Who works in the motor trade? - Page 3

mezzetta · 11th June 2008, 20:49

I have been in and associated with the motor trade all my life. From growing up as the youngest son of a garage owner/coach company proprietor to serving a full indentured apprenticeship as a panel beater and sprayer. I Worked in the body shop for many years (on the tools) and for the last 15 years have been full time lecturer in auto engineering and management and also licensing panel beaters and sprayers for the new PAS 125 regulations. I still love the trade now as much as ever, it’s really great to be part of the new regulations to ensure vehicle repairers are competent and can repair vehicles using the correct manufactures methods ensuring all repairs are carried out to the correct specification.

Jamie · 13th June 2008, 15:58

There is clearly some fantastic technical experience here!!!

Its a shame we cant capture that somehow and direct that knowledge somehow to ease the burden on poor old (young) Phil??

Hats off to everyone, as I suspected we have a large proprtion of folks who are more than able to role up their sleaves and dive into an oily engine bay...now thats something you dont often get in an owners club....people who understand nuts and bolts!

EXMSRalph · 13th June 2008, 17:03

I'm MD of an XPart AutoService Centre. Prior to starting this enterprise I was in IT! I have owned MGs for many years, though, and serviced/repaired them myself (except the modern ones that require connecting to diagnostic computers to do anything).

<James|Rover> · 13th June 2008, 17:07

I left school and joined Lex Mead in Cheltenham for a couple of years in Fleet Sales looking after a major UK accout who were Austin Rover's top customer and which had the largest fleet in the UK (apart from BT that was). Mostly boring work ordering 25 Metros every month from the factory, putting them through the workshops for PDI (and all the bad paintwork bodged up!) then getting transporters arranged to deliver them to the customer. The upside was that the directors would order Jags, Rover Vitesse, Range Rovers and so on and I (a seventeen year old lad at the time) had to personally source them, prep them and deliver them up the M5 to the customer. I was the envy of all my friends as I detoured past their workplaces/houses, sometimes having to take the cars home overnight for that "early start in the morning"! Nightmare I was...
But to address the reason for the post...the MD of Lex said to me when I joined "you're in the Motor Trade now sonny, and you'll be in it for life"... Thank god I got out of the trade when I did (or was I pushed for scraping too many cars!). But it was great fun at the time!

Tom Collins · 13th June 2008, 18:00

I did about 13 years in the motor trade. Started as a car cleaner, then went on to work behind the parts and service counters. Vauxhall mainly and a bit of Ford. Miss it in a way, I worked with a good bunch of people.

Tickertyboo · 13th June 2008, 18:58

HGV body building, hydraulics and pneumatics for the past 32 years, cars before that.

Regards, Les.

11th June 2008, 20:49	#21
mezzetta Newbie Rover 75 tourer facelift Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Swansea Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Motor Trade I have been in and associated with the motor trade all my life. From growing up as the youngest son of a garage owner/coach company proprietor to serving a full indentured apprenticeship as a panel beater and sprayer. I Worked in the body shop for many years (on the tools) and for the last 15 years have been full time lecturer in auto engineering and management and also licensing panel beaters and sprayers for the new PAS 125 regulations. I still love the trade now as much as ever, it’s really great to be part of the new regulations to ensure vehicle repairers are competent and can repair vehicles using the correct manufactures methods ensuring all repairs are carried out to the correct specification.

13th June 2008, 15:58	#22
Jamie Posted a thing or two In Limbo Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1,685 Thanks: 4 Thanked 12 Times in 6 Posts	There is clearly some fantastic technical experience here!!! Its a shame we cant capture that somehow and direct that knowledge somehow to ease the burden on poor old (young) Phil?? Hats off to everyone, as I suspected we have a large proprtion of folks who are more than able to role up their sleaves and dive into an oily engine bay...now thats something you dont often get in an owners club....people who understand nuts and bolts! __________________ Finally given up trying to buy the last new rover V8 from Bristol, 2 years of haggling got me nowhere!

13th June 2008, 17:07	#24
<James\|Rover> Regular poster Jaguar S Type Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Amberley, nr Stroud Posts: 62 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I left school and joined Lex Mead in Cheltenham for a couple of years in Fleet Sales looking after a major UK accout who were Austin Rover's top customer and which had the largest fleet in the UK (apart from BT that was). Mostly boring work ordering 25 Metros every month from the factory, putting them through the workshops for PDI (and all the bad paintwork bodged up!) then getting transporters arranged to deliver them to the customer. The upside was that the directors would order Jags, Rover Vitesse, Range Rovers and so on and I (a seventeen year old lad at the time) had to personally source them, prep them and deliver them up the M5 to the customer. I was the envy of all my friends as I detoured past their workplaces/houses, sometimes having to take the cars home overnight for that "early start in the morning"! Nightmare I was... But to address the reason for the post...the MD of Lex said to me when I joined "you're in the Motor Trade now sonny, and you'll be in it for life"... Thank god I got out of the trade when I did (or was I pushed for scraping too many cars!). But it was great fun at the time! __________________ James \|pm \| profile \| [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Last edited by <James\|Rover>; 13th June 2008 at 18:11..

13th June 2008, 18:00	#25
Tom Collins Posted a thing or two Mondeo 2.0 cdti Ghia Auto Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Leicester Posts: 1,731 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I did about 13 years in the motor trade. Started as a car cleaner, then went on to work behind the parts and service counters. Vauxhall mainly and a bit of Ford. Miss it in a way, I worked with a good bunch of people. __________________ In vino veritas [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Does Magna Carta mean nothing to you? Did she die in vain?

13th June 2008, 17:03	#23
EXMSRalph Gets stuck in ZS180, MGF, Rover 400, MG Montego Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sittingbourne Posts: 534 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'm MD of an XPart AutoService Centre. Prior to starting this enterprise I was in IT! I have owned MGs for many years, though, and serviced/repaired them myself (except the modern ones that require connecting to diagnostic computers to do anything).

13th June 2008, 18:58	#26
Tickertyboo Regular poster Rover 75 CDT Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bishop Auckland. Posts: 78 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	HGV body building, hydraulics and pneumatics for the past 32 years, cars before that. Regards, Les.