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As of right now I have the choice of several factory training programs to enter via a local community college. I have talked to the instructors, and I still haven’t got the faintest clue which manufacturer would be best.
I have the choice between GM’s ASEP, Toyota’s T-TEN, Honda’s PACT, and MOPAR/Chrysler’s CAP factory training programs. If you were in my shoes, looking to get your foot into the industry which of these programs would you go through and why?
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I would go Toyota or Honda, but mainly because I hate working on domestics. Other side of it is that Chrysler/GM will be breaking way more, meaning there more theoretical money to be made with them. Which manufacturer’s product you respect the most and the least? If I had no choice but to work on GMs or Chryslers all day, I would quit the business to get away from that. I’ve always sought automotive employment based on what I’m going to work on. Do you like working on big rusty trucks? GM/Chrysler has tons of ’em but Honda doesn’t.
Perhaps the locations and number of dealers of those brands near home would also make a difference to you. It wouldn’t make much sense to go thru a Chrysler program and then have to move or commute an hour to the nearest dealer, for example.
[quote=”Fopeano” post=121281]I would go Toyota or Honda, but mainly because I hate working on domestics. Other side of it is that Chrysler/GM will be breaking way more, meaning there more theoretical money to be made with them. Which manufacturer’s product you respect the most and the least? If I had no choice but to work on GMs or Chryslers all day, I would quit the business to get away from that. I’ve always sought automotive employment based on what I’m going to work on. Do you like working on big rusty trucks? GM/Chrysler has tons of ’em but Honda doesn’t.
Perhaps the locations and number of dealers of those brands near home would also make a difference to you. It wouldn’t make much sense to go thru a Chrysler program and then have to move or commute an hour to the nearest dealer, for example.[/quote]
I have all of the dealerships nearby in close proximity to me. I myself have the most experience working on GM, and old, old Audi’s makes (think the old 5 cylinder quattro).That being said I don’t particularly care for newer GM vehicles, and I have also heard some bad things about how GM treats their technicians. Personally I’m leaning towards Scion, Lexus, Toyota but I’m worried I won’t be able to make money because of Toyota’s bullet proof nature. Conversely in my area there are a lot of Subaru and Toyota dealerships bundled together. Subaru’s are good cars but they are typically driven harder than Toyota’s, and they tend to have more issues (head gaskets anyone?). I would probably be working on Subaru’s if I chose one of these dealerships.
I love Jeeps, Challengers, 200s, etc but I’ve also heard that Chrysler technicians get the shaft. I also feel like working on rusty old Rams, and beat to hell jeeps would not be very fun.
As for Honda? I’m lukewarm on them, mostly because of a technician that I know — though he seems like the whiny type. 6 years in the field and he can’t break 30k, my guess is he doesn’t put in the work needed to progress.
Aside from my irrelevant and negative feelings about Chrysler/GM, there is basically one other thing I can say. Toyota/Scion and Honda will break more than you think. Subarus may all have a headgasket leak sooner or later, but that’s a one time thing that gets fixed once, usually later, in a car’s life. The others have smaller scale pattern failures that will generate more steady work in the long term.
I’ve never worked in a dealer for those 3 brands, but I’ve had a lot of experience with them in the 50k-150k mile area because of always being at import dealers that sell them and service those kinds of cars a lot. Subarus seem to be a little bit more reliable than the other two, I make more money per capita on the other 2 brands. I’ve made tons of money off GM/Chrysler/Ford too, but hated every minute of it. I’m lucky that I’m generally able to avoid most of them, but they’re everywhere and usually broken.
[quote=”Pithy Radish” post=121273]As of right now I have the choice of several factory training programs to enter via a local community college. I have talked to the instructors, and I still haven’t got the faintest clue which manufacturer would be best.
I have the choice between GM’s ASEP, Toyota’s T-TEN, Honda’s PACT, and MOPAR/Chrysler’s CAP factory training programs. If you were in my shoes, looking to get your foot into the industry which of these programs would you go through and why?[/quote]
it’s only school for starting point…i would go Gm training, personally took VW school.
whatever make you excited to be an auto mechanic then, do it…
i had worked many different brands in dealer level and independant level. vw,subaru,smart,MB,alfa romeo, fiat, mopar, hyundai, even GM….subaru would be very difficult to make money in flat rate pay plan.
some of subaru headgasket repair pays around 4-5 hours….difficult to beat that time,
hyundai warranty: i worked both flat rate and hourly, warranty repair when you have done same repair about 3-4 times then, you get pretty fast…
GM pays actually best so far….as long as it’s motor repair.
vw i never worked flat rate…..
figure out where you want to go.
good luck to you. cheersFirst off just because you have manufacturer training doesn’t mean those shops are hiring. Also if they are close the the location of the manufacturer training you would need to beat everyone in the class in grades and work experience. With that being said you want a place/brand that encourages training and the more the better. Also you want a shop that understands you will need a mentor.
If I were you I would go after the cars that are built the simplest are made to be taken part in somewhat of a logical fashion and have good Standard Repair Times aka Warranty Book Times. When you work at a dealership anywhere from 20-80% of your work is warranty and it is normally closer to 50-60%. You will want feasible Warranty Book Times. Are they going to tell you what they are probably not. So you need to ask around and find out.
After about 2 yrs of working on them you will know where your brands line up against the competition and you will also more then likely not care what you are working on that that point.
[quote=”MDK22″ post=121424]First off just because you have manufacturer training doesn’t mean those shops are hiring. Also if they are close the the location of the manufacturer training you would need to beat everyone in the class in grades and work experience. With that being said you want a place/brand that encourages training and the more the better. Also you want a shop that understands you will need a mentor.
If I were you I would go after the cars that are built the simplest are made to be taken part in somewhat of a logical fashion and have good Standard Repair Times aka Warranty Book Times. When you work at a dealership anywhere from 20-80% of your work is warranty and it is normally closer to 50-60%. You will want feasible Warranty Book Times. Are they going to tell you what they are probably not. So you need to ask around and find out.
After about 2 yrs of working on them you will know where your brands line up against the competition and you will also more then likely not care what you are working on that that point.[/quote]
You have to be a part of the dealership first in order to go into the program. Throughout the two years you work at the dealership and go to school at the same time. Right now I’m scouting dealerships and the awesome college instructors are helping me find a job. Only certain dealerships do the program, right now I got an interview lined up with a Lexus, and Chrysler dealership.Ahh well all the manufacturer training in my school it was the other way around you would go through training and then pick a dealership.
[quote=”MDK22″ post=121424]First off just because you have manufacturer training doesn’t mean those shops are hiring. Also if they are close the the location of the manufacturer training you would need to beat everyone in the class in grades and work experience. With that being said you want a place/brand that encourages training and the more the better. Also you want a shop that understands you will need a mentor.
If I were you I would go after the cars that are built the simplest are made to be taken part in somewhat of a logical fashion and have good Standard Repair Times aka Warranty Book Times. When you work at a dealership anywhere from 20-80% of your work is warranty and it is normally closer to 50-60%. You will want feasible Warranty Book Times. Are they going to tell you what they are probably not. So you need to ask around and find out.
After about 2 yrs of working on them you will know where your brands line up against the competition and you will also more then likely not care what you are working on that that point.[/quote]
He said it all. I can’t add anything to that because that is exactly how I feel and he’s 100% correct.
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