Been there myself. Also watched an associate get ripped (and rip off others himself) working at his own shop (I had to correct some mistakes he made in reassembling a Mercedes Diesel engine, in re-connecting the glow plugs - he charged the customer for new ones, when the old weren't bad, but the wiring skipped three of them). Actually had one woman who was dating a lawyer sue me over a replacement a/c compressor for her car that was defective, not giving me the opportunity to change it myself. I did everything right: changed the receiver/dryer, flushed the whole system, replaced the expansion valve, found a leak and even replaced the evap. core, and poured oil in the compressor before installing it, and re-oiled the rest of the system before adding the freon. It crapped out in real short order but she took it elsewhere and told me afterward. That's my reward for my work. She paid an extra $370 elsewhere to re - do the whole thing and wanted her money back from me... Found out from others that she was a "B" like that, when discussing it with them... People are growing worse as the money we use becomes more inflated. It was like that way back in the beginning when Congress had the meetings to correct these matters. All the problems we are having today pretty much went away with correction of the money. Congress gave up the right to control the currency back in 1913. I could go on... We all have bad experiences as mechanics or as shop foremen. I have done both. There are some that treat their mechanics well, but they are few in number. All you can do if you decide to pursue a career as a mechanic is be selective about your customers. You do have the right, if you put up a sign, to refuse service to anyone, if you are your own boss. You don't have that option if you are at a dealership, but the shop foreman has to take the hit instead of you; of course, if you were at fault, he will likely come down on you; but, the dealership will likely be able to collect, whereas you alone will have more trouble, when it comes time to collect. I tore down a Beetle engine for this dude and when I told him I wanted core charges until I finished rebuilding, to cover my costs of the crank and several other cores, he balked and changed his mind. I told him I wanted $100 for taking the engine out and tearing it down. He gave me a check and then stopped payment on it. I suspect he would have not paid me anything upon completion , so I was only out the hundred, and kept his crank (the core) and shipped it, and the new one and used it later. Couple yeaars later, I found out that the stop payment at his bank was only good for 30 days... Stanley
________________________________ From: Creative Residential Designs <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, August 1, 2009 11:34:33 PM Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Need good advice That is about the same story that Bob tells about being an auto mechanic for 32 years. He got his degree and then busted his butt and bought over $80,000 in tools. He got nowhere. Now we both go out into my shop and just work on our own stuff and that's hard enough. We both enjoy it though. I wouldn't do it for anyone but myself....I saw how customers acted towards Bob when he had his own shop. Bunch of morons that suddenly know more about fixing their car than the mechanic and then don't want to pay. ----- Original Message ----- >From: Dennis Hammerl >To: [email protected] >Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 10:04 PM >Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Need good advice > > >Save your money and consider some other vocation. I have done this for 42 >years and don't recommend it to anyone. You spend a ton of bucks to get a >beginner level education and start for a pittance at a dealer. If you're >lucky, you get to attend some factory schools and find out how much you don't >know. Get more money now, not likely. The shop that charged you $...@hr paid >the tech less than $20. Smell the coffee yet ? After about three years you may >be considered for promotion to ?? (and a few more bucks) In a family owned >biz, you won't get far. Stick it out long enough (like ten years) and you will >be able to find a job with somebody else and start all over again. How long >does the average tech last in the field ? About three years. High turn-over of >personnel. To last, you have to apply yourself and learn how to get along >without stuff you'd like to have. Making yourself indispensable is a good idea >but that opportunity doesn't come too often. Outlasting everybody else at a dealership does get you to the top (if you're good) After 23 years behind the wheel, you don't want to spend the time to get ahead and your own shop will bankrupt you fast. I did that too. In short, it isn't worth it. Remember the story about what you call a musician without a girlfriend ? homeless. They aren't alone. I've been fortunate to have made it this far, it wasn't easy. Now I get to take flak from owners on-line. Nothing new. You'll make more money flipping burgers and waiting for a promotion to manager. That'll happen sooner too. I've trained more people than I can count and they come and they go. Something about how much time you spend changing Gold Wing tires as compared to how often you get to have a white-knuckled test ride on a rocket bike. The grass is always greener... till. My idea of a great job in the field would be a service rep. $60+K @yr. That is till you find out what living in motels is all about. No home life. Honda has only five in the US. Endless driving. Two more years and I retire. No pension, no bennies. Why did I do this ? I actually like it. I don't think I could make it doing something I hated. Most people do. My first wife cleaned me out big-time when I was 38... start over. I'm a survivor in a world full of ups and downs. This is what I do and I do it very well. At least that's something. Since 1967, I've worked for many dealers. Two closed up and I was out on the street, one was sold and the new owner fired everybody, the next one paid out with rubber checks and I left. BUT, you do get to enhance your resume each time. Finally, you settle in. > >--- On Sat, 8/1/09, steven click <[email protected]> wrote: > > >>From: steven click <[email protected]> >>Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Need good advice >>To: [email protected] >>Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009, 9:06 PM >> >> >>I have been driving truck for 23 yrs Last month I was diagnosed with >>congestive heart failure, early stages. My wife , who is a nurse wants be out >>of the truck. She wants me to go to motorcycle mechanics school an eventually >>open my own shop. Only good schools I can find on the net are Wyotech an >>motorcycle mechanics instute. I know the local little shop the other day >>charged me $60 an hour just to fix a flat tireAll advice welcomed. Ride safe >>an free Derby >> >> >> > >> > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
