‘Lower-Income Americans Are Missing Car Payments’

[ChrisTheTireWhisperer]

@asemaster

I once (a long time ago) worked for a large organization that had a division that worked like that. You generally started with the company in your late teens and early 20’s. If you hadn’t progressed up the ladder into a foreman, lead, or managerial role by 30 you were “dead-ended” and released to make room for the younger, new hires

@jtsanders

No, it had nothing to do with what the employee wanted. If they were passed over for promotion, they were fired. Even those that didn’t want the promotion, but were in line for the job.

@TwinTurbo

Growing and being an ever increasing asset to the business doesn’t have to involve climbing managerial levels. But I do agree that if you’ve completely stalled out and are not expanding in any way, then there is room for someone more motivated to continue growing and evolving.

When I lived in my hometown in southwestern CT, and tended to shop in the same supermarket, there were 4-5 of the ‘day cashiers’ (the ones who worked from store opening to 3-4pm, and then the young mostly student part-timers came in to work closer shift) who were in their positions for over a decade.

They weren’t pushed out or fired just because they didn’t become a shift supervisor or member of store management.

So I don’t agree with this notion of being pushed out.

I, for one, can’t progress beyond line worker, even though I was college-educated (and despised every month I was away at campus). As I explained before, I had ‘issues’, both pre- and post-natal, that to do a degree affect my work performance to this day.

And that should not mean that I should be let go because, after 3-4 years of putting pegs in holes so to speak, I wasn’t able to progress to a supervisory or managerial level.

Look at Captain Kirk in Star Trek:

While he might not have had any personal or cognitive issues as do I, he had a very strong hands-on personality, even after being promoted to Admiral by Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan. If he wasn’t on the bridge, in the captains seat, he felt helpless, and unable to make a difference in any of the given situations the fabled Enterprise crew faced.

If you watch carefully, you’d notice that Kirk was very uncomfortable out of the captain’s chair! You’d catch him staring at it from across the bridge. In one scene from the cross-over installment “Star Trek: Generations”, as he walked past the captain’s seat on Enterprise-B, he subtley patted the top part.

He was born to captain a starship, not oversee a fleet of ships from a desk inside Space Dock, or even from onboard a ship.

Ultimately, he was disciplined, and reduced back to the rank of captain, but not for the reason of not wanting to remain Admiral, but for actions taken to rescue and save members of his crew (something he was d a m n e d good at, not to mention facing down the meanies, and negotiating with other species.)

[Jbear555]

I apologize in advance. I am new to this community, and cannot seem to figure out how to create a new post to ask a question. I am on many other forums, so I’m not a luddite…or…maybe I am. Sorry to interrupt

[jtsanders]

On the main page there is a button in the up right named New Topic. Click on it and you will see the page to create your topic. Follow the directions and post your question.

[db4690]

@ChrisTheTireWhisperer

A few thoughts . . .

You may be sharing just a little too much personal information

Protect yourself

And try to “read the room”

[bing]

I don’t create new ones any more because every time someone answered I’d get an irritating notification.

[old_mopar_guy]

You actually would have been good at it.

[db4690]

Thank you

[asemaster]

@TwinTurbo

Growing and being an ever increasing asset to the business doesn’t have to involve climbing managerial levels. But I do agree that if you’ve completely stalled out and are not expanding in any way, then there is room for someone more motivated to continue growing and evolving.

Absolutely. There have to be fewer bosses than workers, not everyone can or should move into a supervisory or managerial role. And in my world (the automotive service industry), we tend to be talking about much smaller operations than factories or large retail operations. But the principles remain the same. I wouldn’t expect a quick-lube kid to remain in “the pit” for years on end. I expect a general service tech to increase his abilities and knowledge over the years. I know that some people even can’t do that. When I had my own business, I had a tech who was generally competent but devoid of any drive. I sat down with him and said “I don’t see you ever making any more money here than you are today.” He shrugged his shoulders and was fine with that. I absolutely cannot understand that.

@ChrisTheTireWhisperer

I, for one, can’t progress beyond line worker,

And that’s OK, as long as you accept the risks that come along with that. Meaning you could be replaced at any time. I would expect you to progress to the top of the heap among your peers though after years of being on the line. Senior peg installer, peg installation trainer, peg hole inspector, the guy the other peg installers ask when they have a question. Every year at my yearly review I have to demonstrate 3 things I did this year that I didn’t do last year. Do you have a similar requirement that’s tied to your pay?

My job offers me interaction with a wide range of auto technicians. Last year I met a lube tech, his job was doing oil change and tire rotation services, nothing more. And he made it clear he was happy doing that and wanted no further development in his career. I accept that people think like that, but for the life of me I can’t understand it. If you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards.

[asemaster]

Back to the topic of missing car payments…look at these numbers

Somebody bought a 3-year-old used car for $40K, is paying 28% with an $1100/month payment for 6 years. He will end up paying $83,000 for a used car.

Of course, the driver is worried that the car may need repairs after the warranty expires. He won’t be able to afford anything.

[ChrisTheTireWhisperer]

@asemaster

I accept that people think like that, but for the life of me I can’t understand it.

I can. It’s called being content, and grateful.

@asemaster

If you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards.

I can’t understand that!

My father was a mailma- excuuuuse me - “letter carrier” for 20 of his 30 years with the Post Office. Due to an on the job injury, his final years were light duty sorting, in the station.

