Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hi, my name Tom and im only 15 but really interested in car's and the like and being as i left school i was wondering if anyone could help me with getting a job of some sort in this area. Now first of all you may think of me as just some high school drop out but let me explain. Pure and simple school just gave me the shits. I went well all the time, i went to Girraween Selective high, got band 6's and 5's in my school certificate (Excellent Achievement as described by the board of studies) and was always doing well in tests. Now that was all well and good but teachers and school and just everything pissed me off so i decided to leave, become one not of the cliche, and do it my way. Now at the moment i have planned on still completing my HSC because i know that if i do it ill end up going well anyway and it will help me if i ever needed/wanted to further my education by going to Uni or another higher education instutution. Anyway back onto subject, i have been out of school for a little over 2 months now and i have been lookin for a job just for something to do, to further my knowledge, and for some money. I didnt wanna just get a job at macca's or the local fish n chip shop so ive been looking for interesting jobs that i would enjoy. So far i have not been successful (mostly because of my age, i turn 16 in a month and a bit) and im starting to get bored. Ive been interested in cars etc. for about 1.5 years now and over that time have gained what i would say is a good amount of knowledge for a 15 year old. I have friends with cars who ask me about them whenever there having problems or wondering about whats goin on under there bonnets. The only problem i have is no practical experience. My dad was never into car's and atm he just plods around in his work benefit commonwhore so ive had no input from there. Ive never had anyone in my family who was interested either so i pretty much picked it up on my own with a couple of mate's. Im really interested in the tuning/computer related aspect of cars and im very good with computers so i thought this would be a cool thing to know about/learn how to do. Im am also an import freak so im more into the turbo 6's and 4's and more into japanese styling and engine types (which is why im posting on a skyline forum). i read HPI every month (subscription) and post on a few online import forums (such as this) and no matter what i am never satisfied i just want to know more. If anyone could help me getting into this field of work, or give me advice on whatever you think i should know then please answer here, it would be great help.

Cheers, Tom.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/
Share on other sites

Tom, if you are really that passionate about wanting to work with cars I would suggest you get in contact with some reputable performance workshops and try and line up some work experience. Work experience costs the shop nothing, sure you dont get paid but its a fantastic way to get your foot in the door and your chances of securing some sort of work be it as an workshop assistant or apprentice etc are much greater.

Give it a whirl and good luck

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-329764
Share on other sites

Yeah thanx for that. I have contemplated doing that and am willing to do a week or so work experience at a workshop. Do any workshop owners post here or does anyone know of any good ones that would give someone like me a chance??

Cheers, Tom.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-329786
Share on other sites

Yeah go for it dude, if you wanna work with cars. WORK WITH ****ING CARS

life is too damn short to umm and arrr, if cars is your thing, give every ****ing workshop a call till u get a traineeship or apprenticeship or sumthing

work hard for the first few years and ull get a good rep and can lead to a job in a better workshop

Hell even if you have to go work on junk boxes for a while, its still experience and it still rakes in the $$

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-330229
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Duncan

Have a look at that HPI you've got, and go and knock on each workshop's door in sydney!

Some ppl will tell you to get stuffed, others will recognise the value of someone who is eager to work and learn.

What Duncan said.

If it's what you want to do get out there and do it. Doorknocking can be demoralising but you are bound to find someone who will give you a go.

HSC is well worth doing now and getting out of the way, thought about TAFE? If you are as motivated as you say this may well be an option.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-330695
Share on other sites

Finish your HSC mate. Yeah you may want to be working on cars now, but what about in 20 years time. Even though people dont look at your marks when you have been out of school for a while, but people still like to see if you have completed you HSC. think about it. Its only 1 or 2 years out of your life and once you have finished you can do what ever you want, whether it be a mechanic, do a engineering degree. The world is your oyster mate, think about the future and sometimes you need to put present emotions aside as they can sometimes blind you.

