Becoming a mechanic
Discussion
Hi guys, new here. Basically im after some advice im wanting to become a mechanic im a pretty confident home mechanic and used to help a family friend when i was a kid who was a mobile mechanic.
When i left school at 16 i started an apperentship in a garage but a few weeks after the company folded and ended up training to be a carpet fitter.
im now 31 and want to get back into the automotive industry, i have a paticular passion for classic cars.
Im after some advice on how to go about this? ovbiviously i do have more finacial burdens compare to a younger guy but am keen to have a change in career and do something i really enjoy.
When i left school at 16 i started an apperentship in a garage but a few weeks after the company folded and ended up training to be a carpet fitter.
im now 31 and want to get back into the automotive industry, i have a paticular passion for classic cars.
Im after some advice on how to go about this? ovbiviously i do have more finacial burdens compare to a younger guy but am keen to have a change in career and do something i really enjoy.
Advertise your services, and take on peoples projects/work to complete in your spare time. If you end up with enough work to make it viable to do full time, then you can make the move.
Obviously though, you'll need to make sure you are adequately insured for the vehicles you work on, and that you have secure premises.
Obviously though, you'll need to make sure you are adequately insured for the vehicles you work on, and that you have secure premises.
chibbard said:
Art0ir said:
Every mechanic I know wants to get out of it...
Haha, I did 17 years ago. Still a handy trade to have in your pocket though. It also helps me to have the toys I have as I can keep the running costs much lower too. 
Only thing I'm restricted with is no lift.
My house mate has been a mechanic for nearly 10 years and he loves and hates it in equal measures.
When we were all at college, we'd spend most weekends working on our cars (TVRs/Austins/Euroboxes) and still do a lot now. Only one of us pursued it as a career and he says he regrets it now.
He works for a well known motor museum, therefore gets to work on some pretty special cars and go all round the country with them.
The issue is that the shine has worn off now and he rarely gets much enjoyment from it anymore. That and he hates the toll being a mechanic has taken on his body. Constant exposure to oil, grease, petrol and other chemicals has knackered the skin on his hands and he has numerous burns and scars.
I'd have a serious think about being a mechanic before you decide to go for it. A hobby you enjoy can quickly turn into something you hate when you do it for a living.
When we were all at college, we'd spend most weekends working on our cars (TVRs/Austins/Euroboxes) and still do a lot now. Only one of us pursued it as a career and he says he regrets it now.
He works for a well known motor museum, therefore gets to work on some pretty special cars and go all round the country with them.
The issue is that the shine has worn off now and he rarely gets much enjoyment from it anymore. That and he hates the toll being a mechanic has taken on his body. Constant exposure to oil, grease, petrol and other chemicals has knackered the skin on his hands and he has numerous burns and scars.
I'd have a serious think about being a mechanic before you decide to go for it. A hobby you enjoy can quickly turn into something you hate when you do it for a living.
My advice would be to steer clear. As others have said, as far as the manual trades go, working on cars is very much the bottom of the barrel when it comes to pay. Unless you can stump up for your own business you'd probably regret it. Modern cars have become more and more of a pain to work on, and 90% or customers are only interested in the cheapest job rather than the best, so you find yourself spending the majority of your time either justifying why you can't replace front brakes for £3.50 or getting involved in some form or barter war..."come on, let's do a deal" etc. Consequently; because people begrudge putting money in to the trade, there isn't a deal to take out at the other end, so if you become employed at a private garage expect unpaid overtime, poor salary and being taken completely for granted (the voice of experience). Franchised dealers are much better structured, usually with overtime and bonus incentives etc, but even so they don't just give it away. So expect to be under the cosh work-wise; being able to take your time to do a job carefully and meticulously becomes secondary to work turnover and pressure from the suits out front.
If you can do it as a hobby or on the side as a way to make pocket money, then great...but as an everyday 9-5? I wouldn't do it again, I'd have chosen to do anything but given the opportunity to start over.
If you can do it as a hobby or on the side as a way to make pocket money, then great...but as an everyday 9-5? I wouldn't do it again, I'd have chosen to do anything but given the opportunity to start over.
Snapper7 said:
It is also fairly poorly paid. A lot of mechanics who are new to the trade are on minimum wage. I know of a number of senior technicians that having spent 10 years in the trade, working for quality brand names and have loads of experience are still on between £20-24,000...
