Who works in the car industry?

Who works in the car industry?

Author
Discussion

jgy6000

199 posts

169 months

Friday 18th April 2014
quotequote all
I have worked for Mclaren on the 12c and P1 and now work for BMW on new models. All in supply chain/ material planning. It’s interesting and keeps me happy, pays fairly well now im working for the Germans.

750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Friday 18th April 2014
quotequote all
J5MBF said:
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 laugh

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
Wrong on so many levels. I don't need to get my hands dirty in a workshop to understand how to run a service department. What is it you do that makes you such an expert exactly?
Ignore him J5, some people really have no idea how you can quickly progress your career given your ability.

Rich_W

12,548 posts

211 months

Friday 18th April 2014
quotequote all
J5MBF said:
Wrong on so many levels. I don't need to get my hands dirty in a workshop to understand how to run a service department.
I wonder if we asked the Techs at your site whether they'd agree. laugh

The fact you won't even entertain the idea that you should have experience of the job tells me EVERYTHING about:
a) The way you view the job itself.
b) The staff in that workshop.

And therefore

c) I can see that you have not risen to the top based on actual management or interpersonal skills. Since you appear to think your staff do a job so easy you can fully understand the nuances of it, just be watching them! laugh

GavinPearson

5,715 posts

250 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
I work for a US based OEM in Engine Engineering. While I currently work in the USA, I am British and have worked in the UK and USA.

I think UK Engineers are in general underpaid, the higher pay and generally better standard of living I experienced in the USA was what drove me to stay in the USA after being sent here on assignment. Passion is great, and there's a great deal of it in the UK, but sadly it doesn't pay the bills.


750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Rich_W said:
J5MBF said:
Wrong on so many levels. I don't need to get my hands dirty in a workshop to understand how to run a service department.
I wonder if we asked the Techs at your site whether they'd agree. laugh

The fact you won't even entertain the idea that you should have experience of the job tells me EVERYTHING about:
a) The way you view the job itself.
b) The staff in that workshop.

And therefore

c) I can see that you have not risen to the top based on actual management or interpersonal skills. Since you appear to think your staff do a job so easy you can fully understand the nuances of it, just be watching them! laugh
Perhaps you would to share with is just what your profession is, given that you seem to know that much then?

limpsfield

5,870 posts

252 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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750turbo said:
Perhaps you would to share with is just what your profession is, given that you seem to know that much then?
I reckon Rich works in a chippy. They get everywhere, particularly on shoulders.

GroundEffect

13,814 posts

155 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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AyBee said:
Aren't you quite young? Either you're doing very well to be "Senior" already, or you're older than I thought...

Used to be an Assembly Planner for a British luxury car maker which was quite good fun smile
I'm 26. Just get my head down and the job done. Seems to have paid off.

J5MBF

260 posts

199 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Rich_W said:
J5MBF said:
Wrong on so many levels. I don't need to get my hands dirty in a workshop to understand how to run a service department.
I wonder if we asked the Techs at your site whether they'd agree. laugh

The fact you won't even entertain the idea that you should have experience of the job tells me EVERYTHING about:
a) The way you view the job itself.
b) The staff in that workshop.

And therefore

c) I can see that you have not risen to the top based on actual management or interpersonal skills. Since you appear to think your staff do a job so easy you can fully understand the nuances of it, just be watching them! laugh
Where did I say I think they do an easy job?? I don't for one minute take anything they do for granted and I certainly couldn't do it. However, as a team and a department we do very very well so it appears as though you are wrong about me. Thanks though.

NightDriver

1,080 posts

225 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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I'm on the design side. Spent about 7 years after uni travelling the world as a scummy contractor pimping myself out to whoever was paying the most at the time. Worked at Porsche, BMW, Ferrari then back in the UK the usual haunts of JLR, McLaren Ford and some smaller outfits. About 50/50 mix of Motorsport and OEMs.

Made a good few contacts over the years (mainly drunken in god forsaken bars in the middle of nowhere) and now I'm based on the UK working from home on various smallish design jobs. Work varies from Motorsport to prototype stuff for oems. Tend to work 3-4 days a week with the odd push if there's a tight deadline

Will probably do a couple more stints abroad before fully settling. Plan will be to set up my own consultancy when I finally settle!

Rich_W

12,548 posts

211 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
J5MBF said:
Where did I say I think they do an easy job?? I don't for one minute take anything they do for granted and I certainly couldn't do it. However, as a team and a department we do very very well so it appears as though you are wrong about me. Thanks though.
Maybe you are the 1 in 10000 then. Well done if you are. smile

My point is actually irrelevant to you or the motor trade specifically. I'm just of the pov that experience of a job matters. Richard Branson , Alan Sugar, Ron Dennis, Anita Roddick. All started at the bottom and regarded as the best of their fields.

750Turbo. What are you? His mouthpiece? laugh

750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Rich_W said:
J5MBF said:
Where did I say I think they do an easy job?? I don't for one minute take anything they do for granted and I certainly couldn't do it. However, as a team and a department we do very very well so it appears as though you are wrong about me. Thanks though.
Maybe you are the 1 in 10000 then. Well done if you are. smile

My point is actually irrelevant to you or the motor trade specifically. I'm just of the pov that experience of a job matters. Richard Branson , Alan Sugar, Ron Dennis, Anita Roddick. All started at the bottom and regarded as the best of their fields.

750Turbo. What are you? His mouthpiece? laugh
Nope, a normal everyday working guy, let me ask once again, what is it you do?

Geesus!!!!

tbc

3,017 posts

174 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
NightDriver said:
I'm on the design side. Spent about 7 years after uni travelling the world as a scummy contractor pimping myself out to whoever was paying the most at the time. Worked at Porsche, BMW, Ferrari then back in the UK the usual haunts of JLR, McLaren Ford and some smaller outfits. About 50/50 mix of Motorsport and OEMs.

