Any mechanics here?

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Loggerhead Mike

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Well im a mechanic at smokey mountain chevrolet. Was just curious how all the other fellow mechanics are doing. Work here has picked up pretty good, averaging 35hrs a week now but a dealership down the road just got there crystler department axed (shut down). Hope things are going and continue to go ok for us and the rest of yall. I know there are going to be alot of mechanics looking for jobs and I'd get much better sleep if they would hurry up and tell us if we're going to get axed or not
 
They are closing eight Chrysler dealerships here in Arkansas so far. I was an auto mechanic for 22 years but switched to material handling mechanic (forklifts,construction equipment, etc.) about 9 years ago. My companies business has slowed somewhat due to closing of some factories, warehouses and the slow down in construction. We are privately owned by two good men who are doing all they can to keep everyone working. They have around 200 employees in 5 locations here in the state. So far they are holding on. Man the thought of changing jobs at my age is sickening.
 
doing alright again in KC here at a goodyear gemini shop, full service. me and the other master tech have spent over 3 years here and averaged 55+ flag hours a week working 5 days a week, but of course the past 2 months have been averaging 30 a week. finally picking up it seems, second week of 50+ weeks. work in a fairly well-to-do area so that helps, most places around are still slow though. i just hope this keeps up. dealerships are slowest but none have closed that i've heard of. hope it keeps getting better for all of you.
 
I wrenched at John Kennedy Ford for 7 years, and got laid off about 2 yrs ago. When times where good, I was averaging 60+ hours a week(flat rate). Ford was doing crappy about 5 years ago, and have since worked out all there problems.They closed a lot of dealers and downsized along time ago. That's one of the reasons why Ford is thriving right now, while GM, and Chrysler are tanking. Not to dissapointed about either since I am a die hard Ford guy, but its def. A sign of the times
 
GF's father lost his job 8 months ago - he was a Service Director at Porsche/Audi. He's got 28 years of experience, yet can't get a job. He's at that age, 50+, that experience is almost a negative. The economy is not good for anyone right now :(
 
My dad turned wrenches for a number of years, mostly on imports, especially Datsuns, as those were the craze when he did that. Now, he is service manager an import shop in Smyrna, Georgia. They specialize in BMW, but do all work on BMW, Volvo, Acura, Honda, Toyota, Saab, and VW, and some Lexus. (We drive all Chevy's by the way).

They have all the newest and greatest equipment. Top of the line alignment machine etc. Recently, they added the CANBus (Controller Area Network Bus system). This is the very expensive piece of equipment that very few service centers (aside from dealers) have, and is becoming very important these days, on the BMWs. I am not going into details with it, as the whole CANBus system is really a bit over my head, but basically, ALL electronic components on the car are controlled by the same computer, and often the same wires. The thing that keeps the windshield wipers from coming on when you turn the headlights on is different coding for each individual item. So, if they do something so simple as replace a window motor, they have to have this 10,000 dollar tool to allow the computer to recognize the window motor, or it simply will not function. Same goes for just about everything in the car.

With this tool, and one other similar tool for VWs (besides all the more common scanners that most shops have that fit the Hondas and Toyotas etc), they can now do anything the dealer can do on any of the makes they work on, aside from body work.

Aside from the owner, and my dad, there are 3 full time mechanics there (50 hour weeks). For them, work has come in spurts recently. Some days they are real slow, and others all 8 lifts are full and there are cars outside waiting to be worked on. Real odd how things are going.



I guess you could call me somewhat of a mechanic as well. My main form of income the past few months has been working on Johnson/Evinrude outboards. I can't really say how it is going right now, as I put it aside for a bit to finish up an AP class, but I have started advertising again, so I am hoping to start getting a couple jobs back in here in the next week or two. Seeing as the marinas are so cutthroat around here, there is usually a demand for more honest/reasonable work on some of these older motors.
 
I give it up 97.I went from a full service shop,same as a dealer shop,to building Jeeps.To many people in my area want something grand but don't wanna pay for it.
 
I wrenched in Ford dealerships for 13 years. Left for an independent import shop 6 yrs ago. Things have been up and down (cycle of the auto bussiness), I have had 2 weeks this year under 40 flat rate flag hours. Most are 42-45. 60 this week, 50 last.

My buddy is the back counter parts guy at the last dealer I left. Last year was his best year ever and said this year would be better. Of course 2-3 dealers have closed in surrounding area in last 1 1/2 years.
 
watched the local news last night so i need to amend my post, 10 local chrysler dealerships were notified yesterday that on june 9 they will be closed. anyone care for a Fiat?
 
grizzly said:
watched the local news last night so i need to amend my post, 10 local chrysler dealerships were notified yesterday that on june 9 they will be closed. anyone care for a Fiat?


:LOL22: I had a 1972 Fiat Spider convertible.I was gonna post a pic of a car like mine but photobooket seems to be down.
 
(Controller Area Network Bus system).
basically a high/low speed network for all the modules to talk to eachother on. man i hate it when a truck comes in with u-codes (communication codes). i had to tear a hole truck apart the other week looking for a short. too bad we cant go back to the good ole' simple carb'd motors that last forever.

you seem to know alot about motors how come you aint workin in your dads shop?
 
Loggerhead Mike said:
(Controller Area Network Bus system).
basically a high/low speed network for all the modules to talk to eachother on. man i hate it when a truck comes in with u-codes (communication codes). i had to tear a hole truck apart the other week looking for a short. too bad we cant go back to the good ole' simple carb'd motors that last forever.

you seem to know alot about motors how come you aint workin in your dads shop?
He's the manager. He doesn't own it. Plus, I am not ASE certified.... :lol: :lol: Yet.

My high school has an excellent automotive shop program, so on top of my automotive experience at home, I get a good fill in there, then come home and work on outboards. I much prefer 2 stroke motors, to 4 strokes, and with the outboards, most of what I work on is what is today considered "old technology." I can actually fix something, as opposed to just bolting new parts on.

I am just hoping I can start getting a little more business fixing outboards. I have not done much recently due to school, but seeing as that is over for a while, I am hoping I can get a little more income off this, else I start looking for a fast food or retail job.
 
The shop I work at was bought out the first of the month. New owners came in saying everything was great and had no plains to change anything. Well a new tech starts monday. Here comes the changes!

My father-in-law owns a small shop that he has run for 40 years. I know by natural progression that it should be my next step. I just dont know that I want the ownership role. Also dont know that I want to stay right here in town. My wife and I have talked many time about moving up into the mountains a bit further. Sure dont want to drive 30-45 minutes to reset the alarm at 3am for the rest of my working life. Ive always kind of liked the idea that my box had wheels and I could go when I wanted.
 
bboy - hopefully things will pick up now that people are going to be getting ready for the water.

scamper - as long as the new tech isnt rolling his box in your bay :wink: i always wanted to own a shop and be my own boss untill i realized i know nothing about running a business.
 

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