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Archives for September 2012

The Average Salary of Automotive Body Technicians

September 30, 2012 by admin 5 Comments

Information updated January 22, 2019.

What automotive body technicians earn.

By Charles K. Green

Automotive body technicians are tasked with repairing and refinishing automotive vehicle bodies. They may also straighten vehicle frames. Such professionals report to a supervisor to find out which parts are to be restored or replaced. Technicians must examine damage reports and will provide estimates for repairs. These professionals will sand body areas, fit and weld replacement parts, prime and paint repaired surfaces and remove damaged areas of the vehicle with the appropriate tools. Some technicians may also handle interior damage including torn upholstery, soiled carpeting, broken accessories and damaged electrical equipment.

Average Pay for Automotive Body Technicians

According to federal government data, the median wage for auto body technicians and mechanics was $19.02 per hour or $39,550 per year as of 2017. Average pay ranged from $22,610 for those in the 10th percentile to $65,430 for technicians in the 90th percentile. Those workers in the 25th percentile earned $29,370 per year on average and those in the 75th percentile made $53,590 per year.

Largest Industries

Overwhelmingly, the largest employer industry for auto body technicians is the retail trade industry. Most technicians work for automotive body shops or for car dealerships. Some are self-employed, operating their own shops or businesses.

By Location

car crashPay understandably varies around the nation. In California, auto body technicians earn more than the national average, coming in at an average salary of $46,680 per year. Across the board, California averages are higher ranging from $26,420 to $76,020 from the 10th to 90th percentile. Other states where pay exceeds the national average include New Jersey, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland and Wyoming.

States with lower wages for automotive body technicians include Idaho, West Virginia and Mississippi. Indeed, in Mississippi, starting pay is as low as $23,700 per year and tops out around $61,470 annually. The median pay is $38,230 or $3,740 below the national average.

Automotive Body Technicians Training

Approximately one-quarter of automotive body technicians do not have a high school diploma. Nearly one-half of such technicians have a high school diploma or a GED and about 28 percent have training beyond high school.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recognizes three apprenticeship specialties that are associated with this occupation including automobile-body repairer, service mechanic and a truck-body builder. A number of schools offer formal training leading to a certificate in autobody technology. These students take courses in refinishing, metal repair, autobody welding, collision repair and paint matching according to the Education Portal website.

Many programs are offered through public community or technical colleges that also may offer a two-year or associate of applied science degree in autobody technology. Students may find better pay and opportunities by completing a formal program.

Job Outlook

As of 2017, there were 749,900 people categorized as automotive body and related repairers including auto body technicians. The BLS expects that through 2026, 45,900 people will find employment, reflecting a 6 percent increase in jobs. That increase roughly parallels the projected job growth forecast for all careers.

Additional Salary Articles

What Diesel Service Technicians and Mechanics Earn

The Average Salary of Automotive Engineering Technicians

The Average Salary of Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

The Average Salary of Automotive Engineers

The Average Salary of Automotive Service Technicians

Sources

O*NET OnLine: Summary Report for: 49-3021.00 – Automotive Body and Related Repairers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Automotive Body and Glass Repairers

Filed Under: Automotive Career Tagged With: AUTO BODY TECHNICIAN, AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, MEDIAN PAY, TRAINING

How to Buy Out Your Car Lease

September 29, 2012 by admin 1 Comment

You have been leasing your car for some time and are coming to the end of your lease term. Your mind is on what to do next, including whether to buy or lease your next vehicle. If you like your current car, you can keep it after the lease expires. Most leases include a “buy option,” one that allows you to purchase your leased car.

1. Review your paperwork. When you leased your car, you were given several pages of paperwork including a car lease agreement. That agreement spells out the terms of your lease and provides instructions on returning your car at the end of the lease term. It will also give you a dollar figure for what the car can be purchased for at the end of the lease term.

2. Get in touch with your dealer. Call the dealer where you leased your car and ask for the buy out price of the car. That price may differ from your lease agreement. If it comes in lower, you can take that amount or you may be able to negotiate a lower price. You can find out the current value of the car by visiting Kelley Blue Book and clicking on the link for “What Is My Car Worth?”. If the price comes in lower, use this information to negotiate a lower buy out price.

