Automobile mechanic wrenching

There are lots of nicknames for mechanics. Maybe the best known one of all time would be grease monkey. Be sure to leave a comment at the end of this article about your favorite nicknames for car mechanics. What got me thinking about this subject was watching a rerun of the Battle Star Galactica series.

I heard a good reference towards the mechanics that worked on the spacecraft. The mechanics are called knuckle draggers amongst themselves and the crew. The interesting thing was these futuristic fantasy sci-fi mechanics wore the nickname with pride. They were proud to be covered with dirt and work hard.

They hung out with other spacecraft mechanics and didn’t associate much with the officers, pilots or the general public because these people often misunderstood them. I found it interesting because whether you’re working on spacecraft, automobiles, heavy machinery or military vehicles mechanics pretty much have the same mindset.

Often us knuckle draggers have an analytic thought process accompanied with a  high degree of mechanical aptitude and hand eye coordination. We fix the things that other people drive and want to know what happens after the key is turned. The interesting thing about car mechanics is not only do they have nicknames provided by the outside world, they also assign nicknames for mechanics inside the business.

Mechanics call each other what?

It’s true that the public will have its popular nicknames for mechanics like grease monkey or motor head but there are some other good names shared between mechanics. One that comes to mind is gravy lapper. The term gravy lapper is used to describe a mechanic that is only interested in easy to perform maintenance services that pay well. This is most often when the mechanics are paid on a flat rate basis and compete for the next job. Flat rate basically translates into the employee is paid by the job instead of by the hour.

It can be a double edge sword as they make money and lose money depending on the situation. Gravy would be a term applied to jobs that have a high likelihood of being performed under the flat rate time providing a juicy profit with less physical effort. The Gravy Lapper will usually try to dodge bigger jobs such as engine replacements or prolonged complicated electrical diagnosis that might pay only straight time slowing profits down.

Often the gravy Lapper needs some support from upper management in the form of a service manager or work dispatcher. I have worked with mechanics that have painted the service manager’s house or performed free services on the dispatcher’s family vehicles to assure a steady flow of gravy. The next nickname for a mechanic would be used to describe someone for lack of a better term might be thought of as crazy or unusual. No matter what business you’re in you may find some off-the-wall people (it makes life interesting). When they are a crazy mechanic they might be referred to as a wing-nut by other wrenches.

Me the truck mechanic

Well there is another nickname for mechanics. People in the auto repair business often say they have been turning wrenches for 26 years. They may also say they have spun a wrench. This is a somewhat neutral term because its meaning is determined by the words in front of or behind it. People in the business might say he is a good wrench. General Motors liked it so much they coined the phrase.

They didn’t come up with it on their own, they heard it thrown about the shop to describe good mechanics. People at General Motors dealers due to a training film put out in the good wrench line of in house training movies might refer to a careless mechanic as a slip wrench. Johnny slip wrench or Billy slip wrench whatever their first name was followed by the term slip wrench can be used in a derogatory manner.

As a mechanic that has turned a wrench for more than 25 years I have met all kinds of good people in this business. Some of my best friends still do it for a living and some have left it for greener pastures. In my opinion it takes a special person to walk up to a disassembled engine pile and not only put it together but have it running like a clock when it’s completed.

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This coupled with the reluctance of today’s generation to strap themselves with a dirty job that requires massive amounts of hard work and education will continue to shrink the availability of people to repair cars.

The good news for those that are willing to accept the challenge is that they should have their pick of jobs almost anywhere in the country. This will also add a level of flexibility if relocation is required or desired.

A good example is I find myself in the state of Florida turning wrenches for local government. After spending most of my automotive career working in the state of New Jersey I never saw me moving to Florida.

I found the Florida job opening in a local New Jersey newspaper. The ad stated come to the sunny state of Florida and live, play, and work on the Gulf Coast. Relocation assistance is available for good mechanics.

I answered the ad and submitted my application. The local county paid for me to fly down for an interview and a drug test.

I went back to New Jersey and didn’t hear from them for three months. When they finally contacted me they stated that the job was mine if I wanted it. They would also pay to have my automotive tools shipped and assist with relocation expenses.

In my 25 year automotive career this was the single most important decision that I have ever made. I have absolutely no regrets about leaving my friends and family behind for this new position.

Good mechanics have choices

Even in a down economy there are many positions available for mechanics that are able to use diagnostic tools and are willing to relocate. Many of these positions are available in large cities and very desirable locations. The larger the population of a given area means the more availability of cars that will need to be fixed.

A certified mechanic with some experience is currently experiencing some of the lowest unemployment rates of any roll up your sleeves and get dirty field. Sure it’s not as affluent to be a mechanic as it is to be a doctor, lawyer or Indian chief. The pay is also nowhere near what it is for these positions.

With the average certified technician making between 40 and $70,000 a year, it is not a field that will make you rich. But the steadiness of the employment and being able to count on reliable income makes it a good choice for a growing family.

Good diagnostic skills makes the mechanic

The primary reason some technicians are unable to fix a particular problem is simply that they cannot find the cause of the malfunction. Today’s vehicles are complex which means that a great amount of knowledge and understanding is required to diagnose them.

Good mechanics will have good diagnostic skills. The technician who can identify and solve the car problem the first time the vehicle is brought in for service, will find that their reputation alone for problem solving lets them call the shots on where and when they want to be employed.

I myself complain a lot about the shortfalls of the auto repair industry. It is human nature to focus on the negatives and gloss over the positives. I am extremely guilty of this process. But as I looked around the room at my 25th high school reunion, I realized that I was not in such a bad position.

For the last 25 years I have been an excellent provider for me and my family. Although the car industry has had ups and downs, employment was still available for good mechanics as people decided to hold onto and repair old vehicles instead of buying new ones.

The same cannot be said for more than 50% of my high school graduating class. Many of these people had earned extremely large incomes but for short periods of time. It may be better to make $50,000 a year for 25 years then to have made 100,000 for just three or four years.

Becoming a good mechanic takes a lot of effort and may not be right for everybody. The job is backbreaking work and can be extremely frustrating. It can also provide a steady income. The individual will have to decide whether a career in the auto repair business is right for them.

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