Who works in the car industry?

[simonh9]

Debaser said:

I'm a vehicle evaluation and development engineer. My job involves evaluating pretty much all aspects of vehicle performance, and developing vehicles during the prototype phase to ensure the end product is as good as it can be.

A lot of my driving is on test tracks, but being paid to drive some fantastic cars on the best roads in Europe and around the world is a dream job for me.

Snap, but for a different company. :-). Also have to do more test planning and quality management, but that aside, it's pretty interesting on the whole and you get to experience things and places that you wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to.

[Liokault]

I have been an automotive quality engineer for 14 or so years, been a contractor for most of that. I got in with a apprenticeship in sheetmetal fabrication.


Seems to be a boom industry right now.

[Pesty]

Pit Pony said:

I worked on the QFD1 team that Lucas Car Braking ran at Fen End in the early 90's on the EPAS prototype project.

IIRC They were told by Ford that 'no small car needs power steering' and by Rover that "If you can do it for £100, we might be interested" or vice versa.........Didn't TRW buy that bit of Lucas when it was chopped up in the late 90's....so I guess I was there at the start.

Yes mere green plant. Still had all the ancient od ladies in it who refused to wear TRW badged smocks and wore their Lucas ones instead

[Pit Pony]

Pesty said:

Yes mere green plant. Still had all the ancient od ladies in it who refused to wear TRW badged smocks and wore their Lucas ones instead

I spent a lot of time at Dog Kennel Lane.

[TankRizzo]

I'm the head of software development for the fleet arm of a top 5 dealer group.

Moved here from the defence industry so hadn't worked in the industry before but loving it!

[jmcc500]

Benrad said:

Don't forget that it's not only cars that use IC engines. I work for an engine supplier to HGV OEMs in Combustion, performance and emissions testing. The engines are much more complicated and high tech. There's also off road stuff like JCB/perkins etc. As far as I can gather people with relevant skills/experience/qualifications are always in demand in our sector. I know we're struggling to fill a graduate type role at the moment

Interesting post - I am not sure that HGV engines are more complicated and high tech - what makes you say that? Am genuinely interested in what we in the pass car arena are missing

I have been working in Diesel engine development for the best part of 14 years, started at Ricardo in Shoreham and am now at JLR.

Over the years I have worked on everything from 2-cylinder Indian tuk-tuk engines up to a well known supercar engine project, but mainly focussed on 4 cylinder passenger car diesel engines. It has given me opportunity to travel to Japan, Korea, India, most of Europe and the US, and of course, up to the arctic circle for cold weather testing.

For me it has been a great career choice, though as has been said, the pay is not so great if you are permanent staff. Though to be fair, 10 years of feeling slightly underpaid were compensated for when asked to drive the aforementioned (anonymous) supercar from Tignes to Woking one day. Possibly the best working day of my life, and I don't expect I will better it.

My route in to the industry was to study Mechanical Engineering at Loughborough, with school work experience at Lotus in the mid-90s, then a year in Industry at AP (now sadly gone). Ricardo was a great place to learn the ins and outs, but the challenges of an OEM engine development project are a whole different world.

One thing I would say, is that if you want to do the kind of work I am doing, actually having hands on involvement in the engine development, then you have to accept that your career, in all likelihood, can only go so far before you will have to consider more project management type roles, or senior management positions which probably don't have so much to do with day-to-day developments.

[Dr Slotter]

I work at a university and besides teaching people like BenRad , a significant part of my research is automotive work. Do/have done stuff for most of the US and European OEMs, on and off-highway, and a few bits and bobs for F1 teams.

Edit - I think BenRad means that they are more sophisticated than people often give them credit for.

Edited by Dr Slotter on Monday 24th March 20:44

[Grayedout]

Automotive testing roles are not just limited to the car industry.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Por911T]

Commercial vehicle dealer based in Glasgow - selling to businesses all over the UK. Family business started by my father in 1978.........its a way of life for me . The highs are high and the lows are low. Over all I enjoy it .......Clarkson-commercials.co.

[Ari]

CarlT said:

Ari said:

CarlT said:

Area Sales Manager for a manufacturer. Previously a Product Manager for Renault UK, and in the dim and distance past, a shiny suited sales man.

You do realise that makes you a 'failed car salesman' though?

It makes me someone who is earning less money than 10 years ago, but don't work weekends or Bank Holidays.. No failed sales people round here.

Nah, doesn't work like that! I earn more money, and don't work weekends or bank holidays but I'm a 'failed car salesman' apparently because I did car sales for a while between other things.

Apparently.

[JordanTurbo]

zeppelin101 said:

A lot of people I was at uni with who were interested in cars told me they were going to avoid mixing their hobby with work but for me, I'm not sure I'd have it any other way. Much more motivating going to work every day knowing you'll be doing something that actively interests you.

That's one of the main reasons why I went into aviation when I joined the army as apposed to the more obvious vehicle mechanic route. (That and the technician pay is better).

Now that I'm looking to leave however, I'm starting to think I would prefer being in the Automotive industry as it genuinely interests me and I could "get into it" more. Any job I go into at an engineering level would be different enough from bending spanneres on the driveway to sill keep my hobby enjoyable.

Edited by JordanTurbo on Tuesday 25th March 07:06

[Mound Dawg]

I work for Alfaholics.

Spent 20 years in motor insurance until I was made redundant followed by a short time as service advisor at a Jeep dealer then as a car restorer. Always worked on my own cars so that one was no big jump.

2008 was made redundant but Alfaholics were looking for a warehouse man and my name came up as I'd been a customer of theirs. Took the job on the promise of better things and I'm now the sales manager.

So yes, you can turn a hobby into a job.

[Lordbenny]

I spent the last 8 years running The Cannonball Run Europe....best years of my life, equal best job I ever had, dream job. Wasn't really a job, was more of a passion. I feel incredibly lucky to have done it.

[Axionknight]

I notice few if any have come forward and fessed up to being a salesperson, knowing this place they'd likely get lynched if they did.

Edited by Axionknight on Tuesday 25th March 21:47

[strudel]

I'm surprised by the lack of people working with cars in here. Maybe you all hide elsewhere, or do some actual work during the week So here is a Friday bump!

P.S. Anyway know the costs to open a dealership?

[Andy665]

Over 20 years in the industry.

Sold cars, been a Business Manager, training manager,etc etc

Moved in to training, mainly sales people and management in dealership

Spent the last 6 years specializing in writing and delivering training for new model launches for manufacturers on a Europe wide basis, mainly based on product rather than soft skills

Very enjoyable taking very technical detail and turning it into sales person friendly / customer friendly language

[DCLXIV]

I'm a powertrain component engineer for an OEM.

[The GMan]

I was involved in implementing MRP II at a large manufacture back in 1991-2, then involved in starting again when nobody liked how the processes and systems worked!

I moved into Programme Management at the same organisation, who then spent a shed load of money on my training. I then left in 1996 and have not worked in the industry since which is a big regret if I'm honest.

[750turbo]

May as well add my little bit.

34 Years! (Bloody Hell!)

Partsman (A real one, with all the relevant papers from College at the time )

Parts Manager, Aftersales Manager, Group Aftersales Manager, with a temp stint (due to a colleagues illness) as Dealer Principal.

Franchises we worked with were, Datsun, Nissan, Peugeot, Bloody Renault, Toyota & SEAT.

16 years ago I left the retail side, and joined a DMS supplier (UK's largest, and now one of the worlds largest) as an Aftersales Consultant, and was very lucky to work on a few specialist projects (MCC Smart was one at the time)

Now specialise in Retailer (DMS) links --> OEM, which is a somewhat moving feast! (Let us not mention Warranty)

Gotta admit, I love the job (And the non contrib pension!) and the people I work with, I count myself extremely fortunate.

[cptsideways]

On the launch side of these new shiny cars, for lots of different manufacturers. Plus some track based stuff too.