Any auto mechanics here?

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Mar 15, 2003
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I answered your PM.
But basically I am saying that if you're not smart enough to know that auto mechanic is two words, I doubt you have the capability to work on cars.
Sorry, thought that was clear.

I apologize for not being as perfect as you are - you got worked up about one missing space, enough to reply... Must be an.. Interesting.. world you're living in.. Married? Kids? Friends? Or basement?
 
Mar 15, 2003
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I'm working in a datacenter environment with no professional IT education -- I've taken VMware VCP and Cisco UCS classes but never got certified.

A lot of our gear is virtualized, but the hardware behind it still needs attention every so often (and someone has to manage the VMware, UCS, and storage environments).

Getting out of help desk work has done wonders for my sanity.

If you don't mind me asking, how'd you pull that off? I feel sorta dead end career wise and overwhelmed with the amount of shit I have to learn to continue in this field (it's my failing, obviously, not the field)
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
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I've been working on cars for over 20 years. As a car enthusiast and maintaining/fixing my and my family cars. Actually, on my to do list right now are the following: Brakes on 2 cars, Timing belt/waterpump/cam seals/rollers, Transmission fluid changes on 2 cars, o2 sensor......I'm NOT looking forward to it.

Each and every time I do, it's a great reminder why I would never EVER want to be a mechanic. Just the thoughts of it makes me shake.

It is a HARD/Filthy/dirty job. To do it every day......I guess I can say it would take someone special. Expect your hands to be oily/greasy 24/7 FOREVER. I've never met a mechanic that had clean hands or didn't smell like oil.....women don't exactly love this either.

I'm not that kind of special.

No thanks

As for being happy at a job. Our society often convinces people that there is a such as "dream job" out there. And sure, small percentage of people have such job....but we are talking EXTREMELY small. Besides, when you do something on DAILY BASIS, I don't care how much you might love it......EVERYTHING gets stale and old. Trust me.

I've been in 3 careers, dozens of places and have met/seen thousands of people. I have never in my life met 1 person that wakes up on monday morning and is thrilled about going to work, or excited.

It's called "a job" for a reason. You are NOT SUPPOSE TO LIKE IT.

If you think you will like being a mechanic, you are in for a SHOCK. I suggest you start with a simple brake job and come back and tell me how you feel about doing that EVERY DAY.

I suggest you stick to your IT job......and write off your action (quitting) as a HUGE mistake.

Rule of thumb, never EVER quit a job until you have a new one.

You also need to learn something else in all of this. No ONE or NOTHING makes you unhappy about anything BUT yourself. Remember this!

As for tinkering with stuff. Home projects keep me PLENTY busy and offset my office work quite nicely. I'm a huge Do it Yourselfer.

Anyways, as with any career change. DO IT for extended periods of time, cause until you do so, you simply won't know how you will feel about it once it's in full swing....

I love working on cars. I hate working on cars because I have to.

There's a huge difference.
 
Feb 25, 2011
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@OP: There is a youtube channel called etcg1 where the dude talks about a lot of this stuff, including salary ranges, nature of the work, etc.

Having watched several of the videos myself, and having a job in IT where many of the things I dislike about the job are similar to what you cite, I suspect you don't want to be a mechanic. Me, I'm staying put and collecting the absurdly high salary until I can buy that house on a lake and retire.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
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I love working on cars. I hate working on cars because I have to.

There's a huge difference.

Yup, which is why the whole "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" thing is such BS. Most hobbies are only hobbies because they're done sparingly, with no time crunch and no boss to answer to. Once you're doing it 9+ hours a day non-stop it becomes a lot less of a hobby and just another job.

It's kind of like working around the house. I like my projects that add new features to my house, like extra storage, new faucets, new ceiling fan or something like that. I HATE working on the house when it's something that's broken and needs repaired.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,096
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I apologize for not being as perfect as you are - you got worked up about one missing space, enough to reply... Must be an.. Interesting.. world you're living in.. Married? Kids? Friends? Or basement?
Married, kids, live in a basement under a bridge.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
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Got it- funny you mentioned the work environment- a big genesis to this was the comradery I see behind the scenes at auto-shops, it reminds me of old sitcoms (vs. being treated like the bore in the office being the IT guy).

me think you need to get out of your current job, not your field.
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
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I like going to work actually, I like the people I work with and the stuff I work on. There are some days i'd rather stay home because its nice out and would rather do some hiking/camping/traveling, but I actually enjoy what I do!

