Starting a new job as an apprentice BMW technician
Discussion
mick1199 said:
MissChief said:
Did they say why the 3 series needed a new engine? Hydrolock/Water ingress?
The exact reason escapes me as my mechanical knowledge is still very minimal so forgive me if this is complete waffle. I believe it was explained to me that one of the turbos had clogged up with oil and packed in which then led to the rest of the engine chewing itself up. I was shown what I believe was a camshaft bearing which looked shredded and there were bits of metal in the sump. Luckily the car was under warranty as a brand new engine, plus both a new high pressure and low pressure turbo were needed. If if helps, I was shown a video of the engine running beforehand and it was knocking pretty badly.MissChief said:
mick1199 said:
MissChief said:
Did they say why the 3 series needed a new engine? Hydrolock/Water ingress?
The exact reason escapes me as my mechanical knowledge is still very minimal so forgive me if this is complete waffle. I believe it was explained to me that one of the turbos had clogged up with oil and packed in which then led to the rest of the engine chewing itself up. I was shown what I believe was a camshaft bearing which looked shredded and there were bits of metal in the sump. Luckily the car was under warranty as a brand new engine, plus both a new high pressure and low pressure turbo were needed. If if helps, I was shown a video of the engine running beforehand and it was knocking pretty badly.
eliot said:
sounds like it was a diesel runaway (engine consumes its own oil revving its nuts of until something fails)
As for tools, I’m only diy’er but I buy signet tools which feel good quality to me.
That sounds pretty much as my mentor described it. There’s a lad in the workshop who swears by signet too. I’ll have to have a look. Regardless of what I’m told of what other people do, I’m not spending daft money on tools. I’ll start cheap and stay cheap if I can. What breaks, I’ll replace with something else. As for tools, I’m only diy’er but I buy signet tools which feel good quality to me.
mick1199 said:
Allegedly the whole job cost £17K! And yes, there was no cost to the customer. The car was only 2 years old from what I remember. On the plus side, it started and ran fine after muddling through the job. Nice to see a car in absolute bits then running like new back on the road.
"Muddling through the job" is that what BMW Main Dealers mean when they assure us "highly trained BMW technician" working on your car ?edthefed said:
mick1199 said:
Allegedly the whole job cost £17K! And yes, there was no cost to the customer. The car was only 2 years old from what I remember. On the plus side, it started and ran fine after muddling through the job. Nice to see a car in absolute bits then running like new back on the road.
"Muddling through the job" is that what BMW Main Dealers mean when they assure us "highly trained BMW technician" working on your car ?
OP glad you are enjoying it, have you been on the Strap On van yet?
Interesting.
I've just completed a college course on motor maintenance(night school)
The chap teaching it handed his notice in half way through to go and work at BMW!
He was good to us and continued the course till the end so was at BMW for about a month while we were doing it.
He was doing it to go down the EV route and not get left behind.
He was already well qualified but pretty much was still starting at the bottom.
I've just completed a college course on motor maintenance(night school)
The chap teaching it handed his notice in half way through to go and work at BMW!
He was good to us and continued the course till the end so was at BMW for about a month while we were doing it.
He was doing it to go down the EV route and not get left behind.
He was already well qualified but pretty much was still starting at the bottom.
audikentman said:
Along with specialist diagnostic equipment
OP glad you are enjoying it, have you been on the Strap On van yet?
Sadly no, the Strap On van hasn’t been around yet, nor has the Snap On van. Apparently there used to be a Snap Van that came around but he wasn’t making much money from the lads so he stopped. Now we have a bloke who comes around every Friday and sells all sorts, though I’m yet to pay a visit. I’ll probably not need my own tools for a while yet so I’ll worry about that when it comes to it. That said I’ve already got a shopping list, mainly consisting of Halfords, a few Milwaukee power tools which nearly all the lads in the workshop use, and a few other bits and pieces. OP glad you are enjoying it, have you been on the Strap On van yet?
8-P said:
Interesting.
