JDMeister
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Nobody to hire. No trade schools. Nobody that can think.
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Or read and write.
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Or read and write.
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Ford Is Hiring, But No Joy
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1HasBeen
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Flat Rate much?
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JDMeister
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I used to do that. It's been a while.
Dockmaster
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I wonder how accurate the $120k is? Is that average or just the high side of a few? A lot videos out there from disgruntled mechanics leaving because they say they get screwed over by flat rate and various other issues. I have no idea what is reality and what is not. Hard to imagine so many would be leaving if it was really $120k.
Rockwood
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Most mechanics that aren't pissed off at the company they work for are either Golden Boys at a dealer and paid salary, or get their certs up and leave for an independent shop that pays salary (or start one of their own).
Flat rate doesn't seem to be a happy spot for long, at least with the guys I know.
rivermobster
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Pretty sure the FORD CEO is talking about vehicle assembly line workers.
Salary. Fat benefits packages. Union jobs. That sorta thing.
Hourly or flat rate techs, are employed by the Privately owned dealerships.
100 percent commission is the only way to work.
rivermobster
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1HasBeen
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AFAIK he was referring to "empty bays", ie not enough techs to go around. Several youtube techs did a "no shit, Sherlock" video about it.Pretty sure the FORD CEO is talking about vehicle assembly line workers.
Salary. Fat benefits packages. Union jobs. That sorta thing.
Hourly or flat rate techs, are employed by the Privately owned dealerships.
100 percent commission is the only way to work.
Rockwood
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The last dude always has that "GM 10 speeds suck, here's my products to fix it" dude on. The rants get old... LOL
(And yes, they do suck).
From the 2nd video, Farley: "It's a complicated problem"
Yes. Yes it is. Most of which is from the systems for the cars. Anyone who can actually successfully work on a car and all of its systems would be better off being a technician or IT support guy in another industry. The level of expertise needed to work on a car is crazy, and at the end of the day, your buddy who's a Journeyman sparky is making 1.5-2x what you're making with less headache.
zilla68
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i have a friend that someone on here just used to get a tcm for his truck.
he's been a gm heavy line mechanic for probably 25 years at least, more like 35 if i had to guess.
he builds transmissions. started his own business out of his house, then built a shop at his house, then opened 2 garages.
he builds all the transmissions for his dealership out of his shop sells it to the dealership. he installs transmissions at his other shop. he stays at gm to get access to all the parts discounts, and keep up with technology. His 3rd shop does all the other work. I would be he's pulling in 750k a year between all 3.
He figured it out and is making pockets full of money. has 3 guys i think it is working full time just doing transmissions. he only does gm and only uses gm parts from the dealership (unless its not available then goes a different route).
if i was younger and fit i'd for sure jump in now, to learn all i could and do what he did or something similar.
at his garages he doesn't turn wrenches, but he oversees the work and gives the final ok.
he's been a gm heavy line mechanic for probably 25 years at least, more like 35 if i had to guess.
he builds transmissions. started his own business out of his house, then built a shop at his house, then opened 2 garages.
he builds all the transmissions for his dealership out of his shop sells it to the dealership. he installs transmissions at his other shop. he stays at gm to get access to all the parts discounts, and keep up with technology. His 3rd shop does all the other work. I would be he's pulling in 750k a year between all 3.
He figured it out and is making pockets full of money. has 3 guys i think it is working full time just doing transmissions. he only does gm and only uses gm parts from the dealership (unless its not available then goes a different route).
if i was younger and fit i'd for sure jump in now, to learn all i could and do what he did or something similar.
at his garages he doesn't turn wrenches, but he oversees the work and gives the final ok.
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JDMeister
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Interesting Trivia. My neighbor worked for years at the local Cadillac dealer here in Torrance. (Moran Cadillac) After a while, the dealership came up for sale. Penske bought the dealership and fired all the existing mechanics. No severance, no nothing. GTFO.
Luckily, Tim got a job at LAX servicing vehicle there.
Another bit of trivia, the film "Gone In Sixty Seconds" was filmed there and in Redondo.
Oh ya, another bit of trivia. While I was working for a "Fleet" company, I was run through the GM training school. And the VW school. Air cooled for the win.
Luckily, Tim got a job at LAX servicing vehicle there.
Another bit of trivia, the film "Gone In Sixty Seconds" was filmed there and in Redondo.
Oh ya, another bit of trivia. While I was working for a "Fleet" company, I was run through the GM training school. And the VW school. Air cooled for the win.
rivermobster
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So this article is from November 12, 2026.
It's centered on factory workers, not dealership techs.
What am I missing here??
Ford CEO says he has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: ‘We are in trouble in our country’ | Fortune
“We do not have trade schools. We are not investing in educating a next generation of people,” Jim Farley said.
rivermobster
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rivermobster
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Here is a bit of reality for ya...
In the 80's, I was working at a Lincoln-Mercury/Saab dealer. We (the techs) were being paid 50 percent at that time (half of the 75 dollar an hour driveway rate).
One day, the owner calls a shop meeting and says...
"Good news. We are raising the driveway rate! But, we will be lowering your commission to 45 percent, but if you do the math, you guys are Still getting a raise!"
WTF?? What kinna funny math is this??
So now let's fast forward to the last dealership job I had, working for Bentley in Pasadena. The driveway rate was 175 per hour. I was getting paid 35 per flat rate hour.
What's that, something like 14 percent commission? Yeah, fuck that. It was time to go on my own.
Little by little, the dealerships have cut back EVERYONE'S commissions. Sales guys no longer get paid on commission. They get paid a flat fee per car sold.
Now...
Can you blame the dealerships really??
Back when I was making 50 percent, there were maybe 3 girls working in the office. No computers. No HR department. No real overhead to speak of.
Now?
Huge HR departments. Massive amounts of computers, printers, copiers and an IT department to care for it all.
The shop overhead is redonculious. Hazardous waste permits. Lift permits. Diagnosis equipment up the ass. Teams of porters to shuffle cars around the lot.
This is why most mom and pop dealerships have been bought up by corporations like Sonic automotive. I worked for 2 dealerships that were bought by them. And they run their stores as lean as lean can be.
So...
Is anyone one at a car dealership get paid 120k SALARY, in this day and age?
Yeah, maybe a shop foreman. But, you have to have a dealership that does enough volume to support that. Sonic eliminated my shop foreman position at Lexus (they fired me) and hired some 30k a year guy from Ford to replace me. Needless to say, it didn't work out too well for them!
Dealerships run on razor thin margins these days. 120k salary, for a tech, is not happening.
P.S. I've heard that the unions have made some inroads in dealerships, up in the Frisco area, but I personally have no first hand knowledge of this.
Maybe the 120k figure is the loaded cost? Benefits are expensive .
Kraut_n_Rice
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SOOO glad I got out when I did.
Rockwood
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So this article is from November 12, 2026.
It's centered on factory workers, not dealership techs.
What am I missing here??
Ford CEO says he has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: ‘We are in trouble in our country’ | Fortune
“We do not have trade schools. We are not investing in educating a next generation of people,” Jim Farley said.fortune.com
From the article:
Ayep. And those jobs will remain open for as long as welfare and unemployment benefits remain competitive with a real job.
Rockwood
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Next time I hear about Millenials/Gen Z complaining about Gen X and Boomers taking all the money...
That's 10M people that have bowed out of the workforce...
Realbadlarry
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That's an imported workforce that NEVER worked.....didn't have too. You import a shit ton of people that have Zero intentions of ever working.....it F's it for EVERYONE.
Rockwood
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Time to dry it up. Get to work, or ship out somewhere the free shit train is better. Good riddance.
