Main dealers fitters

[Cowabunga]

All through this topic, almost without exception, dealer's mechanics are called 'fitters'. They are NOT fitters. QuickFit and some car main dealers employ 'fitters' that just fit parts. The people we are concerned with here are mechanics. They actually repair stuff, not just fit an exchange engine or exchange gearbox. They disassemble, repair and reassemble. I consider it an insult that anyone calls them 'fitters'.

Oh, and the dealer may well charge £60/hour while paying his best mechanics and technicians considerably less, but the dealer has to pay for the premises, the rates, the insurance, the mortgage, the people to sweep the floors and clean the toilets. They can only cover those costs from the margin they make from us, the customer. There is no other money. The customer pays it all, including holiday pay. There is no magic money tree.

 

[Hilly]

All through this topic, almost without exception, dealer's mechanics are called 'fitters'. They are NOT fitters. QuickFit and some car main dealers employ 'fitters' that just fit parts. The people we are concerned with here are mechanics. They actually repair stuff, not just fit an exchange engine or exchange gearbox. They disassemble, repair and reassemble. I consider it an insult that anyone calls them 'fitters'.

Oh, and the dealer may well charge £60/hour while paying his best mechanics and technicians considerably less, but the dealer has to pay for the premises, the rates, the insurance, the mortgage, the people to sweep the floors and clean the toilets. They can only cover those costs from the margin they make from us, the customer. There is no other money. The customer pays it all, including holiday pay. There is no magic money tree.

Well said.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

All through this topic, almost without exception, dealer's mechanics are called 'fitters'. They are NOT fitters. QuickFit and some car main dealers employ 'fitters' that just fit parts. The people we are concerned with here are mechanics. They actually repair stuff, not just fit an exchange engine or exchange gearbox. They disassemble, repair and reassemble. I consider it an insult that anyone calls them 'fitters'.

Oh, and the dealer may well charge £60/hour while paying his best mechanics and technicians considerably less, but the dealer has to pay for the premises, the rates, the insurance, the mortgage, the people to sweep the floors and clean the toilets. They can only cover those costs from the margin they make from us, the customer. There is no other money. The customer pays it all, including holiday pay. There is no magic money tree.

But you don’t understand, all the mechanics are working self employed for £8 an hour when they’re needed, the dealers run their business from the farm, they don’t have to pay business rate, no staff take annual leave, they’re never sick, don’t need training, never need an hour to sort the van out, an hour to tidy up job cards, an hour to tell the store man what customer A needs as parts as said customer can’t even remember the model of his machine let alone describe what he needs, an hour sorting his next day out/advicing other mechanics on phone, sorting customers issue over the phone for free, an hour to help unload a delivery that came late, an afternoon to service his van…..

 

[Gerbert]

Is it custom that mechanics have to buy their own tools? Never heard of anything like that overhere.

 

[Hilly]

Is it custom that mechanics have to buy their own tools? Never heard of anything like that overhere.

Yes, workshop bigger items.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Is it custom that mechanics have to buy their own tools? Never heard of anything like that overhere.

Yes, all mechanics own their own tools. I’ve got two chests full that I dread to think how much they all cost and I got out of the job just before everyone went Milwaukee or Makita mad or would most probably of blown another 3-4 grand easily in a year or two. The only tools supplied are the service tools and diagnostic equipement from manufacturers

 

[Gerbert]

If you own your own tools, why would you work for a dealer? Seems totally bonkers to me to buy a butload of expensive tools and work for 10 to 20 bucks an hour, why not go self employed and double it.
Mechanics overhere are supplied with a toolbox with the basic handtools. Powertools and stuff you don't use all that often are shared. I know my jd dealer has one or two self employed mechanics, they don't own any tools either.

 

[Hilly]

If you own your own tools, why would you work for a dealer? Seems totally bonkers to me to buy a butload of expensive tools and work for 10 to 20 bucks an hour, why not go self employed and double it.
Mechanics overhere are supplied with a toolbox with the basic handtools. Powertools and stuff you don't use all that often are shared. I know my jd dealer has one or two self employed mechanics, they don't own any tools either.

Self employed is not easy , not for everyone and if new stuff to fix no manufacturer back up etc . No holiday pay no sick pay books to do etc etc . Some do but less now than previously generation s , still have to buy tools and van.

 

[haybob]

I had a conversation with a lorry driver the other day, he said there was 8 layers of management in there offices above him all shuffling bits of paper about. Yet they currently have a lot of unhappy customers (myself included) who were struggling to get goods moved!

Too many chiefs taking the glory while the Indians are ignored!

When I was at school/college 20 years ago, the teachers seemed to just want us aiming for the top management jobs and very little tuition on the practical side of life. 20 years later, and I wouldn't trust half the UK population to operate my sweeping brush.