3. Arrange your financing. If you have cash to buy your leased car, then present a personal check to your dealer for the full amount. If you do not have cash, you can arrange financing to cover your loan. Your bank or credit union, or some other financing company, may extend a loan to you. Tarry Shebesta, president of Automobile Consumer Services Corp. recommends that you contact the bank that financed your lease and ask them for the buy out amount. He also recommends that you “get the phone number of the person in charge of making the decision” and explain that you would consider financing with them. Shebasta explains to Edmunds readers to make an offer and see if it is an amount that your lender can live with.

loans

4. Make an appointment with your dealer.
When your financing has been arranged and you have a check in hand, drive your vehicle to the dealer and complete your paperwork. If you are paying cash, you’ll give your dealer a personal check. If you are financing your vehicle, your lender will supply a business check to you.

5. Visit DMV. Once you have finalized your transaction, visit your department of motor vehicles and register your car. You will obtain updated registration and fresh tags. If you bought the car with your money, a title will be sent to your address. If you took out a loan to buy your car, the title will be sent to your lender who will hold a lien on it. Contact your insurance company and explain that you are keeping your leased vehicle. Update your insurance to reflect your current coverage needs.

Leasing Considerations

If you want to buy out your lease before the end of the lease term, that may not be a good idea advises Dr. Don Taylor writing for Bankrate.com. Consumers can find themselves upside down with a leased car, owing more on it than it is worth. Instead Taylor advises that you should wait until the end of the lease to exercise your buy option.


See Also — How to Prep Company Cars for Employees

Filed Under: Special Tagged With: BANK, CAR FINANCING, CAR LEASING, CREDIT UNION, KELLEY BLUE BOOK, LEASING COMPANY

Tesla Motors Unveils Supercharger Network

September 27, 2012 by admin 1 Comment

EV maker seeks to eliminate range-anxiety completely.

Tesla S
The problems with electric vehicles go beyond high prices and basically boil down to two significant issues: restricted range and long charging intervals. For commuters, an electric vehicle is an ideal option, but for everyone else EVs can be a major inconvenience. If you travel more than 70 miles with most vehicles you’ve hit the end of your range — that isn’t acceptable if your trip takes you two hours or more away from your starting point.

Supercharger Network

Tesla Motors does not produce cars that give short-term range anxiety. Its Tesla S sedan has a standard range of 160 miles when outfitted with its standard 40 kWh battery system to as much as 300 miles with an extended-range 85 kWh performance system. Those numbers are far and away much better than what other companies are offering, but Tesla wants to make long-range driving a possibility through its recently announced supercharger network.

That network was announced by Tesla this past Thursday and includes six of what the company promises will eventually be more than 100 quick charging stations that will located throughout California and in parts of Nevada and Arizona.

Solar Power System

The electricity for each supercharger station is garnered from a solar carport system provided by SolarCity, an arrangement that will allow Tesla owners to enjoy free, long distance travel without restrictions. Each solar power system will produce more solar power throughout the year than what Tesla owners will use, with the excess electricity sent back to the electrical power grid. These superchargers can complement the solar-powered systems that electric car owners may have installed in their homes, enabling Tesla owners to enjoy a power boost and send unused electricity to the grid.

The first six supercharger stations will be the model for additional stations located in the southwest U.S. and later across the continent. Tesla says it will install more stations to allow drivers to travel from Vancouver to San Diego, from Montreal to Miami and even coast to coast from Los Angeles to New York. The company will also begin installing superchargers in Europe in Asia beginning in the second half of 2013.

Extended Range

Tesla says that it supercharger is “substantially more powerful than any charging technology to date” as it offers nearly 100 kilowatts of power to the Tesla S, with a reach of 120 kWh at some future date. What this means is that Tesla S drivers can get three hours of driving at 60 mph in about 30 minutes, which is generally the time drivers will spend getting a meal before returning to the road.

