honda technicians
 

how do you become one? is there some kind of apprenticeship program, or something. i want to escape my peice of ---- job and do something i love to do.

Re:honda technicians
 

Theres classes to become a "certified" Honda Technician, but youll get bored of doing someonelse's bone stock replacement work fast... try and get a job at a performance shop, or hustle hard for a few years and open your own
my $.02

Re:honda technicians
 

Classes? Jeff became a nismo technician by washing cars. :D

Re:honda technicians
 

My friend went to UTI and got a job with acura right after. I kind of hooked him up though

Re:honda technicians
 

no ----?

i can wash some ------- cars...

on a side note..i read in my local paper that the guy who washes cars at the dealership i used to work at trashed a mustang while he was picking up the bosses breakfast....best part. he was piss drunk noone even knew it BAC of 1.4. he doesnt wash cars no more.......

Re:honda technicians
 

I am not a "honda" tech but I got my lisence through an aprentiship.

Re:honda technicians
 

I'm not a honda tech either but an ASE cert tech and a Saturn cert tech. I started out parking cars, then moved to service consultant--> warrantly claims administrator--> lube tech--> shop helper-->apprentice--> full time tech. The nice thing with Saturn is they send you to the factory in Spring Hill Tenn for training. We also do some inhouse training, videos, study guides etc. Just get a job there doing whatever and let them know your interests. Believe me we work with kids all the time from the votech schools on internship and 99% don't know their head from their ass. The best ones start from scratch with "some" basic knowledge and learn as you go.

Some people also think that working at a Lexus or VW dealer brings some sort of prestige. They fail to realise in the auto industry working flat rate, it is better to work on cars that are EASIER to work on. One reason I have remained at Saturn for 9 years. We don't have a crapload of models and the cars are a piece of cake to work on compared to other vehicles. Honda is a good choice but repairing the same old crap day in and day out can get boring. Also remember Honda is one of the TOP rated cars for reliability which means less work for you :( that could mean small paychecks. Get a foot in the door and go from there. A performance shop is fun to work at but when it comes to paying bills they can be very hit or miss. Warranty work will never run out as long as cars are being built and sold.

Re:honda technicians
 

all dealers are flat rate around here so is pep boys, i cant stand the idea of getting paid only to work, i mean if a 1 hour job takes 2 hours you get 1 hour. wtf is that about im good with my 10.19 a hour working on every kind of car there is :)

Re:honda technicians
 

i can't imagine throwing down a shitload of money to go to an auto tech school....I need to check around and try to get my foot in the door.I think i know just the place too.

Re:honda technicians
 

theres this place, it is a performance shop and a regular maintenace shop. thats what i think would be a good one for me.

Re:honda technicians
 

werd, that's what i'm doing. starting to pick up a lot of sidework and get my name out there. some of the local performance shops are already talking ----, so my name has made it that far, i guess that's a good thing. ;D

Re:honda technicians
 

how about i work for you :P

Re:honda technicians
 

the thing i have heard about going to a tech school...
say you go to tech school to become a "bmw specialest" when you graduate, what if the BMW shop the school hooks you up with sucks totally major ass. then you have to try to get into another BMW shop because thats where you blew all of your cash. that might mean re-locating, (how many BMW shops are in your area)

point being, dont limit yourself to one vehicle to be "specialized in"

Re:honda technicians
 

i can pay you with beans :P i've been investing all the money i've been making in to better/more equipment, it will pay off very soon though ;D

Re:honda technicians
 

you can pay me in spare ECU's. i will sell them on ebay as "JDM SPOON MUGEN ecu" 400 DOLLA yO!

Re:honda technicians
 

no way, i'm about to ;D

Re:honda technicians
 

start with changin oil or something like that just to get your foot in. My dad worked at a ma and pop shop changin oil and then got on at the honda dealership doin the same. he told them he was interested in doin more so they sent him to portland to go to school. 26 years later he is the highest trained certified honda mechanic in all of idaho, owns his own shop and has 5 guys that wrench for him. but working flat rate really isnt so bad especially when you know what you are doing, you can make bank that way. but when its slow you dont get paid ::)

Re:honda technicians
 

My roomate got sick of college and dropped out after 2.5 years. So he moved in with me and started changing oil at the local GM automall. He hated it, but did it for almost a year before convincing them to let them apprentice at the neighboring shop (same owner) that just built a whole new and seperate workshop. That new shop is Infiniti, so he gets to work on all those pimp cars. Most guys that are middle age and techs will try and steer you away from being a mechanic, because they are all sick of it. But my roomate digs it, he's super tight with his money and already has more tools than most techs at the shop and he's only 2 months into tech school.

Yeah, some may say tech school sucks, but for those things that are not as natural for you, it'll help give some direction. AT $17,000 a year, it is expensive but if you find a good dealership, they pay for it. If he gets As, school is 100% paid for, and he's working his ass off to get those As.

It'd be easier to start a reputable performance shop if you are ASE certified or otherwise, and save your pennies for a dyno, that's where the business will come in more regularly. It'd be hard to pay the bills installing intakes and blue headlights. Find another kid into bodywork and partner up, a paint/body/performance shop would draw a lot more people.

Re:honda technicians
 

kid? how old do you think i am?

Re:honda technicians
 

what kind of shops do you have in your area :P

Re:honda technicians
 

I've been working manufacturing since I got out of the AF for like the last five years and want to get into automotive business. Since I don't have the experience in a professional standpoint I'm getting a position as a lube tech at a toyota dealership in town to get my foot in and just work up and see where it goes from there. You gotta learn to crawl before you can walk. the service manager knows I have the knowledge but since I never went to school for it he just can't and I can totally understand him. I'll take a paycut to eventually be doing stuff I love to do.

Re:honda technicians
 

Performance shops that intend to be cool performance shops selling real good ----, but they all pay the bills helping people rice out their cars. It's the nature of the business.