He witnessed the politics and “Peter Principle” accompanying the ascent into postal supervisory and managerial roles, and was more interested in just earning his weekly salary and providing for his family.

Sounds like ol Dad was really falling backwards!

[db4690]

I’ve known a LOT of people that kept doing the same job for years, sometimes decades

They were satisfied

They handled the bills, put food on the table, paid off their house and cars, etc. and received their pensions when the time came

They were winners

No ifs ands or buts

[ChrisTheTireWhisperer]

@db4690

They were satisfied

They handled the bills, put food on the table, paid off their house and cars, etc. and received their pensions when the time came

They were winners

No ifs ands or buts

Thank.

You!

And for a while, even managed to keep a small boat to take us out fishing in, or to a beach across the Sound.

[jtsanders]

@TwinTurbo

I have quite a few older people reporting to me. They are not interested in “climbing the corporate ladder” but like their current role.

I tried managing a small group for a couple years and didn’t like it. When I changed jobs I went back to being an engineer in my companies. I did become the lead engineer in my subsystem on my projects, and that required managing people and negotiating with project management and other design leads. As a contractor, I didn’t control cost planning until my last project. The govie on the project is the assistant branch manager, and she wanted me to do the ones too. As far as I know, I’m the only contractor to control finances for a subsystem in that organization.

[TwinTurbo]

@jtsanders

I’m the only contractor to control finances for a subsystem in that organization

That’s certainly unusual and a testimony of their trust in your abilities!

My parents were a product of the Great Depression and this dramatically affected their lives afterward. My Dad was a machinist/tool and die maker. My Mom was always on his back for turning down advancement opportunities to move into a management role. He felt this would expose him to more risk in losing the job he had to provide for his family. His motivation was a sense of security in providing a roof over our heads and food on the table. It wasn’t until I had my own family/kids that I truly and fully understood his fear and motivation.

It has been my experience that many people like the idea of being the people manager until the unpleasant parts come along. Difficult performance conversations, conflict management and letting someone go.

It’s good to challenge people to go outside their comfort zone especially if they have the capability to do it but are uncomfortable about it. I had the pleasure of working at a company that supported this fully. If it turns out you’re not suited to that role for whatever reason, we will accommodate going back to a prior role or something similar. Employee turnover in that company was extremely low, well below industry standards. Because they valued people and gave them opportunities if they so chose to explore them.

[Jbear555]

Appreciate the response. That’s what I was looking for, but it’s nowhere to be seen on my screen🤷‍♂️.

[VOLVO-V70]

Are you on the main community page ? In the red banner at the top click on community and then at the far right you should see a gray box with the words NEW TOPIC .

[davesmopar]

I’ve known many many automotive technicians retired doing nothing more ever then turning wrenches, yes they were master techs, but wanted no part of any kind of management role.. I also saw some that thought they wanted to get into management roles and did, but after a few years of dealing with people, they went back to turning wrenches… Then there are those that got into manager rolls and made excellent managers…

So not everybody is cut out to be a manager, nor wants it…

[Jbear555]

Grateful that you are all trying to help, but all I have top right is search icon, 3-bar menu icon (not in there either), and my account icon. Nothing else anywhere. Am I just missing the obvious ?

[bing]

If you go to the main car talk community page, lower left in a shaded box is new topic. Second line. It’s a little hard to find the right main page, at least if I remember right when I had to log in again. Lower left on the upper part that has the options.

[asemaster]

@ChrisTheTireWhisperer

It’s called being content, and grateful.

You can be grateful for what you have or are but still want to be better.

@ChrisTheTireWhisperer

My father was a mailma- excuuuuse me - “letter carrier” for 20 of his 30 years with the Post Office. Due to an on the job injury, his final years were light duty sorting, in the station.

One of my friends was a mailma…”letter carrier” for 30 years until he retired a few years ago. He is a hard-working guy, I’m sure your father was as well. I don’t mean to suggest that your father wasn’t a hard worker or lacked ambition. When a new procedure, piece of equipment, or process came around did he do his best to keep up with things or did he bury his head in the sand and ignore progress. That’s the kind of stagnation I don’t understand.

@db4690

I’ve known a LOT of people that kept doing the same job for years, sometimes decades

They were satisfied

They handled the bills, put food on the table, paid off their house and cars, etc. and received their pensions when the time came

I’ve known lots of those people too, many of them my family. But I fear those days and those types of jobs are harder to find and will soon disappear. My son is 18, just started college. I can’t imagine anyone of his generation finding work that pays 100% medical and funds a pension and will offer a living wage for 40 years. Blue collar trades just aren’t that secure anymore, and I say that after a 35 year career as a mechanic. If you want a secure future, you can’t just rely on your job to get you there. You have to make it for yourself. It was once possible to raise a family on a mailman’s salary, it’s not anymore.

@davesmopar

So not everybody is cut out to be a manager, nor wants it

No, not everyone can or should. But what you do have to do is keep learning, keep bettering yourself, keep taking training and embracing new technologies.

Back around 1993 the Shop Foreman I reported to asked me “You like all this electronic computer stuff?”

“Sure, it’s the future. Might as well get good at it.”

“I don’t want nothing to do with it.”

3 years later that shop foreman was busted down to brake and alignment tech. Few years after that he went to be a service writer at a small indy shop. When he was told he had to use electronic parts cataloging instead of ordering parts over the phone he quit. He finished his career at a discount muffler shop. He turned himself into dead weight every step of the way.