where do you work and how long have you been doin it?

Ian, seriously, work for me and you will get paid more. I need high-level tech and I need them now. I want to get rid of one guy, and one other guys is gunna retire...PLEASE JESUS. 10 bucks, my tire guys make 10 bucks an hour.

yup but the part timers dont make crap in comparison. 10 or 11/hour i think and 13/hour i think for part time techs. i could be wrong though

I'm working at a Chrysler/Jeep dealership and I've been there since November of 2004.

Oh yeah, I've passed 7 ASE tests so far. goddamn engine performance, missed it by one question :lol:

and you're only getting 10 an hour?!?!?!?

you should be making way more than that with those kind of qualifications!

I'm aware. I also haven't been able to get past doing oil changes, brakes and tires. :?

I could prolly do all that! maybe not the brakes but I need to have my brakes done so maybe ill learn...

you can do brakes, trust me. I can do them in my sleep, you'll have no problem.

seriously I dont know If I want to risk it though..I mean If I mess up..it could mean life or death. you know?

how are you going to mess up? you take the caliper off, compress the piston in the caliper, take old pads out, put new pads in, replace rotors and put it back together. Just make sure the caliper isn't hanging in the air by the brake hose, it'll probably collapse the inside and you'll have a sticking caliper.

disc brakes are cake, but drums, they take a few times to learn, my first time i got frustrated and had my friend finish them, then the other side i got...funny thing is that the side he did failed a week later, lol

btw, where do you go for ASE certification or classes? i never took any classes of any sort in my life, i learned everythign from hands on and then working as a mechanic for over 2 years, and i was thinking about just getting certified for as much as i can just in case i decide to get a job where it'll help

www.ase.com

you sign up for it there and pick a testing center thats close to you.

there aren't classes for it, its just something that you study for. you can pick up ase "text books" at a book store like borders. there are 8 automotive tests, well 9 if you include L1 (advanced engine performance). Some of the tests arent that hard, but others can be pretty rough. I barely passed auto trans :lol: . If you need anymore info, dont hesitate to ask. :)

why is that?

hmm good to know, do the certifications ever expire or are they for lifetime? and do dealers require it or just dont care that much? i can do basically about anything on a car except work inside a transmission yet, thats still something i plan on learning.

because I work at a very low volume dealership. we dont get that many cars in that need major things, and when we do, someone else gets to do it.

they do expire after a few years, but once you pass the initial test, you only have to take a recertification which is a lot shorter.

not all dealerships require it. I didnt have any when I started my job, but now I have 7. And to be completely honest, it hasnt made a bit of difference. But thats just because of the dynamics of the dealership I work at. if I was at a larger dealership, you bet your ass it would make a difference. It ususally helps you get higher pay too, again, not in my case.

Its definitly worth it if you're planning on working for a dealership or service station. better safe than sorry, plus it looks good on your resume.

i was planning to go to wyo tech in Wy, but their rules about dresscode, facial hair and baseball caps annoyed me and i decided against it. lol. instead i worked at a shop where my family always went, i knew a little but after a few months i was doign everything from oil changes, to brakes, to tuneups, clutches, cams, etc. My boss tought me alot along the way. I even now know way more than many of my friends who went to tech schools in highschool. the past like 5-6 years ive been doing landscaping and ive had enough of that. for now i'm gonna sell car parts/cars until i find some job i liek better, and i figure i might as well become certified just for the hell of it.

Funny you should mention wyotech....I went there. I went to the branch in PA though. Yeah, they'd get on peoples cases about shaving and how long their hair was, but that was just so they could teach the kids how to be professional. I learned a lot there and to tell you the truth, I havent learned anything new since I left school.

Lincoln Tech :w00t:

that little piece of paper helped along the way.

Ian, have you looked into going to another dealership or is the one your at a convenience like mine (my job is only 5 minuted from my house, i make over $500 a week but i could get more at another place)?

my job is 5 minutes from my house too, but I dont make $500 a week, I make about $372 a week and thats 47 hours of work, the last 7 are overtime and I get time and a half!

trust me, the job hunt will commence soon...

47 hours.........yikes.


i work 6 days a week, 7 1/2 hours a day....only 2 hours less a week than you and all regular pay, no OT.

maybe look into working at a private garage, they usually pay guys with certs like yours pretty good.

to tell you the truth, I'd rather be welding than doing oil changes and tune ups. :?

*edit*

I forgot to mention that I work from 8-6 every weekday with an hour for lunch (9 hour work day) and I work every other saturday from 8-12.

definetley time to start looking!!!

how good are you at welding???

depends on the type of welding. I'm pretty damn good with MIG and TIG. I'm fairly good with gas, but so far I suck at stick welding. :lol: