studying auto and looking for a career...

[brelandt]

After all these years of working on both planes and automobiles I had decided to earn my certification as an auto mechanic. I work full time and have very little time at home for school, so I went with a study from home course (took auto mech in college back in the mid 90's and earned 104 for the semester). The lesson are VERY complete and tough even for a person like me that knows a lot.
Once I'm finished I want to head towards earning a ASE and one day in the future a master mechanic.
I gave a lot of thought towards what I like as far as mechanic works goes and I am leaning towards fleet work. I love keeping things in good clean working order which is why I'm on BITOG!
I just need some advice from you guys out there with similar experiences.
BTW I would want to stay here near home in the bay area. Thanks!

 

[Quattro Pete]

No advice from me, but interestingly I am pondering a similar path, even though my current background is in business and IT. I haven't considered study-from-home type schooling. I looked at a program at a local tech facility, but that is a full-time program for a year and they provide all training facilities. It costs $30K though and would require me to quit my current job, hence I am not ready to do this yet.

 

[eljefino]

I am like you on the fence. My current industry is contracting and becoming less relevant daily. I keep going to work because of good hours giving me family time, so switching would be in duress if operations fizzle. Am collecting tools and skills in preperation for that moment.

Don't you need two years experience for ASE? You can get a "test report" anytime though which would show potential employers you're serious.

Cali has smog tests, get a technician's license for that if you can without employer sponsorship.

Even working at a tire chain you'll get experience and the boss will love you if you can start doing stuff like struts and brakes. And you're in a position to buy horrible beaters to fix and flip when customers want to send them to the crusher.

If cheap customers make you angry go work for a used car dealer; then you'll just have one predictably cheap boss.

 

[Mokanic]

I have been in the auto repair business since I was 17. I earned my Toyota Master tech status,Honda Gold tech status,as well as being trained by FOMOCO early on. I worked for dealers far too long and wasted much of my health and strength making them richer. By the time I woke up and left I had a fortune in tools and equipment with not even a retirement program to show for it. I went in business for myself and have probably spent over two million dollars in order to make one million. Regulations, as well as unscroupulous jack-legs have taken most of the profit out of the repair business. If I had it to do over again I would have retrained and got out of the automotive repair industry long ago. If you choose to stay in the business I suggest strongly that you specialize in the diesel industry. Though it is not as profitable as it once was there are still few shops that want to mess with them other than maybe oil changes ect... The future of making money is going to be in high tech diesels. I remember back in the early 80s through the early 90s if you specialized in Asian cars you could really make a good living. All that has changed because so many of the techs that were trained by the Asian dealers left to run their own shops. Now everyone works on them. If you try to charge what is needed to make a profit you'll be called a crook and everything in between by tightwads who buy cars they can not afford to make payments on much less maintain. Auto repair techs do have job security because the turnover rate is horrendous. It does not take long for young guys to figure out that there are better ways to make a living.
Best wishes.

 

[hounddog]

Go into aircraft.Smelly shops,flat rate, customers that don't appreciate you,long hours on hard floors.Its never fast enough for them or short approval times for you.I was in it 30 years and if I had it to do over again I think aircraft would be it.Now custom car building or a restoration shop might be different.

 

[Bluestream]

If you worked on aircraft in the past you must be a certified aircraft engineer. I would stay with that profession. Auto repair techs are the worst paid trade there is. Mokanic summed it up very well.

 

[brelandt]

Lots of great advice so far. as far as aircraft mechanic....doubt I'll ever go back into it. I did it for 8 years in the Air Force and then did some towing and detailing as a civilan. Did not get much or any joy out of it at all. First it was boring and second I never got the satisfaction from it as I wasn't able to fly the plane afterwards only engine run qualified. then there is the whole thing of only being engine certified and there isn't much work for a guy without a full A&P licence?
When my parents Lexus RX blew an oil line the mechanic at the Lexus dealer claimed to make 120K a year there....not sure how but he loves it. Guess, it depends on where you are?

 

[dtt004]

Hi.

If you have the time and are willing to make the committment, I would highly recommend that you go and study to become an engineer.

Classes are flexible at some universities and you can take them at night. However, it will take much longer to do it that way. It's also math and science intensive, but with you experience you will have no problem getting an internship and then a job at an automotive companies.

Automobile mechanics make a solid amount of money. However, if you are interested in something more, engineering is the way to go. Mechanics spend their time fixing and finding problems, while engineers focus on creating new technologies for the future. Of course, those technologies always break haha and we need mechanics to connect with the consumer to fix that product.

Whatever you choose, you'll be alright.

 

[Quest]

I'm with hounddog RE: his comments.

I too, was a certified mech in my region 20yrs ago and gave up on that entirely because of exactly the same situations as hounddog. At the end: I'm now working a rather "cushy" job in the office, no need to get myself sick with all kinds of chemical contaminants (solvents, etc.)

Q.

 

[brelandt]

Originally Posted By: dtt004
Hi.

If you have the time and are willing to make the committment, I would highly recommend that you go and study to become an engineer.

Classes are flexible at some universities and you can take them at night. However, it will take much longer to do it that way. It's also math and science intensive, but with you experience you will have no problem getting an internship and then a job at an automotive companies.

