The Jaded Mechanic

09/03/2026

Flat rate can look great on paper when you're hearing from the technicians who consistently flag 10 to 12 hours a day.

But those technicians are the outliers.

There are plenty of skilled technicians who experience slow weeks, limited work, difficult diagnostic jobs, or days where eight hours is a good day. When your paycheck depends on the amount of work coming through the door, those slow periods can hit hard.

For a young technician trying to pay for tools, build a family, or buy a home, that uncertainty can be enough to make them look at another trade and say, "Why am I doing this?"

That's how we lose talented people.

If we want to keep technicians in this industry, we have to take a serious look at how compensation, training, and career growth work together.

The goal shouldn't just be getting people into the trade. It should be giving them a reason to stay.

09/02/2026

A strong shop culture is one of the most valuable things a business can build.

When technicians want to step into leadership roles from within the shop, that's a powerful sign that the culture is working. It means people care about protecting what they've built together.

It also shows why promoting from within can be so effective. An experienced technician who has already earned the respect of the team doesn't have to start from zero. They understand the work, the people, and the culture.

As technicians gain experience or begin looking for a different role, don't overlook the leadership potential already sitting in your shop.

Sometimes the best person to lead the team is the person who has already earned their trust.

09/01/2026

The automotive industry gets plenty of attention, but the ag side of the trade has its own problems, too. In this episode, Jeff sits down with Tanner Waters, a field and shop technician from rural Montana, to talk about working on tractors, combines, hay equipment, and all the headaches that come with keeping that stuff running. They get into diagnostics, pay plans, apprenticeships, shop culture, leadership, training, and why good technicians are leaving the trade. They also talk about EVs, right to repair, and where things are headed. Lots of good information in this one. Might be worth your time to give it a listen.

In this episode, Jeff Compton talks with Tanner Waters, a field and...

09/01/2026

Whats everyone think about this video from our friends at Royalty Auto Service ? Do you think it'd be handled the same if it wasn't a shop with a huge online following? There's entirely too much division in this industry. No one's even close to being perfect.

Big Nasty Air Hammer: https://amzn.to/4he0ZLjOur Affiliate Store:...

09/01/2026

Country music legend Joe Diffie had a hit song back in the 90s titled John Deere Green and no doubt some of the older listeners in the audience probably bought the cassette. No doubt it influenced more then one young wrench. This week's guest Tanner Watters grew up with a John Deere on the family farm and loves his career working at a John Deere dealership in Montana. As a field service tech for Deere Tanner has seen some weather out in the field and faced some pretty daunting diagnostic and repair challenges but he raves about how his dealership shop culture is paramount for his success coming up. His shop has phenomenal culture and Tanner loves working for John Deere in that dealership. This was a really fun conversation as we wound up talking about both of our childhoods, old school MMA, some of the YouTube social media influences in the auto repair space and how we spend our free time away from the shop. Tanners current project at home is building an ice hut. Yeah who would've ever thought it wouldn't be the Canadian host that loved ice fishing. So if you're wanting to have a conversation with me we'll be at ASTA Expo in a few short weeks doing interviews and as always we're always recording here remotely. So reach out to me and share your story with everyone.

The Jaded Mechanic Podcast · Episode

08/29/2026

There's a different level of confidence that comes from truly understanding your craft.

When you stop simply following the steps someone else wrote down and start understanding how systems work, you can begin thinking beyond what the engineer intended.

That's when diagnostics becomes more than reading codes and following procedures. It's problem-solving.

Give a great technician a broken vehicle and the right mindset, and the response isn't, "I can't do that."
It's, "Alright. Let's see what we can figure out."

That's the kind of confidence that comes from experience, curiosity, and knowing your craft.

Watch the full conversation 🎥 — link in comments 👇

08/28/2026

Maybe fixing the technician shortage starts with finding people who genuinely want to be good at this.

Drive. Ability. Ambition. Curiosity. That determination to solve the problem instead of letting the car win.

But passion alone isn't enough. We also have to stop grinding passionate people down until they leave the industry.

Give them mentorship. Give them training. Give them a path to grow. Give them a culture that recognizes their effort and lets them take pride in their work.

If we can bring passionate people into this trade and actually take care of them, we might finally start fixing the problem.

Watch the full conversation 🎥 — link in comments 👇

08/28/2026

I cant believe theres still so many out there in our industry doing business like this. Crazy to me how so many still fall into this charity trap

08/27/2026

You don't have to be the shop that does everything.

Sometimes, it's better to become exceptionally good at a few things than to offer four times as many services at an average level.

The shops that specialize in certain makes, systems, or complex repairs can become the place customers know to call when they need something done right. They build expertise, develop efficient processes, and earn a reputation for solving the problems other shops may struggle with.

You don't have to compete with everyone.

Find your lane, master it, and become the shop people trust when they need that specific expertise.
Being the best choice for a specific problem can be far more valuable than trying to be everything to everyone.

Watch the full conversation 🎥 — link in comments 👇

08/26/2026

It isn't always about making more money than the person next to you.

Yes, technicians deserve to be paid well. But there is something powerful about going home at the end of the day knowing you solved a problem that had you scratching your head all morning.

That moment when the diagnosis finally clicks. The car is fixed. The customer is happy. You know you did good work.
That's the part of this trade that money can't replace.

When you build a culture where technicians feel proud of their work, supported by their team, and fairly compensated, you create something people actually want to be part of.

Pay matters. But so does purpose, pride, and that feeling of knowing you made something work again.
Build the culture, and the rest gets a whole lot easier.

Watch the full conversation 🎥 — link in comments 👇