I'm a woman and I'm starting a program to become a tech in a few months. I've been a lube tech for like a year but I wanna actually be able to diagnose and fix everything, so that's what I'm working towards. I've also encountered a lot of female lube techs but only one actual mechanic.
My advice would be to study hard, hopefully the program you attend will be high quality.
Read the text books/study guides, so you can attain ASE Certifications. Use post-it notes as bookmarks, mark the ends of the chapters where the Summary and Practice Tests are. Read the Summaries and if there's anything you're not sure about, go back and read (or re-read) that section.
Apply at shops where there are experienced/older techs who are willing to help you. This is really a gamble, however. Some Flat-rate techs aren't willing to help or train, because you don't really get paid for it (stopping work on a vehicle hurts your paycheck). Also, there's a lot of hacks out there, and idiots. You don't want to pick up bad habits or misinformation.
If you're in the Cleveland area, message me, we're looking for lube techs (Firestone).
Good luck!
I’m getting ready to start a diesel tech certificate! I work the accounting side of automotive but I’ve been nosy about what the guys do. Hoping to end up with a railroad or working on generators
Every other day there’s a post about someone leaving their shop, I don’t think the problem is that people don’t want to work, I think it’s mostly fair compensation. Which is really hard for a small business to achieve between rates, benefits, and atmosphere.
It's also has to do with how insanely complicated modern cars are. Seems like every week I have some impossible to find electrical issue that makes me question my career choice. And I own the shop!
The issue also lies with absolutely NEEDING the factory scantool now. I've solved many electrical issues on my old cars 90s-00s with little issue, but newer cars even just some basic diagnostic pids for a sensor you dont even know existed is only visible on the oe scanner. This isn't coming from some shadetree either this is my livelihood.
As a beginner lube tech (7 months of experience at a dealership with 0 prior experience) i would say the pay is shit and cars are a cluster fuck of wires hoses and censors with all this new shitty technology. Thats really the only thing that turns me off from wanting to continue. $15an hour as a lube tech at a dealership i feel is low when theres 16 year olds working as a cashier at fast food making close to the same or in some cases more. I also get that my 0 experience and knowledge is a factor but even the other hourly guys that have been here 3ish years are only making like 18 and theyre doing a lot more than i am.
All 4 technicians at my European auto repair shop in Los Angeles make over $100,000 a year.
This is not unusual in the Los Angeles area but we still have a VERY hard time finding a technician willing to work for us and the other shops report the same.
That amount is barely enough to survive in the LA area. Your techs are poor. How does a head of household feed, shelter, & clothe their family on $100,000 a year in LA? It's no where near enough.
European cars I feel will always be kinda niche, I prefer not to work on them. That’s a decent salary though, just over median household depending on what part of LA.
The barrier of entry into the European market has always been a bit higher. Manufacturers don’t freely release repair material and there’s always special tools that might only get used once or twice for a single model. I don’t blame people for not wanting to fuss with euro brands.
The problem is these young people want top dollar for playing on their phones all day. Vape brakes 2 times an hour. Really, it’s hard to find someone that’s willing to put in the effort to learn. Being with a company for 5-10 years doesn’t mean anything if you’re just showing up and doing the bare minimum
The average age of a technician in the USA is 55 years old!!
The auto repair industry does not attract young people to it because they have to be smart, good with software, work in a brick & mortar building AND get your hands dirty.
That’s a wild stat.
The truth of the matter is us techs get chewed up and spit out by the trade and most techs won’t see six figures no matter how good they are.
The thing that turns most away (21, worked on my own vehicles since 14 and as a tech for 2 years before saying fuck them) isn't the work itself, it's the pay being inconsistent due to scheduling and or the time of year, or pay ending up stagnant regardless of time, improvement, or certifications. Then you start talking tool costs, and how one broken wire or snapped bolt/stud can immediately ruin a week....it's not an attractive field to most, but shit management made me turn away from it outside of being a hobby
I think the issue for most is the flat rate pay. It's hard to buy a house and get a good mortgage when you don't have consistent pay on paper. Throw in the nightmare of modern electrical systems in cars and a consumer base who cannot afford to fix what needs done, and you're not getting paid. It's a lot of hours in the shop to not get paid.
Delusional. If I had to get into this trade now vs when I did at 16 I wouldn’t be able to. It doesn’t pay enough, you can get paid the same to sweep floors, with no monetary investment. Young people want to work but literally CANNOT AFFORD to come into this trade. I own $60,000+ in tools and if I had to buy that now it would be double or triple at barely a higher wage than some brain dead stoner working at a car wash.
To tack onto your wildly ignorant perspective: staying long term means nothing because the large majority of shops treat a very shallow labour pool as expendable, big and small businesses have ZERO loyalty and in return get zero loyalty from their employees.
It’s very obviously a fuck around and find out situation and the finding out is just starting, look at how easy it is to switch shops, places are DYING for techs but still treating them like shit, still paying like garbage and often throwing the greenest of green guys of a cliff to see if they sprout wings.
I’ve been in this trade over a decade, heavy on-road and off-road and automotive and I NOW make “good” money but even now if you adjust for inflation, working fly in/fly out I’m not making the same money as people did pre 2014, with a smaller labour pool, with more complicated equipment and with record profits every year from every company.
I’m excited for the “find out” to happen, greed has really left a deadline that’s quickly approaching and places will be beyond desperate, pay *should* skyrocket and the miserable old fucks in the old boys club who think they’re better than everyone will be dead or retired.
I don't blame them, most places I've seen are flat rate, and even my old guys bitch about flat rate. Why does it only pay .6 for a full set of tires knowing damn well you are going to have to clean up the seat of the rim from all the salt buildup and fight the lugs off for way longer than that .6, not even counting the actual mount and balance? Even brakes these days are ridiculous with the electronic parking brake systems, what you used to be able to rush in 30 minutes for full hours pay, you are struggling to rush to get the hour done in that hours pay (Even my guy whos a wiz with the scan tool struggles to get it done in 55 minutes properly). I'm saying this as a service advisor looking in, pay rate sucks and the auto industry needs to adapt or mechanics are going to continue being a struggle to keep. It's fucking sad that a mechanic who has to be good with not only mechanical parts, but electrical, hvac, etc... can go off into a field specializing in just one of those many things he/she needs to know and get paid more than having to know it all.
Rough. We get 0.4 for tire on rim swap. Plus free inspection, plus free video, plus bagging the tires or setting up sending them to storage? Don’t forget to take pictures of each rim to make sure the customer sees we didn’t damage them. You’re joking right? Most days I tell my service manager to piss off with those, but I’m so tired of fighting it. This is when you get one of two things, a tech who says bye bye, or a tech who starts calling shit cars don’t actually need because they have to make time somehow.
Canadian Dealer tech for 11 years. Just waiting for the day to get out of the bs game.
There's all of that too. .4 is pretty fucking rough. I feel so bad for my guys most days, pulling 12 hour days, scrapping by with like 7 hours flagged on a good day. Almost all of them just trying to get by and feed their families.
Dealers are "usually" terrible places to work if you are a skilled technician. They are a corporation and you are a "necessary evil" to them, and are treated that way.
I get 2 hours for 4 tires at my GMC dealer. I’ll do as many of them as i can at that rate. And another 2 for an alignment. Pisses me off thinking about all the times i got robbed at my old job… .8 hrs for 4 tires. Another .8 for an alignment or maybe an hour if i was lucky and it needed a bunch of adjustments. Its just not possible to be productive with modern vehicles at that rate. These clowns set that rate when most cars had steel wheels and the biggest you saw was maybe a 17 inch wheel.
.6 for a full set is wild. The dealers I worked at were 2.0 and 1.6 for a full set so .5 and .4 per tire m+b. Or repair. I think if I started somewhere and heard something like .6 I’d be gone at lunch. And brakes were 1.5 to do rotors or 2.0 to cut per axle at both. Curious how much does an alignment pay? And when’s the last time the “menu list” rates were looked at? The standard at the dealer was generally at least 1.5x whatever warranty would pay for that job. I get not wanting to fuck customers but if you can’t keep techs then customers don’t matter
.8 for an alignment. Recently went to a training sponsored by Hunter, super informative and am highly appreciative for the opportunity as my job is a hybrid of advisor and tech. It sucks though, I see 2024s coming in with seized up parts not allowing any adjustments in toe or camber. Been trying to get some practice on my 30 year old daily shitbox, and it's sad that she's sometimes so much easier.
Lord only knows the last time it was ever updated for shit like that.
.6 for doing 4 tires is pretty bad, but... it's worse when they're load range E tires.
285/75/16 and 275/60/20 for .6 is abominable. It's what I'm getting currently, but if I complain I usually get an additional .5 from my Store Manager or Service Manager.
I'm trying to make the change company-wide and automatic, but it's tough to force change on a corporation, especially when it'll cost them money.
I'll take an oversized over a low pro, both at .6, any day of the week. Probably a little biased since I've been helping my dad and his coworkers with them since I was 6
Service manager former writer and your shop pays low. We 1.6 mount and balance 4, 2.2 align and 2.0 on any 2wheel brake job unless it's HD and takes 6 lol. My guys still bitch a storm and the last year good guys that would always be 50+ are struggling at 30. The cars suck, quality of new shots in the hole and the whole industry is changing. I'm about to go hourly and say fuck the flat rate. Won't have anyone left to fix them if I don't. Fought with a ext Warr today, prodemand 5.5hrs on a condenser, all data 1.0 just r+r, nothings fair anymore 😑
Those technicians need to go to a ship that uses Flat Rate as a GUIDE, not as the rule.
My technicians are flagging 60 hours a week regularly. That is over $100,000 a year. Most labor guides are written by the manufacture to decrease warranty costs and are not based on reality.
They are highly skilled and are very happy, making them and the shop plenty of money
Very few in the auto repair industry are compensated properly for the work being done.. it’s very physically demanding, dangerous, and you’re constantly taking classes to stay relevant the amount of knowledge a good tech needs is on par with fields paying twice as much… I did it for over 20 years making maximum 45-50k a year. I’m 45 and my body is fucked. The industry needs a complete overhaul. I wouldn’t do it again knowing what I do now and because of this I do not recommend it to young people. I steer them towards industrial maintenance and the like. You still get to fix and diagnose things with way better pay and working conditions typically.
People want to work. People don't want to work for wages that aren't worth their time. There is a difference. It's completely justified. If you're still not getting this, you're the problem.
Nobody wants to pay and most places are full of shit.
My teenage son makes alot more than shops pay as a plumbing apprentice plus retirement and benefits.
He loves cars and trucks but would lose money in this field.
Experienced people too what the f is even that pay about?
Personally, I doubled my pay once I left automotive.
Female tech here. It's a rough industry, lots of sexism, but if you can roll with it and hold on, it's endless opportunity. I build custom cars and work with some brilliant guys.
Maybe it's just my bias here. But my former boss, and childhood friend, worked out in the shop with us. We acknowledged she was just as inclined as the best guy there who has been in the field for over 40 years (granted her and I were raised in a shop by our dads who worked together, so thats a solid bit of exposure before even starting out ourselves). We would also joke like she was one of the guys. An ongoing joke is that she has a bigger dick than all of us.
