Any auto mechanics here?

[slackerinabox]

I've been having a bit of a 1/3rd life crisis (jeesh, I hope) and walked out of a decent paying IT job because I felt pretty miserable there: the field (for me, not everyone) was making me kinda more introverted than I really am and just wasn't fun anymore since everything seems to be slowly moving to managed services. I just don't have the passion to constantly learn new techs when it comes to the cloud and all that, and it seems like the sorta career where constant education will be required, or else you'll be left behind or easily replaceable. It's not I'm lazy - it's just that I don't care (not to get too deep, but my adhd means I have a hard time faking it, my mind just wanders when true tech insight is mixed in with proprietary marketing buzzwords, it's just a world I don't enjoy anymore.

I've been thinking about what I loved about IT and I think the last time I felt that joy was when I was a teenager building hobbyist machines. I really like troubleshooting, tinkering, and using my hands. Since the job was moving from tinkering with hardware to web panels and managed services, I just got bored. When it comes to using my hands, I've also always loved automobiles but being a city boy with no back yard, never really had the opportunity to learn the basics, from oil changing to simple battery changes. I've *wanted* to know that stuff, just never had the opportunity to learn.

So here are my questions to anyone in the field:
* Do you enjoy it. I know it's looked at as blue collar work but, you know what, I kinda find that romantic in a weird way after spending so much time behind a desk

* Salary ranges on google are all over the place. I live in NYC but my wife makes more (double Masters) and our rent's super cheap - I could get by easily in the 40s range, but can make due with even less. I don't expect you to tell me your salary, but a range after putting in your dues?

* Side work - I've considering picking up craigslist steals (well, not literally), fixing them up and flipping them: anyone do that here? Enough to make some beer money, or a money pit waste of time?

* How much does IT and the ability to tinker with stuff help you out? I mean, I'm absolutely fascinated with self driving cars and teslas/the future of the automobile. Would now be a good time to jump in, or is it a time of turmoil and change in the industry? What I mean is that I decided to give real estate a try during what was looked at in retrospect as the worst time to get into real estate, don't want to make the same mistake twice

Thanks for any and all advice. I'm looking up automotive schools now and am really all over the place with my career trajectory, so please share the good and the bad

 

[olds]

The first thing you should learn is that auto mechanic is two words.

 

[slackerinabox]

The first thing you should learn is that auto mechanic is two words.

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?"

 

[BarkingGhostar]

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?"

So, pointing out bad grammar is considered bad? Are we sending people to the gas chamber and burning their bodies after starving them? I think not.

 

[resinboy]

all right, long question and I'll try to keep it short.
1st, about me, so you know where I am coming from:
55 years old, started at my Dads local mom and pop shop when I was 14. Always had a way with tinkering and fixing stuff since I was a kid. Worked for my dad till he passed when I was 28, took over the shop and ran it for 19 years. Economy took a dump, and was forced to close and sell. Broke my heart. Been working for the man ever since.
Money wise, you work for an independent shop, lower scale, but better security. Work for a dealer, you can make serious money, but you are a slave boy, and generally get paid by a labor guide: does not pay you for frozen bolts, stripped bolts, inaccurate labor times, etc. Job pays 3 hours and you have 5 into it, you get 3 hours pay.
Being a computer nerd definitely helps with auto repair: they have had on- board computers since mid year 1980 ( pontiacs actually).
Same as any modern job: stay on top of your field or get run over. I still read trade mags and net articles all week long to try to stay informed.
You can either be a trouble shooter lead tech like me, or be a brake, front-end guy and avoid a lot of the BS I go through. ( I have plenty of weeks where my brain hurts and I just want to do a few oil changes LOL ).
Is it satisfying ? I must quote an old mechanics saying- " I love turning a wrench all day, cause it feels sooo good when I stop".
Side work, if you look the vehicle over real well, and take a chance, you can find a fixer upper deal once in a while , but you wont get rich doing it.

 

[slackerinabox]

So, pointing out bad grammar is considered bad? Are we sending people to the gas chamber and burning their bodies after starving them? I think not.

It's anti-social and asinine. I never equated it to the holocaust, you did. I did imply that it implies insecurities, and I stand by that. Someone with better grammar already said everything I want to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...-pedants-likely-introverted-disagreeable.html

 

[Tweak155]

So, pointing out bad grammar is considered bad? Are we sending people to the gas chamber and burning their bodies after starving them? I think not.

Pointing only THAT out and not assisting the OP at all with his questions is just a dick thing to do.

