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Flat Rate Tech Podcast

Flat Rate Tech Podcast

Written by: Tech Flat Rate Life Media™
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About this listen

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™

© 2026 Flat Rate Tech Podcast
Episodes
  • When “Professional” Really Means Shut Up

    When “Professional” Really Means Shut Up
    Jan 11 2026

    “Be more professional.” That’s the line. And it’s bullshit.
    Every time technicians speak up about unpaid labor, flat rate abuse, or unsafe pressure, the same word gets thrown at them.
    Unprofessional.
    In this episode, I talk about what that word actually means in THIS industry.
    Why it has nothing to do with skill, quality, or doing the job right.
    And how “professionalism” gets used as a leash to keep techs quiet while the system keeps taking.
    Technicians are already professionals.
    The problem is the industry punishes professionalism the moment it costs them money.
    Have you ever been told to stay quiet, take the hit, or stop having an attitude when you called out something wrong?
    This isn’t about acting better.
    It’s about why the people doing the real work are expected to give it away for free.
    Listen before they tell you to be “professional” again.

    Support the show

    THE BOOK

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK654G57

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    Tech
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    5 mins
  • NEW YEAR. NOTHING CHANGED

    NEW YEAR. NOTHING CHANGED
    Jan 5 2026

    It’s a new year.
    Same shop. Same pressure. Same lies. Labor rates went up.
    Budgets went up.
    Expectations went up. Your pay didn’t.

    They changed the wording.
    They call managers “leaders” now.
    They hang balloons, push culture slogans, and talk about productivity.

    But nothing actually changed for the people in the bays.

    This episode breaks down how pressure flows downhill, why techs are still being squeezed harder every year, and why the industry keeps blaming technicians instead of fixing the system that’s breaking them.

    If you’re tired of hearing promises while watching the same bullshit repeat itself, Welcome to the club.

    Nothing changed.
    And that’s the problem.

    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
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • We Were Lied To. There Is No Future

    We Were Lied To. There Is No Future
    Dec 29 2025

    We were lied to.
    We were told to work harder.
    Buy more tools.
    Stay loyal.
    And somehow it would all work out.
    This episode breaks down why being a good technician was never enough, why flat rate keeps techs unstable, and why there was never a real future built into this job.


    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
    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
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