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Right now I'm an auto technician and I plan on being a repair technician for 2 more years in my career..
However I would like to focus on the performance aspect of cars and would like to work in a performance shop. Shops that focus on installing performance upgrades, and conduct tuning.
How do you transition from an auto repair technician to an auto performance technician.
Being a perfomance technician was my real goal from the get. I'm only doing repair just to learn the "basics".
Right now tuning and modifying cars is my hobby....and repair is my career. I would like to do a switch a roo and make tuning my career and repair as my hobby or side money.
I'm also only a c level tech trying to become a B level technician and I realize tuning requires alot more "sophistication, creativity and ingenuity" then simply just diagnosing and replacing a worn part.
I'm also taking electrical engineering and will be focusing on electronics..although I'm think computers will probably be more important.
Right now I'm an auto technician and I plan on being a repair technician for 2 more years in my career..
However I would like to focus on the performance aspect of cars and would like to work in a performance shop. Shops that focus on installing performance upgrades, and conduct tuning.
How do you transition from an auto repair technician to an auto performance technician.
Being a perfomance technician was my real goal from the get. I'm only doing repair just to learn the "basics".
Right now tuning and modifying cars is my hobby....and repair is my career. I would like to do a switch a roo and make tuning my career and repair as my hobby or side money.
I'm also only a c level tech trying to become a B level technician and I realize tuning requires alot more "sophistication, creativity and ingenuity" then simply just diagnosing and replacing a worn part.
I'm also taking electrical engineering and will be focusing on electronics..although I'm think computers will probably be more important.
I'll see what the more experienced members have to say but I'm thinking that sticking with established traditional outlets as you're doing now and climbing the ladder to become a more experienced mechanic might prove to be more fruitful, particularly if you get in with a dealer like BMW, etc. A lot of performance shops don't do particularly well and then if that doesn't work out transitioning to a well paying job back at a dealer could be difficult.
Bolting on aftermarket parts is easy enough for any decent mechanic and tuning is an art form that takes a lot of practice built on basic foundation (AFR's and common sense). There are many successful tuner shops that make good money but I also know a good number of experienced tuners who still hold down a traditional day job.
Bolting on aftermarket parts is easy enough for any decent mechanic and tuning is an art form that takes a lot of practice built on basic foundation (AFR's and common sense). There are many successful tuner shops that make good money but I also know a good number of experienced tuners who still hold down a traditional day job.
This. I'd go even further and say bolt-ons aren't really much different than what an exhaust tech or entry level parts swapper does every day. It's knowing how the various systems will work together an a certain vehicle that makes someone (more) valuable. Then comes engine tech, and knowing what combination of cams/valves/etc will produce the desired result in a certain car. All that comes with experience and understanding of how each piece functions within a whole.
We had one of those guys at a dealer I worked at many years ago. He was called "our best tune up man" If you want to make more money than a very good general auto tech you may want to go to a good engineering college or join a good race team ....
This. I'd go even further and say bolt-ons aren't really much different than what an exhaust tech or entry level parts swapper does every day. It's knowing how the various systems will work together an a certain vehicle that makes someone (more) valuable. Then comes engine tech, and knowing what combination of cams/valves/etc will produce the desired result in a certain car. All that comes with experience and understanding of how each piece functions within a whole.
this also. anyone can bolt parts on, it takes real skill and knowledge to tune the combination for best performance. and to gain that skill and knowledge takes time and effort. you can attend schools that offer classes that will help you gain those skills though, places like wyotech and the hot rod institute are just a couple of schools.
you can also go to your local race track and see if you can get on with a local race teams pit crew and learn from them as well.
I'll see what the more experienced members have to say but I'm thinking that sticking with established traditional outlets as you're doing now and climbing the ladder to become a more experienced mechanic might prove to be more fruitful, particularly if you get in with a dealer like BMW, etc. A lot of performance shops don't do particularly well and then if that doesn't work out transitioning to a well paying job back at a dealer could be difficult.
Bolting on aftermarket parts is easy enough for any decent mechanic and tuning is an art form that takes a lot of practice built on basic foundation (AFR's and common sense). There are many successful tuner shops that make good money but I also know a good number of experienced tuners who still hold down a traditional day job.
That sounds like a pretty solid idea. Joining BMw would be difficult. I heard them and Mercedes are one of the toughest dealerships to get into.
We had one of those guys at a dealer I worked at many years ago. He was called "our best tune up man" If you want to make more money than a very good general auto tech you may want to go to a good engineering college or join a good race team ....
How does joining a race team work?
Is it like any other job where you submit your resume or fill out an application or is there any special requirements/prerequisites?
How does joining a race team work?
Is it like any other job where you submit your resume or fill out an application or is there any special requirements/prerequisites?
that depends on the team, and the level at which they are at. for instance if you were to go to your local track, and hang around the local low budget teams, you might start by volunteering to help them with things they need done. it will be "make work" stuff like cleaning wheels, packing parachutes, cleaning the car, running parts, running food and drinks, etc. if you work hard and show that you are a team player, they will take you under their wing and help you along.
another way to go is to go to an established race shop, and apply for work there. again you will do "make work stuff" at first, but again if you apply yourself, they will take you as an apprentice and teach you the things you need to know. either way you are going to start at the bottom and work your way up.
the last way to get with a race team is to go to a school that trains people to work in the racing industry. start with the sanctioning body you want to work in, and check out the schools they recommend.
actually there is one more way to go, and that is to get a rule book from your local race track, study it carefully, and build your own race car, get your competition license, form your own team, and go racing. in this manner you will learn through the school of hard knocks, but if you apply yourself, and work hard, others will notice, and you might be able to get into a better financed race team that way. if you choose this path though, and you pick up a crew to help you, let them know what your goal is, and that if you reach that goal you will sell them your car so they can then do for themselves if they choose. and remember to be very reasonable with the price if you sell the car to your team.
I would make it your hobby, maybe volunteer your time to help a racetime or work for a speed shop part time for cheap money, while you keep your dayjob. Get in with the shop more and maybe transition over.
I have volunteered for a race team before was great experience. Worked as a garage mechanic for a continental tire series 2010 camaro race team, I was a back up mechanic they were far from home and didn't have enough mechanics to field the garage if a car had a bad wreck, they had to support the pits. Either way car wrecked, and I got to try and scramble to fix it, but it was too broken.
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