I was thinking about going to UTI and training there. Then attempting to get a job out in the southern Cali area. Just wondering what the average pay would be, and if I would live comfortable. I like expensive **** (nice house, cars, boat....), so I am wondering if I am in the wrong field to have a lucrative job as a auto mechanic. Im currently in Computer Networking, but Im just not feeling it. Dont really know where to look with this question, craigslist isnt listing what they pay. Someone help me out...

 

I went to UTI in rancho cuc.
I'm working at a saab dealership right now and make a decent amount off money.
The opportunity to make great money is up to you. 90K+ a year is possible at a dealer within 5 years.
Starting pay will be around $8-15 an hour.

 

i have two friends that went there. one worked for cadillaccc. another works for porsche.... sounds good!
also have a few friends that go to the one in rancho...

 

I am going to pursue the BMW Step program too (if you all know what that is). I dont know, I just hope I can make a decent wage out there to survive in Cali. **** is expensive as hell compared to where I am from.

 

Try a Honda PACT factory sponsored (they have them all over the country google it) junior college program the one I went to is located at Rio Honda College in Whitter Ca much cheaper than UTI, I did the whole auto mechanic thing for about 2 yrs. and I was getting paid when I left $15 flag rate about $40k a year at Norm Reeves Honda in Cerritos it was not enough for me so I went back to school to get my BS at Cal State LA in "Industrial Technology" (major offered all over the country) and they accepted most of my auto tech classes and I just finished in less than 2yrs and now I am looking for experience either in Honda Corprate in Torrance or on the Design side with Honda RD in San Clarita. Its true those European dealers pay more with so pay potential but you have to put in your time and pay your dues before you make the dough, the shop forman at Honda made some serious dough and he did nothing $60k plus. Let me know if you have any questions. The real money in Business ownership or Investments Real Estate etc. I am working on that right now. oh yeah plus I did not like the the bull the boss was always giving me I do not like to be told what to all the time if you know what I mean.


Modified by civichb20 at 10:07 PM 12/10/2007

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. I dont like bosses either, but everyone has to start somewhere. Investment Real Estate? What is that? Flipping houses and everything? I dont know, I like messing with cars. Im trying to find something that pays well and something I like doing. I will look into this Honda PACT thing. Although, Im already enrolled in UTI.

 

yea I went to uti and I took the fasttrack program, and know I work for bmw and make 2 1/2 time mor than what I did for honda

 

fasttrack isnt as in-depth as the STEP though.

 

nicee..im thinking about UTI too....college isn't working out too great for me ...how are the courses? i was thinking about doing something with bmw or mercedes-benz....how much are techs getting paided?

 

i have a friend thats a tech now at honda(he started out a lube tech and worked aka test his way up) and hes says the pay is **** at honda, thats why im thinking about bmw or mercedes-benz

 

I have a friend who just graduated from Avondale, and is starting a job in two weeks. He said he is starting out at $20 an hour in Oregon. But I would think in Socal, it would start out more. Im not from the area, so you locals would probably know more than i would.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by roadracer321 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have a friend who just graduated from Avondale, and is starting a job in two weeks. He said he is starting out at $20 an hour in Oregon. But I would think in Socal, it would start out more. Im not from the area, so you locals would probably know more than i would. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i'll ask him tonight about how much he really makes an hour. but hes always bitching after the work day

 

yea fasttrack doent include the rest of the the classes that step does, but if your able to get into step and stay in hats off to you man, and also uti is a good school but after going thru all of that I hope that I didnt pay 30 grand

 

im the guy that worked for cadillac

u have to work ur way in this field, i started off working for VW, getting paid 8.50 while going to school, then i worked for cadillac making 10.50 as a lube tech, then i worked for an independent shop that paid me 25.00 an hour flat rate, and it was slow there so i quit and now im working at wack pep boys(temp job), but its chill and they pay me 18.00 and hour. they only thing that sucks is that UTI is way expensive, i think if i knew, i wouldve just gone to community college and take the automotive program there

 

i got a friend that went there and is now working for MTA. great pay he says.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by socalJDMer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im the guy that worked for cadillac

u have to work ur way in this field, i started off working for VW, getting paid 8.50 while going to school, then i worked for cadillac making 10.50 as a lube tech, then i worked for an independent shop that paid me 25.00 an hour flat rate, and it was slow there so i quit and now im working at wack pep boys(temp job), but its chill and they pay me 18.00 and hour. they only thing that sucks is that UTI is way expensive, i think if i knew, i wouldve just gone to community college and take the automotive program there </TD></TR></TABLE>
I'ts never too late.

