Any Motor vehicle technicians here ??

Hybridtheory

Hybridtheory

Hybridtheory

Associate
Joined
2 Aug 2006
Posts
476
Do you work in a Dealership/franchise ??

I been working for main Dealers for about 8yrs now, previously as a Hi-tech Technician, now working towards Master tech and ATA License at another Main Dealer.

Would just like to know if you still enjoy it and where you see yourself in 5-10yrs with the industry changing so fast ?

I'd like to move into HGV Technician but dont really know how or where to start looking..

Any thoughts welcome

Ps..really sorry if this is in wrong section :/ heh
 
left the employment of Ford last year and its the best thing I ever did ;)


just got fed up of doing the same job more or less every day(theres only so many peeling fiesta steering wheels and mondeo rear bushes you can deal with before you crack :)
 
heh i understand your pain... where did you go to or should i say what brand ? do you think it will be the same again... further down the line when the newness has worn off ?

I'm really seriously considering leaving the trade, the repair side of it and starting something else ?

Just dont knwo what my options are really...
 
[TW]Fox said:
How is the industry 'changing so fast'?

10 years ago, you replaced parts on cars. Now, you replace parts on cars?
Click to expand...

10 years ago you replaced parts to fix a problem.

Now you just plug in a computer and then replace random parts until the problem goes :p
 
I love the new method of fault finding. Last time I was in the dealer I listened to a service advisor explaining to the customer that yes, they were not 100% sure what was wrong with his car, yes, they were going replace the XYZ as its 'probably' that, and no, he wouldnt get a refund if it turned out not to be the cause of the problem.

Great. So they just keep swapping out bits until the problem goes away..
 
Simon said:
10 years ago you replaced parts to fix a problem.

Now you just plug in a computer and then replace random parts until the problem goes :p
Click to expand...


In that 10 years things have come a long way and i mean a long way and soon if you aint got a ATA License you wont get a job at a main dealer


And LMAO at the second quote as i see that a lot :P
 
SgtTupac said:
I work in the HGV Industry, just finished my apprentiship and will be a Master Tech at the end of the year :)
Click to expand...

Is it really only a year between finishing apprenticeship and being a master tech?

I always thought the Master Tech was the wise old guy who'd been there years and seen and done everything. Kinda devalues it if a newbie can make it within a year.
 
My Dad has his ATA Master Tech.

When an ATA quali. becomes mandatory he reckons the pay is going up, a lot of people will be out of the industry.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Is it really only a year between finishing apprenticeship and being a master tech?

I always thought the Master Tech was the wise old guy who'd been there years and seen and done everything. Kinda devalues it if a newbie can make it within a year.
Click to expand...

Not the case. To become a master tech in Volvo you have to complete all the courses they send you on and pass them. Being as ive done that, i managed to nab a place where someone had left.
 
Hybridtheory said:
In that 10 years things have come a long way and i mean a long way
Click to expand...

But you haven't actualy explained what has happened in the last 10 years? Obviously cars are becoming more complex, and you need to learn the skills to deal with that (or just resport to normal main delaer tactics mentioned above), but how has the actual job changed?
 
SgtTupac said:
Not the case. To become a master tech in Volvo you have to complete all the courses they send you on and pass them. Being as ive done that, i managed to nab a place where someone had left.
Click to expand...

My personal opinion that it shouldn't be allowed to happen like that :) A Master xxxxx used to be somebody who had a LOT of experience, more so than anyone else in the workshop, and was hence the Master Craftsman, Master Technician, etc etc.

Not somebody who has been on a load of courses.

With manual labour, experience teaches you more than any course ever will.
 
Machanics used to have a hard job diagnosing. Now VW charge £105 for then to run a VAG COM diagnostic which tells you the problem and what part to replace.

Seems alittle harsh the computer tells them the problem which is what a machanics job used to be and they charge you well over an hours labour costs!

I get myself a copy of VAG COM on my laptop. Hooked it up to the car and ran the full check. Took about 3 mins and listed any faults the vehicle computer has had. £105 for 3 minutes work = £2100 an hour!!!!

They charge nearly all customers this to have done when a customer brings in the car with a problem.

Thats extortionate
 
jdderbys said:
Machanics used to have a hard job diagnosing. Now VW charge £105 for then to run a VAG COM diagnostic which tells you the problem and what part to replace.
Click to expand...

This is a very common misconception, and is precisely why so many garages end up replacing random parts that are not faulty.

Diagnostics can only report the fault symptoms, which could be caused by numerous different fault conditions. The fault codes have to be interpreted with intelligence and experience to be able to accurately identify the root cause of the fault.

e.g. my wifes car has had a new lambda sensor and a new AFM due to the main dealers blind following of fault codes, when the actual problem was down to a (cheap to fix) split inlet hose. Fortunately the bill went to the dealer that sold the car.
 
jdderbys said:
I get myself a copy of VAG COM on my laptop. Hooked it up to the car and ran the full check. Took about 3 mins and listed any faults the vehicle computer has had. £105 for 3 minutes work = £2100 an hour!!!!

They charge nearly all customers this to have done when a customer brings in the car with a problem.

Thats extortionate
Click to expand...

I doubt they got the equiptment free though.
 
[TW]Fox said:
My personal opinion that it shouldn't be allowed to happen like that :) A Master xxxxx used to be somebody who had a LOT of experience, more so than anyone else in the workshop, and was hence the Master Craftsman, Master Technician, etc etc.

Not somebody who has been on a load of courses.

With manual labour, experience teaches you more than any course ever will.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's quite how you paint it. I don't think just 'any noob' can do a course for a year and become a 'Master Tech'. I believe SgtTupac is fairly handy with a spanner as it goes and gaining certification is probably the icing on the cake, so to speak.
 
s0ck said:
I don't think it's quite how you paint it. I don't think just 'any noob' can do a course for a year and become a 'Master Tech'. I believe SgtTupac is fairly handy with a spanner as it goes and gaining certification is probably the icing on the cake, so to speak.
Click to expand...

Not to sound big headed, but i just didnt get put forward to a course out of good looks. I showed willing, im capable and i know what im talking about as regards to the product i work on :) So as s0ck says, it aint as straight forward as just giving me a title as there is only one other master tech in the garage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom