Steve Smith

Mechanics and technicians need to start and join a UNION for better pay and benefits and if the shops can't handle it they should close up and open a pizza place or a bar. Let the big chains and dealers handle it. Too many greedy mom and pop shops.

Mechanics use to be payed 50% of the labor and some got paid a smaller percentage of parts. The cost of doing business has NOT gone up that much! Something is wrong with the system. Mechanics/ technicians are getting cheated. The shop managers and shop owners are being told how their shops should be run by all these professional business advisors and their software management systems and they use the "numbers" to beat over the head of mechanics. In addition there is this whole expectation that they have to totally up to speed on all the new cars and technology. The shop owners and managers need a reality check.

What kind of benefits do you have? Do you expect the mechanics to provide their own special tools and scanners? Do you expect your mehanicd to work on Saturdays? Do you have a retirement plan for your techs? Do you have a nice House and cars for you your wife and kids? Send you kids to college? Are your mechanics barely getting by. Do you even care?

How do you guys get away with such low pay!!?? I have to pay a minimum of $20 per clock hour, IT IS THE LAW!!

Autel maxisys does a fairly good job on Asian makes. If you are on a budget try ebay for consult 3 and or 4 for starters, if you plan on doing programming I reccomend drew tech for all makes.

I like the Autel Also, have the DS708, it is pretty good on Euro, ok on Asian and domestic. Would like to get the maxisys mini or other newer autel. I like the big screen on the OTC/EVO scanners, Like the Tech 2.

Yes, problems with those batteries. I keep an extra new one for WHEN I am going to need it, Not IF I am going to need it. I have a Genisys 4.0 (2009 Dom/Asian/2010 Euro) with scope module I keep for dedicated lab scope and back up scanner in addition to my other line up(Snap on Solus/Autel ds708). Got to Radio Shack or check them online. They use to carry a RC(Radio Control) 9.6 volt package with a charger stand for about $15. I bought 2 of them when they were closing stores. Also, you could find one on ebay for a little more. Shop around ebay for better price. If you get one with out charger stand, plug in scanner after replacing battery pack and charge for at least 4 hours. There is a cover on the back with one small screw. Pull out the battery pack and carefully disconnect it so as not to pull on the wires from the mother board. Good luck and happy scanning!

I have a Genisys EVO 5.0 system with 2012 Dom/Asian/2011 Euro. Had a display screen that flickered then went dark. Inexpensive and easy fix. http://lcdpanels.com/cmc-gg1790dfcw-n-e-v1/ $129 minus 15% off and free shipping.

Some "customers", usually men, have a certain obstinate false pride about having to pay for car repairs and especially diagnosis. It's a mentality that we all have to deal with from time to time. Sometimes it is better to just "cut bait" and let it go. After many years in the business I can tell in the first few minutes of talking to a new customer(in person or over the phone) if this is somebody I even want to do business with. I have the right to refuse to do business with whomever I choose. My automotive repair shop is not a public service. I do not owe anything to anybody that calls out the blue, drops in unexpectedly or even a sometimes customer. A customers lack of planning(taking a bus, getting a ride, borrowing a car while theirs is being repaired) is not my problem. I can have this attitude, it is my choice. I am a professional and I deserve respect.

MAF - VE(volumetric efficiency)calculator. Look it up online or IATN website. Make sure and do it right with correct info entered(humidity, elevation, metric measurement of MAF grams per second from your road test recorded scan data, ect). Faulty MAF clue; p0171 bank 1 too lean AND p0174 bank 2 too lean codes together on a v6 or v8 engine, especially off idle(no manifold vacuum leaks). P0171 only on a 4 cylinder. Verify no vacuum leaks, fuel pressure/volume, O2 response. Verify faulty MAF with VE test.

