Car mechanic to bicycle mechanic???

GTCHAMPION1

Well-Known Member
Hello all, I have been a Mercedes Benz technician for almost 14 years and about 20 years on the field, I have always been passionate about bikes and I have been working on my own bikes since I was a kid(probably since 10 years old), as a car mechanic I own well over $100k on tools, at this moment I am on furlough, I do not have bike tools pretty much only really basic stuff, but I don't know if this is the time for me to try to be a bike mechanic or not, at this moment I know I can spend about $8k on tools to start, even though I have work on my own bikes, I have never replace any bottom brackets, newer style headsets, and I have never built a wheel, pretty much I do not have experience with bikes, I don't know if I should make the move, and in don't know if the pay will be right. Last time I was at a Mercedes training center, a couple of guys from Illinois were making fun of another fellow technician because he left a Mercedes dealer to become a bike technician in Chicago, but I don't know for how long this guy was a car Mechanic. Once again, my life is turning wrenches on cars but since I been at home the last 2 months I don't know what would be the best decision. I don't even know if I will ever get hire at bike shop and this is something I am extremely afraid to talk about with my wife. And I can't even open my own bike repair shop because of my lack of experience. Please no negative comments. :confused:
 

Dingo

Well-Known Member
My advice with 42 yrs of turning wrenches in gm dealershits... If you can find a way out of dealerships DO IT! Do it while your young. You will probably take a hit in income, but it will be worth it for your mental and physical health. Oh and clear it with the wife first.
 

GTCHAMPION1

Well-Known Member
My advice with 42 yrs of turning wrenches in gm dealershits... If you can find a way out of dealerships DO IT! Do it while your young. You will probably take a hit in income, but it will be worth it for your mental and physical health. Oh and clear it with the wife first.
Thanks for your response, I love and have a passion for Mercedes, I have always made money and yes I have abuse and injure my self. I am afraid to take a hit on my income but most of all is the inventory of tools that I have build on my entire career. I am more than afraid.
 

Wildwalker

Active Member
I worked at Toyota right out of high school. Went to vo-tech for automotive. Worked there bout 3 years. It was good for awhile then I started to realize I was getting almost all the shit jobs and all the drama bullshit in the shop. Best thing I ever did was quit. Yes i was young but i new i didnt want to be stuck there. Ended up getting into one of the greatest unions in NJ, (past 15 years). Great full for the experience but never looked back.
 

GTCHAMPION1

Well-Known Member
Bike Mechanics make about the same money as working the register at McDonald's so I suggest against it.
Snap! You were not kidding about it, do bike mechanics have to buy their own tools as well? Even high end shops that sell all this $14k Italian road bikes with higher labor rate pay the same to the techs.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Snap! You were not kidding about it, do bike mechanics have to buy their own tools as well? Even high end shops that sell all this $14k Italian road bikes with higher labor rate pay the same to the techs.

You don't need to buy tools. And there's not a lot of meat on the bone working at a shop that does high end builds. The process is very long from sales, fitting, and build so there's almost no profit at all. Money comes from turning around repair work quickly which will take a couple years to get good at. Working on high end builds are fun though, even if the pay is the same. The last shop I was at did commission on repairs, so I made a killing because I have an oldskool work ethic. Generally it's just fun and the quality of life is why we do it.
 

02camaro

Well-Known Member
there is absolutely way more money in cars and dealership techs. you will be cutting your pay in half or more if you go to a bike shop. you may gain mental health but coming short on bills and scrounging for money is also hard on your brain too. i know many techs and the work is hard and takes a toll but they all do well for themselves. if bikes are your passion work part time but dont leave MB.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
There is one perk that cant be avoided, always having latest greatest set of wheels even though you have no time to ride it because I have 35 walmarts on back log to fix just to catch up. This is why you buy mechanics left overs.
 

mfennell

Well-Known Member
It seems like all the good shops are run by former dealer techs who got sick of the BS. Even if you don't want to strike out on your own, I would think 14 years MB experience, up to date skills, and all the tools would make you valuable.
 

Glenn Rides After 4 PM CST

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
First off it sucks that you have been furloughed.
Dealership life is in a really tough place now. Working with flat rate in this time is horrible. I don't think people understand how we get paid.
I have been on a 2 days of work 2 day off scheduled since this has started. If you can stick it out do it. Collect unemployment and hopefully you will be back working soon enough.
I filled for partial unemployment due to loss of hours. There's a very small window of what they consider loses of hours. You make 11hrs in one week. You're eligible but if you make 20 you get nothing.
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
If you are currently unemployed you could work as a bike tech until you get a job as an auto mechanic. This way you could see what being a bike tech is all about without fully committing to it and leaving behind the trade you know.

Even if you work part time as a bike tech and search for auto tech job.

I have found regardless of what you do, the job is pretty much the same. What makes or breaks a job is the people you work with/for...as long as you can pay the bills.
 
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