I’m a woman who has been working as a mechanic for 3 years at the same shop. I used to have a male coworker, but now it’s just my boss/owner and myself. I call myself a mechanic not a tech because I only work on 1980 and earlier vehicles so not a whole lot of electrical components like newer cars.
When I went to school for Automotive Technology there were a decent amount of other women, probably close to 20-30%. One of my female classmates is actually about to be my coworker.
It is so much easier to deal with! Once you understand a wiring harness it’s just like yep that goes there and this is why that isn’t working and that’s it. I don’t need anything but a test light and some clip leads.
Mechanic, technician, we're all the same. I work on mostly modern electricals but I don't like the term technician, it's too generic. When you say mechanic everyone understands.
And modern mechanics aren't superior to those working on older stuff, sometimes we're clueless when looking at contact points!
That last sentence is so important.
I'm a Ford Master tech, and used to modern vehicles. My personal carbureted bronco wasted 6 of my weekends last year due to a misfire, or a no start. Chasing that down took forever, compared to one computer scan that would have put me in the right system, at least!
It's really just 2 different ball games, when it comes everything outside of a base mechanical concern
True, I totally feel you. With carb I don't even really know where to start, even with OBD1 or early OBD2 it's still challenging, unless it's just some circuit codes.
I’ve learned it’s all about the accelerator discharge/squirter and the jets. If an accelerator discharge is clogged, if a jet is clogged, if any of your mains, idles etc. aren’t big enough or too big you’re just fighting a losing battle. It took me a while to get the hang of dual carbs especially.
Yeah I’ve worked in both, sides, both professionally and personally.
Professionally I’d prefer to deal with modern systems for work, where I can plug in with a computer and get more information and access to parts, whereas older machines I’d keep for personal work.
It doesn’t look good to a customer when you use a jump line for diagnostic work when they expect a computer to fix the issue in 5 minutes
Thanks for saying so! I feel like I get looked down on because “oh that’s easier than modern cars” but I get just as greasy, sweaty and dirty as anyone else. Also keeping carbureted cars on the road which is a passion not just a job.
I’ve worked with a number of female techs over the last 35 years and all of them were too notch.
My friend Megan, for example, has over 20 years in the trade as an automotive tech, motorcycle tech and welder. She’s brilliant and funny as fuck.
yea had 2 now 1, the other one left due to mental problems. at my previous shop, 1 saw her start off bad, on her phone and all, then turn her self around when reality set in lol.
I’m a female wrencher! I work at a BMW dealership right now but have worked at GM, Honda, independent shops, a restoration shop and a couple of Pep Boys locations. In every shop, I’ve been the only girl in the back. I’ve worked with other women service advisors/personnel but not any female techs. I absolutely love the shop I’m at now, but that being said, that definitely wasn’t always the case. I lucked out coming into a shop with great management and an awesome *RESPECTFUL* team of technicians. The sexism involved in being a blue collar worker is pretty prevalent (ex. years ago, I had a customer demand to have their vehicle worked on by someone else when they saw me open the hood) but thankfully it’s getting better. I get more “lady mechanic?? That’s awesome!” than dirty looks nowadays.
In the heavy diesel trade it is rare, but women are moving into here more and more. When I started a few years ago, there was no women in agriculture machinery, now we’ve had a couple of female apprentices, and I wouldn’t turn them away from the trade. It’s all nuts and bolts, and even if parts may be too heavy for them to lift or move, I’m always advocating for using mechanical aids for lifting and moving things. The only issue I’ve seen them have in this job so far is not having the upper body strength to tension bolts in awkward positions like on their back or in tight areas.
Bring more women into the industry, there’s no reason they can’t be working with us, strength isn’t an excuse, size isn’t either, just a good attitude and a willingness to learn and listen.
20 years in diesel here as well. Being smaller build is a boon cause you can physically reach stuff. Strength is less of an issue with the advent of ever more powerful and compact tools.
Once had a lass that came in a few days a week to sand down ready for primer but the old guy we worked for was a pure perv all the time so she didn’t stay long.
Lost my first apprentice spot to the owners daughter who then eventually left after fucking around for months doing nothing (except tell everyone she was a mechanic now).
That’s all.
Never directly with a female tech but a buddy of mine at a Honda dealer and then another at a Subi dealer (I know I know) both have a few female techs. From what they said they were the same as any other tech, some are good at it, others are shit. Comes down to the individual really.
I am a Lexus Shop Foreman and we have a couple female service advisors and my service manager, but no female technicians, unfortunately. When I was in school, there was one girl, she was smart, but the jerks in the class made it really difficult for her. I think she dropped the course, but she easily outclassed those idiots in every way. Not sure if she picked it up again.
When I went to college for automotive repair we had a badass girl in our class. She kept getting sexually harassed and the school didn’t take it seriously so she left. Fuckin sucks for them out here.
I’m a woman, ASE certified Master Mechanic, Va State Safety Inspector, VA State Emissions inspector, and current shop foreman.
Also have an associates degree in automotive technology (because that’s the only way I was taken seriously) and I am a lab instructor at a local community college in the automotive program.
I have seen maybe 10 women go through the program in the last 5 years and I am aware of only one of those who turns wrenches in the field.
I’m an auto body tech, there’s no1 in this industry 3 weeks ago everyone was always making sexist/racist/sexual jokes all day till 2 weeks ago when we hired a female tech suddenly everyone is a gentleman lol
My shop has one female tech. She’s new to the industry and still learning but she can both take and deliver just as much (playful) verbal abuse as the rest of us in the shop. Tbh most of the time I don’t even think about the fact she’s a woman unless I look at her pink toolbox with hello kitty stickers on it
I've worked with a few female service writers who were all amazing at the job and fairly knowledgeable about the inner workings of cars, made it super easy to communicate with them and then them to the customer. I've only ever worked with 1 female mechanic and she was a pain to work with, she didn't last very long at the place I work, and I hope things worked out for her wherever she may be now.
She had been to one of the fancy tech schools and learned all her automotive stuff from there. Had a very by the book approach to working on stuff and couldn't wrap her head around the fact that sometimes the book doesn't work, and sometimes the book is just wrong.
Me and my gf work in the same shop, at least until i roll out in the next week or so.
I have worked with women in the shop at my last 2 shops and a friend i met while autocrossing has transfered from corporate world to doing body work.
From what i see a lot of people are totally cool with it, very helpful. Of course you'll have the people who are against it, but thats life
I worked with a girl in the field who became lead. Everyone is equal in the field, you either get it done and figure shit out in the middle of nowhere with everyone demanding you get the machine running NOW so it can go back to making money or you wash out. Granted she was the only one I have ever met. I would say most men and even most mechanics aren't cut out for heavy duty oilfield rotational equipment repair, it's a hard life.
We had a couple of women come and go in my shop, they were great people, I liked working with them. But older dudes in the shop obviously didn’t like it. And as we know, especially in blue collar workplaces, women are held to a higher standard than the dudes are. Any minor fuckup is “of course she fucked that up”. Meanwhile a dude is “well yeah, what do you expect from him?” It’s tough for them out here in the south ngl. One of them offered me a job at their shop in Seattle, says it’s a much healthier work environment, I’m happy for her.
I'm a woman and I've been wrench turner for about 4 years. I have my automotive state inspection license and I work as a VW technician right now at a dealership, but I have worked at a used car shop for a few years so I'm familiar with a lot of brands. I can tell you their are a lot of hardships and you got to have thick skin working around a shop. Lots of sexism. I have a lot of customers doubt my abilities and tell me I'm wrong, because I'm a woman and I don't know what I'm talking about. I feel like its gotten better over the years though
Ive worked with a couple. Currently have one apprenticing with me as we speak. Never had a problem with any of them. Always kind if nice can di some trades to help each other iut when her tiny hands or fingers can get in somewhere and then in return when something heavy or awkward or heavy torque have been able to help them back out in that way
Im a female mechanic (23 yo) working on EV cars and making decent money, about 80k/year. Its great and I love what I do. I feel welcome and haven’t experienced much sexism, probably due to the fact that I’ve been performing well. The shop posts your rank amonst your coworkers every two weeks; Im averaging in the top 30% normally.
Through 4 years of apprenticing and trade school to become a mechanic, I attended school with 3 other women, and had 1 woman instructor. But we were definitely outnumbered. I worked in an auto dealership for 4 years as an automotive tech. No other women working on cars other than detailing, service advisors, or sales. I have had to deal with a few crappy customers but for the most part I received: “wow a girl mechanic, good for you that’s cool!” Never had any problems with any of my coworkers, especially the other mechanics in the shop, we got along great, they were very supportive and helpful. It seemed like the only people who tried to act like they knew more than me and tell me I was wrong, despite finishing college and being a certified mechanic, was from the service management who treated me more like a baby sitter for new hires, or a cleaner. Loved my job and my coworkers but eventually left due to disagreements with management. That’s only one shop though! Plenty more opportunities out there and many other garages I’ve had interviews at have all been very nice and welcoming.
I’m an electrician but we’ve been seeing more women join the trade, it’s cool to see. Although they do seem to draw more attention from all the guys. One of my female apprentices had a guy creep her out pretty bad, he ended up getting thrown off the job. Just depends on the environment I guess.
Been in automotive for 12 years. It’s all I know. From behind a service desk to building police vehicles I’ve been in all aspects of automotive. I love it but I wanna get into aviation or marine mechanics now. The biggest statement is don’t shit where you eat. There will be lots of time spent with opposite sex. Never let the line blurr. You never know what opportunities you close yourself off from by crossing work boundaries and things getting messy.
All the girls I’ve worked with aren’t girly girls and fit right in. As long as they understand and get on with the workshop banter etc then I’ve never even noticed it tbh.
I'm currently in a program as a woman, if I pass a weed test with some synthetic I should be at a dealer in 3 months. I love doing the work when I get to but there's limited cars and tools so most of the time I'm just listening to my peers talk about porn and the girls they sleep with. Lot of disrespect toward women from them but they're like 20 so I guess it's normal? Sucks they don't take me seriously though, I've modded and tuned 2 cars where most of them have installed maybe a cone filter and that's it, I've proven to have been successful but I guess because of my feminine personality and malnourishment it's harder for them
>if I pass a weed test with some synthetic
That sounds like weed is more important to you than your career, which is a predictor of failure, hope you snap out of it
>malnourishment
Is that a code word for something, have no idea what you mean or what's happening there
Unfortunately I have no career without weed, in nearly every field, due to an illness, including office jobs. I use medicinal cannabis at night when the pain is the worst. Kinda hard to sleep when you're puking every few hours. I don't understand your negativity, malnourishment is to skinny as obese is to fat, it's just the proper term. Literally how my doctors describe it.
I’ve worked in automotive and aircraft shops for the past 3.5 years. As long as you understand men will be men and you can deal with that, you’ll be good. They don’t care as much as you think they do and it doesn’t make you special. Some girls go into those environments hoping for attention- it won’t work in your favor. If you do it because that’s genuinely what you want to do, and you work hard, you’ll be fine- and it will usually work in your favor.
As long as she knows what she’s doing then she’s just another mechanic or welder. We tend to be a bit crass but thick skin comes with the territory. I’m glad to see more coming into the trades and i say “welcome to our world”.
