I agree 100% on the entire video.  My lower back is so bad that I can’t lean over the front of a Camry for more than 60 seconds without intense back pain.  This is why I switched to doing mostly programming and diagnostics.  If you’re a younger person thinking about this as a trade/career, I would highly recommend looking into being an airline mechanic.

I can relate about oil changes and tire rotation and tire mounting. I did that part time in the 70s the big problem that it was a lot of work for minimum wage.

My favorite thing to hear every day is "well AutoZone said it's..."

Troubleshooting is what I enjoy ! The satisfaction on finding and solving a problem.

if you can work with your hands you will never go hungry .

Good morning, Jimmy. Great video!

Most of us here know the real wrenches from the posers Jim

Spent 5 years in the automotive industry, ended up switching to building industrial generators and currently trying to make it to the field to work on them

Jimmy! As you know I've been doing this 38 plus years and if I come in early and look at the schedule and see that we have a bunch of oil changes or tires I just soon go home... Friday I put ball joints and hub bearings on a Jeep Rubicon that had 35 inch tires on it and that was the hardest part of the whole job putting those damn things back on. And then wasting an extra half an hour configuring the alignment heads for those mud terrains...ugh

Its my simple opinion that, at least in the US, as the economy gets worse, and many can no longer afford the luxury of (throwing away) buying a new car every year. People who repair things with their hands will become much more valuable and appreciated as discretionary funds quickly dry up. They will grow to appreciate quality everything, and the value in repairing those items.

I Approve this message....😊

It's like anything else. You have love what you do.

Other than that, you must have the ability to understand basic electricity, read and comprehend service information, read a scope, and accept the fact that every 6-7 years everything changes.

You could walk away from working on autos for 6 years, then find out when you come back you need even more tools. Everything keeps changing, and not for the better.

I drove a truck for 6 and half years then got a job in a shop again.  My scanner no longer worked and worn out sockets don't fit. There are around 7 different types of torx sockets!  My click torque wrenches worked, but you need digital angle type and they expensive!

If the muffler shops were not about dead, I would suggest specializing in exhaust work. Maybe just frontends and alignments and brakes. This would drastically cut down on the tools you need.

The worse part about working on modern cars is everything has to come off. Cars and trucks today are not designed to be easily repaired. They go out of their way to make it as difficult as possible.

The paycheck doesn't justify spending $166 per week on tool bills. I don't think it ever did. Thats my actual tool bill on one tool truck, and I'm 62!

Come on Jimmy.  You know you can't diagnose a vehicle without a scan tool! 😂

How do you determine what a fair hourly value is for a mobile guy doing fluid services?

Well, I still think I'm the best mechanic on gods green earth but I walked away from the professional ranks 40 years ago.
Because digging ditches, moving dirt, and pouring concrete just seemed like such an easier way to make a living.
Okay, you win, but it did allow me to pursue my ADHD (Automotive Dismantling and Hoarding Disorder) and because we all need
a reason to get out of the bed in the morning. Even if it is just to watch Jimmy do battle with poorly engineered hood props.:hand-orange-covering-eyes:

Hyped this excellent video, thanks for talking so much sense.

So right been a mechanic 50yrs. I hate doing oil changes always have.... Even on my own vehicle i buy my oil 🛢 n filter let a shop do it and will pay with tip always tip.

I guess that means if I go buy the top Scanner from SnapOn, I am not a great mechanic? LOL! Good stuff Jimmy!

I think when people say easy or hard they're referring, mostly, to the amount of training and knowledge relative to pay scale. An auto mechanic today is subjectively on the level of a medical doctor, while the industry average is $33k/year.. which you obviously can't even survive on anymore. The thing about the human body is it hasn't ever changed, automobiles change every year so the training and learning literally never stops.. or tool buying for that matter.

You have to have a pretty high-IQ level and a strong ability to think critically in both medical and automotive, in order to be good at it. You really deserve an electrical/mechanical engineering degree to be an A-tech today but the pay reflects more like fast food management at best.. seriously, my local Mcdonald's manager makes $70k+/year.

I think dash work is a nightmare.  and I think that most mechanics are definitely underpaid for that work . same with tracking down electric issues. have a good weekend, jimmy 🔩🪛🔧☕️👍. but let me tell you that dealing with the public was no prize either . ( in my retired field)