Was offered a job at Lexus..

[KBScobravert]

At your age I would only take the job to wrench for 5 years and gain knowledge of the product line then switch to either parts or writing service. I have wrenched (BMW) and wrote service (Porsche/Audi/VW/Mazda). The better money is in writing service but you are young and (don't take offense here) lack what can only be gained by experience and age in the car business. Most customers want to deal with a mature, articulate and knowledgeable service advisor. Spending 5 years under a lift will net you the knowledge and the time will net you the maturity; articulate is on you.

Only way I would go back to the car business is writing and I have a foot in the door with Sewell in Dallas as a (they call them) Assistant Service Manager. Now those guys make serious coin but they bust there ass. My mother told me their advisors are making between $60-120k. I was making $50K when I left the business back in 2006.

[mustangguy289]

Easy decision here. Look at your future... which job offers more upward movement?

[GSXRK5]

Coming from someone in the "car" business. Don't do it lol. There are way better paying jobs out there. You'll get a family one day and never get to be home because you'll be too busy working. Dealerships rarely get any days off except major holidays. All you are is a number to any dealership. I'm almost out of this business and if i ever needed to, i'd have all my tools and stuff if i "needed" to come back.

All the older guys here that have been in the business for a while always tell me to get out fast. And never look back. It can be hard on your body. I work on Diesel/Transmissions btw.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I have worked at the Plano location for over 5yrs. The trainee program we offer will get your foot in the door of a very successful organization. You will start out slow, but this gets you the time to learn. I don't have a single complaint about my job, or the money for that matter. Just absorb all the information you can an don't come in acting like you know everything... Because you never will.

Chris

Tell Adrian I said hi.

[Juiced4v]

I couldnt live off either pay!

[Shaggin Wagon]

EVery mechanic I know wishes they would have chosen a different career field. Especially when they hit their 40s and all those aches and pains from contorting all day don't go away like they used to. I know you're all of 19 years old or so, and probably aren't thinking that long term, but the choices you make right now can get you stuck in a career for the rest of your life if you aren't savvy about it. I hope if you're out of high school you are at least going to community college, and not some idiotic "techical school" like Lincoln Tech.

If you want to be a tech, do it. I started in the body business at 19 and I was in the shop till 3 years ago and went to estimating, then managing. It is true that the older you get, you do get stuck in a career as you can't change and make the same money in a new career. If you start as a tech, you're not stuck as a tech if you dont want to. You can become a service advisor or even make your way to a manager or director. You could open your own shop, become a highschool tech teacher. The career has movability, depends on how hard you want to work.

[94mstng94]

Tell Adrian I said hi.

I will do so.... How do you know him? Oh, and what's your name?



P.S.

Seriously think about whether or not this career is for you. You need to be physically fit, be able to be on your feet all day on tile floors, bending over cars, lifting tons of tires and other heavy objects, etc....

It's a tough job but it has payed off for me.

[Bad Religion]

Easy decision here. Look at your future... which job offers more upward movement?

This right here. When I was 19 I was a warehouse manager at a Honda dealer ship. I was offered a job there to sell parts around 40k a year but would have had to work 45-50 hrs a week. That would have conflicted with my college schedule so I declined even though I could have made double at that time. Now that I have graduated, I'm SO thankful I didn't take that position. Also Talisman had the idea, get your ass in a community college till you figure out what you want to do. We are faced with the most future impacting decisions when we can't even see the big picture.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I will do so.... How do you know him? Oh, and what's your name?

He's been a good friend of mine for many years.
Shane

To add to this thread and not just hijack it.

I've been turning wrenches for almost nine years on med-heavy duty diesel trucks and I can honestly say that I have learned a ton of cool stuff. I still wished that I had taken a much different path in life.

[94mstng94]

He's been a good friend of mine for many years.
Shane

To add to this thread and not just hijack it.

I've been turning wrenches for almost nine years on med-heavy duty diesel trucks and I can honestly say that I have learned a ton of cool stuff. I still wished that I had taken a much different path in life.

I'll tell him you said hi.

[Sgt Beavis]

You might like Autozone but it also sounds like a dead in gig. You want to get ahead? Go for the new job. It sounds like it has A LOT more potential than your current job.

Here's the thing. You're comfortable. When you're comfortable you are less likely to make changes that will make things better. If you do that too long you'll find that you've missed out on a lot of things. A comfortable life = a boring life. Get out of your comfort zone and you're life has a great chance of getting better.

One of my friends is a receptionist over there. She has had nothing but good things to say about the people at that dealership.

[noslow5_0]

As somebody who has already gone down this path...

I am 24, went to Motorcycle Mechanics Institute at 17 fresh out of highschool. I worked at two chopper shops for a year apiece and a dealership for 3 years. There are going to be times you will be married to your job. Working 7a.m. to whenever... Then there will be times you'd drive all the way in to work only to not have anything for you to work on and be sent home. I am not too sure how the car service industry is, but in the winter months work was scarce leaving me with a hefty tool bill to 3 tool trucks a week at $30-50 a piece while living on my own.. If you think your going to get a hook up on tools... forget that. They will see you coming from a mile away. If they are looking for you to work 40 plus hours a week at a car dealership WITHOUT a certification, then chances are its going to be shit work. But, on the flip side it was a great experience. As Sgt Beavis said it will get you out of your comfort zone. It took that for me to leave the dealership and do what I am doing now, making way more then I have anywhere else Ive work. Just find out for sure what you'd be doing for work. I find it hard a major car dealership would hire someone with your experience to do MAJOR jobs. Maybe they have a few techs leaving and are trying to prepare themselves to maintain their staff level?

[clevelandkid]

Take the job at lexus and try to bag cougars when they come to pick up their cars.

[90GT50]

Go to Lexus, then let me have the keys to an IS-F.

[Trick Pony]

First, your managers and bosses are cool to you at Autozone because they know they are raping you at $8.70/hr.
Second, the way your car luck has been you should consider that it may cost you a ton of money just to keep your car running to make the longer driver to Lexus.
But in all seriousness, it sounds like the Lexus job would afford you with more opportunity while paying better too so I'd go with that. It may be shitty work for a while but it sounds like it would be better in the long run.