Made a good few contacts over the years (mainly drunken in god forsaken bars in the middle of nowhere) and now I'm based on the UK working from home on various smallish design jobs. Work varies from Motorsport to prototype stuff for oems. Tend to work 3-4 days a week with the odd push if there's a tight deadline

Will probably do a couple more stints abroad before fully settling. Plan will be to set up my own consultancy when I finally settle!
had a lol moment at

Occupation : - Colouring Book Consultant

rofl

VWDaz86

387 posts

185 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
Dealership workshop controller/ technician here

Started as an apprentice, did 3 years after that as a tech then moved into the shirt and tie side, I've done service reception upto aftersales manager. I decided I preferred not being customer facing, and moved into my current dual role that I'm very happy with

CarlT

3,423 posts

246 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
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Rich_W said:
Maybe you are the 1 in 10000 then. Well done if you are. smile

My point is actually irrelevant to you or the motor trade specifically. I'm just of the pov that experience of a job matters. Richard Branson , Alan Sugar, Ron Dennis, Anita Roddick. All started at the bottom and regarded as the best of their fields.

750Turbo. What are you? His mouthpiece? laugh
Has Ron Dennis ever raced cars, designed cars or built cars? I don't believe he has, but he does a pretty good job of running Mclaren.

Fox-

13,228 posts

245 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
Rich_W said:
I wonder if we asked the Techs at your site whether they'd agree. laugh

The fact you won't even entertain the idea that you should have experience of the job tells me EVERYTHING about:
a) The way you view the job itself.
b) The staff in that workshop.

And therefore

c) I can see that you have not risen to the top based on actual management or interpersonal skills. Since you appear to think your staff do a job so easy you can fully understand the nuances of it, just be watching them! laugh
If he was so unsuited for the job how did he manage to get it at a young age (Where he'd need to really have stood out to be considered as his age would work against him) and successfully keep it?

He doesn't need to know how to change the ABC on a 2010 XYZ to successfully run a service department. He's got people who can do that. His skills are elsewhere, hence why he is where he is.

wilfandrowlf

603 posts

211 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
I work in the car industry, sort of..........

www.bloodhoundssc.com

biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin

markcoznottz

7,155 posts

223 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
CarlT said:
Has Ron Dennis ever raced cars, designed cars or built cars? I don't believe he has, but he does a pretty good job of running Mclaren.
He started out at the bottom, mechanic I think, so he hasn't been parachuted in above his station. You might think people respect you in thier 20's but they don't, they really don't.

NightDriver

1,080 posts

225 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
CarlT said:
Has Ron Dennis ever raced cars, designed cars or built cars? I don't believe he has, but he does a pretty good job of running Mclaren.
Started his career as a mechanic and moved up from there. I've know a few real old school guys who remembering him being made to sweep the workshop floor at Coopers!

tbc said:
had a lol moment at

Occupation : - Colouring Book Consultant

rofl
biggrin Well, designing car bits isn't really much different to painting by numbers these days hehe


Rich_W

12,548 posts

211 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
750 said:
What you do
Doesn't matter what I do, it's not the motor trade, I'm talking generically. Though I appreciate I may have seemed a bit "attacking" against the lad above. So I'm sorry if he was offended.

But since you ask, for the last 15+ years "Sales" covers it. (Not as worldly travelling as yourself though) But crucially my current manger and HIS mangers (Owners) have both been there, done that. It makes (to me at least) a big difference if they can look at your performance and critique it with experience on their side.

CarlT said:
Has Ron Dennis ever raced cars, designed cars or built cars? I don't believe he has, but he does a pretty good job of running Mclaren.
If you're going to try and make a counter point. Try and base it on facts you have researched first laugh

Fox- said:
If he was so unsuited for the job how did he manage to get it at a young age (Where he'd need to really have stood out to be considered as his age would work against him) and successfully keep it?
I don't know where or what you do. But are you saying you've never seen someone promoted above the better person because their face fitted better? A few years ago my manager was the company owners best mate. Had never done my job and was forever jumping down the throats of myself and all my colleagues if he decided we'd made a mistake or slacked in some way. 9/10 it wasn't the case. But as he had no experience he wouldn't know that so resorted to immediately taking the view it was our fault and we must therefore be incompetent rolleyes Now clearly he's an extreme case, but at the time we all said the same thing. He simply can't understand our pov. He was blindly setting targets to (try) make himself look good to his mate, but the targets weren't always achievable every month of the year. There's an ebb and flow to sales work as I'm sure you'll appreciate. 2 good months doesn't guarantee the 3rd will be even better.

markcoznottz said:
CarlT said:
Has Ron Dennis ever raced cars, designed cars or built cars? I don't believe he has, but he does a pretty good job of running Mclaren.
He started out at the bottom, mechanic I think, so he hasn't been parachuted in above his station. You might think people respect you in thier 20's but they don't, they really don't.
yes Also made me laugh about the "in their 20s" as well.

NightDriver said:
Started his career as a mechanic and moved up from there. I've know a few real old school guys who remembering him being made to sweep the workshop floor at Coopers!
yes

And I'm willing to bet his staff love that fact. smile Makes a world of difference.

wilfandrowlf said:
I work in the car industry, sort of..........

www.bloodhoundssc.com

biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin
That's really cool

Anyway. I think experience matters a lot. Others don't. Agree to disagree. beer

Matt_L

88 posts

180 months

Sunday 20th April 2014
quotequote all
Been in the trade since I was 16, Parts Apprentice then to Supervisor with Toyota, then to Aftersales Advisor, then as of Sep last year, been in Sales for Citroen.