{"version":"1.1.0","producer":"fm.getcarcurious","layer":"official","episode":{"title":"Why Some Technicians Are Leaving Flat Rate | Daniel Whitey","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/why-some-technicians-are-leaving-flat-rate-daniel-whitey","audioUrl":"https://media.transistor.fm/13986e56/733dfce6.mp3","description":"\n        Like the show? Show your support by using our sponsorsNeed to update your shop systems and software? Try Tekmetric HERELaunch your tool game to the next level with Launch Tech USA! HEREIn this Jaded Mechanic Podcast episode, Jeff sits down with Canadian technician Daniel Whitey to discuss his journey through the automotive trade. Daniel shares how a Chrysler co-op program at Centennial College led to an apprenticeship, dealership experience, and eventually a move into fleet maintenance. They discuss the realities of flat rate pay, mentorship, shop culture, tool investments, diagnostics, and why Daniel ultimately chose the stability of a straight-time fleet position. The conversation also explores technician mental health, career development, and advice for new technicians entering the industry.Timestamps 00:00 Welcome  00:51 Meet Daniel Whitey 03:48 Career Origins and Licensing 09:09 Centennial Chrysler Co-op 10:58 Chrysler Dealer Experience 21:30 Mentorship and Flat Rate Life 35:12 Diagnostic War Stories 42:04 Hybrids and EV Discussion 44:15 Leaving Chrysler 50:46 Transition to Hyundai 56:45 Hyundai Challenges 01:01:34 Fleet Shop Life and Benefits 01:08:38 Daily Fleet Pressures 01:18:53 Leaving Dealerships Gracefully 01:21:11 Saturday Flat Rate Grind 01:25:35 Recall Day Stories 01:35:46 Advice for New Technicians 01:46:44 Licensing and Competency 01:52:37 Mental Health and Closing Thoughts\nFollow/Subscribe to the show on social media! TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffcompton7YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheJadedMechanicFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091347564232\n      "},"annotations":[{"id":433810,"startTime":750.68,"endTime":755.84,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Challenger","url":"/cars/dodge/challenger","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/%2772_Dodge_Challenger_%28Rigaud%29.jpg","quote":"...n Chrysler brought back that, you know, the Dodge Challenger and what was it like 2008 or something like that....","canonicalId":"car:dodge:challenger","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / Public domain","imageLicense":"Public domain","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:'72_Dodge_Challenger_(Rigaud).jpg","sourceStartTime":750.68,"sourceEndTime":755.84}},{"id":433811,"startTime":775.88,"endTime":779.68,"type":"car","title":"Chrysler PT Cruiser","url":"/cars/chrysler/pt-cruiser","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/06-08_Chrysler_PT_Cruiser.jpg","quote":"...ber them coming. And, and I can remember when the PT Cruiser hit and there was a big deal, right? Like, oh my ...","canonicalId":"car:chrysler:ptcruiser","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"IFCAR (Public domain)","imageLicense":"Public domain","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:06-08_Chrysler_PT_Cruiser.jpg","sourceStartTime":775.88,"sourceEndTime":779.68}},{"id":433812,"startTime":788.36,"endTime":789.92,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Neon","url":"/cars/dodge/neon","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/2000_Chrysler_Neon_%28166931030%29.jpg","quote":"...you know what I mean? Like it was like, you had a neon. You had a caravan, you had a Viper and you had t...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:neon","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 2.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2000_Chrysler_Neon_(166931030).jpg","sourceStartTime":788.36,"sourceEndTime":789.92}},{"id":433813,"startTime":790.24,"endTime":792.88,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Viper","url":"/cars/dodge/viper","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/05_Dodge_Viper_%288964246675%29.jpg","quote":"...ike, you had a neon. You had a caravan, you had a Viper and you had the Ram truck. And then they, when th...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:viper","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA (CC BY 2.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY 2.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:05_Dodge_Viper_(8964246675).jpg","sourceStartTime":790.24,"sourceEndTime":792.88}},{"id":433814,"startTime":1024.12,"endTime":1026.36,"type":"car","title":"F-150 Raptor","url":"/cars/ford/f-150","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/2021_Ford_F-150_%28fourteenth_generation%29_front_view_01.png","quote":".... Like it's not like people like, oh, it's like a raptor. It's nothing like a raptor.","canonicalId":"car:ford:f150","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Gold Pony (CC BY 3.