Career as a motor mechanic a good one?

riverrat321 · 18-05-2005, 03:24 AM

Hi guys, i'm looking for ideas for a career change. I'm into cars and boats ind interested in mechanics also. Being in my late 20's I was worried about trying to get an apprenticeship. I'n my current job I get about 55,000 pa and struggling to support my family and kids. Was interested in becoming a car salesman but sounds like the cash flow would be very up ands down. Does anyone know if I can earn 55,000 pa or more as a mechanic? Any other career option advice would be great to. I started doing a network engineering course but it's a bit much for me and it's not really my thing anyway. Thanks heaps.

DOC · 18-05-2005, 03:42 AM

Hi Riverrat,
probably off topic but related in some way.

It's not what u earn that counts, its what u invest, most people on higher incomes have a higher spend rate and are probably not much better off.

A person on 55K can have more residual income than a person on 100K if they manage things properly and your still young enough to make a big differance in your future with or without any change of jobs.

For what it is worth try reading the richest man in babylon, its only a small book but worth its weight in gold.

Good luck with the future plans

DOC

riverrat321 · 18-05-2005, 03:52 AM

Hi Doc, thanks for the advice. I have heard of that book and I will try too pick it up. I hear it's a good book. Thanks.

Ghiadude · 18-05-2005, 04:10 AM

i dont know of any apprentices that make that sort of dough. Only ones that might are the ones that own there own busineses. i know what its like to have money troubles though and since i havent found a solution yet i cant offer any good advice. hope things work out for you though. richer ford fans means more ford fans on the road!

Mike Gayner · 18-05-2005, 05:30 AM

I'm qualified mechanic but decided to get out of it while I'm still young because the only guys that mak any money are the business owners. It's pretty rare to find a well paid mechanic ($50,000 would be VERY rare), at least here in NZ.

riverrat321 · 18-05-2005, 05:55 AM

Do you think it would be a lucrative business to start? This network engineering course was driving me nuts. Bloody computers... Seem to pay well though.

Racecraft · 18-05-2005, 06:03 AM

I agree with the setiments here already , If you can't live on the 55k now I don't see how you could manage the wage reduction to become an apprentice.. The only thing I can suggest as an alternative is do some TAFE courses on body work, panel beating and spray painting.

Body work, repairs and paint is decent money for a slightly dirty job BUT the cost of setting yourself up is alot less than most other trades.. Quite a few established shops allow the hire of their booths etc anyway. It can be cash in hand until you are established or wanting to register it as a business with a GOOD accountants help.

I'd look at it as a hobby/second income scenario before changing professions chasing big bucks with no satisfaction.

Racecraft · 18-05-2005, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverrat321

Do you think it would be a lucrative business to start?

Unless you want to do alot of work servicing carbied cars you need a decent bankroll for capital to purchase the equipment you need. Then there is a premises, a hoist or two, diagnostic equipment and a couple of grands worth of tool in your toolbox..

The net result is like most businesses. Unless you are at the top of the tree and paying someone $20/hr to do work for you that you then charge out at $65/hr you will never make 'big' dollars. Mechanics still swinging spanners might make the 55k you make now but unless you intend on being the proprietor/management of the establishment, you won't be much higher than that.

bindi · 18-05-2005, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverrat321

Hi guys, i'm looking for ideas for a career change. I'm into cars and boats ind interested in mechanics also. Being in my late 20's I was worried about trying to get an apprenticeship. I'n my current job I get about 55,000 pa and struggling to support my family and kids. Was interested in becoming a car salesman but sounds like the cash flow would be very up ands down. Does anyone know if I can earn 55,000 pa or more as a mechanic? Any other career option advice would be great to. I started doing a network engineering course but it's a bit much for me and it's not really my thing anyway. Thanks heaps.

Ok well I can offer my 2 cents' worth on 2 lines of work

Firstly the only way you are going to earn over $55k as a mechanic is when you own the business AND are very honest, reliable and treat your customers with respect (and that's dreamland).

My hubby did IT (computer) courses (a fair few years ago now) at TAFE, got his Diploma, and went straight into a helpdesk position for around $25 an hour. This is a highly stressful job and has a huge staff turnover because of it. After a while he was teamleader at $30 an hour, then he was running the helpdesk at $35 an hour. Left the company, and has been doing bits here and there since.

