The Flat Rate Master is in my professional opinion a Tech that has Mastered Flat Rate . Flat Rate is a DOG EAT DOG mentality that erodes everything you are trying to build except possibly billable hours. The service department sells professional work and will never get that because Flat Rate changes a Techs mindset to production only. It does not mater how good you are if you cant produce you ain't shit . Flat Rate Masters Knowledge is priceless and I would love for you to come to our shop and show our owner and service writer how to run a shop . Your knowledge of the field is 100% accurate and thanks for sharing.
I have come to understand that if I haven't provided enough of a skin or blood sacrifice it's not going to end up fixed and will come back in short order.
Use cordless tools battery operated tools and always try to use some forethought and not hindsight...always think about the Job and the better faster way to get it done..Scope out the situation the big picture...get down a system and always keep notes.....
Combustion engine+ tools multipled by shot labor "guilds" that do not allow for clean up time and often set for those in dealerships that work on them only.. Only them for the most part...
Suppose no win in this business anymore and after going from carbs to turbos again (all tye while know8ng tye combustion engine is obsolete for decades.). .. just not sure what to say about this line of carrier in automotive. Not really repair friendly amd they proclaim efficiency butost don't really get better gas mileage compaired ... not reaLly worth the eztra cost in a lot less years than ...
Sometimes it takes tough love for the younger techs. Go home pick up a motor age magazine or a motor magazine and do your homework grab your scope multimeter and play around on your car and learn how the sensors work and you will be the guy that shines and develop your diagnostic routine
Great vids for the younger guys to study from! I'm a 60+ who used to work flat rate (GM electrical) decades ago and the tricks of the trade have to be passed on. I particularly like #4, "the cheat". There is always a way to do the job properly and save some time. My personal fave was changing the starter solenoid contacts ( for "herself") in an 89 Corolla 4wd wagon. There was no way I was pulling the whole intake/fi to get to the starter that was tucked in sideways between the block and the firewall. I got it disconnected and loose from the engine and then "the dance" began with little twists and turns followed by a pull or twenty in different directions and...it popped out into the light of day! Ten minutes to fix the starter and another half hour to perform the dance in reverse, hook it up and drive away! Sometimes your biggest troubles can propel you into places "they" said you couldn't go!
I always look for the cheat, anything to save time! as long as it is a solid repair, aka not destroying the vehicle, like cutting a hole in the floor board of a car just so you do not have to drop the tank, yes I have seen that, an it was not a rusty car either, I was replacing the crappy pump the hack put in:(
I prefer to think of them not so much as "cheats" as I do "smarts". OTOH, if it were my own car, like a string of Jeep XJ's I have owned I might have cut the hole and then laid in a 1/16" plate to riv-nuts and silicone but never just cut a hole and leave it! The guy that did the hack job ( even if you have to lie...please tell me that at least he used a nibbler!) should be held accountable for substandard service resulting in the compromise of the structural integrity of the vehicle...that would be really popular in the rust belt!
Great video topic as always. One thing you forgot to mention (in my personal opinion) is put the cell phone down. I see to many guys get distracted constantly on there phones and affects there work. Another is stepping back a little to move forward. Sounds weird but you can end up chasing your tail if you start getting tunnel vision. Lastly is multitasking. Perfect example is doing a oil change, while the oil is draining you do safety checks to keep moving not just standing around waiting.
I like the last one a lot, at times at work we get so backed up and we have suggestions, in order for me to make time I have to back out the car that needs suggestions and bring in a new one and by the time I'm done with the other car the suggestions either got approved or denied. (Our service writers sometime aren't the fastest to get the suggestions sold)
Very good tips. #10 is so important. I typically have 2-3 bays to myself but if I have them tied up I will pick which one doesn't need a lift to be repaired or if they all need brakes or steering or suspension work put one or more back together and pull in another vehicle. No recommendation is a guaranteed sale but the more cars you look at the more chances you have of a sale and it only takes a couple of minutes to rack a car and pull the wheels off
You certainly helped me go be a more capable and efficient technician FRM. Just got a 3 dollar raise for getting my 7th ASE(auto trans and L1 are next). In 7 years of wrenching. Thank you for all the amazing quality content!!!!
Spot on on every count! I try to learn something new every night, even if it is only prepping for a complicated job the next day - over the years this has really added up.
Great advice always prepare for many moves ahead think smart and be efficient always work smart and never hard key to success be consistent and stay productive and evolve your knowledge in your craft in order to be the best you can be
Good tips. There is a cheat a lot of the times. I never look at repair data unless I absolutely need to. Like how GM tells you to pull an intake manifold to change an oil pressure sensor when all you need is a sensor socket, swivel, and 3 inch extension with some finesse. Over two hours labor in 20 minutes and that’s just one example out of many. I always write up my labor myself and keep up with every job in a notebook. Never leave your money in someone else’s hands. Occasionally the book is wrong and the guy at the counter doesn’t know any better when it comes to those special circumstances.
