D-Max // Since 2010 // Welcome Eddyac!

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I opened it in January mate haha. It's not all mine, I've got a mate who has a little edge in, not a huge amount though.
 
That was easy, I know a lot of people lol. I've been doing it for 8 years haha. I didn't really go to school and just went to work for my uncle. He closed his garage and I took on all the customers. Running the place is pretty stressful though, no matter what anyone tells you, Being a mechanic is a very stressful job!
 
Too late involved in it now. Okay you got it fairly simple then. Always had ideas about it never know in the distance future i might have something of my own but who knows.
 
Set yourself a goal. Save money!. Even if it is a shed, if you advertise well enough, you will get places. My uncle started in a barn believe it or not. Moved to a small 1 ramp space made of tin then moved into a big unit. If you try hard enough and stay out of the red, the banks will be nice to you!.

The girl in the office said to me today, you have a box full of mail, what if there's notices?.
Sorry love, but I keep myself in the black! And that's how it will and should be!.


You should make yourself a target within 5 years of what you want out the job. Obviously you won't have a garage up and running, use every last bit of knowledge your gaffer has to offer. Then if you feel you aren't learning anything any more, try doing different work but still in the same trade. Trust me, it's one thing I know ALOT about haha... But for god sake don't F it up and get fed up. It's an amazing trade to have right now and you won't get it back!.
 
Im looking to get into this trade too. Just finishing my level 3 mechanics course this week, and got driving last week :P
 
I mean i've got plenty of idea's the how i want the garage to run. No offence to my boss but i can already see he has made mistakes and wasted money on things. Things that in my mind i would made better, instead of chatting about it do something you know? Sometimes it annoys me because the tow truck took so long to be built ending up costing more in labour working on it when you could of bought a tow truck ready to go and start picking up. Another thing i personally don't think he's advertising enough, he came up with a good idea which was to put the company van if has the signs sorted outside a Parts shop, which is right on a main street and the amount of cars that go through there is a good thousand a day. Never happened though.

He seems to take his time with things. Which i don't like ;)
I keep seeing these's guys opening a garage at like 19 or 21 me thinking either you got some brains or just risking it. Doesn't mean to say it isn't going to work.
If did start one up i would want to look for something that can give me the edge over other companies. :D



Blitz did you pass your driving test? I'm at level 2 apprenticeship. September i'll be starting my second year then i'll do level 3.
 
You need have people that you know you can trust in this trade. You can't enter it as a garage owner thinking that your staff are just doing enough. They need to be churning out the highest quality possible. That's why I've got 2 guys that worked with my uncle, an apprentice for them and myself to teach, and a fella that I got who has a good reputation.

As for not actually getting round to things, that's just wasting his own money and time. Once you have your papers and he takes you more seriously, trust me on that one, he will, then you should say something. Just suggest stuff. There is telling your gaffer he is wrong, then there is pointing him in the right direction. Just stick it out until you get your papers, learn what you can from him and move on?. You have 1 advantage over me, you will have your qualifications haha. I don't have any apart from an MOT tester certificate!.


McGlone, I think he is maybe doing the college course? That gives the IMI qualification! Won't you get the City and Guilds?


Also, having the edge over other companies is having a massive range in capability. That's the only way.
 
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It varies between different colleges. My course is a NVQ. I don't know if it's the same for the full time people at my college.
 
The boy I have in is doing his City and Guilds. Just sent him to college, not really knowing much of what he gets out of it apart from a piece of paper saying he can fix cars....

Get your MOT certificate aswell when you pass. That will get you far!
 
Tell you the truth i learn hardly anything at college other than how to search for crap on the internet. Everything i know is either me reading books or working at the garage.
Yeppp. That will be after once level 3 is done. ;)
 
Haha a lot of apprentices that are in ordinary garages will say that! It's a different story for the boys that are in Dealerships working on Citroens or Audi's etc. You learn 100x more in an open garage than you do in a dealer. My lad can strip stuff down to the bone for me to repair then build it back together with no need to supervise him, and he's 1st year!.
 
Blitz did you pass your driving test? I'm at level 2 apprenticeship. September i'll be starting my second year then i'll do level 3.

Yeah I passed that, I now have a Yaris.. :L

And Yeah this is actually my 2nd full college year.. (: Basicly done now.
 
Tut tut tut! I'm buying my sister's mk4 golf GT-TDI in a few months, then registering it as a commercial. Will work much cheaper as I can also insure it with my father's fleet insurance, first quote was €700 with me as a named driver.
 
Stupid royal bank of scotland trolling me at the cash macine saying my balance is 0!! RAGE!
them and natwest f'd up big time

Anybody joining me today?
 
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GTP has SO much to learn....



Watch that intro.


There is more.



Watch from 1:00 to the start of the race :o
 
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And GTP does not have a lot to learn, our comps are better than that, by a long way... It's just they have a good video editor to make it all look pretty.
 
It really is a bland track. I'm glad I'm saving my money this time. If there was a track with more interesting corners for drifting I would buy it but this track is just sad...
 
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