Mechanicing

Take notes during lectures and get as much hands on experience as you can. It's also worth fixing friend and family cars to get more practiced with the dark arts!;)
 
think before you ask questions but most importantly ask the questions , buy your own tools but ask which ones you need & remember that if it looks right , it usually is right .
oh yer dont forget to enjoy yourself !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
about buying my own tools: would i need that for my work placement? or just for home. because surely i would be just using the tools that are at the work place rather than carrying my own tools around all the time. i bet i sound like a right tool now :p (cheesy joke)lol
 
if your getting a placement then as long as the garage is a good one them it will have tools. but theres nothing to stop you having a set at hame as well
 
And buy the very very best you can afford. Decent tools will live longer than you. I've broken dozens of cheap screwdrivers, and a few cheap ratchets in my time. Buy cheap, buy twice.

A placement would be awesome, good luck with that.
 
Escorts, you'll only need an adjustable and a big hammer anyway. :lol::lol:

The best advice i can give to an apprentice is always be on time, never wimp out of working out of normal hours, never be afraid of asking questions about what you are doing, even if it may sound daft or make you look an idiot.
If you are shown how to do something and have any doubts, ask again, it's easier and cheaper to show someone a couple of times than it is for them to cock it up.
We give our apprentices a tool allowance, i don't know if your future employers do but no harm in asking, and we have an agreement on their credit limit with the snap-on chap, to stop them from having the temptation to overspend.
Mmmmm, i'm eating jaffa cakes !:D:D
Anyway, good luck with it.
Oh yes, and make sure your bloody mobile phone is turned off whilst at work. ;)
 
the hardest part of that advice for me will be keeping my phone turned off all the time lol

but thats some good advice there. especially the part about the jaffa cakes :p lol

would a mitsubishi galant be a good car to practice on at home?
 
Practising is fine but anyone can take things apart. You need to know what you are taking apart, why you are taking it apart, how to take it apart correctly, how to identify each component, how to diagnose a fault with it, how to repair it and how to put it all back together on the car and ensure that it works as it should.
Don't listen to mates who have heard how to do something down the pub, they are mostly very wrong.
One thing to remember is that no-one knows everything and we are all still learning new things everyday, just as in the progress of mankind. Though in that case there may be a point that some people never learn from their lessons/mistakes.
If you want to learn basics, buy books written by people who understand the simplicities and technologies of the motor car. Don't try to take apart complex things unless you are guided by someone who really does know what they are doing.
 
Yes, i understand what you are saying but unless you know exactly what that lump of metal or plastic you have removed, actually does, it is worthless. Anyone can undo nuts and bolts.
Let's say for instance you remove an alternator. Can you tell me how it works ? Can you take it apart, repair it and put it back on the car and expect it to work ? All these things need to be learnt and learnt properly, not just by guess work, if you are going to do it for a living.
There's a world of difference in taking your mates cars apart on a drive and doing it for a customer who is paying for it to be done.
I don't want to discourage you because it is a very rewarding profession but i want you to learn things the correct way.

Something else to remember, if you do cock something up, because invariably you will at some stage, own up to it. It's much easier to repair a cock up in the workshop than it is for it to go wrong when the customer is driving it. ;)
 
Country Bumpkin said:
Practising is fine but anyone can take things apart. You need to know what you are taking apart, why you are taking it apart, how to take it apart correctly, how to identify each component, how to diagnose a fault with it, how to repair it and how to put it all back together on the car and ensure that it works as it should.
Don't listen to mates who have heard how to do something down the pub, they are mostly very wrong.
One thing to remember is that no-one knows everything and we are all still learning new things everyday, just as in the progress of mankind. Though in that case there may be a point that some people never learn from their lessons/mistakes.
If you want to learn basics, buy books written by people who understand the simplicities and technologies of the motor car. Don't try to take apart complex things unless you are guided by someone who really does know what they are doing.
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That is perhaps mankind's failing. We're forever in search of improvement of our skills and knowledge but at some point those skills will be tested.

Let's face facts, 100 years ago an automobile could only progress along the road with a man ahead of it waying a red flag.

