Too late? should I give up?

[chadm_88]

I have many hopes and dreams about my life and vehicles, like starting my own auto garage and knowing cars inside and out, but I'm not sure if I know enough about them to even try for that. I'm 16 right now, and it just seems like everone knows more about cars than me, but my dream is to be a mechanic...I can tell you kind of how a motor works and name some parts and what a few of them do, but I'm not exactly an auto genius. I try to learn and work with my truck, but it's hard when none of my friends and family know much about cars. Should I just give up?

[buymeabmwm3]

NO way! 16 is quite young, most people don't really get serious about that stuff till after college, or at least after moving out on their own. And if you really enjoy cars, you'll find ways to learn more about them. Try to get yourself an old car that you can tinker with, something simple that doesn't have all the electronic gizmos of cars from the last 20 or so years. You can learn a lot by changing a head gasket, or adjusting valves, and all of that can be learned fairly easily with a good repair manual, a couple wrenches, and lots of time and effort. And then think about getting yourself into a good technical school, there are many that specialize in auto repair. Or you could find a college that has a Formula SAE program where they build and drive real racecars. Congrats and finding your calling in life, and good luck!

[alphalanos]

yeah dont give up. as you grow older you will be able to understand things more easily. read through as many of the posts on this site as you can. i have learned so much just from using this site. just keep at it.

[chadm_88]

heh, well thanks for the encouragement guys...i guess i just thought i should give up because i hear all these people at school who are the same age as me or even younger kids talking about a whole bunch of shit that i dont even understand, and that just makes me feel like maybe i dont belong in the auto industry....but that really helps a lot. thanks!

[beef_bourito]

hey, I'm 16 as well, I must say, this site is full of info and people who are ready to answer your questions. Deffinetly don't give up. My dream job is to work for a Formula one engineering team (renault would be ideal) but since I'm not even going into mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering, I'll have to stick with nanotechnology engineering.

[daveid]

ya, im 18 and have been into cars since i was around 12, but never had cars to work on becuase lack of experience and knowlege, along with they were our only source of transportation cuz we only had 2 cars. Anyways, Ive wanted to be a mechanic to build hot rod motors and ive thought about giving up a few times too, but i had an engine built for me and now i know quite a bit about engines...at least i know everything that goes in one.
Anyways take advantage of having a car right now. I just started working on my g/f's car when i was 17 and that was the best thing for me. So just find thing to add or adjust like they were saying...just change the spark plugs, oil, cap, rotor,and even though its not much it will familiar self with the engine. And I dont know much shit either even though i might sound like it but when something happens to the engine i want to know exactly what it is like you were saying, knowing cars in and out.
Hopefully we can all reach our car dreams some day.

Gluck

[Mr Vegas]

No don't give up!

If you really know that this is what you wan't to do-do it!Don't worry if it seems that people know more than you,it doesn't matter.You will learn like myself-i was 16 & absolutely knew NOTHING about cars when i started out,in a few years i was a qualified mechanic!
And there are still things i don't know how to do and everyone is like this.
Nearly 10 years later and i still enjoy it and still learn everyday,also get to work and drive some of the coolest cars around.

The best way to start is to get ya hands dirty!start working on an old engine and try and figure it out.

GOOD LUCK

[Racincc85]

definitely do NOT give up. I remember back when i was 16, i knew absolutely nothing about cars except that you had to put oil and gas in them. Once i got my license and got my own car i wanted to learn more. I got a repair manual for my car, and read pretty much the entire thing. I also got under the hood on mine and my friends cars as often as i could. I spent a lot of time reading posts on this forum and talking with people who knew much more about cars than i did. I'm 20 now, and i can't believe how much knowledge i have gained. Just be persistant and it will certainly pay off!!

[info2x]

I agree with what has been said. Don't give up! I don't know a whole lot about cars either, but being on the Formula SAE team here at college is certainly helping as well as tinkering with my car. If your high school offers it, take a small engines course, or go to a lawn mower repair shop and ask them if they need help around the shop. Even if you’re not working directly on the engines or other parts you can learn a lot by watching. You could also ask one of those kids that you mentioned if they could teach you a thing or two.

[RandomTask]

Don't feel bad! Theres always more room to learn! for someone to know everything there is about cars is quite absurd. As someone mentioned before (and what I'm involved with) try to get into a school with formula SAE. I can tell you a lot of general info on fieros or challengers where as someone else on the team knows everything there is about subarus and someone else about mitsubishi. (I still can't get all those wierd engine and turbo designations down IE : R34) but I love to learn!

[RandomTask]

Don't feel bad! Theres always more room to learn! for someone to know everything there is about cars is quite absurd. As someone mentioned before (and what I'm involved with) try to get into a school with formula SAE. I can tell you a lot of general info on fieros or challengers where as someone else on the team knows everything there is about subarus and someone else about mitsubishi. (I still can't get all those wierd engine and turbo designations down IE : R34) but I love to learn!

[public]

GO FOR IT!!

ALL of us started out knowing nothing. My first rebuild was 5 hp lawnmower There are many good schools, and you may even want to consider a part time job at a parts store while you are in school or even before you get into a school. You will learn a ton. Before you know it you will be building engines just for fun. Good Luck.

[psychorallyfreak]

Indeed, DO NOT GIVE UP!!!
So much can be learned from experience.
I'll second (or third) the idea of getting an older car to tinker and learn on first.
Make sure your learning bitch has a non-interference engine. You'll thank me later.
I would highly recommend the VW Rabbit. Nothing spectacular, but it's an excellent "learning" car.

[foureyedbuzzard]

Don't Give Up!!!

Time is on your side - you are still young. I'm 48 and just getting back this last year into repairing and troubleshooting my own cars after not touching them for almost 20 years. Three teenage drivers(my 12 year old DAUGHTER is the only one interested in cars!) in the house means owning a small stable of used cars, and I can't afford to deal with the shop labor rates or the incompetence of most of the repair shops out there. Man, is there a lot to catch up on.

Check out this website, it's FREE, most of it is based on Toyota, but cars are all very similar in the final analysis. http://www.autoshop101.com/techartic...larticles.html

Both the articles and the practice tests(interactive with answers) have a load of great information. If you can squeeze in one or two lessons a day between all of those IM's and online games(joking you could put yourself way ahead of most of the talking motorheads when it comes to knowing how a car REALLY works. Like you said, "i hear all these people at school who are the same age as me or even younger kids talking about a whole bunch of shit..." You're probably right on the money as far as what they're talking - shit. That said, you still have to go out and bloody up your knuckles on rusted bolts and the like to learn how to approach and perform mechanical work, SEE what all that book stuff looks like in a real life car, and then ACTUALLY FIX the damn thing. Cars can be a true pain to work on, especially without a garage and lift - you'll see. Hopefully the pain will also teach you how NOT to constantly bust your knuckles - before the cursing from under the car gets you in trouble at home ;-). Start small with oil and filter changes, plugs, wires, thermostats etc. and work your way up to more complicated things as your confidence increases with success.

If you are going to make this a career, you definitely need to go to automotive school of some sort after high school. You'll also need to take some business classes - eventually - if you want to open your own shop some day. There are some great replys from other posters in this thread along this line.

And, DON'T GIVE UP!

[chadm_88]

Thank you EVERYONE! This has all been a great deal of help in making sure I stay on the automotive path. I love your enthusiasm for this all and it's really encouraging.