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Info on Mechanics (college student)
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524911
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Oct 16, 2013, 3:40 PM
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Info on Mechanics (college student)
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Hello all, I am currently a college student and Im researching a community I may be interested in joining as a career. Can anyone please provide me with common issues that contemporary mechanics face as a part of their career (not necessarily related to vehicles, could be diagnosing issues, customer service, changing technology, etc.) Any help is greatly appreciated as Im required to report my findings. Thanks!
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 16, 2013, 3:53 PM
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Yes, you will have to deal with all of those things and you can add to that a lifelong major expense of tools and equipment that can run over $10K a year, every year and extreme wear and tear on your body, skin and joints. BUT, if you are good at what you do, you will never have a problem finding a good paying job. They will search you out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 16, 2013, 4:52 PM
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Don't forget having a reputation of ripping off customers, no matter how honest you really are, because we all know most customers believe mechanics are a bunch of con artists. LOL Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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524911
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Oct 16, 2013, 8:37 PM
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Thank you both very much. I do not mean to pry, but is it difficult to establish a relationship w/ customers/offer good customer service given that people have the preconceived notion that mechanics are con artists?(which I've heard a lot, especially in regards to women).
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 17, 2013, 3:06 AM
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You build a reputation over time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 18, 2013, 5:22 PM
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It's not easy though because most customers have been shafted one way or another or heard or read about someone getting taken to the cleaners. Takes time to build trust with a customer. Just like any business there are crooks, but they don't last long once they are figured out. Our shop has been around for 30 years, so we have a good customer clientele. Our good customers refer their friends and families to us. We get a few hard ones, but we are there to fix cars and not there to rip people off. The most important thing is communications and keeping the customer in the loop. If you can visually show them the problem, that makes it so much easier to sell something. We have customers that tell us whatever it needs fix it, but we still call and give them an estimate. Your dealing with the public, so you'll never know what you'll get walking through the door. Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 18, 2013, 5:23 PM)
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524911
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Oct 22, 2013, 3:53 PM
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I've never given much thought to the behind-the-scenes work as far as building clientele is concerned-thank you both very much.
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racerdude31
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Nov 8, 2013, 4:28 PM
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I have been a Automotive Mechanic for 30 years and have worked at many dealerships, what I noticed as time went on is that wages stayed flat as shop prices rose dramatically, flat rate is a tough way to make a living, how you do can be determined on many factors, one is the dispatcher, if you don't get along you don't get work, next is the Facility it's self, they can be hard to work around, if the dealer is large and the layout isn't good you could be walking more than working. Now that I have slowed down my Father and I invented a rough road simulator we call the Rattle Tracker, it can help you find rattles and squeaks in a stationary vehicle, basically parked in your stall with the motor off, this makes it easy to find the rattle, and eliminates test drives which saves time and money, as well as the customers gas.
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Derekjfarrington
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Dec 14, 2013, 2:21 AM
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One thing ive come to the realization with this field is we require an extensive amount of tools or overhead we can call it. previously stated was 10k a year which is easily attainable. My sister is an RN. we both have our associates degree. she buys a stethoscope i buy tools. im about 30 grand deep in my first two years. shes about 500. you have to have a passion in this field. im young yet and can pursue other careers but frankly dont really have interest in other careers. money definitely drives me but i worked on a jeep for 3 hours before work, worked 3:30 to midnight and am cruising carjunky.com at 3:15 am.... you dont have to breathe eat and sleep this stuff but passion helps justify the, previously mentioned pay increase vs labor rate increase, lower middle class lifestyle.
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