Said Elon Musk, Tesla Motors co-founder and CEO, “Tesla’s Supercharger network is a game changer for electric vehicles, providing long distance travel that has a level of convenience equivalent to gasoline cars for all practical purposes. However, by making electric long distance travel at no cost, an impossibility for gasoline cars, Tesla is demonstrating just how fundamentally better electric transport can be. We are giving Model S the ability to drive almost anywhere for free on pure sunlight.”

Range-Extended Driving

In effective, Tesla raises the bar for pure electric driving, one that other manufacturers will need to follow if they’re to offer range-extended driving. The EV market is still quite small and likely will not rise without further innovations. On the recharging side, Tesla is showing leadership and is removing one more problem associated with electric vehicles in the process.


See Also — Tesla Motors Opens First North Carolina Supercharger Station

Filed Under: Engineering & Technology Tagged With: CALIFORNIA, CHARGING STATION, ELECTRIC VEHICLE, EV, SUPERCHARGER NETWORK, TESLA MOTORS, TESLA S

How to Change Your Car’s Oil

September 23, 2012 by admin Leave a Comment

Our local 10-minute oil change store finally has gotten it right: you don’t have to change your oil every three months or 3,000 miles unless you drive your car hard. As in taxi fleet hard.

These days, shops have realigned their businesses to perform oil changes per manufacturer recommendations. That means it isn’t uncommon to go 5,000 or up to 7,500 miles between oil changes. Customers that were previously duped into shorter oil change intervals are saving money, although it seems that prices have risen too with one local shop charging nearly $45 for five to six cans of oil and a new oil filter.

One option worth exploring is changing your oil yourself. It is a quick and easy job, one that you should be able to complete within 30 minutes. Like gas, oil prices have climbed which means you’ll probably pay $20 to $25 for the oil and another $5 for an oil filter. You’ll also need some tools, so don’t expect to get your investment back with your initial oil change.

motor oilSupplies Needed: 5 to 6 quarts of motor oil in a oil weight per your owner’s manual. You will also need an oil filter that meets original equipment manufacturer requirements. Your manual should have that information or you can visit your local auto parts store to look up that information.

Tools Needed: A pair of latex gloves, rags, a socket wrench; an oil filter wrench; an oil drain pan; a funnel and a pair or ramps or jacks. Keep an oil plug washer handy — just in case.

Oil Change Steps

1. Assemble your tools. I like to lay everything out on the ground next to the car, but within easy reach of where I am working under the car. Put on your gloves.

2. Raise your car. Place your car on ramps or use jacks to provide sufficient ground clearance to work on your car. Your engine should be warm, not hot, when changing the oil. Most mechanics do not recommend that you work with cold oil as warmer oil easily flows, making for simpler drainage. Set your parking brake.

3. Pop the hood. Loosen the oil filler cap as this will allow air to push into the crankcase for easier drainage.

4. Crawl under the car. Lay newspaper on the ground or floor directly beneath your car’s oil pan. Position your oil drain pan under the oil drain plug.

5. Loosen the plug. Take your socket wrench, using the right sized socket to loosen the bolt. Use the wrong size and you may strip the bolt. Once your bolt is loose remove it to allow the old oil to drain into the pan. Place the bolt where you can easily find it later.

6. Find the filter assembly. With your oil filter wrench in hand, find and remove the oil filter. Take care to avoid spilling the residual oil left in this filter.

7. Replace the oil drain plug. Once all of the oil has been drained from your car, tighten the drain plug back in place — install a new washer, if needed. Remove the now filled oil drain pan away from your work area — you will deal with this later.

8. Install the new oil filter. Open a new can of motor oil and with your gloved hand, dip your index finger into the oil and spread fresh oil around the new filter’s O-ring. Put the new filter in place and tighten it.

9. Pour in new motor oil. With your drain plug tightened and your oil filter in place, you’re ready to pour fresh oil into your engine compartment. Place a funnel inside the drain opening and begin pouring your oil. If you’re using 1-quart containers, allow for each one to completely drain before moving on to the next one. Hold back a half-quart of oil until later.

