$200 bucks for an oil change? Did it include a new car?
It was like 150 or something like that but still all because it was a vw
Itās very tough to get you foot in the door without some prior experience or a trade school background. If youāre really wanting to proceed with this I would suggest enrolling in an automotive course at a local vo-tech school. The fees will be very reasonable (cheap actuallyā¦) in comparison to those outfits like UTI whose main goal is playing the student loan game and leaving most applicants in the hole by 5 digits.
You could then possibly get in as an apprentice doing basics and possibly working under the wing of an experienced mechanic.
One thing about the automotive world; the learning will never, ever stop. Never.
I still think the best approach is to primarily concentrate on being a good welder, and landing a good job . . . and learning auto mechanics on the side, if you even have the time and/or energy
IMO itās going to be hard to master both trades, on a professional level, anyways
A good welder can get paid handsomely, if he lands a good job.
I agree with ok4450 . . . learning never stops
And something else that wasnāt mentioned . . . buying tools and tool boxes, top boxes, cabinets, etc. never stops
I took welding classes in college, but had a good friend who could weld anything. Sure we welded in some plates for my 71 Nova where the body rusted out under the rear body shock mounts, sure we welded the 1892 wood burning cast iron stove foot, after it broke and was my only source of heat, that guy knew every rod and amps to use for anything, Wish I could have learned more from him, another great guy gone too soon.
Still have the stove if you are interested in seeing the welds.
In fact in loving memory of my friend Loren here are the front and back pics of his weld Join for the foot of my cast iron stove
Well this is what I like choppers bobbers and fast cars just want to work more with my hands Iām 31 and feel that I started a little late in the game but Iām still young so far this state Iām in doesnāt offer what Iām looking for and it will be rough to pick up and leave being that I have a family I know something will give I already started with tools next step is a tig welder and MIG welder then sheet metal tools
Nice job on the stove Barkydog and especially for cast iron. That stove is beautiful. Iām a sucker for old and ornate things. Funny thing about a buddy of mine who is the welder I mentioned. His hands shake like a leaf in high winds all of the time. The minute he touches a welder or torch he can weld a robotic looking bead or torch steel plate so smooth it looks like it was cut with a hacksaw.
smc85, best of luck on either profession. My personal opinion is that the welding profession would likely be less stressful. Thereās also less monetary outlay on tools. Iāve got 1 large box, 2 smaller rollaround cabinets
, and still donāt have enough space for tools. Thereās enough overflow to fill another large box and then some.
If you get a job working for a new car dealer you will face a lot of things that are not pleasant. Flat rate pay, moronic company policies, backstabbing, and shop politics can be extremely frustratingā¦ Db4690 can likely attest to this.
Your best option would be to try and wrestle your way into a fleet job of some sort.
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Agreed
New car dealerships CAN be a good place to learn some skills, but only if you WANT to learn, ask lots of questions, watch the other guys, and do a lot of reading/studying. If you donāt do any of those things, youāll never be good enough to land a better job. Sorry if I offended anybody, but thatās my honest opinion, FWIW
But you donāt want to stay there too long, unless you like getting robbed . . . on the other hand, a reason to stay there would be if you have aspirations to be a shop foreman, service director or some such profession
Fleet jobs are definitely decent jobs, especially if itās public sector. IMO you canāt beat it, unless you want to open your own business
We had a fella in my company many years ago that could do beautiful welds on anything, including titanium, stainless, and marine welding (underwater). He could lay down a row of dimes on aluminum that was a sight to behold. He had every AWS and ASME certification in existence.
Me, I learned to arc weld in HS, and have analyzed sectioned welds for analysis, but I never learned to weld. I have the utmost respect for good welders. I have to say, however, that in todayās world welding isnāt in demand the way it was when I was a young man. So much of it now is robotic, and so much has been switched to spot welding, that thereās a lot more good welders out there than there are jobs for them. If I were considering a field to pursue, Iām not sure Iād choose welding.
Some years back I took a tour of the Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, OK.
They do service work on B-52, AWACS, C-117s, B-1s, and so on.
The place is mind boggling. We took a cart on the tour due to the size of the building. A guy could fly a small plane inside the building.
The machine tooling and welding equipment they have there is beyond amazing. In a demo a guy broke a double-edged razor blade in halft and welded it back together robotically with the prettiest bead you will ever see. A magnifying glass is needed to see the bead thoughā¦
Welding is still big around here mainly due to the oil and gas fields along with farm equipment. Even stick welding.,
Iām in agreement with db4690 that a dealer might be a good place to start and get some experience under your belt but donāt count on the long term.