Who works in the car industry?
Discussion
GroundEffect said:
Senior Powertrain Design Engineer for one of the big OEMs.
I like it.
Aren't you quite young? Either you're doing very well to be "Senior" already, or you're older than I thought...I like it.
Used to be an Assembly Planner for a British luxury car maker which was quite good fun
Work as Engineering Manager for a second tier automotive supplier. I have a degree in Metallurgy (1995)
We supply from the UK to a global customer base, so plenty of travel involved - although this is not glamorous, I have seen lots of airports, hotel lobbys, restaurants and factories around the world - but not much else! Have set up new sites in Mexico and we are currently at the site selection stage in India.
It is good fun and I have been lucky in my career progression.
We supply from the UK to a global customer base, so plenty of travel involved - although this is not glamorous, I have seen lots of airports, hotel lobbys, restaurants and factories around the world - but not much else! Have set up new sites in Mexico and we are currently at the site selection stage in India.
It is good fun and I have been lucky in my career progression.
Your normal mechanic for the pay involved its a crappy job. But the working day does go by quickly which is a good thing and now and again you do get the odd nice car in which makes working on the crap a bit better.
What does make your money though is being your own boss plenty of mechanics after apprentership within 5 years start up on there own everyone is in need of a good mechanic you only need a few good customers to pass you on to others and you got a good customer base.
This is what im doing at the moment building customer base outside of work for when I do make the choice to good self employed.
What does make your money though is being your own boss plenty of mechanics after apprentership within 5 years start up on there own everyone is in need of a good mechanic you only need a few good customers to pass you on to others and you got a good customer base.
This is what im doing at the moment building customer base outside of work for when I do make the choice to good self employed.
MG CHRIS said:
Your normal mechanic for the pay involved its a crappy job. But the working day does go by quickly which is a good thing and now and again you do get the odd nice car in which makes working on the crap a bit better.
What does make your money though is being your own boss plenty of mechanics after apprentership within 5 years start up on there own everyone is in need of a good mechanic you only need a few good customers to pass you on to others and you got a good customer base.
This is what im doing at the moment building customer base outside of work for when I do make the choice to good self employed.
Stick in there and you will do well!What does make your money though is being your own boss plenty of mechanics after apprentership within 5 years start up on there own everyone is in need of a good mechanic you only need a few good customers to pass you on to others and you got a good customer base.
This is what im doing at the moment building customer base outside of work for when I do make the choice to good self employed.
It would be nice to here from some Service/Part/Sales/Other Manager on this thread, I would have thought that are more than a few on PH?
750turbo said:
MG CHRIS said:
Your normal mechanic for the pay involved its a crappy job. But the working day does go by quickly which is a good thing and now and again you do get the odd nice car in which makes working on the crap a bit better.
What does make your money though is being your own boss plenty of mechanics after apprentership within 5 years start up on there own everyone is in need of a good mechanic you only need a few good customers to pass you on to others and you got a good customer base.
This is what im doing at the moment building customer base outside of work for when I do make the choice to good self employed.
Stick in there and you will do well!What does make your money though is being your own boss plenty of mechanics after apprentership within 5 years start up on there own everyone is in need of a good mechanic you only need a few good customers to pass you on to others and you got a good customer base.
This is what im doing at the moment building customer base outside of work for when I do make the choice to good self employed.
It would be nice to here from some Service/Part/Sales/Other Manager on this thread, I would have thought that are more than a few on PH?
I was parts and service manager for a Citroën, BMW & Alfa specialists.
I was hands on in the workshop too.
We also dealt in classics and I also had a hand in the sales side.
I loved it despite the poor pay.
I moved on eventually to an OEM component manufacturer and supplier, in technical sales and quality assurance.
I was hands on in the workshop too.
We also dealt in classics and I also had a hand in the sales side.
I loved it despite the poor pay.
I moved on eventually to an OEM component manufacturer and supplier, in technical sales and quality assurance.
I design, make and sell aftermarket automotive heater systems that customers install in their track/rally/sports/classic cars, well all sorts of weird and wonderful machinery! I've sold a good few thousand systems now so there must be a reasonable number of customers here on PH which I've helped keep warm and toasty on a chilly race day or winters evening! Its not a big company by any stretch of the imagination but I'm proud its something I've created and happy its given me the opportunity to indulge in the same passion with my own project car!
J5MBF said:
Aftersales Manager at a VX Dealer and love it. Relatively young for the role (27) but have progressed from the service reception to workshop manager to my current position. Family run business which is also the biggest fleet retailer in the midlands and a massive one for UK.
Anyone promoted to that level of responsibility at that age. (With no actual experience of being a Technician) Is clearly a Yes man 
IMO Too many of the people "in charge" have never done the job. So really shouldn't be. Best Dealer Principle I ever met was, in his 20s, Porsche Technician of the Year. I don't think it's a coincidence that he was more rounded than the usual AfterSales managers you meet. Invariably they're ex-Parts men or Service Advisors (aka Key Taggers) or failed apprentices who couldn't do the job as it was too difficult for them.
Edited by Rich_W on Friday 18th April 17:35
Rich_W said:
J5MBF said:
Aftersales Manager at a VX Dealer and love it. Relatively young for the role (27) but have progressed from the service reception to workshop manager to my current position. Family run business which is also the biggest fleet retailer in the midlands and a massive one for UK.
Anyone promoted to that level of responsibility at that age. (With no actual experience of being a Technician) Is clearly a Yes man IMO Too many of the people "in charge" have never done the job. So really shouldn't be. Best Dealer Principle I ever met was, in his 20s, Porsche Technician of the Year. I don't think it's a coincidence that he was more rounded than the usual AfterSales managers you meet. Invariably they're ex-Parts men or Service Advisors (aka Key Taggers) or failed apprentices who couldn't do the job as it was too difficult for them.
Edited by Rich_W on Friday 18th April 17:35
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