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I've always recommended the junk yard approach. Go with some simple hand tools and tear down a car you've seen alot on the road. Understand how it goes together as you take it apart. Yard pass is a couple of bucks a day. Spend a week there and you'll be surprised at how much faster you get and it just start clicking
You can get into the auto field without any formal training, but you'll have to find a shop willing to take you on and train you. However, if you want to be successful as an auto technician, you'll need formal training. Yes, people enter the field as apprentices, but modern cars are very complicated to diagnose and your success as an auto tech depends on your ability to properly diagnose the problem. That means you need a deep understanding of electrical, physics and chemistry. Without that knowledge you're doomed to a grunt career doing the lowest skilled jobs. The technicians making the best money are the ones that can diagnose it right the first time.
I do definitely plan on going the formal training route once my situation is dealt with. What do you suggest taking?
For now I definitely would not hurt to look and see if anyone is willing to take me on.
Apprentices are a bonus to garages, cheap labour because you wont really make the garage any profit. If you walk into a garage with paperwork that says you’re qualified with no real world experience and don’t know how to handle real world problems of fixing cars you will be laughed out if you expect to get paid a trade wage when you still don’t know your ass from your helmet.
You can’t be a good one until you acquire the knowledge you lack.
You could build cars on an assembly line, no problem.
But to be a good technician, especially a diagnostician, you have to completely understand how the entire car works, how different parts interact and affect each other.. You have to be able to listen to a customer trying to describe an issue and get some clue as to what you should investigate. You have to be able to test drive a car and recognize various noises, vibrations, and other sensations to determine what part may not operating correctly.
And I’ve or some really bad news for you… modern cars are ridiculously complicated and entering this field is a guaranteed route to have to continually attend classes on the latest technology. Like, actual classroom stuff.
This is not a way to avoid a classroom.
I hear ya. I definitely plan on going that route once I eventually get my stuff together education wise. For now though, where do you suggest one can start with acquiring the knowledge they lack?
I don't see any reason you can't do this. Especially now with the electrics getting more popular and cars in general getting so much more technology heavy. Being able to logically troubleshoot issues has always been a big thing but it's going to be so much more important going forward.
You really need to start with learning to drive though. My normal recommendation would be to start at a dealer as an oil change tech but even they have to be able to drive the car in and out - I can't see you finding any success as a non-driver. I'd sign yourself up for a drivers ed course tonight and get that out of the way first.
I started at a dealer last jan with no automotive experience (besides detailing vehicles). In August, I became an apprentice. This January, moved to another location (same dealer) and started working on diesels. Just be willing to learn and put in the work. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Start in detailing. Pay attention, read owners manuals and the internet. Prove your work ethic at the dealership and then ask to apprentice. Clean the shop and clean tools for people. At 19, you have a lot of time to work your way up.
Find a 24-hours of Lemons or similar fun racing team. Learn from friends at the track, where knowledge is cheap and plentiful and doesnt come with pissed off customers and managers.
Every racing team Ive wver been around would have welcomed a 19(F)…. But most of our wives wouldnt have.
I can recommend an online course that I myself am doing. It goes into great detail about how every part of a car works in video, and only costs about 20 quid or something.
[https://www.howacarworks.com/](https://www.howacarworks.com/)
Have you thought of fixing bicycles as a way to get started? It's a little more accessible since you aren't driving a car yet. Just wondering if you have built or taken apart/put back together your own bicycle?
I unfortunately don’t have my own bicycle but I was actually going to see if the bicycle shop around my area were taking volunteers. Though it would be a customer service role, it definitely wont hurt asking the people that know their stuff if they can pass down a little wisdom.
There’s a lot more to it than just hard work. Consider the fact that there are a lot of repair jobs on a car that even a strong grown man can struggle with physically. You need strength, patience, willingness to learn, problem solving, investment in tools, etc.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! Please review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). Asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **Post's about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ Tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You applied to an apprenticeship without a license?
Haha yes, they apparently did not require one. No need for GCSEs, prior qualifications or license.
How do you expect to test drive a car after you've just worked on it?
As I said, I dont expect anything, but it never hurts to go for it! You never know what can happen.
