Sounds like solid advise around the board... Now follow your heart and do what you feel is right!

Remember, many of these people (and especially your parents) have massed knowledge and life experience that you may not have yet (I dont personally know you so I wont bash ya! )

I always say, nothing ventured nothing gained! That is a risky way to live, but it sure makes the ride fun.

I think your parents are right, finish school 1st! Get a traditional degree! In the meantime study your passions because they will change!

Set reasonable short and long term goals and stay focused. You can do anything you put your heart and mind into!

Best of luck and see you at the top!

 

i love working on cars ,bikes,ect

 

Good advice. Focus on school. It's only a very short time in your life, but so important down the road for keeping your options open.

My advice would be to learn as much as you can about everything that you are passionate about while still keeping your options open for the traditional job that you don't want now, but which you may want in the future. There's always time to learn cars. You only go to college once (usually).

Besides, if you really want to be successful with a small business, you have to know business just as much as you need to know cars. Great fabrication skills are nothing if you can't manage people, can't write well and don't know anything about running a business. So, take accounting, take business courses, take writing courses, learn to communicate well, etc. That's what school is all about. Those are important skills you need to learn now whether you are planning to be the next Dave Buschur or the next Bill Gates.

I like my job and also love my hobbies, and I'm very glad that I didn't try to make my hobbies my job.

 

Defenatley get your Degree, I moved home too, and I am not wasting $2000 a MONTH on an APT and them make your bucks later dude.

 

I quit restaurants at 28 and spent a year working two jobs and paying off debts. I also moved back in with the 'rents and they helped me out. I went through college to get my Mechanical Engineering degree. A little background I was a horrible student in high school but I was a lot more motivated at 28 and made it through. Cars are my passion through and through. I now work for Roush Industries as an NVH Engineer. I work on cars all day and love it. I don't mind the pay and sometimes forget that I do get paid. I can still work on cars after work for as long as I want. Get your degree, then go to Wyo Tech or something to learn fabrication and the mechanics side. After that, work in a shop and see if you like it. If not, who cares you tried, and now you can fall back on a degree. Try to work for a car company or supplier the passion is phenomenal and the knowledge of cars is deep. I wake up with the fattest smile knowing I get to do what I always wanted. There are few days ever that I am not motivated to go to work. I tell everyone I know follow your dream and see if it turns out if not you gave it a shot and won't have any regrets. Good Luck

 

First off, I can honestly say its a real joy to read this thread. I hope the mods see this, mature...intelligent, productive. The list goes on.

DSM, I feel your pain. Im sure it gets tough, and Im sorry you hate going to work....I dont know what Im shooting for, but I KNOW installing tires for a wholesale company is the furthest thing from where I want to be in 10 years.

I just want to find something to do that I love. Money is secondary at this point....not to blow sunshine up my own butt, but Ive always become successful at things I set my mind to. I advanced quickly at my company when I \decided I wanted to....so, I will find a way to have a job, make my money and figure out what exactly I want out of life....I know for certain that I am in love with cars, as most of us are.....and while the industry might be super tough, I have dealt with the worst of the worst customers the world has to offer, battled the biggest obstacles thrown at me and Ive lost my drive to just MAKE money.....if I am going to be that miserable doing something, it'll be on MY terms.

Now, even if I do decide to open my own business, Ive got the support of a loving family and Ive got NOTHING to lose.....no wife, no kids, no mortgage....just me and my Evo.


If you turn a hobby into work, it isn't a hobby anymore....but if you do what you love, you'll never work a day for the rest of your life.

I want to get back to school...or not.....I have the luxury of making the decision. Regrets are not a luxury, they are a curse. I mean...hell.....I can even find a job working anywhere in the future, if it doesnt work out. But if I DO take the chance and I succeed.....I mean...damn....think about what Id feel like if I DIDNT take that chance. Its like the girl you dont talk to at the bar that one night.....she could have been the best thing that ever happened.....and if you dont risk it....the world may never know.

Thanks for all the responses....this thread is officially no longer about me....please, share your thoughts and experiences with us all. Really....really good to see that there are some good ones surfing this board still. Goodnight

 

My parents do support me opening up a shop, but not here in the US but overseas where we're originally from.

They have seen me do a lot of work on friends hondas and all when I had my integra and would tell me I should charge people for my installs/repairs...

I just have to come up with a business plan and follow it...

 

When I was 16, I got a chance to go to Mitsubishi Ralliart at ***uoka Japan. it was a training program that will allow you to study at Girl's Highs in ***uoka in the morning (language) and learn auto stuff at Ralliart in the afternoon. very nice program and after 2 years you will get certified and allow you to go higher level training.


its about 30,000 NZD per year (about 14000 USD), and I dont have that much money to put in nor my father so I missed it!


but now every time when I look back, I think my life right now are better than just a mechanic.



BTW if I take that program, I might ended up dying on some unknown Jap gal's bed at age 20.




my 2cp.

 

It sure is and Nate has alot of valid points. I have tried to call him numeorous times myself with no luck. He is a VERY busy man, andi have no doubt he works those late nights.