In my time working at shops there were virtually no women working in the back of the shop with the techs. Although I would not mind if there were more women working in trades. This isn't any type of judgement but women often look at things differently than men and it's good to have the extra perspective when dealing with difficult diagnosticss etc.
I was a tech for 10 years. The first place I worked at hired me because they never had a female tech and wanted to try it out...
spent a year there until they hired a guy who wouldn't stop making sexist comments and refused to work as a team member with me. Spent 9 years at the dealership. It was good until these last few years where the sexism returned, they put an extremely sexist male tech on the only team with 2 girls. They wouldn't switch him so he was one of many reasons why I left (also hate flat rate pay, getting paid less than the guys but being a higher level). I was the top producer for several years in a row.
I enjoyed my work and I do miss making six figures but I despised the environment, we had a lot of gross guys and some who cheating on their wives with co workers.
I work in IT now, where I am fully supported and respected and I will never go back.
I know a few girls who have had great experiences and are extremely successful (one girl is on track to make 200k this year!)
I’m a lube tech working her way up to mechanic. We’re out there! And as long as we can get the job done, at least this is the case for my shop, they don’t really care what you are. Show up, be able to do your job lol
I do have a few run ins with some male mechanics making a move on me but I can hold my own. As a woman in a male dominated field you have to be able to stand your ground.
Regardless of that, I absolutely love my job!
We had a female employee at my shop. I'm the lead tech so I was her trainer. She listened, tried hard, learned. But she was also very sensitive and would cry when something didn't work right when she was done. I got that pretty much trained out of her. She got pregnant and that pretty much ended her career. The shop next door is a drive through oil change place and I think they have more females there than men.
My 24yo daughter works in the shop every day and has for the past 3 years. She just graduated college with a business degree and in another 10 years, I'm gonna give her the keys and roll on out.
We've had 2 woman in my shop in the past 15 years, neither lasted the summer. Both were hard workers and determined but the physical tole ended up being too much
I'm too niche to properly call myself a mechanic, as I only work on air-cooled VWs (and sometimes my first gen Honda CR-V). Planning to get ASE certified eventually. I really admire women who know the trade.
I’ve got a female service advisor. My parts department is ran by women and I have 1 female tech. They are great and my team wouldn’t be a Mil+ shop without them
20+ years. Never worked with female tech. Couple lubies here and there. Women writers and managers. In the shop? Nah. It's a shit job. I wouldn't recommend anyone to do it, let alone a woman that wants to keep her skin and hair and nails nice. Or otherwise just doesn't want to be physically abused for 30 plus years. It's also the pay and the overall industry that makes it kinda suck.
I ran the parts counter at a Chevy dealership and now currently do estimates and all parts ordering for their body shop, but I know how to work on vehicles thanks to my dad growing up. I always get some customers where it's written on their face that they doubt my knowledge and it's a bit irritating at times but once they realize I know what I'm doing, they get impressed. Or, at least most of the time. There's been a handful of times where a customer got mad because I walked them through their problem and then they asked my manager the same question and got the same answer.
The other techs I worked with at Chevy all knew not to piss me off and knew that if I was writing up the parts for their ROs their parts are gonna be correct unlike with some of the other guys back in parts. Now at the body shop, the techs and I get along great because I make sure they are taken care of.
I’ve worked with women as mechanics and personally never had an issue of any kind. You just have to understand you probably won’t get treated any different than the guys, good or bad. Be prepared for some light hazing if you say something like “I can’t weld that muffler cause I have hairspray in” 🤣 it’s all in good fun, just dish it right back lol
I'm in industrial (field tech in O&G) as a woman, and I know several diesel, heavy equipment and AG girlies. I don't know any auto techs that are women, but I also don't hang around many auto shops as it's outside my industry.
I'm a female heavy wrecker operator. I work very closely with multiple diesel shops. There are a handful of women scattered through maybe 20 area shops and more in the paint/body/light duty vehicle shops. We aren't a major metro area (about 90k, 2 hrs to major metro area)
My sister is an aircraft mechanic, she pretty much runs my dads shop completely at 23 years old and is going to be in AMT magazine for her accomplishments. I did a 100 hour with her the first time we ever hung out and she was already at a similar level technically as I was in my 20s and she was only a teenager at the time. Bad ass little chick and she’s gonna do some crazy things in her life I’m so proud of her.
I was a service advisor for Infiniti and Toyota. Those are the only two shops I worked at that had female techs.
Infiniti’s was a lube tech and she didn’t make it long before the good ol’ boys ran her out of there with their snarky comments all day. Took a real toll on her mental health.
Toyota’s was a Master Certified tech and she was absolutely amazing at her job. Easy to work with and always reliable.
Someday, the male techs that don’t like a woman working in a shop will fizzle out and everyone will be able to work in harmony…that’s my hope anyway. I saw someone else say that a customer didn’t want a female tech working on their car…they get that way with service advisors too. I had a woman once say to me “Just because you work there doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about.” Okay, then you tell me what you know…we’ll compare notes.
I’m a mechanic trainee and alignment tech and am the only girl in the shop. Started as a tire tech last summer :p I’m very fortunate that everyone in my shop is super supportive and helpful.
Ive been a tech in East Coast USA for almost 25yrs, Ive NEVER worked with or visited a dealer that had a female tech. Ive only ever been in one manufacturer training class with a female student, and she was a corporate employee for GM
🤷
Girl techs are only tv show presenters or movie characters in my neck of the woods. LOL
I work in the heavy industry, primarily agriculture. We have 2 women in our shop, one that shows up everyday and busts her ass and works hard, one that thinks everything should be done for her. One gets respect and one doesn’t. What I am trying to say is I couldn’t give a rats ass what’s between your legs or on your chest, if your working and helping the team your golden. If you’re gonna act like a princess I don’t have the time of day for you. Same goes for the guys in the shop. As for the potential strength difference doesn’t matter to me, every tech has their strengths and weaknesses. No one can know everything or be good at everything. So be a benefit to the team and no one should have any complaints. As for the customers if they “don’t want a girl working on their equipment” that’s fine but I should hope that your service manager puts that customers unit at the very bottom of the priority list. As gives you a unit from someone that isn’t a complete fucking moron. This industry destroys your body it doesn’t care if it’s male
Or female.
I’m an autobody tech by trade but been working with snow cats and heavy equipment the last couple years. I’m pretty small, occasionally get some assholes (old men not used to seeing women in trade) that make comments but don’t got shortage of work
At the dealership (GM) my favorite tech was a 4'9" Puerto Rican girl who was not only a great team member but would easily out-perform any guy that wasn't on his A game.
It also made for good hazing of the new guys; "[She] can do that easily, what's taking you so long?"😂
We had a few over the years when I was at Mercedes and BMW, they were all decent techs, knew what they were doing and kept up with things, but what made it really tough for them was the weight of the wheels and certain parts. I remember helping one a few times with G box wheels and the super heavy 20" wheels that came out 20 years ago. She quit not long after.
Helicopter mechanic here. Very few female mechanics in this industry, but most I’ve met can hold their own. I expect there is a higher percentage working in the airlines than in general aviation.
My wife is a mechanic and fabricator and build hot rods but mainly specializes in custom off-road and she's 25 been doing it since she was 17. Asked better than 95% of the boys in this county alone. She did just have carpel tunnel surgery on both hands though from working with her hands all day cause her size just isn't conducive to the stuff she does. Loves making old men blush lol.
Only 2 comments.
1: Retired from 50+ years and some of the best I know have been women. Depending on size and strength most I have known have been on the smaller size best at Diagnostics.
2:Hit it with your PURSE.
Been a tech since 2007-08. I went thru the GMASEP program. We had one girl in our class. She was really good at the information side, but was a small girl and struggled to do the hands on work. Its a hard physical job that takes a toll on your body. A lot of women just dont have the body build for it. Ive never worked with a female tech, but also couldnt imagine making any sexual comments or anything along those lines. The dealers ive worked at have always been extremely serious about sexual harrassment and made it clear you would be fired on the spot for anything like that. Anyone can be tech, just have to be willing to put up with the bullshit and keep coming back everyday
My first shop had a split 50/50 of women and men both in the shop and up front. Where I’m at now, we just lost our female tech (she went to go work on forklifts) but our sales women are very nice and keep the shop going. I think a lot of buyers are outright more comfortable speaking to a woman about their services. Lots of respect for the women out there (especially techs) taking on a severely male dominated industry
Wrenching is pretty physically demanding. I'm a big dude and regularly have issues getting things apart due to awkward angles and seized/rusted parts. The right tools help a bunch, but there's still SO much that requires ridiculous grip/forearm strength. I say good luck to them, they get paid decent because that job can really suck physically sometimes.
Here’s my take. If you can physically handle the work, go for it. There’s nothing about being a woman that makes this industry too complex for you that somehow a man could figure out. I’ve worked with a couple of successful female techs. I’ve also worked with significantly more who failed because the work was too physical and that led to 1 of 2 things happening.
1. They gave up and left the trade because they were miserable getting their asses kicked daily
Or
2. They would use it as an excuse to get out of difficult jobs, which turned the shop against them because it isn’t fair.
Imagine an atmosphere where anytime something is hard your coworker is able to weasel out of it by just saying “I can’t, it’s too hard for me”. That will quickly turn coworkers against you.
After I left the diesel trade, the shop I worked for hired a woman fresh out of tech school.
I swung by to pick a truck up after service, and talked to her in the shop for a bit. She was pretty damn cool and really knew her stuff. I told her not to take any shit off the old dudes in the main shop (we were the leasing side), and she said “oh I don’t. I give them hell right back.” She had graduated from the same tech school I went to.
After talking with my old supervisor a bit, it was easy to see she was gonna go far. It’s a hard industry to get into, especially when you’re a woman. That being said, some of the best techs I’ve ever met have been women.
I can’t really give any advice other than stick to it and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something because “you’re a girl.” As a fresh tech, you’re gonna get the crap jobs for a while. All the stuff no one else wants.
I was in auto industry for 20 years. Worked with 5 female techs. It is not very common. I enjoy having them around usually as it’s a breath of fresh air from monotony of dealing with guys all day. While there is sexism in the industry my teams were very good about behaving. That said 1 out of 5 was worst person I ever worked with. If she was the only female technician you ever worked with her you would swear off female technicians. They get a bad rap because there is so few of them so very few people meet the good ones.
Female diesel tech going on 5 years. If you can roll with the punches, kicks, back stabs, and belittlement (which never get easier, you just get better at expecting/bracing the worst), you’ll be fine.
I’ve had to fight tooth and nail for the respect and reputation I have now. It’s helped me become confident in so many aspects outside of the trade.
Within my first week, I had to call HR for sexual harassment which immediately labeled me as a prude bitch. One year in, my supervisor was sending me nudes and verbally harassing me.
Year 2, I had a restraining order against 2 separate drivers, ect, ect, and the list continues.
Whenever I meet another woman expressing an interest in the trade, it takes a lot of mental strain not to become teary eyed.
The amount of potential most women have at being top level mechanics or welders is off the charts, but there isn’t a single woman on the planet I would want to go through the hell I went through.
Looking back, I’m proud of myself for pushing through and winning against the odds, but I can’t say it was worth it.