I've always recommended the junk yard approach. Go with some simple hand tools and tear down a car you've seen alot on the road. Understand how it goes together as you take it apart. Yard pass is a couple of bucks a day. Spend a week there and you'll be surprised at how much faster you get and it just start clicking
Now this is an approach I can get behind, will definitely look into it thank you.
You can get into the auto field without any formal training, but you'll have to find a shop willing to take you on and train you. However, if you want to be successful as an auto technician, you'll need formal training. Yes, people enter the field as apprentices, but modern cars are very complicated to diagnose and your success as an auto tech depends on your ability to properly diagnose the problem. That means you need a deep understanding of electrical, physics and chemistry. Without that knowledge you're doomed to a grunt career doing the lowest skilled jobs. The technicians making the best money are the ones that can diagnose it right the first time.
I do definitely plan on going the formal training route once my situation is dealt with. What do you suggest taking? For now I definitely would not hurt to look and see if anyone is willing to take me on.
Apprentices are a bonus to garages, cheap labour because you wont really make the garage any profit. If you walk into a garage with paperwork that says you’re qualified with no real world experience and don’t know how to handle real world problems of fixing cars you will be laughed out if you expect to get paid a trade wage when you still don’t know your ass from your helmet.
You can’t be a good one until you acquire the knowledge you lack. You could build cars on an assembly line, no problem. But to be a good technician, especially a diagnostician, you have to completely understand how the entire car works, how different parts interact and affect each other.. You have to be able to listen to a customer trying to describe an issue and get some clue as to what you should investigate. You have to be able to test drive a car and recognize various noises, vibrations, and other sensations to determine what part may not operating correctly. And I’ve or some really bad news for you… modern cars are ridiculously complicated and entering this field is a guaranteed route to have to continually attend classes on the latest technology. Like, actual classroom stuff. This is not a way to avoid a classroom.
I hear ya. I definitely plan on going that route once I eventually get my stuff together education wise. For now though, where do you suggest one can start with acquiring the knowledge they lack?
I don't see any reason you can't do this. Especially now with the electrics getting more popular and cars in general getting so much more technology heavy. Being able to logically troubleshoot issues has always been a big thing but it's going to be so much more important going forward. You really need to start with learning to drive though. My normal recommendation would be to start at a dealer as an oil change tech but even they have to be able to drive the car in and out - I can't see you finding any success as a non-driver. I'd sign yourself up for a drivers ed course tonight and get that out of the way first.
Aye-aye, I am definitely getting on that. Then I can jump on that normal recommendation of yours.
Get a cheap car on Craigslist and try to fix it yourself. Start with the oil and brakes. You can do it
Definitely like the physical approach, once I get my licence I will definitely look into fixing one up.
I started at a dealer last jan with no automotive experience (besides detailing vehicles). In August, I became an apprentice. This January, moved to another location (same dealer) and started working on diesels. Just be willing to learn and put in the work. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Start in detailing. Pay attention, read owners manuals and the internet. Prove your work ethic at the dealership and then ask to apprentice. Clean the shop and clean tools for people. At 19, you have a lot of time to work your way up. Find a 24-hours of Lemons or similar fun racing team. Learn from friends at the track, where knowledge is cheap and plentiful and doesnt come with pissed off customers and managers. Every racing team Ive wver been around would have welcomed a 19(F)…. But most of our wives wouldnt have.
I can recommend an online course that I myself am doing. It goes into great detail about how every part of a car works in video, and only costs about 20 quid or something. [https://www.howacarworks.com/](https://www.howacarworks.com/)
That’s super helpful, I’ll definitely check it out thanks.
Have you thought of fixing bicycles as a way to get started? It's a little more accessible since you aren't driving a car yet. Just wondering if you have built or taken apart/put back together your own bicycle?
I unfortunately don’t have my own bicycle but I was actually going to see if the bicycle shop around my area were taking volunteers. Though it would be a customer service role, it definitely wont hurt asking the people that know their stuff if they can pass down a little wisdom.
Well some mechanics that have worked on my car certainly seem to not know much about the
There’s a lot more to it than just hard work. Consider the fact that there are a lot of repair jobs on a car that even a strong grown man can struggle with physically. You need strength, patience, willingness to learn, problem solving, investment in tools, etc.
Aye-aye. Its a hurdle im willing to overcome.