skm

Thanks Elon I am still up in the air about opening a shop or just turning wrenches. I am 43 so It is at the point where I either do it or just turn wrenches.. Being at the same shop for almost 26 years I have seen many techs and owners come and go. Many different ideas on how the shop should run, but I never ever changed the way I did things. I told them if they didn't like it let me go, of course I am still there and doing things the same way I have for as long as I have been fixing cars.. One of my biggest fears is getting good techs, I feel that they would hate me because I can't stand mechanics that are just in it for their pockets and don't give a damn about the customers ( seeing how much you can get out of a customer) , shoddy work, etc. It drives me up a wall, not to mention all the youtube mechanics out there. By that I mean the ones that watch youtube videos on how to fix a car. UNREAL ! in my 26 years I have seen so many so called good mechanics who were worthless. so that puts a huge black cloud on my plans for opening a shop. It is very hard when you push yourself to be the best , be at the top of your game and want the business to thrive even though it is not your own business. Just to have incompetent money gouging crooks out there even working in the same shop who just don't give a rats ass about the customers!

I didn't watch your whole video, but with what you were saying about bridgstone that is something I have done since day one of working as a mechanic. I have never ever pushed up sales and always made recommendations in order of priority. I have been working at the same shop for almost 26 years and always stay busy with many many loyal customers . I was thinking of opening my own shop, but with the way the industry is going and all the lack of laws and regulations of auto motive repair thinking that a small business now a days will be too hard to get going. Not to mention the lack of "seasoned" mechanics out there. I don't think the shop I work at has had a certified mechanic in the last 12-15 years. I have been an ase certified master for many years with my L1 , state inspection license and master emission repair license. Sometimes I think keeping up the certifications is a waste of time.. Yes I know my trade very well, but I don't think pulling a shop off is something that can be done in the dire times of the industry

well said, I argue this to the owner of my shop all the time. In the last few years since ownership change the shop has declined quickly, the shop is a mess and looks horrible! The new owners are more geared to the store part of the station not the repair shop, that being said the store looks great, the shop looks like a back alley shop in the worst part of town. One more reason I am looking to opening my own business .