I finally got started in college for my auto-tech classes yesterday and I really cant wait until I get past the brake fundamentals and general maintenance lol. But I thought it would be interesting to hear some of peoples history behind how they got to where they are today.
#46759, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 1
Neat idea for a thread. Let's see...
My first DSM burned down, then sank into the swamp. So I got another. That one burned down, then sank into the swamp. So I got another. That one fell over, then burned down, then sank into the swamp.
Oh, wait. That's swamp castle.
Bought Daisy in September 96. Did a couple free mods. By 2002, the head gasket was leaking. Dealership quoted me $1000 to replace a $50 gasket. By then, I was reading 2GNT daily and said, 'Fuck it. I'm building the bottom end.'
I eyeballed piston ring gaps (FAIL) and burned a lot of oil before a wrist pin lock failed and netted me a $500 set of Wiseco forged ashtrays. We built a new bottom end with Venolia pistons, dropped a $2000 head on it, and never really did much more than commuted in the car.
Cut my teeth on 2GNTs before playing the traitor card and scooping up a pair of Galant VR4s. One's a daily driver, the other's a rally car in process. It's all because of 2GNT, though. No formal training.
#46760, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 2 Jun-01-11 12:15 AM by trevordg419
im not doing all this because of 2gnt im doing it cus i want to if thats what ur getting at. if not then idk what to say to that and y r people so judgemental im just tryin to be a nice person and people like u make that hard
#46765, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 3
Originally posted by trevordg419 im not doing all this because of 2gnt im doing it cus i want to if thats what ur getting at. if not then idk what to say to that and y r people so judgemental im just tryin to be a nice person and people like u make that hard
You totally took that the wrong way man. He was trying to imply that most of us here have not had formal training in auto-mechanics. We just decided to dive into it and save ourselves a boatload of labor costs that we would incur if we didn't do things ourselves. Not to mention learn a lot about general maintenance abroad with motor vehicles.
#46766, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 4
I never had formal mechanic training. I just read alot on here and the internet, then it's just a matter hands on experience in the garage/shop.
After you do brakes more than a couple times you get used to it and it becomes second nature....after you take a motor apart and rebuild it a couple times it becomes easier and easier. It's like anything...practice makes perfect.
#46774, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 2
Originally posted by DR1665 Neat idea for a thread.
I agree even though this thread got off to a bad start. I took basic auto repair classes in high school but never really got beyond changing an alternator. After I turned 19 in 2002 I bought a 98 GS for 8,000 bucks and moved out of my parents house. After about 6 months the head gasket blew and antifreeze got in the crankcase and did its damage. All I had as a warning was a ticking sound and loss of hp. Not knowing anything about cars I continued to drive it untill the piston exploded into the head. I was making 9 bucks an hour and now had a 6,000 dollar piece of metal in my front yard and no way to pay someone to fix it. I couldn't find any short blocks in the junk yards for a eclipse so I got on this site and found I could use a neon block. I continued to use this site to get the car running and after a year of head gasket and O2 sensor problems I got everything fixed just in time for a truck to side swipe me and total my car. I never really stopped reading about this car on this site and dsmtunners. Now I'm 28 and I picked up a 96 rs project I'm building for autocross and I am starting to apply all I learned. All in all blowing my engine wasn't a bad thing, it showed me I can do 95% of all the work on any vehicle if I search enough on it and I never go to a mechanic. Im learning about auto body repair now at the school of hard knocks (aka my garage).
I think a lot of people here are in the same boat, they have little or no "formal" education but they have picked up things through the years. Like many I may have started out as a stupid kid who had dreams of swapping a 4g63 in my gs but have grown into a person that really likes to work on a 420a because its so familiar... Sorry for writing a book work is really slow today.
96 RS 95 Toyota pickup - 8" lift, 33's (sold) 07 Toyota tacoma - TRD Sport 13 Ford Fusion
#46777, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 6
its cool it's not that i'm going to school to make one single car fadt. i just really like cars in general and i think working on them for the rest of my life would be fun.
#46827, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 7
Do you actually read what others are posting or do you just throw up some random response to everything?
Most of us here have no formal education, we just happen to love the 2GNT platform, and haven't had the money to pay others to fix the normal problems that arise.
Personally I grew up around cars spending the summers with my grandpa who rebuilt old Mercedes and traded parts. I've learned everything I know about building and repairing cars by reading until my eyes bled and getting my hands dirty. I've looked into going to school for automotive repair, but with the school visits I've been to, I don't feel confident that I would learn any more than what I already know. Currently I work in a dealership as a parts specialist.
Erik P. Official 2GNT thread Hijacker Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be... All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!
#46769, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 0
Originally posted by trevordg419 I thought it would be interesting to hear some of peoples history behind how they got to where they are today.
Originally posted by me For what the dealership wanted to charge me to replace a blown, $50 head gasket, I was able to buy a complete, forged bottom end. I've also spent a lot of time reading up on how other people have fixed/modified their cars, and helped turn wrenches on mostly 2GNTs in the last decade.
Originally posted by trevordg419 im not doing all this because of 2gnt im doing it cus i want to if thats what ur getting at. if not then idk what to say to that and y r people so judgemental im just tryin to be a nice person and people like u make that hard
Originally posted by trevordg419 Hey guys. How did you get started working on cars?
Originally posted by me I learned by experience, mostly.
Originally posted by trevordg419 FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!
#46828, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 11 Jun-08-11 07:29 PM by dalesmitsu
Please, I hope we aint related. If we are,and I see you at a family reunion. I'm gonna hit you with a wiffle bat.
Just messing, you sound like my younger brother though.
But, I have to ask. How many years did you work in a shop before apply for a automotive degree. Reason, I ask is because since we're both from Ohio. Stark State Tech requires the student to have at least 2 years experience in a shop before getting enrolled.
__ 1995 gs Saved from the crusher 1998 RS gone to(Dsm Heaven) 1997 gs gone to Dsm heaven
#46870, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 9
Originally posted by DR1665
Originally posted by trevordg419 I thought it would be interesting to hear some of peoples history behind how they got to where they are today.
Originally posted by me For what the dealership wanted to charge me to replace a blown, $50 head gasket, I was able to buy a complete, forged bottom end. I've also spent a lot of time reading up on how other people have fixed/modified their cars, and helped turn wrenches on mostly 2GNTs in the last decade.
Originally posted by trevordg419 im not doing all this because of 2gnt im doing it cus i want to if thats what ur getting at. if not then idk what to say to that and y r people so judgemental im just tryin to be a nice person and people like u make that hard
Don't know how I ever misssed this thread but thanks for that response Driggs. I needed that on this Monday morning. LMAO!!!
And to answer the OP's original question. I originally started turning wrenches for the reasons already stated. Mainly to save money doing stuff on my own and also because the 2G platform is an easy and fun car to work on.
If you are considering working on cars for the rest of your life I seriously recommend that you get a part time job at least working at a Jiffy Lube type place to see if it's really for you. After noticing how much I liked working on my 2G I took a job at a truck repair shop close to my house and ended up quitting after only a week. I noticed that working on my car for fun wasn't the same as "having to" work on someone else's vehicle because it was my job. Just a heads up.
#46871, "RE: Education and experience in auto?" In response to Reply # 14
yea i understand what youre saying but i have already done a little work on cars and i just think it is for me. plus i have a great car to learn with about performance and tuning.
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