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Would Like To Volunteer At A Mechanics ...

Jonno34

By Jonno34,
in WA Wasteland

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Jonno34 Mentor

Jonno34

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Hey everyone,

I've been asking around how best to learn about cars and mechanics ... Im in uni so I can't do a tafe course or apprenticeship or anything at the moment which is a real shame..

I'm looking at doing the MITA induction course at the end of year during uni break

I've been reading up as much as I can from various books and magazines etc, but I'm not the greatest at digesting theory (lol what am i doing at uni!) and would love some hands on experience but I dont have and cant afford a good set of tools etc yet, and I don't really have a car to work on (too scared to work on the skyline) as of yet .. I need to sort out somewhere to store a cheap bunky car for me to play around with mechanically etc

I have basically nearly 0 knowledge and experience of working on cars .. besides detailing and oil/filter changes on the skyline

Do you think its possible that a mechanic wouldn't mind having a noob such as myself come down a day or two every week when I have some spare time and they arent very busy to be a royal pain and get in the way while I try to learn?

Would anybody know anyone who wouldnt mind this and be able to hook me up? I won't be able to start anytime soon with uni exams coming up and I'm doing alot of vacation work during the holidays to earn some much needed money (will be pretty much working almost everyday) But I'm hoping to be able to start once the second semester begins

I'll probably contact the mechanics around my area (Claremont) .. There's a decent amount of them around (ultratune and auto masters and other small businesses)

My hopes arent high but I'd really love to do this if its at all possible

Let me know what you guys think :)

Cheers everyone

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Stinky Rooster Grand Master

Stinky Rooster

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The biggest hurdle you are going to come across is insurance. Public liability and workers comp insurance is a massive cost to small business, and even if you volunteer your time, having a self confessed n00b in the workshop is not going to do much good for a mechanics insurance premium unfortunately. I went through this pain when I wanted to start drafting, and that was in a relatively safe working environment (an office)

Secondly, most people will tell you that a first year apprentice costs way more than they make for their employer, so without the promise of making them money further down the track, you will be relying on the good nature of the mechanic/workshop manager (pauses fror hearty guffaws) to give you a shot.

IMO wait until you have finished at least part of the TAFE course, even just to show how dedicated you are. And persevere. Above all else, persevere. If you truely are passionate about suceeding at a given task, the only thing that can ever let you down is your own attitude.

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Jonno34 Mentor

Jonno34

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Ahh .. I forgot about insurance :( Yeah thats definitely gonna be another barrier

Well TAFE also has some short courses on car maintenance and the like, I'll definitely do those in the second semester of Uni

I was kinda sceptical about this idea to begin with but I can't think of other ways to get some good hands on experience ... But I've emailed the ultratunes/midas/auto masters and I'll give some other mechanics a call .. maybe I'll just get lucky and find some incredibly nice person ...

But I really doubt that they'd hire anybody with 0 experience/qualifications .. hopefully the TAFE short courses will be a bit of a help there but thats a fair way of :(

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Mr Eps Grand Master

Mr Eps

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i would say many mechanics wouldn't mind if you:

hang out

watch

take notes

wear approiate PPE gear (safety gear)

dont touch anything...

but yeah aside from that there's no insurance liability

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Jonno34 Mentor

Jonno34

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The whole insurance is a damn shame :(

makes sense though I guess but its a real barrier to alot of employment situations or in this case volunteering

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Messiah Mentor

Messiah

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Best way to do this is to just dive in. Start simple. I swapped over an exhaust system the other month ( new cat and cat back). Minor job but it mare me feel more confident. Next I did the brake lines. Cool thing with that was it was a minor job that then taught me how to bleed the lines. During this I buggered up a caliper. 100 later had me two replacement calipers. Fitting these also taught me how to change brake pads.

Next up was swapping all 4 shocks...

And on and on it will go.

If you like go buy a blown engine for cheap. Slowly striP it down and put it back together while fixing it up. Throw a BBQ with free beer and invite sau to come drink it and play with your engine. Make sure it's alot of beer.

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Jonno34 Mentor

Jonno34

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Yeah definitely I'd love to start working on my own car, I just need to buy a good set of tools and such ... which will be quite a large cost initially I think ...

I am also planning on getting a cheaper car ... but at the moment I have no clue where to put it and if i'd rather a cheap daily run around, family size car, or performance ... Just need to consider it all first properly! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
base308 Enthusiast

base308

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Good luck too u all I can really add is don't go cheap on tools save if u have to and wait for sales and buy some decent stuff like Sid chrome or kin chrome for instance if u shop around u could pick up a set with life time warranty for around 1k and that will have everything except for specialty tools but remember to always look after them

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Jonno34 Mentor

Jonno34

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Yeah I'll go slow on the tools, maybe buy good quality stuff as I go slowly ...

Or im thinking of using the Workshop in forrestfield thats available for hire "m'mates place" or something till I have some good tools :)

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base308 Enthusiast

base308

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Yeah mate m mates place is good but otherwise I do all my own work if u want a hand and want to learn I can teach u a fair bit so u have some idea I have most tools as well and i can help u out if you need things done

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base308 Enthusiast

base308

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Yeah mate m mates place is good but otherwise I do all my own work if u want a hand and want to learn I can teach u a fair bit so u have some idea I have most tools as well and i can help u out if you need things done

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JonnoHR31 Grand Master

JonnoHR31

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Throw a BBQ with free beer and invite sau to come drink it and play with your engine. Make sure it's alot of beer.

good idea. im a sucker for boos and a bbq, im sure theres more alcoholics on here who know a thing or 2

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Jonno34 Mentor

Jonno34

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Hey Brenno, cheers so much for the offer that would be great!

Mechanics seem to be unwilling to take a unqualified person in even as a volunteer which is understandable but a pity :(

I should be getting a nice lil bunkie car sometime soon. Hopefully this one actually goes through, I've had real bad luck with cars selling just before I confirm to buy the car ... but already confirmed this one and hopefully it goes well, just gonna get a friend to come with me and check the car out real thoroughly this weekend!

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