Is it worth becoming an auto mechanic today?
High quit rates, poor pay, and harsh working conditions leave many veteran mechanics wishing they had chosen a different career path. These industry realities make aspiring mechanics hesitate to commit to technical school, even as older career-changers seeking an escape from corporate AI automation continue to enter and enjoy the field.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Learning about car repair as a hobby or for personal knowledge instead of making it a full-time careerDid this help you?
- 2Choosing other trades like plumbing, carpentry, or heavy equipment maintenance instead of auto repairDid this help you?
- 3Working in vehicle sales rather than hands-on mechanical repairDid this help you?
- 4Pivoting to other trades like electrical or HVAC with better pay and less health riskDid this help you?
- 5Finding a shop that pays hourly instead of flat rateDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“However, I have quickly stumbled upon through countless of social media tips and experiences with other mechanics exposing the current with such high percentage of employees quitting, poor pay rates, and the harsh working conditions., and ending up regretting their decision.”source ↗
“So, as an aspiring young mechanic who enjoys cars and working on them, and before they commit into technical school for such a skill and workforce. I wanted to ask the opinions were here about the workforce today.”source ↗
“I started at 33 and have been at it for a few months. I enjoy it. Just take care of yourself.”source ↗
“As a 30 year mechanic, I wish I had chosen a different career path.”source ↗
“I am strongly considering a career change. Currently, things aren’t looking so well in corporate. I am also genuinely scared about my job getting taken over by AI.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5How to tell if a car repair can wait
- 12How to find a trustworthy mechanic after losing DIY space
- 27Is it safe to keep driving with needle bearings in the transmission pan?
- 151Is it worth fixing an old car when repairs cost more than it's worth?
- 20Are aftermarket auto parts safe and reliable to use?
- 11How to tell if a manual car clutch actually needs replacing