career choices

[coronet340]

I've got a question for the auto body repair and mechanics. But everyone feel free to answer.
I am currently in the oil field and the money is awesome but I am just starting my family. I've been married 1.5 years and have a three month old baby boy at home. Instead of spending eight days away at a time I want to be around. I'm looking to get back to the 9 to 5 world so to say.
My question is do you love your work? Would you do it again? I am really interested in working my way up in the body shop world. I do like wrenching on stuff although a lot of the motor stuff baffles me.
I have a h.s. diploma but not much college. And money isn't a huge issue. The wife have dug our heels in the past two years and only have six months til we are debt free.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

If you have a good paying job now then stick with it. Fixing cars for a living is a lousy racket. Especially if you're flat rate. If I could go back and do it again knowing what I know now I would do a lot of things different.

 

[coronet340]

If you have a good paying job now then stick with it. Fixing cars for a living is a lousy racket. Especially if you're flat rate. If I could go back and do it again knowing what I know now I would do a lot of things different.

I make good money because I work around 130 hours in 8 days and I'm never home.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Become a Lawyer!

 

[snakeoil24]

Stay in the Oil Field Business life is tuff! If you think 8 days is tuff try working as a body man today. Money helps with a great deal of ills. wait till you have a period with no money or living poor see what kind of stress that produces!

 

[coronet340]

Become a Lawyer!

Lol. My mom always told me the same because I love to argue.

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Stay in the Oil Field Business life is tuff! If you think 8 days is tuff try working as a body man today. Money helps with a great deal of ills. wait till you have a period with no money or living poor see what kind of stress that produces!

I did 2 years ago before I got this job. I was literally 6 days away from bankruptcy. Thats why I'm paying off all my debt.

 

[monaco66coupe]

I'm with hemi rebel. How many old body men do you see? Not many, the chemicals and dust kills them off. A good friend died at 48 because he unpacked military engines packed with caustic chemicals. Blood cancer. Work another year and save a boatload of money, then go back to school. Get a white color job at that oil company. They need them too. Your wife will really appreciate that! good luck.

 

[coronet340]

I'm with hemi rebel. How many old body men do you see? Not many, the chemicals and dust kills them off.

Same thing here. We have some chemicals that will melt your face off quick. and our locations regularly have clouds of silica sand dust hovering over them. Plus theres the traffic accidents, we had 3 guys die in our yard last year. And parting iron, we pump at 9300+psi. this is a dangerous job

 

[Moparsmitty]

I agree with these guys. I used to sell parts to the local shops and if you saw the same guy at the same shop for more than a few years that was unusual. Not only did the body & paint guys come and go pretty regularly but the shops would fold and disappear as well. Not the most stable career. Personally, I liked being in the parts side of the business but the pay was crappy and chances for advancement were pretty limited. I'd stick with the job you have for now or maybe try to get on at a refinery if there's one in your area. I know a few guys that work at the refineries up here and they mostly like it. They work weird schedules but the get good pay and time off.

 

[HYRDGOON]

Yup! Decent money in a body shop is owning it (and preferably a towing company to go with it!) as well as having a good reputation for insurance work.

That's the balance of life to make a good living it's going to be long hours or extremely hard work (Or both) The only exception to this side of the border is cushy union jobs and other union trades but even those are falling by the wayside heavily for contract positions.

 

[monaco66coupe]

Can you get a CDL? have two nephews driving in North Dakota hauling oil, and they make 100,000 a year. They are gone yes for a couple weeks, then they are home again. Just a thought.

 

[usaroadrunner]

i am an overhead lineman. make real good $$$ an texas needs them and home almost every night except bad storms. just an option.

 

[coronet340]

Yup! Decent money in a body shop is owning it (and preferably a towing company to go with it!) as well as having a good reputation for insurance work.

That's the balance of life to make a good living it's going to be long hours or extremely hard work (Or both) The only exception to this side of the border is cushy union jobs and other union trades but even those are falling by the wayside heavily for contract positions.

My ultimate goal is to own my own shop, not body shop but doing resto on old bikes and building cafe racers n such. But I'm not one to go out and get loans to do it. I want to build it cash.

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Can you get a CDL? have two nephews driving in North Dakota hauling oil, and they make 100,000 a year. They are gone yes for a couple weeks, then they are home again. Just a thought.

I have my cdl with hazmat endorsement. But I hate driving. These trucks are moving ticket revenue for the local authorities. And I want to be home every night for more then 3 or 4 hours.

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i am an overhead lineman. make real good $$$ an texas needs them and home almost every night except bad storms. just an option.

How do you get into that?

 

[Richard Cranium]

Did you see my post a couple weeks ago about the benefits of being a professional circumciser?

 

[kiwigtx]

Did you see my post a couple weeks ago about the benefits of being a professional circumciser?

There's a joke in there, and I know the punchline :tongue5:

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

stay in oil, just switch to refinery work or something that doesn't require travel or excessive on shift time.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Did you see my post a couple weeks ago about the benefits of being a professional circumciser?

You basically work for tips, and helps to be Jewish.

 

[6speedGTX]

My grandfathers advice was to find 2 things that you really like doing. Make one your career and the other your hobby. The one you choose for a career you will not want to do for yourself as well.
I don't know if it's the same for the other mechanics on here, but I turned wrenches for a little over 10 years and the last thing I felt like doin at the end of the week was twisting more wrenches on my own stuff. I changed careers about 5 years ago and I love working on my stuff again.

 

[coronet340]

Did you see my post a couple weeks ago about the benefits of being a professional circumciser?

Couldn't do it. I'm still mad at the guy that did mine, I didn't walk for a year after I got circumcised.

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stay in oil, just switch to refinery work or something that doesn't require travel or excessive on shift time.

There's a few jobs around that I can do but I am looking for something I can do after I move out of Texas.

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My grandfathers advice was to find 2 things that you really like doing. Make one your career and the other your hobby. The one you choose for a career you will not want to do for yourself as well.
I don't know if it's the same for the other mechanics on here, but I turned wrenches for a little over 10 years and the last thing I felt like doin at the end of the week was twisting more wrenches on my own stuff. I changed careers about 5 years ago and I love working on my stuff again.

That's good advice.

 

[747mopar]

I would stay away from the body work as well, I think you would be further ahead to find something else even if it means some technical school. Around hear everyone is jumping on the oil ban wagon for the great money but I won't even consider it, Like you I have a young family and there is no money worth missing out on it. "Trust me" I've been sitting back watching everyone make more money than me and not one of them is anywhere near as content and happy as I am because "I'm enjoying life". You can't put a price tag on happiness. I'm an Industrial Maintenance man (always something different to do) and am home everyday at 3:30 and have almost every Sat and Sun off so I'm pretty happy. Life's short don't waste it with your nose to the grind. Good Luck