Giving my notice Monday.......

[HP350SC]

No reason to post this other than I'm a little nervous about a job change.
Well, as a Ford dealership technician I am throwing in the towel. Warranty times have been slashed over the last several years, more and more paperwork heaped on, less and less work coming in. Mid- 90's was the glory days for me, during summer had 4 stalls wide with 3 cars deep and turning 25 hrs. day several months consistently. Now 35-80 hrs. in half a month(too many techs., there are 26 in our shop)
25 yrs. experience, 10 years at current job, working for 22% of the labor rate. Used to be 50% when I got into this business! Not whining, just giving facts. New job is at a place called Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo. They are the local Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo service dept.
$4 more per hr. w/base guarantee of 8 hrs. day sounds good right now.
Should be some good experience working on these high end motors and suspensions. Looking forward to a change of pace. :coffeycup

[NashvilleBound]

When are they changing the Super Duty bodystyle....I need a new truck....
and good luck with the move.

[GHTRIM]

Good luck with the new job... Does Ferrari make a vehicle that can tow my boat? :rolleyes:

[HCS]

Good for you. Hope it works out.
Sounds like another one of us stuck in this sucking bussiness.
I should have never listen to my x-wifes freind 20 years ago. I wouldn't be stuck either.
But if you want to move to Northern Calif and work for Ford let me know.

[Dribble]

If you did 25 hrs a day here in Nor cal you would get rich. That would be about $180,000 a year here.

[HP350SC]

When are they changing the Super Duty bodystyle....I need a new truck....
and good luck with the move.
Thanks, google search could prolly tell you more than I could...sometimes the new models are on the lot before we hear about them- or receive books LOL.

[HP350SC]

If you did 25 hrs a day here in Nor cal you would get rich. That would be about $180,000 a year here.
What's your labor rate and hourly rate? :D

[HP350SC]

Good luck with the new job... Does Ferrari make a vehicle that can tow my boat? :rolleyes:
LOL no, but they make one that costs more than your boat....

[HP350SC]

Good for you. Hope it works out.
Sounds like another one of us stuck in this sucking bussiness.
I should have never listen to my x-wifes freind 20 years ago. I wouldn't be stuck either.
But if you want to move to Northern Calif and work for Ford let me know.
Thanks, guess i was fishing for some pep talks :D
Are you a tech. or service manager? What city in Nor Cal?

[Dr. Eagle]

Thanks, guess i was fishing for some pep talks :D
Are you a tech. or service manager? What city in Nor Cal?
He's a Hard Core Skiier...

[HammerDown]

As soon as I get my Lamborghini (any century now) :rolleyes: ...you'll be my tech. :D

[HP350SC]

Better hurry, they'll be hybrid by then :idea: But yeah I got you on my list of clientele ;)

[Tom Brown]

They are the local Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo service dept.
There ought to be no shortage of service work there. :D
Good luck, HP350SC. Good for you for trying something different instead of just sucking it up and feeling bad about your position. :cool:

[HCS]

He's a Hard Core Skiier...
Got that right! :D That works the back shop counter.
Future Nissan-Ford in Roseville CA./ Future Ford Sacramento.
Another over staffed big flat rate shop.

[HP350SC]

There ought to be no shortage of service work there. :D
Good luck, HP350SC. Good for you for trying something different instead of just sucking it up and feeling bad about your position. :cool:
Well there's just a few techs., and more of these cars out there than I thought. They are currently 3 months backlogged. Guess how much a 30K service is? 7 Large. Back half of car w/motor comes out. Cams get degreed in etc.
Tonkin is a large auto group here, the owners baby is the Ferrari shop. In the Winter, we will work on his sixty some classic cars from his private museum. He is fanatical about his vehicles being PERFECT, and each one is an open ticket (cost no object).

[HammerDown]

Guess how much a 30K service is? 7 Large.
That all...I carry that in my change pocket. :rolleyes:
Note to self...self, forget the Lambo, think Kia :notam:

[spectras only]

Does Ferrari make a vehicle that can tow my boat? :rolleyes: No , but Lambo has an SUV :D

[HP350SC]

Kind of funny, but high end cars, and even many cars at the cruise in's don't really get my interest after being around all the boat motors. Anybody else notice this?? People get all oooh ahhhh about 4-500hp :sleeping: :D

[DCBob]

HP, good luck w/the new job, hope it all works out for ya

[HP350SC]

HP, good luck w/the new job, hope it all works out for ya
Thanks man, see you guys at Shasta!

[hoolign]

If you did 25 hrs a day here in Nor cal you would get rich. That would be about $180,000 a year here.
Thats far from rich...comfortable!..but not rich

[Racer277]

Kind of funny, but high end cars, and even many cars at the cruise in's don't really get my interest after being around all the boat motors. Anybody else notice this?? People get all oooh ahhhh about 4-500hp :sleeping: :D
Right on, sounds like in your position, a move is the only way.
But you are moving in the right direction!
I'm kinda the other way on HP. I ooh and ahh over 65hp engines(really!), or 200hp in a litre. So these numbers and engines in boats just blow my mind!
Good luck with everything.