Well. I don’t know how u will ever put out a better spiel than this. U nailed it on all these points. These r the habits that come from experience. Always looking for the most efficient way or figuring one out. Continuing to learn upgrading yr knowledge base makes u faster. Book times warrantees times especially r meant to not make u rich they r for average techs so there is no shame in beating these times to make more money. Let’s face it. That’s why we’re here. If u ever were to go to a hourly shop after many years doing flat rate u will shake yr head at the inefficiency of straight timers. Multitasking so important. Excellent job. Please keep it up.
My favorite Cheat: Chrylser 2.4 MultiAir Thermostat, warranty time is 2.2 to 3.4 hours depending on the vehicle. Take the battery tray out and you gain so much more work space. You have to disconnect the battery and PCM anyway. If you take the extra two minutes to pull the battery and tray, you can halve the warranty time, because the hidden bolt on the back of the thermostat housing becomes so much more accessible.
I agree with the "maximizing your tool purchase", but I would like to elaborate on it a bit. First of all, we have ebay, amazon, pawn shops, etc. These are great sources for making your tool dollars go further. Also, a lot of these off shore tools have come a long way since the 80s (when shit would break the first time you use it). I have a rack of Sunex impacts in my box that I have been using on a daily basis for the last 21 years, and have only needed to warranty 1. Yup. I was a young, no sense at all mechanic at one time in my life, when even my tire gauge had to say snap on on it Now, my snap on dealer is ebay, and all my big sockets, wrenches, etc are texton, etc. Excellent quality stuff out there. You don't need to live on Ramen noodles to have the tool set you want/need.
This younger generation has the benefit of the internet. I started in this business 30 years ago. There was no CZcams and internet was so young. Now you can CZcams and find information that's not at your disposal. Asking for a known good waveform on Facebook groups and such.
I think some of those points can be used in a lot of industries of repair I get paid hourly in the work I do but also keep the time clock receipts as a habit so if I got any questions by how many hours I work I can go back and look at the receipt but as always great video
I have the reverse theory of jamming my hand in somewhere. If something is in my way, I take it out of my way. Some things youre burning time fighting with something verses just moving it out of your way. Even if it means sometimes opening a cooling system to move a hose out my way. That's in extreme cases though.
There are times, you have to slow down to go fast, I.E. taking something out of your way to get down faster, not always possible, like I was doing a AC pressure sensor on a VW, and to get it out required putting it in service position, that is 30 minutes for most techs I had to sensor RRed in 10 minutes:)
I'm new to being paid flat rate after being paid hourly for many years. Your videos have extremely helpful. I would like to hear more about making sure we paid right, managing flag hours and how to go about talking to management about getting paid what's owed without getting fired. Thanks
I have lived cars my whole life. I'm an old guy (67) and semi retired. I still spend a significant part of my day doing research on automotive repair and watching repair video's. Gotta keep up on everything you can. I don't want to be known as the old fart who is back in the 80s. Great tips .
It was back then because factories shared nothing with independents, had to call a dealer to get the electrical specs for parts or get them to Fax you a pin out chart, what data we had was old by the time books were published, and equipment to access it was off the charts in cost and the live data was scant. I had a black belt in scope tuning and when the latest scope came out with obd it had a floppy disc for each make of car, it gave to real time data but no access to clear codes, it was disappointing when I first plugged a vehicle into it, was hardly worth doing as it told me no more info than I could read far quicker with a Fluke meter. Every tech book published all had the wire bridging method. I worked as a Leading hand at Ford Dealer and the OEM equipment was out of their reach due to cost and they used the same methods we used in small shops. EFI training back then involved 0 scanning and code reading, it was all fluke meters, pin outs and values. The triggering of codes was like a cheap Chinese car alarm. Spitting codes for nothing and no codes for something and so often forced to go back to quicker simpler tests to get the job done in a timely manner.. All that left most mechanics cold on it, but things got better in the 90's for OBD that finally resulted in something that wasn't just going to waste time and began to be a useful tool..
For #6 - I have a spreadsheet on google docs that I always have open. As I finish a ticket, I type the hours flagged and the RO number. I have every year as a different "page" in the same file. They're separated by week, and at the top I have the total hours for that week, and calculate my average for the year (because that's how our vacation is paid). At the bottom, I always enter my paycheck amount after deductions, and then in column A, I calculate my average take home per hour flagged, this way I can estimate what my real check will be based on my hours.
