Mechanic

Ken worth Madison was offering $30 for experienced mechanics. 3 years with the wall paper.

 

I've got a relative who has his own service truck and he does very well with it. I've been very tempted to go out on my own for a while now. Just really hard to take such a big risk with a $120k truck when you have a great paying job with pension and benefits.

 

There are so many factors, I work hourly so I probably make less than a flat rate mechanic during the busy season. But I always know I'll have a paycheck. My company lets me work as much OT as I want. I'm also one of the two road service techs so I get an additional bonus for every callout along with my monthly commission checks.

50-60k average for me.

I've also only been in the field for a few years, there are plenty of people above me that make a lot more. And cost of living here is significantly lower than the majority of the country.

 

My girlfriend's dad is a diesel mechanic for Riggins in Vineland, NJ. I have no idea what he makes salary wise, but he does have a nice home on a few acres, pays for his mother's mortgage, and takes really legit vacations with his wife like twice a year. They went to the Dominican Republic back in May. So I'd say he does well.

 

Dominican republic is not higher than Mexico all inclusive ... Try going to Hawaii or Europe

 

I can tell you they spend more in a shorter period of time. They don't have the luxury of being able to borrow a tool from the tech in the bay next to them.
You also have to be wary of low ball offers. I have Linkedin, Career Builder, Indeed, all that ####, and some of these job offers I get... I had one for a service truck job where they told me starting pay was $12/hour, so I called them just to ask if they were ####ing possessed, to which they replied that this was all light duty work, and since I didn't have a light duty background, I'd be starting at the bottom... well, why would I give up a much higher paying job to go work for them? Our unskilled laborers on paving and dirt crews at Martin-Marietta made more than that, so I can't imagine how anyone would accept that job, unless it was sitting on your ### all day, aside from the occasional call to go fuel up a stranded motorist. I know people who work on bikes making better money than that.
But someone must take these jobs, and I think that's where the new kids fresh out of school are vulnerable, because they figure it's either that or having to pay dues like normal people do and put their time in on the wash bay or tire shop.
As for me, I work for a municipal government now. The money's adequate, even if not particularly fantastic. Benefits are much better, though. When I ran a service truck, the guy offered four days of PTO per year... I could've stuck it out if I was one of these Unabomber types with no life to speak of, but I'm just slightly less socially awkward than that, so I want a little time for myself.

 

I can't speak for everyone but I've found there's usually better money in heavy equipment repairs. That and I hate working on the side of the road. The deeper I am into the woods, the happier I am. More than once I've ended up a stones throw from the Saskatchewan border traveling down those winter ice roads. The beauty of a natural environment like that is phenomenal.

 

Generally if you specialize you will make more, but overall knowledge is pretty good to have. Actual hands-on knowledge, not book learning either.
I am currently working at an independent shop that caters towards diesel pickups and small fleet customer, and doing rather well. I'm not making the most I ever have made, but enough to live rather comfortably in this little valley. I do bust my ### every day, I am on salary that is about equivalent to my hire-on wage at 50hrs/wk, and it would be nice to be back to just 50hrs but it is what it is. At least I'm not doing the 12-16hr days with 24hr on-call for upwards of six weeks straight I did in Texas.