What ever you decide mate, good luck and have no regrets.

Ben

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-330839
Share on other sites

Listen to the good Doctor. He's never wrong.

It's great to see you have enthusiasm and I commend you for that but at the same time I'm going to be blunt and tell you that you are being stupid and impatient. Something that comes easy when you are in your teen years.

There's a time for everything in life and it's time for you to finish your studies before it's too late and you start making excuses to not go back to school. If high schools really piss you off then go to TAFE like red900ss said. I don't know your exact reasons for leaving school but I can't remember a single friend of mine who liked going to school but we all finished anyway. If you quit school cause you didn't like it then I wish you luck in the real world. You will need it!

Also remember that when someone hires you now, being so young they will pay you really crap money. Down the track when you think 'ok, I'll go back to school now' you'll have to either work part time (shit money again but this time you'll really need this money to support yourself) or study part time so it will take you longer and you'll end up with very very long days juggling work and study.

Sorry to be so negative but I'm really not in the mood to tell you 'yay, go for it if that's what you want'.

Goodluck either way.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-330971
Share on other sites

Mate, you need a HSC... And before long, you'll probably be needing uni degrees as well - "Bachelor in Fast Food Serving" anyone? But of course, once you get it, it doesn't matter in the slightest what you got. Kinda sux, eh?

But none the less, work experience is the go. Then when you get it, work hard. Show your employer what you can do for them. Then when you're finished, get a reference as ammo for your next job... And who knows, you might get lucky - I certainly did...

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-331184
Share on other sites

Hey Tom ,

the names Daniel , now just too give you a lil background i am a mechanic by trade actually a heavy vehical enginear ... mate from experience these days it is getting harder too get trades ppl like me and i can practecly work anywere i want (as long as you know your stuff) .Now i left school in year 10 and like you wanted dearly too work on cars and the like mainly engines i loved but anyway i saw a job avalible too me too be an heavy vehical mechanic....

i thought mmm trucks mmm .....but i went into it and too my benifit i learnt so much on everything you actually get trained with cars first then learn the big stuff later.....yeh its a bit tricky but u seem a bright lad so i reckon u should suceed ....

it was four year app and it went so quik ...yeh the money was shit like back then around 7 years ago it was 170 p/w ....but hey expeerience has saved me thousands of dollars on my cars ...now trucks no plant vehical's ppl think ahh so basic but they are actually the most technical peice of equipment on the road these days (save lambo's and ferrarie)..... they have a lot more computer work on them than cars these days and you practecly need to be an I/T too know them ....true ......

so yeh now ive completed my studies like 3 years ago i think i can practecly go anywere even the high performance places ..... ive worked at a few performance places around the joint and it has been fun .......like they say (the world is an oyster if you have a trade).... and its true i know ppl out there who have heeps of degrees and bla bla bla who have spent thousands and they are still on the doll looking for a job........

the bottom line mate is too get a trade trust me i know a fair few ppl and everyone wants mechanics (trucks more so than light vehicals.....but there screemin out for em'.

so you do it if u want too and later reek the rewards i have a job offer for the mines over in N/T .... i could get 3000 P/W over there ....u sign a contract for two years and leave after the two years if u wanna and do what u want wit the money shit buy a R34 GTR V-SPEC if u want .....

so mull it over..... good luck Tom .

