Who is a trained mechanic here?

[rammstein]

Esteemed members of the board-

I have owned my car for over a year now, and I've been fixing little things here and there, nothing major. Before I got it, I never fixed anything. I envy those around me with mechanical know-how. Who I envy even more is my current mechanic. He works for himself. He specializes in Porsches, he works in a converted barn behind his house. That is his job.

Now about me. I have been scholastically driven since my youth. Not because I liked school (I hated it) but because the light at the end of the tunnel was always supposed to be a big $$ corporate job upon finishing college. I completed a business degree from Carnegie Mellon and got an engineering position with a large company in Cincinnati. I've been working here now for 1.5 years. I do make decent money, particularly in this "climate of uncertainty". Every day I wake up and say "Why am I bothering with this?". I sit in my cubicle all day, thinking about what I'd rather be doing. Basically I've come to realize I've been sprinting all along towards an ultimate end that does not satisfy me.

OK- now for the FUN stuff-
I have decided to leave my current job and enter a world of uncertainty. I have no kids, no real responsibilities, so I see it as now or never. I am moving to Boston to live with my girlfriend who I've been apart from for 2 years. When I get there, I want to go to school to learn everything I need to know about automotive mechanics. So I am hoping for advice from anybody here who has already taken this path in life. Its scary for me, because its uncharted and I don't know where to start. What schools should I look at? Should I try to get an unpaid apprenticeship at a shop? I'd be grateful for any words of wisdom. And if anybody wanted to talk on the phone, I'd be thrilled to get all the information I can.

And its odd, but even though I am scared as hell of resetting my life, I feel alive again.

[Track_968]

I don't know how serious you want to get with auto mechanics but you should check out www.uticorp.com they have programs for every thing and they will help you get a job, they are the most respected program out there.

[rammstein]

Thanks! I had literally just sent them an information request! The unfortunate part is that I would have to go somewhere other than Boston. But the good part is they have a graduate program where you can specialize in Porsches! And it is possible to get sponsorship from Porsche. Interesting...

Keep that info coming guys, thanks for improving my life!

[MrPants]

congradulations, thats awesome. i think AFJuvat went that same route maybe send him a PM

[Scott R]

I went through Chevy's ASEP program (automotive service excellence program) they paid fro schooling, and finally a paid internship with a dealer. This allowed me to make the money I needed to complete college, and finally law school.

Few things to know about being a professional mechanic. First you work very long hours. You don't actually get paid by the hour in most large shops, you get paid by the job. There are servie manuals that have prefered labor times for certain repairs. Lets say a water pump on a 4.9l V8 transverse mount pays 3.2 hours, if your good and you can do it in two then you just made a free hour. Now on the inverse side, you can't just do gravy jobs like waterpumps all day long. So lets say the dispatcher is having a bad day a decides to give you "dome lights inop." You get book time 1 hour to diagnose electrical, but it takes you three to find a bad ground under the carpet. Well you just lost two and now your working until 8 to make that up.

Did I enjoy it? Yea sometimes, but winters are harsh. The shop is cold and cars drip all over you when your under the rack and its been snowing out. Trips to the emergency room are fun when you slice your hand open and such.

Hope fully AFjuvat will chime in I think he works for a smaller independant shop, I only worked at the dealer and it's two different worlds.

[SoCal Driver]

I've never worked on a train.

But I will trade you everything I know about working on cars for the last 40 years for your business degree!!!

[Britwrench]

I travelled on a train..does that count?

Anyway, always worked in auto business, went to technical college worked on sports/prestige cars since late 70's. Scott R summarised dealership work in the US, in Europe most techs work on salary with a productivity bonus. Porsche factory times are tight and dealerships live on warranty work. You do get to do all the technical training and usually what happens is techs leave to work for independents or start their own shop........ At the moment there is a shortage of techs throughout the industry.

[rammstein]

Thank you all for the input, please keep it coming.

So I guess what I am looking for is where I should be trying to go to learn EVERYTHING. I need to be built up from nothing, educationally. I have been suprised to find it so difficult to locate what schools to go to. If you want a degree in Electrical Engineering or History, everyone knows where to go, but this is like black magic to me.

From my research, it seems everyone who gets trained goes on to work in a shop (likely a dealer) for at least 12 months.

Oh, and thanks Scott for highlighting the less glamorous aspects of this line of work. I always appreciate the devil's advocate in these situations.

[Lawrence Coppari]

The other fellow's grass is always greener.

[SoCal Driver]

Going to a college (or trade school) and getting a degree does not a mechanic make.

There is a bit of genetic wiring that has to be in place to use the spatial relationships involved. I've seen solid gold engineering graduates that could not design themselves out of a wet paper sack. Then you get some poor sot in whose family financials barely got him through high school with an uncanny sense of trouble shooting and dead on solutions.

Go figure.

[interglossa]

There are problems with the auto tech's industry. I work in a MB dealer shop. Union work. Almost always work to do. (except in the winter)
It seems, though, that the happiest mechanics are the ones who own and run their own shops. By themselves or with one other worker. If you work for a shop, things can be really rough. I'd say about 60% or more mechanics who train for the job and love cars quit doing it because of the conditions as an employee.

My advice is that if you're really interested in it, move to boston, cuddle up with your sweetie, work as a cubicle rat for a couple years while taking courses at "random boston tech" and open your own shop once you have the capital. It's what i would do if i didn't have any other commitments.
Good luck

[VT944]

Ramstein,

What kind of person you are will determine what type of mechanic you should be. I started working on cars in my parents garage, and studied two years of Aircraft Mechanics, thinking that was what I wanted to do for a living. I did it for a short time, but I really love cars. So I got hooked up with a race team part time sweeping floors, odd jobs, etc... I really enjoed it, but the hours and the pay SUCKED!! For years it went on, and slowly my responsabilities grew, and I got more and more involved with dealing with the manufacturer (we were factory sponsored) and there I learned I had a real knack for dealing with people and marketing.

I don't think of myself as a great mechanic, because while I am certainly capable of doing the work, it usually takes me longer than others in the shop. But I can diagnose and fix electrical problems as fast as anyone I've ever met, and get a lot of the toughest electrical problems in town and jobs most people won't take. I also offer custom wiring harnesses from my new business.

The team I worked for had a paint booth, and I started fooling around with body work after work. I painted my own truck first, and it came out pretty good. At this point, I've painted over 70 cars, start top finish, and found I have a real knack for that.

But what I really love is restoration work. The attention to detail, watching something go from what most people see as a pile of junk to better than new.

What I'm getting at is there's more options than dealership mechanic. Every mechanic out there is good at some parts of the field and not good at others.

Are you good at putting out good work fast? Dealership might be for you. Are you meticulous and like to take the time to do it perfect, maby restoration work. Are you more people oriented, maby consider being a service writer (which the best ones have a good deal of mechanical know how, their NOT just paper pushers).

Find what YOU really enjoy, and go from there.

Also, it is quite different working for a smaller station vs. a dealership.

Good Luck with your decision.

[rammstein]

As far as where I'd like to slot in post-education, its still in the air. Really, thats further down the road. I need to square away the education part first. I have been looking at community colleges in the Boston area, trying to find somewhere that offers what I need and I haven't found anything yet. Its a little short-sighted of me to try and get something there instead of going anywhere in the country, but like I said I've lost patience with being away from my better-half for > 2 years. Life is too short. I feel like the time is piling on too fast.

Thank you for opening my mind up to the host of possibilities awaiting me, VT. I just need to do some hardcore learning to get there.

Anybody have any suggestions about where to go to school in the Boston area?

(I've been trying to look through community colleges, to no avail)

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

ok, ill tel ya true. if you are moving out there to be with her, get married and do the commitment. if you are not going to stick with her, theres no reason to go east for your training. you will have more fun in ca, or some western state where the rust naps occassionally and living expenses are lower. is your resume on waynes computer???? or maybe she could move here. longing for a woman is not the thing that you should be basing a move and career change on.

for what it's worth, and with a grain of salt.........

