u/Low_Acanthisitta728

Applied for an Auto Glass Technician Trainee position at Safelite and the store manager originally told me he wanted to hire me for that role. Today I got an email saying the Tech position officially closed, but they still want to bring me on as a Repair Specialist (RS).

The RS role starts around $17/hr and mainly focuses on chip/crack repairs, not installations. They told me they often promote strong RS employees into Technician positions once openings become available.

Honestly it’s not really the pay that bothers me, it’s more that I was excited to start learning installations and the trade fully right away. I already have automotive/tire experience and want to build a long-term career in the industry.

Manager also mentioned RS positions can be the first to get cut when things slow down, which gave me some hesitation.

Would you guys take the RS role to get your foot in the door, or keep looking for a direct Technician trainee opportunity elsewhere?

I’m currently on the fence about starting my own mobile tire service and could use some advice. I have about six years of experience as a tire technician and have been working as a mobile tire tech for the past three years, so I’m very familiar with the work itself.

I recently purchased a 2023 Ram ProMaster with 41k miles. I put roughly 65% down and currently owe about $10,000 on it. After the purchase, I still have around $70,000 in savings. To fully build out the van, I would need to invest another $10,000 to $15,000 for equipment like a tire changer, wheel balancer, generator, and air compressor.

Since buying the van, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure and second-guessing the decision. I think it’s because I realize this would mean stepping into something serious with a lot of responsibility. On top of that, I don’t have an existing customer base, so I’d be starting from zero.

Right now I’m trying to decide if I should sell the van and stick with the stability of my current job, or move forward and commit to building the business.

Given my experience and financial position, would it be smarter to play it safe or take the risk and go for it?

I’m currently on the fence about starting my own mobile tire service and could use some advice. I have about six years of experience as a tire technician and have been working as a mobile tire tech for the past three years, so I’m very familiar with the work itself.

I recently purchased a 2023 Ram ProMaster with 41k miles. I put roughly 65% down and currently owe about $10,000 on it. After the purchase, I still have around $70,000 in savings. To fully build out the van, I would need to invest another $10,000 to $15,000 for equipment like a tire changer, wheel balancer, generator, and air compressor.

Since buying the van, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure and second-guessing the decision. I think it’s because I realize this would mean stepping into something serious with a lot of responsibility. On top of that, I don’t have an existing customer base, so I’d be starting from zero.

Right now I’m trying to decide if I should sell the van and stick with the stability of my current job, or move forward and commit to building the business.

Given my experience and financial position, would it be smarter to play it safe or take the risk and go for it?