Who's a mechanic or pannel beater and whats the job like?

[DEVL-XR]

Hi all,
At the moment I'm at TAFE studying Graphic Arts, I have 7 weeks left and I've decided I dont want to do this as a career anymore. So now I have to work out what I'd like to do for the rest of my life. I'm thinking I want to work around cars as I beleive I would enjoy this much more than sitting in front of a computer all day.
I would like to know what mechanics and pannel beating is like as these are the two areas I think I'd be most interested in.

So whos either a mechanic or pannel beater and what can you tell me about your job, ie. Is it enjoyable or should I steer way clear of it. Whats the pay like? etc. etc.

Thanks for any replys.
Braden

[Mickus]

Sounds sexy to me ;)

[mrgo40rd]

i was a mechanic now i sit at a desk all day (i enjoy that more) clean hands etc

[boss-290]

I'm about to become a mechanic.... not that that helps ya

[Super Roo 1970]

Done both, pay is ok, but not great, mechanic wise it dosnt seem to matter if in a dealership, or small factory, both jobs are very dirty jobs. I dont mind spray painting, but it can be messy too, and with the newer paints you really have to kit up these days with proper respirators and suits etc. smash repair work can be challenging on larger bingles, but the r and r part is very basic work.
I no longer do either. Gave it away years ago, and would never look back. I even pay others to have all my cars serviced.

[The Yeti]

i'm a spanner ****er, or was, I I started on Cars and liked it, the place closed down so I finished my apprenticeship on forklifts and progressed to Intermodal (container handeling equipment) the money was better and the technoligy makes the cars look like the old commodore 64 I have gotten off the tools now but I still like going down the work shop form time to time to get grounded again

[Hunter]

I used to work in the auto industry (not as a mech, panel beater or anything, desk job) and from what I saw being a mechanic was a dirty of a job which would not be enjoyable. Panel beaters still get fairly dirty but these days they're more likely to be panel monkeys as panel beating isn't done as much these days (its usually more economical/quicker to just do a panel swap). The most beating they will do is probably on structural areas or maybe putting the car up on a jig to straighten it. Spray painters have a bit of a messy and dangerous job but they get paid very very well for it. I could only ever spend a few minutes in a paint mixing area of a panel shop, any longer and i get headaches. It seems the spray painters don't notice it, might explain why some of them are a bit loopy :

[Addz08]

I am by trade, of course it,s helped me alot with my own cars over the years, but sometimes I think, don't turn your hobbies into a livelyhood, makes working on your own car a real chore, been out of it for about 4 1/2 years now and it,s alot easier working on my car now, than it was 4 1/2 years ago.. good luck with what you choose to do..

[tapeworm]

Everyone says they are hell dirty jobs, well no shite shirlock. Does anyone do these jobs and actually enjoy their job?

[wadsymoo]

hi,im a spray painter by trade,can panelbeat aswell.it is a good trade,dirty and plenty of fumes though.good money,and you can do work on the side with the skills you have learnt.i did my time in a small shop,so when i was not painting ect,i helped the panel beaters and slowly learnt that side of the trade aswell.

[xdv8]

hi, i am a diesel mechanic by trade(cat trained), like any job it has its ups and downs. you can go through periods when you get up and realy look forward to going to work, but then on others you just dread it. it can also depend on you work ethics(actually wanting to get in and have a go or just sit back and cruise through doing easy jobs), if you dont mind getting in, having a go, try and solve problems, especially after someone else couldnt, it can and does feel very rewarding. i would advise you think carefully before choosing as you are going to be starting on crap money, 3 year of tafe(boring-sleep) and the possiblity of not great money at the end, but the rewards and perks can also be great(cheap car parts and machining). also decide if you want to work for a dealer or not. there is a BIG difference between dealers and general mechanics. dealers can get more training and better wages(generally), but also get stuck doing stupid little warranty jobs that can realy suck. you can learn a great deal if just working on general stuff, just the pay aint so great. yes i do enjoy the work i do, but it is not for everyone. (sorry for the long post but it realy is a big decision)

[DEVL-XR]

Thanks for all the replies so far. Spray painting is another thing I'd be interested in doing, proberly not panel beating so much. I seem to be able to handle the paint fumes ok! I've done a little bit of paint work with the bumpers on my car which I've only taught myself with bits of advise from people.
I'm still not really sure about being a mechanic, I dont mind getting my hands dirty but dont really know if I want to do that kinda work.

