Flat Rate Tech Podcast

Tech, Flat Rate Life Media™
  • 4.7 (76)
  • Automotive
  • Updated Weekly

If you are an Automotive Mechanic or in the industry this is the show for you! The #1 automotive mechanic podcast! We talk about the good and the bad.  Flat rate is broken. We’re done staying quiet. The Flat Rate Tech Podcast is the raw, unfiltered voice of real dealership and independent shop technicians. Hosted by a working flat rate tech and the author of Flat Rate Life—the book that exposes what it’s really like to survive in this trade—this podcast pulls back the curtain on the automotive industry. Every week, we call out the truth behind flat rate pay, toxic shop politics, unpaid diagnostic time, tool debt, burnout, and the constant pressure to “just hit your hours.”If you're a tech, mechanic, or service advisor who's tired of the lies, this one's for you. No sponsors. No filters. No corporate polish. Just the truth. Disclaimer:This podcast reflects personal opinions based on real-life experience in the automotive repair industry. All names, locations, and identifying details have been changed or omitted to protect privacy. The views expressed do not reflect those of any current or former employer, coworker, dealership, or manufacturer. This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. If you recognize yourself in this podcast… ask yourself why. Produced By Flat Rate Life Media™

  1. 2d ago

    Shop Supplies: Legitimate Expense or Hidden Revenue?

    You’ve probably seen it on a repair estimate. Shop Supplies. Maybe it’s $20. Maybe it’s $50. Maybe it’s even more. But have you ever stopped and asked, what you’re actually paying for? In this episode of the Flat Rate Tech Podcast, we take a closer look at one of the most overlooked charges on a repair order. Gloves. Brake cleaner. Shop towels. Chemicals. Electricity. Waste disposal. Equipment. Those things cost money. There’s no question about that. But how much should a customer actually be charged for them? How is that number calculated? Where does the money go? And if a shop is collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in shop supply fees, should some of that money be making its way back into the shop? Better equipment. Working lifts. Updated diagnostic equipment. Properly maintained tools. Better working conditions. We also look at the customer side of the equation. Because when you see a repair estimate with labor, parts, diagnostics, shop supplies and other charges stacked together, do you actually understand what you're paying for? And if the charge is legitimate, shouldn't the industry be able to explain it? This isn't about saying shops shouldn't make money. It's about asking questions. It's about transparency. And it's about the disconnect between what customers are charged and what technicians actually experience in the shop. Support the show SPONSORED BY BAY DIAGNOSTICS You've heard the problems on this podcast for years — technician turnover, broken communication, bad dispatch, lost productivity, pay-plan issues, and shop culture problems. Bay Diagnostics helps dealership managers find out what's actually happening inside their service department. Built from more than 30 years of firsthand dealership experience, Bay Diagnostics provides anonymous technician feedback, workflow analysis, and diagnostic reports designed to identify the problems that can cost a shop technicians, hours, repair orders, and profit. Truth from the bays. Solutions for the shop. Dealership managers: Want to find out what's really happening in your shop? Email: baydiagnosticsgroup@gmail.com THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  2. Aug 10

    The Technician Trust Crisis: Why Good Techs Stop Caring

    Why do good technicians stop caring? The automotive industry loves to talk about the technician shortage, but nobody seems to ask why experienced technicians are becoming burned out, frustrated, and ready to walk away. After 25 years in the dealership world, I've seen what happens when technicians lose trust in the system. Training, flat rate pay, master technician programs, production numbers, management pressure, difficult jobs, and a culture that can reward the wrong behavior all play a role. This isn't about saying every dealership or every manager is bad. It's about looking at what happens when technicians stop believing that their hard work, experience, and honesty actually matter. When good technicians stop caring, everybody pays the price, the technician, the shop, the customer, and ultimately the entire industry. This is a conversation about why that happens, what causes it, and what the industry needs to start looking at if it actually wants to keep good people. Flat Rate Tech Podcast is brought to you by: Flat Rate Life Media™ Real Conversations about the Automotive industry from the people who live it.  Support the show THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  3. Aug 3

    Why Your Car Comes Back Broken From the Dealership

    Ever picked up your car from the dealership service drive, only to have the check engine light pop back on before you even made it home? You’re not alone and it’s not an accident. Here’s the truth: most mechanics out there actually give a damn. They want to fix your car right the first time. The problem is, under the current dealership model, doing the job right means taking a financial hit. Between 0.4 warranty diagnostic limits, insane management quotas, and flat-rate pressure, the system actively punishes techs who refuse to take shortcuts. In this episode, we expose how corporate bean counters turned service bays into assembly lines, why master techs are walking away, and why you need to respect the mechanics who still take pride in their craft because they’re literally paying out of their own pockets to fix your car right. Support the show SPONSORED BY BAY DIAGNOSTICS You've heard the problems on this podcast for years — technician turnover, broken communication, bad dispatch, lost productivity, pay-plan issues, and shop culture problems. Bay Diagnostics helps dealership managers find out what's actually happening inside their service department. Built from more than 30 years of firsthand dealership experience, Bay Diagnostics provides anonymous technician feedback, workflow analysis, and diagnostic reports designed to identify the problems that can cost a shop technicians, hours, repair orders, and profit. Truth from the bays. Solutions for the shop. Dealership managers: Want to find out what's really happening in your shop? Email: baydiagnosticsgroup@gmail.com THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  4. Jul 27

    (Favorite) How To Play The GAME 6/24/24

    One of my favorite episodes is back. Recorded back in 24, How to play the game.  Thats all the shop is, a GAME. Play it. The manager plays all day same with the owners and everyone in the building. Play them cause they are playing you.  This was a fun episode I was turning into a video episode for YouTube. I decided to reupload it back onto here again. Subscribe to the YouTube channel. Support the show SPONSORED BY BAY DIAGNOSTICS You've heard the problems on this podcast for years — technician turnover, broken communication, bad dispatch, lost productivity, pay-plan issues, and shop culture problems. Bay Diagnostics helps dealership managers find out what's actually happening inside their service department. Built from more than 30 years of firsthand dealership experience, Bay Diagnostics provides anonymous technician feedback, workflow analysis, and diagnostic reports designed to identify the problems that can cost a shop technicians, hours, repair orders, and profit. Truth from the bays. Solutions for the shop. Dealership managers: Want to find out what's really happening in your shop? Email: baydiagnosticsgroup@gmail.com THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  5. Jul 13

    The Recruiter Scam: How They Profit From the Technician Shortage

    Mechanics are in demand everywhere, so why are recruiters and hiring platforms making money off the technician shortage? In this episode, we expose how third-party recruiters, placement fees, and hiring apps profit from the automotive industry while technicians take all the risk. Before you jump to another shop, watch this first. NEW MERCH available on Fourthwall link on my website Support the show SPONSORED BY BAY DIAGNOSTICS You've heard the problems on this podcast for years — technician turnover, broken communication, bad dispatch, lost productivity, pay-plan issues, and shop culture problems. Bay Diagnostics helps dealership managers find out what's actually happening inside their service department. Built from more than 30 years of firsthand dealership experience, Bay Diagnostics provides anonymous technician feedback, workflow analysis, and diagnostic reports designed to identify the problems that can cost a shop technicians, hours, repair orders, and profit. Truth from the bays. Solutions for the shop. Dealership managers: Want to find out what's really happening in your shop? Email: baydiagnosticsgroup@gmail.com THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  6. Jun 29

    ZERO RESPECT FOR LOYALTY: When Managers Feed The New Guy Good Work

    Managers feeding good work to the new techs to keep them from quitting, even when they are on a guarantee!  ZERO respect for loyalty. When managers do this they are basically feeding the new techs the good work so they think thats the work they will be getting so they will stay.  Series coming soon.  Support the show SPONSORED BY BAY DIAGNOSTICS You've heard the problems on this podcast for years — technician turnover, broken communication, bad dispatch, lost productivity, pay-plan issues, and shop culture problems. Bay Diagnostics helps dealership managers find out what's actually happening inside their service department. Built from more than 30 years of firsthand dealership experience, Bay Diagnostics provides anonymous technician feedback, workflow analysis, and diagnostic reports designed to identify the problems that can cost a shop technicians, hours, repair orders, and profit. Truth from the bays. Solutions for the shop. Dealership managers: Want to find out what's really happening in your shop? Email: baydiagnosticsgroup@gmail.com THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  7. Jun 15

    Should I Become a Mechanic?

    Should you become a mechanic? Everybody online makes this industry sound like a six-figure dream. Trade schools sell it. Managers sell it. Influencers sell it. I’m here to tell you what it actually looks like. Flat rate. Working for free. Buying thousands of dollars in tools. Broken lifts. Shady pay plans. Shop politics. Managers promising the world and delivering b******t. Watching other industries move ahead while you're fighting every week just to make hours. This episode is the raw truth about dealership life from someone who’s spent 25 years living it. If you're thinking about becoming a mechanic, listen to this episode first. If you're already a mechanic, you're probably going to be nodding your head the entire time. Managers are probably thumbs-downing this video already. Good. Support the show THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

  8. Jun 8

    Desperation Hires, and HOPE

    Has your shop manager ever hired in a real scumbag tech? They say "We are a teacher" yet they hire in anyone off the street to join.  And all we have is HOPE. Everybody talks about technician productivity.  Nobody talks about what happens when there is no work. When management fails the techs pay the price. Support the show THE BOOK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57 Follow the Facebook page Follow the instagram page-- Flatratetech_podcast Check out the website  Flatratetechpodcast.weebly.com FlatRateTechPodcast@gmail.com Don't Forget To Rate And Review! Thanks For Listening, and Thanks for your support! Tech

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4.7
out of 5
76 Ratings

About

If you are an Automotive Mechanic or in the industry this is the show for you! The #1 automotive mechanic podcast! We talk about the good and the bad.  Flat rate is broken. We’re done staying quiet. The Flat Rate Tech Podcast is the raw, unfiltered voice of real dealership and independent shop technicians. Hosted by a working flat rate tech and the author of Flat Rate Life—the book that exposes what it’s really like to survive in this trade—this podcast pulls back the curtain on the automotive industry. Every week, we call out the truth behind flat rate pay, toxic shop politics, unpaid diagnostic time, tool debt, burnout, and the constant pressure to “just hit your hours.”If you're a tech, mechanic, or service advisor who's tired of the lies, this one's for you. No sponsors. No filters. No corporate polish. Just the truth. Disclaimer:This podcast reflects personal opinions based on real-life experience in the automotive repair industry. All names, locations, and identifying details have been changed or omitted to protect privacy. The views expressed do not reflect those of any current or former employer, coworker, dealership, or manufacturer. This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. If you recognize yourself in this podcast… ask yourself why. Produced By Flat Rate Life Media™

Information

  • Creator
    Tech, Flat Rate Life Media™
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Flat Rate Tech Podcast
  • Show Website
    Flat Rate Tech Podcast

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