Someone cheer me up :(

[E30NS]

I have plans to get into the tuning aspects of cars, useful to know, and not the everyday thing you do if you working on a project. So I feel it wouldn't kill my love for cars but instead just help me push the limits of what i can build farther.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Paging my running mate.

[Holland]

Reeaaalllllyyyy think about that decision. Talk to mechanics in your area. Even dealer techs. It's a very tedious, unsung, commonly overworked and underpaid profession, with the very real chance that it might completely destroy your current love for cars.

I was THE commercial go-to parts guy for my last city for YEARS. Nearly every single dealer and shop tech I worked with only did the work because it was all they knew, and wish they could've done better. Typically starting their own shops after several years going bankrupt and shutting shop a year or so later, now bankrupt.

I really don't want to smash your desires and hopes, and am not intending to. It's in a lot of ways bad, in few ways good, and if I'm brutally honest it is a progression that can take a lllooooonnnngggg unless you get lucky. I watched a lot of dreams and hobbies get destroyed by being a tech. Extremely sad thing to see how bad it happens sometimes.

I love how all the smart guys end up working parts instead.

Feelsgoodman.

[DER E30]

Funny, I could have been a BMW tech and all that. I went to a high school diesel tech program and was the best in the class. I had tech school apps and everything. I decided that, while I love cars, I would hate to work on other people's crap all day, everyday, for the rest of my LIFE.
Long story short, my AA degree will be done end of this quarter, and I'm going to business school at University of Washington spring quarter. I'll build streetrods, BMWs, and whatever I want in my spare time. Hopefully an accounting job will pay well enough to build kool stuff.

[Roysneon]

I have plans to get into the tuning aspects of cars, useful to know, and not the everyday thing you do if you working on a project. So I feel it wouldn't kill my love for cars but instead just help me push the limits of what i can build farther.

Ask any auto tech in NS if it's a good idea. The ones that say it is are lying.

There is so little demand for any 'tuning' around here that what you know won't help you financially. You need a dyno to actually get anywhere offering tuning services anyway.

I have worked in and around the auto industry for a few years now, my father is a mechanic and has worked in damn near every type of shop around here and it's gotten him nowhere. I'm afraid he'll never be able to retire, and he hates anything mechanical now.

[Northern]

The junkyard and rust comments in this thread made me laugh. This car was damn near the cleanest e30 in the province, one little spec of rust from an exposed edge sitting outside is nothing up here, I'm pretty jealous of the degree of "rust free" that can be found in the south ...

Also, good luck finding anything e30, or even bmw in a junkyard around here. Maybe e46 onward, but you'd need some luck.

[Andy.B]

I went the mechanic route after high school, got an associates in automotive technology from a local community college, and then worked at a few different dealerships. What looks like good money at 18 starts to look pretty bad when you have to pay mortgage/rent, utilities, insurance, 401k, bills, etc... Then you start considering having a family on that income...

I know no one can talk you out of it, I've been there, but here are two big points of advice:

1- go to community college for automotive and study hard. The teachers have lots of connections and that can help the promising students find jobs. It got me a job starting out at Land Rover and I did pretty well for a while. An associates degree from a community college has value outside the automotive field. A uti certification does not.

2- Don't go into debt on tools. The tool dealers are mostly scumbags, and will constantly try to talk you into buying the latest and greatest, offer you 'deals', and offer you credit. Start with craftsman, buy only what you need/can a afford, and upgrade your collection over time. No one is impressed by the 25k shed sized tool box filled with trick bits that never get used. I've seen a lot of guys 'stuck' because a third of their paycheck goes to the snap on guy each week.

I myself left the automotive field after 8 years, and am finishing up a bachelors degree in information technology. I still love working on my own car, and sometimes friends or families cars, and have tons of great knowledge, connections, and memories. But that whole "find something you love" line is bullshit. Make a list of things you can tolerate, and pick the one that pays the best, so you can afford to do what you love for yourself.

[Roysneon]

2- Don't go into debt on tools. The tool dealers are mostly scumbags, and will constantly try to talk you into buying the latest and greatest, offer you 'deals', and offer you credit. Start with craftsman, buy only what you need/can a afford, and upgrade your collection over time. No one is impressed by the 25k shed sized tool box filled with trick bits that never get used. I've seen a lot of guys 'stuck' because a third of their paycheck goes to the snap on guy each week.

Yes, this as well. Grab a few good pieces at Canadian tire when they're on sale. Get a good combination set of sockets with 3/8 and 1/4 inch drive stuff, some ratcheting wrenches, etc. a cordless impact is also awesome to have even messing with your own stuff. MasterCraft is cheap (and they have crazy sales regularly) and decent enough quality with a lifetime warrantee. I've heard a lot of guys complain about Snap On getting really shifty with their warantee policies lately, with MasterCraft you just have to take it back some evening and talk to some kid working part time who doesn't care. Easier to just give you a new part and get you out of there than to argue with you.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I'm gonna get business degree also then I'll know the business side of it to and it allows me to get a lot more jobs even if they aren't mechanics job. I'd suggest that to op as well.

[jlevie]

Found a door already, gonna try to fix the quarter before i do any welding, most of it is one dent so im hoping i can pop it out then work some magic to make it nice again.

That part of the quarter could be replaced, but since the inside is accessible it could be straightened.

[henryki]

Well I hear that Christy Mack is giving a blow job for the best Lego statue of her. Hope that cheers you up.

[88e30is]

I hear the same thing.....

[Roysneon]

Well I hear that Christy Mack is giving a blow job for the best Lego statue of her. Hope that cheers you up.

Dude this guy is 12 leave him alone. He's younger than Spency boy.


Sup Tyler :giggle:

[QUKBMER]

I guess i will be the first to say it after 28 posts, GET RID OF THE HONDA WHEELS IT WILL MAKE YOU AND ME FEEL BETTER TO START OFF WITH!!!!

[E30NS]

Dude this guy is 12 leave him alone. He's younger than Spency boy.


Sup Tyler :giggle:

Hey Roy, I'm 16 actually. Honda rim was just to check if the rim was the thing that was bent.