[ReVd_uP]

Im a mechanic at a ford dealer, to be honest, it is fairly rewarding at times, provided your doing more than dropping oil and pumping tyres, but to be honest, if i had known what i know now i would have chosen a different path, yes i enjoying but when it comes down to it, a job is just a job, and money is of course money, spinning spanners just doesnt pay as well as it should, and id rather do a job I enjoy a little less, for more money so i could enjoy the time AWAY from work doing things and buying things i cant afford to do now, than to be in a job I'm fairly satisfied with, but not have the bank balance to enjoy my weekends as much as i'd like

[prydey]

I left school intent on being a mechanic. did a tafe course and everything. I've been a printer now for 13years and never looked back. while printing isn't exactly graphic arts it is under the graphic arts award. all the guys that work the computer/artwork side of things where i work have it made. latest and greatest technology, a/c, heating, modern facilities etc. beats being a mechanic hands down. even running a printing press out in the factory like i do is not too bad. unless you run your own show as a mechanic/panel beater you will not do as well money wise, as you will in graphic arts.

just the other side of the coin for you.

[boss-290]

Talk to VACC (Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce) and they can help you go through the jobs and see whether the Auto Indusrty is right for you.

[bats]

Im a Spray Painting 2nd year apprentice with the VACC. Whether it be panel beating , mechanic , spray painting etc., the VACC supply you will the tools you need for the trade and also find places for you to work at so that you are never without a employer throughout your apprenticeship with them. So check them out..

[Mongoose]

both are good as long as its not summer

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by Hunter

I used to work in the auto industry (not as a mech, panel beater or anything, desk job) and from what I saw being a mechanic was a dirty of a job which would not be enjoyable. Panel beaters still get fairly dirty but these days they're more likely to be panel monkeys as panel beating isn't done as much these days (its usually more economical/quicker to just do a panel swap). The most beating they will do is probably on structural areas or maybe putting the car up on a jig to straighten it. Spray painters have a bit of a messy and dangerous job but they get paid very very well for it. I could only ever spend a few minutes in a paint mixing area of a panel shop, any longer and i get headaches. It seems the spray painters don't notice it, might explain why some of them are a bit loopy :

Panel monkeys hey?You clearly have no idea at all as to what your talking about.Insurance companys dictate the terms of the smash repair industry,and the biggest of them push us to repair as it cost's them less.The best guys repair almost everything,the best shops try to replace as much as they can as thats how they make the most money,parts margin=profit margin.


I've was a panel beater for 10 years and have moved into the management side in the last 18 months.

My advise is if you want a challenge,become a panel beater,if you want to earn good money,and can handle repetitive work,become a spray painter,don't become a mechanic.

[Van D]

From people on these boards, plus my own dad and a couple family friends.. Most people seem to say that if you want to be a mechanic, to do diesel and work on trucks etc as it's better pay and you have better opportunities (such as the mines).

I was thinking the same as you a couple years ago when I was leaving school, but decided not to turn my hobo into a career (same with my music as well though) as I didn't want to turn it into a chore.

Dad was a mechanic for many years and apart from helping me out every now and then (plus building his own project XT), cars generally give him the poo's.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by apolloxbgt

Panel monkeys hey?You clearly have no idea at all as to what your talking about.Insurance companys dictate the terms of the smash repair industry,and the biggest of them push us to repair as it cost's them less.The best guys repair almost everything,the best shops try to replace as much as they can as thats how they make the most money,parts margin=profit margin.