Now he is on $40 an hour and working 10-12 hour days at another company. Believe me, all companies are crap and treat their IT staff like shyte. It is very rare to find a place that has a happy IT department. Be very aware of this if it is something you wish to do.

Unless you train and start your own business. I believe this is the main way to make money. The government is very pro-business and since becoming my own boss I am surprised at the concessions offered.

I retrained in alternative therapies and can earn $50 for an hour massage and $75 for 1.5 hour aromatherapy massage. I say CAN earn because although this sounds like a lot of money, in reality massaging someone puts a strain on your body as it is very physical. You cannot do it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for very long before you start to notice your joints ache, your arms pack it in and you have no energy because you have not protected yourself enough from clients (they can drain you energetically).

It's hard to get the amount of clients, too, to fill 8 hour days 5 days a week. It is a very part time business.

So there are two alternatives. I know how hard it is to support a family (we have three kids) and also how very hard it is to retrain and start at the bottom when your family relies upon your earnings to survive.

All I can say is that if you really want to do it, you will have to learn to live on next to nothing for a while. Austudy pays bugger all, although your partner will get more money off the gov't than when you are earning the $55k (but it doesn't compensate anywhere near that amount).

You have to weigh up your happiness, as this is the eternal dilemma. If you are happier cos you see your kids more but can't afford their Nikes, then which is worth more to you (and to your children)? Our kids used to want us home more, but as they are turning into teens they would prefer to see less of us and get the Nikes

Good luck. If you are in the reading frame of mind, try Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch. Life-changing stuff there.

**Mechan1k** · 18-05-2005, 07:44 AM

I know what it is like ... I work for Optus in thier datacoms IP side of things ... and it can be pretty stressful ... staff moral is pretty low as well .. but it pays the bills.

Want a decent job that pays well ... and you get to drive around all day ... become a courier driver if you can. You can earn up to $1500 a week with it ... if you work hard.

Seeing as I work shiftwork for Optus ... I get 2-3 days off a week ... so I do part time courier work on my days off ... I earn on average about $200 per day ... so it's a nice little add-on to what I already earn.

If you can read a map and have a good sense of direction ... and like driving ... look for a decent courier company. It's good work ... you can start when you want and finish when you want ... but the more hour you work the more you earn.

BJ · 18-05-2005, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riverrat321

Hi guys, i'm looking for ideas for a career change. I'm into cars and boats ind interested in mechanics also. Being in my late 20's I was worried about trying to get an apprenticeship. I'n my current job I get about 55,000 pa and struggling to support my family and kids. Was interested in becoming a car salesman but sounds like the cash flow would be very up ands down. Does anyone know if I can earn 55,000 pa or more as a mechanic? Any other career option advice would be great to. I started doing a network engineering course but it's a bit much for me and it's not really my thing anyway. Thanks heaps.

Mate i have been in the motor game for longer than i care to remember. I have owned my own workshop for over fifteen years and i must say i have enjoyed my time. But having said that if you whant that sort of money dont belive you will make that sort of money for at least ten years or so, just ask most of the apprentices around the traps and they will tell you how much they make and it is not that much, let alone enough to support a family. If you whant to do it try and find some part time work in a work shop some where then see if it is the job for you. There is a big differance in doing it as a hobby and as a full time job. I no it is easy for me to sit here and tell how it is but it is a trade that is nothing like it use to be.

MITCHAY · 18-05-2005, 11:08 AM

Yeah I would think most mechanics are mechanics because they love to do it. Dont think they do it for the money. Ive never heard of mechanics earning a lot. Its a shame it doesnt pay all that well as it looks like bloody hard work.

These mechanics also have to do training and have to have brains aswell so I cant see why they should get payed less than IT people. The only reason I can put it down to is that the demand for IT is higher.

I think maybe the big franchises would be earning the big bucks. I heard panel beaters and spray painters get paid a fair bit.

I was going to be a mechanic but them somehow got led into computers and currently studying a Diploma in software development.

Basically to be a mechanic you would have to love the game more than the money. There is people who love their work but it pays shit and there people who hate their work and it pays good.