10. Finishing up. Replace the oil cap and start the engine. Once it has run for one minute then look underneath for leaks. With newspaper still in place, leaks will be easy to spot. Once you have confirmed that everything is fine, ease your car off the ramps or lower the jacks. Turn off the car.

11. Check the oil level. Pull out the oil dipstick and note how much oil is in the engine. Given that you held back some oil, you will need to add the remaining oil until the full level has been reached.

12. Clean up. Discard newspapers, rags and gloves, clean off and store your tools, recycle your oil cans and properly dispose of your motor oil. Your town or auto parts store most likely will take your waste oil off your hands at no cost to you. Many communities will also take your used oil filter and recycle it. In some states, including California, used filters are considered hazardous waste and may not be disposed of in household trash.

Wrapping Up

Once you complete your first oil change, you will understand how easy this job is. Schedule your changes for spring and again for the fall when the weather conditions are neither too hot or too cold. Save money on supplies too by shopping when oil and filters are on sale, storing these items for your next oil changes.


See Also — Care Tips for Your New Vehicle

Dipstick photo courtesy of Janet Burgess.

Filed Under: Car Tips

Behind the Wheel of a 2012 CODA Sedan

September 14, 2012 by admin 3 Comments

Updated October 3, 2012.

Compact CODA Sedan joins the EV fray.2012 CODA Sedan

If you never heard of CODA Automotive before, you are in good company. This Los Angeles-based automaker has launched its first model, a 5-passenger all-electric compact sedan. This past week I had the opportunity to drive one of the newest models on the market, a car that sources its body shell and lithium iron phosphate battery system from two Chinese manufacturers and assembles it in Benicia, a community due north of Oakland, Calif.

First, let’s take a look at the company before I give you my impressions about the car.

Chinese Collaboration

CODA Automotive was founded by Miles Rubin, a business entrepreneur and Goldman Sachs investment banker, and owner of Miles Electric Vehicles. MEV makes low-speed electric cars and trucks; CODA Automotive is an affiliate company.

In 2007, Rubin decided to build an all-new electric vehicle and the following year newly-minted CODA Automotive formed a joint venture with Tianjin Lishen Battery Co., Ltd. to develop a battery system for the company’s electric drivetrain. By 2009 CODA was utilizing an abandoned aircraft hangar in Santa Monica to launch its business and also inked an agreement with Chang’an Hafei to supply the glider (body). The company then signed an agreement with Energy CS to build a battery management system, and in 2010 Lishen secured a $294 million line of credit with China’s Bank of Tianjin Joint-Stock Co., Ltd.

2012 CODA Sedan

2012 CODA Sedan

Production Begins

Fast forward to 2012 and the first production CODA sedans rolled out in March. Over the next six months the company slowly and painstakingly began to form a very limited dealership network and build its first cars.

That process has been a slow one with approximately 78 sedans delivered through August, a number confirmed by the Los Angeles Times, which took note of a recall notice by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration. That recall began on August 29, 2012, and will fix side curtain airbags that, “may fail to deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.” Speaking with CODA CEO and Chairman, Phil Murtaugh, Auto Trends confirmed that the company was exiting its “soft start” and was ramping up production.

2012 CODA Sedan

2012 CODA Sedan

Mitsubishi Inspiration

Now on with the new model. The CODA Sedan utilizes a body design that ChangAn Hafei purchased from Mitsubishi, specifically a previous generation Lancer edition. Thus, you get a car that has a more traditional, but older design instead of a vehicle that exudes all the quirkiness of a Nissan LEAF or a Mitsubishi I-MiEV. Certainly, the CODA Sedan will not win many beauty awards, but its sedate design shouldn’t be considered polarizing either.

This car does have some modern touches including LED daytime running lights, LED tail lights and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels set within Kumho all-season tires. Further customization of the wheels and head lamps are possible, perhaps with some after market embellishments too.

