There are several positive and negative realities of becoming an auto mechanic. You should be familiar with all of them before committing 100 percent to this profession. By participating in auto shop courses and working as a mechanic apprentice early on, you will gain invaluable information to help you make a well-thought-out decision. In this article, our goal is to show you some important advantages and disadvantages of working as an auto mechanic and put you on the right track to move forward with this topic.
Pros:
1. Work on your own vehicles.
As a mechanic, you will be able to work on your own personal vehicles, which means you will save money if you do the work yourself. Plus, you can buy and repair older vehicles and sell them for a profit.
2. Excellent place to start your own store.
Once you get the essential experience, you will have the opportunity to open your own store. This will require not only technical skills, but also behavioral skills that you will need a lot when dealing with clients.
3. Job stability.
As more and more people are putting off buying new vehicles, their older cars need more repair and maintenance. Entering this field, you can expect to always have a place to work as long as you possess the essential skills.
Cons:
1. Expensive resources.
The equipment needed for the race is expensive. Initially, most of your salary will go towards your tool assortment. It’s a sizeable investment, but it will pay off eventually.
2. The starting salary is quite low.
As you enter the field of automotive repair, you will notice that your income will not be very high. Depending on your location and past experience, earnings can vary individually for each person, but tend to range from $ 8 to $ 15 per hour. If you need a high-paying job instantly, this may not be the career path for you.
3. Long hours and continuous training.
Fast-paced auto shops are generally full of cars and remain open to meet customer expectations. Anticipate working nights and weekends. Also, with all the changing technology in cars, a mechanic will need to continually retrain. As a mechanic, you will also have to re-take the ASE exams every 5 years to maintain your certification. This training costs money, and typical courses cost between $ 500 and $ 2,500.
