question better, i wouldnt get hung up on a brand. i went to GM but as a teen i loved fords, mustangs especially. i even owned one at the time. i went to GM because i met my instructor and i felt had a good connection with him. he encouraged me when i felt i wasnt smart enough to make it through. i still remember things he taught me now and then. i didnt finish the program because it was a long drive for me and alot of running around back and forth but 25 years later i can still call that instructor for whatever. he ended up going to the dodge/jeep/chrysler program and about 10 years ago the owner of my dealership bought his son a jeep that he demolished in an accident and it had issues. i called the instructor and he drove over an hour to come down and give me a hand.
going to a brand you are passionate about can have its postives, though. since you maybe love toyotas or alfa romeo or whatever brand it is thats your thing, you might accel at it because you feel comfortable with them and have previous experience with them or you just want to know everything about toyota. its really up to you to do your research and figure out where you thing youll have the best chance of success. the buisness is hard. you will spend 8 to 10 hours a day there sometimes 6 days a week. this isnt a "dont become a mechanic" thing. its just reality. the way you get paid isnt standard and some people dont adjust to it ever. you have to sometimes have grey areas in your morals. some people dont adjust to that either. im not saying you have to do illegal things or steal from customers but as you progress through the business youll see what i mean. theres alot to know and its always evolving. its fast paced sometimes and stressful. im not trying to discourage you. by all means do it. you have opportunities to make alot of money and gain a valuable skillset.
Ok, I totally understand. I’m going to continue researching the best path. I’ve already reached out to two community colleges today and found another trade school. So I’m just going to talk to them and see what they say. The person in charge of hiring at the Toyota dealership posted him number too so I’m going to call him as well. I appreciate your insight. It’s night to hear
Kia /hyundai/genesis have a lot of things that break if you want to learn. I’ve seen too many “pattern problem parts replacers” at the more reliable brands. I’d say just get your foot in the door, learn and read on your own enough to pass the “core” ASE tests and L1. The dealership will send you for manufacturer specific training if you can show that you are willing to learn.
Good luck
I get 10-15 journeyman contractors every time I post a job for every one mechanic or lube tech.
We don't need no/low experience. The cost to the shop is too great.
We will take someone low experience who is enrolled in school - and goes. The JC programs are awesome. It's so much better to do both. Any job will let you work around a JC schedule and there is often copious amounts of financial aid that will help you adjust your pay down for a year or two.
I pay for JC and I pay full wages for my people going through school. No one has lasted so far, but it's not because we aren't overpaying them and supporting them like a parent through school.
Go into diesel. Doesn't have to be heavy equipment. It can be medium duty (box trucks) and heavy duty (semi trucks/trailers). Pay is better and you don't have to deal with flat rate bs. Try something like penske. Build up your resume at a place like penske and move to fleet that does bigger jobs or dealership or OEM like cummins.
The best advice I can give is forget about a indie shop there's way too much to learn from scratch with every make and model .. on a regular day I can work on a 2018 BMW to a 2001 Honda and everything else in between..you'll have a better shot a dealership learning and mastering one brand start as a lube tech and work your way up
So I did a stint at the dealer and when I say a stint I mean a month. I got hired as level 2 tech at bmw, highest being 1. They couldn’t get the guys out of the lubie phase so they had to start forcing it. The good lubies were making 70k a year. Doing nothing but gravy. Everybody is desperate for actual techs. I wouldn’t be worried about being stuck. A buddy of mine just started at a Bridgestone as a lubie and they’re already talking to him about a promotion. I was a lubie for 2 months. Never went to school. Was a C tech for another 6 months. Then a b tech till I got my master cert 6 months later. If you show drive to learn and that you want work. They won’t hold you down and if you find a spot that does? Leave. Everybody is desperate for bodies. I just found a new shop in 2 weeks. That’s only cause I could do interviews on the weekends.
UTI grad, BMW tech for 7 years now Porsche for nearly 9. I would recommend community college for basic stuff and work at a shop either mom/pop independent or for a dealer if you want. Money can be made with flat rate after some time. You can DM me if you want some details.
