The going rate for dealership mechanics

big fella · 11-10-2018, 11:59 AM

It's a long time since I worked on the floor in a dealership. Back then the pay was terrible compared to my electrician and builder mates.

Anyone know what your typical dealer mechanics hourly rate is now?

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Bossxr8 · 11-10-2018, 01:40 PM

Mid 20's from what I hear.

davenl5l · 11-10-2018, 01:46 PM

Mid 20's plus bonuses for early completion,efficiency and upselling

Interceptor · 11-10-2018, 02:00 PM

Depends on how desperate the dealer is for "technicians"..... one of the guys in my workshop was getting paid award wage.... now working on a mine site for almost triple that.....

93EB_SXR6 · 11-10-2018, 02:34 PM

If its in the 20s, that's pretty sad... Its easy to walk into a warehousing job and make more $

jmack · 11-10-2018, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93EB_SXR6

If its in the 20s, that's pretty sad... Its easy to walk into a warehousing job and make more $

i wouldnt even get out of bed for that

.:4:. · 11-10-2018, 10:14 PM

Mid 20s sounds about right for a fresh mechanic, and yeah thats a bit rough. With experience it goes up but not like other trades. When i started my electrical apprenship in 2006 i was on a meager $9.50 an hour which wasnt bad back then for a 1st year and my mate landed an apprenticeship at a porsche dealer as a mechanic for the base $5.70 per hour. He hasnt really made it per say even though he progressed in to a more specialised sector doing higher end cars, still porsches but more race car stuff. So yeah he worked hard and owns a unit. But i also work hard but own a house and my toy is my boat. So the wage disparity between is pretty black and white. Its clearly not the case accross the board but im talking about 2 blokes who finished highschool and 1 is qualified and i dont even have my licence but am better off.

11ford11 · 11-10-2018, 10:27 PM

it is sad so lets not go there thanks.

Franco Cozzo · 11-10-2018, 10:38 PM

It was crap when I started out as an apprentice in a dealer in 2010, the qualifieds were on sub $20/hour and the workshop manager was on $25/hour. I had $3500 worth of tools and was driving 600km a week to get to and from work that was paying me $7.05/hour which was about $270/week - what a joke, I was working weekends at 15 years old getting $17.50/hour labouring

The award wage was $19.64/hour in 2015 last time I bothered looking.

I'm an auto electrician by trade, LV mechanical and auto electrical isn't worth a pinch of goat **** fellas, you work your *** off, exposed to carcinogens, hurt yourself physically and then you have to supply your own tools for your mid $20/hour.

The only mechanical trade area worth some spondoolies is heavy vehicle - forget light vehicle.

You'll get paid more working spare parts, I sit in a climate controlled office, my only tools are a pen, a phone, a book and a PC and I get paid more now doing this then when I was a qualified auto electrician working on emergency vehicles and all I do is talk to people on the phone, over the counter and send emails and drink coffee all day

Surprise surprise there are 'skills shortages' for auto electricians and mechanics:

https://docs.jobs.gov.au/system/file...toelectaus.pdf

https://docs.jobs.gov.au/system/file...chanicsvic.pdf

Probably because you get paid more working at IGA stacking the shelf - they started importing heaps of mechanics on visas around Melbourne

One of my customers came in sooking about not being able to find an auto electrician for his mechanical business - had $1000/week on the job before tax, $25/hour get paid more warehousing

The wages around Melbourne for LV mechanics and auto electricians suck which is why there are bulk imports on visas.

Itsme · 12-10-2018, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

It was crap when I started out as an apprentice in a dealer in 2010, the qualifieds were on sub $20/hour and the workshop manager was on $25/hour. I had $3500 worth of tools and was driving 600km a week to get to and from work that was paying me $7.05/hour which was about $270/week - what a joke, I was working weekends at 15 years old getting $17.50/hour labouring

The award wage was $19.64/hour in 2015 last time I bothered looking.

