Discouraged Beginner Mechanic

[mr.vang]

My dream job is to work for someone like CAtuned, they build dream cars.


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your answer, open your own shop. It's never fun working for someone else. Be your own boss.

[slammin.e28]

Move over to the other side and become a service writer.

Dealing with people is AWESOME.

[Zreberlcoe]

Move over to the other side and become a service writer.

Dealing with people is AWESOME.

I hate people haha. I know you guys are telling me to do something I like, but I don't know what else I like.. I know I have ample amount of time to figure it out, but I have no idea where to start. Yes, opening up my own shop would is a dream of mine, but like said above you need to run before you can walk. I need a direction, I think I'm going to try to fix and flip a couple of BMW's this summer and see where that takes me. I love working with my hands, that's what I'll limit myself to, is I will do whatever kind of work as long as its with my hands. I know for a fact I couldn't sit in an office all day, that's what my dad does and I could never see myself there.

[slammin.e28]

I hate people haha. I know you guys are telling me to do something I like, but I don't know what else I like.. I know I have ample amount of time to figure it out, but I have no idea where to start. Yes, opening up my own shop would is a dream of mine, but like said above you need to run before you can walk. I need a direction, I think I'm going to try to fix and flip a couple of BMW's this summer and see where that takes me. I love working with my hands, that's what I'll limit myself to, is I will do whatever kind of work as long as its with my hands. I know for a fact I couldn't sit in an office all day, that's what my dad does and I could never see myself there.

I fucking hate people.

I wanted to be a tech. Went to school, yadda yadda....decided no pls, but I love cars and want to be around them.

Guess what?

I'm a service writer. As long as you get in a good shop with good techs, it's not bad. I thought I'd hate it. I love my job. Technical experience def comes in handy. Plus I'm not getting dirty, wearing myself out, and I still enjoy working on my own stuff, with full shop access after hours and weekends.

As long as you do everything right, and COVER YOUR ASS, customers are easy to deal with. SRSLY, I'm much introverted and hate people, dealing with the public, whatever.....but I love my job.

[jalopi]

+1, i doubt working service would be too bad as long as the techs weren't catastrophic fuckups and you know what you're talking about. most people don't know much about cars, but most can pick up on seedy used-car-salesman-type-talk fairly well

working service would also be a good way to get a glimpse into the business/administrative side of things

fuck working service at someplace like jiffylube or midas though, that sounds like a job from hell

[Massimo]

This sums it up. Work for $$$ not for the love of it. Lots of people say to turn your hobby into a business and you will do well. Problem is then your hobby becomes work and you no longer enjoy it.

stay in school and get a real job. wrench for the love of it, not for the $$$ ...

[Jb325is]

Just do a better job

Seriously though, use your spare time to research things you don't understand, make sure you understand the mistakes you made, and be more thorough and detail oriented as you are working. Most of all, ask questions! The biggest issue I've found with younger kids that are trying to start out working on cars is the shitty ones refuse to ask questions, and always make mistakes, and refuse to be held accountable. Working on cars is not hard, there are a lot of stupid people that do it and make a living.

I work in racing as a side job, and there is an over-abundance of over-confident, under-skilled tech school kids that come in a break shit, and make really dangerous mistakes. Don't be one of those kids.

[slammin.e28]

Just do a better job

Seriously though, use your spare time to research things you don't understand, make sure you understand the mistakes you made, and be more thorough and detail oriented as you are working. Most of all, ask questions! The biggest issue I've found with younger kids that are trying to start out working on cars is the shitty ones refuse to ask questions, and always make mistakes, and refuse to be held accountable. Working on cars is not hard, there are a lot of stupid people that do it and make a living.

I work in racing as a side job, and there is an over-abundance of over-confident, under-skilled tech school kids that come in a break shit, and make really dangerous mistakes. Don't be one of those kids.

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Often wrong, never in doubt.

[Stanley Rockafella]

"Youth is wasted on the young."
You're in a position to explore the world. Don't let material things tie you down. Knowing what I know now I would have stayed in school and stuck to it. You say you want to wrench? Top engineering programs always have some ASE sponsored program/competition you can wrench on. Summer internships will get your foot in the door. When you're spending the company's money they want to know you covered all the bases, so generally weed candidates out by looking for that undergrad degree.
If you want to go full bore blue collar then join the navy. You'll get to work on a multi million dollar platform, learn some discipline and make some life long friends. Just don't be a shitbag.

amen!

silly kiddies all wanna have expensive toys at the cost of their freedom. Usually they dont' notice the error of their ways until it's too late (married with a baby or two, and a mortgage).

oh well, to each their own

[Exodus_2pt0]

Married here with a baby and another on the way, will hopefully have a mortgage next year, and my expensive toys. Oh, and my wife is a stay at home mommy. Nah ragrats.

My secret? The only debt I will have is my mortgage.

Nothing wrong with blue collar work. The problem is spending money that you don't have, then wanting more before its paid off. But how did this thread get here? That's the real question.

[Gerta]

your answer, open your own shop. It's never fun working for someone else. Be your own boss.

I don't know if opening your own shop is the answer given your admitted limited experience wrenching on cars. Opening a shop has a huge overhead requirement in tools, consumables, and space. You have to be have a pretty stable pipeline of work, so money to invest in marketing is key.

OP - Have you ever run your own business? Do you have a clue on what it takes to be successful in your chosen profession?

I would say if this is your passion, do a tech program and get some education behind you. Do a job shadow for someone who owns their own shop ... be ready to ask lots of questions and to take a hard look in the mirror. Being your own boss is great (I'm self-employed) but it is not for everyone and comes with tons of risk.