How do you become a Ferrari technician?

Don't derail the thread or it will get split.

 

what were you confused about? as far as you are concerned, i think your heart seems in the right place. hopefully you follow through on it all and end up being a good resource for ferrari owners, and stay the good guy that you are.

not all people who are in the business you want to get into are decent....and you'll find that rubs off on everyone to a degree.

i certainly wasn't trying to say anything that would put you off....on the contrary, i'm trying to encourage you and direct you from an owner's perspective. i've been around this scene for a long time and seen the good and the bad....try and be the good

 

BTW The very first thing you need to do is lose that word technician.

It's newspeak BS that was thought up by some dork who thought we needed to bring a new face and name to a business there was nothing wrong with in the first place.

I don't want to associate with technicians and I won't hire them. Everyone I know who is worth a ***** in this business is just fine being called a mechanic. We fix machines, hence the name.

Don't like it? Find another line of work. This isn't for you.

 

grease monkey is fine by me.... some people get off on calling us mechanics derogatory names...

in my experience, they usually suffer from some kind in lack of fullfillment in their own lives..

 

Hello everyone, I'm new (names Adam Brown) on the board and like Danny am on track to being a Ferrari mechanic. All your responses have been very informative, and I want to say thank to everyone and to Danny for asking the right questions. I do have a few of my own though, I'm currently attending Universal Technical Institute in Glendale Heights, IL, and I am trying to get an apprenticeship at a local Ferrari/Maserati dealership (Continental Motorsports). Im curious mostly with all b.u.l.l.s.h.i.t aside about how much yearly does a regular mechanic start at in a year my year basis? Example: Year 1/20,00k Year 2/50,000k Year 3/75,000k.

I really want to semi-specialize in engine building, but after reading this string of posts I understand that I may have to be a jack of all trades and just look for the engine related WO's when they come up. My story is, I've got a fiance, im 19 years old, going to school to learn a trade, and want to live a full (not rich just full) life, and not be so poor anymore (my bank account is still to this day -.95 cents haha). I know one of you (Dave I think) said that a Ferrari mechanic can buy a Ferrari on one's pay, but I'd like to know what that average is, just close and doesnt have to be to personal or anything. I've never been on a forum with such well spoken and knowledgable people. I'm definitily sticking around and learning everything I can from you guys and gals. Thanks again

Adam B

 

What you want out of life is a job that you love so much that the pay is not the main reason you get up and go to work in the morning. You have to like what you do and just happen to make $$ doing it.

As far as the $$ a mechanic makes, a mechanic is worth as much as his boss or the industry of the cars he specializes in thinks he's worth. The more valuable he becomes to the boss, the more $$ he makes. Also the more knowledge he has of a particular auto manu., the more he makes. Because you work on Ferraris, doesn't necessarily mean you earn a lot more than the Toyota mechanic down the street. Flat rate labor schedules are a great thing for mechanics.

A good friend of mine could turn in over 100+ hours a week at times working on Mercedes Benz's because of the flat rate schedule for doing a specified item on that vehicle. Of course he went to school periodically (paid for by his employer) to learn new procedures for the new models and better procedures for the older ones also.

So my advice to you is if mechanics is your passion then learn as much as possible as you can about your trade by reading, watching, studying, and listening to others more experienced.

 

I've wanted to work on these cars since I was a little kid. I've got books, posters, games, and just general stuff everywhere in my house about these cars. I'm not in it for the money, but I have job offers from Porsche already and Ferrari here is thinking about extending one as well. I've read this whole page and have a good understanding how you guys feel about dealerships and schools and so on. I just want to work on cars. I do have a fiance, so because of that I want to give her a good life and do what I love at the same time, thats why I ask. I'm just curious is all. Thanks for the response.


Adam B

 

While that's true, it's also useless. I think people considering this career would find regional salary ranges for different experience levels more helpful.

 

I didnt want to be the first to say it, but yea what a shop manager thinks your worth and all that is the b.u.l.l.s.h.i.t answers I was trying to avoid. I understand thats very true, but a better numeracle answer is kinda what I was looking for.

Adam B

 

Does Rifledriver still exist around here? I am interested in chatting with him about how he became a Ferrari Tech I can't PM him because I am too much of a noob


TIA!

-Will L.

 

im a technician at honda. been there 2 years. Id love to work on ferraris but realize that it will prolly not happen unless i own one myself. Money can be made at dealerships of more commonly used cars. I dont make bank yet (as i started as a lube tech, and im not A level tech 2 years later). But we do have people in our shop making more then 100K a year. They work hard, dont take breaks, stay late, come early and have several years of experience. I also went to school and have BA in auto Technology. It just takes time. Time to learn the product, and time at the dealer to gain trust from management to give you the deserved raises. Just follow your dreams and work hard and good things will come.

 

Hey man, I like your story - sounds like you've got good motivations for what you're doing. I've been thinking about changing careers (to do something more satisfying than being an actuary) and was curious about auto mechanic salaries as well. [link removed] Hope that site helps some. As far as year by year, I think unfortunately rivee's answer is about as close as you're gonna get: "As far as the $$ a mechanic makes, a mechanic is worth as much as his boss or the industry of the cars he specializes in thinks he's worth. The more valuable he becomes to the boss, the more $$ he makes." One thing though - learn when to ask for more. Over time lots of people who started at roughly the same wage and have the same skill level will no longer be equally compensated simply because one tactfully but persistently asked for more and demonstrated to the boss why it was warranted. Keep this all in mind and you'll do fine.

 

Very interesting thread. Wish I could read faster. I agree the most important aspect in any profession in to understand the basics/theory. I was a machinist for 15 years then for the past 14 years have been a physical therapist. In both professions you cannot know every possible challenge. But with being able to fall back on the understanding of the how it works and why it works you can come up with a strategy to solve the problem. After that it becomes the desire of the individual to become the best. There are numerous people in all walks of life that will just do the bare minimum to do their job. This is not how one gains respect from the customers/patients/coworkers or yourself. Whatever you choose to do in life do it to the highest level allowed and you will be able to hang your head high and eventually enjoy showing your Ferrari to a 5 year old little girl whose father has come up to you at a gas station stating his daughter's favorite car is a Ferrari.

 

Being a mechanic is a great hobby and a sh!tty job. Even with f-cars (unless it is your own) it gets old pretty quick.

 

Happy New year, Jeff - and all,

Got to blink as I read your statement - but, I understand that you are coming from a body of experiences. But not everybody involved in this Ferrari repair business had experiences similar to yours.

There are a number of names, and a couple, not mentioned in this thread, that would never say "it's a ****ty job". Yes, they will cuss at a stuck stud - - but they will win that simple battle. But, "a ****ty job" - - - - nah...... they love it - the challenge - the war, if you will !!! It's their journey - thru the straights, curves and chicanes of dealing with those amazing exotics.

If working on an Fcar is "****ty", I'll be the first to buy a framing hammer for the individual that feels that emotion - - but, I really don't want him to build my house.

Ahh, what the hey,
Happy New Year -
May all of our loved and cared about ones, be well,

Hank

 

You guys are going about it all wrong.

All you need to do is be bitten by a radioactive Ferrari...

 

that's what happened to this guy...
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Hey Jerry, Rachel just radioactively zapped you with a 365 day (actually, for forever) grant of nothing but health & happiness.

Happy New Year (what's your next movie? Should i revive my sound gear? - - hmmmmmmm

Cheers mate,

Hank

 

HA!

I miss Rachel...need to see her soon ! Wish you would bring her to one of our Wednesday get-togethers.

Happy New Year to you as well my friend.

I really really hope to be filming by 3rd qtr 2010....everyone seems to love this script. They are just hesitant to let me direct

 

Happy New year to you Hank.

Pardon Me. All due respect to our fellow f-mechanics and f-tinkerers. I had a extremely bad day with those stuck nuts you mentioned and broke some stuff that I wa supposed to be fixing.

 

Before I went to Hunter Engineering, I was a Toyota tech for 5 years. If you want to blow and go and have a good drive and want to make good money, go work for Honda and Toyota. If you truly have a passion for exotics and Ferrari's I would persue it. If I can give you any advise, yeah pay attention in whatever school your going to and learn the basics. I've seen nothing but trash come out of tech schools and the guys don't know how to do anything but swap parts. My advise to you is to find a guy that's willing like Rifledriver that knows Ferraris like the back of their hand and apprentice with them. You will learn more with a guy like him than any school could ever teach you.

And BTW Rifledriver, I second the thanks for the knowledge you put on this forum, I follow most of your threads and they have helped me out tremdously!

 

We own several Subaru Service Centers and our techs are all top line guys. We have tried "school learned" techs and for the most part they did not make the cut. While they could spout all the technical jargon inside and out, they were totaly unable to diagnos their way out of the bathroom.

I just looked at our techs w-2 forms for 2009. We pay our techs flatrate based on the times published by the factory. Our least expierenced tech has 8 years of factory training plus over $60 grand in tools. Our most expierenced tech is a 23 year master senior Subaru tech with all factory certifacations.

The 8 year tech made $77,000 for 2009, the 23 year tech was well in access of $100,000 for 2009. The rest were in between those numbers. Keep in mind all techs have a huge investment in tools and test equipment. We pay for all training or schooling they wish to take. This is a great investment for both them and us. Now We only hire apprentices and then we grow our own.

I'm guessing there are a lot of Ferrari owners that don't make 77 grand a year. so I would say if you are good and if you can do quality work in a timely manor, you could afford a Ferrari after a few good years in the trade.

I would suggest you find a hi end quality shop, not necessairly a dealer, and beg for a chance to start at the bottom and work your way up the ladder. Your best bet would be to apprentice at the elbow of a senior master tech and keep your mouth shut and listen. These seniors have seen it and done it all and just go about their work with a minimal amount of effort and huge amount of knowlege. You will learn far more by watching and listening than any school program you can find. Keep in mind these schools are funded in part by the Government and there is a huge amount of profit to the school wether you lean anything or not. In my opinion these schools are a scam that really does not prepare you to be a good tech. There are the exceptions but for the most part, you are waisting your time and money.

Howard Musolf
1981 308gtsi
1982 400i Cabriolet
Maserati spider

if it don't fit, force it, if it breaks it needed replacement anyway.

Friends don't let friends use Framm filters on their Ferrari

 

I can speak from experience not with ferrari cars but with other marques. I decided as a young boy to become an automotive tech (mechanic) in the UK. I went to a few local dealerships and asked if they were offering apprenticeship positions for the upcoming year. I was asked to interview and was accepted as an apprentice which is the lowest of the lowest of the low. General duties include sweeping, emptying trash, generally being belittled at every oportunity by the more senior apprentices and the techs. Then in my case I was assigned a master tech who I worked under and learned from. The tech you get assigned to is your teacher and you learn from him/her and really you want to have a well seasoned tech with a wealth of experience.
Once you have built up some experience you are trusted with smaller less involved jobs and your work is checked by others and if Ok'd you will continue to be given jobs ever increasing in difficulty, therefore increasing your confidence and experience level. This in my case went on for the 3 yr duration of my apprenticeship. I then graduated that and went on to complete an HND in Automotive Engineering and Management.
Mechanics I feel in the States are far more respected and valued than those in the UK having seen from both sides of the fence the wages and working conditions from the UK and the US.
This is just a brief snapshot of my personal experience (many many yrs ago) as an aprentice in the automotive field and the B/S you have to deal with is just putting your time in as many have done before you and many will after you. If you do it right and get in with a great franchise I dont think its a bad gig at all.
Good luck
Jonathan

 

While I understand what your saying, flat rate labor can also bite you in the ass......big time. I've spent more than a couple hours replacing sway bar links that the book quotes .6 hours for. The book doesn't understand that 10+ years of MI winters can make the job a major PITA. Another thing, when you hear these guys turn 80-100 hours a week, don't expect too anytime soon. There's a reason they can put in that kind of work, and it didn't happen overnight. IMO Automotive Tech Schools will get you put in the right direction and teach you the proper fundamentals, but experience is where you really learn.