2 answers
Aviram
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Asked
585 views
How hard is it to be a automotive mechanic and where can I start learning to be one.
The job career that I chose was automotive mechanic. I chose this because fixing and repairing components sound like a thing I would like. The thing that I find interesting in automotive mechanics is how we use tools like screw drivers, power drills, and wrenches, to take apart and repair parts that need to be fixed. This job relates to me because I always end up fixing things that I can. So the question I would ask is how did you find out you wanted to do this career path and why did you learn how to be handy And what would you tell a beginner that hasn’t worked on a car yet.
Login to comment
2 answers
Justin Struthers
Engineer
7
Answers
Laguna Hills
Updated
Justin’s Answer
Im a master mechanic and can do just about anything when it comes to cars/motorcycles. I started my own business and have 5/5 review on yelp.
Being a mechanic can be very tough work. The newer vehicles can be incredibly frustrating to work on. If you plan to only use a scan tool and scan the car for codes and not learn the old methods of troubleshooting dont bother.
My suggestion to you is find a custom shop that works on custom cars and hot rods and other things like that. They have the guys that can teach you some seriously amazing tricks and techniques.
I used to work on basic vehicles for my business but switched to only custom stuff and love it, always!
Most of the owners will pay me what i want but I charge 120/hr and could probably charge more.
If you can learn as much as possible and start a business helping people with their custom projects you will love it and you will make a lot of money doing it.
Being a mechanic can be very tough work. The newer vehicles can be incredibly frustrating to work on. If you plan to only use a scan tool and scan the car for codes and not learn the old methods of troubleshooting dont bother.
My suggestion to you is find a custom shop that works on custom cars and hot rods and other things like that. They have the guys that can teach you some seriously amazing tricks and techniques.
I used to work on basic vehicles for my business but switched to only custom stuff and love it, always!
Most of the owners will pay me what i want but I charge 120/hr and could probably charge more.
If you can learn as much as possible and start a business helping people with their custom projects you will love it and you will make a lot of money doing it.
Stefan Aubertin
General Manager
9
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Stefan’s Answer
Hi Aviram,
You are wise to consider this career path as the industry has a pretty big shortage of techincians and the income can be pretty rewarding. Some preliminary information to consider: today's vehicles are more technical than mechanical so I wouldn't say it's a job one would pick for its level of ease. The role is typically referred to as auto technician now and requires building up some skills.
Some fundamental handworking skills and practice working on your own cars as a hobby is highly advised to see if you even enjoy it. You can start with easy maintanence items that have ample video resources online to follow. In time you can progress to diagnosing problems and repairing things, but starting with maintenance gives you a foundation.
I can say from experience, that are a few different paths to becoming a technician and a few different types of employers. One of the most common is to work in a service department at an automotive car dealership. Alternatively, some electric vehicle companies operate their own service departments (Tesla, Rivian). Another is a Collision Repair Techicnian. There are also fleet techincians that work for companies operating large fleets (think like transit providers, freight companies, even police departments). Fleet jobs can be easier in that the fleet itself may consist of many of the same make and model vehicle, creating more repeitition. For that reason, those roles may also not pay as much. All of these options offer a little bit different experience day to day and I could write a whole additoinal essay just on that.
Once upon a time, when cars were more mechanical, many learned on the job, taking an entry level position and gaining experience from there. I would say that option, while possible, is growing less desirable because it can be more difficult to advance your career. Some entry level technician jobs are tire technicians or lube technicians (who mostly do oil changes).
If after tinkering with your own car you decide you like doing this, here are some education paths:
1. Community College - some but not all have comprehensive auto repair programs with a select few offering auto manufacturer supported training (like from Toyota or BMW, etc). Taking classes at a community college is great because you can do this while taking general education classes that you can apply toward a degree, all while gaining experience working hands on cars at the lowest possible tuition cost. In general, you don't need a college degree to be an auto technician, unless you want to be an engineer, but....
2. Trade Schools - these are where you go if you're sure you want to do this and you want your education to focus on automotive. There are some big ones with multiple locations in the US like UTI or Lincoln Tech. After learning all the different techinical systems on a car, these too have some manufacturer programs you can apply for (like BMW STEP or Service Technician Education Program). Those programs have can have some pretty great job placement programs and could involve covering the cost of your tuition once hired. The other really great thing here is once you've attended a trade school, you can benefit from their job fairs and job placement resources.
One last topic, look into the trade association ASE (automotive service excellence). They have certificate programs you can do to gain qualifications (If you go to a trade school though, these are redundant typically).
You are wise to consider this career path as the industry has a pretty big shortage of techincians and the income can be pretty rewarding. Some preliminary information to consider: today's vehicles are more technical than mechanical so I wouldn't say it's a job one would pick for its level of ease. The role is typically referred to as auto technician now and requires building up some skills.
Some fundamental handworking skills and practice working on your own cars as a hobby is highly advised to see if you even enjoy it. You can start with easy maintanence items that have ample video resources online to follow. In time you can progress to diagnosing problems and repairing things, but starting with maintenance gives you a foundation.
I can say from experience, that are a few different paths to becoming a technician and a few different types of employers. One of the most common is to work in a service department at an automotive car dealership. Alternatively, some electric vehicle companies operate their own service departments (Tesla, Rivian). Another is a Collision Repair Techicnian. There are also fleet techincians that work for companies operating large fleets (think like transit providers, freight companies, even police departments). Fleet jobs can be easier in that the fleet itself may consist of many of the same make and model vehicle, creating more repeitition. For that reason, those roles may also not pay as much. All of these options offer a little bit different experience day to day and I could write a whole additoinal essay just on that.
Once upon a time, when cars were more mechanical, many learned on the job, taking an entry level position and gaining experience from there. I would say that option, while possible, is growing less desirable because it can be more difficult to advance your career. Some entry level technician jobs are tire technicians or lube technicians (who mostly do oil changes).
If after tinkering with your own car you decide you like doing this, here are some education paths:
1. Community College - some but not all have comprehensive auto repair programs with a select few offering auto manufacturer supported training (like from Toyota or BMW, etc). Taking classes at a community college is great because you can do this while taking general education classes that you can apply toward a degree, all while gaining experience working hands on cars at the lowest possible tuition cost. In general, you don't need a college degree to be an auto technician, unless you want to be an engineer, but....
2. Trade Schools - these are where you go if you're sure you want to do this and you want your education to focus on automotive. There are some big ones with multiple locations in the US like UTI or Lincoln Tech. After learning all the different techinical systems on a car, these too have some manufacturer programs you can apply for (like BMW STEP or Service Technician Education Program). Those programs have can have some pretty great job placement programs and could involve covering the cost of your tuition once hired. The other really great thing here is once you've attended a trade school, you can benefit from their job fairs and job placement resources.
One last topic, look into the trade association ASE (automotive service excellence). They have certificate programs you can do to gain qualifications (If you go to a trade school though, these are redundant typically).