| Author | Message | ||
| Craig (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 20 Registered: 9-2002 |
i thought the same thing when i got my A&P license (aircraft mechanic) i figured with the training and responsibility its got to be a high paying job, a friend went to work at the local toyota dealer and was making more then i was working on commercial jets, ive got to say, it as very interesting but hey, a guys got to earn a living | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 607 Registered: 4-2002 |
I kind of figured you had some perfectionist tendencies, Peter.  | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 2225 Registered: 12-2000 |
Taek, what I've learnt is that you don't turn your hobby into your work. When you do, then you lose the enjoyment and pleasure. Hans: "...in that most shops have a 'need for speed' in terms of getting the car out the door. So details don't get taken care of, appearance of repair can be sloppy, etc." I deal with that everyday at work. Our foreman knows us quite well and will give us jobs that suit us. One of the guys is like you've described. Damn, he works like lightning, but don't ask him to weld... I get the nice, meticulous jobs and I take my time (its funny, but he's said many times: "I want you to work on this like you work on your Ferrari..."). | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 599 Registered: 4-2002 |
JRV hit the nail on the head, in that most shops have a 'need for speed' in terms of getting the car out the door. So details don't get taken care of, appearance of repair can be sloppy, etc. I've found an independant F-car mechanic that takes personal pride in the repair, and won't just throw it together unless he's convinced all is right. Sometimes a little aggrevating to my wallet, as he will start fixing little things that appear as he is working on what I brought the car in for originally. Best line: I called to see if he had any idea of when I could pick up my car. He said: "I've only had it a week, I'm not done taking it apart yet!" | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Junior Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 69 Registered: 11-2002 |
I don't want to be a mechanic to make a living. I want to be learn how to be a proper mechanic in these cars so that I can set up my garage whenever I feel I'm ready to take on these cars and work on my own cars. I want to start a collection but before I go deeply into that I want to know how these things tick. I feel that having some of the vintage cars that I have my eye on would be all the more rewarding if I can tool around them. It would also help me when evaluate cars that are for sale etc. Most importantly I want it to become a hobby. One of these days I'm going to just purchase some engines and completely restore them. Then put them on some nice display cases in my living room or reading room. | ||
| Tom Bakowsky (Tbakowsky)
Junior Member Username: Tbakowsky Post Number: 58 Registered: 9-2002 |
Being a mechanic myself and have spent a fair bit of the last 4 years repairing and servicing Ferrari,Lambo and Porsche, I must say this..after a while..they become like anything else. Once you get into the nitty gritty of the cars there just like anyother. Pistons,cams,oil,coolant,radiators,fuses,wires hell all the same stuff a regular production car has..minus the little horsie on the hood. You also begin to realize that the cost of some parts are so stupid that you get angery! even though it's not your car!! It's just because you know that it is pure price fixing! Heck I'm even thinking to sell my personal Ferrari just a 308Gtsi..just because of that reason. Just always remember the grass is always greener on the other side..do yourself a favor and don't become a mechanic. Even if it is working on Ferrari's | ||
| Todd Gieger (Todd328gts)
Member Username: Todd328gts Post Number: 265 Registered: 6-2002 |
JRV, I usually don't read every word in the lengthy posts, but in your case I am quite glad that I did...It was quite refreshing to hear there are still some "old school" people out there...very refreshing to say the least...I envy the folks that work with you and use your GENUINE expertise! All the best, TTG | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 196 Registered: 11-2002 |
I started sweeping floors and running for parts in a small race shop in Santa Monica while I was still in high school. After a while they would let me take things apart and clean them, 2 or 3 times if necessary until I understood what their idea of clean was. Eventually I got to take things apart and put them back together. During the summers they would let me work till 2 am with them building the race cars and go help on the pit crew on weekends. After that I started working my way up the ladder by securing a job with some German Master mechanics, also in Santa Monica. I apprenticed with them for 2 years before I was even allowed to tune my first 6 cylinder Porsche. So there is 5 years gone by and I was just beyond the beginning of my career. I've been working on sports cars for 32 years now, so you can see it takes awhile. What it takes is natural talent, intelligence, dedication, perseverance, insatiable curiosity, respect for others, and burning desire to be the best, at who you are and what you do, along with morals, values and character. And some lucky breaks to apprentice under masters. Just like any other professional career. If you have all of the above coupled with opportunity and the understanding that it's all about learning paying ones dues. These days I prefer a guy that has desire and ability to learn along with honesty, and hasn't been loaded down with BS. In 99% of the automotive repair world it's how fast you are that counts, in the Ferrari world it's how good you are that counts (to some). The two are not compatible imo. Trying to stress quality over speed to someone that has bad habits ingrained is a frustrating and losing battle imo. Like Paul mentioned, this doesn't pay much for quite some time, nothing like what people think, I equate it with MLB (Major League Baseball) before you can play on the field with the stars and get paid like the stars you have to prove you are a Star, In the daily Battle of Trial by Fire. Although most want to skip the beginning and middle and fast forward to the star status and big bucks. And many do actually, which is where that 'service disaster' story comes from. You hear about disasters because every industry has con artists only out for the money. And because the numbers are big, exotic cars attract more than their fair share of con/ripoff artists. Another thing I look for is a sense of personal responsibility. Fading fast in today's world. But if one doesn't have a strong sense of personal responsibility it's hard to trust them with very expensive property belonging to others. And beyond all the above, working on exotic sports cars is "very hard" work. That in itself eliminates 95% of the people that want into this game. I'm a Ferrari Mechanic sounds good on the surface, but cars love to bite mechanics in the ass and make fools of them. Not many are willing to endure that for the long haul. Enough rambling...time for some turkey...Happy Thanksgiving guys and gals.... | ||
| Anthony_Ferrari (Anthony_ferrari)
New member Username: Anthony_ferrari Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2002 |
I know a few of the F1 mechanics and they earn a lot less than I expected. | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Junior Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 66 Registered: 11-2002 |
Famous last words...Paul, it's not the money that intersts me... But it's true in this case. I would just like to get into something like this because in my opinion it sure beats any hobby out there aside from driving the machines. I'm your typical textbook idiot who learned what all the parts mean and the generals of how the things work by reading and reading and then reading some more. I have zero shop time and would likely create the world's biggest paperweight if left to my own devices with any car. Changing tires, air filters, blown light bulbs, spark plugs, installing strut bars, and other miscellaneous "anyone can do it" practices (none of the above in a Ferrari of course) are my extent of under the hood time. Matt, that's good to know, maybe I'll look into something like that. Although I don't think I would want to get myself to do any real work in anyone's car besides my own and my wife's until I really know what I'm doing. | ||
| Matt Lemus (Mlemus)
Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 694 Registered: 8-2002 |
Taek-Ho, I know Ferrari in Woodland Hills has at least one. Alan Johnson, service manager, said he likes his newbie's to have little or no automotive experience. He said it is hard to break bad habits. Ask around at different shops. Offer to help for free from time to time. M | ||
| Paul Newman (Newman)
Member Username: Newman Post Number: 710 Registered: 12-2001 |
As a mechanic myself (ford), I inquired about a position at a ferrari dealer. They said once in, the mechanics usually stay forever so its hard to get in and they would rather start from scratch with an apprentice. Also, it doesnt pay much if you can believe it. The image thing of being a ferrari mechanic doesnt pay the bills. | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Junior Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 64 Registered: 11-2002 |
I figure apprenticeship would be the way to go. I just threw this up there because of all the threads going around about "how to" books and the like. Also wondering, what kind of role would the apprentice play in the dealership or private garage. After seeing the thread about by Luciano (Service Catastrophe), I wonder if it would make more sense to have some sort of formal schooling before someone takes a rookie in to fiddle with these cars. I mean, McDonalds and Burger King have their "Burger University", maybe some of these shops that deal with complicated and expenive machinery should offer something. | ||
| Matt (Matt_lamotte)
Junior Member Username: Matt_lamotte Post Number: 72 Registered: 10-2002 |
I am pretty sure you can't go directly to Ferrari school. You have to have several years of automotive experience before you can become one. An apprenticeship is probably the best way I could think of to start. No telling how hard that would be to get. I am not sure though were to go for classes. Happy Turkey Day | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Junior Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 63 Registered: 11-2002 |
Is there some sort of training program/school for this stuff? How do all these talented independents get started? How do the dealership mechanics get a start? If there is such a class, I'm guessing many would be interested in participating. Happy Thanksgiving to all! |