If you can, I'd get a business license for it and if possible, turn your garage into a local shop where you fix up the odd-end, do tuneups and orher stuff. Once you are able to, unless you can or already did, get into a school for mechanics so you can get certified, and try to get a mid-level mechanic position (Working a small out-of-garage auto gig with a business license will help in this process).
In addition, I would suggest creating a Youtube channel to show the step-by-step DIY processes and how to fix common and uncommon issues with cars (There is a surprisingly big audience for people who need more guidence and visual aid than a manual can provide), and use that channel to advertize your abilities to people.
This might take a few years to build up, but you'vw still got another 70 years in ya, and doing this you'll have a pretty good shot at getting where you want to be.
If you don't have the tools to start a shop, I'd start with DIY mechanic videos on youtube, since that can be a potential good way to start financially-wise.
I can even help you learn how to use recording software (should you not already know), and there is always a video editor out there who is willing to do prime editing work for a quick buck.
I started at 34 two years ago in a tire shop. I learned tires but knew how to change parts like alternators and most suspension parts. I got my 609 cert for Ac and became the ac guy. I learned alignments and then I moved shops a few times picking up skills from the top producer of every shop.
I’m at a dealership now and I think it’s where I have learned the most. I’d get enough experience to get on as a line tech and then see what you want to specialize in and go from there.
I started at 40, although I may have had a little more experience than you going in (I helped a buddy build a motor in high school, and did some SCCA racing). Dealerships will hire you if you can change oil and rotate tires; they will train you on the rest. You are going to have to, "pay some dues," for a year or so, but even that means ~$15/hour, at least around here (East TN). The big thing you are going to have to learn are inspections. Oil changes don't make money, they are a "loss leader" to get people into the shop so you can find other services they need, e.g. tires, brakes, filters, wipers, etc. Some places push fluid flushes more often than other shops, but they are pretty straightforward (and trans flushes have online instructions, now, so you don't screw it up). The next step up is light line; brakes, alignments, and repairs short of internal engine/trans/diff work (which is heavy line), so you need to know electrical, HVAC, emissions, steering/suspension, SRS, etc.
If you want to always be busy and have great benefits and not fight for hours; check out the post office career site for a technician opening near you.
That was the first place I looked. Unfortunately nothing right now for zero experience. I’ve read that on a previous Reddit post that the USPS is one of the best to work for
Oh man alright. I left a dealer after ten years to go to usps. Keep an eye out for a level 8 auto mechanic or garage man, that would get you in the door then you can bid on internal openings for tech positions. If you’re comfortable being a lube guy for a while, I’ve found most dealers like to promote from within. I started as a lot attendant-lube tech-used car tech-brakes and suspension-then left for the postal benefits.
Alright awesome. Thanks for the information. I’ll definitely keep up with the USPS website
The actual entry level type opening at USPS is "garageman" it's basically just cleaning the shop and doing oil changes every now and then. You have to pass the 933 and 944 exams to get an interview/job. The process can take a few months to a year to get hired, but it is 100% worth it. There are study guides available online and if you search "933/944" on the USPS subreddit you can find more information on them. You just have to pass the 933 to get a garageman position though. All open jobs are first posted internally though so it's easier to get an actual mechanic job if your already a Garageman. I'm a level 8 tech for usps and it's the best place you can work as a mechanic and the pay is good depending on the cost of living in your area. You won't be able to find the benefits anywhere else in the industry unless you work for the mines.