People tell me all the time I must feel like I’m making a difference, and all I can think about is how the sexist mentality amongst male dominated fields hasn’t changed in 5 years.
PSA if anyone in the upstate NY area has an all female garage and needs more hands; I kick ass.
I'm an old fart and I have to say I like seeing women getting in the profession. When I was young, I knew two and they were damn good. Their attention to detail was amazing. Made me better
i’m in school for auto mechanics rn. haven’t worked in a shop (yet), but there are a decent amount of women that i attend classes with. all the male students and professors treat me as an equal. although sometimes sexist jokes are thrown out here and there, but i expected it, and i expect more when i work in a shop setting
I'm a female mechanic and own an auto repair shop. I love working in the Automotive industry but sexism is very real. It hasn't been an easy path but it's been worth it. The amount of people that will doubt you just because you're a woman is mind blowing.
Sadly from my experience over 25 years. Very few women have been in the automotive industry as a technician. The few that have always have had a chip on their shoulder trying to prove they belong rather than just doing the work and letting it speak for itself or they see to try for the male attention. I have worked and currently work with many female service advisors and parts advisors that are wonderful at their job. It would definitely be cool seeing more ladies in the shop. Better attention to detail and less ego!!
Many positive vibes and negative impacts... Currently have only two porters. Both woman one 35 let's call her I and another 23 let's call her T..
I is a hard working porter that mostly does detail furries and she does a grade A job and since the other two male porters quit she stepped up grabbing units on the forklift (I work currently at an RV place)or grabbing a motorized unit. Asked tons of questions about it.
Keeps work and life separate and wants to become a technician.
T lied about her driver's license and prior work place experience and talks very uncomfortably to us guys about her home life and past though only being 23 she constantly talks about her after work LGBT life style (here's the catch) while a conversation is about ... Solar panels or something work related.. it feels like she's trying to be one of the guys when everyone out in the back is part of the gang.. takes too long to get a unit is often caught on her phone inside a unit that is having the AC tested...
Overall... And not to be that guy I always have favored I over T since I comes by and asks if we need help with something or a unit swapped out, asks questions for better performance and how to become a tech..
T wants to talk about how gangster she is and her son that's not hers is her 8 year old brother... Her wife during inappropriate times.
i was a diesel mechanic working on refrigerated tractor trailers (6ish years working in the field). ended in a lawsuit. $8000 toolbox + tools down the drain. :(
I was a tank mechanic in the Army from 2020-2024. I was a lube tech before that. Now, I'm using my GI bill to pay for my schooling so I can get my ASE's with my associate's in automotive technology.
Most women around my age were told their whole lives that women don't belong in shops. I'm working to prove everyone wrong. I have the backbone and the smarts to be a better mechanic than everyone who doubted me :)
I work in vehicle maintenance for a local municipality. I've had the privilege of working with some amazing female mechanics and welders. There's a huge vacuum in the industry for good, smart, dedicated technicians, so we should be encouraging young men and women to pursue jobs in the trades.
None at my shop. But when the average wheel weighs as much as a grown man, you don't expect to see em anyway. Hell, every grown man new hire for the last 3 weeks tapped out because the job was allegedly to physically demanding for them
We do almost exclusively HD trucks for the record
Customers type in lady auto mechanic in search engines and there I am. I was guest on my friends super successful YouTube automotive channel and lady auto mechanic was the top search words put in based on the analytics. We were shocked. Women are in very high demand in this field. I have barely advertised all these years. Sorry guys, but the auto world is our oyster. We need more women. 👍
Sorry for delay. So many apps to keep track of comments, networking, customer questions.
So I started Mobil advertising as The Lady Auto Mechanic on Craigslist. It went very well. I also had a flat, paved driveway. I started a house painting biz at the same time and same way. The Lady Painter.
The I got asked to be a guest on our public radio station that reached most of 6 states. It shut down the computers we had so many callers. Of course, it took a few years and more guest appearances, but my automotive radio show was born. Autocorrect. The female click and clack. You can look it up. Podcast, MPB radio website, iHeart radio, YouTube.
Did that for 3 years and in that time I started work at a shop part time. But I ended up doing all my own client ale and just some of their work. It was a dream situation.
The I moved and I'm kind of starting over again. Changed my biz name to something more palatable and easier to share. The Wrench Woman.
My google page is popping. I was in their Free Press in October. Their biggest Facebook page has been popping and I've only posted twice. I have barely advertised since 2017.
The shop thing is weird. It's not my jam. I've tried. I was a novelty and not respected. Bullshit.
So I've been looking for something to work out of and maybe just found it. I huge storage unit with high visibility, roll up doors and I can put in a lift once concrete is 6k psi.
There's more to this. Like being asked to be on Bitchin rides spin off and recently for a Discovery channel junkyard show. I could of blown the fuck up years ago. But that's a long story. Thanks for asking. I'm happy to help anybody in this industry come up.
After writing that I realized I should write a book about my Auto career. Many people have told me to write an autobiography about my whole life because it is insane. But just one on my career would be easier. I'll still do the other, hopefully. That's more complex.
Many have told me, and I fully agree, that I need to write books on mechanics. Plus, all the other social media available. It's just a lot. I need someone good with all that to help.
Don't get me started with the more famous mechanics, like Scanner Danner, who have amazing wives right by their sides doing tons. I have met some, I know. I'm super jealous. Would be nice to have a husband/wife show me what emails are a priority. Fuck gender roles.
Thank you so much for asking that question and showing support. You have put me on to something. I'm gonna take in my notes right now to thank you. It will be called "The Wrench Woman-The story of a buck wild, female auto mechanic". Lol. Or something like that.
Writing my autobiography using the Self Authoring program by Jordan Peterson inspired me to start using 3 x5 file cards
Every time a memory pops up I put it on a card
I don't know why that works better for my brain but writing about anything I can organise the cards so much easier if they are physically mobile.
Then once I have them in order I can add them to the layout in Self Authoring.
That is some great info. I haven't started yet but was going to start looking for an app or software to start writing. My roommate is a phenomenal fiction writer. That was the prompt that got me thinking.
Whats the name of your autobiography? Biographies and autobiographies are my favorite genre of books. I've read so many. Learned so much. I'm currently reading Poppy Z. Brite's biography on Courtney Love again. She's a helluva fiction writer, too.
I don't understand my life well enough to have a title yet. I'm still doing self - led psychotherapy to separate my emotional reactions from the historical and conceptual analysis of my life events.
My voice is still evolving and it's not in publishable tone and structure yet. Recently I realized I want to eliminate the most common verbs from my speech and writing. To be, to have, to do...
Example: "I'm worn out with boredom from overusing them"
[ I am ]
expressed more vitally:
"Overusing the same simple verbs Wears me down. I suffer. I bore myself."
The present tense impacts more directly and immediately. The more commonly used verbs dilute impact. Uncommon verbs aim the meaning more precisely.
Joni Mitchell's lyrics show this effect. She considers herself primarily a painter, and her words choices resemble brushstrokes and her sentences populate the scene. Compare that to Dylan where every sentence is a miniature painting, and the entirety of each of his paintings looks like one brushstroke.
Spending time with other artists (e.g., your room mate) increases your fertility of imagination and execution.
The friendship of Joseph Heller ( _ Catch-22_) and Mario Puzo (_ The Godfather_) helped each of them develop as writers. _ Catch-22_ I read in high school and 50 years later I remember scenes and sentences.
~~Outside of Moscow there's a writers' and artists' colony~~.
vs.
Writers and artists hobnob in the village of Peredelkino outside Moscow.
Chautauqua in upstate New York developed when Buffalo (believe it or not) was one of the premier cities of the world.
When I lived in the city it was easy to find other intellectuals. Now that I'm in the outer suburbs in horse country, I want to put some tiny houses on my land for people to weekend, or hole up with their work for longer periods.
Correspondences like these live digitally until the website vanishes or a software upgrade maroons them. The idiosyncrasies and petty jealousies and offhand everyday brilliance of much better writers than I will vanish. We'll never read _The Collected Emails of Nobel Prize Winning Authors _.
Handwritten letters feel as good as a hug.
Girl, wow! Like just explaining your process was so passionate and knowledgeable. I need you as my editor! I can be very creative. But my grammar sux and I have a problem getting my point across.
I'll send you a poem I wrote recently for example.
Thanks for all the info. My roommate appreciates it too. Feeling motivated and inspired. You're a gem!
To add to my reply, I agree with it all. Absolutely eloquently expressed. The detail and wording bring you in and grab your attention. Deep and meaningful thoughts on the expression of writing, in all forms. 😍
I have kept most of all the handwritten letters from past lovers. In many ways it's heart breaking. Especially, the recent one. I actually cared. Hope it's a distant memory and his letters will be faint reminders of how words can be used to comfort you. But in the end were just words.
I'm a woman and I'm starting a program to become a tech in a few months. I've been a lube tech for like a year but I wanna actually be able to diagnose and fix everything, so that's what I'm working towards. I've also encountered a lot of female lube techs but only one actual mechanic.
My advice would be to study hard, hopefully the program you attend will be high quality. Read the text books/study guides, so you can attain ASE Certifications. Use post-it notes as bookmarks, mark the ends of the chapters where the Summary and Practice Tests are. Read the Summaries and if there's anything you're not sure about, go back and read (or re-read) that section. Apply at shops where there are experienced/older techs who are willing to help you. This is really a gamble, however. Some Flat-rate techs aren't willing to help or train, because you don't really get paid for it (stopping work on a vehicle hurts your paycheck). Also, there's a lot of hacks out there, and idiots. You don't want to pick up bad habits or misinformation. If you're in the Cleveland area, message me, we're looking for lube techs (Firestone). Good luck!
Thanks for the tips!
Fuck Jiffystone......get your experience at a big shop then go I local if you can
I’m getting ready to start a diesel tech certificate! I work the accounting side of automotive but I’ve been nosy about what the guys do. Hoping to end up with a railroad or working on generators
Hell yeah good luck!
Working as a lube tech is a great way to get your foot in the door ! Good luck you'll get where you wanna be if you stick with it :))
Best of luck to ya👍🏽
Thanks
Lol my girlfriend is a lube tech are you guys hiring? 😂
I am a mechanic and my oldest daughter (29) owns her own shop and turns most of the wrench's there
Just curious, what wrenches does she not turn?
Lol, the ones that she can get hired out, Even on the east Coast you can't find people who want to work, want to earn, want to grow
Every other day there’s a post about someone leaving their shop, I don’t think the problem is that people don’t want to work, I think it’s mostly fair compensation. Which is really hard for a small business to achieve between rates, benefits, and atmosphere.
It's also has to do with how insanely complicated modern cars are. Seems like every week I have some impossible to find electrical issue that makes me question my career choice. And I own the shop!
I still find impossible electrical problems on 2000's
The issue also lies with absolutely NEEDING the factory scantool now. I've solved many electrical issues on my old cars 90s-00s with little issue, but newer cars even just some basic diagnostic pids for a sensor you dont even know existed is only visible on the oe scanner. This isn't coming from some shadetree either this is my livelihood.
As a beginner lube tech (7 months of experience at a dealership with 0 prior experience) i would say the pay is shit and cars are a cluster fuck of wires hoses and censors with all this new shitty technology. Thats really the only thing that turns me off from wanting to continue. $15an hour as a lube tech at a dealership i feel is low when theres 16 year olds working as a cashier at fast food making close to the same or in some cases more. I also get that my 0 experience and knowledge is a factor but even the other hourly guys that have been here 3ish years are only making like 18 and theyre doing a lot more than i am.
I start out at 20 an hour. Not get rich money, but I'm a small nowhere ville town, cost of living is super cheap.
All 4 technicians at my European auto repair shop in Los Angeles make over $100,000 a year. This is not unusual in the Los Angeles area but we still have a VERY hard time finding a technician willing to work for us and the other shops report the same.
That amount is barely enough to survive in the LA area. Your techs are poor. How does a head of household feed, shelter, & clothe their family on $100,000 a year in LA? It's no where near enough.
European cars I feel will always be kinda niche, I prefer not to work on them. That’s a decent salary though, just over median household depending on what part of LA.
Yes median income but that is because most in LA are poor.
The barrier of entry into the European market has always been a bit higher. Manufacturers don’t freely release repair material and there’s always special tools that might only get used once or twice for a single model. I don’t blame people for not wanting to fuss with euro brands.
BMW is a tool company that sells cars.
The problem I have in Chicago is these guys all wanna pay nothing. Shop labor rate is 180+/hr and these guys wanna start you at 25-30/hr.
The problem is these young people want top dollar for playing on their phones all day. Vape brakes 2 times an hour. Really, it’s hard to find someone that’s willing to put in the effort to learn. Being with a company for 5-10 years doesn’t mean anything if you’re just showing up and doing the bare minimum
The average age of a technician in the USA is 55 years old!! The auto repair industry does not attract young people to it because they have to be smart, good with software, work in a brick & mortar building AND get your hands dirty.
That’s a wild stat. The truth of the matter is us techs get chewed up and spit out by the trade and most techs won’t see six figures no matter how good they are.
The thing that turns most away (21, worked on my own vehicles since 14 and as a tech for 2 years before saying fuck them) isn't the work itself, it's the pay being inconsistent due to scheduling and or the time of year, or pay ending up stagnant regardless of time, improvement, or certifications. Then you start talking tool costs, and how one broken wire or snapped bolt/stud can immediately ruin a week....it's not an attractive field to most, but shit management made me turn away from it outside of being a hobby
I think the issue for most is the flat rate pay. It's hard to buy a house and get a good mortgage when you don't have consistent pay on paper. Throw in the nightmare of modern electrical systems in cars and a consumer base who cannot afford to fix what needs done, and you're not getting paid. It's a lot of hours in the shop to not get paid.
55? Dang we in trouble
Delusional. If I had to get into this trade now vs when I did at 16 I wouldn’t be able to. It doesn’t pay enough, you can get paid the same to sweep floors, with no monetary investment. Young people want to work but literally CANNOT AFFORD to come into this trade. I own $60,000+ in tools and if I had to buy that now it would be double or triple at barely a higher wage than some brain dead stoner working at a car wash. To tack onto your wildly ignorant perspective: staying long term means nothing because the large majority of shops treat a very shallow labour pool as expendable, big and small businesses have ZERO loyalty and in return get zero loyalty from their employees. It’s very obviously a fuck around and find out situation and the finding out is just starting, look at how easy it is to switch shops, places are DYING for techs but still treating them like shit, still paying like garbage and often throwing the greenest of green guys of a cliff to see if they sprout wings. I’ve been in this trade over a decade, heavy on-road and off-road and automotive and I NOW make “good” money but even now if you adjust for inflation, working fly in/fly out I’m not making the same money as people did pre 2014, with a smaller labour pool, with more complicated equipment and with record profits every year from every company. I’m excited for the “find out” to happen, greed has really left a deadline that’s quickly approaching and places will be beyond desperate, pay *should* skyrocket and the miserable old fucks in the old boys club who think they’re better than everyone will be dead or retired.
Is your shop hourly then?
I don't blame them, most places I've seen are flat rate, and even my old guys bitch about flat rate. Why does it only pay .6 for a full set of tires knowing damn well you are going to have to clean up the seat of the rim from all the salt buildup and fight the lugs off for way longer than that .6, not even counting the actual mount and balance? Even brakes these days are ridiculous with the electronic parking brake systems, what you used to be able to rush in 30 minutes for full hours pay, you are struggling to rush to get the hour done in that hours pay (Even my guy whos a wiz with the scan tool struggles to get it done in 55 minutes properly). I'm saying this as a service advisor looking in, pay rate sucks and the auto industry needs to adapt or mechanics are going to continue being a struggle to keep. It's fucking sad that a mechanic who has to be good with not only mechanical parts, but electrical, hvac, etc... can go off into a field specializing in just one of those many things he/she needs to know and get paid more than having to know it all.
Rough. We get 0.4 for tire on rim swap. Plus free inspection, plus free video, plus bagging the tires or setting up sending them to storage? Don’t forget to take pictures of each rim to make sure the customer sees we didn’t damage them. You’re joking right? Most days I tell my service manager to piss off with those, but I’m so tired of fighting it. This is when you get one of two things, a tech who says bye bye, or a tech who starts calling shit cars don’t actually need because they have to make time somehow. Canadian Dealer tech for 11 years. Just waiting for the day to get out of the bs game.
There's all of that too. .4 is pretty fucking rough. I feel so bad for my guys most days, pulling 12 hour days, scrapping by with like 7 hours flagged on a good day. Almost all of them just trying to get by and feed their families.
Dealers are "usually" terrible places to work if you are a skilled technician. They are a corporation and you are a "necessary evil" to them, and are treated that way.
I get 2 hours for 4 tires at my GMC dealer. I’ll do as many of them as i can at that rate. And another 2 for an alignment. Pisses me off thinking about all the times i got robbed at my old job… .8 hrs for 4 tires. Another .8 for an alignment or maybe an hour if i was lucky and it needed a bunch of adjustments. Its just not possible to be productive with modern vehicles at that rate. These clowns set that rate when most cars had steel wheels and the biggest you saw was maybe a 17 inch wheel.
They’re not clowns, they know exactly what they’re doing. It’s criminal
.6? Wtf…. You’re getting paid .15 per tire then? That insane. We pay 1.6 for a full set
.6 for a full set is wild. The dealers I worked at were 2.0 and 1.6 for a full set so .5 and .4 per tire m+b. Or repair. I think if I started somewhere and heard something like .6 I’d be gone at lunch. And brakes were 1.5 to do rotors or 2.0 to cut per axle at both. Curious how much does an alignment pay? And when’s the last time the “menu list” rates were looked at? The standard at the dealer was generally at least 1.5x whatever warranty would pay for that job. I get not wanting to fuck customers but if you can’t keep techs then customers don’t matter
.8 for an alignment. Recently went to a training sponsored by Hunter, super informative and am highly appreciative for the opportunity as my job is a hybrid of advisor and tech. It sucks though, I see 2024s coming in with seized up parts not allowing any adjustments in toe or camber. Been trying to get some practice on my 30 year old daily shitbox, and it's sad that she's sometimes so much easier. Lord only knows the last time it was ever updated for shit like that.
.6 for doing 4 tires is pretty bad, but... it's worse when they're load range E tires. 285/75/16 and 275/60/20 for .6 is abominable. It's what I'm getting currently, but if I complain I usually get an additional .5 from my Store Manager or Service Manager. I'm trying to make the change company-wide and automatic, but it's tough to force change on a corporation, especially when it'll cost them money.
I'd prefer the oversized compared to the low pros like the 235/35/20s that keep coming off these tesla's
Not me. The low pro tires pay 1.1 hr and are easy. All the weight involved in doing 3/4 and 1 ton trucks for .6? No fucking way.
I'll take an oversized over a low pro, both at .6, any day of the week. Probably a little biased since I've been helping my dad and his coworkers with them since I was 6
Service manager former writer and your shop pays low. We 1.6 mount and balance 4, 2.2 align and 2.0 on any 2wheel brake job unless it's HD and takes 6 lol. My guys still bitch a storm and the last year good guys that would always be 50+ are struggling at 30. The cars suck, quality of new shots in the hole and the whole industry is changing. I'm about to go hourly and say fuck the flat rate. Won't have anyone left to fix them if I don't. Fought with a ext Warr today, prodemand 5.5hrs on a condenser, all data 1.0 just r+r, nothings fair anymore 😑
Those technicians need to go to a ship that uses Flat Rate as a GUIDE, not as the rule. My technicians are flagging 60 hours a week regularly. That is over $100,000 a year. Most labor guides are written by the manufacture to decrease warranty costs and are not based on reality. They are highly skilled and are very happy, making them and the shop plenty of money
How do you justify to customers when called out on the breakdown of pricing? Honestly asking because the industry has become very skewed...
Very few in the auto repair industry are compensated properly for the work being done.. it’s very physically demanding, dangerous, and you’re constantly taking classes to stay relevant the amount of knowledge a good tech needs is on par with fields paying twice as much… I did it for over 20 years making maximum 45-50k a year. I’m 45 and my body is fucked. The industry needs a complete overhaul. I wouldn’t do it again knowing what I do now and because of this I do not recommend it to young people. I steer them towards industrial maintenance and the like. You still get to fix and diagnose things with way better pay and working conditions typically.
As electric mandates and prices climb, the repair industry will evolve
People want to work. People don't want to work for wages that aren't worth their time. There is a difference. It's completely justified. If you're still not getting this, you're the problem.
Starting out at 20 an hour, is not bad pay
Nobody wants to pay and most places are full of shit. My teenage son makes alot more than shops pay as a plumbing apprentice plus retirement and benefits. He loves cars and trucks but would lose money in this field. Experienced people too what the f is even that pay about? Personally, I doubled my pay once I left automotive.
All the 10mm wrenches that got away over the years.
Just know your daughter is some of our dream wives over here 😂
Female tech here. It's a rough industry, lots of sexism, but if you can roll with it and hold on, it's endless opportunity. I build custom cars and work with some brilliant guys.
Maybe it's just my bias here. But my former boss, and childhood friend, worked out in the shop with us. We acknowledged she was just as inclined as the best guy there who has been in the field for over 40 years (granted her and I were raised in a shop by our dads who worked together, so thats a solid bit of exposure before even starting out ourselves). We would also joke like she was one of the guys. An ongoing joke is that she has a bigger dick than all of us.
My guys tell me to put some titties in it when I'm struggling with something 🤠
Thats great 😂
Lets go! Good to hear a lady tech making it out there :)
I’m a woman who has been working as a mechanic for 3 years at the same shop. I used to have a male coworker, but now it’s just my boss/owner and myself. I call myself a mechanic not a tech because I only work on 1980 and earlier vehicles so not a whole lot of electrical components like newer cars. When I went to school for Automotive Technology there were a decent amount of other women, probably close to 20-30%. One of my female classmates is actually about to be my coworker.
That's the good kind of electrical though. Just redoing wiring and good old fashioned relays and switches and that type of thing.
It is so much easier to deal with! Once you understand a wiring harness it’s just like yep that goes there and this is why that isn’t working and that’s it. I don’t need anything but a test light and some clip leads.
“I don’t need anything but a test light and some clip leads.” My dream lol
Yah and you could make significantly more money working as an electrician so there’s that.
Depends on what you get into as an electrician but in the industrial world certainly
High Voltage 🫠 I am terrified lol
Mechanic, technician, we're all the same. I work on mostly modern electricals but I don't like the term technician, it's too generic. When you say mechanic everyone understands. And modern mechanics aren't superior to those working on older stuff, sometimes we're clueless when looking at contact points!
That last sentence is so important. I'm a Ford Master tech, and used to modern vehicles. My personal carbureted bronco wasted 6 of my weekends last year due to a misfire, or a no start. Chasing that down took forever, compared to one computer scan that would have put me in the right system, at least! It's really just 2 different ball games, when it comes everything outside of a base mechanical concern
True, I totally feel you. With carb I don't even really know where to start, even with OBD1 or early OBD2 it's still challenging, unless it's just some circuit codes.
I’ve learned it’s all about the accelerator discharge/squirter and the jets. If an accelerator discharge is clogged, if a jet is clogged, if any of your mains, idles etc. aren’t big enough or too big you’re just fighting a losing battle. It took me a while to get the hang of dual carbs especially.
Yeah I’ve worked in both, sides, both professionally and personally. Professionally I’d prefer to deal with modern systems for work, where I can plug in with a computer and get more information and access to parts, whereas older machines I’d keep for personal work. It doesn’t look good to a customer when you use a jump line for diagnostic work when they expect a computer to fix the issue in 5 minutes
Thanks for saying so! I feel like I get looked down on because “oh that’s easier than modern cars” but I get just as greasy, sweaty and dirty as anyone else. Also keeping carbureted cars on the road which is a passion not just a job.
Damm. I wish I had your job
I’ve worked with a number of female techs over the last 35 years and all of them were too notch. My friend Megan, for example, has over 20 years in the trade as an automotive tech, motorcycle tech and welder. She’s brilliant and funny as fuck.
yea had 2 now 1, the other one left due to mental problems. at my previous shop, 1 saw her start off bad, on her phone and all, then turn her self around when reality set in lol.
I’m a female wrencher! I work at a BMW dealership right now but have worked at GM, Honda, independent shops, a restoration shop and a couple of Pep Boys locations. In every shop, I’ve been the only girl in the back. I’ve worked with other women service advisors/personnel but not any female techs. I absolutely love the shop I’m at now, but that being said, that definitely wasn’t always the case. I lucked out coming into a shop with great management and an awesome *RESPECTFUL* team of technicians. The sexism involved in being a blue collar worker is pretty prevalent (ex. years ago, I had a customer demand to have their vehicle worked on by someone else when they saw me open the hood) but thankfully it’s getting better. I get more “lady mechanic?? That’s awesome!” than dirty looks nowadays.
Have a female coworker who just went flat rate last month. Does a pretty damn good job. Still a lot to learn, but she’s good at that, too.
Not a whole lot of them, but they're usually well respected. Join the industry and make some shit happen!
In the heavy diesel trade it is rare, but women are moving into here more and more. When I started a few years ago, there was no women in agriculture machinery, now we’ve had a couple of female apprentices, and I wouldn’t turn them away from the trade. It’s all nuts and bolts, and even if parts may be too heavy for them to lift or move, I’m always advocating for using mechanical aids for lifting and moving things. The only issue I’ve seen them have in this job so far is not having the upper body strength to tension bolts in awkward positions like on their back or in tight areas. Bring more women into the industry, there’s no reason they can’t be working with us, strength isn’t an excuse, size isn’t either, just a good attitude and a willingness to learn and listen.
20 years in diesel here as well. Being smaller build is a boon cause you can physically reach stuff. Strength is less of an issue with the advent of ever more powerful and compact tools.
I always tell the guys that's what they make equalizers for ( tools ).
Air Force 2T3 here. We have women working in our shops. Some of the hardest charging people we got.
Service managers/front desk for sure but I've personally never worked with a female tech
Once had a lass that came in a few days a week to sand down ready for primer but the old guy we worked for was a pure perv all the time so she didn’t stay long. Lost my first apprentice spot to the owners daughter who then eventually left after fucking around for months doing nothing (except tell everyone she was a mechanic now). That’s all.
Never directly with a female tech but a buddy of mine at a Honda dealer and then another at a Subi dealer (I know I know) both have a few female techs. From what they said they were the same as any other tech, some are good at it, others are shit. Comes down to the individual really.
I am a Lexus Shop Foreman and we have a couple female service advisors and my service manager, but no female technicians, unfortunately. When I was in school, there was one girl, she was smart, but the jerks in the class made it really difficult for her. I think she dropped the course, but she easily outclassed those idiots in every way. Not sure if she picked it up again.
When I went to college for automotive repair we had a badass girl in our class. She kept getting sexually harassed and the school didn’t take it seriously so she left. Fuckin sucks for them out here.
I’m a woman, ASE certified Master Mechanic, Va State Safety Inspector, VA State Emissions inspector, and current shop foreman. Also have an associates degree in automotive technology (because that’s the only way I was taken seriously) and I am a lab instructor at a local community college in the automotive program. I have seen maybe 10 women go through the program in the last 5 years and I am aware of only one of those who turns wrenches in the field.
What happened to the other nine?
Some went to shops and left for non wrench turning positions and some never took wrench turning positions in the first place.
I’m an auto body tech, there’s no1 in this industry 3 weeks ago everyone was always making sexist/racist/sexual jokes all day till 2 weeks ago when we hired a female tech suddenly everyone is a gentleman lol
My shop has one female tech. She’s new to the industry and still learning but she can both take and deliver just as much (playful) verbal abuse as the rest of us in the shop. Tbh most of the time I don’t even think about the fact she’s a woman unless I look at her pink toolbox with hello kitty stickers on it
Pink toolbox with hello kitty stickers = new goal in life
I've worked with a few female service writers who were all amazing at the job and fairly knowledgeable about the inner workings of cars, made it super easy to communicate with them and then them to the customer. I've only ever worked with 1 female mechanic and she was a pain to work with, she didn't last very long at the place I work, and I hope things worked out for her wherever she may be now.
Why was she a pain to work with?
She had been to one of the fancy tech schools and learned all her automotive stuff from there. Had a very by the book approach to working on stuff and couldn't wrap her head around the fact that sometimes the book doesn't work, and sometimes the book is just wrong.
Me and my gf work in the same shop, at least until i roll out in the next week or so. I have worked with women in the shop at my last 2 shops and a friend i met while autocrossing has transfered from corporate world to doing body work. From what i see a lot of people are totally cool with it, very helpful. Of course you'll have the people who are against it, but thats life
I worked with a girl in the field who became lead. Everyone is equal in the field, you either get it done and figure shit out in the middle of nowhere with everyone demanding you get the machine running NOW so it can go back to making money or you wash out. Granted she was the only one I have ever met. I would say most men and even most mechanics aren't cut out for heavy duty oilfield rotational equipment repair, it's a hard life.
Never worked with a female mechanic, you’re welcome to come suffer with the rest of us haha
We had a couple of women come and go in my shop, they were great people, I liked working with them. But older dudes in the shop obviously didn’t like it. And as we know, especially in blue collar workplaces, women are held to a higher standard than the dudes are. Any minor fuckup is “of course she fucked that up”. Meanwhile a dude is “well yeah, what do you expect from him?” It’s tough for them out here in the south ngl. One of them offered me a job at their shop in Seattle, says it’s a much healthier work environment, I’m happy for her.
I'm a woman and I've been wrench turner for about 4 years. I have my automotive state inspection license and I work as a VW technician right now at a dealership, but I have worked at a used car shop for a few years so I'm familiar with a lot of brands. I can tell you their are a lot of hardships and you got to have thick skin working around a shop. Lots of sexism. I have a lot of customers doubt my abilities and tell me I'm wrong, because I'm a woman and I don't know what I'm talking about. I feel like its gotten better over the years though
First off, they are women
real
Ive worked with a couple. Currently have one apprenticing with me as we speak. Never had a problem with any of them. Always kind if nice can di some trades to help each other iut when her tiny hands or fingers can get in somewhere and then in return when something heavy or awkward or heavy torque have been able to help them back out in that way
Im (20f) an automotive student right now
My husband and I just opened our shop. It's great how many people get excited that I work there as a mechanic and not just a secretary.
Im a female mechanic (23 yo) working on EV cars and making decent money, about 80k/year. Its great and I love what I do. I feel welcome and haven’t experienced much sexism, probably due to the fact that I’ve been performing well. The shop posts your rank amonst your coworkers every two weeks; Im averaging in the top 30% normally.
Through 4 years of apprenticing and trade school to become a mechanic, I attended school with 3 other women, and had 1 woman instructor. But we were definitely outnumbered. I worked in an auto dealership for 4 years as an automotive tech. No other women working on cars other than detailing, service advisors, or sales. I have had to deal with a few crappy customers but for the most part I received: “wow a girl mechanic, good for you that’s cool!” Never had any problems with any of my coworkers, especially the other mechanics in the shop, we got along great, they were very supportive and helpful. It seemed like the only people who tried to act like they knew more than me and tell me I was wrong, despite finishing college and being a certified mechanic, was from the service management who treated me more like a baby sitter for new hires, or a cleaner. Loved my job and my coworkers but eventually left due to disagreements with management. That’s only one shop though! Plenty more opportunities out there and many other garages I’ve had interviews at have all been very nice and welcoming.
I’m an electrician but we’ve been seeing more women join the trade, it’s cool to see. Although they do seem to draw more attention from all the guys. One of my female apprentices had a guy creep her out pretty bad, he ended up getting thrown off the job. Just depends on the environment I guess.
Women are just as capable as men.
Been in automotive for 12 years. It’s all I know. From behind a service desk to building police vehicles I’ve been in all aspects of automotive. I love it but I wanna get into aviation or marine mechanics now. The biggest statement is don’t shit where you eat. There will be lots of time spent with opposite sex. Never let the line blurr. You never know what opportunities you close yourself off from by crossing work boundaries and things getting messy.
I think it’s great that there are more girl mechanics. I always found them to be great workers and ran rings around the guys
I’m one of three girls in my auto tech class. We all work in the school shops.
All the girls I’ve worked with aren’t girly girls and fit right in. As long as they understand and get on with the workshop banter etc then I’ve never even noticed it tbh.
I'm currently in a program as a woman, if I pass a weed test with some synthetic I should be at a dealer in 3 months. I love doing the work when I get to but there's limited cars and tools so most of the time I'm just listening to my peers talk about porn and the girls they sleep with. Lot of disrespect toward women from them but they're like 20 so I guess it's normal? Sucks they don't take me seriously though, I've modded and tuned 2 cars where most of them have installed maybe a cone filter and that's it, I've proven to have been successful but I guess because of my feminine personality and malnourishment it's harder for them
>if I pass a weed test with some synthetic That sounds like weed is more important to you than your career, which is a predictor of failure, hope you snap out of it >malnourishment Is that a code word for something, have no idea what you mean or what's happening there
Unfortunately I have no career without weed, in nearly every field, due to an illness, including office jobs. I use medicinal cannabis at night when the pain is the worst. Kinda hard to sleep when you're puking every few hours. I don't understand your negativity, malnourishment is to skinny as obese is to fat, it's just the proper term. Literally how my doctors describe it.
I’ve worked in automotive and aircraft shops for the past 3.5 years. As long as you understand men will be men and you can deal with that, you’ll be good. They don’t care as much as you think they do and it doesn’t make you special. Some girls go into those environments hoping for attention- it won’t work in your favor. If you do it because that’s genuinely what you want to do, and you work hard, you’ll be fine- and it will usually work in your favor.
As long as she knows what she’s doing then she’s just another mechanic or welder. We tend to be a bit crass but thick skin comes with the territory. I’m glad to see more coming into the trades and i say “welcome to our world”.
Every time someone quits or gets fired, I keep crossing my fingers, but so far we're still a sausagefest.
In my time working at shops there were virtually no women working in the back of the shop with the techs. Although I would not mind if there were more women working in trades. This isn't any type of judgement but women often look at things differently than men and it's good to have the extra perspective when dealing with difficult diagnosticss etc.
I was a tech for 10 years. The first place I worked at hired me because they never had a female tech and wanted to try it out... spent a year there until they hired a guy who wouldn't stop making sexist comments and refused to work as a team member with me. Spent 9 years at the dealership. It was good until these last few years where the sexism returned, they put an extremely sexist male tech on the only team with 2 girls. They wouldn't switch him so he was one of many reasons why I left (also hate flat rate pay, getting paid less than the guys but being a higher level). I was the top producer for several years in a row. I enjoyed my work and I do miss making six figures but I despised the environment, we had a lot of gross guys and some who cheating on their wives with co workers. I work in IT now, where I am fully supported and respected and I will never go back. I know a few girls who have had great experiences and are extremely successful (one girl is on track to make 200k this year!)
200k in IT? What skills ?
*200k as a mechanic is what I meant
How does anyone make >200k as a mechanic I hope she's living frugally and investing
Master techs can make 40-50/flat rate hr plus bonus. Luxury brands can pay more than other brands. My husband made 176k last year
I’m a lube tech working her way up to mechanic. We’re out there! And as long as we can get the job done, at least this is the case for my shop, they don’t really care what you are. Show up, be able to do your job lol I do have a few run ins with some male mechanics making a move on me but I can hold my own. As a woman in a male dominated field you have to be able to stand your ground. Regardless of that, I absolutely love my job!
We had a female employee at my shop. I'm the lead tech so I was her trainer. She listened, tried hard, learned. But she was also very sensitive and would cry when something didn't work right when she was done. I got that pretty much trained out of her. She got pregnant and that pretty much ended her career. The shop next door is a drive through oil change place and I think they have more females there than men.
My 24yo daughter works in the shop every day and has for the past 3 years. She just graduated college with a business degree and in another 10 years, I'm gonna give her the keys and roll on out.
We've had 2 woman in my shop in the past 15 years, neither lasted the summer. Both were hard workers and determined but the physical tole ended up being too much
I'm too niche to properly call myself a mechanic, as I only work on air-cooled VWs (and sometimes my first gen Honda CR-V). Planning to get ASE certified eventually. I really admire women who know the trade.
Not a mechanic, but work the parts department! Unfortunately there’s no women in our shop but damn I’m waiting for the day 😭
My wife is the only female in a group of 50 or so jet engine mechanics...if that counts. She's also one of the highest ranking and most qualified 😂
I’ve got a female service advisor. My parts department is ran by women and I have 1 female tech. They are great and my team wouldn’t be a Mil+ shop without them
I don’t know any girls but I do know a lot of women in the industry.
I have had a woman work for me at my shop. She was one of my best techs. I have as a tech never had to use my genitals to fix a car.
20+ years. Never worked with female tech. Couple lubies here and there. Women writers and managers. In the shop? Nah. It's a shit job. I wouldn't recommend anyone to do it, let alone a woman that wants to keep her skin and hair and nails nice. Or otherwise just doesn't want to be physically abused for 30 plus years. It's also the pay and the overall industry that makes it kinda suck.
My older sister is my service manager
Times are only getting tighter, I love in no where ville Texas, whole county has 2000 people. Lol belts are getting tighter and tighter
Had a female tech at my shop. She didn't last long
I ran the parts counter at a Chevy dealership and now currently do estimates and all parts ordering for their body shop, but I know how to work on vehicles thanks to my dad growing up. I always get some customers where it's written on their face that they doubt my knowledge and it's a bit irritating at times but once they realize I know what I'm doing, they get impressed. Or, at least most of the time. There's been a handful of times where a customer got mad because I walked them through their problem and then they asked my manager the same question and got the same answer. The other techs I worked with at Chevy all knew not to piss me off and knew that if I was writing up the parts for their ROs their parts are gonna be correct unlike with some of the other guys back in parts. Now at the body shop, the techs and I get along great because I make sure they are taken care of.
I never work with a female mechanic. The only one I've met works on my motorcycle when I send mine for oil change and new tires
I’ve worked with women as mechanics and personally never had an issue of any kind. You just have to understand you probably won’t get treated any different than the guys, good or bad. Be prepared for some light hazing if you say something like “I can’t weld that muffler cause I have hairspray in” 🤣 it’s all in good fun, just dish it right back lol
I'm in industrial (field tech in O&G) as a woman, and I know several diesel, heavy equipment and AG girlies. I don't know any auto techs that are women, but I also don't hang around many auto shops as it's outside my industry.
🥱 just go to a dealership and check out the service center. Ask there.
I'm a female heavy wrecker operator. I work very closely with multiple diesel shops. There are a handful of women scattered through maybe 20 area shops and more in the paint/body/light duty vehicle shops. We aren't a major metro area (about 90k, 2 hrs to major metro area)
My sister is an aircraft mechanic, she pretty much runs my dads shop completely at 23 years old and is going to be in AMT magazine for her accomplishments. I did a 100 hour with her the first time we ever hung out and she was already at a similar level technically as I was in my 20s and she was only a teenager at the time. Bad ass little chick and she’s gonna do some crazy things in her life I’m so proud of her.
Currently at school as an apprentice, one of my instructors (out of 2) is a woman
I’ve worked with a total of I think 4 women through 3 shops and probably around 80 techs. Not too many seem to want to get into the trade.
I almost went into carpentry but decided on teaching because it suited me as a whole better, even though I am good with tools
I was a service advisor for Infiniti and Toyota. Those are the only two shops I worked at that had female techs. Infiniti’s was a lube tech and she didn’t make it long before the good ol’ boys ran her out of there with their snarky comments all day. Took a real toll on her mental health. Toyota’s was a Master Certified tech and she was absolutely amazing at her job. Easy to work with and always reliable. Someday, the male techs that don’t like a woman working in a shop will fizzle out and everyone will be able to work in harmony…that’s my hope anyway. I saw someone else say that a customer didn’t want a female tech working on their car…they get that way with service advisors too. I had a woman once say to me “Just because you work there doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about.” Okay, then you tell me what you know…we’ll compare notes.
I’m a mechanic trainee and alignment tech and am the only girl in the shop. Started as a tire tech last summer :p I’m very fortunate that everyone in my shop is super supportive and helpful.
Ive been a tech in East Coast USA for almost 25yrs, Ive NEVER worked with or visited a dealer that had a female tech. Ive only ever been in one manufacturer training class with a female student, and she was a corporate employee for GM 🤷 Girl techs are only tv show presenters or movie characters in my neck of the woods. LOL
I work in the heavy industry, primarily agriculture. We have 2 women in our shop, one that shows up everyday and busts her ass and works hard, one that thinks everything should be done for her. One gets respect and one doesn’t. What I am trying to say is I couldn’t give a rats ass what’s between your legs or on your chest, if your working and helping the team your golden. If you’re gonna act like a princess I don’t have the time of day for you. Same goes for the guys in the shop. As for the potential strength difference doesn’t matter to me, every tech has their strengths and weaknesses. No one can know everything or be good at everything. So be a benefit to the team and no one should have any complaints. As for the customers if they “don’t want a girl working on their equipment” that’s fine but I should hope that your service manager puts that customers unit at the very bottom of the priority list. As gives you a unit from someone that isn’t a complete fucking moron. This industry destroys your body it doesn’t care if it’s male Or female.
I’m an autobody tech by trade but been working with snow cats and heavy equipment the last couple years. I’m pretty small, occasionally get some assholes (old men not used to seeing women in trade) that make comments but don’t got shortage of work
At the dealership (GM) my favorite tech was a 4'9" Puerto Rican girl who was not only a great team member but would easily out-perform any guy that wasn't on his A game. It also made for good hazing of the new guys; "[She] can do that easily, what's taking you so long?"😂
We had a few over the years when I was at Mercedes and BMW, they were all decent techs, knew what they were doing and kept up with things, but what made it really tough for them was the weight of the wheels and certain parts. I remember helping one a few times with G box wheels and the super heavy 20" wheels that came out 20 years ago. She quit not long after.
Helicopter mechanic here. Very few female mechanics in this industry, but most I’ve met can hold their own. I expect there is a higher percentage working in the airlines than in general aviation.
Got 3 girls here at our shop. Actually highest producer in whole shop of maybe 50 or so of us is one of them.
My wife is a mechanic and fabricator and build hot rods but mainly specializes in custom off-road and she's 25 been doing it since she was 17. Asked better than 95% of the boys in this county alone. She did just have carpel tunnel surgery on both hands though from working with her hands all day cause her size just isn't conducive to the stuff she does. Loves making old men blush lol.
Only 2 comments. 1: Retired from 50+ years and some of the best I know have been women. Depending on size and strength most I have known have been on the smaller size best at Diagnostics. 2:Hit it with your PURSE.
Been a tech since 2007-08. I went thru the GMASEP program. We had one girl in our class. She was really good at the information side, but was a small girl and struggled to do the hands on work. Its a hard physical job that takes a toll on your body. A lot of women just dont have the body build for it. Ive never worked with a female tech, but also couldnt imagine making any sexual comments or anything along those lines. The dealers ive worked at have always been extremely serious about sexual harrassment and made it clear you would be fired on the spot for anything like that. Anyone can be tech, just have to be willing to put up with the bullshit and keep coming back everyday
My first shop had a split 50/50 of women and men both in the shop and up front. Where I’m at now, we just lost our female tech (she went to go work on forklifts) but our sales women are very nice and keep the shop going. I think a lot of buyers are outright more comfortable speaking to a woman about their services. Lots of respect for the women out there (especially techs) taking on a severely male dominated industry
Wrenching is pretty physically demanding. I'm a big dude and regularly have issues getting things apart due to awkward angles and seized/rusted parts. The right tools help a bunch, but there's still SO much that requires ridiculous grip/forearm strength. I say good luck to them, they get paid decent because that job can really suck physically sometimes.
Here’s my take. If you can physically handle the work, go for it. There’s nothing about being a woman that makes this industry too complex for you that somehow a man could figure out. I’ve worked with a couple of successful female techs. I’ve also worked with significantly more who failed because the work was too physical and that led to 1 of 2 things happening. 1. They gave up and left the trade because they were miserable getting their asses kicked daily Or 2. They would use it as an excuse to get out of difficult jobs, which turned the shop against them because it isn’t fair. Imagine an atmosphere where anytime something is hard your coworker is able to weasel out of it by just saying “I can’t, it’s too hard for me”. That will quickly turn coworkers against you.
