HOUSTON (Aug. 17, 2009)—When it comes to moving tires, Southwest Infiniti knows a thing or two about that.
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s Infiniti luxury car division tracks tire sales at its dealerships, and Southwest Infiniti has been its top seller nationwide, coming in at No. 1 in 2006, 2007 and last year.
Ever wonder what tire-savvy technicians can make at a car dealership?
Mark Bailey, director of fixed operations, explained that there are four levels of technicians—A through D—at Houston-based Southwest Infiniti.
C and D techs do the entry-level work, such as oil changes and tire replacement. D techs make about $30,000 a year, while A and B technicians mostly do the jobs that require certification.
The annual income of A/B techs is between $60,000 to the low $100,000s.
Assistant sales managers make between $48,000 and $80,000.
The dealership offers medical insurance (PPO, not HMO), dental and vision care, and pays roughly half of the premiums. A group of 401(k) investment plans is offered, with the company matching 25 percent, up to a maximum of 4 percent of income per year. While there is no profit sharing, the dealership does provide year-end bonuses based on seniority.
Techs earn a bonus if their customer satisfaction index score exceeds Infiniti's national average. Efficiency also is tracked. Tires aren't the only steady sellers.
“We're seeing a lot more maintenance vs. repair work. People are definitely keeping their cars longer,” Mr. Bailey said, noting that maintenance is 80 percent of the service department's workload, while repairs constitute about 20 percent.