If you’ve ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it’s really like. This week, we chat to Madison Godfrey, an automotive technician at the Steer Group.
Apprentices, which is where I began my automotive career, earn around… £15,000 for the first year alongside studying. The salary once qualified is upwards of £40,000.
I work a 45-hour week… and get 23 days holiday on top of bank holidays. After five years’ service, we can earn an extra day of annual leave, and another after 10 years.
There aren’t a lot of freebies on offer, unless you count the branded air freshener… but we do get discounted rates on parts, which could be useful if you have a project on the drive at home.
Haggling isn’t generally appropriate… as we have fixed costs for labour, parts and supplies. It’s not something that comes up very often, and the majority of costs go through the insurer, so customers only have to pay the excess.
You should always get quotes from different people… if you’re not going through insurance for a repair. You shouldn’t just go to one place because a friend of a friend recommended it. Gather quotes from independent garages and local franchises of manufacturers and check what is and isn’t included, what costs are fixed and what is subject to change. Take your time to make an informed decision and it could save you a lot of money.
I would bring in mandatory driving test refreshers for people over a certain age… We are seeing a higher percentage of older drivers bringing in cars damaged in accidents. Reaction times diminish as we age, as does eyesight, and laws are changing all the time, so drivers really should be retested before they become a danger to themselves and others on the road.
The cost of living crisis has had a significant impact on how drivers maintain and look after their vehicles… We have seen a reduction in people bringing their cars in for services and smaller, cosmetic jobs as they want to save some cash.
Many people have cut insurance premiums by increasing their excess… but that means they can’t afford to claim in the event of a minor accident. People don’t always realise that even a seemingly minor collision, with a small dent or scrape, can cause bigger problems. Damage may have been done to the structure or electrical elements of the vehicle, behind the visible panel, and we won’t know how bad it is and how dangerous it is to drive the vehicle, until we take a look underneath.
To make sure you’re not getting ripped off… Ask for itemised breakdowns so that you can see where your money is going. You don’t need to be an expert to compare quotes and spot differences in what is and isn’t included and at what cost.
Check the work before you leave… Alarm bells should ring if they’ve parked it so you can’t walk around it. Check in the right light and dry weather, as rain reflects. An honest garage will be happy to enable you to carry out a thorough check and should be able to walk you through what has been done.
There are definitely some unscrupulous garages out there, I’ve been there… You must trust your judgement. Are they overselling things? Are they talking down to you? Are they brushing you off and not providing clear information when asked? It’s also always worth checking customer reviews; they speak for themselves. But be objective, read a range of reviews, don’t be put off by one negative among 1,000 glowing reviews.
Read more in the series:
Dentist reveals how you can earn big
Make-up artist on what you shouldn’t splurge on
Life as a celebrity photographer
If you’re buying a second-hand car, check these things…
It’s not uncommon to find underwear and adult toys in the car… It’s hard to look the driver in the eye when they pick up the vehicle when you’ve found something like that stuffed between the seats.
People don’t always realise how much it costs to repair that little scrape… from turning too tightly in the multistorey car park. While some may only cost a couple of hundred pounds, the average repair bill is around the £2,000 mark. We don’t just touch up the scratch with paint we have lying around. Once any dents or misshapen areas are popped out, we spend a lot of time prepping the entire area to ensure the paint goes on smoothly, and of course the paint must be precisely colour-matched to the rest of the vehicle so that you can’t tell the damage was ever there. Specialist coatings are more expensive, such as tinted, pearl and matte clear coats seen on Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Ford and BMW models.
Repairs are becoming more expensive with the advances in technology… and training for these systems and how to safely repair them can be expensive. Smaller garages may struggle to afford the training as well as the essential equipment required. Compounding this challenge, insurers are likely to lean more towards garage franchises that are geared up for EVs, and steer away from smaller independents, to keep costs lower.
In the boot, every car should have… a hazard triangle, safety kit and first aid kit, a big bottle of water for the car as well as drinking water for occupants, and you should know where to find your lock and wheel nuts.
Lots of the chemicals I use in my job are very dangerous… so it is vital to wear PPE. I always wear gloves and paint overalls, and a mask and hood when I’m spraying. I also ensure I have a good stock of heavy-duty hand cleaner available to get my hands clean at the end of the day.
I had no prior experience… In fact, I gained a degree in dance and performing arts and then went on to work as a barista at Costa when I came across the opportunity, so, despite a love of cars, I had a lot to learn. I was keen to fast-track my learning, and trained by apprenticeship provider Auto Access, and Steer. I completed the three-year course eight months early. I am proof that if you’re willing to put in the hours and the dedication, the opportunities are there for you.
I don’t see this industry as male-dominated at all… and have never experienced any sexism since joining automotive. I work with so many women and see even more at every event I attend. If a woman wants to get into this sector, she shouldn’t let an outdated fear of sexism put her off. If she wants it, she should just go for it, get involved and see where it takes her.
