3 replies to this topic

[GIFF]

I have a question for the mechanics and anybody else who fixes or works in the automotive field what is the best way for a kid like me, with let's say 0.5% knowledge about fixing cars (assuming that you can measure knowlege). go about becoming a mechanic and then specializing in something like fixing a particular type of car, say honda,acura,mercedes,porche ,ect ect...

what can i do to get a basic knowledge of engines and how they work,ect..

and what should i expect to be prepared for in the whole process of having a successful career.

if i don't make sense please let me know.

i don't know anybody in the automotive field to ask the quetions to. and i just don't know where to look. sorry

[grjr]

well if you want to do it as a carreer or are thinking about it as a career you should look around at your local community or junior colleges. They usually have programs in automotive mechanics which you could attend. They're usually not too expensive either so it won't be too difficult to come up with the money.

If you're in high school maybe your school offers an auto class?

Edited by grjr, 17 January 2005 - 08:05 PM.

[Gumby]

If ya don't have any automotive classes at your local comm. college check /w shops and ask them if you can help clean up for work up front... and after a while of workin in the shop you will learn things just from being in the enviroment, as far as learning about the engine and all , there are plenty of books and lots of stuff on the net.... check out this site http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

[DEIVIONCRX]

Check ur local votec's, we have a very good one here in oklahoma i go to it, ive learned so much

Stay away from UTI, Wyotech, there ripoffs

You can have a very successfull career but u do have to pay ur dues, not many people start out making tons of money, base pay usualy is somewhere between $8 and $9 a hour, most jobs ur going to start on flat rate then u can move to Flag pay(u can make the bigger moneys)

And with about anyplace u go ur gona almost have to start at Changing Oil, it sucks i know, but then after a lil while u can move to mainline and up and up if u want

With flag rate pay, u get payed for Book time, if the book says it pays 4 hours to change a window out, then u get payed for 4 hours, no matter if u do it in 1 or 7, book time is fair, but sometimes u have to work to get it done and not go over time

Dealerships usualy pay more, but are more strict on stuff

If u go to a good Trade school the instrutctors should have some connections to places to get u a job, and alot of the time the school itself will have a program that will try to get u a job, we have AYES, they let u shadow at a couple dealerships then at the end of the year u go to school and work partime, and they pay for a decent tool set from snap-on all u have to pay is $300 for it, its about $3000 worth of tools, but in turn u have to work for that dealership for 2 years to keep the tools, but u get a job, tools and get ur education

i didnt do it cuz they didnt offer it to adults when i was in Auto Service, but they do now

Its fun, but its hard work, i worked next to a guy who was a Express Tech at Honda(Oil change,tires, lil stuff) and he was making 120 hour paychecks(2 week), but he didnt eat lunch and got there about a hour early and left about a hour late every day, he hustled all day long but he got payed for it