I'm an auto electrician by trade, LV mechanical and auto electrical isn't worth a pinch of goat **** fellas, you work your *** off, exposed to carcinogens, hurt yourself physically and then you have to supply your own tools for your mid $20/hour.

The only mechanical trade area worth some spondoolies is heavy vehicle - forget light vehicle.

You'll get paid more working spare parts, I sit in a climate controlled office, my only tools are a pen, a phone, a book and a PC and I get paid more now doing this then when I was a qualified auto electrician working on emergency vehicles and all I do is talk to people on the phone, over the counter and send emails and drink coffee all day

Surprise surprise there are 'skills shortages' for auto electricians and mechanics:

https://docs.jobs.gov.au/system/file...toelectaus.pdf

https://docs.jobs.gov.au/system/file...chanicsvic.pdf

Probably because you get paid more working at IGA stacking the shelf - they started importing heaps of mechanics on visas around Melbourne

One of my customers came in sooking about not being able to find an auto electrician for his mechanical business - had $1000/week on the job before tax, $25/hour get paid more warehousing

The wages around Melbourne for LV mechanics and auto electricians suck which is why there are bulk imports on visas.

Agree^^^^^^^^^

Any tradie that works for a company/boss gets ripped off unless you work for yourself, I walked away from the trade 25 years ago with no regrets and earn more money with less working hours as when I was a sparky.

Cheers.

You Yangs · 12-10-2018, 04:50 AM

Wow!!! Mid 20's, I would of thought at least mid 30's.
That is really eye opening and sad for someone who is a trained professional.

xisled · 12-10-2018, 07:52 AM

So someone who does 4 years worth of school and working on apprenticeship wages becomes qualified and still only earns mids $20's and hour. No wonder there is a shortage.

Why would anyone want to go through so much just to be on 50k a year.

Compare that to the company I work for. A 18 year old with minimal customer service training/experience can start in the call centre in a nice modern building, aircon, pretty relaxed environment and they get just over $25.00 an hour from day 1.

RANGEREST · 12-10-2018, 01:26 PM

I'm not a mechanic, but I charge $60 per hr and pay my guys $35, plus all the crap that goes with it.
Dealers charge $120ish? and the mechanics get mid $20s, seems fair - NOT.

Tassie f100 · 12-10-2018, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RANGEREST

I'm not a mechanic, but I charge $60 per hr and pay my guys $35, plus all the crap that goes with it.
Dealers charge $120ish? and the mechanics get mid $20s, seems fair - NOT.

I reckon you are sailing pretty close to the wind on those figures.If you factor in a few sickdays and 4 weks annual leave,plus the fact that you only get at best 7 hours paid work per day,you aren,t leaving much for your self.

hayseed · 14-10-2018, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RANGEREST

I'm not a mechanic, but I charge $60 per hr and pay my guys $35, plus all the crap that goes with it.
Dealers charge $120ish? and the mechanics get mid $20s, seems fair - NOT.

I think you're selling yourself short. Mate..

No Offence intended...
Just an Observation from 30yrs of owning a business.

GCRXR6 · 21-10-2018, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayseed

I think you're selling yourself short. Mate..

No Offence intended...
Just an Observation from 30yrs of owning a business.

Yes indeed. Should be charging $110 minimum, i.e. Three times what you pay your staff. That should cover costs, and give yourself something as well.

Franco Cozzo · 21-10-2018, 11:01 PM

One of my customers rocked in the other day saying he couldn't get a qualified diesel mechanic for $36-$40/hour to do Metro Melbourne and is offering a new company car with a fuel card.

The LV and HV world's two completely different beasts, the HV stuff is actually worthwhile.

The money on it would have to be high to compete with mining I guess.

smoo · 22-10-2018, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

One of my customers rocked in the other day saying he couldn't get a qualified diesel mechanic for $36-$40/hour to do Metro Melbourne and is offering a new company car with a fuel card.

The LV and HV world's two completely different beasts, the HV stuff is actually worthwhile.

The money on it would have to be high to compete with mining I guess.

I’ve worked with a lot of guys in fifo whove gone back to one of the main centres on an hourly rate you say above, but can’t get the hours. If they do, it’s inconsistent. So they end up in fifo again on guaranteed hours/money and scheduled time off.
$35-40/hr isn’t too flash at the end of a 40 hour week. Especially if they have to get their own way to work and sit in traffic.
As opposed to $45-$55/hr on 72-84hr work weeks. Plus food, accommodation, flights and super.

A huge difference between LV and HD is that road transport, plant, marine, industry etc need to operate. Any down time costs money. In contrast you won’t be required to stay back 6 hours after knock off on penalty rates to finish old mates EF head gasket.

Due to the huge shortage of decent HD techs, the opportunity is also there for sub contracting and working out of the back of a Ute/van with low over heads.

Who would want to be busting their **** working on LV when a 17 year old school leaver can get not much less working at Bunnings on the so called living wage.

GCRXR6 · 21-10-2018, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RANGEREST

I'm not a mechanic, but I charge $60 per hr and pay my guys $35, plus all the crap that goes with it.
Dealers charge $120ish? and the mechanics get mid $20s, seems fair - NOT.

Yeah, complete surprise to me. As you say, dealers charge $120+. I would have thought the mechanic would be on $38 to 40. Crap wages for sure.

Bossxr8 · 12-10-2018, 02:38 PM

You'd think wages would go up due to the skills shortages of trained mechanics.

How do they expect to entice new ones with such garbage pay rates.

Franco Cozzo · 12-10-2018, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

You'd think wages would go up due to the skills shortages of trained mechanics.

How do they expect to entice new ones with such garbage pay rates.

Imports on skilled work visas - get em in, treat em like crap and pay them SFA.

Auto industry aren't regulated trades - a lot of the imports we had at the dealership had no qualifications they were 'trade assistants'

**Giant Cranium** · 12-10-2018, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Imports on skilled work visas - get em in, treat em like crap and pay them SFA.

Auto industry aren't regulated trades - a lot of the imports we had at the dealership had no qualifications they were 'trade assistants'

and to think the going rate for a trades assistant for a carpenter in sydney is $36 an hour. mechanics are being screwed over

Franco Cozzo · 12-10-2018, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

and to think the going rate for a trades assistant for a carpenter in sydney is $36 an hour. mechanics are being screwed over

Building trade seems to pay decent spondoolies for tradies - its valued.

Also your overheads are lower if you want to run your own show, you can get around in a ute and a trailer with tools.

Auto workshop is spondoolies plus in equipment, rent, and yearly fees for all sorts of diagnostic equipment.

My cousin landed a gig after being a chef for over a decade - as a labourer on big construction projects in Melbourne, he is a chef and the rest of his entire crew are all ex mechanics

big fella · 12-10-2018, 03:11 PM

If I'm being honest, that pay rate helps me. My question was loaded. The company I work for sells and services civil construction and mining machinery. We can't find mechanics qualified in our stream. I want to pitch a proposal to management to poach LV guys and retrain them. I was worried there'd be no carrot to dangle, but at that rate, there is.

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GTLEGEND · 12-10-2018, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big fella

If I'm being honest, that pay rate helps me. My question was loaded. The company I work for sells and services civil construction and mining machinery. We can't find mechanics qualified in our stream. I want to pitch a proposal to management to poach LV guys and retrain them. I was worried there'd be no carrot to dangle, but at that rate, there is.

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Yep a reason a lot have left to go to the mines as well..

falconhell74 · 12-10-2018, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big fella

If I'm being honest, that pay rate helps me. My question was loaded. The company I work for sells and services civil construction and mining machinery. We can't find mechanics qualified in our stream. I want to pitch a proposal to management to poach LV guys and retrain them. I was worried there'd be no carrot to dangle, but at that rate, there is.

