“They love the idea of working on cars.”
Finding qualified auto technicians has become increasingly difficult across the industry in recent years.
Shops and dealerships have reported a growing shortage of mechanics. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 70,000 job openings for automotive service technicians and mechanics each year.
The National Automobile Dealers Association says roughly 39,000 new service technicians graduate annually, which is not enough to fill those positions. A survey by Wrench Way also found that 79 percent of technicians have considered leaving the industry.
TikTok creator and automotive service industry commentator Chris (@chris_mf_craig) posted a video discussing what he believes is driving many mechanics out of the trade.
In the clip, which has garnered over 253,700 views, Chris focuses on the people who the current industry conditions affect most.
“Over half the people working in automotive right now will not be working there this same time next year,” he begins. “Now we can mull over these statistics, and we can talk about why that is, but I wanna talk about people for a minute.”
He says many technicians enter the field because they enjoy working on vehicles and learning new technology, but their expectations change once they start working in a shop.
“This is sad,” he says. “They do this because they have a passion for it. They love the idea of working on cars, they love the technology, they like to help people.”
The dynamics at a shop, however, quickly quell that passion, according to Chris. “Now they’re chasing metrics. They’re chasing hours. They’re trying to flag warranty time,” he says. “They’re working with advisors and managers that just don’t understand what it is they do.”
Instead of mechanics, Chris says these technicians start feeling like salespeople. He points in particular to the flat-rate pay system, which compensates technicians based on a set formula rather than the amount of time spent at work.
“You see, they’re put on a pay system that treats them more like a commission-based employee than a salary or hourly-based employee,” he says.
Chris says this structure forces technicians to develop an obsessive focus on time.
“You start to look at ‘how often am I walking back and forth to the parking lot?’” he says. “‘How long do I have to stand in the parts department before I can get my quote? How long am I waiting on the advisor to get back to me while this car is in my bay?’”
More time is also wasted on waiting for authorization, a part that doesn’t arrive on schedule or is backordered. These frustrations, he says, can build and push technicians toward other careers.
“People are walking away from their passion for stability,” he says. “That should never be the case, especially not in an industry like automotive that touches literally every other industry.”
He concludes by saying everyone needs transportation, which means car repair professionals are essential workers. “I just wanted to take a moment and talk about the people,” he says. “The people who are caught up in this mess.”
In the comments section, viewers with experience in the field confirmed Chris’s views.
“Been doing this for 40 years,” one user wrote. “If you liked cars in the beginning you’ll lose that passion for them in the end working at these toxic hell hole dealerships.”
“It’s not just current mechanics, it’s future ones who realize it’s not just customers, it’s coworkers, owners, and fellow workers who keep you in lube and tire jobs rather than helping move your career forward,” chimed in another.
Another veteran in the field stated, “25 years in a dealer as a tech. 10 years now fleet. THIS IS 100 PERCENT CORRECT!!”
“Was working at a dealership, loved it there, wasn’t perfect but I was content, ended up getting deathly ill with bacterial meningitis,” shared a fourth commenter. “Managed to survive but needed time to recover. Was given said time with a smile, returned willing and eager to work, only to get fired within 5 minutes of returning…..”
Motor1 has reached out to Chris via email for comment, and will update this piece if we receive a response.
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