[rammstein]

The only thing that has kept us from getting married has been careers and a lack of time to deal witha wedding. Personally, I'd just want to elope and make it fun for me, but lord knows I'd never hear the end of it from my family. She wouldn't care, she hates being the center of attention so believe it or not, I could get away with a real small event. We've been together exclusively going on 5 years. Its definitely not a fling. I would NEVER make a life choice for a fling. The only thing tough about our relationship has been the fact we're both trying to over-achieve. We both went to the same college. She already has one graduate degree (ECE) and is working on another. She is entirely supportive of this possible move for me, and in fact I know she would basically let me live with her rent free for the duration of my studies (but I'd never freeload like that). Thats how good she is.

That being said, anything is still possible. When I was exploring a transfer to Jacksonville (still waiting to hear from them but I've lost interest) she said she'd move there. TSNAP- I thought you were in Missouri, are you actually in California? I do not currently have a resume on file with Wayne. I'll PM you.

I found a school called Benjamen Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston, and they have what appears to be a decent Automotive Technology program. I'll let everyone know what I find out after calling them to get some serious information. And thank you to CJ for pointing me to this school.

[Wolf1]

Rammstein: One thing you may want to check into is the earning potential of a mechanic in your area. You must remember, hourly or flat rate wages are usually a percentage of shop rate, so once you are maxxed out you only get raises as shop rate increases. In my area, wages range from $16.00 (entry level) to $24.00 (journeyman) per flat rate hour. I am sure these rates vary around the country due to differences in shop rates and living expenses. If arent able or willing to work for the going rate for your area the venture may not be feasable for you. Most entry level technicians average around 30 flat rate hrs per week. Journeyman techs usually 45-50 per week. These are the averages that I have seen in our shop over the last seven years or so......just my .02...

[VT944]

Why do you feel so intent on going to school?

"I want to go to school to learn everything I need to know about automotive mechanics". - this will take decades. You start with common sense and build from there. There are as many problems as there are parts/systems and outside circumstances to affect them. New problems pop up every day. You will learn how to approach a problem, and how to daignose it, not "everything there is to know about auto mechanics" in a school.

The best mechanics I know never went to school, or the dealer mechanics I know have only had formal dealer training (required).

Some of the best schooling you can get is one on one with a small shop owner who really knows his s*#t.

There's lots more to know than just the "nuts and bolts" of being a mechanic.

School is great if you learn best in that type of setting, but you said you were not an enthused student growing up. Granted, you're an adult now and of course things change, but don't get the same preceprtion of this as you had growing up where you'd go to school, go to college, get a great job, etc... As you know life is not that laid out and simple, and there are as many ways of acheving your goals as there are different situations.

Schools are good for the placment services they offer after graduation, but someone with good work ethic and personal skills doesn't necessarily need it to get into this game. As mentioned before there is a wicked shortage all over the company for GOOD mechanics. GOOD doesn't mean being able to fix and car faster than anyone else, GOOD means you're personable, EAGER TO LEARN, and willing to put in the time.

Also, consider talking to some shop or dealer owners. See if you can walk around, talk to some mechanics who are with different types of garages/dealers and get an idea of the type of place you will be happiest.

Remember to explore ALL options, and best of luck to you!

Let's keep talking this out, you're heading in the right direction!

[SoCal Driver]

Way back when I sufferd through high school auto class we found it more challenging to weld the instructor into the bathroom. He stayed in there at least two periods before some goober cut off the weld.

Why did we do that? The "instructor" would take a head count say a few things about nothing then repose to the bathrooms to smoke. Soon got a real teacher.

[SoCal Driver]

Originally posted by VT944
Why do you feel so intent on going to school?

It's called the Brotherhood Of The Sheepskin. A self perpetuating concept that "Since I have a college diploma everyone that works here has to have one too!"

Most prevalent in HR personnel.

I remember the first year of engineering classes. Most of the students had absolutely no mechanical aptitude. Destine to become NASA managers I guess.

Many college students are also victims of college parents. True these are seeking the best for their kids but at the expense of the kid's happiness. Again the Brotherhood Of The Sheepskin thing.

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

my best mechanic, of the 3 i frequent, can hardly read, but does the best work, and spots the upcoming failures befroe they become major. too bad he is 150 miles away!!