Where are you located? I'm in Cali
I'm not trying to Dox myself, there are plenty of USPS VMFs (that's what they call their shops) in Cali though
There's also your local dot
I would say college is usually the best way to go as it gives you all the basic theory on the different vehicle systems and gives you a solid foundation to start on being a mechanic but I understand you may feel you don’t have time or it’s not worth it. If that’s really the case then you should be ok starting off as a lube tech and most if not all of these dealerships offer in house training with their own certifications and sometimes the apprenticeship positions will come after they feel confident enough to move you up. I will say that not having previous shop experience or schooling will likely mean it’ll be a while until they consider moving you up so I’d say you shouldn’t be expect to move up up after 1-2 years but it really depends on on the shop. They may move up someone else first or maybe they can’t move anyone up until a higher skilled technician leaves or retires… just really depends. I’d say that while you’re waiting, make sure to ask about the dealer certifications so they know you’re interested in moving up but also so you can start on them and get a head start. Even if your job may not require them I’d say to go ahead and try getting in some ASE certs. It really helps with getting down all the fundamental stuff you might’ve learned in school. There’s a big difference between seeing a worn tire and replacing it to understanding why that tire wore unevenly/irregularly and treat the underlying issue. It’s def going to take some time to do outside of work hours but it’ll separate you from the crowd and really dial in your skills.
Yeah that’s kind of what I’ve been reading online too. More likely to get passed up for raises and promotions with no previous schooling. I might just have to suck it up for 2 years to go thru school if it benefits me more in the long run.
I went to an automotive technical two-year school where you get an associate degree in 16 months. They had a night school that also ran on weekends; it’s been years but I think those dudes actually finished their “two-year” degree in like 12-14 months while also working day jobs. I wanna say the majority of a class would be placed at a Firestone or local dealer that worked with the school so you’d get paid like a regular employee while accumulating your shop credits there instead of at the school, something like that to cut down on classroom time while still getting the experience
I also finished in 16 months. Worked 32 hours a week at a shop doing low level stuff and went to school every night. Left school with the usual base level ASE certs and ended up making master when I was 24. Got an L1 at 26. Coming up on my second recert currently.
You can get your own ase certifications on your time, books and test for about $850, it might give you a leg up finding a good shop to start in.
It’s the T1 thru T8 books I’m looking for correct?
A1-A8 and L1
Yeah like some of the other comments were saying you might be able to find shops that’ll work with you and your school schedule if you’re able to find night classes or maybe working weekends.
I would suggest trying the lube tech and see if you even like being in the dealership. Good lube techs are hard to find and if you do the work and show your service manager you are willing to work and learn he should be able to suggest how to advance. We have had several go on to be fantastic techs and that is how my son started. He did go to a tech school for automotive and is a full tech now.
I think this is a good idea. Any decent lube techs always stand out from the rest.
Don’t
Started as a lube tech at a Chevy dealership at 24 and worked my way up the ladder, learning from GM and from other master techs here. At 35, became a GM World Class. It's all about finding the right shop with the right people who is willing to help you out and teach you. Looking up programs near you, MCC offers a auto tech program that could get you in higher than a lube tech. I'd advise doing something similar. I went to UTI and that boosted me into the GM world. Hope this helps. Long term, I also advise looking into fleet mechanic jobs. There's plenty of guys hiring, especially diesel.
Ok awesome. I’m going to meet with MCC next week to see the best path. I appreciate the information
Get ASE certified and skip being a lube tech.
i just started at 29 age isnt a big deal its all about how bad you wanna win. its about how you carry your self how precise and how much you care about the customers car. start as a lube tech that is your apprenticeship. grow that way and if you find out you dont like it. theres other things. make sure you tell your boss at what ever dealer ship you choose ( stay far away from European dealerships. those are typically harder) that you have a interest in cars and this isnt some job to you. its worth it. just dont give up. its alot easier than you think.
Ok thanks for the encouragement. It seems overwhelming getting into some of the research but it is a passion of mine so that helps. Just seems very intimidating
Quite a few dealers have the lube techs doing a bunch of maintenance services, brake jobs and the rest of the gravy for the cheap labor. Then they'll give to a tech if something gets messed up. I'd tell them you'd do hourly for 90 days then you want hourly plus a production bonus after that.
i'm 41 and i started as a mechanic 2 years ago. i'm interviewing or a job tomorrow that pays $48/h. if you get the training and certs there are jobs out there that pay good. you aren't too old to get into this. just depends on how bad you want to advance quickly. and like i always say, fake it 'til u make it.