Contemporary Technologies

Inside, every CODA sedan is outfitted with an Alpine audio-video-navigation system; iPhone, iPod and MP3 player connectivity, hands-free Bluetooth and a “GreenScreen” system that tracks your energy efficiency and consumption. Seats are covered in an “eco-friendly” fabric or can be upgraded to leather. The dashboard is of textured plastic construction; bright work trim can be found throughout the cabin. Nothing fancy, fairly utilitarian and the Alpine color display is easy to figure out.

Rear seating passengers have a 60/40 split bench seat with a pass-through to the trunk. This seat was perhaps the most surprising to this writer, as some EVs stick the battery or related components behind the seat, making it immovable and taking up valuable trunk space. Instead, the CODA li-ion phosphate battery system is located between the axles with no intrusion into the passenger compartment or the trunk. Keep this in mind if you’re shopping for an EV and interior room is important to you.

2012 CODA Sedan

2012 CODA Sedan

Compact Footprint

Get behind the wheel of a CODA and you’ll find it as comfortable as any small car — that is, it is neither plush or stiff. Rather, it simply describes the size of the car and seating that is far from spectacular, but still comfortable. Bolstered seating would be ideal, but you’re not taking trips longer than 125 miles with the CODA, which is the outer part of its range band.

The EPA-certified range is 88 miles, but our media drive route was about 100 miles and most of us had several miles of battery power to spare when we returned to Santa Monica. And that is what our handlers set out to demonstrate — that CODA’s range exceeds the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the Nissan LEAF and the Ford Focus BEV, important considerations especially for long-range commuters.

Hitting the Road

Get in the CODA, strap your seat belt and activate the ignition and you’re about ready to go. Oh, yes, the transmission dial in the center console between the seats is how you put this EV in gear, with a quick shift of the dial to “D” to put it into drive. This is a single speed transmission mated to an electric motor that produces 134 horsepower and 221 foot-pounds of torque, power that you’ll feel and enjoy as you put this sedan through the paces.

Those paces for our media drive route took us in and around Los Angeles, heading east through Century City, Beverly Hills and Mid City, before following I-10 and then heading north on Route 2. We wound our way up through Griffith Park and then west along Route 134, Riverside Dr. and Route 104 to Woodland Hills. The last leg of our journey put CODA to the test as we took the winding, climbing and dipping roads of Topanga Canyon before picking up the scenic Pacific Coast Highway and returning to Santa Monica. That trip was meant to show us how well CODA could handle road conditions that are all to familiar to L.A. drivers.

2012 CODA Sedan

2012 CODA Sedan

Handling and Braking

What we experienced is a car that handles just as well as the typical compact sedan. Only it runs on electricity. Moreover, its electric battery system gives it enough gusto to get off the mark at a good clip and handle highway passing with ease. Pushing 80 mph — just 5 mph shy of the 85 mph electronically-controlled limit, the sedan kept its speed without effort. At that elevated speed a buzzing noise was detected, what we figured was the electric motor humming. Not a noise you would notice with the audio system on, but easily detectable when it is off.

There is no cruise control available, a feature that would be beneficial to drivers seeking to squeeze more miles out of every charge. Future models may offer it, but for now it is not available. I would also replace the horn, what one engineer described as making a “cheery” sound. Anemic would be a more accurate description.

Handling and braking were both quite good for this compact sedan. CODA makes use of electronically-assisted rack and pinion steering and makes use of automatic deceleration which takes the pressure off of the brake system. This model comes equipped with an anti-lock brake system, stability control and traction control. When put through the paces, CODA performed as expected with very little torque steer along with decent handling and good braking.

2012 CODA Sedan

2012 CODA Sedan

The Verdict

With just four California dealers handling orders and plans to expand to 20 markets, perhaps 30 by next summer, the CODA Sedan won’t be widely available for some time. The company’s slow-growth may not be understood by some naysayers, but it represents a careful roll out that is designed to manage expectations while delivering a vehicle as promised.

Priced from $38,145, buyers may qualify for a federal tax credit that can lower costs by up to $7,500. Other benefits, at least in California, is high occupancy vehicle lane access, free parking at airports and on some metered streets, free electric recharging and numerous charging ports, and no visits to the gas station ever unless your tires need some air.

Electric vehicles certainly are not for everyone. They represent an investment that even with a tax credit may be beyond the affordability of many consumers. Still, if you’re looking to avoid service stations and make a positive impact on the environment, the CODA Sedan is worth considering, especially as this emerging car company sets up a dealership in your area.

Disclaimer: Matt’s trip to California was paid by CODA Automotive. That trip included airfare, the hotel stay and more than one delicious meal.

2012 CODA Specs

Further Reading

Caltech: Phase Composition and Dynamical Studies of Lithium Iron Phosphate; 2007

Torque News: CODA Officially Removes the Range Anxiety

Alysha Webb’s ChinaEV Blog: Coda Great Wall Letter of Intent–Filing for Divorce From Hafei?


See Also — Lithium is a Key Driver of Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Growth

Photos courtesy of CODA Automotive, Inc.

Filed Under: New Car Reviews Tagged With: China, Coda Automotive, Coda Sedan, ELECTRIC VEHICLE, Lishen, Lithium Iron Phosphate, LOS ANGELES, Phil Murtaugh

Replace Your Own Windshield in Seven Steps

September 5, 2012 by Al Morgan 1 Comment

You were driving down the road and – oh no! – you heard it. Crack. A stray pebble got kicked up by the car in front of you and it put a neat little crack in your windshield.

So what do you do? Obviously, it needs to be fixed, since it’s a huge safety hazard and you could get into a lot of trouble with the authorities if you’re caught driving around with a cracked windshield. You can take it to a dealership or an auto body repair shop; sometimes though the cost is astronomical and you are tight on cash this month. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys doing home auto repair, though, then replacing the windshield on your own might be the way to go.

cracked windshield

Supplies You Will Need:

A new windshield, a painter’s knife and sealer (available at auto parts stores or online), a scraper blade, suction cups, a gasket sealer and a rubber hammer. And if you can, get a friend to come over and give you a hand.

Step 1: Purchase a Replacement Windshield

If you check online, there are sites that sell replacement windshields. Be wary and skeptical before forking over your credit card number it might be the wisest option to just call. That will also be helpful when it comes to price, because if you have a live human being on the phone, there’s a good chance you can haggle on the cost. If you do not like any of the prices online, another option is to try to find a second-hand windshield. While not as commonplace as side windows, there are still whole windshields out there, if you know where to look. Try salvage yards first. If that yields nothing, try looking around on Craigslist in the auto parts section (or post your own ad saying that you’re looking for one – it’s free and easy).

Step 2: Remove Windshield Wipers

It might seem obvious, but nonetheless, remove the windshield wiper assembly on the car before you go for the glass. Make sure you remove the trim and then unscrew the bolts which attach the wiper to the car.

Step 3: Remove Molding

With your painter’s knife, carefully remove the molding that surrounds the windshield. Take care not to damage it, as you will be reusing it later.

Step 4: Remove Gasket and Existing Adhesive

At this point, it’s important to note that your new windshield should be set up on a pair of carpet-covered saw horses. It’s also important to put a padded barrier between the glass and the wood so that the glass isn’t scratched and the wood isn’t messed up by the sealer that will go on later.

The rubber gasket needs to be peeled off the channel and set aside. You can start removing the existing adhesive now, taking care to do a thorough job with a scraper blade. The key is to make sure you get all of it, as any remaining old adhesive will prevent the new from being properly installed. Also, check both the exterior and the interior for the old adhesive.

Step 5: Remove Old Windshield

Now the really fun part: it’s going to be heavy, but you’re either a big tough guy or lady or you nabbed a friend to help, right? Use the suction cups to lift off the old windshield and set it aside. With any luck, it will stay in one piece while you do this.

Step 6: Prepare the New Windshield

Clean the new windshield so that it’s smudge free (around the edges especially). At this point it’s a good idea to reapply the gasket, working it around the perimeter of the windshield. Apply gasket sealer by pulling back the edge of the gasket and brushing it on so that it’s between the gasket and the windshield. Don’t miss any spots and don’t fuss that it’s messy. The central thing is that you create a good seal.

Step 7: Reinstall New Windshield and Molding

Now you can use those suction cups on the new windshield and carefully lift it into place. Lay it on the frame, pressing with even pressure. If necessary, use the rubber hammer to “seat it.” Then you can reinstall the molding, by setting it in place and pushing it down. That rubber hammer might come in handy again, too, right about now.

That should do it! It’s always a good idea to check for leaks when you’re done, too.


See Also — Where Can I Find My Cars Paint Code?

“Cracked Windshield” by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0


Filed Under: Maintenance & Repairs Tagged With: GLASS, MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, sealant, TOOLS, WINDSHIELD, wipers

The Average Salary of Automotive Engineering Technicians

September 1, 2012 by admin 5 Comments

Information updated June 2014.

By Charles K. Green

What automotive engineering technicians earn.

Automotive engineering technicians work with engineers, examining proposed vehicle designs and changes, and conducting tests. Such tests are performed to gauge an automotive component or system, to measure its performance, efficiency and durability. These professionals are part of the broader mechanical engineering technician field as categorized by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with slower than average job growth anticipated through 2020.

Job Duties

By performing manual and automated tests of automotive systems and components, automotive engineering technicians can make improvements based on observation and accumulated data. Technicians must document their findings; determine the causes of malfunctions or defects; install, maintain and test equipment; and follow oral and written instructions.

multimeterTechnicians are responsible for calibrating test equipment, documenting results and making use of tools such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators and welding machinery to do their work. These professionals must be comfortable in working with spreadsheet, CAD and scientific software.

Education

A STEM background — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — is essential for the automotive engineering technician job candidate. While a two-year degree may offer sufficient experience for some jobs, a four-year degree may be required for some positions.

The BLS notes that such students may start out at a vocational-technical school or a community college, taking algebra, trigonometry and science courses including core liberal arts courses. Classroom and laboratory components are part of the training curriculum, which will look at various parts of a car including its electrical system, brake and suspension systems, electronics and telecommunications, engines and transmissions, safety systems, the manufacturing process and quality control.

Average Salary of Automotive Engineering Technicians

As of 2013, the average hourly wage for an automotive engineering technician was $25.19. Annually, these technicians earn $52,390, for a higher rate than what drafters, environmental engineering technicians, industrial engineering technicians and machinists make.

Technicians in the 10th percentile earned $33,700 or less per year while those in the 25th percentile averaged $41,600 per year. The median salary was $52,400 per year. Those in the 75th percentile earned $65,600 per year and technicians in the top 10 percent averaged $77,200 or more per year.

Salaries for automotive engineering technicians varied across the country. The highest average salaries were found in Alaska where the median wage was $65,500 per year as 2013. New Mexico at $62,500, Maine at $60,600, New Jersey at $59,400 and Colorado at $59,000 per year followed.

On the other end of the pay spectrum salaries were lowest in South Dakota, averaging $38,400 per year. Other states with below average salaries included Oregon at $43,300, Arkansas at $44,200, West Virginia at $45,000 and Oklahoma coming in at $45,100.

Top Industries

Most automotive engineering technicians work in the manufacturing sector. These professionals may find themselves employed by an automotive parts supply company or a car manufacturer such as the Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai or Mercedes-Benz. Others may find themselves employed in the professional, scientific and technical services sector.

Considerations

The BLS is forecasting slow growth for automotive engineering technicians through 2022. For those professionals seeking improved job security, further training and certification as an automotive engineer may prove advantageous.

Resources

ONet OnLine: Summary Report for: 17-3027.01 – Automotive Engineering Technicians

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Mechanical Engineering Technicians

Additional Salary Articles

The Average Salary of Automotive Service Technicians

The Average Salary of Automotive Engineers

The Average Salary of Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

What Diesel Service Technicians and Mechanics Earn

The Average Salary of Automotive Body Technicians

Photo courtesy of André Karwath.

Filed Under: Automotive Career Tagged With: AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS, BLS, GENERATORS, MULTIMETERS, OSCILLOSCOPES, PAY, SALARY, TEST EQUIPMENT

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