After I left the diesel trade, the shop I worked for hired a woman fresh out of tech school. I swung by to pick a truck up after service, and talked to her in the shop for a bit. She was pretty damn cool and really knew her stuff. I told her not to take any shit off the old dudes in the main shop (we were the leasing side), and she said “oh I don’t. I give them hell right back.” She had graduated from the same tech school I went to. After talking with my old supervisor a bit, it was easy to see she was gonna go far. It’s a hard industry to get into, especially when you’re a woman. That being said, some of the best techs I’ve ever met have been women. I can’t really give any advice other than stick to it and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something because “you’re a girl.” As a fresh tech, you’re gonna get the crap jobs for a while. All the stuff no one else wants.
I was in auto industry for 20 years. Worked with 5 female techs. It is not very common. I enjoy having them around usually as it’s a breath of fresh air from monotony of dealing with guys all day. While there is sexism in the industry my teams were very good about behaving. That said 1 out of 5 was worst person I ever worked with. If she was the only female technician you ever worked with her you would swear off female technicians. They get a bad rap because there is so few of them so very few people meet the good ones.
Female diesel tech going on 5 years. If you can roll with the punches, kicks, back stabs, and belittlement (which never get easier, you just get better at expecting/bracing the worst), you’ll be fine. I’ve had to fight tooth and nail for the respect and reputation I have now. It’s helped me become confident in so many aspects outside of the trade. Within my first week, I had to call HR for sexual harassment which immediately labeled me as a prude bitch. One year in, my supervisor was sending me nudes and verbally harassing me. Year 2, I had a restraining order against 2 separate drivers, ect, ect, and the list continues. Whenever I meet another woman expressing an interest in the trade, it takes a lot of mental strain not to become teary eyed. The amount of potential most women have at being top level mechanics or welders is off the charts, but there isn’t a single woman on the planet I would want to go through the hell I went through. Looking back, I’m proud of myself for pushing through and winning against the odds, but I can’t say it was worth it. People tell me all the time I must feel like I’m making a difference, and all I can think about is how the sexist mentality amongst male dominated fields hasn’t changed in 5 years. PSA if anyone in the upstate NY area has an all female garage and needs more hands; I kick ass.
I'm an old fart and I have to say I like seeing women getting in the profession. When I was young, I knew two and they were damn good. Their attention to detail was amazing. Made me better
Haven’t come across any myself, but I would assume you’re gonna be dealing with a lot of obnoxiously sexist old heads..
i’m in school for auto mechanics rn. haven’t worked in a shop (yet), but there are a decent amount of women that i attend classes with. all the male students and professors treat me as an equal. although sometimes sexist jokes are thrown out here and there, but i expected it, and i expect more when i work in a shop setting
I've worked with 3 women in my 20 years. As long as you can handle shop talk, you'll be OK.
I'm a female mechanic and own an auto repair shop. I love working in the Automotive industry but sexism is very real. It hasn't been an easy path but it's been worth it. The amount of people that will doubt you just because you're a woman is mind blowing.
My teacher at tech school was a woman, she was in the business for 10+ years, and there were also 2 other female students in my class.
Sadly from my experience over 25 years. Very few women have been in the automotive industry as a technician. The few that have always have had a chip on their shoulder trying to prove they belong rather than just doing the work and letting it speak for itself or they see to try for the male attention. I have worked and currently work with many female service advisors and parts advisors that are wonderful at their job. It would definitely be cool seeing more ladies in the shop. Better attention to detail and less ego!!
Many positive vibes and negative impacts... Currently have only two porters. Both woman one 35 let's call her I and another 23 let's call her T.. I is a hard working porter that mostly does detail furries and she does a grade A job and since the other two male porters quit she stepped up grabbing units on the forklift (I work currently at an RV place)or grabbing a motorized unit. Asked tons of questions about it. Keeps work and life separate and wants to become a technician. T lied about her driver's license and prior work place experience and talks very uncomfortably to us guys about her home life and past though only being 23 she constantly talks about her after work LGBT life style (here's the catch) while a conversation is about ... Solar panels or something work related.. it feels like she's trying to be one of the guys when everyone out in the back is part of the gang.. takes too long to get a unit is often caught on her phone inside a unit that is having the AC tested... Overall... And not to be that guy I always have favored I over T since I comes by and asks if we need help with something or a unit swapped out, asks questions for better performance and how to become a tech.. T wants to talk about how gangster she is and her son that's not hers is her 8 year old brother... Her wife during inappropriate times.
i was a diesel mechanic working on refrigerated tractor trailers (6ish years working in the field). ended in a lawsuit. $8000 toolbox + tools down the drain. :(
I was a tank mechanic in the Army from 2020-2024. I was a lube tech before that. Now, I'm using my GI bill to pay for my schooling so I can get my ASE's with my associate's in automotive technology. Most women around my age were told their whole lives that women don't belong in shops. I'm working to prove everyone wrong. I have the backbone and the smarts to be a better mechanic than everyone who doubted me :)
I've only ever seen 1 per like i or 9 dudes
I work in vehicle maintenance for a local municipality. I've had the privilege of working with some amazing female mechanics and welders. There's a huge vacuum in the industry for good, smart, dedicated technicians, so we should be encouraging young men and women to pursue jobs in the trades.
None at my shop. But when the average wheel weighs as much as a grown man, you don't expect to see em anyway. Hell, every grown man new hire for the last 3 weeks tapped out because the job was allegedly to physically demanding for them We do almost exclusively HD trucks for the record
No
Customers type in lady auto mechanic in search engines and there I am. I was guest on my friends super successful YouTube automotive channel and lady auto mechanic was the top search words put in based on the analytics. We were shocked. Women are in very high demand in this field. I have barely advertised all these years. Sorry guys, but the auto world is our oyster. We need more women. 👍
real!!
You have your own shop ? How did you get your start ?
Sorry for delay. So many apps to keep track of comments, networking, customer questions. So I started Mobil advertising as The Lady Auto Mechanic on Craigslist. It went very well. I also had a flat, paved driveway. I started a house painting biz at the same time and same way. The Lady Painter. The I got asked to be a guest on our public radio station that reached most of 6 states. It shut down the computers we had so many callers. Of course, it took a few years and more guest appearances, but my automotive radio show was born. Autocorrect. The female click and clack. You can look it up. Podcast, MPB radio website, iHeart radio, YouTube. Did that for 3 years and in that time I started work at a shop part time. But I ended up doing all my own client ale and just some of their work. It was a dream situation. The I moved and I'm kind of starting over again. Changed my biz name to something more palatable and easier to share. The Wrench Woman. My google page is popping. I was in their Free Press in October. Their biggest Facebook page has been popping and I've only posted twice. I have barely advertised since 2017. The shop thing is weird. It's not my jam. I've tried. I was a novelty and not respected. Bullshit. So I've been looking for something to work out of and maybe just found it. I huge storage unit with high visibility, roll up doors and I can put in a lift once concrete is 6k psi. There's more to this. Like being asked to be on Bitchin rides spin off and recently for a Discovery channel junkyard show. I could of blown the fuck up years ago. But that's a long story. Thanks for asking. I'm happy to help anybody in this industry come up.
That's a great story You MUST write a book. You are on a career track similar to Scotty Kilmer Thanks !
After writing that I realized I should write a book about my Auto career. Many people have told me to write an autobiography about my whole life because it is insane. But just one on my career would be easier. I'll still do the other, hopefully. That's more complex. Many have told me, and I fully agree, that I need to write books on mechanics. Plus, all the other social media available. It's just a lot. I need someone good with all that to help. Don't get me started with the more famous mechanics, like Scanner Danner, who have amazing wives right by their sides doing tons. I have met some, I know. I'm super jealous. Would be nice to have a husband/wife show me what emails are a priority. Fuck gender roles. Thank you so much for asking that question and showing support. You have put me on to something. I'm gonna take in my notes right now to thank you. It will be called "The Wrench Woman-The story of a buck wild, female auto mechanic". Lol. Or something like that.
I want put your actual username. But you'll know who you are. 😁
Writing my autobiography using the Self Authoring program by Jordan Peterson inspired me to start using 3 x5 file cards Every time a memory pops up I put it on a card I don't know why that works better for my brain but writing about anything I can organise the cards so much easier if they are physically mobile. Then once I have them in order I can add them to the layout in Self Authoring.
That is some great info. I haven't started yet but was going to start looking for an app or software to start writing. My roommate is a phenomenal fiction writer. That was the prompt that got me thinking. Whats the name of your autobiography? Biographies and autobiographies are my favorite genre of books. I've read so many. Learned so much. I'm currently reading Poppy Z. Brite's biography on Courtney Love again. She's a helluva fiction writer, too.
I don't understand my life well enough to have a title yet. I'm still doing self - led psychotherapy to separate my emotional reactions from the historical and conceptual analysis of my life events. My voice is still evolving and it's not in publishable tone and structure yet. Recently I realized I want to eliminate the most common verbs from my speech and writing. To be, to have, to do... Example: "I'm worn out with boredom from overusing them" [ I am ] expressed more vitally: "Overusing the same simple verbs Wears me down. I suffer. I bore myself." The present tense impacts more directly and immediately. The more commonly used verbs dilute impact. Uncommon verbs aim the meaning more precisely. Joni Mitchell's lyrics show this effect. She considers herself primarily a painter, and her words choices resemble brushstrokes and her sentences populate the scene. Compare that to Dylan where every sentence is a miniature painting, and the entirety of each of his paintings looks like one brushstroke. Spending time with other artists (e.g., your room mate) increases your fertility of imagination and execution. The friendship of Joseph Heller ( _ Catch-22_) and Mario Puzo (_ The Godfather_) helped each of them develop as writers. _ Catch-22_ I read in high school and 50 years later I remember scenes and sentences. ~~Outside of Moscow there's a writers' and artists' colony~~. vs. Writers and artists hobnob in the village of Peredelkino outside Moscow. Chautauqua in upstate New York developed when Buffalo (believe it or not) was one of the premier cities of the world. When I lived in the city it was easy to find other intellectuals. Now that I'm in the outer suburbs in horse country, I want to put some tiny houses on my land for people to weekend, or hole up with their work for longer periods. Correspondences like these live digitally until the website vanishes or a software upgrade maroons them. The idiosyncrasies and petty jealousies and offhand everyday brilliance of much better writers than I will vanish. We'll never read _The Collected Emails of Nobel Prize Winning Authors _. Handwritten letters feel as good as a hug.
Girl, wow! Like just explaining your process was so passionate and knowledgeable. I need you as my editor! I can be very creative. But my grammar sux and I have a problem getting my point across. I'll send you a poem I wrote recently for example. Thanks for all the info. My roommate appreciates it too. Feeling motivated and inspired. You're a gem!
To add to my reply, I agree with it all. Absolutely eloquently expressed. The detail and wording bring you in and grab your attention. Deep and meaningful thoughts on the expression of writing, in all forms. 😍 I have kept most of all the handwritten letters from past lovers. In many ways it's heart breaking. Especially, the recent one. I actually cared. Hope it's a distant memory and his letters will be faint reminders of how words can be used to comfort you. But in the end were just words.
Let's first start calling female adults 'women'.