yeah I shoulda gone into IT or accounting.

But I liked making stuff with my hands, so I ended up in the trades. Times change and tradesmen don't make what they used to.

My wife is a project manager at a tech company. She's always trying to get me to go back to school for data analytics or statistical something or other.
I wish I had done that instead of cnc programming.

 

I've worked the performance side. By any means, I don't have stacks of money or six figure a year job. Granted now I'm a fleet tech for my county sheriff and live comfortably enough. I didn't make the greatest money there but I had my best times working on cars like that. Still everyday I always made time to work on my own because to me it wasn't about making it a job, it was about that feeling when an upgrade is done right. Whether it's your car or a customer car. There are going to be the people that bitch no matter how good a job you did. It just comes down to how much you really love cars.

 

We are very fortunate, been in business 15+ years and have a great customer base. The time has flown by, and it just gets better and better each year. I tell all our employees if you dont enjoy your job and want to be the best then working on high end vehicles isnt right for you, luckily for us all of them agree.

 

Man those are sweetheart prices. Where I live I pay $150/hr just to have a dyno operator stand next to the car while I tune it. Their fee schedule is: Full tune (CS, drivability, safe WOT) from scratch is a grand. Baseline tuning is $200/hr 2 hour minimum.

You do have some good points. I have definitely benefitted from helping other guys grow. Usually it feels more like I'm selling crack to an addict....once they get that boost they cant stop haha

100% agree with you guys on the injectors. The Greg Banish school of tuning.

 

I didn't realize how bad injector data could screw you until I ran into a set with no data and a set with incorrect data. Talk about chasing your tail!

The only regret I have with my IT job is at the end of the day the physical appearance of progress isn't as quick as you get when you build something with your hands. When you do get physical gratification it takes days, weeks or months of planning for it to all fall together. It's something you have to wrap your head around or it will drive you insane. I've had guys quit because they didn't feel they were making a difference but the ones who see the bigger picture do well. I've learned a lot about planning and patience from it.

Interesting on the dyno rates. I've never tried to gain access to a dyno but the ones I know about are all inertia types. I would like to play with one of my cars on a load bearing dyno so I could really nail things down.

 

I enjoy wrenching on cars, but people seem to think that means I enjoy fixing their busted, broke-dick piece of **** that hasn't been maintained in 15 years and then haggling the repair fee because their brother's friend's second cousin could have done the job for $20. I used to take all the side work I could get, but after dealing with so many *********, rusted junk, and friends who only call you when their **** is broke, I just about put an end to all of it. I came to the realization that I don't really enjoy working on cars so much as I enjoy building my own cars.

 

I would tell the "customer" to take it to their brother's friend's second cousin to fix, and not say another word.

 

Many years ago I before I built, installed and then sold packaging equipment I worked as a mechanic at a Chev dealership. Some customers who cared about their safety wanted the job down right. Many though wanted their car fixed cheap with no regard for safety. Let's just put brakes on one side. Lets put new tires on the front and by the way don't worry that the ball joints and tie rod ends are shot. Then come back when tire wear becomes an issue. After I started working for the packaging company I was approached by many folks wanting me to work on their cars. I said no without exception. Family was the worst although I did easy stuff like replace batteries.

In the posts above there was a dyno operator and a tuner? Why two guys? When I brought my cars in there was a mechanic that tied the car down but then he went away as the tuner did his magic The tuner ran the dyno from start to finish.The mechanic came back only if the tuner needed his help taking the car off the dyno. Most of the time he didn't. I watched the whole process from start to finish. Granted my LS combos were pretty mild. I spent a great deal of time reviewing my plans with the tuner before I bought anything engine wise. I shopped the suggested parts and the shop did too and we compared pricing for the exact same parts. They were slightly higher (5%) but I did let them supply the parts figuring that if there was an issue they were on the hook for fixing it not me.
But the other thing I learned from selling machines was just don't walk into some ones shop and expect them to drop everything and talk about your car plans. Make an appointment. Be on time. Respect their suggestions.
Again just my .02. Great discussion though.

 

That's what I would do, but it was still a waste of my time to work up the estimate only to have to deal with that horseshit. It ain't like I was just coming up with arbitrary numbers.

 

This. Ive worked flat rate at the GM dealer for over 8 years. I use to enjoy doing both and now I dont even look at my drag car anymore.
It also use to be more enjoyable but between labor rates dropping and more crap work coming in the shop its time for something new.

I highly recommend following whatever gets you the most money, to pay for your hobbies and passions.

 

Well ****, I was considering getting into CNC programming and working for an aftermarket company. That way I can work in the industry that Im obsessed with but without having to turn wrenches every single day and get burned out. Is CNC programming not a good route to take?

Office work has its ups and downs just like any other job. Im no longer working out in the heat 8 hours a day beating up my body like I used to when I was a baggage handler, so thats nice. But I never considered how incredible boring and mind numbing an office job can be. I have too much time to sit and think about other things that I want to do, or would rather be doing. Its enough to drive some people crazy. And like someone posted above, you never see the outcome of your work. You come in, sit at a desk, answer a few emails and just tune out the rest of the day.

My next step career wise is going to be much more calculated than my previous philosophy of going with the flow and seeing where it takes me. So far that hasn't worked out in my favor.

I definitely appreciate all of your opinions and experiences. This thread has been great, thanks.

 

CNC programming absolutely could get you into a very cool position in the aftermarket...but I found those are very location specific. They're all in So Cal or in the South South like nascar country. Nothing wrong with those places but I wasn't looking for a location change.

Here we have Aviation. making stuff for the big B.

I agree office work has some down sides thats why I couldn't do it. Like the time I got written up for farting in MY office! that and all sorts of rules and gossip

That and the seemingly unwritten rule that everyone on salary just puts in unpaid OT forever...eff that.

This has definitely been one of the better threads in conversions for awhile. I think a lot about the nature of work. How what we do sort of defines us.

We all have to do it, but very few of us would do zero work if given a choice.

 

What happened in YOUR office? Someone came in and blacked out? lol

 

That's some crap right there!

 

You were lucky to have an office. It's mostly cube farms these days.
In regards to CNC operator check around. Some companies will pay for schooling if you agreed to work for them for a couple of years. There is a huge shortage skilled machinists.

 

Hah, by office I mean cube farm. Im an underwriter for a commercial insurance company.

 

There are a ton of aviation companies in the Phoenix area. Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, I believe there is a Boeing plant out here too.There are a few after market companies as well, Total Seal being one of the big ones. I definitely wouldnt mind getting a CNC gig for an aviation company thats for sure.

 

CNC operators and robotic techs start at my former company at $20 plus all the overtime they want. That's right out of tech school. I think robotics is much more fun. If you are really good at robotics and want to travel many companies will make it worth your time.

 

and why is that?

or which part?

 

^This part. $150 an hr to NOT tune the car, and a full tune is $1k LOL.