FRM, your rule 3 is why I dislike flat rate. As a mechanic, I totally understand that you're going to scratch and cut up your hands and arms doing this work. But I really don't like that attitude of "I need to hurt myself to make time on this job", that's saying to me that speed is the most important thing to you when you do a repair. Not me, I strive for efficiency, but I'm not going to abuse my body just for the sake of being faster. I care much more about doing a quality job than doing a job fast. IMO, speed shouldn't be your primary or even secondary concern when doing a repair, you should focus on doing a quality job to the best of your ability, not doing a fast job so you can beat the book time.
riikerman KID?!?! Oh and our first Prima Donna has joined the slaughter. It's a phrase people use when they think rather than go off half cocked, like you have demonstrated.
Awesome video. I agree on the pattern failures. My favorite is the P0449 code circuit code for the evap vent. If I don't hear it click but it will light my test light. Bam it needs a vent solenoid. My other favorite failure pattern is Ford's that start great when they are warmed up but struggle to start when cold. First pid I look at is the ect. If the pid reads -40 and it's 75 degrees out or even 40 degrees it needs a sensor.
Very good advice for a rookie tech like me. I'd like to add one more that even the old timerd would probably agree with. VISUAL INSPECTION. I remember I had. Jaguar with a lean at idle code and right away I was thinking "this one is going to the dealer". I decided to pop the hood just in case it was anything obvious. Sure as shit the dipstick was out with blowby all over the head cover. Cleared the code and sent that hooker back out to rent. Aint been back since.
One of the most useful and insightful videos I have seen from you Flatrate Master. I guess my inner demons are telling me to be more efficient and organized with my time and tools. This is very important info indeed! I been doing just that with my tools and cart little by little. Need to reorganize my most needed tools and those that seldom see any use. Thanks again Flat Rate Master your GREAT! :)
Greatest habit you can have is organization you hit it right on. We have a Tac at the shop that's always looking for his tools he runs back and forth and it turns out it was right in front of him but he couldn't see it cuz everything was covering it up
I remember the book time on a Lexus starter motor being 8.5 hours . After using every guys 3/8 drive extension got it down to 1hr 39 still got 8.5 hours book price The thing that annoyed me is the long book time was for one bolt that extended the book time stupidly The saving should have been passed to the customer but the clean hands bean counters wouldn't have it ,which to be honest didn't sit too well with me so I left Some folks may think I'm wrong but ripping folks off wasn't in my training You forgot one bud Clean your tools put them away at the end of every job then you have no losses just a thought Got to say think your content is getting better and better Daz UK
flat rate sucks for techs and employers. It is a big part of the root cause people just go to Korea and get a new Hyundai every 5 years instead of getting their car fixed. If you employ techs and you want a lot of shop drama and a non team atmosphere, pay your techs flat rate. The argument that techs will slack or not look for efficiency on hourly pay is b/s. Advocating to hurt yourself to make money is dumb. I made my career fixing heavy equipment. Better pay, better safety and better sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. no flat rate. The manufacturers eventually design the machinery to be worked on more easily. I hate working on cars, but I work on my own because the success rate of any shop I take it too is dismal. I hate paying someone to take a bunch of shortcuts on my car and f it up.
Just found your channel and love the advice! I’ve been working at a local independent shop the last few years but finally making the move back into dealerships again and it felt good to get a refresher before going back into it!
I don't agree about injuring yourself while working on a vehicle. That's absurd. I have been a flat rate tech since 1978 . I consistently do 300 hours a month @ $40 an hour do the math 144 k a year. I don't injure myself in the process
FLM could you make a kind of similar video but about being a floater tech to find the right shop and pay., and also some good questions to ask service management when getting hired, some does and don't . Thanks for video series always great.
I agree with number 6, I started to track how many hours I make a week and one week I got back my time card with 37 hours which didn’t make sense, to make the story short I got my 47 hours one way or another!
my problem is at work being flat rate myself and only being In the industry 8 months, I have succeeded tremendously. I average 10 hours a day in my single bay. but I cannot stand service writers...some like the ones we have. where we recommend the parts etc and it could take up to a hour to hear back. but the second I pull the car out, and start another that ticket comes back to go ahead and do it. and advice on things like that?
Hi Flatrate master, is it possible to do a video about how to deal with bad crazy customers, because we are getting bullied a lot by customers, after getting brakes done or even oil changed, once the customer leaves the shop and if anything goes wrong like electrical or overheating or noises, we get blamed for these unrelated issues, we never touched it , but we get blamed for it. We got threatened too .
Haute Cuisine Best thing to do is note everything you can upon initial inspection. Take it for a good test drive and tell them everything you find wrong with the automobile in the repair quote. They can't say you caused overheating when you tell them "you need to fix the vehicle overheating before you get the tuneup". Document everything and then you can show the customer before they accuse you of causing it.
uhhh dammat, sacraficing skin for time. I avoid owies and uncomfortable positions at all costs, that must be why I'm a broke tech. thanks for the enlightenment Flat Man!
