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When you drop your car off at a dealership or repair shop, you probably assume that the most skilled and knowledgeable technician will be the one working on it. But here’s a surprising truth many customers don’t realize: in the automotive industry, the smarter and more experienced a mechanic is, the less money they often make.
That was the insider message from the Lane Mechanics YouTube channel episode with the tongue-in-cheek title of “Are You Smart? Here’s Less Pay.”
If you don’t have time to watch the video, a summary of the key points is provided below.
Car Repair Mechanic Job Assignment Video Summary ―What Car Repair Customers Need to Know About the Person Working on Their Vehicle
The truth about who works on your car is not so humorous as the video title opines, considering that this strange reality affects not only the lives of technicians but also the quality of service customers receive.
In previous articles, we’ve learned that mechanics in dealerships are not paid by the hour but a flat-rate pay system that essentially punishes the highly trained expert mechanics―but rewards the $20/hr lube tech.
Flat-Rate Pay: The System Behind the Shop
Most dealership technicians (and many private garage mechanics) are paid on a flat-rate system. That means they get paid based on the job, not by the hour. For example, if the official labor guide says a brake replacement “pays” 1.5 hours, the technician gets paid for 1.5 hours whether it takes them 45 minutes or two hours.
According to the host, this creates two types of jobs in the shop:
- “Gravy” Jobs – Straightforward, high-paying tasks such as brake repairs, suspension work, alignments, or part replacements. A semi-skilled tech can finish these quickly and earn more hours than they actually worked.
- Time-Sink Jobs – Warranty work, recalls, troubleshooting, and intermittent electrical issues. These jobs are complex, take longer, require highly skilled techs, and often do not fully compensate the mechanic/tech for the time invested.
Why the Smartest Mechanics Earn Less
The most skilled, certified, and intelligent mechanics often get handed the most time-consuming and challenging jobs that have to be done correctly the first time around.
But those jobs don’t pay well under a flat rate. The “play-it-dumb” mechanics, or those who avoid updating their certifications, often get fed the easy, higher-paying gravy work.
That means:
- The skilled technician works longer hours, tackles more complex jobs, and prevents comebacks (repeat customer issues), but brings home less pay.
- The less-skilled or system-gaming technician racks up billable hours on easy jobs, and the dealership sees them as more “profitable.”
So, when you have a technician who plays dumb, he’s handed these gravy jobs. And what that leaves in the queue of the big pile of jobs is warranty work, recalls, troubleshooting, intermittent issues―stuff that generally this technician could probably do, but has found a way to avoid it. So that leaves your smart technicians, who are always ripping out their hair, stressed with less money at the end of the day.”
Why This Matters for Trained Mechanics and Car Repair Customers
From a mechanic’s and customer’s perspective, this system creates an upside-down world:
- The technician diagnosing your tough issue or fixing your recall may be the most skilled person in the shop—but they’re also likely the most underpaid and overworked.
- The mechanic doing quick jobs like brakes or suspension may not be as highly trained, but they’re the one the dealership rewards.
The irony? The “smart” technicians are the ones keeping the dealership’s Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores high, since they fix problems the fastest and bring in profits quicker.
Dealerships can lose money if those scores drop, but the bean counters don’t always value the mechanics who do the work others cannot (or will not) do in the garage.
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If a dealership can’t maintain 100%, they can lose diagnostic troubleshooting labor rates. It drops them down to lower warranty times. Like, what I mean is, say they’re at $80 an hour for warranty times. If they get low customer scores, it may drop them down to $60 an hour―huge across the board. So, you have the “smart” technician who’s technically carrying the dealership, but the garage would not survive without the skills of the higher-trained mechanics. Unfortunately, the bean counters don’t see it that way because they’re too focused on the bottom line.
In other words, on paper, the lube techs are more valued than the trained mechanics because, to the bean counters, it is a numbers game.
But this goes beyond “irony”; it is actually insidious, and car repair customers are unwittingly part of it via the CSI scores.
The CSI Scoreboard System
The CSI is a metric that car manufacturers (like GM, Toyota, Ford, etc.) and dealerships use to measure how happy customers are with their service or repair experience. After your repair, the manufacturer usually sends you a survey by email, phone, or mail asking you to rate your experience.
The score you provide, however, affects not just the dealership, but the service advisor and the mechanic who worked on your car. A high CSI score can result in bonuses, better pay, awards, and job security. A low score (anything less than a “perfect 10” or “completely satisfied”) results in financial penalties, loss of bonuses, or disciplinary action.
The end result is that the lowest level of technician/mechanic is more valued to the dealerships bottom line because they are cheaper and turn around the gravy jobs much faster…and, are more likely to contribute higher CSI scores than the higher level technician/mechanics who take longer to do the harder jobs (for partial pay).
At the end of the day, it’s all about money…the money is in the service department. They see mechanics as an expense, and they always will, which is unfortunate.”
Mechanics Are Paid How Much Today?!
As one video comment posted by@brandoneastman9910 stated about the world mechanics live in:
“I’ve been a mechanic at a GM dealer for over 6 years now, went to Tech school right out of high school. When I was told there was a shortage of technicians back then, I see what they mean now. They have a shortage of people who are just smart enough to do the basic work, but too dumb to acquire the skills needed to be able to demand more money. Yeah, the only reason it continues is because we put up with it, mostly due to other responsibilities keeping us from taking the leap. I will be within a couple of months, though. The shop I’m at now keeps hiring lube techs at $20/hr, because McDonald’s pays $16/hr. And they’re trying to keep good flat-rate techs at the $25-30/hour range, and people are fed up!
I’m in the process of becoming an HVAC technician. I love cars, but I really need to make it a hobby, not a job. The auto industry deserves what’s coming to it. Best of luck to the general public trying to get their car fixed in the future, because I assure you the quality of work will continue to decrease, as the price increases!”
What You Can Do as a Customer
Car owners cannot directly control how shops assign jobs, but you can take steps to protect yourself:
- Ask Who Will Be Working on Your Car – Don’t be afraid to request that a certified or senior technician handle your repair, especially for electrical issues, safety recalls, or troubleshooting.
- Value Diagnostics – Understand that diagnostic time is just as important (if not more so) than the repair itself. If a shop tries to skip diagnostics or heavily discounts it, that may mean the tech isn’t being fairly compensated.
- Build a Relationship with a Trusted Mechanic – Whether at a dealership or an independent shop, finding a technician you trust ensures consistency and quality over time.
- Don’t Always Chase the Cheapest Repair – The lowest bid may come at the expense of cutting corners or putting a less-skilled tech on the job.
Related article: Never Trust a Mechanic Who Tells You This
And finally…
The automotive repair industry has a pay system that often punishes the smartest, most skilled mechanics. As a result, the person who fixes your complex car problem may not be the one making the most money in the shop.
By understanding how this system works, car repair customers can ask better questions, value diagnostics, and choose shops or technicians who prioritize quality over speed. In the end, that knowledge can save you frustration, repeat visits, and money in the long run.
It’s Your Turn: Do you agree with the host’s opinions about “Gravy Job” mechanics and have seen this at your workplace―even if it is not car repair-related? Let us know about it in the comments section below.
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and restores older vehicles, often incorporating engine modifications for improved performance. He also covers modern cars—including EVs—with a focus on DIY mechanics, tool use and selection, and other topics related to automotive repair. Follow Tim on Twitter (@TimBoyerWrites) and Facebook for daily updates and insights on new and used cars and trucks.
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Source: torquenews.com
