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In this episode, Jeff is with Josh Farris, a Mini Cooper dealership technician from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to talk about diagnostics, dealership life, flat rate pay, and career growth. Josh shares his journey from working on a 1995 Lumina to gaining experience at independent shops, Volkswagen, Lexus, and Mini. They discuss electrical and CAN bus diagnostics, corrosion, warranty work, dispatching, advisor training, and the impact of low paying work on technician morale. The conversation also covers why technicians should be paid for DVIs and inspections, how tool costs can create unnecessary pressure, and why strong communication and integrity matter in automotive repair. Josh also shares his goal of moving into leadership so he can advocate for technicians while helping shops remain profitable.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why Diagnostics Matter 00:50 Podcast Intro and ASTA Trip 01:18 Josh Joins Mini Dealer Life 03:49 Mini Electrical Nightmares 04:52 Early Tinkering Origins 06:00 First Big Fix: Lumina 07:23 Apprenticeship and Licensing Path 08:57 Host First Car Story 11:51 Mods and CAN Bus Problems 13:21 Shop Shutdown to Dealership Track 16:27 Pay Gaps and Flat Rate Reality 18:51 Lexus vs. German Engineering 25:15 Warranty Time Controversy 34:01 Advisor Training and DMS Struggles 37:31 Advisor Knowledge Gap 39:31 Train Advisors First 40:50 Bad Explanations Hurt Trust 42:52 Selling Without Division 45:36 Flat Rate Pay Stress 55:21 Stop Doing Freebies 58:34 Becoming the Mini Lead 01:03:25 Advocacy Through Communication 01:05:38 DVIs and Getting Paid 01:08:33 Tools Over Toolboxes 01:15:15 Warranty and Brand Hype 01:19:14 Tool Brand Stigma 01:20:05 Removing Tool Barriers 01:21:09 Five Year Career Goals 01:22:29 Confidence in Diagnostics 01:24:09 Getting Humbled 01:26:38 Management Stress and Advocacy 01:29:31 Customer Communication Matters 01:31:54 Dealer vs. Independent Path 01:35:11 Training and AI Shift 01:38:54 AI Limits and Reality 01:44:52 Building Diagnostic Talent 01:52:36 Accountability and Integrity 01:59:26 Closing Thanks and Sponsors
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