I've just completed a college course on motor maintenance(night school)
The chap teaching it handed his notice in half way through to go and work at BMW!
He was good to us and continued the course till the end so was at BMW for about a month while we were doing it.
He was doing it to go down the EV route and not get left behind.
He was already well qualified but pretty much was still starting at the bottom.
Good stuff! In fairness all the lads where I work swear by the training you get through BMW and it tends to pay a little better than other brands. There’s a few qualified to work on EVs and hybrids, to an extent. Most are at level 3 which means you can take a high voltage battery out and disconnect it but you need level 4 to be able to actually open them up and there’s only like 3 lads qualified to that level. It’s interesting stuff, and adds another string to your bow. As someone like me who’s younger, things like that will become pretty much required as technology moves forward. Plenty don’t like the faff on, the same goes with becoming an MOT tester, but it’s down to the person at the end of the day. Dealerships are at an advantage having more qualified techs so they’ll often push people to go on more courses. I’d like to get my level 3 and eventually a level 4 in EVs and hybrids although that’s a long way off. I believe I get a level 2 through my apprenticeship, which I think let’s me do basic maintenance on hybrids and EVs although no one stops you doing that anyway in the workshop. So officially, until you’re qualified you’re not supposed to lay a finger upon an electric or hybrid vehicle. I've just completed a college course on motor maintenance(night school)
The chap teaching it handed his notice in half way through to go and work at BMW!
He was good to us and continued the course till the end so was at BMW for about a month while we were doing it.
He was doing it to go down the EV route and not get left behind.
He was already well qualified but pretty much was still starting at the bottom.
audikentman said:
If you ever get offered an MOT testers course take it!
I can’t tell if that’s a joke or not 
Some of the lads absolutely hate the idea of being a tester and avoid it like the plague. I’d like to though, although you have to be four years time served and apparently that doesn’t include an apprenticeship so it’d be a while if I was to take it anyway. I’m told that it makes you a lot more employable though and often means a better salary if you go to other garages.mick1199 said:
audikentman said:
If you ever get offered an MOT testers course take it!
I can’t tell if that’s a joke or not Some of the lads absolutely hate the idea of being a tester and avoid it like the plague. I’d like to though, although you have to be four years time served and apparently that doesn’t include an apprenticeship so it’d be a while if I was to take it anyway. I’m told that it makes you a lot more employable though and often means a better salary if you go to other garages.mick1199 said:
eliot said:
sounds like it was a diesel runaway (engine consumes its own oil revving its nuts of until something fails)
As for tools, I’m only diy’er but I buy signet tools which feel good quality to me.
That sounds pretty much as my mentor described it. There’s a lad in the workshop who swears by signet too. I’ll have to have a look. Regardless of what I’m told of what other people do, I’m not spending daft money on tools. I’ll start cheap and stay cheap if I can. What breaks, I’ll replace with something else. As for tools, I’m only diy’er but I buy signet tools which feel good quality to me.
But you do get what you pay for with tools, I still have in perfect working order a snap on 1/4 drive long ratchet for taking out 20 torx on the cambelt covers on Lagunas, was the only thing that would reach, but ive also had good results with halfords sockets sets and spanners over the years also so its wise to see what others are using and make an informed choice based on that and see what works for you.
Having worked for most main dealer brands over the years I can say the job was pretty shyte and underpaid always, the only exception was when getting into restoration which pays better and gives a much bigger variety of task, which is what I enjoy.
Cant stand service work constantly and the rat race that is franchised dealers.
Have fun anyways!
Always go for the mot license if you get the chance huge benefits for future employment. However the course is 4 days of reading a manual that makes no sense and was written by a bunch of civil.servants. You be glad to go back to work after 4 days in a class room also yearly updates which can be a pain last year's was tough and something like 5-10% of testers in the country didn't complete it. This year's was easy though.
Glad the job is going well.
Glad the job is going well.
MissChief said:
mick1199 said:
MissChief said:
Did they say why the 3 series needed a new engine? Hydrolock/Water ingress?
The exact reason escapes me as my mechanical knowledge is still very minimal so forgive me if this is complete waffle. I believe it was explained to me that one of the turbos had clogged up with oil and packed in which then led to the rest of the engine chewing itself up. I was shown what I believe was a camshaft bearing which looked shredded and there were bits of metal in the sump. Luckily the car was under warranty as a brand new engine, plus both a new high pressure and low pressure turbo were needed. If if helps, I was shown a video of the engine running beforehand and it was knocking pretty badly.audikentman said:
No joke at all, more job opportunities and if you stay in the trade but want to get away from the dirty stuff its a way out.
Good to hear. I think even if I eventually became a tester I couldn’t see myself just solely doing MOTs, as one bloke in the dealership does. I’m told every garage has a bloke like that. The dirty stuff doesn’t really get to me…yet.
Dastardly Dick said:
I Bought a variety of different brands over the years from kamasa, britool, strap-on, beta and signet and theyre all good quality stuff.
But you do get what you pay for with tools, I still have in perfect working order a snap on 1/4 drive long ratchet for taking out 20 torx on the cambelt covers on Lagunas, was the only thing that would reach, but ive also had good results with halfords sockets sets and spanners over the years also so its wise to see what others are using and make an informed choice based on that and see what works for you.
Having worked for most main dealer brands over the years I can say the job was pretty shyte and underpaid always, the only exception was when getting into restoration which pays better and gives a much bigger variety of task, which is what I enjoy.
Cant stand service work constantly and the rat race that is franchised dealers.
Have fun anyways!
I’ll keep an eye on what the other lads have in their tool boxes. That said a lot of them just have Snap On everything. I had a conversation the other day where one bloke told me how years ago all you really had was Snap On, maybes Britool and not much else whereas now you’re spoilt for choice. Like I said before, I’ll buy relatively cheap stuff and whatever breaks I’ll upgrade fof something a bit more pricey and presumably of better quality. I’d maybes consider buying an odd ratchet or two from Snap On later on, but not whilst I’m on apprenticeship wages. Another lad who is almost finished his apprenticeship has said good things about the kit he’s bought from Halfords too. The fact that you can get a 20% trade card discount is very appealing too. But you do get what you pay for with tools, I still have in perfect working order a snap on 1/4 drive long ratchet for taking out 20 torx on the cambelt covers on Lagunas, was the only thing that would reach, but ive also had good results with halfords sockets sets and spanners over the years also so its wise to see what others are using and make an informed choice based on that and see what works for you.
Having worked for most main dealer brands over the years I can say the job was pretty shyte and underpaid always, the only exception was when getting into restoration which pays better and gives a much bigger variety of task, which is what I enjoy.
Cant stand service work constantly and the rat race that is franchised dealers.
Have fun anyways!
As for the ways of the dealership, despite what a lot of people say I was actually surprised to hear how much some of the techs I work with get paid, any that’s just the ones with less time served. It’s not what I’d call crap by any stretch, and the company pays higher basic saleries with smaller bonuses so if you have a bad month you’re not getting screwed too badly.
MG CHRIS said:
Always go for the mot license if you get the chance huge benefits for future employment. However the course is 4 days of reading a manual that makes no sense and was written by a bunch of civil.servants. You be glad to go back to work after 4 days in a class room also yearly updates which can be a pain last year's was tough and something like 5-10% of testers in the country didn't complete it. This year's was easy though.
Glad the job is going well.
That’s the down side that I often hear the lads grumbling about. There’s a few who’ve just let their licenses expire and everyone sGlad the job is going well.
t their pants the other week when an assessor came in. MG CHRIS said:
You be surprised how many engines have been replaced under warranty in various dealerships in a year modern engines can be pretty fragile.
