standout Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 I know quite a few of u guys on here are in the automotive industry so i figure i would tap into your knowledge somewhat.I am doing a lot of the top level work at the dealership i am employed at ie..engine/transmission replacements, head gaskets, timing chains, driveability issues and so on. Ive been there for a few years and the discussion of a raise has been brought up. I make decent money but in order for me to get the raise i have to become "certified". pass or fail company is paying for test so thats great. What i'm wondering is in your experience what does a top level tech make per hour at a dealership. What should my starting point be or what have others around u made. Coming from firestone and places like that i'm unfamilliar with the pay grade at a dealer.Thanks for any input. Its much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idodishez Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 My experience is that heavy line techs (engine/trans R&R) and driveability are on two totally opposite ends of the spectrum. (Driveability being top end). As for actual hourly rates, my dealer experience is 20 some years ago so I'll leave that to others to comment on. Nobama 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownsfan1 Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I worked for Honda for a year the highest I got paid was 18/hr and I was certified also one of the highest paid techs. When I worked for Hyundai I was also certified and was making 22/hr. I got out of the car industry it was the smartest move I made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjie15 Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 It would appear that owning your own shop would be the only way a skilled tech could make a lot of coin no? That way they receive the entire labor rate. I didn't realize you guys got paid so little for the skilled/hard labor you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester3681 Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 When I was at Nissan (2 years ago) our top level techs made $23-27/billable hour. We had 3 in that range, and 5 at $17-22/hr. I think that's pretty standard, but if you're working on BMW and Ferrari, expect to make more. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standout Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 thanks for the help. I'm already at $20 so theres not a whole lot of room there. We had been talking $24-$25 range wich is a sizeable increase when u think about it. Just wanted to make sure i was in the right neighborhood. I'm starting to feel a little greedy because they already gave me a demo car and a gas card but if there offering im gonna take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownsfan1 Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 thanks for the help. I'm already at $20 so theres not a whole lot of room there. We had been talking $24-$25 range wich is a sizeable increase when u think about it. Just wanted to make sure i was in the right neighborhood. I'm starting to feel a little greedy because they already gave me a demo car and a gas card but if there offering im gonna take it.If they gave me a demo car and a gas card I might have stayed in the car industry,but with that said I am paid salary and I don't have to worry about my hours week in and week out a steady paycheck is great. I also have a company truck and do not pay for fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standout Posted October 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 If they gave me a demo car and a gas card I might have stayed in the car industry,but with that said I am paid salary and I don't have to worry about my hours week in and week out a steady paycheck is great. I also have a company truck and do not pay for fuel.being the only person here that does driveability and heavy lifting (engines and trans) my hours are pretty secure. No one else here wants to do that stuff and i love it. I would rather put my head down and work then sit around, drink coffee, eat donuts, talk about the football game and do the occasional brake job.We also were just named the niada 2012 independent dealer of the year so we have more cars and work coming in and out then we can handle....at least for now. We all know how this industry can be but its been pretty consistant for the past 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magley64 Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 I would check glass door... if you haven't already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester3681 Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 being the only person here that does driveability and heavy lifting (engines and trans) my hours are pretty secure. No one else here wants to do that stuff and i love it. I would rather put my head down and work then sit around, drink coffee, eat donuts, talk about the football game and do the occasional brake job.We also were just named the niada 2012 independent dealer of the year so we have more cars and work coming in and out then we can handle....at least for now. We all know how this industry can be but its been pretty consistant for the past 2 years.I still know a lot of folks in the industry, and if you're consistent right now, making decent money, you're doing better than most. Sounds like they're offering you a fair salary. I'd stick around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownsfan1 Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 being the only person here that does driveability and heavy lifting (engines and trans) my hours are pretty secure. No one else here wants to do that stuff and i love it. I would rather put my head down and work then sit around, drink coffee, eat donuts, talk about the football game and do the occasional brake job.We also were just named the niada 2012 independent dealer of the year so we have more cars and work coming in and out then we can handle....at least for now. We all know how this industry can be but its been pretty consistant for the past 2 years. Good for you man I just did not have that good of luck in the industry. I did all the same type of work you are talking about , but our work down here was hit or miss. You never knew what your paycheck was going to be week from week and there was a lot of the good ol 'boy shit going on. I used to make decent money when I wasn't fighting for work. I'd say your pretty lucky. If I still lived in Ohio I would go back to Village Dodge to work it was a good place to work, that is if it is still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx3vfr Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 I made 18 an hour working on bmws, warranty paid the shop 55 an hour and customers paid 110 an hour. What a rip. I worked their for just over a year. The first 7 months with only 2 comebacks and a csi score of 100 for 7 consecutive months. When I asked for a raise (after they raised customer pay rate from 100 to 110) I was told to piss off. I was still under contract for 5 months, so the last 5 months I floated by doing the bare minimum and on the anniversary of 1 year from my start date I walked into my bosses office handed him a letter of resignation and left. Never again will I work in a dealer setting or likely in the automotive field.And it's not like I was a brake tech. I did everything from head replacements to electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownsfan1 Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 I made 18 an hour working on bmws, warranty paid the shop 55 an hour and customers paid 110 an hour. What a rip. I worked their for just over a year. The first 7 months with only 2 comebacks