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY 3.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2021_Ford_F-150_(fourteenth_generation)_front_view_01.png","sourceStartTime":1024.12,"sourceEndTime":1026.36}},{"id":433815,"startTime":1141.56,"endTime":1145.24,"type":"car","title":"Chevrolet Silverado","url":"/cars/chevrolet/silverado","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Angela_Ruch_Homestead_2019.jpg","quote":"...ou drive a Hammy Ram and then you get into like a Silverado and I'm not knocking anyone else, but it just has...","canonicalId":"car:chevrolet:silverado","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0","imageLicense":"CC BY 2.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angela_Ruch_Homestead_2019.jpg","sourceStartTime":1141.56,"sourceEndTime":1145.24}},{"id":433816,"startTime":1141.56,"endTime":1145.24,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Ram","url":"/cars/dodge/ram","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/2019_Ram_1500_Bighorn%2C_rear_3.11.20.jpg","quote":"...just feels different. Hey, when you drive a Hammy Ram and then you get into like a Silverado and I'm no...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:ram","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Kevauto (CC BY-SA 4.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2019_Ram_1500_Bighorn,_rear_3.11.20.jpg","sourceStartTime":1141.56,"sourceEndTime":1145.24}},{"id":433817,"startTime":1213.76,"endTime":1215.24,"type":"car","title":"Challenger Hellcats","url":"/cars/dodge/challenger","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/%2772_Dodge_Challenger_%28Rigaud%29.jpg","quote":"...ever driven one, but I've sat in one. I've driven Hellcats. I've driven, you know, SRT 392 shakers.","canonicalId":"car:dodge:challenger","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / Public domain","imageLicense":"Public domain","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:'72_Dodge_Challenger_(Rigaud).jpg","sourceStartTime":1213.76,"sourceEndTime":1215.24}},{"id":433818,"startTime":1222.2,"endTime":1225.64,"type":"car","title":"Dodge Charger","url":"/cars/dodge/charger","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/1966_Dodge_Charger%2C_front_right%2C_09-27-2025.jpg","quote":"Yeah. Charger Daytona's, you know, all that kind of stuff. Neve...","canonicalId":"car:dodge:charger","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1966_Dodge_Charger,_front_right,_09-27-2025.jpg","sourceStartTime":1222.2,"sourceEndTime":1225.64}},{"id":433819,"startTime":1927.88,"endTime":1929.2,"type":"car","title":"Chevrolet Corvette","url":"/cars/chevrolet/corvette","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Chevrolet_Corvette_Stingray_C8_%2849566950713%29.jpg","quote":"controlled and refined, whereas you drive something like that. And Corvette's the same. 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S...","canonicalId":"car:ford:f150lightning","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Kevauto (CC BY-SA 4.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2022_Ford_F-150_Lightning,_NYIAS_2022.jpg","sourceStartTime":2076.24,"sourceEndTime":2081.28}},{"id":433821,"startTime":2262.2,"endTime":2265.44,"type":"car","title":"Chevrolet Spin","url":"/cars/chevrolet/spin","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/2_Elliott_Sadler_Rights_the_Car_2012_Road_America_Sargento_200.jpg","quote":"...y much take the the the mains out. And so I could spin the crank to get, you know, the flywheel to come ...","canonicalId":"car:chevrolet:spin","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: (CC BY-SA 3.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 3.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2_Elliott_Sadler_Rights_the_Car_2012_Road_America_Sargento_200.jpg","sourceStartTime":2262.2,"sourceEndTime":2265.44}},{"id":433822,"startTime":2332.76,"endTime":2338.68,"type":"car","title":"Jeep Grand Cherokee","url":"/cars/jeep/grand-cherokee","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Jeep_Grand_Cherokee_%28WL%29_4xe_IMG_7801.jpg","quote":"...ember a side impact curtain airbag on a brand new grand Cherokee. Like it had 300 kilometers on it.","canonicalId":"car:jeep:grandcherokee","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeep_Grand_Cherokee_(WL)_4xe_IMG_7801.jpg","sourceStartTime":2332.76,"sourceEndTime":2338.68}},{"id":433823,"startTime":2507.88,"endTime":2511.96,"type":"car","title":"Jeep Libertys","url":"/cars/jeep/liberty","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/2002-04_Jeep_Liberty.jpg","quote":"that would rot and corrode and do all kinds of weird stuff. And the old Jeep Liberty's first gen Jeep Liberty had this connector underneath the console that had like a hundred wires in it.","canonicalId":"car:jeep:liberty","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Bull-Doser (Public domain)","imageLicense":"Public domain","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2002-04_Jeep_Liberty.jpg","sourceStartTime":2507.88,"sourceEndTime":2511.96}},{"id":433824,"startTime":2617.44,"endTime":2622.88,"type":"car","title":"Jeep Wrangler","url":"/cars/jeep/wrangler","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/JEEP_WRANGLER_%28JL%29_China.jpg","quote":"...e started getting, I think those like hybrid Jeep Wranglers and stuff like that. 