One lad worked at Audi for a while and he said in a year he saw something like two engines being replaced whereas with BMW he’s lost count over the years. Doesn’t sound great but keeps us in the job. We’re currently getting a load of EGR cooler recalls in that have been ongoing for the last few years apparently wherein they leak and ps coolant all over the engine. Then there was yet another Mini that came in with a trashed turbo which required replacing. Totally irrelevant but if baffles me the state some people leave their cars in as well. I’m not exactly a saint when it comes to religiously cleaning my car, you’re lucky if it gets done once every few months but some that come through the workshop are utterly filthy. Then you get some where the seat is so far forward you’d think a child has been driving it, or the opposite where it’s so far back you’re practically on your back seat passengers lap and you can’t even fully depress the clutch. I also love seeing people who have their wing mirrors aimed at the sky or directly down at the road. Then Mr or Mrs So-And-So who needs to bring their car in to have the tyres inflated. “I couldn’t get the caps off” they say, and of course they twist free instanteously. We had a corker the other day, a customer brings their vehicle in for a replacement battery, “Oh, whilst you’re at it will you be able to get rid of the low battery light as well” Brilliant!
Edited by mick1199 on Saturday 25th December 20:23
Unfortunately the automotive retail side has a negative image. However, there are alot of options after completing Apprenticeship from checking out others careers.
Can work towards BMW Master Technician which is a very prestigious qualification. There you make £40-50k i think.
Workshop controller
Service advisor
BMW Group UK - Training or Aftersales or Technical Support and Warranty
Training Instructor
Manufacturing and be a technician on prototypes or series vehicles
Go into aerospace. Got a mate that gone to Rolls-Royce Aerospace from VW as a technician and is now a test team engineer after 1-2 years and supposedly on £100k
So my point is it is not all doom and gloom. Have a passion for what you do is most important thing in life. Then the pay is a bonus.
Can always setup own garage or work in classic car restoration. Setting up own garage or going to an independent garage outside of Dealer network seems to be well trodden path but i think there are more exciting options like above out there.
Also can go into engineering but that means going to university but mechanic training would help you on practical to some extent.
Can work towards BMW Master Technician which is a very prestigious qualification. There you make £40-50k i think.
Workshop controller
Service advisor
BMW Group UK - Training or Aftersales or Technical Support and Warranty
Training Instructor
Manufacturing and be a technician on prototypes or series vehicles
Go into aerospace. Got a mate that gone to Rolls-Royce Aerospace from VW as a technician and is now a test team engineer after 1-2 years and supposedly on £100k
So my point is it is not all doom and gloom. Have a passion for what you do is most important thing in life. Then the pay is a bonus.
Can always setup own garage or work in classic car restoration. Setting up own garage or going to an independent garage outside of Dealer network seems to be well trodden path but i think there are more exciting options like above out there.
Also can go into engineering but that means going to university but mechanic training would help you on practical to some extent.
Cyder said:
There's plenty of avenues that could open up to you.
I work in R+D for an OEM and a number of our technicians and engineers have started off at dealerships on apprenticeships and then moved jobs later to the OEM test workshops as technicians. Some then decide that a life of office based fun is for them and move to the engineering side, others move into the workshop management, others just enjoy working on and driving the cars on evaluations.
What is it like in R&D in an OEM ? What is the background of most of the engineering staff to get in somewhere like there ? Is the work really interesting working on prototypes etc ? Also are the technicians generally at Master Technician status ?I work in R+D for an OEM and a number of our technicians and engineers have started off at dealerships on apprenticeships and then moved jobs later to the OEM test workshops as technicians. Some then decide that a life of office based fun is for them and move to the engineering side, others move into the workshop management, others just enjoy working on and driving the cars on evaluations.
