How does one become a P-car Technican?

[Sniady]

Hello all, I'm fairly new to the site, and it's time to ask my technical question.


Ok, I've decided to become a mechanic. I really want to work on p-car's (well thats all i want to work on), at a dealership. But first. I don't know where to start. I need training!

There's UTI, which the first step, is earning you're ASE (52 weeks), and then appling for the porsche program in Atlanta, which UTI claims there connected with, in Atlanta.

So, is this the only way to get into a porsche program and what's the feedback on the whole UTI program? Is there another way to pursue becoming a p-car auto technican?

please chime in

thanks

[smestas]

Bump!

[69 911s]

I spoke to Brian Copans (BMC, does trannys for many major teams, pulled from a dealer shop for Rohr and then Schumacher) about this recently. He thought the UTI experience was way too costly, and that the best way would be to simply apply at a dealer for a job. His opinion was that OJT along with actual Porsche training was far more valuable than a remote learning experince from a school. Also, FWIW he told me that the guys who botch enough cars on the line get "promoted" to service writer, just so you'll know what that means if, God forbid, that ever happens to anyone you know.

[Rick Lee]

I was thinking about becoming a quantum mechanic, but I think it takes a long time.

I would rather start out as a peon at a very reputable local indy shop. It seems all the well-known p-car shops in this area are owned by guys, who at one time all worked at Autothority in Fairfax. Some of the local shops are very good and besides, I'd rather work on real Porsches than Boxsters and 996's, which is what you'll see at a dealer shop.

[69 911s]

No doubt you're correct, Richard, but I wouldn't mind the more stable environment of a well established dealer, cars that were new to deal with (ie warranty and maintenance issues) dealer pay and benefits, not older cars with years of rust and baked on crud to cut through before I can start the actual job, and of course dealer resources (technical info and OEM parts department) but then thats all because I wouldn't want to spoil my fun hobby by making it the job...

[Rick Lee]

The local indy shops I trust the most have all the stuff a dealer has - tech docs, parts sources, etc. More importantly, they do it right the first time, aren't backlogged for a month with warranty work, know all the tricks and just give me a better feeling. Believe me, if you worked at a certain Porsche dealer here in Tysons Corner, I'm not so sure that would be good for your resume. Indy's live on their reputation, which means they'll teach you or fire you. A dealer may teach you, and may not and still keep you.

I look at the engine on 996 and just think it's so daunting and the car isn't such a looker in the first place. Then I look at a 3.2 Carrera engine on a stand and get goose bumps.

[john walker's workshop]

dealers are a good training ground, but i wouldn't want to be there for too long. they kind of suck. you're just a number there. you hear it for the mistakes, and no praise for the good work. the service manager/ shop foreman/service writer generally has his/her head up their butt. most dealer techs soon migrate to a real shop as soon as they can. dealers also work on the rust encrusted ones, so that line of thinking isn't going to work out. and who do you think gets to work on those clunkers? the new guy! and how old are you and have you been into cars since birth, or is this a new thing?

[MrKJBlue]

I've decided to become a mechanic. I really want to work on p-car's (well thats all i want to work on)

Hi
I'm a little worried about the above statement, I feel you really should have a passion for your chosen career not just the brand name of the greasy bits you will be replacing. (imho)
If porsches really are the only cars you want to work on, you could find a career you really love and work on your own cars?

[David]

I'm sure things have changed in the last 10 years or so but before I went back to school for my engineering degree I inquired about a mechanic job at a Porsche dealership (I had many years experience as a motorcycle mechanic). They said there was no school that I could pay to attend and that the best thing to do was get a job as a mechanic at a VW dealership. They said the training hours received from VW would count toward Audi and Porsche hours. So after a few years I could apply at a Porsche dealership with some chance of getting a job. I also talked to a mechanic at the dealership who said he was a Chrysler mechanic before being a Porsche mechanic. He said the main thing the dealership looked for besides experience was that he maintained a very clean work area (which I observed to be very clean).

[69 911s]

I'm a recerted ASE master tech, not that that means much to P-cars, used to own my own shop that specialized in German auto repair, started out working as a monkey to earn beer money in a VW shop during college. Our local dealers will refer you elsewhere for most things older than 20 years, and Richard my definition of well esablished doesn't include any dealer in Tysons. Longevity isn't all there is to it.

[Sniady]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm twenty years old, and as a little kid I always was attracted to cars.

UTI seem's to be a good place to start off. I've talked to a few mechanic's and they can only say good things.

I wanted to find out if there was a easy way out.

[Wayne 962]

Here's what I would do. Start showing up at a shop like John Walkers. Get to know the owner. Tell him you want to work in the industry. Get a night job waiting tables, and work at the shop for free during the day. The amount you will learn will be greater than any lost salary. If you are truly committed, then this is what you will do. After 3-4 months, if you have learned anything, you will be valuable to the shop owner (and earning him $$$). Then ask to be brought on full time at minimum wage. With 3 months or so at minimum wage, then you can actually see if you are making money for the shop owner, and hit him up for a raise. If you are doing 30 hours of billable work at $95/hr each week, you should be able to command $20/$30 an hour. Another solution would be to work only for a commission on billable work. You bill 5 hours at $95/hr, you get $30/hr or $150. You bill 100 hours at $95/hour, you get $3000. This makes it almost zero risk to the shop owner, which is good.

The key is to get the shop owner to embrace you and let you in as an apprentice, as you will suck up a bunch of his time when you are learning. To make this more palatable to him, offer to do some crappy stuff like cleaning parts or washing cars that will eventually save him time (if he does that now). And by all means be very friendly, and pick the right shop owner (someone like JW).

That is my formula for success. Oh, the same thing would work for anyone who wanted to get into something in the parts or computer business (like here at Pelican).

-Wayne

[john_colasante]

Is it true that some mechanics earn a commission on the work they do? If so how does that work?

[69 911s]

Many techs in our area are on commission, stems back to the old days when they partied too much sometimes, slackers get less, workers get more, cheapest health plan going: no work no pay.

[Sniady]

I know working for a dealership, you work on comission.

Example, replacing a tranny is 4 hours in the book, if you replace it in 2 you get payed for for. If you do it in 5, you get payed for 4.

Lot of dealership mechanics flag a lot of hours, some do 20 extra flag hours a week.