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I never did...","canonicalId":"car:hyundai:sonata","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2024_Hyundai_Sonata_SEL,_front_right,_07-22-2024.jpg","sourceStartTime":3182.04,"sourceEndTime":3190.52}},{"id":433826,"startTime":3182.04,"endTime":3190.52,"type":"car","title":"Hyundai Elantra","url":"/cars/hyundai/elantra","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/BHA_Elantra_33_WGI24_01.jpg","quote":"...appened? Oh, yeah, we did. We did tons of tons of Elantra and Sonata, Tucson. Oh, yeah, all those engines. ...","canonicalId":"car:hyundai:elantra","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BHA_Elantra_33_WGI24_01.jpg","sourceStartTime":3182.04,"sourceEndTime":3190.52}},{"id":433827,"startTime":3459.08,"endTime":3464.92,"type":"car","title":"Master Techs","url":"/cars/renault/master","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/DiePost_Paketzustellfahrzeug_Renault_Master_III%2C_Modell_2010.jpg","quote":"...just like, are you kidding? Like you guys are all master techs. 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So you seal the part off that one and then use it on the truc...","canonicalId":"car:byd:seal","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"User3204 (CC BY-SA 4.0)","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 4.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2022_BYD_Seal.jpg","sourceStartTime":4038.44,"sourceEndTime":4042.2}},{"id":433829,"startTime":5370.6,"endTime":5376.28,"type":"car","title":"Plymouth Prowler","url":"/cars/plymouth/prowler","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/%2797-%2700_Plymouth_Prowler_%28Cruisin%27_At_The_Boardwalk_%2710%29.jpg","quote":"...iser. You ever work on, you ever do anything on a prowler? A little bit. I had a so funny story. Had a prow...","canonicalId":"car:plymouth:prowler","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Bull-Doser (Public domain)","imageLicense":"Public domain","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:'97-'00_Plymouth_Prowler_(Cruisin'_At_The_Boardwalk_'10).jpg","sourceStartTime":5370.6,"sourceEndTime":5376.28}},{"id":433830,"startTime":5499.72,"endTime":5505.4,"type":"car","title":"Chrysler Crossfire","url":"/cars/chrysler/crossfire","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/2004_Chrysler_Crossfire_%28ZH_MY04%29_coupe_%2819216123418%29.jpg","quote":"...d I'm trying to think of what it is. The Chrysler Crossfire, did you ever work on one of those? I haven't, bu...","canonicalId":"car:chrysler:crossfire","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0","imageLicense":"CC BY 2.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2004_Chrysler_Crossfire_(ZH_MY04)_coupe_(19216123418).jpg","sourceStartTime":5499.72,"sourceEndTime":5505.4}},{"id":433831,"startTime":5599.56,"endTime":5602.44,"type":"car","title":"Hyundai Genesis","url":"/cars/hyundai/genesis","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/2010_Hyundai_Genesis_Coupe_1_--_08-27-2009.jpg","quote":"...now, different things. Did you talk to any of the Genesis stuff when you were at Hyundai? I did actually on...","canonicalId":"car:hyundai:genesis","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"IFCAR (Public domain)","imageLicense":"Public domain","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2010_Hyundai_Genesis_Coupe_1_--_08-27-2009.jpg","sourceStartTime":5599.56,"sourceEndTime":5602.44}},{"id":433832,"startTime":5813.72,"endTime":5817.08,"type":"car","title":"Porsche Cayenne","url":"/cars/porsche/cayenne","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Porsche_Porsche_cayenne_Turbo_Matte_black_%286406501887%29.jpg","quote":"...ffic and I'm like, oh, okay. Kind of looks like a Cayenne from the back. I'm talking to the SUV ones. And t...","canonicalId":"car:porsche:cayenne","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0","imageLicense":"CC BY-SA 2.0","imageSourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Porsche_Porsche_cayenne_Turbo_Matte_black_(6406501887).jpg","sourceStartTime":5813.72,"sourceEndTime":5817.08}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"Jeff Compton","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/why-some-technicians-are-leaving-flat-rate-daniel-whitey/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}],"alignmentMode":"scalar","fallbackOffset":0.0}