 

Already did the community college thing, it wasnt for me. I did hear STEP was pretty involved, but im sure I will manage. $25 an hour sounds tasty, thats what im shooting for.

 

yea step is really involved, but I went to fasttrack and ive already been sent to dealer training, and Im making 22 dollars an hour, so 25 is possible just depends when and where you start your career

 

I went to Uti and graduated last year and I'll give you guys an idea how it was. I attended uti in rancho ca and graduated with a 3.9 gpa and 100 percent attendance and thought the school was a joke! They offer 17 classes that range from basic engines to service writing 17 courses with 17 instructors that read power points that are rediculous which your tests willie based off of. Most of these instructors were just trained to teach a subject when they actually had no experience from the field in what they were teaching. The ed managers are former instructors that climbed the corporate ladder at uti just to be dictators they not only punk students but they punked one of my instructors in front of 30 students cause the ed manager had a hard on for this instructor for what reason i dont know. They preach professionalism all day but few staff actually are. There hot rod classes were a joke! I got a beat up small block put it together with some beat parts put it on the dyno and ran it made 270 hp was wack. Oh then you go to the super street program which has a bunch of sport compact cars with stupid bolt ons that class was fun cause our fat instructor took us on a smoke break every half hour then your last class which is service writing was about writing a damn repair order. Wanna go to a program? Bmw? Benz? Good luck your chances of getting in are two in ten students even if you havegood grades attendance they mite not take you simply cause of the phone interview. Wanna go to porche? Well they graduate only 60 students nation wide oh yea you better be willing to locate to work in another state if u get selected to any program so if Alaska needs a bmw tech you better be ready to ship out if not your now in debt with special training like ten grand. They offer ford fact which is another ten grand bmw fast track is four grand. So your wondering? Well im in debt to sallie mae 35k on a ten year loan and work at bmw making 17 bucks an hour with a bunch of techs that hate uti cause it was a big scam if I had the chance I would have looked for other schooling. But hey it might be for you! Good luck!

 

what a way to rip them apart! I hope some people have better things to say about this place other than P72... It just created a nightmare inside my head

 

thats exactly what i heard also thats why i got my 75 bucks back just for writing my info down.
and tried going to the honda pact and they have two many requiremnts and u have to wait every two years to get in.
i ended up working for a meat distribution on freightliners and volvos. then i worked on electric pallet jacks and forklifts and now i am working at a crown dealer.

 

like I said it might be for you. I'm not trying to be negative just trying to tell you how it is. And yea that 75 bucks you pay for registration actually goes into the pocket of the person that gives you a tour of the campus which is nothing more then a sales person that's trying to sign you up as soon as they can they send u mail and all kinds of crap trying to sign u up. From what I saw on MSN money report on Uti was that four months agothey had to lay off close to 400 of there instructors nation wide due to the fact that enrollment was low. I think it was there history of lying to people that caught up with them at the end .

 

hey p72dc2turbo what classes did you have, I had the afternoon classes, and that fat instructor was mr, davis?, anyway, uti for people that have no experiance what so ever its a good school, I graduated with lots of experianced and non-experienced guys, and roughy its up to personal preferance., most of the guys that I work with went to uti, some liked it some regreted it , and if you want to go its up to you , and yea the instrutors their were a joke most of them just read the power points, and gave you hand outs and tests, to perpair you for t he final test and lab requirements., me personaly I was glad that I went to uti it gave me more of an understanding of how everything worked, and that it was a good idea to switch from ford fact to fasttrack , all my class mates that took ford (30- out of 32) dont work for ford , and have credentials but were never hired , and most have low end jobs, with small pay rates and or porter statis.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by roadracer321 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am going to pursue the BMW Step program too (if you all know what that is). I dont know, I just hope I can make a decent wage out there to survive in Cali. **** is expensive as hell compared to where I am from.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You said in your original post that you like "expensive ****." You'll love it here at CA as everything from rent to fast cars are expensive. Big boats? Sure, they're expensive as hell, but can you afford "expensive ****?"

Surviving? Now that's another thing. Good luck LOL

I suggest if you like ballerific stuff at your current situation that you stay where you're from.

 

Coming from a dealer as a Benz tech, the only way to make good money is to simply pull warranty fraud or rip off the customer. Its the reason i dont work there or at any other dealership anymore. Its complete BS. I knew ONE(1) good honest guy (besides myself) who did legit work. He didnt make ****. Of course everyone else who did shady work was winning top customer pay of the month and racking in great pay checks.

Bottom line: Dealerships are NOT the place for an honest tech. You wont make ****. Dealerships are normally where you'll go if come out of UTI.