Well considering my office was IN a shop, I saw what went on... maybe things are different where you are but I was in an out of tens of shops day in day out for 4 years. I got to know the guys fairly well... from what I saw they mostly did panel removal and refitting and only rarely pulled dents out or even bothered trying to get the panel straight again. It all comes down to time, you know that as well as I know it. Those time manuals aren't made for fun. If it takes x amount of time to pull off a bent panel, get a new one, prep and spray it then refit it but it takes x + 5 to f around pulling the dent out, strip it back then prep then paint it, surely the panel replacement is a better option?

And yes I am fully aware of the insurance companies' sway over the industry ( in fact some of what they do would be considered almost criminal by a lot of people if only they knew ).

What state are you in?

[nothin suss]

If youre any good at maths Braden do an Electrical pre-apprenticship... Then try to get an apprenticeship in commercial work.

If you suck at Maths be a mechanic?? Pay is crap at dealerships.. I know a few guys working at dealerships, 5.5 days a week, flat out all the time for $600 take home. Bugger that

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by Van D

From people on these boards, plus my own dad and a couple family friends.. Most people seem to say that if you want to be a mechanic, to do diesel and work on trucks etc as it's better pay and you have better opportunities (such as the mines).

I'd agree with this,my advise was only for the options provided.

Originally Posted by Hunter

Well considering my office was IN a shop, I saw what went on... maybe things are different where you are but I was in an out of tens of shops day in day out for 4 years. I got to know the guys fairly well... from what I saw they mostly did panel removal and refitting. It all comes down to time, you know that as well as I know it. Those time manuals aren't made for fun. And yes I am fully aware of the insurance companies' sway over the industry.

Time manuals hey?Ok then.You do realise that the time manuals do not equal the the acctual hourly rate,don't you?And that the same insurance company will pay different rates in different states,even in different towns?

Were you a rep,it sounds like you were,I'm sorry but most don't have much of a grasp on what really go's on in a shop,they just distract my workers (this how I've found them,not saying if you were one this is how you were).

As I said,the good shops replace because they make more money,it is a proven fact.Insurance companys push to repair because it cost's them less,that is also a fact.

To be competitive you need to be able to balance the repair/replace ratio.All repair=very low profit margin=go broke,all replace=work go's to other shops (private & insurance)because others will repair=go broke.


So,if Braden was to get a job in a well run shop as a panel beater he should learn a mix of repair/replace.

Braden,if you canves the local shops for a job,you'll run into me,make sure you resume is good _2:

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by Hunter

What state are you in?

Vic,I see you are in Brisbane,I take back my statement re you not knowing what your talking about.

Qld is the exception to the rule.Suncorp (biggest insurer in qld) push for 1 week turn around which means the shops must fit new parts to keep within the time frames.

The shops in qld are the most profitable in aus,at suncorps expence.How long this last's remains to be seen.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by apolloxbgt

Time manuals hey?Ok then.You do realise that the time manuals do not equal the the acctual hourly rate,don't you?And that the same insurance company will pay different rates in different states,even in different towns?

Yes which is why I asked which state you were in. I know they're fairly inaccurate but they make them for a reason and its the best they can do.

Were you a rep,it sounds like you were,I'm sorry but most don't have much of a grasp on what really go's on in a shop,they just distract my workers (this how I've found them,not saying if you were one this is how you were).

Nope not a rep but I worked very closely with the insurers and the shop management. I didn't chat with the guys much if at all because well most of them were working :. I had plenty of time to observe. I hated going into the shops because I wasn't given hearing or respiratory protection. Then there was the time I walked into a paint booth and there was a dude smoking :. I told him to put it out :.

As I said,the good shops replace because they make more money,it is a proven fact.Insurance companys push to repair because it cost's them less,that is also a fact.

To be competitive you need to be able to balance the repair/replace ratio.All repair=very low profit margin=go broke,all replace=work go's to other shops (private & insurance)because others will repair=go broke.

While this might be the case elsewhere, in Brisbane a fair few shops seemed to the be the ones with the bargaining chips when it came to dealing with the insurers (either due to reputation or them being a large operator). The bigger ones seemed fairly able to turn their nose up at the hard/costly jobs because well frankly they had enough work and didn't need some pain in the bum job. Then the smaller guys would do the job cheaply and probably badly because they needed the work and didn't really care how good a job they did so long as it met the minimum standards and they got their dollars.

