legacycentral bbs

Hello all...
I just got offered this totally awesome job. I've been thinking for awhile about taking mechanic courses at the tech college, because it would be nice to make money working on cars, something I really enjoy. Anyways, I'm at the bar eating a burger, and meet this guy who owns a dealership. Offers me a signing bonus to help expenses moving an hour away to where his dealership is...help paying for tools. 10$ an hour to train, I get my own garage bay, with a master mechanic next bay over who is paid to train me. Full benefits, medical/dental/life 401k, paid vacations. He will pay to send me to factory tech courses, hotel, food, travel, etc. And pays 45-60k$ a year after a probationary/training period. Anyways....sounds like the break I need...but I want to work on subarus eventually. My mechanical experience is limited to subarus, pretty much. I love them. I'm wondering, do people familiar with the industry think that this would be a good start...then at some point it will be a lot easier for me to get a job working on subarus? Cause as of now, I could never get a job like this...this guy is taking a big chance on me. I have a very limited recent work history...all under the table/unofficial temp type stuff, as I have been in school a lot and traveling over the last few years. I wouldn't be able to get a job like this just anywhere.
So what do y'all think?
thanks
Micum

Definitely take it. The two are sort of connected I do believe, 25% share Subaru = GM = Volvo. So you'd be working on "Subagolvos".

Don't pass up any good job for something that might not happen... At least Volvo is a premium brand and it'll do no harm to have some broader experience!

Sorry, Brat, but Ford owns Volvo 100%. GM owns Saab 100%.

I say take it, if the benefits are as good as you say. Just keep in mind that Volvos are NOT as easy as Subarus! However, playing around with the turbos on Subies will help you with turbo-crazy Volvo...

TAKE IT!!!!!

Experience is worth 1000 times any schooling. Stay at the volvo dealer for 2-3 years then you will have a very nice resume to show the subaru dealer!

Offers like that don't happen too often. I'd take it, I don't see how it could do anything but good for you. You never know where it may take you. Good luck if you take it!

I wish I had that shot, I'm looking for a career change (from fixing SMT equip. and designing R&D test fixtures) until I can support myself writing. Plus you'll appreciats Subarus all the more working on Volvos.

Steve

Dang, I knew it was some weird company that GM owned. Well, see if he owns any Saab dealerships... wait, ummm... nevermind. Eck!

Haha, Brat, I looked under the hood of a 1991 900S, and I swore I would NEVER own a Saab ever in my life!!

I would also agree that almost any Subaru dealer would be glad to take in a competent Volvo mechanic.

I say take it

Cool...thats about what I wanted to hear...especially since I don't have much better options available. Or even as good. And with volvo getting into all wheel drive, albeit a crap system from what I hear...well, turbos and AWD...applies more to subarus then most cars I guess. Hopefully the schedule will work...their service dep opens at 7:30am...I wonder what time the techs have to be in by?
thanks
Micum

another factor is the job market here in v.t.- there isnt one, if someone offers you a job, its in your best interest to take it...i wish i had that opportunity, id jump on it...my future employment is waiting for the winter as a ski instructor.....not bad, but not my main interest

I looked at buying a Saab 900 a few years ago after failing to talk a guy down on a sonett III... Anyway, I changed my mind when I saw the engine was longitudinal, but backwards! Forget the turn-of-the-last-century spec for the motor, how do you service the alternator and water pump?! Now I know why my mechanic calls them eurotrash...

Steve

What I like is when cars have the engine on the passenger side right up against the front and a small radiator on the drivers side that is only half length. I wonder what the corner weights on the car is!

Come on guys, not every car can be well engineered. I say any job working on cars is a foot in the door. A few years working on Volvo's and your previous experience with Subarus is pretty inviting employee to most Subaru dealerships. Much more attractive than the guy who's been working at Grease Monkey who came in to try and get a job right before you (no offense to anyone at Grease Monkey). Just make sure the terms are clear. They need to be paying you fairly, both within a reasonable amount of time, and a reasonable amount of dough. Sounds like it's a pretty good deal from your description.

evolutionmovement wrote:I looked at buying a Saab 900 a few years ago after failing to talk a guy down on a sonett III... Anyway, I changed my mind when I saw the engine was longitudinal, but backwards! Forget the turn-of-the-last-century spec for the motor, how do you service the alternator and water pump?! Now I know why my mechanic calls them eurotrash...

Steve

This is EXACTLY what I was commenting on when I said I'd never own one. My friend and I had the responsibility of selling this car, and although I talked great about it to the buyer, I would never want that piece of crap.

Give me one benefit from that setup... That makes changing the clutch easier than changing the alternator belt. It means the transmission is under the oilpan, making bottom end work, even oil changes , extremely difficult. It is less efficient, since the engine is now turning in the wrong direction, meaning an extra gear has to be added somewhere.

Saabs are some of the finer automobiles my ass...

Ok...so this guy also owns a nissan dealership...with some of the cars they are coming out with...(too bad we have damn infinitis taking away the best ones) it might be nice working there...and japanese still, maybe better for switching to subarus later. I've never worked on nissans, how do they compare to volvo? Which would be more the joy?
thanks
Micum

The benefit I could see from working at Nissan is that Subaru and Nissan share some electronics. Ignition switches, for example. So that might be good...

Hey you could end up working on a 91 300ZX twin turbo... drool...

Both are Japanese.

Nissan used to own 3% of either Subaru or Fuji HI, I can't remember which and I'm too buzzed to look it up. They may not own any part of it now as that was before their respective deals with Renault and GM. I've worked on several Nissan Altimas and Maximas and they are horrible in comparison to Subarus (damn transverse motors). My old Datsuns were great, though. No idea if they're better or worse than Volvo.

Steve