Motor Trade - Any Good?

[davidsc]

Jip said:

Thanks for all the replies, some differing opinions but a lot of options I hadn't even considered!

Having spent the last year or so totally unsure of what to do, my manager came and spoke with me on Saturday about a uni course in automotive management that the company could put me through. Gotta prove my worth, so some bum-licking may be needed, but if this comes through, I'll be seriously over the moon! Would involve a shift to BMW as well, so a much nicer company car...

Thanks PH'ers!

Sounds like you are working for a good company at the moment, I'd stick with it.

I used to be a mechanic, got out of it a few years ago, went straight into a job as a currency broker and am earning 5 times what I did as a mechanic. The hours are good, the perks are great and in just 1 year I've saved enough for a decent deposit on a house. I'm 23 by the way.

[Fast Bug]

I'm 34 and didn't do the uni thing, whilst my friends did I worked my way through the motor trade. I still lived the uni lifestyle going and staying with them at weekends and getting smashed in student unions up and down the country.

I'm still in the motor trade and only one of them earns more money than me, so it's not like I've missed out there either. I work Monday to Friday so no unsociable hours either. If you're happy what you're doing stick with it, there's still good money to be earned in the motor trade

[xRIEx]

Remember you don't have to go to uni straight after A levels, the decision you make now is not rest-of-life. You can go to uni full time later in your life, or as mentioned do an OU (or similar) uni course alongside a full time job.

If you enjoy what you do now, carry on; if in the future you no longer enjoy it and want to retrain, do that. I've known people in their mid-30s or 40s go from e.g. chef to occupational therapist.

[Jip]

Fast Bug said:

I'm 34 and didn't do the uni thing, whilst my friends did I worked my way through the motor trade. I still lived the uni lifestyle going and staying with them at weekends and getting smashed in student unions up and down the country.

I'm still in the motor trade and only one of them earns more money than me, so it's not like I've missed out there either. I work Monday to Friday so no unsociable hours either. If you're happy what you're doing stick with it, there's still good money to be earned in the motor trade

Do you mind if I ask what company you work for? Like the sound of working in the trade but not having to do weekends!

[Fast Bug]

Jip said:

Do you mind if I ask what company you work for? Like the sound of working in the trade but not having to do weekends!

I work for Renault, but I do fleet sales so it's a Monday to Friday thing, although I usualy work from home on a Friday! I worked for a manufacturer before going back in to a dealer and did the same. It's only retail sales that includes banks holidays and weekends

[Donatello]

I agree that you should stick with what you love.

Unfortunately though, many college leavers will choose Uni because alot of well paid job vacancies these days simply say things like 'Must be educated to degree level' etc... which automatically puts doubt in peoples minds that they can do anything more than minimum wage without a degree.

I work full time but want a change desperately. I have been looking about and unless it is a low wage/minimum wage, they usually say the above or 'previous experience in this field essential'. I haven't got the relevant experience for a lot of jobs as I am 21 and this is my first full time job!

[slipstream 1985]

smashy said:

Jip ,jip mate ,My mates daughter has a 2:1 in engineering.She cannot get a job.

However it gets worse than that ,she cant even get a minimum wage job!!!!!!

You are in a position 1000s would like to be in.
,just wish you luck.

the problem there is most employers see her degree and would know she would only be in the minimum wage job until something better came along.

[Pwig]

Never went to Uni, all I wanted to do was sell cars, I only did my A-Levels to pass the time until I was 18!

Now 26 and have had 5 very productive years selling cars and things keep getting better.

Then again working for Alfa means you can at least love the product you are selling and most of the customers are mint

[Roo]

The motor trade is a bit like Hotel California.

Jip said:

my manager came and spoke with me on Saturday about a uni course in automotive management that the company could put me through.

I did a two year evening class at the local college paid for by a previous employer.

Many assignments and exams later I got a recognised qualification of Cerificate of Management in the IMI.

Get to put letters after my name and everything.

I started out at a used car site nearly twenty years ago. I've worked for small franchised dealers, groups that grew over time and have also done the corporate/fleet sales route. I've been the bod in the showroom, business manager, sales manager and even used to stand in for the DP's when they were on holiday. The monday to Friday of the fleet side of the job was nice but when you were trying to sell a product nobody wanted it gets soul destroying.

I'm now back at an independent specialist.

Yes, the hours can be a bit rubbish but we don't open Sundays or Bank Holidays and close between Christmas and New Year which helps even it out.

I've seen my ages wages almost halve since the start of the recession but I'm still earning a living. More importantly, I'm still enjoying it.

[Johnboy Mac]

Jip said:

but every person I speak to tells me to get out of the motor trade and go to Uni!

Go to Uni. You can join the motor trade anytime.

[mattnunn]

From what I can gather another 3 or 4 years in the motor trade and you'll be completely without any trace of morals, humanity and empathy towards your fellow man, that sort of experienc you just can't buy. With those sort of qualifications you'll be mortgage free and aston'd up by the time your 30, so I'd say stay in it, you can go to uni anytime.

[Egbert Nobacon]

Johnboy Mac said:

Jip said:

but every person I speak to tells me to get out of the motor trade and go to Uni!

Go to Uni. You can join the motor trade anytime.

This - without a shadow of a doubt. Also, if debt level is a concern, consider taking your degree in Holland. Many degrees in English, and recognised here, with tuition fees of c.1700 euros a year.

[1878]

Another vote for the open university from me - it's not an easy option but well worth considering if you don't want to pack up work and study full time.

[New POD]

Look at the OPEN university. Work and do a degree