Hail work was the worst, I remember we had a big hailstorm a few years back and the shops were run off their feet.

So,if Braden was to get a job in a well run shop as a panel beater he should learn a mix of repair/replace.

I always thought repairing was a lost art and I'm not disagreeing with you - I think that they should take time and take care. If my car is bent I want it the way it was before, not some half-arsed lowest-bid job which was only accepted because the shop needed the work and they insurer didn't want to pay top dollar. NRMA, well lets not talk about them .

Originally Posted by apolloxbgt

Vic,I see you are in Brisbane,I take back my statement re you not knowing what your talking about.

Qld is the exception to the rule.Suncorp (biggest insurer in qld) push for 1 week turn around which means the shops must fit new parts to keep within the time frames.

The shops in qld are the most profitable in aus,at suncorps expence.How long this last's remains to be seen.

Cheers, I wrote most of this post after you posted.

[DEVL-XR]

Appoloxbgt I might run into you one day if I decide to go down that path of spray painting/panel beating!
Thanks for the replies again.

[pauly85]

im a panel beater, finished my apprenticeship last year

to be honetst its a damn good job, its definatly challenging, not a day goes past that you have to think about what you are doing, when i started my apprenticeship there was no financial help from the government in vic, now there is, a load, so buying your starting out tools isnt as much of an issue as it was

the tool side of it get damn expensive, but everything you buy you can claim back on tax if you keep the receipt

in the end after you have your head around the trade and learn not to be scared of any job then it can get a little boring, but i would much rather be doing a job like this compared to stacking shelves in a supermarket or sitting infront of a computer

give it a shot, if it doesnt work for you, try something else!

[Nikked]

3rd yr Apprentice panelbeater (through Jumpstart), been at 2 different shops (first one just needed me for a buisy period, barsteds had no intention of putting me on cause they diddn't lodge any forms or anything : ) so i worked for 3 months that not worth anything, the shop was dodgy (they had me prop up a falcon on its side with a plank of wood, to rip out its engine and gearbox, so im glad im not with them! Where i work now is much better, and as a plus we are a recommended repairer for BWM's and such. As any job it has its ups and downs, but its over all its fun, pay is crap, but tool alowances, grants and what not help. We are doctors!

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by Nikk O'lass

pay is crap, but tool alowances, grants and what not help. We are doctors!

Pay will continue to improve.One of the local shops here tried to bring in "cheap labour" from the phillopeans ,didn't go to well,We're one of the few industrys that will survive the cheap chinese imports (goods and people).Aussies are very fussy when it comes to there panel repairs,a lot of other countrys arnt so they're panelbeaters arnt up to scratch here.
Most of the guys in the trade are older,and there arnt anywhere near enough people being trained to replace them as they retire.

[TaraHymen]

i've been a mechanic for close to 20 years and love every minute of it. back in the mid 90's i left it to go mining, hated that and took a 40K paycut to go back to cars. i now have my own workshop business and never look back.

i dont know why u say the pay is crap, in Perth there is a massive mechanic shortage and a kid 1 day out of his apprenticeship is worth $30/hour. if you're experienced and earning less than $32/33 an hour u got issues. and that is NOT exaggerating

[tapeworm]

Originally Posted by TaraHymen

i've been a mechanic for close to 20 years and love every minute of it. back in the mid 90's i left it to go mining, hated that and took a 40K paycut to go back to cars. i now have my own workshop business and never look back.

i dont know why u say the pay is crap, in Perth there is a massive mechanic shortage and a kid 1 day out of his apprenticeship is worth $30/hour. if you're experienced and earning less than $32/33 an hour u got issues. and that is NOT exaggerating

Is that for light vehicle mechanics or is it heavy diesel etc? At least u will never be out of work if ur a mechanic, there are so many job adverts going round it's not funny, and the pay some workshops are offering is impressive.