How many of you guys work on cars for a LIVING?
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10
From: Knox Vegas
How many of you guys work on cars for a LIVING?
Browsing around this site, many people seem to know EXACTLY what they are talking about. And it came across my mind to ask they question: How many of you fellow Fourth Gen guys work on cars for a LIVING?
Dealer, aftermarket shop, customs shop, whatever.
Parts guys, I respect you but I believe this doesn't apply to you. Sorry!
I am halfway to being Master ASE, have a degree in Automotive Technology, have worked in numerous customs shops, junkyards, aftermarket shops (pep boys, firestone) and I currently work at Toyota as a "B Level" tech. Most of the stuff I do is medium/heavy duty. Should've took the job at Nissan when I had the chance haha.
Bottom line is, I'm curious to see how many of us are "self taught", or have a schooling background as far as the automotive industry is concerned.
Dealer, aftermarket shop, customs shop, whatever.
Parts guys, I respect you but I believe this doesn't apply to you. Sorry!
I am halfway to being Master ASE, have a degree in Automotive Technology, have worked in numerous customs shops, junkyards, aftermarket shops (pep boys, firestone) and I currently work at Toyota as a "B Level" tech. Most of the stuff I do is medium/heavy duty. Should've took the job at Nissan when I had the chance haha.
Bottom line is, I'm curious to see how many of us are "self taught", or have a schooling background as far as the automotive industry is concerned.
I was a former Audi/VW tech. High school auto shop, self taught and almost had a degree in auto tech with straight A's when I quit going. Worked in six shops and had to do something else due to flat rate and lack of business in my area.
I do alot and was an A&P aircraft tech (10yrs), communication tech (14 yrs), automotive tech (2yrs), and now I'm rebuilding off highway transmission for the oilfiied that weigh in at 3700 lbs and can handle 8000 ft/lbs of torque...but I still repair cars on the side...
I was a generator mechanic in the military but learned some basics there especially a/c and d/c theory. That helps with troubleshooting electrical problems. Paying someone else labor was always an expensive proposition to me so I have always worked on my max, it has been 11 years with this car and I have done all the work. I wish I could do mechanics every day but I guess they all want you to start at Jiffy Lube or something.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,352
From: ELGIN,IL
ive been in the industry for about 5 years i started rebuilding auto transmissions while i was going to school
then i went to toyota as a lube tech worked there for a year and left because they refused to promote me
i currently work as an apprentice at mazda
i also wish i took the job at nissan
then i went to toyota as a lube tech worked there for a year and left because they refused to promote me
i currently work as an apprentice at mazda
i also wish i took the job at nissan
Last edited by maxed_out_99; May 23, 2012 at 09:40 PM.
unfortunately being self taught on a 4th gen with a messageboard and a FSM isnt going to help you when it comes to a LOT of other cars.
ive got a degree is collision/refinishing, as well as an associates degree in applied service management.
ive got ~6 years field experience and about $30,000 in tools. i started off only being interested in body work, but ive come to love mechanical work as well.
i work at a smaller chain of shops, called Carstar right now. our work is lifetime warrentied though and of high quality. the entire shop is the size of the 2 bays that i used to have TO MY SELF. but we get **** done with the swiftness.
OH, and i went to WYOTECH, the best tech school in the country.
ive got a degree is collision/refinishing, as well as an associates degree in applied service management.
ive got ~6 years field experience and about $30,000 in tools. i started off only being interested in body work, but ive come to love mechanical work as well.
i work at a smaller chain of shops, called Carstar right now. our work is lifetime warrentied though and of high quality. the entire shop is the size of the 2 bays that i used to have TO MY SELF. but we get **** done with the swiftness.
OH, and i went to WYOTECH, the best tech school in the country.
a lot of techs go to these school and dont pay a ****in second of attention. it can really be a good tool for getting these kids ready to go out into the field, but a lot of them waste the opportunity to learn anything.
i feel for you man.
i feel for you man.
My own mechanic for 10 yrs.
Army Chinook Helicopter mechanic for 5yrs.
Was a shop mechanic for 3yrs...
I went to school for 6 weeks and about died every day! It was a Toyota sponsored course and absolutely sucked *****! The teacher was a master tech in almost everything Toyota related but didn't know the first thing about any other car... That turned me off from the schooling thing...
Army Chinook Helicopter mechanic for 5yrs.
Was a shop mechanic for 3yrs...
I went to school for 6 weeks and about died every day! It was a Toyota sponsored course and absolutely sucked *****! The teacher was a master tech in almost everything Toyota related but didn't know the first thing about any other car... That turned me off from the schooling thing...
Started wrenching in the Marine Corps rebuildng deisels, automatic trasmission, diffs, T cases, and repairing other things. Got out, went to UTI, and got a job as a tech at couple idependent shops for a couple years. Now I work at an Audi deaership.
Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 216
From: Milwaukee WI
been modding my cars since high school (98 civic lx, 99 audi 1.8T(BT), 97 acura cl, now the 97 max se) and did auto's every year, every semester. went to and graduated outta uti in 09, worked for toyota after graduation...now promoted to quick motors where i do inspections for other dealerships. 3 years so far and i dig it.
Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 122
From: Marysville, WA
I'm an aerospace mechanic I work for C&D Zodiac, cars are simple compared to what I work on. No automotive training but I've been here for 8.5 years with lots of other training (welding,electrical,gas lines,air lines) Was the go to guy in highschool when people had troubles with their vehicles. I work on everything from palm sanders, to vacuum pumps to air compressors to multi million dollar print machines and conveyor systems.
If you notice, each car manufacturer make at most just under a handful of engines that get modified very little unless they decide to do a complete overhaul. Diagnosing symptoms are different but you can compare them.
with no training minimum wage as a porter but if ur good and work hard 20 plus an hour in a year or so and then depending how hard u work and effort you put in you could make over 100k a year at the right place
self maintenance is fading away for your every day person yeah, but how does that prove that cars arent getting more technical and you need an actual education to work on some of them properly?
well, maybe not needs, but makes a big difference.
well, maybe not needs, but makes a big difference.
Self taught and had my own little garage until the city put me out of business for code violations. Went to an automotive trade school and worked as a mechanic in several GM dealerships. I couldn't stand working on cars in winter time, so I moved into electronics, microwave radio communications. Drifted into computers, spent a bunch of years there before I got fed up and bought a rock climbing gym.
what do you think technical means??? 
cars were mechanical, but moved to technical,
that has nothing to do with computers, but rather the company wanting to make it harder for non trained people to work on there vehicals becase most idiots do it wrong and alot of companies are shying away from that...
yes but he was talking about other manufactures... i.e name an engine made in america or germany or anywhere else for that matter that compares to the 3.0L other than nissan or infinity
cars were mechanical, but moved to technical, yes but he was talking about other manufactures... i.e name an engine made in america or germany or anywhere else for that matter that compares to the 3.0L other than nissan or infinity
Last edited by Kuhn_man; May 24, 2012 at 11:20 PM.
Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 122
From: Marysville, WA
true...my wire feed welder alone cost me 14k plasma cutter was 8k. thats 22k just in itself, plus all my welding gear, hand tools, compressors, toolbox, wow...ive never actually added it all up before...its my career I just accumulate things as I need/want them.
which is why i feel that we should make more money than what some of us do.. i mean honestly i realize that i cant really compare the two but a decent doctor makes 120k plus a year, and doesnt have to buy anything for his job where as most of us make much less than that and spend 80 90 100k just so we can do our job...hell the first 3 months i was in the field i had spent 20k in tools and im not even close to having all that i need...lol this blows, i could have bought a sweet a** car or a modded max for that
yeah. a lot of the bigger tools like welders and plasma cutters i just use the shops, so my 30k is really just my box which is a 6 series matco box, which youre right is about half of my total accumulation lol, and every drawers about full. imagine if we had to buy our own lifts, frame pullers, or measuring systems. itd be mortgage time.
what do you think technical means??? cars were mechanical, but moved to technical,
that has nothing to do with computers, but rather the company wanting to make it harder for non trained people to work on there vehicals becase most idiots do it wrong and alot of companies are shying away from that...
yes but he was talking about other manufactures... i.e name an engine made in america or germany or anywhere else for that matter that compares to the 3.0L other than nissan or infinity
cars were mechanical, but moved to technical, that has nothing to do with computers, but rather the company wanting to make it harder for non trained people to work on there vehicals becase most idiots do it wrong and alot of companies are shying away from that...
yes but he was talking about other manufactures... i.e name an engine made in america or germany or anywhere else for that matter that compares to the 3.0L other than nissan or infinity
He had a much more detailed and interesting history. That motor was quite comparable to Nissan's VQ. The VQ's better though
DW
Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 217
which is why i feel that we should make more money than what some of us do.. i mean honestly i realize that i cant really compare the two but a decent doctor makes 120k plus a year, and doesnt have to buy anything for his job where as most of us make much less than that and spend 80 90 100k just so we can do our job...hell the first 3 months i was in the field i had spent 20k in tools and im not even close to having all that i need...lol this blows, i could have bought a sweet a** car or a modded max for that
Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 122
From: Marysville, WA
yeah. a lot of the bigger tools like welders and plasma cutters i just use the shops, so my 30k is really just my box which is a 6 series matco box, which youre right is about half of my total accumulation lol, and every drawers about full. imagine if we had to buy our own lifts, frame pullers, or measuring systems. itd be mortgage time.
