mpio13
1/2 ton status
How many of you fellas are auto techs?
Anyone work for Firestone by chance?
Anyone work for Firestone by chance?
CK5
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Auto techs
- Thread starter mpio13
- Start date
10 for over 10 years .
and HELL no to chain stores.
and HELL no to chain stores.
I was a tech for about 15 years, I've moved on to more money. I still will turna wrench when I have too.
Little over 4 years and I can't wait to get out. 
zombie1969
1/2 ton status
My first job turning wrenches was with firestone back in 89.Worked for them for 3 or so years.
1BEATK5
1/2 ton status
Why do you ask? I have. Couple friends that have or are working for firestone.
If you are thinking about working there, I wouldn't suggest it. The service writers won't up sell and they rape the tech on flag times.
If you are thinking about working there, I wouldn't suggest it. The service writers won't up sell and they rape the tech on flag times.
mpio13
1/2 ton status
been with firestone for 5 years. its been pretty good. good benefits, i can go anywhere in the country and find a firestone to work in. their flat rate times are a little light: .8 for a brake job. 1.2 for an alignment service.
we do everything in my shop though, engine swaps, rear ends, suspension. and my shop is super busy all the time, so as long as i hustle im making good money.
coorperate can definately suck. they have very strict rules for alot of things, like working on my own vehicle at the shop. i have to make a work order and pay $25/hour labor (to myself!) and pay the shop for any parts. which is super ridiculous....also their tech appreciation sucks.
BUT: its been like a family. the guys in my shop all get along really well and i know everyone from all the surrounding firestones.
oh well... im not about to work for a mama/papa shop or a dealership. i like getting my hands on all different makes and models, and mama/papa shops out here are dropping like flies.
we do everything in my shop though, engine swaps, rear ends, suspension. and my shop is super busy all the time, so as long as i hustle im making good money.
coorperate can definately suck. they have very strict rules for alot of things, like working on my own vehicle at the shop. i have to make a work order and pay $25/hour labor (to myself!) and pay the shop for any parts. which is super ridiculous....also their tech appreciation sucks.
BUT: its been like a family. the guys in my shop all get along really well and i know everyone from all the surrounding firestones.
oh well... im not about to work for a mama/papa shop or a dealership. i like getting my hands on all different makes and models, and mama/papa shops out here are dropping like flies.
63chevyll
1/2 ton status
Ya know I'm glad you like it. Everybody is different and there are a lot of options for a tech.
As long as your happy, success!
But people are different and so should shops. I know guys who have worked at small shops for over 10 years, and guys who worked in dealership for over 25 years. It just depends.
Personally, the auto industry is all I have ever done. My family was in automotive and somehow I was destined to also be in automotive. Stated my 1st paying job in a shop when I was 13 years old, but also had experience and was put to work much younger.
I did work for Goodyear while starting out (and needed a job at that given time) and wouldn't trade that experience for anything. Also met a few Goodyear life'ers. Very good people and they were content with no stress and making good money.
As long as your happy, success!
But people are different and so should shops. I know guys who have worked at small shops for over 10 years, and guys who worked in dealership for over 25 years. It just depends.
Personally, the auto industry is all I have ever done. My family was in automotive and somehow I was destined to also be in automotive. Stated my 1st paying job in a shop when I was 13 years old, but also had experience and was put to work much younger.
I did work for Goodyear while starting out (and needed a job at that given time) and wouldn't trade that experience for anything. Also met a few Goodyear life'ers. Very good people and they were content with no stress and making good money.
I have never worked for a strictly automotive shop.
I worked for a John Deere dealership for 3 years. Great work, ****ty pay. Tractors are truly the easiest thing in the world to work on though.
Then I worked at Interstate Power Systems for 3 years. They are a Detroit Diesel Distributor. Decent job, decent pay, but I hate working on semis. I was a field service tech the last two years I worked there. I loved that job. Lots of windshield time, working on generators in different places all the time, not stuck in a shop.
After that I moved back home to help the old man on the farm and I worked in an independent shop on a farm. We worked on EVERYTHING. I was paid to work on Ag equipment of all makes, forklifts, lawn mowers, cars, trucks (light, medium, and heavy), semi tractors and tailors, dirt track race cars, etc. That was an interesting job, and I liked the variety, but I no longer work there.
I now just have my tools here where I live. I bartend at night, fiddle with some mechanical work when I want to, and help the old man on the farm.
Being a mechanic works for some people, but I got burned out on it. I know a LOT of people that are burned out on it. I always tell people to try something else when they ask me about becoming a mechanic.
Martin
I worked for a John Deere dealership for 3 years. Great work, ****ty pay. Tractors are truly the easiest thing in the world to work on though.
