r/mechanics•
Axeman1721

Learning at a dead shop

Career

Hey yall, so yall may have seen my post about how I finally escaped the lube bay. Turns out that this new shop is slow asf right now and thus I have basically no tickets coming in. I've maybe touched 4-5 cars in a week and they're all oil changes tires, stuff I've done before. The whole other time I'm basically the shop maid.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind cleaning up, mopping the floor, doing misc chores when there's no work. Its a part of the business. But I didn't leave a busy shop to come here and mop floors and hunt for random bs to do *all day*. Some cars roll in, but naturally, flat rate guys gotta be fed first which I'm ok with. That's how they make money. (Im hourly for now)

So I talked to bossman about it and what we could do. He says that things will pick up after labor day and all the snowbirds start coming down here. (south Florida USA) He says he notices my hard work and to give him credit he has put me on *some* stuff when the flow allows him to. It's not like he's starving me on purpose. Now obviously I'm not gonna just call it quits after a few weeks, but doing random bs all day when I have a few grand of tools in my box kinda makes me question wtf I'm doing here. I'm not super motivated really and I want to just leave, but obviously thats a bad move.

I've been a lube tech for 2 years already. I've done my fair share of random chores before and I came to this shop looking to finally get my hands on some actual line work. I've got my ASE G1 even, and I'm studying for A series tests.

What would you guys do in my shoes? Wait it out for a few weeks? Bounce? I have a second job that I already confirmed I can go full time at until I find a new place, so money's not an issue if I do decide to jump ship. I just feel like I'd be doing it way too early.

Want some advice from the old heads in here.

Posted Sep 1, 2026, 4:36 PM UTC

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