Automobile mechanics make a solid amount of money. However, if you are interested in something more, engineering is the way to go. Mechanics spend their time fixing and finding problems, while engineers focus on creating new technologies for the future. Of course, those technologies always break haha and we need mechanics to connect with the consumer to fix that product.

Whatever you choose, you'll be alright.


Gave this a lot of thought as well. I have several friends that all hold PHD's and Masters and they all tell me how they can not believe I haven't gotten a degree in engineering. I just suffer from little confidence. I'm completely capable of tearing a car down and building it back up right and enjoy doing so. Just when it comes to schooling? makes me nervous. Will look further into this.

 

[PandaBear]

It is important to love what you will be doing the rest of your life. Salary goes up and down based on demand and supply, but once you set the direction of your career it is hard to change when you are 50 or 60. Most people I know who graduate with one degree but end up working in something else are happier than working for a higher pay salary job in their original field that they do not like.

What do you like to do? If you put in your effort both aircraft mechanics and auto mechanics can be good career. If you love blowing things up or building something new engineering can be a fun career, pays well (I know quite a few that make $160k base salary and some even at $250k after bonus and stocks, as foot soldiers rather than managers or directors, because they are that good), and stable income.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: brelandt
Gave this a lot of thought as well. I have several friends that all hold PHD's and Masters and they all tell me how they can not believe I haven't gotten a degree in engineering. I just suffer from little confidence. I'm completely capable of tearing a car down and building it back up right and enjoy doing so. Just when it comes to schooling? makes me nervous. Will look further into this.


I had a friend in HS who was afraid of going to college because of his grade, and due to family problems (parents divorce, bad influence in neighborhood, etc) he decided to work low paying job early on, get married and start a family.

Fast forward 10 years, he had 2 daughters, and money is always tight. He got back in touch with all of his friends and realized how much more people are making with an engineering or computer degree, and started realizing that it makes perfect sense even though he is a few years late. Now he started going back to school with maturity, he is able to get excellent grades (4.0 GPA) and really loved it.

You can get over your fear, and it is not too late.

 

[Mr Nice]

Quote:
I just suffer from little confidence. I'm completely capable of tearing a car down and building it back up right and enjoy doing so. Just when it comes to schooling? makes me nervous. Will look further into this.


School shouldn't be a problem as you will be learning what you really enjoy doing. Its good that you are pursuing something you like.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: dtt004
Hi.

If you have the time and are willing to make the committment, I would highly recommend that you go and study to become an engineer.

+1. Mechanical is a good choice.

 

[bradepb]

I have been a pro mechanic for 30+ years, started out with trade school then a few car dealers, I have been at my current job at a school bus fleet for 26 years- ASE master school bus tech and state master auto and truck.
my advice if you want to do automotive work is to stay away from retail auto repair and try for a job with some sort of fleet, private or government and learn all you can about electronics , that is where the future is actually that is where we are now, 75% of our work is now electrical related.

 

[Mokanic]

Originally Posted By: brelandt
Lots of great advice so far. as far as aircraft mechanic....doubt I'll ever go back into it. I did it for 8 years in the Air Force and then did some towing and detailing as a civilan. Did not get much or any joy out of it at all. First it was boring and second I never got the satisfaction from it as I wasn't able to fly the plane afterwards only engine run qualified. then there is the whole thing of only being engine certified and there isn't much work for a guy without a full A&P licence?
When my parents Lexus RX blew an oil line the mechanic at the Lexus dealer claimed to make 120K a year there....not sure how but he loves it. Guess, it depends on where you are?


120K a year? My hind leg. They won't pay a service manager that.

 

[bradepb]

120,000 a year is pretty steep however back in the day a realy good tech at a realy good dealer in my area could come close to 100k,things are little different now with extended warranty(warranty does not pay as good as customer pay) and just not as much work in general.

 

[brelandt]

Wow I left for work came back home and found a lot of great advice and stories.
Yes, working on cars takes my mind off of things and it is the only thing that will keep me up at night cause I can't wait for morning to get started on a project. Of course there are times when you get burned out but heck that's for everything in life.
So far the classes I have taken are keeping my attention. Normally I tend to start day dreaming while on the second paragraph and need to reread again but not with what I'm doing now. I spend hours going over everything and I'm making A's. So this has to be what I born to do..LOL
I'm just going to absorb and achieve as much as I can. Thanks guys I'm really started to think this is a great move for me.
Buying tools however, will take time as my current job doesn't pay a lot (commission based).

 

[Quest]

Here's a word of advise:

If you seriously want to excel in the field of automobile repairs, it is mandatory to have strong electronics skills these days in order to understand OBD-II systems and also be able to diagnoise/understand the systems from inside out.

Gone were the days where repair mech can get by with a 12V idiot light probe (those who claimed that they can still make miracle happens with an idiot light pen, etc. I consider them to be idiots).

The stronger the background in math and electronics, the better you'll be.

Good luck on your endeavours.

Q.

 

[sciphi]

With most of my friends being mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineers, they like what they do and make darn good money at it.

Hey, if you like what you're doing, keep at it! Sometimes it's not about the money, it's about the job satisfaction.