There are just some days I wish I didn't turn wrenches

[OR VietVet]

I promise I will always post the good with the bad and today, almost stupid and engine dangerous. 2020 Acura RDX. Got the passenger side outside mirror installed in about 30 minutes. Not bad at all. I noticed the maintenance light on. I talked him in to an oil change, cabin air filter and air filter and I cleaned the MAF while in there. Reset the maintenance light and when I went to dump the old oil out of the pan, I found the drain plug seal. The soft aluminum one that Honda Motors uses. Got another drain pan and cleaned it *s*p*i*c* and span. Drained the oil. Installed the drain plug seal. CLOSE CALL. GOT IN A HURRY BEFORE. refiled with the clean oil and topped off as needed. When I took the old filter off it was loose and when I had removed shield, there was a drop getting ready to fall off the filter. I am keeping it till Tuesday morning to take and get the black mirror painted to match the car. The correct color coded mirror was back ordered till who knows when. See pics of the filters and what I installed and the oil drip leak.

 

[OR VietVet]

By 10 tomorrow morning I will have the 96 Tacoma for the fuel filter and the two bumper fillers.

Monday, the Mustang buyer will be here with a trailer and $25,500 cash.

Then I am gonna take a break till Wednesday morning when I pick up the Acura RDX after mirror cap painted.

 

[OR VietVet]

96 Tacoma work this morning. The two bumper fillers are metal instead of plastic, like the OE ones. They are black and look like crap around the painted surfaces. Owner ok's me ordering primer and Evergreen Pearl #751 Toyota Tacoma paint, rattle cans, and ordered from Amazon and will paint them and install later. The fuel filter had no restrictions and owner decided to wait for install labor, because it is gonna be sizeable.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yesterday, I saw a job ad at CL for a service advisor position for a local used car lot/shop. The shop is not at the lot but is at a separate location. They work on the car lot cars and retail cars as well. The thing that intrigues me about the job is the compensation for it. It says cash/check at end of week. Gonna see what the job entails and if would mess with my Social Security. Might finally have access to a lift at a shop.

 

[OR VietVet]

I did talk to the owner at the used car lot and this is how it works. He has a small shop at his lot with two techs and another larger shop 4-5 miles away that has 3 techs. They work on vehicles that they are selling and they also service vehicles after the sale on maintenance and repair contracts. They do have a retail/walk in business too but is not advertised. Is only word of mouth. The pressure to upsell does not exist there, he says. The walk ins are recommended to come there by the buyers of the vehicles. Seems like the walk ins will be like what I have here with work recommended by my regulars in the neighborhood.

The compensation. His dad is a financial planner. I knew and he said that at full retirement age, I am 70, I can make as much as I want and it does not effect my social security. I have reached out to my tax/accountant friend that has done my taxes for close to 50 years, and he will tell me what I can show that keeps me in the good graces of the tax people. The owner will work with me. I will see tomorrow morning. I have ran one fleet shop in all my years and it was a breath of fresh air to not have to constantly be aware of the sales dollar.

 

[Fless]

You'd be wise to hear what your tax person has to say. SS benefits are federally taxable even after you turn 70; up to 85% can be taxed, depending on your combined (total) income. Your State may also tax SS income.

Is Social Security Taxed After Age 70 - SmartAsset

Social Security is taxed regardless of age. Here’s a breakdown of Social Security tax rules for all ages in 2023.

smartasset.com

At What Age Is Social Security Not Taxable?

Income tax regulations are not determined by your age. People who work after retirement will pay FICA taxes on their income as well.

www.aarp.org

 

[OR VietVet]

You'd be wise to hear what your tax person has to say. SS benefits are federally taxable even after you turn 70; up to 85% can be taxed, depending on your combined (total) income. Your State may also tax SS income.

Is Social Security Taxed After Age 70 - SmartAsset

Social Security is taxed regardless of age. Here’s a breakdown of Social Security tax rules for all ages in 2023.

smartasset.com

At What Age Is Social Security Not Taxable?

Income tax regulations are not determined by your age. People who work after retirement will pay FICA taxes on their income as well.

www.aarp.org

Oh, I get it. For a 40 hour week, I am not gonna jeopardize my social security and getting in trouble with the tax man. My work I do here is busy enough but I would love to have access to a lift on weekends. Gonna weigh all my options and see what happens.

 

[Fless]

Good deal. Arm yourself with the truth and figure out what works for you. Myself, I'll be working past 70 and will be taxed, but I like my real job and benefits for the time being.

 

[OR VietVet]

Good deal. Arm yourself with the truth and figure out what works for you. Myself, I'll be working past 70 and will be taxed, but I like my real job and benefits for the time being.

I really liked running shops and thought I had a couple lined up over the last year but the same excuse, "you are over-qualified", to cover up that they did not want a 70 year old.
The fleet shop aspect is what really makes me want to do it. I will walk in with eyes wide open and see what happens and what is said. Of course, I will post the results here.

 

[OR VietVet]

I interviewed at 9:30 a.m. this morning. I left and they said they had about a dozen more interviews to do and would let me know in 1 to 2 days. Around 3:30 the owner texted me and said would be contacting me in a "bit". Around 5 p.m. he called me and asked if he could run something by me. I said sure. He had a service manager and a service writer in the office with me and them and the owner asked me a bunch questions in a tag team method. Then a female sales lead comes in with her questions. Some role playing but mostly, "What would you do if". I answered them all and shook hands and left. When he called me back he told me the reason why the existing service writer was leaving. No one, including the 5 technicians could get along with the service manager. He was talked to by owner about a 1/2 dozen times about it and promises were made and not kept. They were hiring the service writer first because he is leaving no matter what. The owner wants me to be the new service manager and help him interview the other applications to find a service writer. So now it means more money and more responsibility but is a fleet shop condition so there is no "sell sell sell" crap all the time. I don't mind selling what is needed but the shops now days are dealing in thievery. They do about 10% retail and that is just word of mouth. The techs are just expected to inspect and fix so the vehicle can be sold.

I am meeting Wednesday with the owner from early afternoon to close time at 4:30 to discuss money and how that will all work. I have already got an ascending graph from my tax guy so I know how to work my salary. The owner is aware of all this and has some info from his "financial planner" father. I start the job on Thursday at 8 and work till 4:30. Five 8 hour days. No Saturdays or Sundays.

The plan had been to hire me as service writer and then either hire another person as the service manager or see how I do and move me to service manager and get rid of the existing one. I knew when I talked to them and they laid out what the duties were for each position, I could easily do either one.

Here I go. I will be scaling back my wrench work at home and that makes my girl happy.