salary, pay, need opinions

When I got my first "professional" car stereo job I was making more then that, and I had no tools and no real shop experiance.  I had performed several custom audio installs, but that was all (fresh out of high school).

That was back in 1999.  If you calculate a 3% rate of inflation for 8 years, and the fact I was in Ohio, where I'm positive the cost of living is lower, you arn't doing very well.

Of course, there are always factors - do you have all your own tools?  A manager isn't going to be big on the idea of giving some new guy a big raise if the new guy is constantly borrowing tools from everyone in the shop.  Have you ever caused damage to a car that cost either yourself or the shop money?  In your 1.5-2 hour installations do they look professional when you are done, with all safeties tested and working?  Do you constantly have cars coming back for installation problems? 

I could see a shop paying someone a low rate just to keep them around to help with the busy season if they don't see a future with that individual, but if your shop wants to keep you around they need to give you a decent pay increase.

Going back to the stone age, I started work for a large firm, initial work was at the bench rebuilding starter motors, dynamos (!) alternators, window lifts, aerial motors etc. This gave one a grounding (I  brush-slipped that one in) in the basics, motors switches relays etc. Then we helped out (remove these three screws etc) with auto-electrical rectification work, finally we were allowed on to car stereo, remember these were Lear-Jet days. IT WAS CALLED AN APPRENTICESHIP.

The part I don't understand is 6 months work and on to R/S work, how do you learn the complexities of by-pass, what to wire as an ignition, 2nd ign etc etc, checking,  proper jointing (I'm having fun teaching my 9 year old grandson how to make decent solder joints which he can now do but does any one think he understands the reasons for what he is doing?) Is this 1.5 hours an alarm? An alarm + R/S or just an R/S.? I've discussed this at length with Kar Tune Man amongst others and our conclusion is that if this is dealer work with the same vehicles time after time fine, if it's regular retail work with different makes and models, I just don't believe it. One week last  month we had a 1955 Bel Aire for an immobiliser followed by an Audi R8 for a Blackjax. Today we have an argument over 08 v 07 3 series BMW. The "perm 12v" at the radio shut down on 07's. We now find on 08's that it stays on but:- That's an hour waiting for a DMM to stop reading! This I why I find 1.5 hours hard to believe.

If he does the job in that time, he's to good to be working there for that sort of money maybe Chris or Eric should take him on as their senior partner!

Last week I did a Golf IV in 3 hrs, icluding the nasty DEI bat back-up siren, awful to get at ign and starter cuts and getting into the driver's door for lock/unlock and total close. Meanwhile  an E46 3 Series BMW takes me about 11/2 hrs up to 2 with R/S, why because everything you need is under drive side dash except left hand brake light cable. The only extra time is to make up 2 x 3 1N5400 diode branches for the indicators (Europe = flashers not side lights). Directechs etc will point you all around the car for the pick up points but I'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO ELIMINATE DEAD ENDS BUT HOW LONG TO MAKE UP DIODE BLOCKING AND JOINING? HOW LONG TO REMEMBER TO DIODE BLOCK the power feeds for the trunk illumination on the E46, how do you time all the extra diodes and relays An E36 BMW, to give it normal lock on ign + deadlock on alarm + total close requires 6 x 1N 400 series diodes, 2 x relays and 2 spare timed outputs! HOW LONG TO MAKE UP?