Dave_au · 18-05-2005, 04:02 PM

Avg for most mechanics is about 35000 - 40000, this is after their apprenticeship.

gtfpv · 18-05-2005, 04:57 PM

we should start a non biased non jelous post topic with no offensive remarks or harrassment on what people are earning for what they do.as the govt tells us the average income is around $40 000p/a are they right? i couldn't support my family and pay my debts, on that not a chance and i dont know how any one can my shopping grocery bill is $250- $300 p/w 2 adults and 2 kids . the cashier says this is the average weekly shopping cost . if someone doesn't i'll start one later. have to go and pick up the kids now . i'll check inn tonight . good title work related income.

brenx · 18-05-2005, 05:40 PM

My dads a mechanic started @ 16 and he's close enough to 60 now. I always told him to start his own workshop as he was complaining about the $. I make more $ than him, do much easier work for less hours and more money. He's now spewing he didn't start a workshop 10-20 years ago as they are popping up everywhere now. He doesn't want to as he's too close to retirement to want to spend anymore $.

Mechanic's aren't on bad money but they are on crap $ for the job they do if you know what I mean.

n0ngie · 18-05-2005, 05:50 PM

if u have the passion for the job great how can u go wrong most ppl h8 there jobs it would make life that lil bit better knowing u enjoy ur job getting outa bed every day

and on another note every1 needs a mechanic m8 :P

Psycho Chicken · 18-05-2005, 06:22 PM

2nd year apprentice on $265 a week or so after tax.

Being older should get you a bit more money, but I doubt it'd be anywhere near enough to support a family.

bindi · 18-05-2005, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtfpv

we should start a non biased non jelous post topic with no offensive remarks or harrassment on what people are earning for what they do.as the govt tells us the average income is around $40 000p/a are they right? i couldn't support my family and pay my debts, on that not a chance and i dont know how any one can my shopping grocery bill is $250- $300 p/w 2 adults and 2 kids . the cashier says this is the average weekly shopping cost . if someone doesn't i'll start one later. have to go and pick up the kids now . i'll check inn tonight . good title work related income.

Yeah I agree... my hubby thinks there's something wrong with us cos our average weekly food bill is over $300 (2 adults, 3 older kids who eat like horses), our bills are around $300 a week (I took all our household bills, rego, car repairs, tyres, debts, credit cards etc and rolled them into a weekly payment), $150 a week for hubby's travel and smokes (grrrr), then there's clothes, kids' excursions/school money/uniforms/pocket money/lunch money/movies with friends etc, electrical appliances (my dryer died last month for example), and more car repairs (cos it's a Ford after all)... and that's before we think about maybe hiring a movie over the weekend or maybe going out for a coffee etc.

It's just ridiculous!

MrSparkle · 18-05-2005, 07:38 PM

My housemate is a 2nd year apprentice at a Holden dealer, works long hours (7:30am till 5pm at least) and as a 2nd year, gets paid 2/3 of f@rk all. He loves a lot of it, hates some of it, but in the end it is a very honest way to earn a buck. Get to the stage of owning your own garage and things will become a bit easier financially, but you will have got there the hard way.

M14A-Mclaren · 18-05-2005, 07:54 PM

I'm doing a 2 year Auto Electrical course at a Polytechnic, the one with the biggest Automotive training facilites in New Zealand. I dont some work expericance prior to this at a Ford dealer and alot of the mechanics suggested I get into Electrical because thats the way cars are going. I'm still in the first year and its going pretty good. I chose Electrical because its more specific and I reckon it will probably pull in more cash and be more interesting.

riverrat321 · 18-05-2005, 10:10 PM

Thanks heaps for all the great advice again guys. I'm planing on taking a month or so to really look into the various careers i'm interested in. I will keep checking in to see if anyone else has any ideas. Any advice is welcomed no matter what it is so keep it coming if you can. I didn't expect so much help so i'm very happy. Thanks heaps guys.

Bearman · 18-05-2005, 10:38 PM

Being a mechanic can be hard yakka, especially if you branch out into trucks and earthmoving gear. A couple of my mates, middle aged, are physically just about knackered from it and are actively looking to leave the trade.