Everytime I am not paid correctly I get starved for a week. The bosses excuse is "you never complain when we pay you too much you only complain when we short you hours. You'll get paid what we say you get paid"... It really like the morale in the shop and makes me to not be in this industry sometimes, but I'm in too deep to change careers at this point :/
Mike I got a question????.... How much money do you save on a payday to keep replacing your tools or pay yourself back for the investment that you pay out for the tool. Considering it's my tool money my investment and my knowledge. ... You get where I'm going?
I worked at a place for 12.5 years , that never gave me a check stub with hours & pay rate . It was nearly impossible to track money owed . They always said you make x amount & had x number of hours. They got extremely pissed off & arrogant when asked them to prove it. Im pretty sure the arrogance came from their nationaity ( which was irish).
Keep the old lady away from the job and the cell phone in the car. One of the biggest problems I have with my techs is me catching them on their cell phones or their tampon swinging by the shop with some type of drama. Those 2 faults can cost time and be a job killer,
I knew a guy back in my early days that was missing his ring finger b/c he wore a ring. I've been a mechanic off and on for 40+ years. NEVER, EVERwear jewelry if you value your hands. His ring got caught on something and it pulled all the tissue off his finger. He had to have it amputated. He was the top tech in the shop (flat rate King!) Best mechanic I've ever known. DON'T wear rings!!!!
The Flat Rate Master is in my professional opinion a Tech that has Mastered Flat Rate .
Flat Rate is a DOG EAT DOG mentality that erodes everything you are trying to build except possibly billable hours.
The service department sells professional work and will never get that because Flat Rate changes a Techs mindset to production only.
It does not mater how good you are if you cant produce you ain't shit . Flat Rate Masters Knowledge is priceless and I would love for you to come to our shop
and show our owner and service writer how to run a shop . Your knowledge of the field is 100% accurate and thanks for sharing.
#1...bay management
#2...Time
management
#3...efficient tool puchasing
#4... Training never ends
#5-10 will come with experience
#11: Use the apprentices to your advantage.
Good tips FRM!!
LOL, I have never had an apprentice, only young techs
And shoutout to the Flatrate Master. I rarely totally agree with another technician, but he hits the nail on the head with everything I've watched.
Thank you very much!
I have come to understand that if I haven't provided enough of a skin or blood sacrifice it's not going to end up fixed and will come back in short order.
LOL, so true!
Use cordless tools battery operated tools and always try to use some forethought and not hindsight...always think about the Job and the better faster way to get it done..Scope out the situation the big picture...get down a system and always keep notes.....
Hard Knocks Forge Indeed sir. The Automotive Gods are fickle and generally demand sacrifice.
Combustion engine+ tools multipled by shot labor "guilds" that do not allow for clean up time and often set for those in dealerships that work on them only..
Only them for the most part...
Suppose no win in this business anymore and after going from carbs to turbos again (all tye while know8ng tye combustion engine is obsolete for decades.).
.. just not sure what to say about this line of carrier in automotive. Not really repair friendly amd they proclaim efficiency butost don't really get better gas mileage compaired ... not reaLly worth the eztra cost in a lot less years than
...
Sometimes it takes tough love for the younger techs. Go home pick up a motor age magazine or a motor magazine and do your homework grab your scope multimeter and play around on your car and learn how the sensors work and you will be the guy that shines and develop your diagnostic routine
Yep!
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, worth a read if you haven't already !
This is a multiple watch of mine. Thanks Mike.
Great vids for the younger guys to study from! I'm a 60+ who used to work flat rate (GM electrical) decades ago and the tricks of the trade have to be passed on.
I particularly like #4, "the cheat". There is always a way to do the job properly and save some time. My personal fave was changing the starter solenoid contacts ( for "herself") in an 89 Corolla 4wd wagon. There was no way I was pulling the whole intake/fi to get to the starter that was tucked in sideways between the block and the firewall. I got it disconnected and loose from the engine and then "the dance" began with little twists and turns followed by a pull or twenty in different directions and...it popped out into the light of day! Ten minutes to fix the starter and another half hour to perform the dance in reverse, hook it up and drive away!
Sometimes your biggest troubles can propel you into places "they" said you couldn't go!