Let me fill you guys in on some facts of LAW and it will give you an idea on what shop owners, dealers and auto repair companies and franchises have been getting away with(illegally). By the way, good pay and benefits and job security WILL "attract quality people". In California, the law requires an employer to pay a mechanic TWICE the minimum wage, which currently would be 18 dollars an hour. Automobile Mechanics/Technicians Must Be Paid For Every Hour On-Duty. Many automobile mechanics are paid based on a flat rate basis. This means that the mechanic is paid based on vehicles repaired and revenue generated, which is commonly calculated based on the number of hours flagged. However, some auto dealerships and repair facilities fail to pay all mandatory wages to flat rate mechanics. Automobile mechanics are entitled to be paid for all hours flagged PLUS be separately paid for all time at work when not flagging hours (such as waiting for work, downtime, shop clean up, attending meetings, free multi-point inspections, free diagnostic work, re-do repairs, unpaid repairs/work, test drives, time it takes to retrieve and return a car to the lot, driving to pick up parts, and any other time you are required to be at work but are not flagging hours). Additionally, you are entitled to be paid overtime wages for all hours on-duty in excess of 8 hours per shift and/or 40 hours per week. Mechanics can generally recover unpaid wages up to 4 years prior to the filing of a lawsuit, and recovery penalties ranging from 1 year to 3 years. Common examples of violations include: If a mechanic spends two hours at the shop waiting for a vehicle to repair, the mechanic must be paid at least minimum wages for these two hours. If a mechanic is allotted 4 hours to perform a repair and then receives no work for the other 4 hours in the shift, the mechanic is entitled to 4 hours of pay at the flat rate plus 4 hours of pay at the minimum wage rate. If a mechanic flags 10 hours from 8am to 3pm, but has no work (or attends a meeting, etc) from 3pm to 5pm, the mechanic is entitled to 10 hours of pay at the flat rate plus 2 hours of pay at the minimum wage rate. If a mechanic is required to redo a repair and the shop does not credit any flag hours toward the redo, the mechanic must be paid at the minimum wages for as long as it takes to complete the redo. If a mechanic is on-duty for more than 8 hours in a shift (regardless of the hours flagged or time spent waiting for work), the mechanic must be paid time and a half for all additional time. If a mechanic works 40 hours Monday through Friday, and works 6 hours on Saturday, all 6 hours worked on Saturday must be paid at the overtime rate.

I stop working. Say Hi. Go get a cup of coffee or a soda. If they don't get the hint, I just have the service desk people get them out.

I get it. However, shop service folks that handle the phones just need to know how to talk to people and reason with them. "Sir, water pump costs about $$ to $$$. It is possible that something else is needed or more than just a water pump to fix it right. It might cost less or possibly more. Best thing to do is have us check it out for you first. Come on by!" I can tell you a lot customers, especially men, do NOT like paying for a "diagnosis". add it in to the labor cost for the job, but always pay the tech/mech for time spent "checking it out"( diagnosis) whether the job is approved or not. Of course you probably knew all of this already.

Better pay and benefits. Better working conditions. Respect. Stop with the "we need Mr. so and so's car done by such and such a time because he is a good customer or she is a friend of ours".....does not matter. give the technician proper tools, equipment, supplies and good quality parts to do a professional job and it gets done when its done, no sooner.

typical ignorant "attack" the truth response from some random a hole greedy shop owner. no fail here chump ricer. take the blue pill punk.

I have worked in gas stations, dealerships, small shops, large shops, had my own shop and worked for a major manufacture research and engineering department. Master ASE, smog license for 30 years. The mistreatment, disrespect, and under valuation on almost all levels of mechanic and technician occupations and jobs will never change unless we UNIONIZE AND FORCE THE GREEDY business owners to pay a fair a decent wage and benefits. If that forces some shops to close good riddance. If a lot of low level mechanics, hacks, gravy grabbers and money whores lose their jobs...good riddance.

The shop owners, managers, dealerships and repair chains are all getting rich off the hard work and tools of the low level to high level mechanics and technicians.