As for setting up your own workshop, only one of them has the capital to set one up and he says "no way". There are more and more new cars on the road, the numbers swelled by lease cars, which means more under warranty and going back to dealer workshops. By the time you take out the second tier franchises eg Repco or Ultratune and there's not much market left.

To get in as a mature aged apprentice maybe a dealer (Ford etc) is the way to go. In time opportunities may present themselves within the company. Aim to be service manager in time and maybe move up through the ranks from there.

MITCHAY · 18-05-2005, 10:59 PM

Just remembered something. Apparently diesel mechanics get paid very well. My mate was going to go for an apprenticeship for some bus thingy and apparently they said that you could eventually earn up to $50k a year. Not sure whether this would be typical.

M14A-Mclaren · 19-05-2005, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Just remembered something. Apparently diesel mechanics get paid very well. My mate was going to go for an apprenticeship for some bus thingy and apparently they said that you could eventually earn up to $50k a year. Not sure whether this would be typical.

I was doing Diesel Unit standard last week, like a block course sort of so we were at the campus down the road at the campus with the big Cummins, Cat and Ford truck diesels so we had a Diesel tutor and someone asked this question, in comparison to auto sparkys and he said that he didnt really think you will get that much, maybe a bit more but generally about the same, so yeah, that applys in NZ, probably not too different in Australia.

FRDXR6 · 19-05-2005, 06:11 PM

I never knew fully qualified mechanics would get so little. My brother gets $37 000 a year + bonuses (he's already got $1k just for starting lol) as an accountant in his first year out of uni.

Phil · 19-05-2005, 07:05 PM

Not enough money in doing car mechanics, unless you have your own shop. I did my apprenticeship with Ford as an auto mechanic then found out the money that heavy mechanics was paying, so i went and learnt about big mining machinery and made the change. There is good money in heavy mechanics when are finished but crap while you are learning it all. An exception to this is a friend of mine did an apprentiship with Cummins in Kalgoorlie, he made good money as an apprentice, but was never home, always on minesites.

:

GTFalcon 351 · 19-05-2005, 07:18 PM

I was a diesel mechanic for a year and was well and truly sick of it by the end, im the kind of person that wants new challenges and spending 3/4 of the day doing servicing and tyre changes was doing my head in as well as coming home covered in crap, it also turned me off working on my own car on the weekend. I think a more interesting apprenticeship would be something like engine reconditioning or working with a performance workshop such as nizpro, bresciani etc... if u definately want to work with cars.

I decided to shift over to an electrical apprenticeship and have found it interesting, laid back, clean ,well paid and very well looked after by unions and an RDO every 2nd monday

trick_xd · 19-05-2005, 08:02 PM

M8 im 30 now and been doing it for the last 10 years and it is hard not only on your own body but you life style as well
my body : broken fingers sore leggs and bad back from stooping over
My Life style : not wanting to be at work on winter days and holding cold air tools and doing water jobs ... hands are ruff nails are dirty and even when im not at work there is still car stuff to be done so you never realy have good clean clothes
when at work you get payed to fix a car and the worst thing is IF its Your car then it can allways wait till next time and then sure enough 12 mths its still the same
and 50 - 55 k a year DAMN i wish i was on that ... im starting to realy want to change jobs???? maybe go into spare parts ?????

MITCHAY · 19-05-2005, 08:37 PM

One of our family friends is a mechanic and he got gangrene from using pneumatic equipment all the time.

19-05-2005, 10:43 PM

im a 3rd year apprentice, and i earn 360 a week clear.

if u really love working on cars it can be a good job, but after only 2 and a big years of doing this, im begining to see wat my parents told me from the start, there are some pro's and cons about the job,

Pro's - u get to know wat ur doing with cars, u get cheap parts for your own cars, u can earn extra money by doing mates car backyarders etc, its a job, u earn money for doing wat u enjoy, im sure there are many others but thats all i can think of.

cons - terrible pay for the knowledge u have and for the hard work u do, bloody hard work for the pay, chemicals make ur skin crap, always dirty, bad back, bad hands, and the biggest thing ihave found is its killing my passion for my own car, i cant be stuffed coming home and working on my vb after a wholes day work on working on someone elses car!

u wanna swap jobs mate? lol