Same here. That's what I'm saying.

There is 100 things I would rather be doing than being at work, even if one likes the work.
 

TXHokie

Platinum Member
Nov 16, 1999
2,558
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Yup, which is why the whole "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" thing is such BS. Most hobbies are only hobbies because they're done sparingly, with no time crunch and no boss to answer to. Once you're doing it 9+ hours a day non-stop it becomes a lot less of a hobby and just another job.

It's kind of like working around the house. I like my projects that add new features to my house, like extra storage, new faucets, new ceiling fan or something like that. I HATE working on the house when it's something that's broken and needs repaired.

Are you really trying to tell me that Ron Jeremy hates his job?
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
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I have a buddy who is/was a mechanic and have known him since he started his career in the auto world. He went through a 2 year program at the local community college, was an apprentice for about a year, then full time for after a year or so at a Chevy dealer. He was a mechanic for 5 years, with 3 different dealerships in those 5 years. He ended up moving from oil changes, to transmissions, to full auto work, whatever that's called.

He got bored, moved into a service adviser position and did that for 6 years. I don't know how he lasted, he was treated like shit, went through 3 dealers. Hours were stupid, 6a-6p, no lunch/breaks because he was always busy. Pay was fucked with every 3-6 months. Some time they would be straight hourly, sometimes salary, sometimes 40 + bonus depending on how much extra they sold, or service reports that were written up. They always worked 50-60 hours a week m-sat too.

I honestly never saw the upside. He moved into heavy machinery as a mechanic a few weeks ago after not being a mechanic for 6ish years, and they started him off at $23 an hour, he's up to $28 now and its been about a year, so it must be going well. His hours still suck, 9a-6p is his normal schedule m-f, and he's oncall because its for Pepsi CO and they deliver around the clock and he is the only mechanic in this territory.

What strikes me the most about this - compared to IT, that is a lot of running around hard work and hardship for a long time for that little money. I'm sure that got old quick. This is why I really don't mind a desk job.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
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If you don't mind me asking, how'd you pull that off? I feel sorta dead end career wise and overwhelmed with the amount of shit I have to learn to continue in this field (it's my failing, obviously, not the field)

I love learning, I'm good at networking and I am motivated by money. It's a fortunate combination.

I love working on cars. I hate working on cars because I have to.

There's a huge difference.

Truth.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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I have a question for the grammar nazis - why do you do it? Not only does it derail a conversation but it just makes you look like a massive tool. Lemme ask you something - does being an asshole make you hard? Does that stirring of superiority in your loins make it go 'drip drip?"

what if we pointed out your bad grammar and mentioned that there is an appropriate forum for your question?
 

Raizinman

Platinum Member
Sep 7, 2007
2,355
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meettomy.site
I've been working on cars since age 5. Yes, age 5. My toys were carburetors and voltage regulators and other parts. My whole family were in the car business. At the right dealership I have made more than the owner, over $100K. I currently run my own specialty auto business making about $100K but working less hours. I do it not for the money, but because I like it. A job is much more fun when you like it. I welcome every day and my best days are when we get a car that has been to one or two other shops that they could not fix. Yes, often a shop will give up after spending too much time on a car. With minimal experience, I would suggest to you to get a few ASE certifications and start perhaps at a quick oil change shop. This will get you in the business and then you can progress to a private shop or dealership. It will also allow you time to start your tool collection. You are expected to have your own tools. I have close to $75K or more of tools. I might also suggest to get a tool assortment at Sears. Good price and lifetime warranty. Also - we are not auto mechanics. We are Automotive Technicians. This should have also been posted in the GARAGE section.
 

Slacker

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Going into attack mode when a small mistake is pointed out, you will do well as a sole proprietor in the auto repair industry.
 
Feb 25, 2011
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Going into attack mode when a small mistake is pointed out, you will do well as a sole proprietor in the auto repair industry.
That kinda bullshit is why I actually don't prefer to support local small business owners.
 

Slacker

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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When it comes to cars, if someone finds a shop that actually fixes the problem, regardless of the cost or how they are treated they will become loyal just because they don't want to risk getting the same deal from a shop that can't even fix a car.
 
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