and a csi score of 100 for 7 consecutive months. When I asked for a raise (after they raised customer pay rate from 100 to 110) I was told to piss off. I was still under contract for 5 months, so the last 5 months I floated by doing the bare minimum and on the anniversary of 1 year from my start date I walked into my bosses office handed him a letter of resignation and left. Never again will I work in a dealer setting or likely in the automotive field.And it's not like I was a brake tech. I did everything from head replacements to electronics. This is why I walked away. I stand by my first statement that getting out of the industry was the best move I made. I have at least 5 other friends who have also do so all are doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Class 8 truck business appears to be about the same pay rates and similar labor rates for the customers, but the jobs are twice as big. So its definitely physically harder on us over the course of 30yrs vs. automotive, which sucks for us but all in all......the same dealership BS goes on at our shop as any other dealer, no matter what we're peddling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radio Flyer Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 I have a buddy that makes 22.50 an hour. He can get up to around 27 max I think before he needs to become a manager/ supervisor to get any higher pay.He's 23, but has been doing rebuilds and what not since he was 14. Also has all ASE certs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serpentracer Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 (edited) my uncle worked at a standard muffler shop doing brakes and exhausts and made commission. (smith muffler and brakes in covington KY) he would routinely make 48-51k a year. I seen his tax return.now he works at ram motor freight fixing the trailers. not as much $. but he went there because the shop he was working at slowed down too much and he wasn't making but $12/hr average.he has 0 training or degrees in anything.so don't let those dealerships push your ass around. they're fucking you if you're not over $22/hr Edited October 7, 2012 by serpentracer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serpentracer Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 It would appear that owning your own shop would be the only way a skilled tech could make a lot of coin no? That way they receive the entire labor rate. I didn't realize you guys got paid so little for the skilled/hard labor you do.it's a lot more work than it appears on the surface. I know 4 guys (brothers) that own a transmission shop. 3 of them have nice houses etc but they also work 12 hr days 6 days a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o-no-moto Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Well i can tell you i also work at a dealership on class 8 trucks 0ur labor rate is 100$ per hour. I am not ase certfied but i am through eaton transmissions and hunter aligment. I have been working there for 5 years with a total of 8 years experance in the class 8 industry. Right now i am making 17.40 per hour but with are insurance beeing as crappy as it is at 100$ a week and we dont have a vision plan. I pretty much do everything under the under side of the truck and ac work. I am seriously thinkin about do the whole i am putting in my 2 weeks notice thing quit and come back to work for them with a pay raise and a promotion..lol hey looks like it works for a lot of people that use to work here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Well i can tell you i also work at a dealership on class 8 trucks 0ur labor rate is 100$ per hour. I am not ase certfied but i am through eaton transmissions and hunter aligment. I have been working there for 5 years with a total of 8 years experance in the class 8 industry. Right now i am making 17.40 per hour but with are insurance beeing as crappy as it is at 100$ a week and we dont have a vision plan. I pretty much do everything under the under side of the truck and ac work. I am seriously thinkin about do the whole i am putting in my 2 weeks notice thing quit and come back to work for them with a pay raise and a promotion..lol hey looks like it works for a lot of people that use to work here...No doubt, the only way we get a decent pay increase is to put in a 2wk notice and make them buy you back. I've done it, but its BS that it needs to go to that extreme. I made sure there was a job on the outside beforehand, just in case......So, if you do it, make sure you're valuable enough that they'll want to keep ya We have had a couple folks over the years submit theirs trying for more money and they ended up having to leave, and one of 'em didn't have shit lined up on the outside! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o-no-moto Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Yeah your right hellmutt they can always replace me with good ol neck beard...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serpentracer Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 I just realized my uncle is on their website. on the homepage looking up into the car with a customer.http://www.smithmufflerandbrakes.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Yeah your right hellmutt they can always replace me with good ol neck beard...lolNooooo! Not another neckbeard They're like Highlander! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thGix Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Well i can tell you i also work at a dealership on class 8 trucks 0ur labor rate is 100$ per hour. I am not ase certfied but i am through eaton transmissions and hunter aligment. I have been working there for 5 years with a total of 8 years experance in the class 8 industry. Right now i am making 17.40 per hour but with are insurance beeing as crappy as it is at 100$ a week and we dont have a vision plan. I pretty much do everything under the under side of the truck and ac work. I am seriously thinkin about do the whole i am putting in my 2 weeks notice thing quit and come back to work for them with a pay raise and a promotion..lol hey looks like it works for a lot of people that use to work here...Ive seen the outcome of this go both ways over the years where i work. From what i have seen the rate of success of this tactic is proportionate to the level of "disgruntledness" (if thats a word) of the emplyee wanting the raise. Seems the more vocal and entitled they think they are the odds of them getting offered a raise to stay gets closer to nill. A guy has to take a real objective look at himself before trying to pulling this off. I would say this should be a last resort and have something lined up for plan B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o-no-moto Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 I am not at the "disgruntledness level yet and i wont use that as a tool. I know i have seen this done many times but only worked out for one guy the rest always quit. I would tend to think that a heavy truck shop the pay would be at a little higer scale. But with any shop there are goods and bads...so far the good still out weigh the bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 I am not at the "disgruntledness level yet and i wont use that as a tool. I know i have seen this done many times but only worked out for one guy the rest always quit. I would tend to think that a heavy truck shop the pay would be at a little higer scale. But with any shop there are goods and bads...so far the good still out weigh the badYou cant leave me in that dump anyway, you and my boss are the only 2 cool enough to hang with outside of work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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