 

[Tubbylew]

Self employed is not easy , not for everyone and if new stuff to fix no manufacturer back up etc . No holiday pay no sick pay books to do etc etc . Some do but less now than previously generation s , still have to buy tools and van.

Depends what you work on, implements and fabrication are ok but new tractors and quads are a problem unless you have access to software and the correct cables your screwed. This will only become worse, there is a big fight in the US atm over right to repair and even whether you own the equipment you buy or own the right to use the equipment, there may be legislation in europe but who knows what this country will do.

 

[Cowabunga]

Self employed is not easy , not for everyone and if new stuff to fix no manufacturer back up etc . No holiday pay no sick pay books to do etc etc . Some do but less now than previously generation s , still have to buy tools and van.

The main issue some have is getting the billing organised and to actually get paid after sending the bill. They need some management skills which they may not have needed when an employee. No PAYE, so they would need to employ an accountant at least once a year, possibly charge VAT if their turnover or business spending warranted it [it makes no difference to their professional farmer customers one way or another, because they claim the VAT back]. Buy and run the van and all tools. Public liability insurance. As said, no sick pay and any time off is less money earned because no holiday pay either.
For some people it works out great, but for others they are soon back looking to be in safe employment. It's one thing repairing a farmer's machine but entirely another trying to get money out of some of them. They should know beforehand which 'customers' to avoid like the plague if they want to sleep soundly at night.

 

[MF-ANDY]

The main issue some have is getting the billing organised and to actually get paid after sending the bill. They need some management skills which they may not have needed when an employee. No PAYE, so they would need to employ an accountant at least once a year, possibly charge VAT if their turnover or business spending warranted it [it makes no difference to their professional farmer customers one way or another, because they claim the VAT back]. Buy and run the van and all tools. Public liability insurance. As said, no sick pay and any time off is less money earned because no holiday pay either.
For some people it works out great, but for others they are soon back looking to be in safe employment. It's one thing repairing a farmer's machine but entirely another trying to get money out of some of them. They should know beforehand which 'customers' to avoid like the plague if they want to sleep soundly at night.

Choose which jobs to take on and which to decline. Choose which customers to take on a which to avoid. Have a good wife to keep on top of paperwork. Bills done end of every month. Some paid return of post. Don't supply spares unless there's a good mark up. Plenty of General repair work about without getting involved with technical stuff.

 

[ACEngineering]

Is it custom that mechanics have to buy their own tools? Never heard of anything like that overhere.

Sadly in Agri and construction yes it is, only laptops and diagnostics will belong to the employer, BUT my local MAN HGV truck dealer has 3 service vans all kitted out exactly the same tools, the mechanics then will have there own set for in the workshop as well.

 

[Stewie]

Is it custom that mechanics have to buy their own tools? Never heard of anything like that overhere.

Same here. The employer provides all means of work, from a pen to the space shuttle. Must be a British thing.

 

[Lowland1]

Claas insure their mechanics tools to the value of £20,000 you have to buy your own but you get them at a discount and you don't have to buy £20,000 of tools all at once however when a mechanic does decide to go his own he should have accumulated some tools, some knowledge so all he would need is a van, some form of workshop and hopefully he will have some money to tide him over the times when the phone isn't ringing redhot.

 

[sjt01]

All through this topic, almost without exception, dealer's mechanics are called 'fitters'. They are NOT fitters. QuickFit and some car main dealers employ 'fitters' that just fit parts. The people we are concerned with here are mechanics. They actually repair stuff, not just fit an exchange engine or exchange gearbox. They disassemble, repair and reassemble. I consider it an insult that anyone calls them 'fitters'.

A fitter is a highly skilled occupation. It was originally applied to people who fitted bearings, line shafting and the like by making micro adjustments to parts so they would line up and FIT together correctly. Main tools would be scraper, engineers blue, surface plate and similar.

Those who just take bits off and replace them are mechanics, which again come in unskilled and skilled varieties.

 

[essexpete]

When I was at school/college 20 years ago, the teachers seemed to just want us aiming for the top management jobs and very little tuition on the practical side of life. 20 years later, and I wouldn't trust half the UK population to operate my sweeping brush.

What about a haybob?

 

[ACEngineering]

A fitter is a highly skilled occupation. It was originally applied to people who fitted bearings, line shafting and the like by making micro adjustments to parts so they would line up and FIT together correctly. Main tools would be scraper, engineers blue, surface plate and similar.

Those who just take bits off and replace them are mechanics, which again come in unskilled and skilled varieties.

I have engineers blue so I must fall in to this category

I would hate to be called a technician imo

 

[ACEngineering]

What about a haybob?

Are they not a Dark Art rather than a skilled job

 

[asm]

I have read this thread with great interest.
I am looking to employ 2 Engineers to work on site and in the workshop
Both positions come with a van, laptop and yearly training.
If anyone on here is interested then please inbox me, but I want engineers not "fitters" and yes we are a main dealer or main stealer as quoted on here