 

[slackerinabox]

all right, long question and I'll try to keep it short.
1st, about me, so you know where I am coming from:
55 years old, started at my Dads local mom and pop shop when I was 14. Always had a way with tinkering and fixing stuff since I was a kid. Worked for my dad till he passed when I was 28, took over the shop and ran it for 19 years. Economy took a dump, and was forced to close and sell. Broke my heart. Been working for the man ever since.
Money wise, you work for an independent shop, lower scale, but better security. Work for a dealer, you can make serious money, but you are a slave boy, and generally get paid by a labor guide: does not pay you for frozen bolts, stripped bolts, inaccurate labor times, etc. Job pays 3 hours and you have 5 into it, you get 3 hours pay.
Being a computer nerd definitely helps with auto repair: they have had on- board computers since mid year 1980 ( pontiacs actually).
Same as any modern job: stay on top of your field or get run over. I still read trade mags and net articles all week long to try to stay informed.
You can either be a trouble shooter lead tech like me, or be a brake, front-end guy and avoid a lot of the BS I go through. ( I have plenty of weeks where my brain hurts and I just want to do a few oil changes LOL ).
Is it satisfying ? I must quote an old mechanics saying- " I love turning a wrench all day, cause it feels sooo good when I stop".
Side work, if you look the vehicle over real well, and take a chance, you can find a fixer upper deal once in a while , but you wont get rich doing it.

Thanks so much for this insight, really appreciate it. Of course it's a personal question, but do you regret any of it? I see training programs from 6 months to 2 years - would you think just taking the vocational program for 6 months and then get my foot in the door as a jr. is the way to go, or do the 2 year program.

 

[slackerinabox]

Pointing only THAT out and not assisting the OP at all with his questions is just a dick thing to do.

Exactly.

 

[ViviTheMage]

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.

 

[slackerinabox]

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.

I also hear that mechanics are treated like shit. Now, i get that it depends on where you find work, but the lack of respect is a big reason I left my prior job (they treated the janitor with more respect). I honestly considered more hands on work because I figured management leaves you alone as long as you don't screw up

 

[ViviTheMage]

I also hear that mechanics are treated like shit. Now, i get that it depends on where you find work, but the lack of respect is a big reason I left my prior job (they treated the janitor with more respect). I honestly considered more hands on work because I figured management leaves you alone as long as you don't screw up

I would say they are too, but its more regulated because of union so they can't be fucked with at least in the pay/time scale. I hear its a pretty fun work environment though, I would go hang out with him at work on a weekend sometimes, and they swear, sailor humor, etc. which is the complete opposite from working in a corporate environment.

I have always been in IT, and I could never see myself doing auto work, it looks physically back breaking. Most of the older mechanics I had met always had issues with back/legs from crouching/bending all the time.

 

[slackerinabox]

I would say they are too, but its more regulated because of union so they can't be fucked with at least in the pay/time scale. I hear its a pretty fun work environment though, I would go hang out with him at work on a weekend sometimes, and they swear, sailor humor, etc. which is the complete opposite from working in a corporate environment.

I have always been in IT, and I could never see myself doing auto work, it looks physically back breaking. Most of the older mechanics I had met always had issues with back/legs from crouching/bending all the time.

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).

 

[ViviTheMage]

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).

I am not sure where you have worked in IT, but i've held 3 IT jobs so far. One at a uni, one in corporate america (Thomson Reuters so 53,000 employees), and another at a smaller 2000 employee place. They all had comradory, and those who I worked with daily were a pretty tight nit group of people. I also did not work help desk, which is generally seen as 'the help' I guess. I have always had a systems/network role.

A little funny story here, worked at the U of MN for 3 years, worked at that 2k employee place for 4 years, moved to TR for 2 years, and then my previous employer wanted me back at a solid 30% pay raise, couldn't refuse, loved working with those guys! I have been back for about 14 months now too.

 

[slackerinabox]

I am not sure where you have worked in IT, but i've held 3 IT jobs so far. One at a uni, one in corporate america (Thomson Reuters so 53,000 employees), and another at a smaller 2000 employee place. They all had comradory, and those who I worked with daily were a pretty tight nit group of people. I also did not work help desk, which is generally seen as 'the help' I guess. I have always had a systems/network role.

A little funny story here, worked at the U of MN for 3 years, worked at that 2k employee place for 4 years, moved to TR for 2 years, and then my previous employer wanted me back at a solid 30% pay raise, couldn't refuse, loved working with those guys! I have been back for about 14 months now too.

I think my problem is that I've worked at small companies and have usually been the only IT guy on site. Everyone just talked to me about nerd stuff (what phone to buy, etc.), I rarely felt part of the company's culture (my prior was also the office outcast).

I get that it's better when you're part of an IT group..Hmmm.. It's not my #1 reason, I really just love tinkering and am trying to figure out a marketable skill to learn

 

[ViviTheMage]

I think my problem is that I've worked at small companies and have usually been the only IT guy on site. Everyone just talked to me about nerd stuff (what phone to buy, etc.), I rarely felt part of the company's culture (my prior was also the office outcast).

I get that it's better when you're part of an IT group..Hmmm.. It's not my #1 reason, I really just love tinkering and am trying to figure out a marketable skill to learn

Sounds like you should stick to working with hardware if you want to stay in IT, IE desktop support stuff, or if corporate america you can do this at a networking/data center level too. Where I work now, we have 2 guys who do that, and we interact with them daily, go to lunch together, go frisbee golfing at lunch, gun range at lunch, sometimes we go pro karting at lunch as well.

I work with hardware when I want to, ie new equipment, but we have a good budget, and the owners of the company are all for new technology. Shit, I am in the midst of creating the scripting and method to deploy Windows 10 on 2000 computers, at 28 locations across the midwest. So while I work on the method to roll out, I work with desktop support guys and User support on how they want to handle support.

 

[slackerinabox]

Sounds like you should stick to working with hardware if you want to stay in IT, IE desktop support stuff, or if corporate america you can do this at a networking/data center level too. Where I work now, we have 2 guys who do that, and we interact with them daily, go to lunch together, go frisbee golfing at lunch, gun range at lunch, sometimes we go pro karting at lunch as well.

I work with hardware when I want to, ie new equipment, but we have a good budget, and the owners of the company are all for new technology. Shit, I am in the midst of creating the scripting and method to deploy Windows 10 on 2000 computers, at 28 locations across the midwest. So while I work on the method to roll out, I work with desktop support guys and User support on how they want to handle support.

Appreciate the post, def. food for thought. I think my problem is that I'm at a crossroads - education will be necessary for my next step regardless, from lowly self taught (and overpaid, cough) IT help desk to ? I dunno. Is it wrong to think that hardware's not the way to go with everything going managed? I mean, half of my job was maintaining servers that were later virtualized and cloud hosted, requiring little upkeep.

 

[BoomerD]

Did you grow up tinkering on bikes and cars?

Have you EVER worked on cars/trucks, whether your own or someone else's?

IMO, to truly be GOOD at wrenching, you have to really WANT to do it...just deciding mid-life that you think you want to do it is unlikely to turn it into a profitable career for you.
You've gotta LOVE getting grease on your hands, in your hair, having oil run down your face and into places that can be difficult to wash...can't mind getting sprayed with hot coolant or oil, and will learn a whole new vocabulary...including the words you'll use when a bolt breaks and you smash your knuckles into some unyielding piece of engine...

As for the cost...I'm not sure how much the BETTER mechanics schools cost...but they ain't cheap, and despite what their "recruiters" tell you, there's no guarantee that you'll get job offers when you graduate...plus, tools definitely ain't cheap. Odds are, you'll have AT LEAST $10,000 in tools, sitting in a $4000 tool chest...and will buy more every payday. The Snap-On guy (and/or Matco/Mac/Cornell) will become your new best friend...Craftsman, Kobalt, and Husky tools just ain't gonna get it. those are fine for the home hobbyist/shade-tree mechanic, but not for a professional.

Wages usually aren't terrible...but $40k seems to be about the national average:

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes493023.htm

 

[ViviTheMage]

Appreciate the post, def. food for thought. I think my problem is that I'm at a crossroads - education will be necessary for my next step regardless, from lowly self taught (and overpaid, cough) IT help desk to ? I dunno. Is it wrong to think that hardware's not the way to go with everything going managed? I mean, half of my job was maintaining servers that were later virtualized and cloud hosted, requiring little upkeep.

Yeah, but someone has to support it. The places I have worked have always had some form of desktop support. Someone has to replace/repair computers, phone, mice, keyboards, etc. You can also get into data center stuff, replacing hardware, servers, memory, hard drive, cpu, etc. You can also get into networking, replacing that gear.

Yeah, things tend to get virtualized, but there is still hardware to support. If you want to get into OS layer stuff, there is always system administration, and networking administration.

 

[Vdubchaos]

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....

 

[sontakke]

Do you regularly follow some of the youtube automotive stars? Do you have their type of personality? You will also note that they do NOT work for "the man".

Why can't you keep your IT day job and moonlight as a mechanic to see if you really have what it takes to do it full time?

 

[ViviTheMage]

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

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!

 

[jlee]

Appreciate the post, def. food for thought. I think my problem is that I'm at a crossroads - education will be necessary for my next step regardless, from lowly self taught (and overpaid, cough) IT help desk to ? I dunno. Is it wrong to think that hardware's not the way to go with everything going managed? I mean, half of my job was maintaining servers that were later virtualized and cloud hosted, requiring little upkeep.

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.

 

[nakedfrog]

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

Well, too bad!

 

[olds]

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?"

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.