[HP350SC]

Right on, sounds like in your position, a move is the only way.
But you are moving in the right direction!
I'm kinda the other way on HP. I ooh and ahh over 65hp engines(really!), or 200hp in a litre. So these numbers and engines in boats just blow my mind!
Good luck with everything.
200hp in 1L is cool, turbo or rpm's to the moon?
This job offer was my second choice. Patiently waiting for first choice to pan out. Won't know for 3-4 months. It requires relocation to CA. Can't discuss on forum though yet. ;)

[HP350SC]

Thats far from rich...comfortable!..but not rich
I think i can make it work.... :rolleyes: :redface:

[Racer277]

200hp in 1L is cool, turbo or rpm's to the moon?
A new streetbike with good headwork will now turn 200hp!
The MotoGP guys are getting 250hp, and only one uses pneumatic valves. They just spin real fast! Oh, and they are loud... :D
If you get a chance, check out Steve Matchett's: A Mechanics Tale (book).
May be interesting as you are starting on them foreign cars. :D

[ITS ALL GOOD]

congrats on the new job, I know what you mean about these jobs paying less and less every year but unfortunatley I have found that it is hard to find another job that starts at anywhere close to what I make in a year in a field other than automotive and with 20 years experience in the field I dont really know anything else. I wish I could make a career change, I would do it in a second, but at least it looks like you found a better situation so good luck

[HP350SC]

congrats on the new job, I know what you mean about these jobs paying less and less every year but unfortunatley I have found that it is hard to find another job that starts at anywhere close to what I make in a year in a field other than automotive and with 20 years experience in the field I dont really know anything else. I wish I could make a career change, I would do it in a second, but at least it looks like you found a better situation so good luck
Thanks, I started looking a couple months ago when I went home for a day with no work. Spent my 8 hrs. developing a resume and making contacts. It's never too late to look around....never know what you might find. :clover:

[Perfect Mixer]

I know what you're going through. After 2 years I left a shop foremans position behind at BMW for a start at Porsche last week. It was a lateral move financially, but mentally it was definately a step in the right direction. The BMW shop I was in was a large store too (50 techs). Kinda nice being in a smaller more personal atmosphere. I was a little worried about changing brands, but I realized that cars are just nuts and bolts. When I started at BMW, I had never worked on a german car in my life. I'm not the quickest in the new shop, but I'm already 100% efficient after two weeks. Should be at about 16 flagged hours a day by the end of the month according to everyone around me. I agree, '96 was my best year in the industry. It's hard to believe that my first job (in 1988) as a tech, I was making $18 per flt/rt hour at an independant. They are starting guys at dealerships at less than that, more than 25 years later. And, the labor rates are twice as much to the consumer! Sorry, my rant is over. What's the worst thing that can happen? It sounds like you're a good tech. It's not hard for good techs to get good work. You just have to look.

[HP350SC]

I know what you're going through. After 2 years I left a shop foremans position behind at BMW for a start at Porsche last week. It was a lateral move financially, but mentally it was definately a step in the right direction. The BMW shop I was in was a large store too (50 techs). Kinda nice being in a smaller more personal atmosphere. I was a little worried about changing brands, but I realized that cars are just nuts and bolts. When I started at BMW, I had never worked on a german car in my life. I'm not the quickest in the new shop, but I'm already 100% efficient after two weeks. Should be at about 16 flagged hours a day by the end of the month according to everyone around me. I agree, '96 was my best year in the industry. It's hard to believe that my first job (in 1988) as a tech, I was making $18 per flt/rt hour at an independant. They are starting guys at dealerships at less than that, more than 25 years later. And, the labor rates are twice as much to the consumer! Sorry, my rant is over. What's the worst thing that can happen? It sounds like you're a good tech. It's not hard for good techs to get good work. You just have to look.
Glad to hear you're already at 100%. :) Yes the shops have slowly eroded the percentage of the labor rate we are paid. They have in their mind a certain amount they want techs to make, and they keep us there. Meanwhile your purchasing power goes down steadily. I can understand the cost of doing business going up, but not by that much of a margin.
I asked what the quickest guy in the shop can do the Ferrari 30K and it was 3.5 days. That record will fall....hahah. It is amazing how efficient you become working flat rate. You hone your skills down to the least amount of movement more or less, there are several big jobs I could do blindfolded after all these years. :wink: Gonna have to put effort into this :2purples:

[HP350SC]

Well, it went easier than I thought! Our service manager can be a real hothead, but he barely flinched when I told him I was leaving.
Stopped by the Ferrari shop on way home, great bunch of guys and very friendly. I feel much better and think I made a good decision. Man I had some serious anxiety the last few days, but it's all good now!

[Racer277]

Way to go HP, good luck with everything! :clover:
Doesn't sound like you'll need it though....

[rivercookdave]

No reason to post this other than I'm a little nervous about a job change.
Well, as a Ford dealership technician I am throwing in the towel. Warranty times have been slashed over the last several years, more and more paperwork heaped on, less and less work coming in. Mid- 90's was the glory days for me, during summer had 4 stalls wide with 3 cars deep and turning 25 hrs. day several months consistently. Now 35-80 hrs. in half a month(too many techs., there are 26 in our shop)
25 yrs. experience, 10 years at current job, working for 22% of the labor rate. Used to be 50% when I got into this business! Not whining, just giving facts. New job is at a place called Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo. They are the local Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo service dept.
$4 more per hr. w/base guarantee of 8 hrs. day sounds good right now.
Should be some good experience working on these high end motors and suspensions. Looking forward to a change of pace. :coffeycup
Know the feeling all too well,used to do 100-150 hrs a pay period,now 40-80,also used to get 50%,now get 30%,and with the menu pricing a lot of it works out to be 20%.warranty times have been cut to boot.looking to get out of wrenchin,been at the same dealership 25 yrs.have 42 yrs exper.Good luck with the Italian stuff,just remember,most of their elect.is still lucas (inventors of darkness)lol.suspensions and brakes are pretty easy and straight forward,engines are real tempermental though. The dealerships want the tech's under 25%,and that just doesnt make the house paymt. sounds like you made a good switch though. O yeah,3.5 days on a ferrari 30k,isnt out of line.you might get it down to just under 3,depends on parts.lol