mechanic attire

[nathg]

hey everyone, recently got myself an apprenticship as a 1st yr mechanic. I was just wanting to know exactly what I should wear on my first day (monday 5th). Obviously, I've been told to wear proper safety boots, but I have no clue in terms of pants or shirt. I was thinking some plain black trousers and a black polo shirt (I will be getting the proper company's shirt later on down the track). Any advice or opinions would be great, thanks.

[Jimmy2228]

Make it a pink polo shirt and the trousers need to be nice and tight (preferably your sisters - if you have one)

This will set you off on the right foot!

[Grennan]

Yeah mate I rekon youve hit the nail on the head, some casual black trousers and a black polo. Wont see the oil stains and its not anything you dont mind getting wrecked.

[nathg]

Make it a pink polo shirt and the trousers need to be nice and tight (preferably your sisters - if you have one)

dont have a sister, and will never wear anything pink lol..but thanks, i might take something like that with me just incase haha

yeah thanks grennan, cause I am pretty sure first day is going to be more of like an induction, so they shouldn't be too harsh on mee i hope :S

[VL Berlina 5speed]

overalls, safty boots (steel cap, chemical resitant)

trust me i never were the fan of them but since the crash new shop ive moved to ive changed my thought
the boss bought me 3 pairs of overalls and every wed they get picked up and cleaned

so much easyer then getting your clothes dirty and having to keep washing them,
end of the day take overalls, wash handed/face and your clean, also helps keep your cars clean too

bring your overalls home friday nights wash them then here ready for a new week

i wear just shorts under the overalls and the polos which adverties the spray paint brand we use, so if i go out to drop a car off or pick up one i still look half ddecent

[nathg]

yeah see the thing with overalls is that im working for toyota, and when I was given a tour of the workshop, they seem to be more professional, with like proper toyota polo shirts or like button up shirts, no one was wearing overalls. suppose there are no dramas if i take them along, got an old pair from when i used to gokart, so i dont have to buy new ones.

[Haydz]

depends what sort of cars your working on.

new cars wont be half as a dirty and you wont need such drastic clothing.

but a normal mechanics that deals with cars 10 and more years old.

will have built up grease etc.

also depends what equipment you will be allowed to use.

id say go in first day with black pants and a polo and see what happens. they will more than likely show you around and give you someone to watch over you while you complete simple tasks. as they wont want you breaking anything.

[nathg]

yeah, pretty sure 90% of cars will be late model, just easy servicing and other easy jobs for the first couple of months from what they have told me, but looks like the black pants and polo are the winner so far eh lol.
thanks everyone

[rch-13z]

Can't go past overalls.... Plus you can claim overalls on tax too....

[davway]

Can't go past overalls.... Plus you can claim overalls on tax too....

i know they cracked down on this the financial year just gone.
work clothes were only considered work clothes if they had the company logo/name on them.
anything without the company logo could not be claimed, not even for washing expenses.
overalls might be the exception though.

anyway, good luck on the first day.

[soop]

I just wear some old clothes.
f*ck wearing over alls in this heat.

[AirStrike]

I just wear some old clothes.
f*ck wearing over alls in this heat.

Depends what the OHS requirements are, can't exactly rock up in your footy shorts and a singlet because it's hot.

[VL Berlina 5speed]

I just wear some old clothes.
f*ck wearing over alls in this heat.

simple wear nothing under the overalls, picture your self as cleatus on the simpsons

[Torquative]

what dav said is right, we had to put a logo on everything .. pants included. It smartens up the image but also makes sure they are considered comapny issues uniform.

