At the moment I'm getting $22/h, which is the starting pay. We also do AA call outs and I get another $50 per call out after 5pm. And I'm on call every third week. I also get the use of our workshop ute, but I don't always use it as I walk to work.
michael.benn,
May 30, 1:33pm
. that's actually better than I thought it would be. Cheers. Anyone else !
edit: I don't mean that in an offensive way btw, it's just I'm considering my options for next semester and was thinking about doing an automotive engineering course.
mugenb20b,
May 30, 2:08pm
Quite frankly, I think one would be better off doing plumbing, building or electrical courses (I never thought of that when I was younger). Once you qualify, you just need a van (workshop and tool box on wheels), register for GST, and become self employed and you're away. No overheads as such. Or if you really like swinging spanners, try and get qualified as a diesel mechanic, they get paid more per hour.
franc123,
May 30, 3:28pm
The money is actually crap in the scheme of things, Mechanics work for less than Plumbing/Electrical/Hydraulic/- Air Con/Computer tech trades, in fact less than what most of these people would even get out of bed for, especially the latter, yet a good allrounder has to be conversant to a degree with ALL of these trades.Many are getting a lesser proportion of hourly rates now than in the past, especially those working at large metropolitan franchises in the main centres.The equipment needed is expensive and diverse, and in the case of the computer diagnostic side of things goes out of date quickly.The biggest problem with this trade is that there are too many garages trying to undercut each other, taking shortcuts, selling services like WOF's at barely break even point to get business in the door, employing unqualifieds and not seeming to care about reputations.The panel trade is in an even worse state although the insurance industry is largely to blame for that.I'd choose something else where this sort of behaviour is completely unheard of, get a degree and get into doctoring or dentistry perhaps lol.
michael.benn,
May 30, 3:46pm
Well, at the moment I'm about to finish off a Cert I.T Level 4. just weighing up all my options you see.
by_hdt,
May 30, 3:47pm
$17 an hour
flybye_in_a_rx7,
May 30, 4:23pm
go diesel mechanic if your after the money. i know some that are on around 90k+ and you can get that no sweat in aus
bae13,
May 30, 5:47pm
depends on the town you work in. automotive trades are under paid i feel
bigfatmat1,
May 30, 6:00pm
Your employer would be losing money on the aa callouts after 5 as they are paid per job at a rate that will be less than $50 millage would be included in that rate unless outside a specified area. I also do aa call outs however my employer is not generous I find them a waste of my time not worth the money for the inconvienience of being woken up at 3 am by someone needing a jump start. 15 mins work 2 hours of my time gone in disturbed sleep that needs to be made up later.I am not a mechanic but a auto electrician my wage is in the high 20's plus $100 a week on call allowance phone vehicle and tool allowance time and a half for work outside of 8-5 I think I am underpaid for the work I do as do most other people that work think they should get more.
sgrants,
May 30, 6:51pm
My big hint on doing the self employed lark don't register for gst! you don't need to be gst registed if you ern under $60 K ! spread the word! This gives me a 15% advantage on bigger workshops!
carmedic,
May 30, 7:58pm
Earn 60k! I think you mean turnover and it doesnt give you a 15% advantage at all.
rovercitroen,
May 30, 8:03pm
Wouldn't you want to register to claim GST off your expenses!
crzyhrse,
May 30, 9:20pm
You can claim the GST portion as an income deductable expense along with the non-GST portion. You just don't account for GST seperately.
BTW the GST registration threshold is $60k TURNOVER, not profit. It's not much.
crzyhrse,
May 30, 9:28pm
No, it doesn't. It simply shifts the GST expense to you, instead of the consumer.
foxdonut,
May 30, 9:34pm
If you want to work in hands on engineering join the defence force. They'l hook you up with what you need while paying you and you can skip town in a few years to pretty much anyplace.
berg,
May 31, 2:15pm
Amen to that. I have found a nice job as a mechanical consultant and that pays better. Did the hard yards to get here though and have never regretted it.
carmedic,
May 31, 4:40pm
I hear you, I??
berg,
May 31, 5:04pm
These days I just work on mates cars and the odd race car to get my fill.
mopsy3,
Jun 1, 2:21pm
Gee from reading through this thread at least I know we pay our guys well.
bjmh,
Jun 1, 2:45pm
I started my own one man band garage 30 odd years ago,it wasn't until i did that was i able to survive on the money i earnt,i agree there are better paid areas but the motor trade has been good to me,for the guy talking about not being G.S.T registered.i think you need to talk to your accountant.you still have to account for G.S.T even if you are g.s.t registered or not.
toxicgreen.,
Apr 27, 9:44am
Dam right ! The autotrade is broard daylight crime that the cops wont police because of the consumer act of NZ, its a killing feild of cons out there.
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