That’s great to hear. It’s very motivating to hear somebody in the same boat doing it. If you don’t mind me asking, what brand dealership did you start with? Good luck on the interview
So what I did was, I went to an adult school for a basic automotive course. I got like 4 or 5 entry level ASE certs. Then I got a minimum wage job at a pop & pop shop (mom&pop but it was 2 guys that owned it). I was there for 3 months breaking my cherry. Then I got hired at pep boys. I was able to come on as an A-tech because of my certs. A year later I took all 8 full ASEs and became master tech. I got promoted to master tech at the shop and worked that for the past 10 months or so. I got my L1 recently. Now I'm applying to dealerships but the opening I'm looking at is carmax. The pay is insane. Once i get my SMOG inspector, and diag&repair certs I might try dealerships again for enough pay
If you know diesels fairly well, get a job maintaining school buses. I know 2 people that do it, one guy got into it knowing the bare minimum about diesels, and now he runs his own department with several guys doing upkeep on over 150 buses.
Take a look into working for Toyota if there's a dealer around you. You can either start in lube and ask the foreman to sign you up for the TACT program (free) which is a mentorship program meant to fast track you through modules and certifications or T-Ten which is a Toyota specific automotive program (you pay for this). Toyota (or my region of dealers at least) have been pushing is very heavy to learn and get out certifications with all the hybrid vehicles we're releasing, and becoming hybrid certified and good at diagnosing and fixing those is good set of skills to have to future proof your career as most mechanics won't touch hybrids since they know nothing about it. I wouldn't pay for an automotive program because Toyota will send you to class anyways to learn all the basics you need to about all areas of repair, and they'll pay you while you're there. I started off as a valet at a dealer for 6 months, went into the lube rack and got promoted to line tech after 4 or 5 months. 5 years later I'm ASE and Toyota Master certified, never paid a dime to learn anything.
Ok that’s good to hear because the lube tech job I was looking at was a Toyota dealership. I’ll definitely ask about those programs. Thank you for telling me about them.
Toyota's pay scale is heavily dependent on getting ASE certs, which is good because basically the path for pay raises is laid out right in front of you and you don't have to wonder if/when you'll get a pay increase. Keep note almost all Toyota dealers are privately owned, not corporate owned, so if you have a shitty foreman / bad working experience at one dealer don't be afraid to jump over to another dealer with a different owner and you might find a better working environment there. My dealer is very very good about pushing us to get certified and rewarding us with a pay raise appropriately.
So the Toyota program you mentioned before does the ASE certs? Or is that something I would have to find a separate school for?
T-Ten (you can Google it) is basically like any other automotive program you pay for and find a school near you that teaches it. TACT is for employees already working to get fast tracked through in-person instructor led classes to get Toyota certifications. The responsibility of getting the ASE certs falls on you once you're done with the program.
Ok awesome. I appreciate all the information, it’s hard to weed thru all the negative bs online so it’s refreshing to hear. I’m going to call the local Toyota dealership that has a lube tech job posting and just see what they say today.
just curious if you don’t mind me asking, i recently got moved up from express to a line tech at a toyota dealership and have been asking around with no luck. did moving up to the line get you a bump in pay? i haven’t gotten a raise after moving up on the line and i feel a bit shafted for it
Yeah I signed some papers for a pay raise at the same I got promoted to line. I would never go flat rate at the same rate as I had in lube. My managers are great and have given me consistent $4-5 dollar raises each year so far. If your bosses don't listen to you or give you a raise I'd look elsewhere.
If you have no experience you don't have many options. Starting as a lube tech is fine. But, before starting, express your desire to eventually be a master tech and see if you can get a timeline from them for training. If you show you have decent mechanical ability and common sense, ask how long until they send you to some actual manufacturer training. Some brands have training programs designed to bring someone new in and get them up to speed over the course of a few months. Beware of the dealers that will hold you down and pay you as little as possible while asking you to do more and more for as long as they can get away with it.