I always look for the cheat, anything to save time! as long as it is a solid repair, aka not destroying the vehicle, like cutting a hole in the floor board of a car just so you do not have to drop the tank, yes I have seen that, an it was not a rusty car either, I was replacing the crappy pump the hack put in:(
I prefer to think of them not so much as "cheats" as I do "smarts". OTOH, if it were my own car, like a string of Jeep XJ's I have owned I might have cut the hole and then laid in a 1/16" plate to riv-nuts and silicone but never just cut a hole and leave it! The guy that did the hack job ( even if you have to lie...please tell me that at least he used a nibbler!) should be held accountable for substandard service resulting in the compromise of the structural integrity of the vehicle...that would be really popular in the rust belt!
Great video topic as always. One thing you forgot to mention (in my personal opinion) is put the cell phone down. I see to many guys get distracted constantly on there phones and affects there work. Another is stepping back a little to move forward. Sounds weird but you can end up chasing your tail if you start getting tunnel vision. Lastly is multitasking. Perfect example is doing a oil change, while the oil is draining you do safety checks to keep moving not just standing around waiting.
I talked about both of those points in another video:) It is important points
I like the last one a lot, at times at work we get so backed up and we have suggestions, in order for me to make time I have to back out the car that needs suggestions and bring in a new one and by the time I'm done with the other car the suggestions either got approved or denied. (Our service writers sometime aren't the fastest to get the suggestions sold)
It never fails want a car to get approved pull it out of the shop, almost quarantined to get your approval:(
Very good tips. #10 is so important. I typically have 2-3 bays to myself but if I have them tied up I will pick which one doesn't need a lift to be repaired or if they all need brakes or steering or suspension work put one or more back together and pull in another vehicle. No recommendation is a guaranteed sale but the more cars you look at the more chances you have of a sale and it only takes a couple of minutes to rack a car and pull the wheels off
This video got me back on iATN after not touching it for 4 years. Thanks!!
You certainly helped me go be a more capable and efficient technician FRM. Just got a 3 dollar raise for getting my 7th ASE(auto trans and L1 are next). In 7 years of wrenching. Thank you for all the amazing quality content!!!!
Spot on on every count! I try to learn something new every night, even if it is only prepping for a complicated job the next day - over the years this has really added up.
It really does, every bit of knowledge you can pull out on a job can help down the road!
Great video, but I'm hyped to see the bay management video.
Love seeing how other guys do it.
Should be filming it this week:)
All your points are spot on, I've been flat rate my whole career including my apprenticeship, so about 14 years now. You've gained a sub from me.
Awesome thank you!
Great advice always prepare for many moves ahead think smart and be efficient always work smart and never hard key to success be consistent and stay productive and evolve your knowledge in your craft in order to be the best you can be
Good tips. There is a cheat a lot of the times. I never look at repair data unless I absolutely need to. Like how GM tells you to pull an intake manifold to change an oil pressure sensor when all you need is a sensor socket, swivel, and 3 inch extension with some finesse. Over two hours labor in 20 minutes and that’s just one example out of many. I always write up my labor myself and keep up with every job in a notebook. Never leave your money in someone else’s hands. Occasionally the book is wrong and the guy at the counter doesn’t know any better when it comes to those special circumstances.
Unless it's the 6.2 liter on the Camaro. I had to pull the intake.
Well. I don’t know how u will ever put out a better spiel than this. U nailed it on all these points. These r the habits that come from experience. Always looking for the most efficient way or figuring one out. Continuing to learn upgrading yr knowledge base makes u faster. Book times warrantees times especially r meant to not make u rich they r for average techs so there is no shame in beating these times to make more money. Let’s face it. That’s why we’re here. If u ever were to go to a hourly shop after many years doing flat rate u will shake yr head at the inefficiency of straight timers. Multitasking so important. Excellent job. Please keep it up.
My favorite Cheat: Chrylser 2.4 MultiAir Thermostat, warranty time is 2.2 to 3.4 hours depending on the vehicle. Take the battery tray out and you gain so much more work space. You have to disconnect the battery and PCM anyway. If you take the extra two minutes to pull the battery and tray, you can halve the warranty time, because the hidden bolt on the back of the thermostat housing becomes so much more accessible.
Knowing where you're going next...that is KEY for me!
If I have to, I will write the sequence of what I'm dong on paper to stay on track.
What every works for you!
I have made several apprentices watch this video. Excellent info!
I'm in my fifties and still creating scars and looking at my scabs on my left forearm and my bandaged right hand.
I agree with the "maximizing your tool purchase", but I would like to elaborate on it a bit. First of all, we have ebay, amazon, pawn shops, etc. These are great sources for making your tool dollars go further. Also, a lot of these off shore tools have come a long way since the 80s (when shit would break the first time you use it). I have a rack of Sunex impacts in my box that I have been using on a daily basis for the last 21 years, and have only needed to warranty 1. Yup. I was a young, no sense at all mechanic at one time in my life, when even my tire gauge had to say snap on on it Now, my snap on dealer is ebay, and all my big sockets, wrenches, etc are texton, etc. Excellent quality stuff out there. You don't need to live on Ramen noodles to have the tool set you want/need.
This younger generation has the benefit of the internet. I started in this business 30 years ago. There was no CZcams and internet was so young. Now you can CZcams and find information that's not at your disposal. Asking for a known good waveform on Facebook groups and such.
I love your input! I learn a ton from youtube. what you shared here is gold! I will encourage my customers to watch!
Thank you very much!
I think some of those points can be used in a lot of industries of repair I get paid hourly in the work I do but also keep the time clock receipts as a habit so if I got any questions by how many hours I work I can go back and look at the receipt but as always great video
I have the reverse theory of jamming my hand in somewhere. If something is in my way, I take it out of my way. Some things youre burning time fighting with something verses just moving it out of your way. Even if it means sometimes opening a cooling system to move a hose out my way. That's in extreme cases though.
There are times, you have to slow down to go fast, I.E. taking something out of your way to get down faster, not always possible, like I was doing a AC pressure sensor on a VW, and to get it out required putting it in service position, that is 30 minutes for most techs I had to sensor RRed in 10 minutes:)
I tend to agree with you, constant pain because of cuts and bruises slows you down.
Pain irritates the mind which makes the brain less efficient.
I'm new to being paid flat rate after being paid hourly for many years. Your videos have extremely helpful. I would like to hear more about making sure we paid right, managing flag hours and how to go about talking to management about getting paid what's owed without getting fired. Thanks
I have lived cars my whole life. I'm an old guy (67) and semi retired. I still spend a significant part of my day doing research on automotive repair and watching repair video's. Gotta keep up on everything you can. I don't want to be known as the old fart who is back in the 80s. Great tips
.
LOL, I knew a bunch of those old farts stuck in the 80s, thought OBD was the devil!
It was back then because factories shared nothing with independents, had to call a dealer to get the electrical specs for parts or get them to Fax you a pin out chart, what data we had was old by the time books were published, and equipment to access it was off the charts in cost and the live data was scant.
I had a black belt in scope tuning and when the latest scope came out with obd it had a floppy disc for each make of car, it gave to real time data but no access to clear codes, it was disappointing when I first plugged a vehicle into it, was hardly worth doing as it told me no more info than I could read far quicker with a Fluke meter.
Every tech book published all had the wire bridging method.
I worked as a Leading hand at Ford Dealer and the OEM equipment was out of their reach due to cost and they used the same methods we used in small shops. EFI training back then involved 0 scanning and code reading, it was all fluke meters, pin outs and values. The triggering of codes was like a cheap Chinese car alarm. Spitting codes for nothing and no codes for something and so often forced to go back to quicker simpler tests to get the job done in a timely manner..
All that left most mechanics cold on it, but things got better in the 90's for OBD that finally resulted in something that wasn't just going to waste time and began to be a useful tool..
For #6 - I have a spreadsheet on google docs that I always have open. As I finish a ticket, I type the hours flagged and the RO number. I have every year as a different "page" in the same file. They're separated by week, and at the top I have the total hours for that week, and calculate my average for the year (because that's how our vacation is paid). At the bottom, I always enter my paycheck amount after deductions, and then in column A, I calculate my average take home per hour flagged, this way I can estimate what my real check will be based on my hours.
12. rip warranty off
FRM, your rule 3 is why I dislike flat rate. As a mechanic, I totally understand that you're going to scratch and cut up your hands and arms doing this work. But I really don't like that attitude of "I need to hurt myself to make time on this job", that's saying to me that speed is the most important thing to you when you do a repair. Not me, I strive for efficiency, but I'm not going to abuse my body just for the sake of being faster. I care much more about doing a quality job than doing a job fast. IMO, speed shouldn't be your primary or even secondary concern when doing a repair, you should focus on doing a quality job to the best of your ability, not doing a fast job so you can beat the book time.
RedneckManWV99 well obviously yr not a flat rate guy. Some guys r not cut out to b fast and efficient. Listen to this guy. Totally true wat he says
#7 till the end are so spot on
Wow this video really helped I’m an up an coming tech in the bmw industry and this made me realize the things i need to work on thank you
Work smarter not harder only rule I know.
Keep track of your hours BIG deal.
Always take workload systematically.
Don't be a Prima Donna!
riikerman KID?!?! Oh and our first Prima Donna has joined the slaughter. It's a phrase people use when they think rather than go off half cocked, like you have demonstrated.
Awesome video. I agree on the pattern failures. My favorite is the P0449 code circuit code for the evap vent. If I don't hear it click but it will light my test light. Bam it needs a vent solenoid. My other favorite failure pattern is Ford's that start great when they are warmed up but struggle to start when cold. First pid I look at is the ect. If the pid reads -40 and it's 75 degrees out or even 40 degrees it needs a sensor.
