A question for the regulars..

ian87

...and non regulars too!

Out of interest how many of you here whom regularly post or lurk in motors are motor trade professionals? Eg garage men, mechanics, crash repair and so on?

If you'd rather not elaborate I totally understand but I'm just curious..

Personally I'm a school teacher who worked for several garages in a previous life from valeting to used car sales. I loved the cut and thrust of car sales and driving different cars all of the time but a steady wage and a job I love called me. That said I may go back into car sales in future as my hours lend themselves well to running a business in ones spare time.

If your not in the motor trade in some from does your own job or college course have any inkling of resemblance or a connection to your interest in motors?
Ian

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Previous jobs:
Delivery driver in cars
NCT head office
Working in a garage (various jobs)
Doing car insurance for a major company.

Current job: Bus driver

I like my current one the most.

But go for it. Why not !

Foxhole Norman

If you can count Maxol as part of the motor trade then me :pac:

Currently studying Software Dev with thinkings about going into something like ECU's.

mickdw

Not in trade.
Civil Engineer. No connection to trade at all but love cars, am reasonably handy so do a fair bit of my own work.

pablo128

Mechanic, tyre fitter, worked for a car hire company among other jobs. I currently work for a motor parts distributor, starting at the very bottom, and have worked my way up a bit, from picking orders, processing returns and warranty, goods in, day and night time deliveries in vans and a small truck, stock control, supervisor, and now I am in the truck division, learning stuff all over again.

Why did I down tools to work in a warehouse? Similar money but I don't have to go around with permanent oil stains!

toastedpickles

I'm a stoodent with no job.....or trade

NIMAN

Not in trade.

Lurk round here mainly to pick up info as to what car to buy next. Plus generally interested in cars.

braddun

joy rider

Tigger

Worked as a dismantler and parts man in breakers
Took loads apart so I can put stuff together but I'm no mechanic
Now I'm in home improvements

Toyotafanboi

i worked for a few years in an AD motor factors branch, then in a main dealer service centre (as a service advisor), a year valeting for an independent dealership and a small while in a tyre and windscreen place. currently back in college studying arch. tech. and working in a supermarket.

Worked at a small 2nd hand car dealers for two years in early boom years. The owner had other issues that took lots of his time for those two years. I was between jobs after returning to Ireland, I knew him from days gone by. Loved it... Going to auctions... Bringing cars for nct and the bank trips... Loved the customers too, used to ring them up after a month or so to ensure they didn't have any queries or issues with their 'new' car. Some long afternoons doing very little too but no job is perfect.

Was sort of economically forced to go back in the property game as that became so lucrative and luckily the chap was able to come 100% back to work himself.

I do a teeny weeny bit of car washing/valeting but primarily I'm a photographer (self employment... yay.. ).

I'd drop the photography for a 9-5 job working in a dealership doing car cleaning/valeting/detailing though (anything for a secure job, as far as I'm concerned).

Would have an interest in mechanical work, insofar as I think that, had I started driving from a younger age, I'd probably have went in for an apprenticeship as a mechanic. I do see the average indy mechanic getting phased out in the next 15-20 years as technology becomes more dealer centric and indy's can't really keep up as much, but I reckon it's a good industry to get involved in (financially speaking).


I have a mild interest in cars (in that I have my likes and dislikes, but I don't really know anything about cars as a whole), but I enjoy driving (and would work a job that requires a lot of it, in a heartbeat).


So while I'm not currently really involved in cars professionally, there are aspects of it that interest me. I'd say car sales is a handy number, aswell.

debabyjesus

Im a mechanic but not on cars. Most of my spare time and money seems to go into cars though.

Noccy_Mondy

Teacher here. Would do a small bit of valeting (sorry excuse for valeting) for family and a few neighbours occasionally. Really interested in my cars, moreso looks than anything. I'd know how a car runs and the majority of the parts and uses. But apart from that, I've no affiliation with anything motor related.

Lucifer

I'm a mechanic. Worked for 10 years in an Opel dealer and am now self employed working for myself a few years. The slight bit of time I take off work is spent looking at car related things online.

Stoolbend

Mechanic in a second hand car dealer for 10 years.

The last 5 in a garage that just does repairs.

You'd never think it to look at my hands though.

R.O.R

Account manager in a car leasing company. Advise customers on what to order, order the cars and arrange to get it to the driver.

If it wasn't for the admin, it would be the best job in the world. Only thing that would interrupt me talking about cars would be driving them.

corktina

enthusiastic amateur

kay 9

Plumber/pipe fitter & welder by trade. Have a small plant hire business and farming. I like all things mechanical and to be totally honest one of my biggest regrets is I didn't become a mechanic instead of plumbing... Do most of my own work. Have had various cars, vans and 4x4s. Whatever I have I keep it immaculate and running well.

advertsfox

Enthusiast for sure, wouldn't dare do anything to my car other than visual stuff - work in I.T for 14 years at this point... thanks OP, feeling old now

Wossack

9 to 5 spoofer, but have been known to talk shit on my days off too

dgt

Online sales dept for a recycling facility.... Couldn't be in the trade surely....

galvo_clare

Motoring writer and general car nut.

bazz26

IT geek here with no connection to the motor trade.

ninty9er

Work for a car rental company, not on the rental end of things anymore. Have worked in a few dealerships, sold shirts, ties, shoes and financial services in past lives.

porsche boy

Started as an apprentice in a Japanese import garage, ran a car accessory shop, service advisor in Nissan main dealer, Service advisor in now defunct leasing company, went back on the tools in a service/tyre outlet and now running one of the depots.
So yes, somewhat in 'the trade'

Spare time spent doing more of the same!

ShaunieVW

I worked in a garage for 3 years while in school. I never followed it up with an apprenticeship as the money was shocking. Currently a slave in a warehouse for zee Germans and getting myself an education in Business Management. I do anything I can do myself on the car and when I run out of talent I bring it to my mechanic mate who lets me use his garage and expert advice in exchange for Guinness. I have learnt so much this way.

Gavman84

Working in IT now but worked for a hire car company for a few years started valeting and went onto become customer sales rep there also. Enjoyed driving all the different cars from Aygo to a transit minibus and everything between!

toyotaavensis

not in the trade - PhD student in statistics

quadrifoglio verde

Not in the trade, just have a love of driving and italian cars. Currently I'm an intern pharmacist and I'll be doing my masters in pharmacy next year.

boardsuser1

Previous jobs:

Sales assistant
Security Guard
Cashier
Stock taker
Cook
Van driver

Currently a Bus Driver, love that job even though it's only part time my hope is to graduate to a state body in an identical role

ba_barabus

Too many previous jobs to mention (none in the trade)

Currently a secondary school teacher.

Love cars, especially odd but everyday cars from the past

Bpmull

No never had a job related to the motor trade really. I just always had an interest in anything mechanical really not even just cars. I'm a third year process and chemical engineering student.

cletus

Not in the trade. Have had a multitude of other jobs, everything from milkman the personal trainer. Currently work as a secondary school teacher.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Not in the trade.
Professional beer drinker and occasional attendee at a multinational corporation.
I like to buy cars and then attempt to fix 'em.

I also like to take roundabouts and crossroads vigorously.

Titzon Toast

Started out my working life in an engineering workshop that specialised in stripping and reconditioning engines, after a year there I went off to be an apprentice electrician. After a year of that I went to work in a garage as a fitter, after that garage went tits up I went to work as a plasterer for the next ten years or so.
I've always enjoyed getting my hands dirty servicing and fixing my own and friends cars but I know when to just bite the bullet and hand my car over to a real mechanic, very important that!

YbFocus

I was in college and flunked in my first year, done 18 months in a local garage where I got most of my knowledge from.

Went back to college and Graduated as a Mech Engineer.
Currently working in a process improvement role but it has nothing to do with the motor trade!

martinr5232

Twenty two years in the motor trade done everything from managment to self employed. Back working as a mechanic again spent last five or so years as a ford tech.

Stheno

IT consultant/masters student here

Have worked in the same field of IT for fifteen years.

Simonigs1.0

Former teacher, turned geologist, also running two - soon to be three - businesses on my own.
No connection to the motor trade at all, I have this forum alone to thank for sparking my interest in cars in the last few months actually.

sblythe

First job was at a motor factors ages 16, progressed to mechanics aged about 18 at a local garage, now working for a main dealer in Dublin as a technician.

YbFocus

Simonigs1.0 wrote: »

Former teacher, turned geologist, also running two - soon to be three - businesses on my own.
No connection to the motor trade at all, I have this forum alone to thank for sparking my interest in cars in the last few months actually.

You quickly became the maddest around here with your off the wall purchases
Happy christmas Simon!

Hal1

IT tech/helpdesk/ cabling tech/ kitchen worker/ don't give a bollix anymore what I do as long as it pays the way.

Drummerboy08

Started in the trade at 16, currently a sales manager for a fairly main stream brand 11 years later.

ba_barabus

Why are so many of us teachers?

Simonigs1.0

ba_barabus wrote: »

Why are so many of us teachers?

At the time, it seemed like a great idea...

ba_barabus

Simonigs1.0 wrote: »

At the time, it seemed like a great idea...

I know the feeling...... I've been building a tunnel under my desk for a few years. Still not escaped though and people have noticed the lack of spoons in the staff room.

Simonigs1.0

ba_barabus wrote: »

I know the feeling...... I've been building a tunnel under my desk for a few years. Still not escaped though and people have noticed the lack of spoons in the staff room.

Are you tunneling to China? Even on a half contract I left for good after the end of my first year!

ba_barabus

Simonigs1.0 wrote: »

Are you tunneling to China? Even on a half contract I left for good after the end of my first year!

I'm permanent and don't know what to do if I did leave

Simonigs1.0

ba_barabus wrote: »

I'm permanent and don't know what to do if I did leave

Yeah, my gf is permanent over the north side now and says the same, but she likes it..

Noccy_Mondy

ba_barabus wrote:

Why are so many of us teachers?

I think that half of them went into the vocation with tunnel vision, only seeing it as a handy job. Thus we have an abundance of teachers with very varying "abilities" or "qualities"...... So much to be said for a permanent position.