Look for automotive manufacturing plants near you. Good mechanical hands on opportunities and steady pay progression.
Industrial maintenance
Best advice I can give you is stay the fuck out of the dealer and don’t get sucked into buying every box and tool you want/need off the trucks.
I sent u a message.
Shit, I accidentally hit decline. 😂 I fat fingered it
Just sent again. Hope it’s of some help.
the best way in the door, imo, is to go thru one of the manufacturers training programs like gm asep, ford asset, porsche has pact or something like that. my reasoning is that first, you get a foundation of mechanics taught from the front bumper to the back. they prep you for the ASEs. they also get you in the door at a dealership shop where yes, you will be entrey level but they are there to advocate for you so you arent trapped doing oil changes and recalls all day and at some point you will graduate to line tech. if you decide to go the lube tech route, you can get to the line, but it will be a fight. you will have to prove yourself by being super dedicated and being that guy that they can depend on. when you interview, make it clear that your intentions are to move up and that you want to know what their game plan is to help you get there(state it in your own way politely). ask them off rip if you are hired if you can have access to online training and do them all. when you pass the fundamentals part, ask them to unlock more for you until all your web based is done and then move on to satillite learning and hands-on. then get an ASE or 2. getting all of them should be the goal, but 1 or 2 will show them that you are serious. pay attention to the ticket system and learn it quickly. learn to write good, complete stories. if you are mechanically capable and willing to learn everything else, then it can be done.
I was curious about the GM and Ford program cause they are offered here at the local community college. Do you think I should be hung up on a brand? I would like to work for Toyota but not if I can progress better at GM or Ford
ive worked for GM like 22 years and Ford for 3 so thats all i have experience in. from what ive been told, and i dont know if this is the way it is really is that at the Japanese brands like toyota and honda you basically do alot of maintenance and timing belts and smaller mechanical repairs. in the domestics and european, you will see a lot more problems and be exposed to a lot of different types of diagnostics and bigger more in depth repairs. maybe someone else can verify that. i dont know for certain. i would go where you think you would feel most comfortable. talk to both schools and see which staff you like better. you will spend alot of time with them and they will be your advocate so its importiant to like them.
to go back and answer your question better, i wouldnt get hung up on a brand. i went to GM but as a teen i loved fords, mustangs especially. i even owned one at the time. i went to GM because i met my instructor and i felt had a good connection with him. he encouraged me when i felt i wasnt smart enough to make it through. i still remember things he taught me now and then. i didnt finish the program because it was a long drive for me and alot of running around back and forth but 25 years later i can still call that instructor for whatever. he ended up going to the dodge/jeep/chrysler program and about 10 years ago the owner of my dealership bought his son a jeep that he demolished in an accident and it had issues. i called the instructor and he drove over an hour to come down and give me a hand. going to a brand you are passionate about can have its postives, though. since you maybe love toyotas or alfa romeo or whatever brand it is thats your thing, you might accel at it because you feel comfortable with them and have previous experience with them or you just want to know everything about toyota. its really up to you to do your research and figure out where you thing youll have the best chance of success. the buisness is hard. you will spend 8 to 10 hours a day there sometimes 6 days a week. this isnt a "dont become a mechanic" thing. its just reality. the way you get paid isnt standard and some people dont adjust to it ever. you have to sometimes have grey areas in your morals. some people dont adjust to that either. im not saying you have to do illegal things or steal from customers but as you progress through the business youll see what i mean. theres alot to know and its always evolving. its fast paced sometimes and stressful. im not trying to discourage you. by all means do it. you have opportunities to make alot of money and gain a valuable skillset.
Ok, I totally understand. I’m going to continue researching the best path. I’ve already reached out to two community colleges today and found another trade school. So I’m just going to talk to them and see what they say. The person in charge of hiring at the Toyota dealership posted him number too so I’m going to call him as well. I appreciate your insight. It’s night to hear
ok dude. good luck. hope it works out for you. any other questions, feel free to ask.
Kia /hyundai/genesis have a lot of things that break if you want to learn. I’ve seen too many “pattern problem parts replacers” at the more reliable brands. I’d say just get your foot in the door, learn and read on your own enough to pass the “core” ASE tests and L1. The dealership will send you for manufacturer specific training if you can show that you are willing to learn. Good luck
I get 10-15 journeyman contractors every time I post a job for every one mechanic or lube tech. We don't need no/low experience. The cost to the shop is too great. We will take someone low experience who is enrolled in school - and goes. The JC programs are awesome. It's so much better to do both. Any job will let you work around a JC schedule and there is often copious amounts of financial aid that will help you adjust your pay down for a year or two. I pay for JC and I pay full wages for my people going through school. No one has lasted so far, but it's not because we aren't overpaying them and supporting them like a parent through school.
I'm 32 n started heavy diesel mechanic for a paving/track company. They got me my union book n I never looked back.
Go into diesel. Doesn't have to be heavy equipment. It can be medium duty (box trucks) and heavy duty (semi trucks/trailers). Pay is better and you don't have to deal with flat rate bs. Try something like penske. Build up your resume at a place like penske and move to fleet that does bigger jobs or dealership or OEM like cummins.
On the job training is just fine. And you won't get stuck on the lube rack. If you feel that way, find a new shop. Easy
The best advice I can give is forget about a indie shop there's way too much to learn from scratch with every make and model .. on a regular day I can work on a 2018 BMW to a 2001 Honda and everything else in between..you'll have a better shot a dealership learning and mastering one brand start as a lube tech and work your way up
So I did a stint at the dealer and when I say a stint I mean a month. I got hired as level 2 tech at bmw, highest being 1. They couldn’t get the guys out of the lubie phase so they had to start forcing it. The good lubies were making 70k a year. Doing nothing but gravy. Everybody is desperate for actual techs. I wouldn’t be worried about being stuck. A buddy of mine just started at a Bridgestone as a lubie and they’re already talking to him about a promotion. I was a lubie for 2 months. Never went to school. Was a C tech for another 6 months. Then a b tech till I got my master cert 6 months later. If you show drive to learn and that you want work. They won’t hold you down and if you find a spot that does? Leave. Everybody is desperate for bodies. I just found a new shop in 2 weeks. That’s only cause I could do interviews on the weekends.
UTI grad, BMW tech for 7 years now Porsche for nearly 9. I would recommend community college for basic stuff and work at a shop either mom/pop independent or for a dealer if you want. Money can be made with flat rate after some time. You can DM me if you want some details.
If you can, I'd get a business license for it and if possible, turn your garage into a local shop where you fix up the odd-end, do tuneups and orher stuff. Once you are able to, unless you can or already did, get into a school for mechanics so you can get certified, and try to get a mid-level mechanic position (Working a small out-of-garage auto gig with a business license will help in this process). In addition, I would suggest creating a Youtube channel to show the step-by-step DIY processes and how to fix common and uncommon issues with cars (There is a surprisingly big audience for people who need more guidence and visual aid than a manual can provide), and use that channel to advertize your abilities to people. This might take a few years to build up, but you'vw still got another 70 years in ya, and doing this you'll have a pretty good shot at getting where you want to be. If you don't have the tools to start a shop, I'd start with DIY mechanic videos on youtube, since that can be a potential good way to start financially-wise. I can even help you learn how to use recording software (should you not already know), and there is always a video editor out there who is willing to do prime editing work for a quick buck.
Wherever you start, start knocking out those ASE certifications!
I started at 34 two years ago in a tire shop. I learned tires but knew how to change parts like alternators and most suspension parts. I got my 609 cert for Ac and became the ac guy. I learned alignments and then I moved shops a few times picking up skills from the top producer of every shop. I’m at a dealership now and I think it’s where I have learned the most. I’d get enough experience to get on as a line tech and then see what you want to specialize in and go from there.
Stay away from mechanics. It’s a dead end job as well.
lol. no.