Then I worked at Interstate Power Systems for 3 years. They are a Detroit Diesel Distributor. Decent job, decent pay, but I hate working on semis. I was a field service tech the last two years I worked there. I loved that job. Lots of windshield time, working on generators in different places all the time, not stuck in a shop.
After that I moved back home to help the old man on the farm and I worked in an independent shop on a farm. We worked on EVERYTHING. I was paid to work on Ag equipment of all makes, forklifts, lawn mowers, cars, trucks (light, medium, and heavy), semi tractors and tailors, dirt track race cars, etc. That was an interesting job, and I liked the variety, but I no longer work there.
I now just have my tools here where I live. I bartend at night, fiddle with some mechanical work when I want to, and help the old man on the farm.
Being a mechanic works for some people, but I got burned out on it. I know a LOT of people that are burned out on it. I always tell people to try something else when they ask me about becoming a mechanic.
Martin
63chevyll
1/2 ton status
I always liked it,
Lots of differnt reasons tho
Lots of differnt reasons tho
if I was still in the auto industry, I'd probably hate cars the way I despise boats... thankfully I got out, so I still dig building cars/trucks...
if you enjoy bleeding, boat mechanic is where it's at!!
if you enjoy bleeding, boat mechanic is where it's at!!
63chevyll
1/2 ton status
if you enjoy bleeding, boat mechanic is where it's at!!
I said once i wanted to be a boat mechanic and put little floaties on all my tools wrenches, I had this vision of floating in the water fixed an outdrive....HA, i was way younger when i was thinking that.
I worked for Firestone back in the 90s. 2nd job turning wrenches. Started while still in high school. They even let me transfer to a store out in IL when I went to UTI. Got into dealership life when I moved back here.
I haven't turned wrenches for a living in 10 years or so. Still do it on the side for friends, family, and myself.
I haven't turned wrenches for a living in 10 years or so. Still do it on the side for friends, family, and myself.
gonefishin
1/2 ton status
I have been turning wrenches for about 12 years now I hate it so now I am going back to college
I'll occasionally have to pull an outdrive prop from a dock, couple feet under... grabbed hold of a big eel this yr.. it freakin squeemed me out like a little schoolgirl...
still get the heeby jeebies when I think about it... the only time I ever went in the water was to fix a leaking hydraulic line my fellow mechanic installed on the jet of that 1/2 million $ diesel retro i did at the last marina.... saved us like, 35 man-hr's by the time we towed it, hauled it, yada... that's when the service managers started calling me John Wayne... it had to be done, strip to shorts, grab a 1" combo wrench.... that was some skanky water at that marina too!
first thing I did after was go jump in a shower!
mpio13
1/2 ton status
Agreed. Different things for different guys. I went to trade school for automotive then just landed the job at Firestone. Been there since then, been to 3 different Firestones and I like it, but I would like to broaden my skills. Learn about farm equipment, carpentry, all that good stuff. Should probably get on that while I'm young, eh?
63chevyll
1/2 ton status
I'll occasionally have to pull an outdrive prop from a dock, couple feet under... grabbed hold of a big eel this yr.. it freakin squeemed me out like a little schoolgirl...
the only time I ever went in the water was to fix a leaking hydraulic line my fellow mechanic installed on the jet of that 1/2 million $ diesel retro i did at the last marina.... saved us like, 35 man-hr's by the time we towed it, hauled it, yada... that's when the service managers started calling me John Wayne... it had to be done, strip to shorts, grab a 1" combo wrench.... that was some skanky water at that marina too!
Ahhhhhhhhh, that sucked.
I'm always fixing guys boats, jet skis, and other water toys at the lake and most of the time its one handed cuz a beer always seems to find I way in my hand while holding a tool of some sorts.
R
RIPPEDK5
Guest
I worked for firestone. It lasted 6 months. In my opinion Don't bother. I was expected to get there at 7:30 and work after hours all the time, and still make a crappy pay check (like they said .8 for a brake job--when at balise its 2 hr per axle) Balise is my latest but I dont work on cars anymore... Going to do truck driving. easier and better pay.
Managers (at least at my surrounding Firestones) kept trying to get into my work. and everytime I had to figure out what they did and getting .2 of an hour per tire sucks to cause it didn't matter if it was an F-350 dually tire or a Geo Metro
I quit cause I just could couldnt handle the B.S any more...Props to those who are doing well and liking it though...So my tools sit in my garage to never hit another auto shop again (i do side work though)
Managers (at least at my surrounding Firestones) kept trying to get into my work. and everytime I had to figure out what they did and getting .2 of an hour per tire sucks to cause it didn't matter if it was an F-350 dually tire or a Geo Metro
I quit cause I just could couldnt handle the B.S any more...Props to those who are doing well and liking it though...So my tools sit in my garage to never hit another auto shop again (i do side work though)
I'm a Nissan master tech, been working at dealerships for almost 18 years.
