Friday is my last day as a BMW tech

[kellie]

Yep. Moving on, tired of the car biz. I'll be learning the family business: jewelry. As far from cars as possible, so hopefully I'll start to like them again. So for those of you looking for a job in Southern California, there will be an opening at BMW South County.

[DrewDude320i]

buy a ton of M parts for face value and then re-sell them.

[bowmang]

Well, congrats and good luck with the new venture!

I'm actually workIng in san diego this week at some point I think

[kellie]

Well, congrats and good luck with the new venture!

I'm actually workIng in san diego this week at some point I think

Thanks, I'm really excited, but I have to admit I am pretty sad about leaving BMW. It's really been a worthwhile experience and I'm so glad that I did it.

It sounds like you don't know where you'll be in SD, but if you're going to be at BMW South County, come say hi to Nick and me.

[Pinzon89]

kellie you worked in El Cajon right? Im a local to Mira Mesa... Took a job in Virginia as an alternative because I lived here before. How's the shop there. I'm at a really great place right now. Not owned my a lrage corporation but they own like 8 dealers and the corporate bs is starting to kick in. Are the looking for something right now or in the near future? Thanks

[Cdn328is]

Oddly enough I have found out that the more you work in the car business, the less you appreciate them.

Sad but true!

[BrassDrummer]

Oh wow. To think just 3 months ago you were talking in our step class haha. I might have to look into that Southbay job. Not really in the north like I'd hoped, but You said good things about it.

Good Luck with your new career, I hope everything works out for you!

[kellie]

kellie you worked in El Cajon right? Im a local to Mira Mesa... Took a job in Virginia as an alternative because I lived here before. How's the shop there. I'm at a really great place right now. Not owned my a lrage corporation but they own like 8 dealers and the corporate bs is starting to kick in. Are the looking for something right now or in the near future? Thanks

Yep, El Cajon. It's owned by Sunroad, they own several dealerships in San Diego and Tijuana. It's about as personalized as any corporate owned dealership can be, the owner stops by every now and then. He came to our Christmas party last year and he sends signed birthday cards to employees (they're typed out, he just signs them), but there's still influence from corporate. A lot of pressure to be productive, regardless of whether there's work or not. It can be frustrating, but compared to the other dealership I worked at, it's leaps and bounds better. The people are great.

As far as whether they'll be hiring now or in the future, I have no idea, but it never hurts to try. I'm leaving and another tech just left, but they've already hired 2 more people, so it's hard to say. It's definitely worth a shot.

[bowmang]

Thanks, I'm really excited, but I have to admit I am pretty sad about leaving BMW. It's really been a worthwhile experience and I'm so glad that I did it.

It sounds like you don't know where you'll be in SD, but if you're going to be at BMW South County, come say hi to Nick and me.

i just found out where i'm gonna be. i'll be at brecht in escondido tomorrow (monday) and encinitas on tuesday.

i think i'm staying somewhere around encinitas tomorrow night, but i don't mind coming into san diego if you guys wanna grab some dinner or a drink or something...

[Aamir bt]

I'll be learning the family business: jewelry.

My family has a jewelry business aswell. i try to avoid having anything to do with it i hate it so much, it's just not my flavor. especially selling native american jewelry (we buy directly from the craftsmen, it is authentic jewelry), it's a whole different market and there is soooo much work involved in a jewelry business i'd take wrenching over it any day.

but hey to each his own. hope you enjoy your family business more than the dealership! plus it's always good to help out the family!

[Hugo]

If you're gonna miss it so much, why do you leave the business? Not being an ass here, just wondering.

[kellie]

My family has a jewelry business aswell. i try to avoid having anything to do with it i hate it so much, it's just not my flavor. especially selling native american jewelry (we buy directly from the craftsmen, it is authentic jewelry), it's a whole different market and there is soooo much work involved in a jewelry business i'd take wrenching over it any day.

but hey to each his own. hope you enjoy your family business more than the dealership! plus it's always good to help out the family!