Surprised anyone has replied to this as I thought the post was long dead but I still get notifications. Simple fact is the motor trade is utter st, or at least where I work it is. Awful mangement who treat you like slaves and not left alone long enough to actually learn anything to the point where 2 years into my apprenticeship I still don’t know much other than basic servicing. The people who warned me away where very much right and I was daft to ignore what everyone said, easily one of the biggest mistake I’ve made taking this job. Mechanics work for one reason. Money. That’s it. Because you can be a master tech diagnosing and fixing complex problems or a total whopper slapping brake pads on and earn similar wages. The vast majority, if not everyone I work with hates their job but are either too comfortable with the money, or just can’t be bothered to leave and start over in a different career. I’m looking at leaving as soon as possible before I even complete my apprenticeship and just cut my losses. Yes, you can argue that getting a good qualification as a mechanic can open other doors into engineering and the likes but I’ve never heard of anyone doing it, nor does anyone I work with talk about stuff like that happening. Most just leave for other dealerships or sell their soul and their spine to the devil and go into mangement.
t, or at least where I work it is. Awful mangement who treat you like slaves and not left alone long enough to actually learn anything to the point where 2 years into my apprenticeship I still don’t know much other than basic servicing. The people who warned me away where very much right and I was daft to ignore what everyone said, easily one of the biggest mistake I’ve made taking this job. Mechanics work for one reason. Money. That’s it. Because you can be a master tech diagnosing and fixing complex problems or a total whopper slapping brake pads on and earn similar wages. The vast majority, if not everyone I work with hates their job but are either too comfortable with the money, or just can’t be bothered to leave and start over in a different career. I’m looking at leaving as soon as possible before I even complete my apprenticeship and just cut my losses. Yes, you can argue that getting a good qualification as a mechanic can open other doors into engineering and the likes but I’ve never heard of anyone doing it, nor does anyone I work with talk about stuff like that happening. Most just leave for other dealerships or sell their soul and their spine to the devil and go into mangement. mick1199 said:
Surprised anyone has replied to this as I thought the post was long dead but I still get notifications. Simple fact is the motor trade is utter st, or at least where I work it is. Awful mangement who treat you like slaves and not left alone long enough to actually learn anything to the point where 2 years into my apprenticeship I still don’t know much other than basic servicing. The people who warned me away where very much right and I was daft to ignore what everyone said, easily one of the biggest mistake I’ve made taking this job. Mechanics work for one reason. Money. That’s it. Because you can be a master tech diagnosing and fixing complex problems or a total whopper slapping brake pads on and earn similar wages. The vast majority, if not everyone I work with hates their job but are either too comfortable with the money, or just can’t be bothered to leave and start over in a different career. I’m looking at leaving as soon as possible before I even complete my apprenticeship and just cut my losses. Yes, you can argue that getting a good qualification as a mechanic can open other doors into engineering and the likes but I’ve never heard of anyone doing it, nor does anyone I work with talk about stuff like that happening. Most just leave for other dealerships or sell their soul and their spine to the devil and go into mangement.
It been done i seen someone go into engineering at BMW. They got a degree then went to MINI Plant Oxford then BMW AG. Obviously you have to have passion, be bright and willing to do the academics to get there and most mechanics do not possess those qualities or are not willing to do it. There are defo other options out there. Complete apprenticeship. Also if everyone arounds you has a crap attitude it rubs of on you as you become the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Getting to Master Tech i have heard is not easy though not sure if that is true or not. Can always look into going to bmw independent specialist or classic car restoration or move to manufacturering side.t, or at least where I work it is. Awful mangement who treat you like slaves and not left alone long enough to actually learn anything to the point where 2 years into my apprenticeship I still don’t know much other than basic servicing. The people who warned me away where very much right and I was daft to ignore what everyone said, easily one of the biggest mistake I’ve made taking this job. Mechanics work for one reason. Money. That’s it. Because you can be a master tech diagnosing and fixing complex problems or a total whopper slapping brake pads on and earn similar wages. The vast majority, if not everyone I work with hates their job but are either too comfortable with the money, or just can’t be bothered to leave and start over in a different career. I’m looking at leaving as soon as possible before I even complete my apprenticeship and just cut my losses. Yes, you can argue that getting a good qualification as a mechanic can open other doors into engineering and the likes but I’ve never heard of anyone doing it, nor does anyone I work with talk about stuff like that happening. Most just leave for other dealerships or sell their soul and their spine to the devil and go into mangement. Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff