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Want to become a mechanic...?
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barrdakota
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Oct 27, 2011, 6:18 PM
Post #1 of 16
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Want to become a mechanic...?
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I am interested in becoming an automobile mechanic. I am more interested in engine work than I am body work.
1.) What are some good, cheap schools that I can learn from?
2.) What route should I take? Should I go general repair and work on any brand of cars, or should I try specializing in one brand of cars?
3.) How hard is it to get hired at a tech. school to teach automobile mechanics? How much would an instructor make?
Thanks. Any additional information you provide would be greatly appreciated.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 27, 2011, 8:03 PM
Post #2 of 16
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Re: Want to become a mechanic...?
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Check for Vocational schools and or night classes if working now at something else.
If you are good you shouldn't have trouble finding work. You need time in working and school the get ASE certified. Tools are nasty expensive and you always need something new.
Teach it! You're ambitious! Can take years of working at it and the rules vary by location and ever you would have to keep up with the newest.
Pay is misleading as overhead is nasty so you don't get as much as you think vs the prices folks have to pay.
Ask a local shop about jobs and what they are looking for in your area,
T
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re-tired
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Oct 27, 2011, 9:28 PM
Post #3 of 16
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Re: Want to become a mechanic...?
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Now is a good time as any to start in this line of work.automotive repair is changing so fast your head will spin. Hybrids and pure electric cars are being sold to the general public and they where just prototypes 5 yrs ago Solar ,alterrnative fuels ,batteries made of exotic metals,fuel cells ,regenenerative braking, converters fiilled with gold ,silver and platnium.(wonder why they are #1 theft item)Those converters can make the exhuast of a car cleaner than the air going in.Mechanics (technicains now days) even us old farts are hiitting the books again.A young mind , with a background in electonics as well as the nuts and bolts stuff will have the inside track. THere will always be the dirt and grease and grime .But the good money be in drivability,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,. Making one of these gee wizz wonders perform the way it supposed to. Study study study plan on at least a 2 yr degree on top of the vocational stuff.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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autotecha
User
Nov 11, 2011, 6:39 PM
Post #4 of 16
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Re: Want to become a mechanic...?
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I am interested in becoming an automobile mechanic. I am more interested in engine work than I am body work.
1.) What are some good, cheap schools that I can learn from?
2.) What route should I take? Should I go general repair and work on any brand of cars, or should I try specializing in one brand of cars?
3.) How hard is it to get hired at a tech. school to teach automobile mechanics? How much would an instructor make?
Thanks. Any additional information you provide would be greatly appreciated. I know this is a few weeks old but my input about teaching (from my experience teaching at a community college Automotive Technologies A.A. degree program):
Disclaimer first: requirements vary from state to state and college to college.
1) Have a teaching certificate (this is a short college level course but only takes a quarter to get). 2) Be at a min. ASE Master Auto Technician 3) HAVE an A.A degree 4) Have at least 10 years in the field experience 5) have solid recommendations/references 6) pass background checks 7) pass all NATEF requirments 8) pass an interview test by a board of Technicians (these are both current instructors and technicians who are on the board of advisors). 9) be recommended to the Dean of education and President of the college by a current instructor. 10) pass any other requirements and complete a successfull interview with not only Board of Directors but also the President of the college.
If you are wanting to instruct, you better know your stuff. I'm not saying know it all because there isnt a single person I know that knows it all (and if they claim to, they are full of BS), know a lot about every system. Now as a side note to that, some colleges hire instructors just for one area or two i.e Steering and Suspension, electrical, Brakes etc.. but for the full time ones they required knowledge in all areas. We had two instructors that taught only 1) eletrical and the other taught HVAC and Brakes. I started out teaching engine performance, engine rebuilding, brakes, and did lab supervising. Then moved up to teaching all subjects (except for Automatic Trans. never got the chance to do so and glad I didnt lol). Loved teaching electronics/puters. Also have A LOT of patience and love to teach others. OH If you think you are going to make a lot of money teaching, FORGET it. I was raising 7 kids and paying off a house note, took on a second job. Most of our instructors also worked second jobs.
Not having said all of the above, not all institutions require the above. Some will only hire for one subject. And the qualifications at some are so relax that if you've been in the field for a year you could get hired. These suck to be honest but I've seen a few that almost require PHD's. I feellucky to have taught where I was at. I not only taught I also learned from the students. The kids going through these courses these days are getting smarter and better.
Good luck I hope the best for you
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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re-tired
Veteran
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Nov 11, 2011, 9:28 PM
Post #5 of 16
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Re: Want to become a mechanic...?
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I took a slightly different course. I got paid to learn and serve my country.At 17 I joined the military. After some fast maturing and discipline(boot camp) I took courses in mechanics,hydraulics,electrical and electronics.Then I had vigorous flight training and search and rescue training with a bit of medical . Became a flight engineer and helo crewman . While serving I put myself thru several several computer courses . Remember PC 's were not around yet . Worked as a programmer on a computer the size of a small house , hard drives the size of washing machines .MIND GAME. Quit after year and a half .Then i got my AS degree,\ 4.0 gpa , Deans list, PTK, listed in Who's Who in american colleges .Then I took a two year course for my Airframe and Powerplant license from the FAA . I was offered a position with american airlines upon my release. I then rurptured 5 disk in a aircraft incident ,2 years recover (NOT) >>>medical discharge. My app to Locheed Airospace shuttle division was accepted ..The month before start date ..........CHALLENGER. Moved to a farm in central Florida , became ASE Master ,l1 ,dealerships , indep, then own shop. Back caught up with me ,developed parkinsons .Now 100% service connected disabled. Boring guys to death on a forum. LOL 
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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autotecha
User
Nov 11, 2011, 9:37 PM
Post #6 of 16
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Re: Want to become a mechanic...?
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I took a slightly different course. I got paid to learn and serve my country.At 17 I joined the military. After some fast maturing and discipline(boot camp) I took courses in mechanics,hydraulics,electrical and electronics.Then I had vigorous flight training and search and rescue training with a bit of medical . Became a flight engineer and helo crewman . While serving I put myself thru several several computer courses . Remember PC 's were not around yet . Worked as a programmer on a computer the size of a small house , hard drives the size of washing machines .MIND GAME. Quit after year and a half .Then i got my AS degree,\ 4.0 gpa , Deans list, PTK, listed in Who's Who in american colleges .Then I took a two year course for my Airframe and Powerplant license from the FAA . I was offered a position with american airlines upon my release. I then rurptured 5 disk in a aircraft incident ,2 years recover (NOT) >>>medical discharge. My app to Locheed Airospace shuttle division was accepted ..The month before start date ..........CHALLENGER. Moved to a farm in central Florida , became ASE Master ,l1 ,dealerships , indep, then own shop. Back caught up with me ,developed parkinsons .Now 100% service connected disabled. Boring guys to death on a forum. LOL
*******ASE Master Automotive Technician, L-1, L-2 and a lot of wallpaper too :-)******
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re-tired
Veteran
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Nov 11, 2011, 9:58 PM
Post #7 of 16
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I watched a special on military channel about MC RECON. Dont want to cross you !! FROM A VET TO A VET ...ON VETERAN'S DAY.........SALUTE
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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Mxt87
New User
Dec 15, 2011, 9:01 PM
Post #9 of 16
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I Know this thread is old, but this pretty much exactly the question I wanted to ask! Another idea I read about online was to seek out an entry level job at a repair shop (such as an apprentice, or one article called it a service writer) but I am having trouble finding any of those jobs near me, so is going through a tech school pretty much the best route to go?
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Sidom
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Dec 15, 2011, 9:11 PM
Post #10 of 16
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Both would be good....A decent tech school will give you a good background in the systems you need to know and then on the job experience and continued training will fill in the rest....
An entry level job would give you some real world experience on how shops run...DOs & DON'Ts....
I'm not sure of your age or makeup but being a writer takes a certain person......It's hard being behind the counter, those poor guys/gals get it from all the directions.....The customers, the techs, the service manager, etc...It takes some thick skin to write.......
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Mxt87
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Dec 15, 2011, 10:14 PM
Post #11 of 16
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I've worked retail my entire career so im pretty used to catching crap from customers, managers, and just about everyone else and can smile through it and stay polite, so I am not really worried about that. My ideal plan would be to find an entry level job (which is hard because I have no idea where to begin looking, as most of the shops I know of around here are family owned/operated) and then do night classes or something in order to keep learning
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Sidom
Veteran
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Dec 16, 2011, 7:21 PM
Post #12 of 16
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Sounds like you know the retail world so writing could be a possibility, you really don't need to know anything about cars. The tech explain it to you and you translate it into english for the customer. Sometimes techs & extechs make the worst writers, they get to technical and wind up just confusing the customer....(when I say you don't need to know anything about cars, I'm talking about the complex stuff, obviously you would want to be at a DIY level but even that isn't necessary but that would make the learning curve a little harder if you weren't there)
You know retail so that's good but the world you know doesn't come close to comparing to a writers world but it would be very good experience so I would say go for it.........
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Dec 16, 2011, 7:44 PM
Post #13 of 16
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Just remember this saying, "Sell them what they don't need and they will be back for what they do need."
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Dec 17, 2011, 12:22 AM
Post #15 of 16
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There should be a "Don't" in front of that. That quote, without "don't", is from a fellow mechanic that I worked with at the dealership I started in. The service writers would up sell services to the customer even though they were not recommended by the tech. Coupled with the team system, the up selling was part of the game that management endorsed. I had differences with it because yes it is a marketing tactic and made money for the dealership, but there was always that guilt deep down I took home with myself when it wasn't legit. That was a major factor why I decided to go to the mom and pop side.
I'm not saying that up selling is a bad thing and that all dealerships are evil, but it could be a bad thing if is taken advantage of in the wrong way. It all comes down to the customer though. The customer has the right to question any work that is recommended on their vehicle just as you questioned that quote.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Dec 17, 2011, 12:37 AM)
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Sidom
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Dec 17, 2011, 11:19 AM
Post #16 of 16
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If they were recommending items that were unneeded, for any reason then I agree with you....It's unfortunate but just like any walk of life there are some places out there like that. I would say they are the small minority but a lot of the public's view is just the opposite, they feel EVERY shop is like that, you can see it some of the posted "don't want to get ripped off" etc..and that is just not the case, at least what I've seen 1st hand in all the shops I've worked in over the last 32 years..
I think you may be taking about scheduled maintenance and the "laundry list". Scheduled maintenance needs to be done so I believe the customer at a minimum should be made aware of what is due on his or her vehicle.
The laundry list I'm on the fence about. That is the inspection some shops what you to do where you find all items that are starting to fail so the writer can give the customer an estimate. The key words would be "starting to fail" this means there is something wrong with that item, no matter how minor it is but something a writer can show a customer and with their eyes, they can see there is a problem...
My problem with that list, is some people just flat don't want to know what wrong with their car. They have a problem, they want that problem fixed and unless this is something that is going to blow up on them on the way home, they don't want to know about it...
My solution was simple but the shops would never do it.....Just ask the customer if he/she wants the vehicle inspected during the write up. Some people do want to know, so it's free and it would give them peace of mind. The ones that don't want to know, you wouldn't be wasting the techs time and possibly blowing out a customer.....I know for a fact this happens, I've talked to people and they've told me thats why they've switched shops, they get tired of getting that huge list everytime they take their car in......
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