That's funny. I grew up around jewelry, and it was never my thing when I was little, so I picked the furthest thing from the jewelry business and turned it into my career. I just kept wondering though, was I making the biggest mistake of my life by not at least trying the jewelry thing? So my dad suggested I learn jewelry repair which had never even occurred to me but sounds like it'd be right up my alley. Plus I'll be moving back to Colorado to live near my family and I'll get to use frickin' laser welders. I'll get to travel with my dad to jewelry and gem shows again, my schedule will be much more flexible than it ever was working for a dealership, my hours will be better, the money (and potential for money in the future when my parents retire) will be better, no more working for a corporation, and my parents are so incredibly happy to have me showing interest in the business that they've worked so hard to build that it makes it worthwhile.

Hugo, that's a totally valid question and I keep asking myself the same thing. I've been really frustrated with the automotive industry lately. I'm working harder and harder and my pay is staying the same, and there are a lot of drawbacks that I'd rather not get into here 'cause it'd probably start a debate. I enjoy working on cars, but I wasn't happy doing it for a living.

I figure if I start working for my parents and absolutely hate it, there's nothing stopping me from getting a job at a BMW dealership in Denver. Learning the jewelry trade won't cause me to forget everything I ever learned about cars, and I'll still have my tools. I'll probably also do side work just for fun and a little extra cash. I have a feeling I won't hate jewelry though, I think it will all work out.

[lennoxlennox]

Actually Kellie... it's a breath of fresh air to hear your honesty in your assessment of where you are at.

I would actually encourage you to not hold back and lay out your complete view good and bad of the industry.

why?

not to have a bitch session, but to give a frank view from an insider, about the industry - this information I think will be invaluable here because a lot of people who are coming on this forum are considering investing in their future in this industry.

unfortunately, most of what they hear is "rah rah rah" go for it, bmw is the greatest thing in the world, etc. etc. etc.

and you know if they are considering wyotech, uti etc, the sales reps are pumping them hard

but if the industry isn't for them and they won't go the distance, i think what you have to say will be a good balance

hopefully before they jump on this and be all giddy and only see the upside, they will listen to you and no both sides of the equation so they can make an informed decision - i.e. count the cost before you begin your trip... to make sure you will complete it

who knows, you may help someone be more resolved to do it, but a little more wiser about their decision and the potential pitfalls.... and you may help someone make the best decision of their life by saving 30k to uti, buying 10-15k in tools, hating the next 3-5 years of their life and they have to start all over again....

just a thought.... and good luck in your family business!

[bowmang]

Oh, and just because you're leaving the biz.... Doesn't mean you have to be a stranger around here...... Just sayin

[Broox]

Seems more and more BMW techs are leaving the business as BMW continues to "steal" money from them. One guy @ our dealership is leaving. In 2007 he said he loved his job and he made $130k that year. Now every job he does is a fistfight with BMW to get paid.

They audited our dealership for something like $30k last month. Apparently about $5k of it was because two words were left out of several RO stories, "verified repair"...as if they would send it out of the shop without making sure whatever they did wasnt fixed and even if they would, a couple of words in an RO isnt going to change that.

It must be incredibly demotivating when you work for hours on a job, only to not get paid for it because you left a couple words out of a stupid RO. Corporate BS. I honestly feel like its straight up theft.

I sure hope things look up, but everyone seems to be in agreement that it's not going to.

[kellie]

I started to type out a long response, but realized that I was repeating everything you just said, so I deleted it. All I can say is that I agree 100%.

[lennoxlennox]

as I said b4... good luck toya Kellie

My last day with BMW is next Friday... starting at the Hyundai dealership I interviewed with.... these guys are making coin there and I'm looking forward to getting my bills paid down.

So sick of the BMW thieving from me... corporate BMW is Broke My Wallet

maybe one day they'll get a clue and look into why so many bmw techs are leaving.... walking away with all the $$$'s they put into the training and going somewhere else with it.... you know, I just don't get how stupid they can be with trying to rip us off...

Look at you... you were speaking to one of their classes.... you started this thread... obviously an ambassador for the program... and didn't you win some sort of ASE award...

Well their loss... .... who knows if they'll ever wake up

[M3D]

Good luck kellie, thank you for all the work you did for us. Megan and I wish you much success in your new career.

[kellie]

Thanks Dave. You need to change your location!

It's official. Just got home, I am no longer a BMW tech. Kinda sad, kinda not. It was a good experience, but it's time to move on!

[palomino]

good luck kellie, and good for you for making a change! stay in touch around here.

If you're gonna miss it so much, why do you leave the business? Not being an ass here, just wondering.

just because you will miss something doesn't mean that it wasn't time to move on.

[Aamir bt]

just because you will miss something doesn't mean that it wasn't time to move on.

yeah like when a person gets rid of their first car, it's probably run to the ground and not worth the registration paid for it every year, and definitely time to move on. yet a person usually still misses their first car.

(although i still have my first car, even if it is sitting w/o an engine and missing half it's parts.....)

[TJMax]

This is so friggin sad. Kellie, you offered us tremendous insight, I hope you drop in to say hi and fill us in on how things go with your new endeavor.

Lennox, whether we will stick with it or not, doesnt really matter at this point. People have to go through it themselves, make their money and leave if they have to. You're so negative about it man. Theres pros and cons with ANYTHING you do in life, you just seem to only advocate the cons of working as a BMW tech. Maybe I want to wrench for BMW for 5 years and go off and do something else? Who knows, but I will have done it myself and of my own volition, and not listened to some grumpy self-proclaimed "realist" on a BMW forum. My friend graduated STEP a few years ago. He works at a dealership in Bloomfield, NJ. He still loves it. End of my story. Proof that it isnt impossible to be happy as a BMW tech. I mean no offense, and I dont want to start a bickering war in Kellie's thread, but you just use any and every opportunity to shyt on BMW tech life in just about every post ive read from you.

Sorry Kellie. Woooo Saaaaaaaahh

[lennoxlennox]

not wanting to highjack Kellie's thread, so I'll keep it brief

TJ, all the best with your step class in Jan... I wish you success and all the best in your career as a bmw tech

But... you choose to only read the criticisms I have, and yes I DO have them, and ignore the other things I have to say - and the fact is someone has to balance all the one sided, cheerleading going on here - they are doing all wannabe techs a great disservice - so i am painting an honest view held by many of the techs i know in the business who have been in the business for years - you want to stick your fingers in your ears - reminds me of the line in "a few good men"... "you can't handle the truth" .... because you are the kid waiting patiently in that mile long line to get on the disney ride... your anticipation, dreams are so great... you have soooooo much invested in this ride you want to get on.... you've built it up to yourself... your family... your friends....that's good... enjoy the ride... but know when to get off

don't listen to me - but look at someone like Kellie as an example - how does BMW/dealerships change such an ardent follower as her (SHE STARTED THIS WHOLE SECTION HERE) and she's leaving.... that speaks louder than any "realism" i could say

as always... take everything i say with a grain of salt.... and sorry for taking up so much of the post

[kellie]

I agree with what Carly said. As much as I will miss the good parts of being a tech, it was definitely time to move on, but like I said before, I'm glad I did it. No regrets. What I learned in my 4 years of automotive school and 3 years of wrenching will help me for the rest of my life, and I don't must mean the technical knowledge. Aamir bt, I like your analogy.

Lennox, there are good and bad things about every job. I understand the point that you're trying to make (and I agree with it to an extent), but I also agree with TJMax. I think the people on this forum need to try it out and determine for themselves whether it's for them or not. Most of the people that post here have already made the decision to shoot for STEP, and a large portion of them have already been accepted to the program. I don't think they want to hear ALL of the negatives of working for BMW, and I don't think it will really help them. I know that when I was at that stage of my life, I wouldn't have listened to anyone who told me not to work on cars. In fact, one of my friends laughed at me when I told him that I was thinking about getting my ASEs and trying to get into STEP (I had originally wanted to work for Subaru), so I went ahead and took all 8 and L1 and won an award for my high scores.

I think some people enjoy the stability of working for a big company, and they like the fact that at the end of the day, they can clock out, go home, and be done for the day. That's the right fit for some people. For other people like you and I, it's totally wrong and it drives us crazy. Personally, I find working for a corporation restrictive and mind numbing, but some people find it comforting and enjoy it. To each their own. I think pointing out both sides of the story is important to an extent, but when you overdo it, people will stop taking you seriously...so maybe try toning it down a bit and see how people respond. Just a suggestion.

Anyway, feel free to hijack my thread, I really don't mind. It's already served its purpose. And don't worry, I won't disappear off the face of the earth. I promise.

[Le Nitro]

Bad move IMO. My whole family is in jewelery and my dad's business is down 60%. There is stability in what your current job is and right now security at least.

It will boom again once the economy goes up but I would have stuck with being a bmw tech.

This is just my opinion, but good luck in your choices.

-Mike