 

Just a silly business idea. Ever think of selling that $30K worth of high risk parts as a bulk to someone starting a new business somewhere else in the country? Might be easier to get rid of it as a slightly discounted glob. Yes, I used glob and expect for you to respect my opinion.... the irony is not lost on me.

 

reality check here guys. I work a normal job and do this car stuff as a hobby. That's not to say that I haven't made a few extra bucks turning wrenches for a shop, making parts, or repairing cars out of my own garage/driveway in free/rough times. Point being, most of us enjoy cars as a hobby, but I've discovered that a job is a job and it really starts to suck when the line between hobby and work gets blurred. Sure, you'd love to find your passion, the job that you'd do for free, but even though you've got a good idea that cars are your thing, you may find it to be too much in the end. The smart decision is to stick it out with what you know works.

Here's the bottom line and I'll no doubt catch some flack for this from a few members who think I turn my nose at self-educated men. College is the new highschool, and what I mean by that is that 20 years ago you could go out in the world and get a good job with just a high school diploma that hope to support a family. Think that's still true? Blame it on the world economy, decline of the american work ethic, hell, blame it on the rest of the schmucks who got fat and lazy off beer and pretzels back when america was the dominant superpower with no challengers. Bottom line is that you've got to compete nowadays in order to get yours.

Let me tell you what leaving college to pursue your degree tells any future employer or even any loan officer you approach for a handout in order to get your business model off the ground. That you're a quitter. No matter how good your ideas seem, how well you've got it planned, you'll have effectively turned a pro (college degree) into a con (incomplete education).

Here's a better solution for you. Keep doing what you're doing. Buy a cheap welder, teach yourself how to use it and watch your skills progress. If you're dead set on starting your own business, take some extra small business courses, and plan plan plan. Stick to the plan, have patience and you WILL succeed instead of chancing it like the suckers. For every guy who made it on his own despite the odds, there's a bunch of other cautionary tales of failure. Don't set yourself up to lose.

 

Well, I think being called a quitter for not finishing school is a harsh way to put it. I took an opportunity that was offered and since then Ive made quite a bit of money. In fact, I make 30k more than 85% of my close friends that have gone to school and gotten BS degrees.


But onwards....Im really glad everyone has been so positive and constructive. Its good to see this, and tells me that there is hope for this board.


As for me...Im moving home to the Poconos. Ive arranged for my parents to allow me to put up another garage next to my fathers woodworking shop. Im going to use a pre fabbed steel building. Insulate it, pour concrete, and put a lift in it. Even for personal use, Ive ALWAYS wanted it.....and then Im going to buy a compressor and start my tool supply.



I was thinking of starting my heading back to school ambitions with a technical school. Im the kind of guy who can tear down a motor and put it back together, and it will work.......but I want to know how to do it ALL, and the right way. I want to learn to weld.....so for starters, what tech schools are good. UTI? Lincoln?


I saw a place that has "Hot Rod University" That looks neat, but how credible is it?

After thats done, Im going to finish what I started with my mechanical engineering degree. Im well versed in AutoCADD and some graphical programs.

In all seriousness, I want to have a race team.....I want to race. If it means building my Evo into a monster, and blowing it up 400 times, Im gonna do it....It might take me 10 years....but Im gonna do it....I have everything at my finger tips and supportive parents, which for that I am blessed beyond belief....they even bought me a laptop for christmas, so I can hook up my EMS and tune the car when I learn to do so.


Any advice furthmore would be appreciated. I know life is tough. Id rather try and fail, then never try....and I'd rather work hard on something Im truely interested in as opposed to doing something easy, that is JUST A JOB and I HATE with the only requirements being how to follow guidelines to make SOMEONE ELSE money.

I'll take a 50% pay cut just to be able to be free.

 

Go for your dreams man!! Whatever makes you happy.

 

my parents are in the restraunt business and my bro is taking up the family business... he might as well be making 150k an year or so running multiple restraunts but its not something i want to do... i basically grew up in restraunts and i have found no interest in it whatsoever since day one... so i'll be going to UTI to get an further education on cars and do what i love to do... myself for one thing..sometimes when i work on cars and nothing is working out and im low on budget..it can get very frustrating...but when everything starts to come together in the end..you'll think its all worth it...

im hoping after 2 years in automotive training..i hope that my scores and records are good enough to move on to work on a porsche dealership which UTI is somewhat associated with...each year porsche pulls about 10 guys from UTI..yes..its very few..but the pay starts at 80k which i thought is great... just pursue your dreams and do what you do best and what you love best.... i remember reading the Modified magazine and "Tarzan" said something about his job... something like "if you are doing what you love as a career, you'll never have to work one day in your life"

 

This is a really good thread indeed.

While its important to have dreams and goals, its also important to listen to others that already 'walk the walk'. Reading your posts I conclude that you're a mature guy and I have full confidence that you shall make some smart choices concerning your future.

God Bless! Keep us infomed.