Dealer Tech Pay

[Hall]

Many shops can make a whole lot more money doing multiple brake jobs, tire rotations, belt changes etc.....vs doing a single big job like a head gasket or intake port abrasive bead blast clean.

A shop near my work, that I've used for some jobs in the past, was turning down jobs such as a timing belt for an Accord. It was too many hours I guess and yeah, they seemed to be catering to things like brake jobs, etc. Their parking lot is always full but it seems like the cars are in and out in 1-3 days so they're turning them over.

I think the difference is (and GMBoy alludes to this) that you have to make an appointment for work vs the shop where we live that has enough techs that you can drop your car off the night before, fill out their envelope with what's going on, and there's a good chance they'll call you before lunchtime with a diagnosis. If the parts gets delivered quick enough, it's often done by the end of the day, I pay over the phone, and they hide the key so we can pick it up after they're closed (small town benefits !).

 

[ATex7239]

Different industry but very similar structure, the pay rate was $25-60 an hour as a manufacturer’s tech based on $200-250 labor rates. There were kickers of upselling but the real money was in the OT hours. The higher level tech you were the higher your wage and sell rate. I got out of the field once I realized I was making significantly less money for my skills and abilities than the people in the front office selling my skills and abilities. I make way more money now pushing paper than I ever did pushing a wrench because it is scalable. When you trade your time for money at a 1-to-1 ratio it is hard to get ahead. Only so many hours in the day. Nothing wrong with profession but it wasn’t for me.

 

[CKN]

Porsche. Service advisor quoted $867 to install 6 spark plugs. I bought OE plugs on clearance at Rock for $27. Took an hour to install as backwheels were off anyway for a scheduled brake flush and gave easy access. And Ferrari wanted $20k for timing belt service at low milage intervals years ago, IIRC...

Let's be honest-Porsche, Mercedes,Audi, etc-you know that going in . Or you could buy a Ford, Chevy, Hyundai.etc

 

[CKN]

Greetings All-
Local dealer shop rate is $245/hr. What portion of that does a tech get paid?

Ford Dealer here is $250.00/hour

 

[JTK]

I would think the range would vary widely given the geographical region and the dealer brand.

In Buffalo NY, a domestic brand dealer tech is probably in the $20-45hr/range with benefits depending on ability and certification.

 

[The Critic]

I'd say $35-$60/hr depending on skill level.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

I would think the range would vary widely given the geographical region and the dealer brand.

In Buffalo NY, a domestic brand dealer tech is probably in the $20-45hr/range with benefits depending on ability and certification.

Average wage for a mechanic in Buffalo is 23.32
No wonder mechanics are leaving he business in droves or hanging up their on shingles.

 

[John105]

When i worked as a tire/ lube tech I got 13.25% of the hourly rate. By that faulty logic alone, $32.46.

My wife, a professional consultant, gets 41.6% of her billable rate.

I don't look at it that way, but I would get 23%.

I wonder, where it's quite apparent, meaning in such fields like CPA partner, what would they get? They themselves, are earning more than what my employer bills clients lol as an hourly rate. Their employer would need to bill $1990/hr at the low end, using 23%. I think that's proof there really is no correlation....

 

[Dave Hess]

True. My shop is small but the building is paid for and on my property so my overhead is virtually nothing. We charge $100 and hour rate and I split the labor 50/50 with my techs. So they make 50/hr and I get 50/hr. The parts markup covers my utilities and such. Each of my techs made between 85-115k last year and this year our business is so strong we have had a 3 week wait to get in since January so they will each be making over 100k a year. We are only open M-F and 8hrs per day so they are doing well. Pay a tech good and you get top quality work.

How did you find your techs ?

 

[chrismo]

In short, it's crap and will barely be a fraction of the labour rate. Here in Australia dealers (and a lot of businesses for that fact) are screaming for workers but don't want to pay them. I went from dealer to fleet, the last dealer I worked for pay topped out at AUD$32/hr for a diagnostic technician but to get that you had to do training through the manufacturer for over a year. I gave them the finger and in my new job I was earning more than that on day one, the pay has and will go up more, plus it's a much less stressful environment with much more interesting work.

It's rare to find good mechanics at a dealer because most people worth a **** just up and leave as soon as a better opportunity comes up.

 

[CKN]

In short, it's crap and will barely be a fraction of the labour rate. Here in Australia dealers (and a lot of businesses for that fact) are screaming for workers but don't want to pay them. I went from dealer to fleet, the last dealer I worked for pay topped out at AUD$32/hr for a diagnostic technician but to get that you had to do training through the manufacturer for over a year. I gave them the finger and in my new job I was earning more than that on day one, the pay has and will go up more, plus it's a much less stressful environment with much more interesting work.

It's rare to find good mechanics at a dealer because most people worth a **** just up and leave as soon as a better opportunity comes up.

Hopefully more skilled labor would be coming with your change in immigration policy in June of this year.

 

[JTK]

Average wage for a mechanic in Buffalo is 23.32
No wonder mechanics are leaving he business in droves or hanging up their on shingles.

That's tough when fast food workers can make $16-17 in the Buffalo area. Pre COVID, new techs in my line of work started at $23. Now it's $30 to start and this is just hoping for someone who can pass background check, drug screen and actually show up.

 

[Hall]

meaning in such fields like CPA partner

I don't know this for a fact, but if someone is a "partner" in a firm (accounting, law, etc), I presumed they get a (small) piece of every billable hour that the firm bills, on top of their own direct, billable hours.

 

[Hall]

That's tough when fast food workers can make $16-17 in the Buffalo area.

Are they really making that or is that what places (falsely) advertise ? I know a few McDonald's around have signs saying "...up to $16/hour" but they don't pay anyone that, at least not starting pay for a regular worker (cook, cashier, etc).

 

[JTK]

Are they really making that or is that what places (falsely) advertise ? I know a few McDonald's around have signs saying "...up to $16/hour" but they don't pay anyone that, at least not starting pay for a regular worker (cook, cashier, etc).

One of my sons has worked for a local taco chain for ~1.5yrs. He makes a bit over $16/hr. The max they'll let him work is 36hrs/week.

 

[willbur]

Let's be honest-Porsche, Mercedes,Audi, etc-you know that going in . Or you could buy a Ford, Chevy, Hyundai.etc

Its just that these brands were not as greedy in the past. For example, BMW npw wants to rent you butt warmers on a subscription basis. Never enough for these people...

 

[ATex7239]

Average wage for a mechanic in Buffalo is 23.32
No wonder mechanics are leaving he business in droves or hanging up their on shingles.

People don’t want to pony up though. I mean how many posts are on this forum about how much such and such shop was going to charge for a job so the OP chose to DIY instead.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

People don’t want to pony up though. I mean how many posts are on this forum about how much such and such shop was going to charge for a job so the OP chose to DIY instead.

Because people cant afford it, plenty can.
We are a maintenance/repair enthusiast forum so numbers are super skewed.

 

[GMBoy]

Do you offer/pay for benefits like health insurance, retirement, etc or at that pay, they have to take care of it themselves ?

Not right now because we are so small and only 3 employees (inc. me) but I have been working on a plan to have some sort of insurance offered for next year but doubt they will want it due to costs. Currently each tech is an "independent contractor" so they do all their own taxes etc hence the higher pay rate to help them cover taxes and insurance. Fortunately they all have insurance thru their spouses.

 

[GMBoy]

How did you find your techs ?

Lol - well it is me and my son and a good friend of his (with all certifications) so all of our work is pretty much golden and I dont face the issues a larger shop does with talent etc and our pay is $50/hr.