any ex-auto mechanics in here? thinking about switching careers

markus037 · 06-19-2014, 07:44 PM

well lately I have been getting sick and tired of working on cars. I have been doing this for 9 years now and quite frankly, i just dont enjoy it anymore. This career has provided me with some nice cars, a good living and taught me a lot. On the other hand, I just feel worn out and I dont get excited to do this shit anymore. I would much rather do it as a hobby or work on cars on the side for extra cash when i felt like it, not everyday. I just want some ideas for a new career. im almost 28 so I feel like now is the time.

Really looking for some ideas here, i just want to get out of the autmotive industry all together. I know computers are always a popular but it seems like theres an over abundance of IT guys. I remember reading an article and it mentioned dental hygienist as one of the best careers in the US with the job growth going up. Any other suggestions?

zx10guy · 06-19-2014, 07:48 PM

A good friend of mine was a ASE Master mechanic. He also owned his shop. He got out of the automotive business a few years ago. He also got a bit burned out by the business as I slowly saw him pull back from the part of his business where he would do hi performance modifications on cars. He got back into being a carpenter by starting up his own home contracting business in addition to getting his real estate license. He's been doing this for quite some time and he doesn't regret the decision.

markus037 · 06-19-2014, 07:51 PM

yeah thats waht i figure. im not interested in opening my own shop either, overhead is high and you usually have to work your ass off the first few years before you get a customer base. then you have to buy all these different tools and machines ugh

bimmerfrk · 06-20-2014, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markus037

yeah thats waht i figure. im not interested in opening my own shop either, overhead is high and you usually have to work your ass off the first few years before you get a customer base. then you have to buy all these different tools and machines ugh

Yes this is applicable to any other business you start. There is no shortcut to success.

Red Bread · 06-20-2014, 10:12 AM

You're in a field that fewer and fewer people are entering and that requires an ever increasing knowledge of computers and you want to change to a field that's overcrowded and would require you to go back to school and start at the bottom?

You're right that at your age it's a relatively safe time to change, but you could also find yourself in a position in a few years where you would be ready to put in the effort to start your own place.

Of course I have three good friends who are mechanics. One runs his own shop, one's now a cop and the other works in a bicycle shop and takes a bunch of art classes.

Billup · 06-20-2014, 10:34 AM

If you enjoy being hands on, have you considered taking skills trade classes for welding? Had I not gotten my current career, I was certified in GMAW and GTAW and in the works of getting my journeymans card. If you get certified, you can find some pretty promising careers with pipe welding, and even better if you look into stainless TIG welding.

To this day, I still get emails from recruiters looking to hire specialty welders with some pretty damn good starting wages. You could always look into CNC machining as well.

DSB335d · 06-20-2014, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billup

If you enjoy being hands on, have you considered taking skills trade classes for welding? Had I not gotten my current career, I was certified in GMAW and GTAW and in the works of getting my journeymans card. If you get certified, you can find some pretty promising careers with pipe welding, and even better if you look into stainless TIG welding.

To this day, I still get emails from recruiters looking to hire specialty welders with some pretty damn good starting wages. You could always look into CNC machining as well.

I met a guy a few years ago that specialized in under water welding right out of school making $100K at the time he was contracted to work at a nearby nuclear plant. The company he worked for sent him all over the world.

Bobble · 06-20-2014, 05:28 PM

My son's in the same boat, been a tech at a dealer since he got out of high school, always has taken classes at local JC at night for the last 6 years. He's thinking of going the route of a Field Service engineer for the Manufacturer to get away from the day to day wrenching but still be near it. Not sure if your in a dealership but he's pretty much maxed out hourly wise for the dealership (unless a foreman quit's) so his pay is stagnant being almost all boof rate stuff anymore.

RoamPT · 06-20-2014, 06:14 PM

Well i was/am a certified nissan and opel mechanic back in europe, came to canada started working as a mechanic aswell in an european shop but left because construction pays more lol i still miss working as a mechanhic tho, hopefully one day open a little shop for myself.

Chihuahua · 06-20-2014, 06:43 PM

Do you work for an independent or a dealer/manufacturer?

I agree with what one poster said; the number of younger people entering this field is alarmingly low. I think if you wait a few years, work for a manufacturer and keep up with the training, you're going to be an incredibly valuable asset to someone.

I did it for a couple of years out of college, but I was working on BMW so for me it didn't seem like work a lot of the time. I think the key to working on cars for a living is working on cars that you are naturally enthusiastic about.

markus037 · 06-20-2014, 10:38 PM

I have worked on cars since I was 19 years old. Im going to be 28 in August and am getting married on Halloween. i talked to my wife about it and she understands how i feel, she supports the idea but right now its pretty much impossible for me financially to go back to school so ill have to wait another year or so. whatever money I have left over at the end of the month goes towards paying off this damn wedding lol.

anyways, back on topic. i currently work at a Hyundai dealer and its an ok job, for the most part, but i could not care less about the product line. I worked at a bunch of dealers over the years such as BMW, Nissan and Infiniti and Jaguar Land Rover. I first started out as a Chrysler tech. In this field its very hard to get a raise unless you go somewhere else I have noticed. Many times the work is distributed unevenly and the same idiots who cant fix anything get fed while the guys who can get nothing but the shitty warranty jobs or headache cars that you will lose your ass on. Im tired of that, and i think thats the reason why i want out of this field.

Im at the point right now where I want to research and look into different fields. Im just looking for ideas.

06-19-2014, 07:44 PM	#1
markus037 Lieutenant 74 Rep 417 Posts Drives: Alpine White 2010 328Xi Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Pottstown, PA iTrader: (0)	any ex-auto mechanics in here? thinking about switching careers well lately I have been getting sick and tired of working on cars. I have been doing this for 9 years now and quite frankly, i just dont enjoy it anymore. This career has provided me with some nice cars, a good living and taught me a lot. On the other hand, I just feel worn out and I dont get excited to do this shit anymore. I would much rather do it as a hobby or work on cars on the side for extra cash when i felt like it, not everyday. I just want some ideas for a new career. im almost 28 so I feel like now is the time. Really looking for some ideas here, i just want to get out of the autmotive industry all together. I know computers are always a popular but it seems like theres an over abundance of IT guys. I remember reading an article and it mentioned dental hygienist as one of the best careers in the US with the job growth going up. Any other suggestions?
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06-19-2014, 07:48 PM	#2
zx10guy Brigadier General 5516 Rep 3,322 Posts Drives: 2013 135i Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: DC iTrader: (0)	A good friend of mine was a ASE Master mechanic. He also owned his shop. He got out of the automotive business a few years ago. He also got a bit burned out by the business as I slowly saw him pull back from the part of his business where he would do hi performance modifications on cars. He got back into being a carpenter by starting up his own home contracting business in addition to getting his real estate license. He's been doing this for quite some time and he doesn't regret the decision.
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06-19-2014, 07:51 PM	#3
markus037 Lieutenant 74 Rep 417 Posts Drives: Alpine White 2010 328Xi Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Pottstown, PA iTrader: (0)	yeah thats waht i figure. im not interested in opening my own shop either, overhead is high and you usually have to work your ass off the first few years before you get a customer base. then you have to buy all these different tools and machines ugh
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06-20-2014, 10:12 AM	#5
Red Bread Major General 4458 Rep 9,160 Posts Drives: Smog machines Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	You're in a field that fewer and fewer people are entering and that requires an ever increasing knowledge of computers and you want to change to a field that's overcrowded and would require you to go back to school and start at the bottom? You're right that at your age it's a relatively safe time to change, but you could also find yourself in a position in a few years where you would be ready to put in the effort to start your own place. Of course I have three good friends who are mechanics. One runs his own shop, one's now a cop and the other works in a bicycle shop and takes a bunch of art classes.
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06-20-2014, 10:34 AM	#6
Billup Banned 476 Rep 928 Posts Drives: Your mum crazy. Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Baconopolos Island iTrader: (0)	If you enjoy being hands on, have you considered taking skills trade classes for welding? Had I not gotten my current career, I was certified in GMAW and GTAW and in the works of getting my journeymans card. If you get certified, you can find some pretty promising careers with pipe welding, and even better if you look into stainless TIG welding. To this day, I still get emails from recruiters looking to hire specialty welders with some pretty damn good starting wages. You could always look into CNC machining as well.
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06-20-2014, 05:28 PM	#8
Bobble Major 56 Rep 1,232 Posts Drives: Whatever POS the wife leaves Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (1)	My son's in the same boat, been a tech at a dealer since he got out of high school, always has taken classes at local JC at night for the last 6 years. He's thinking of going the route of a Field Service engineer for the Manufacturer to get away from the day to day wrenching but still be near it. Not sure if your in a dealership but he's pretty much maxed out hourly wise for the dealership (unless a foreman quit's) so his pay is stagnant being almost all boof rate stuff anymore.
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06-20-2014, 06:14 PM	#9
RoamPT First Lieutenant 27 Rep 333 Posts Drives: 2016 Dodge Charger SRT 392 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 Dodge Charger ... [9.00]	Well i was/am a certified nissan and opel mechanic back in europe, came to canada started working as a mechanic aswell in an european shop but left because construction pays more lol i still miss working as a mechanhic tho, hopefully one day open a little shop for myself.
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06-20-2014, 06:43 PM	#10
Chihuahua Brigadier General 4460 Rep 3,360 Posts Drives: E30 329iS, E65 Alpina B7 Join Date: May 2012 Location: ATL iTrader: (0)	Do you work for an independent or a dealer/manufacturer? I agree with what one poster said; the number of younger people entering this field is alarmingly low. I think if you wait a few years, work for a manufacturer and keep up with the training, you're going to be an incredibly valuable asset to someone. I did it for a couple of years out of college, but I was working on BMW so for me it didn't seem like work a lot of the time. I think the key to working on cars for a living is working on cars that you are naturally enthusiastic about.
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06-20-2014, 10:38 PM	#11
markus037 Lieutenant 74 Rep 417 Posts Drives: Alpine White 2010 328Xi Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Pottstown, PA iTrader: (0)	I have worked on cars since I was 19 years old. Im going to be 28 in August and am getting married on Halloween. i talked to my wife about it and she understands how i feel, she supports the idea but right now its pretty much impossible for me financially to go back to school so ill have to wait another year or so. whatever money I have left over at the end of the month goes towards paying off this damn wedding lol. anyways, back on topic. i currently work at a Hyundai dealer and its an ok job, for the most part, but i could not care less about the product line. I worked at a bunch of dealers over the years such as BMW, Nissan and Infiniti and Jaguar Land Rover. I first started out as a Chrysler tech. In this field its very hard to get a raise unless you go somewhere else I have noticed. Many times the work is distributed unevenly and the same idiots who cant fix anything get fed while the guys who can get nothing but the shitty warranty jobs or headache cars that you will lose your ass on. Im tired of that, and i think thats the reason why i want out of this field. Im at the point right now where I want to research and look into different fields. Im just looking for ideas.
	Appreciate 0 Quote