Well my educated guess is better than most. I am a flat rate technician, but I get paid straight time for electronics diag. And wiring/harness repair.
I also charge out straight itme on ALL rotary engine repairs.
The flat rate system has its flaws, but so does the straight time system.
I would rather be paid for work I DID rather than paid for time at work. Never could see how it was right to get paid for just being there instead of the work you produce.
As for being paid enough. No I don't think Mechanics get paid enough. Not when you have union's running the rest of the trades getting some random dude who lay's cement $20-25+ an hour.
Frankly anyone who says I am a crook or my trade is crooked, should come in and start adding up what I have spent on tools in the past 5 years. In the past 5 years I have bought (for myself, not the shop) TWO lap-tops to interface with ford and Mazda products, this does not include the softwear and hardwear to hook up too the cars. Customers think its odd to see a Mechanic walk around the dealer with a PDA. Then they think its even odder when I jump in the car with them and hook up my PDA to there car.
So when someone whines that the door rate is too high or that it costs too much. I laugh and say. Do you know how many engine lights I have to turn off this year before my lap top is paid off?
I get paid apx 1/2hr to read a diag an engine light. So to me the TEch I get $12.50.
The lap top was $2100
The softwear was $1200
Mazda Website subscription $150/per annum
These are all round fig's, but that is apx 280 engine lights, before I start making money.
Just think, buy not paying me.I can't afford to pay you for your work. Its a big circle of life.
I don't mind helping out people on this site, in fact I helped some stranger today in the shopping mall parking lot. BUT don't preach to me that the buisness that I am in is crooked. There are far worse things out there, and remember your cars are privlages, NOT a right.
Saturday, January 6th, 2007 AT 5:05 PM