I'm in the same position as a graphic designer ... 20 years in the business this August and £23k. I was thinking of re-training to work on cars because they're what really excites me, but maybe not then - I'm 40 this year and need to start making enough to buy a house at some point!MitchT said:
Snapper7 said:
It is also fairly poorly paid. A lot of mechanics who are new to the trade are on minimum wage. I know of a number of senior technicians that having spent 10 years in the trade, working for quality brand names and have loads of experience are still on between £20-24,000...
I'm in the same position as a graphic designer ... 20 years in the business this August and £23k. I was thinking of re-training to work on cars because they're what really excites me, but maybe not then - I'm 40 this year and need to start making enough to buy a house at some point!Admittedly the interview for said job was very intense.
My advice would be, don't.
I changed careers and became a mechanic approximately 4 years ago. It is 'fun' and I still enjoy it to a point but the money just isn't in it as a salaried employee. There is obviously money to be made if you set up on your own and are successful but don't expect to be doing that until you are in your 40's if you start now.
Given the skills required to do the job, it is incredibly underpaid in most circumstances. Particularly when you consider what is involved, one minute I need to be an IT whizz and the next a hydraulics specialist
The only upside to it is, if you can er do work on the side (obviously all declared on the tax return). I have met people that can earn their monthly salary again from this if you are good and have an understanding boss that lets you use the workshop outside of work hours/weekends
I'm did a 4 year apprenticeship back in the 90s to be a mechanic, then worked for about 10 years in various garages, and though I say it myself 'I knew my onions'! I ended up hating it though-i was earning nothing and was surrounded by bonus monkeys fitting pads, cv boots, wipers whatever and basically ripping customers off but earning good bonus.
Everyone I knew at college, bar my best mate has now left the trade and it makes me very sad that all the knowledge and experience is wasted..
I still like being able to muck about with cars at home though, and there are a lot of transferable skills so it's not all bad
Everyone I knew at college, bar my best mate has now left the trade and it makes me very sad that all the knowledge and experience is wasted..
I still like being able to muck about with cars at home though, and there are a lot of transferable skills so it's not all bad
cossy400 said:
20 YEARS, stepdaughter graduated 3 yrs ago her starting job was 21 grand a yr, she cut her teeth in that for 2 and half yrs and has just moved to a national company and is on 28 grand a yr.
Admittedly the interview for said job was very intense.
Admittedly the bunch I currently work for are exceedingly tight-fisted - I should be able to easily turn £30k if I go elsewhere and roles that ask for all the skills I currently practise are offering £40-55k, they just don't come up very often.Admittedly the interview for said job was very intense.
I'm an HGV Mechanic and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
There's no thank you's when you do an 80 hour week, but there's plenty of witch hunting going on when something goes wrong.
Body is knackered, long weeks, mediocre pay and well over £15k's worth of tools that I use to make some other f
ker rich.
Should have tried harder at school...!
There's no thank you's when you do an 80 hour week, but there's plenty of witch hunting going on when something goes wrong.
Body is knackered, long weeks, mediocre pay and well over £15k's worth of tools that I use to make some other f
ker rich. Should have tried harder at school...!
I've been a mechanic for 23 years now, I've earnt obscene amounts of money over the years but it's getting harder and harder, the salarys are dropping constantly, I've now started up on my own, I don't earn loads of money but I don't work half the hours I used to have too and have a much better quality of life.
I thought about getting out of the trade but what would I do?? Stack shelves ??
I thought about getting out of the trade but what would I do?? Stack shelves ??
My advice, don't, there's not much money in it, you'll need to provide your own tools and you will struggle be fast enough without the experience gained during a low paid apprenticeship.
If you are the sort that likes to do a job thoroughly, you will be slow against colleagues who just bang parts on with a buzz gun and the fun will soon go out of it.
Some older guys I know who started as mechanics now work doing factory maintenance, a few run their own garages and lead lives of constant torment but the majority have left the trade. One very good mechanic I know works as a supermarket delivery driver where he earns more for a 4 day week.
If you are determined to go ahead you might be better off specialising, mobile air-con for example where you can work for yourself without premises, you will still need to buy a lot of equipment though.
If you are the sort that likes to do a job thoroughly, you will be slow against colleagues who just bang parts on with a buzz gun and the fun will soon go out of it.
Some older guys I know who started as mechanics now work doing factory maintenance, a few run their own garages and lead lives of constant torment but the majority have left the trade. One very good mechanic I know works as a supermarket delivery driver where he earns more for a 4 day week.
If you are determined to go ahead you might be better off specialising, mobile air-con for example where you can work for yourself without premises, you will still need to buy a lot of equipment though.
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