Do you want to have a career in the car industry

[429CJ]

Hey, I have a really strong passion for cars and I am trying to find a great career where I can work with cars and make a decent living, while owning and restoring classics on the side. Or, perhaps restoring classics as a career? I work as a detailer for a dealership right now, on a flat right. Do any of you have advice into which way I should be looking? I've already asked one of the editors from HotRod magazine about working with them, since it would be a great experience working with a top automotive magazine.

Again, any advice would be great.

Thank you.

[07gtcs]

I started out in the auto biz at the age of 15 working at a full service service station. It didn't take long to learn that I didn't want to turn wrenches and have filthy hands the rest of my life. But that gas station and different tire stores got me through college. I am now spent 20+ years in the telecommunications industry. In the last year after getting my Mustang ( a reward to myself for living through my liver transplant) and joinging AG I finally know how to care for my cars, and truck. Saturday for example: after having dents removed from the hood of my truck, they left it all swirled up. I worked for about three hours on the hood alone, but all the swirls are gone and its shiny again.
Thanks guys!

[VP Mark]

Great post, very motivational.

[cajundetail]

I want to learn all there is to know about this detailing business.. I watch the video's and do what is shown, I am a hands on student, a fast learner.. Where can I find someone to hold my hand and lead me down the right path?
The other detailers around here are just car washers, I take pride in my work and want the customer to return and send their friends and family to me.. I like that jaw dropping effect!!!

TEACH ME!!!

[Mike Phillips]

I want to learn all there is to know about this detailing business.. I watch the video's and do what is shown, I am a hands on student, a fast learner.. Where can I find someone to hold my hand and lead me down the right path?
The other detailers around here are just car washers, I take pride in my work and want the customer to return and send their friends and family to me.. I like that jaw dropping effect!!!

TEACH ME!!!

After years in this industry, besides having a passion for what you do and finding a niche to carve out, the other most important thing you can do is always conduct yourself in a professional manner both online and offline...


Something I don't always see...

[Mike Phillips]

Also just to note...

In any segment of this industry it's ALWAYS going to help you to learn how to write and work with pictures.

If you don't now how to write and format text to make it easy for people to read then practice.

If you don't know how to crop out the fluff, resize a picture to 800 pixels wide and "insert" it into a thread instead of merely attaching it, then teach yourself, it's not that hard.


Photography and Working with Pictures on the Internet

NEW - How to create dedicated albums in your photo gallery...

If you're going to be a "Forum Person" on ANY forum, help yourself by learning how to work with picture on the Internet

How to resize your photos before uploading to a photo gallery - Using Easy Thumbnails

Handiest little picture viewer tool I've been using for years now...

How to upload a photo into your Autogeek Photo Gallery

How to insert an image from your photo gallery into your message

How-To capture swirls, scratches, etchings and other surface defects with your camera

How-to work with pictures on discussion forums

How to crop out the fluff and resize your pictures! - Using FREE online software!

Photobucket and Missing Pictures



The below pictures are all cropped and resized to 800 pixels wide and they tell a story...


Here's some sun-shots of the true condition of the paint I took before Earl left...



Ouch! Kind of hurts your eyes, especially knowing the car these swirls are in...











In order to be a leader in some facet of this industry it will be faster and easier to rise to the top if you can share what you know with others and that means,

• Writing
• Speaking
• Pictures
• Videos
• Teaching

And doing all of the above in a way that's nice, not demeaning to others.

[Mike Phillips]

Hey, I have a really strong passion for cars and I am trying to find a great career where I can work with cars and make a decent living, while owning and restoring classics on the side.

Or, perhaps restoring classics as a career?

I work as a detailer for a dealership right now, on a flat right. Do any of you have advice into which way I should be looking?

I've already asked one of the editors from HotRod magazine about working with them, since it would be a great experience working with a top automotive magazine.

Again, any advice would be great.

Thank you.

Advice? Hmm.... you have this one, single post. So could be forums aren't your thing. No problem but they are very powerful and there's a way to use them to your advantage no matter what you do for a living.

If you're going to detail cars for money throughout your life then do four things,

1. Post under your real name or your business name, not a forum nickname. It doesn't do anything for you.

2. Learn how to work with pictures on forum. Avoid Photobucket and its ilk and teach yourself how to "insert" picture, not attach.

3. Find your passion, whatever it is and then stick with it.

4. Always take the high road, don't let the riff-raff drag you down to their level.

Great post, very motivational.

Thanks Mark....

Had someone ask me at last Thursday's project how to take detailing to a higher level? I told them I had a thread about this and just this morning, found it by accident looking for my buddy Mark Privatsky via Google images.

Just now read your post, so thank you.

[jarred767]

Great post and tons of awesome info!

Even after owning my own mobile detailing business for eight years now, it's always nice and encouraging to read a thread like this, it just gets you excited to get out there at get after it again tomorrow.

[Mike Phillips]

Great post and tons of awesome info!

It's a very different type of article but one I thought people would like to read.

Even after owning my own mobile detailing business for eight years now, it's always nice and encouraging to read a thread like this, it just gets you excited to get out there at get after it again tomorrow.

I feel the same way.


I created this thread yesterday,

SEMA Pictures - Velocity Live! - Hosted by Chris Jacobs!







In post #9


mc2hill asks a question and it jogged my memory about this article I wrote back in 2010 and how the first goal I listed in the first post of this thread is the same answer both Mike Brewer and Chip Foose gave at the Velocity Live show at SEMA this year.

[RFrommann]

What ever you do, don't start your venture competing with every guy in your area that has a wash bucket and bottle of wax. Stick to your guns and position yourself in the higher end of your market area. As mike has said you are branding yourself and if you start competing at the low end it will be more difficult to re-brand your product later. As we say in my other profession, once you start to discount to deeply or often it will become your actual price as far as the public is concerned.

This is perfect I'm trying to get my own thing going. I also work for a mobile detail company. But I don't like the mobile side. I want to do exactly what my boss doesn't do: high-end corrections and coatings.
If someone does that like my price I send them to someone who's cheaper and work is good, but not the same results. I'm trying to catch the car enthusiasts and those who know a quality detail and respect the 12+hrs spend doing good it, people who will maintain your efforts.