I wonder if it’s because mechanically-minded school leavers are now more attracted to clean, indoor practical work. Two of my nephews are doing engineering apprenticeships on very good pay and conditions with a mix of computer and hands-on work. As it happens one is making aero-parts for F1 cars but both their companies have range of non-motor clients. They are both into their cars but I couldn’t ever see either of them going on the tools.

I suspect old time car mechanics will be struggling with modern cars, which are largely computer controlled and full of sensors.The skill set has changed.

Under Tony Blair and onwards, 50% of school leavers went to University. In the past it would have been around the top 10%. There is an oversupply, they end up working in non-graduate jobs like at B&Q.

It leaves the bottom 50%, who might not be very good. You need good skills in diagnosing problems. If you were nt good at school, then in todays word, cars are more complex and you need to be able to read technical manuals and it will be a struggle....

Edited by Warning on 04/10/2022 at 14:55

Vehicle repair is a broken industry for a lot of reasons.

It's too physical and dirty work to be of interest to people who excel in academia. They end up wanting to go to uni and persue an office job.

In terms of complexity of electric systems, it's generally too complex for people who didn't get on at school and who are good with their hands. Although it still mainly attracts these sorts of people.

Working condition are poor. Too hot in summer (no Aircon), too cold in winter (may have workshop heating if you're lucky), dirty and physical work.

Generally long working hours compared to most. Office jobs I know of are 40 hours a week max including lunch breaks. Most mechanics are working at least 45+ hours a week, as well as having to do Saturdays and maybe Sundays for fast fitters. Lunch break if you're lucky although it'll be stood up eating off the top of your toolbox.

Investment in tools is substantial. Garages almost never supply employees with the basic tools, only special tool tend to be supplied. Expect to invest over £10k within a few years.

Customers expect far too much but rarely want to pay much either. Think about how many millions of pounds and how many teams of experts, engineers and computer scientists go into designing just one model of vehicle. And yet customers expect a mechanic to be an expert and able to fix any problem on any vehicle that comes through the door for a reasonable price? Not an excuse for mechanics to do a bad job, but people need to be more reasonable in terms of what can be achieved for a given cost.

Generally with vehicle maintenance and repair the quicker and easier jobs make garages much more money. The harder and more complex jobs (that tend to end up going to a good mechanic) do not make garages much money. Which is very backwards, the less skilled mechanics and fast fitters are rewarded for doing easier work. Meanwhile the more skilled mechanics are spending hours diagnosing complex faults or putting right what another garage has done wrong. But they can't charge the customer for the full amount of hours because that would be "unreasonable".

There are plenty of bad mechanics who give everyone a bad name. But somehow they still manage to stay in business and make good money?

Independent garages have to navigate multiple vehicle makes and models, and ever changing technologies. Normally with little technical support from manufacturers. Difficult to know how something works without adequate technical data.

Pay is not good considering the above. Dealers pay more but it's all about targets and pressure.

I could probably think of more reasons why people are leaving and no-one is replacing them.