Career change - noob mechanic

[stupidcar]

maybe if u cant fulfill your dreams let your son do it for u. when he grows up send him to automotive school,
u could open your own part time business & sell car stuffs online.

LOL that's tempting but I don't think it's good to impose my dreams on him but I made a promise to myself to give him the guidance that he needs to avoid the mistakes that I did.

I think Mechdreams hit the spot. Should let him be. Guide and not force.
Unless his dreams are utterly bad, impossible like Astronaut.

A 3.5L V6 Vellfire van.

Toyota Hiace 3.0 Turbo better. Syiookkkkk

 

[TitanRev]

With TS, I have the same situation as him. I graduated as a automotive engineering student with a Diploma in AE but I'm now running my own family business which is not really my big interest in the beginning. I have worked for KIA and Toyota before this so can say I did put what I learned into good use. I also received offer letters from BMW and a training course invitation from FORD which I have to turn down both because they came a bit too late. When I joined my family business I didn't want to just wear a nice tie with iron pants to work everyday and sit in the AC office. I started from the base level as a technician repairing machines since I still enjoy holding spanar, screwdrivers in both my hands then slowly work my way up. In actual I started to work on the machine's mechanics from a very young age (standard 5 to be precise.)

I also same like you thought of giving up my current CEO position and just go do what I like but I also married and had a daughter so that thought I just put aside because family is still the most important. I can't just go chasing my dreams without taking into consideration about my wife and daughter. Yes, my wife also told me she will support me (which caring wife won't) but deep down inside her there's surely some anxiety and uncertain inside her.

My advice for TS, keep your current job since it's your main source of income and automotive is your interest you can try to look for some night class to attend or classes that are offered where you can attend without disturbing your job and your time with your family. For me, since I have studied before but I keep myself updated from time to time via reading materials example like new tech on cars, car expo, forums, TT, events...etc then allocate some time to do DIY on my own cars or my wife's relatives cars so that you keep your know how fresh and not rusted over time. You can also post your DIY on this forum as you know DIY trend is not really a huge thing in Malaysia.

All the best in life and you are not alone...I believe there's still many out there facing such dilemma in life

 

[hex999]

How much about investing in a small workshop, hire an experience foreman but keep your current job. When your free, than spend some time in your own workshop and learn from the foreman :D

 

[stupidcar]

How much about investing in a small workshop, hire an experience foreman but keep your current job. When your free, than spend some time in your own workshop and learn from the foreman :D

Then* Then* Then* Then* Then* Then*

 

[vr2turbo]

A 3.5L V6 Vellfire van.

A two seat sports van. Back seats all taken out to allocate space for spare parts.....

---------- Post added at 08:35 AM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 08:33 AM ----------

How much about investing in a small workshop, hire an experience foreman but keep your current job. When your free, than spend some time in your own workshop and learn from the foreman :D

Doesn't work if you do not oversee the business yourself, unless the foreman is really really trusted...

 

[TitanRev]

How much about investing in a small workshop, hire an experience foreman but keep your current job. When your free, than spend some time in your own workshop and learn from the foreman :D

Like what VR said, usually such (not all) joint venture will end up both party flip table. Because when you invest to open a workshop, it involve quite a lot of money so you might ask 1 or 2 person to gather up the capital to start then you have 3 bosses. Things at 1st will start up well but overtime, things might turn bad and end up 1 will say quit or 3 all quit at the same time, end up workshop close down.

When I say the above, does not mean I do not support joint venture businesses. It can succeed if both party have the same passion for what they want to do, and similar thinking. Both parties need to understand each other and walk the career path in the same direction and willing to go through the hardship as a team and not blame either party.

 

[vr2turbo]

Like what VR said, usually such (not all) joint venture will end up both party flip table. Because when you invest to open a workshop, it involve quite a lot of money so you might ask 1 or 2 person to gather up the capital to start then you have 3 bosses. Things at 1st will start up well but overtime, things might turn bad and end up 1 will say quit or 3 all quit at the same time, end up workshop close down.

When I say the above, does not mean I do not support joint venture businesses. It can succeed if both party have the same passion for what they want to do, and similar thinking. Both parties need to understand each other and walk the career path in the same direction and willing to go through the hardship as a team and not blame either party.

Yup, if both running the shop is better. They know what is going on, rather then one ask the other then problems can arise.
Your second paragraph is totally correct. I have two friends on a joint venture business however both are from different field and different jobs, but came together to set up their business together. Now, one do marketing to bring in business and the other technical and support the business brought in and they are doing very well.....

 

[FGT]

Yup, if both running the shop is better. They know what is going on, rather then one ask the other then problems can arise.
Your second paragraph is totally correct. I have two friends on a joint venture business however both are from different field and different jobs, but came together to set up their business together. Now, one do marketing to bring in business and the other technical and support the business brought in and they are doing very well.....

Yea, that's right. Also thinking about it, if got partner, i think in one or more ways, one of the boss have to take charge/be the dominant one but still make decisions together. If both are dominant, i think it's a timebomb. :P

I have this dream to invest in workshop and spend time there also.. I can see we got foreman and driver here dy

 

[ixeo]

mechdreams :

Wahh.. you just described my lifestory in 1 paragraph. I'm in exactly the same situation as you except this MNC job of mine is my 4th job and I'm 35 this year. Otherwise we're in exactly the same situation.

I don't want to give up the salary but I want to pursue automotive line as well. Jom, we go startup a small door-to-door mechanic service offering. We go to the clients house to service and repair cars during our spare time. How about it? JV. Hehehehe.

I thought we were supposed to have a JV. I call dibs on Izso.

EDIT: Here's my advice to TS. Forget about quitting your job, do it on weekends.

How?

Join a club. FOR EXAMPLE, If you drive a piece of shit Myvi (I own one, I have the rights to call it a piece of shit that it is). Join the many clubs out there.. find out what they want - usually bodykits, stickers, this bar, grounding wires, yellow bulbs, radiator caps, spark plugs, parts from Toyota Passo/Daihatsu Boon.. start small.. then start peddling these goods and help them with installation, especially easy for stuff like UR bars and grounding wires, pivot raizin. then move on to the more technical stuff like wiring to install gauges etc.

If you own the car, you can familiarize yourself on your own car. Most Jap cars, barring the high end ones with sensitive ECU/electronics, it is similar across the board and you can effectively work on them.

 

[stupidcar]

I thought we were supposed to have a JV. I call dibs on Izso.

EDIT: Here's my advice to TS. Forget about quitting your job, do it on weekends.

How?

Join a club. FOR EXAMPLE, If you drive a piece of shit Myvi (I own one, I have the rights to call it a piece of shit that it is). Join the many clubs out there.. find out what they want - usually bodykits, stickers, this bar, grounding wires, yellow bulbs, radiator caps, spark plugs, parts from Toyota Passo/Daihatsu Boon.. start small.. then start peddling these goods and help them with installation, especially easy for stuff like UR bars and grounding wires, pivot raizin. then move on to the more technical stuff like wiring to install gauges etc.

If you own the car, you can familiarize yourself on your own car. Most Jap cars, barring the high end ones with sensitive ECU/electronics, it is similar across the board and you can effectively work on them.

That is very true. My up and coming job's bosses started out as that.
They are owners and also buyers so they thought, why not be the sellers too.
Turned out pretty well.

 

[Izso]

IXeo muh man.. JV indeed! Pity the brake stoppers didn't quite pan out.

Actually, if you guys look at how Drexchan got to where he is today, it's exactly as how Ixeo described it. Started online, clubs, shops, then finally his own shop.