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/16093-working-with-cars/#findComment-333147
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Who did you have do the installation? I actually know someone who is VERY familiar with the AVS gear. The main point of contact though would be your installer.   Where are you based in NZ?
    • Look, realistically, those are some fairly chunky connectors and wires so it is a reasonably fair bet that that loom was involved in the redirection of the fuel pump and/or ECU/ignition power for the immobiliser. It's also fair to be that the new immobiliser is essentially the same thing as the old one, and so it probably needs the same stuff done to make it do what it has to do. Given that you are talking about a car that no-one else here is familiar with (I mean your exact car) and an alarm that I've never heard of before and so probably not many others are familiar with, and that some wire monkey has been messing with it out of our sight, it seems reasonable that the wire monkey should be fixing this.
    • Wheel alignment immediately. Not "when I get around to it". And further to what Duncan said - you cannot just put camber arms on and shorten them. You will introduce bump steer far in excess of what the car had with stock arms. You need adjustable tension arms and they need to be shortened also. The simplest approach is to shorten them the same % as the stock ones. This will not be correct or optimal, but it will be better than any other guess. The correct way to set the lengths of both arms is to use a properly built/set up bump steer gauge and trial and error the adjustments until you hit the camber you need and want and have minimum bump steer in the range of motion that the wheel is expected to travel. And what Duncan said about toe is also very true. And you cannot change the camber arm without also affecting toe. So when you have adjustable arms on the back of a Skyline, the car either needs to go to a talented wheel aligner (not your local tyre shop dropout), or you need to be able to do this stuff yourself at home. Guess which approach I have taken? I have built my own gear for camber, toe and bump steer measurement and I do all this on the flattest bit of concrete I have, with some shims under the tyres on one side to level the car.
    • Thought I would get some advice from others on this situation.    Relevant info: R33 GTS25t Link G4x ECU Walbro 255LPH w/ OEM FP Relay (No relay mod) Scenario: I accidentally messed up my old AVS S5 (rev.1) at the start of the year and the cars been immobilised. Also the siren BBU has completely failed; so I decided to upgrade it.  I got a newer AVS S5 (rev.2?) installed on Friday. The guy removed the old one and its immobilisers. Tried to start it; the car cranks but doesnt start.  The new one was installed and all the alarm functions seem to be working as they should; still wouldn't start Went to bed; got up on Friday morning and decided to have a look into the no start problem. Found the car completely dead.  Charged the battery; plugged it back in and found the brake lights were stuck on.  Unplugging the brake pedal switch the lights turn off. Plug it back in and theyre stuck on again. I tested the switch (continuity test and resistance); all looks good (0-1kohm).  On talking to AVS; found its because of the rubber stopper on the brake pedal; sure enough the middle of it is missing so have ordered a new one. One of those wear items; which was confusing what was going on However when I try unplugging the STOP Light fuses (under the dash and under the hood) the brake light still stays on. Should those fuses not cut the brake light circuit?  I then checked the ECU; FP Speed Error.  Testing the pump again; I can hear the relay clicking every time I switch it to ON. I unplugged the pump and put the multimeter across the plug. No continuity; im seeing 0.6V (ECU signal?) and when it switches the relay I think its like 20mA or 200mA). Not seeing 12.4V / 7-9A. As far as I know; the Fuel Pump was wired through one of the immobiliser relays on the old alarm.  He pulled some thick gauged harness out with the old alarm wiring; which looks to me like it was to bridge connections into the immobilisers? Before it got immobilised it was running just fine.  Im at a loss to why the FP is getting no voltage; I thought maybe the FP was faulty (even though I havent even done 50km on the new pump) but no voltage at the harness plug.  Questions: Could it be he didnt reconnect the fuel pump when testing it after the old alarm removal (before installing the new alarm)?  Is this a case of bridging to the brake lights instead of the fuel pump circuit? It's a bit beyond me as I dont do a lot with electrical; so have tried my best to diagnose what I think seems to make sense.  Seeking advice if theres for sure an issue with the alarm install to get him back here; or if I do infact, need an auto electrician to diagnose it. 
    • Then, shorten them by 1cm, drop the car back down and have a visual look (or even better, use a spirit level across the wheel to see if you have less camber than before. You still want something like 1.5 for road use. Alternatively, if you have adjustable rear ride height (I assume you do if you have extreme camber wear), raise the suspension back to standard height until you can get it all aligned properly. Finally, keep in mind that wear on the inside of the tyre can be for incorrect toe, not just camber
×
×
  • Create New...