LOL, Tons of pattern failures out there, just got to remember them all!
Good points. #7 just comes with time and experience. Things that seemed major and intimidating to me when I was new are now just nature.
Thank you,I always wondered how the best flat rate guys do it
Very good advice for a rookie tech like me. I'd like to add one more that even the old timerd would probably agree with. VISUAL INSPECTION. I remember I had. Jaguar with a lean at idle code and right away I was thinking "this one is going to the dealer". I decided to pop the hood just in case it was anything obvious. Sure as shit the dipstick was out with blowby all over the head cover. Cleared the code and sent that hooker back out to rent. Aint been back since.
Great advice, perhaps the best for any type of work environment is stay organized and have the tools to be efficient.
Great information!!!! It’s true. If you do all of these things you’re setting yourself up for success. Bay management is so important!!!
One of the most useful and insightful videos I have seen from you Flatrate Master. I guess my inner demons are telling me to be more efficient and organized with my time and tools. This is very important info indeed! I been doing just that with my tools and cart little by little. Need to reorganize my most needed tools and those that seldom see any use. Thanks again Flat Rate Master your GREAT! :)
Every bit of efficiency you pick up will add up at payday! Thank you very much for the comments
Greatest habit you can have is organization you hit it right on. We have a Tac at the shop that's always looking for his tools he runs back and forth and it turns out it was right in front of him but he couldn't see it cuz everything was covering it up
I would add to make sure you have the part and the right part before you start the job.
I remember the book time on a Lexus starter motor being 8.5 hours . After using every guys 3/8 drive extension got it down to 1hr 39 still got 8.5 hours book price The thing that annoyed me is the long book time was for one bolt that extended the book time stupidly The saving should have been passed to the customer but the clean hands bean counters wouldn't have it ,which to be honest didn't sit too well with me so I left Some folks may think I'm wrong but ripping folks off wasn't in my training You forgot one bud Clean your tools put them away at the end of every job then you have no losses just a thought Got to say think your content is getting better and better Daz UK
I would say cleaning and returning your tools goes along with Organization, but I should have mentioned it in the video. Thank you for watching!
Kay Man fare point
Tools tickits work fast and thoroughly have a good attitude your grate source of information for auto and lot of wide range of jobs not just auto 😉
flat rate sucks for techs and employers. It is a big part of the root cause people just go to Korea and get a new Hyundai every 5 years instead of getting their car fixed. If you employ techs and you want a lot of shop drama and a non team atmosphere, pay your techs flat rate. The argument that techs will slack or not look for efficiency on hourly pay is b/s. Advocating to hurt yourself to make money is dumb. I made my career fixing heavy equipment. Better pay, better safety and better sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. no flat rate. The manufacturers eventually design the machinery to be worked on more easily. I hate working on cars, but I work on my own because the success rate of any shop I take it too is dismal. I hate paying someone to take a bunch of shortcuts on my car and f it up.
Just found your channel and love the advice! I’ve been working at a local independent shop the last few years but finally making the move back into dealerships again and it felt good to get a refresher before going back into it!
Glad you enjoy the content!
I don't agree about injuring yourself while working on a vehicle. That's absurd. I have been a flat rate tech since 1978 . I consistently do 300 hours a month @ $40 an hour do the math 144 k a year. I don't injure myself in the process
FLM could you make a kind of similar video but about being a floater tech to find the right shop and pay., and also some good questions to ask service management when getting hired, some does and don't . Thanks for video series always great.
I have some job search videos in the planning stages:)
Great video! Great tips! Seen u on SMA I’m now subscribed. U r speaking the truth!
I'd love to hear more about bay management. looking forward to a more in depth vid.
Filming it tomorrow night:)
Cool. I just got promoted to tech L2 this week so i'm partial flat rate now. so its really important & its something i do struggle with.
I agree with number 6, I started to track how many hours I make a week and one week I got back my time card with 37 hours which didn’t make sense, to make the story short I got my 47 hours one way or another!
my problem is at work being flat rate myself and only being In the industry 8 months, I have succeeded tremendously. I average 10 hours a day in my single bay. but I cannot stand service writers...some like the ones we have. where we recommend the parts etc and it could take up to a hour to hear back. but the second I pull the car out, and start another that ticket comes back to go ahead and do it. and advice on things like that?
I will touch on that in the bay management video, I will be doing soon.
#12 BUY YOUR OWN TOOLS .
Hi Flatrate master, is it possible to do a video about how to deal with bad crazy customers, because we are getting bullied a lot by customers, after getting brakes done or even oil changed, once the customer leaves the shop and if anything goes wrong like electrical or overheating or noises, we get blamed for these unrelated issues, we never touched it , but we get blamed for it. We got threatened too .
The eversinceyou! yeah it will be a video at some point
Haute Cuisine Best thing to do is note everything you can upon initial inspection. Take it for a good test drive and tell them everything you find wrong with the automobile in the repair quote. They can't say you caused overheating when you tell them "you need to fix the vehicle overheating before you get the tuneup". Document everything and then you can show the customer before they accuse you of causing it.
Thank you for the information. Thumbs up
Definitely must do a bay usage video
czcams.com/video/2FrfKSDxsG0/video.html
I had audio issues but the video is up
Good tips Michael !
Thanks as always Norman!
Great list. Logical & practical.
Thank you!
Excellent info! Thank you!
I watch this video every month
Cool!
uhhh dammat, sacraficing skin for time. I avoid owies and uncomfortable positions at all costs, that must be why I'm a broke tech. thanks for the enlightenment Flat Man!
Sacrifice must be given to the car gods!! in blood;)
That's a matter of choice. The best tech I've ever known almost never got busted up....because he too, hated busted knuckles.
Number 4 "know you heard this before... never get high on your own supply.
Gotta love being paid by the hour in my line of work! Flat rate would suck!
Air bag recalls without removing the dash.
Great advice..thank you
Thank you!
Really enjoy your videos man. Good stuff.
Thanks, when are you going to produce more videos:)
Flatrate Master I know, I need to step up my game haha Hopefully soon.
22re the camshaft is under the valve cover and the book want the whole head pulled something that you DONT have to do
I agree 100%
Thanks for the tips 🔧👍
Are these habits before or after taxes come into play.
Everytime I am not paid correctly I get starved for a week. The bosses excuse is "you never complain when we pay you too much you only complain when we short you hours. You'll get paid what we say you get paid"... It really like the morale in the shop and makes me to not be in this industry sometimes, but I'm in too deep to change careers at this point :/
Great advice!
Good advice brother
Thank you!
Mike I got a question????.... How much money do you save on a payday to keep replacing your tools or pay yourself back for the investment that you pay out for the tool. Considering it's my tool money my investment and my knowledge. ... You get where I'm going?
How do you know how much time to charge for diagnosis?
This was great!
Thank you very much!
My left hand is all scared up lol nissans are a bitch when it comes to bay space
My left hand is always torn up!
I can relate to that as well, many scares to finish the job. Yeahhh! :)
Flatrate Master ive only been in the field a month and i dont have my own tools
Flatrate Master i worked on most late 90s and early 2000s cars and pick up trucks and sometimes classic cars
I worked at a place for 12.5 years , that never gave me a check stub with hours & pay rate . It was nearly impossible to track money owed . They always said you make x amount & had x number of hours. They got extremely pissed off & arrogant when asked them to prove it. Im pretty sure the arrogance came from their nationaity ( which was irish).
A lot of good tips, but quitting time is quitting time, on my death bed i am not going to wish I worked more.
+417cameron I take an hour lunch, and leave at 5:30, I do not stay late, much if ever or work through lunch.
Keep the old lady away from the job and the cell phone in the car. One of the biggest problems I have with my techs is me catching them on their cell phones or their tampon swinging by the shop with some type of drama. Those 2 faults can cost time and be a job killer,
That's some good advise frm
Thank you!
Takes experience that's it
Very very true.
Got question s lmk. Smart GUY..
Check for bulletins
Don’t go on endless smoke breaks
I wish I had mits the size of a small China man but I have ones the size a bear LoL
I worked doing body work for years my hands are hard as hell
Trust me my hands are not small either:(
Is their like a book online that shows the hr for each job?
all are paid services, like Alldata, Mitchell on Demand etc
Good stuff
Experience trumps book smarts any day of the week, there are things books don't teach you.
One good tip is learned from your mistakes and don't repeat it.
How long have you been a mechanic?
24-25 years
If your a good tech with good work ethic...bite the bullet and open your own shop.!!
Awsome again
Such this bell.
If you need to borrow a tool, write it down and buy it soon.
How Can You wear A Ring? I Almost Lost My Ring Finger. Did Loose the Tip of a Pinky
I knew a guy back in my early days that was missing his ring finger b/c he wore a ring. I've been a mechanic off and on for 40+ years. NEVER, EVERwear jewelry if you value your hands. His ring got caught on something and it pulled all the tissue off his finger. He had to have it amputated. He was the top tech in the shop (flat rate King!) Best mechanic I've ever known. DON'T wear rings!!!!
It is like 10 p.m. when I filmed this, hadn't touched a car in several hours:)
I Haven't Worn one In Years. My Last was like a size 13.