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Defiantly worth doing mate I'm a LV mechanic got sick of the crap $$$ about 15 years ago.
I got an opportunity to get in to the hire industry EWP's at first then forklifts generators ,light towers , excavators, loaders etc etc .
I've worked my way up the chain in various companies , I now run a "satellite" branch FIFO on a mine site doing everything from customer relations , hire requests to service breakdowns and repairs .
I now earn close to triple what i would be on at a local dealer / work shop
So the incentive is there for both the employer and employee .
A LV mechanic with diesel knowledge will be able to do the job no dramas at all.

.:4:. · 12-10-2018, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconhell74

Defiantly worth doing mate I'm a LV mechanic got sick of the crap $$$ about 15 years ago.
I got an opportunity to get in to the hire industry EWP's at first then forklifts generators ,light towers , excavators, loaders etc etc .
I've worked my way up the chain in various companies , I now run a "satellite" branch FIFO on a mine site doing everything from customer relations , hire requests to service breakdowns and repairs .
I now earn close to triple what i would be on at a local dealer / work shop
So the incentive is there for both the employer and employee .
A LV mechanic with diesel knowledge will be able to do the job no dramas at all.

Thats sort of the direction my cousin took and now he is off the tools and doing well for himself but still in the industry. He moved from cars to forklifts and for a while was mobile attending breakdowns until he got moved up to management. So it was sort of a stepping stone in an industry he loves. He tools about on his own stuff in his personal time but has the knowledge to do so.

prydey · 12-10-2018, 06:46 PM

I think mining and trade rates (plumbing, electrical etc) have skewed people's perceptions on wages.

I'm a printer. Been here for 24 years. 4 year apprenticeship and running multi million dollar printing presses. Mid 20's is the standard for this industry in Adelaide. East coast may be slightly higher. Wages haven't moved in over 10 years. Many industries are the same.

It's all well and good to bad mouth the dealerships but on top of wages there is super that has to be paid. Then there's the cost of running a bricks and mortar establishment. Electricity alone would make some people's eyes water. Water, gas, suppliers, maintenance, council rates etc etc. Then there is the continual schooling required to keep up with the ever changing technologies etc.

Wages and inflation are going in opposite directions and somethings got to give.

xisled · 13-10-2018, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

I think mining and trade rates (plumbing, electrical etc) have skewed people's perceptions on wages.

I'm a printer. Been here for 24 years. 4 year apprenticeship and running multi million dollar printing presses. Mid 20's is the standard for this industry in Adelaide. East coast may be slightly higher. Wages haven't moved in over 10 years. Many industries are the same.

It's all well and good to bad mouth the dealerships but on top of wages there is super that has to be paid. Then there's the cost of running a bricks and mortar establishment. Electricity alone would make some people's eyes water. Water, gas, suppliers, maintenance, council rates etc etc. Then there is the continual schooling required to keep up with the ever changing technologies etc.

Wages and inflation are going in opposite directions and somethings got to give.

My argument is not about dealerships charging what they do, my argument is more about a mechanic doing 4 years of schooling and getting paid 4 years of apprentice wages and to come out at the end of the 4 years and being on mid $20's an hour. This would could also include other industry.

As I said in my post, I work for a company and it has a call centre attached. An 18 year old from the street with minimal amount of customer service experience will start on a rate of just over $25.00, works out to be around 49k a year. Every 6 months the pay is reviewed and they have a cap of 55k they can earn in the call centre.

I just do not see how someone who has done 4 years at school plus the 4 years being an apprentice can come out of it with a wage very similar to a call centre worker, someone who has done the training and slogged it out for 4 years should be paid more IMO.

**Papa Smurf** · 12-10-2018, 03:46 PM

The 2017 Minimum wage in Australia was $694.10 pr week and as of July 2018 the rate went to $719.20 so, I am guessing that Mechanics are doing better than that???

Quote:

The average salary for an Automotive Technician is $64,775 per year in Sydney, NSW, which is 10% above the national average. Salary estimates are based on 14 salaries submitted anonymously to Indeed by Automotive Technician employees, users, and collected from past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months. The typical tenure for an Automotive Technician is 1-3 years.