Black polo and pants are fine. In dealerships thats becoming the norm, and it wont be long before the local mechanic comes to grips with it. Our guys have a set uniform from one of the manufacturers which is overalls, so their all the same worldwide and the uniform doesnt differentiate no matter where you go, but we found a loophole which allows the use of a dark blue polo shirt with the manufacturers logo on it and in this weather its so worth it

Hayden thats one way of looking at it but not always the truth. If you've ever seen a transmission or transfer box come out of a 2008 Discovery 3 and the oil thats associated with it, you'd rather be taking the sump off a VN commodore, its a hell of alot easier and less messy

Heck even I get dirty, oily, greasy .... and I dont work on the cars

[BOGANV8]

i know they cracked down on this the financial year just gone.
work clothes were only considered work clothes if they had the company logo/name on them.
anything without the company logo could not be claimed, not even for washing expenses.
overalls might be the exception though.

anyway, good luck on the first day.

^^^^ Not totally correct even without a logo you can still claim it as its classesd as PROTECTIVE clothing.. IE Saftery boots, King Gee Long work pants and long sleeve shirts etc etc things like this........

Also these things you can claim the washing of too i have done for the last 14yrs of being a mechanic never ever ever wore overalls biggest pain in the ass. much more comfy in long pants and shirt....

[nathg]

yeah, its supposed to be really hot on monday and tuesday, so hopefully the overalls wont be necessary. I know for certain that the other guys in the workshop had toyota shirts on, not entirely sure about any logo on the pants, i wasn't exactly looking at their pants on my tour of the workshop lol. But anyway, hoepfully all goes well, im very excited

[axemurderer101]

i work as an auto ellecy apprentice and i just wear jeans and hard yakka blue work shirt plus steel toe boots obviously

[5lt caprice]

i would say big dealerships wear button up shirts so they dont wipe there hands on there shirt then hope in your car that they are servicing and get it dirty, the crappy covers they put over your seat does bugger all so they just get into a habit of using rags.

[soop]

Depends what the OHS requirements are, can't exactly rock up in your footy shorts and a singlet because it's hot.

I wear shorts and a T-shirt. If its not 35c+ i'll wear some jeans.

Dead set, I'd die wearing overalls.
I often have to run down the street, so wearing nothing under filthy overalls isn't really an option.

To OP, I reckon just wear some jeans and a jumper/long sleeved shirt. when you get there, Sus out what the other bloke's are wearing then.
Either that or just give them a ring?

[nathg]

Yeah tried calling them, but the "boss" doesn't get back till I start, and the person I spoke to couldn't really give me an answer. Bought a decent black polo shirt from bigw, only cost $5 so I think that will do. I don't have any jeans that i can get dirty lol, so ill just wear some casual black trousers.

[padrickz88]

just give them a ring mate and ask them what you should wear on your 1st day...


1st day will pretty much be shown around, introduced to people and signing crap for your apprenticeship


EDIT: got in before me, should of refreshed the page lol

[Commydoor]

I agree, black pants and polo will impress more than overalls or jeans on the first day. One of the easy jobs you'll do to start will be oil changes. Grab yourself a pair of mechanics gloves from Supercheap Auto. Removing oil filters from hot engines is great fun with bare hands. Wish i had them back in my day. Another thing is dont over tighten any sump plugs they strip easily. And if they tell you to top up the radiator in the VW beetle rip them a new one pmsl.

[doms3]

hey everyone, recently got myself an apprenticship as a 1st yr mechanic. I was just wanting to know exactly what I should wear on my first day (monday 5th). Obviously, I've been told to wear proper safety boots, but I have no clue in terms of pants or shirt. I was thinking some plain black trousers and a black polo shirt (I will be getting the proper company's shirt later on down the track). Any advice or opinions would be great, thanks.

Do mechanics still wear OVERALLS?

[soop]

Yeah.
Depends on what job your doing I guess.

Commydore, Showing your age eh mate?
Bettles have radiators these days!

[andyman]

toyota have a compulsary uniform, just turn up in some black safety pants, steel cap boots and they will supply you with 2x toyota shirts,

and also generally an empty tool box, genuine filter removing tools and possibly a rattle gun.

hope that helps!, and good luck and welcome to the world of being worked hard and mega underpaid!