The driver had to periodically stop the vehicle and replenish the very basic carburettor's float chamber with fuel. It was called motor spirit in that era and was generally bought from phamacists. Denatured alcohol was common as a fuel. And the exhaust emissions were virtually CO free, long before emissions testing and cats became standard.

How far have we really progressed?
 
agree with c/b 100% finished my collage couse 6 years ago now and you never stop learning
always ask if you not sure never moan about doing a job and do any job that isgiven to you even if its cleaning the loo any one that does what they are told first time will be liked better well is in my case
make sure you can make a good cup of tea the whole motor trade does not start until the first cup is poured out

having a car to work on is good but not to start will maybe after a year
are you doing day release or full time if full time make sure your in the group that does the work and not the one that is messing about all teh time

and most of all be ready for all the pain you will have over the fist few years if there is a god were you are going to get wet / burnt or any chance of getting hurt you will be doing the job
 
well i think most of us started with a keep tool box kit like the ones yousee on ebay for a few 100 quid they are good to start you off
then has things start breaking then you buy more dearer stuff like snap on

one thing that breaks most of all are screwdrivers and 1/4 sockets

but as i say no point buying snap on from the go as its dear stuff
i have bought loads of stuff from snap on over the years but some of the best tools i hae are cheap ones
 
That's what I did. Started of with a big cheapish toolset so I had all the basics, then when stuff broke I replaced it with quality tools. Broke my cheap 1/2" ratchet undoing headbolts and I've bust the ends on loads of screwdrivers.

Plus having a cheap toolset as well as a better one is you can use them if you're doing something really horrible and messy like swapping a sump over or anything. You don't get your tools all filthy then. I'm a bit of a puffter like that.
 
aw kk thanks everyone for the help :)
i think im going to buy a cheap set like you and do the same. i aint got much money right now (plus saving for a car) so i think this is my best option. but i shall wait and see if i need to have my own tools for work or if they will be supplied :)
 
that is very cheap would be no good for at work but at home they would be good

all the stuff we have at work is all 3ton or some 2 ton got to be able to hold must stuff

and even if they supply you with some tools its always worth getting your own as well shows you want to do the job and want to be there
 
kieran macca said:
about buying my own tools: would i need that for my work placement? or just for home. because surely i would be just using the tools that are at the work place rather than carrying my own tools around all the time. i bet i sound like a right tool now :p (cheesy joke)lol
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i got a grand set of tools from halfords for 150 euro

now these are halfords advanced and come with a life time gauranntee
the set has all the sizes you need, even for american cars it has the metric sizes, and for fords and french it has a full spleene set

well worth it if your becoming a mech

i do the odd job and believe me the tools are strong, just make sure it says halfords advanced
 
i have some bits from halfords pro stuff and its goods stuff i do miss use it and if any of it brakes take it back and they will replace it

and ya leave the tools at work
i would never get mine home have a 50 in snap on box that is full and have stuff in the mot bay as well have tools every were lol and have only been doing it 10 years this year
 
well as soon as my boss goes i will be and i pretty do now but if i ever get the money i will open my own mot bay up and do little bit of work then a game of golf
little work the golf
will be like that all week lol
 
i dont mind modifying cars but for me the fun of doing it is doing it your self and not paying someone else to do it
plus i want to get more into yank cars sound and look better the british cars

but want ever has to have mots thats wer ethe money is at the min
 
but there will always be people who will get a mechanic to modify there car for them

well i would have mot as my main area and modifying and stuff as another part of the shop

but thats along way away
 
you say along way away but it wil come round quick does not seem 10 years ago that i started at my place and have been moting 4 years now
 
MasterAuron said:
If you haven't got much money you'd better keep an eye out for these then. Come back in stock every so often:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/2-Tonne-Foldable-Axle-Stands/invt/190385

http://www.wickes.co.uk/2-Tonne-Light-Duty-Trolley-Jack/invt/190381
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just to bring this up again been down wickes today and they had a set in stock i did want two sets will let you know how good they are tomorrow but for less then 2 quid you cant go wrong
so worth going in store to have a look and if they dont have any ask as we did and the maidstone one was getting some in wednesday but will be sold out after some one buys them all lol wonder who it might be lol
 
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