What do y'all do for a living? Does it involve cars?

RoughandReady wrote: In reply to slefain: Awesome way to make a living. It's a dream of mine to do automotive writing, I just don't like the idea of writing long form commercials for speed part companies (Not saying that's what you do, it just seems to be a large segment of the industry).

I won't lie, that is exactly where most of the writers have gone since the magazines have been dying in droves. The manufacturers now hire writers to put together ready-to-print articles that are usually exactly the same as what an editor would be paying the same writer to produce, except that now the manufacturer gives that article to the editor for free, and the writer gets paid the same just from a different pocket. The manufacturer gets an article that features how to use their product, the editor gets to keep their budget down (and thus keep their job), and the writer still gets paid. I know several guys who make decent money writing long form speed part commercials.

Good, old-school automotive journalism is out there, it is just hell to get paid decently for it. There are WAY too many hungry journalists willing to price themselves cheaply just to get a gig.

20 year Auto Tech. ASE Master Tech, ASE Undercar Specialist, ASE Advanced Level Diagnostics, and Bosch Certified tech. Last 18 years have been at a European Specialist. Mainly work on BMW, Audi, and VW. Which means there is always broken cars to work on, but usually the owners are too broke to fix them

I still enjoy the challenge and give up a lot of evenings and weekends for advanced training and diagnostics. But physically it's starting to take a toll on the body (neck and back). Trying to figure what the next step is...

I'm working as an engineer at a ocean research institute. I play with drones of the sea. Once upon a time I worked on cars for a living.

Spent a year at a restoration shop specializing in Studebaker's and other odd ball cars. Ever seen a 1954 Kaiser Darren? That shop had two, of the few hundred ever built, in there at the same time for restoration. Neat little roadsters. Doors slide forward into the fenders. I also spent 3 years at a hot rod shop/general machine shop. There I got to do everything from welding repairs on aluminum donut racks to installing Mustang II front suspensions on pro street cars.

slefain wrote:

RoughandReady wrote: In reply to slefain: Awesome way to make a living. It's a dream of mine to do automotive writing, I just don't like the idea of writing long form commercials for speed part companies (Not saying that's what you do, it just seems to be a large segment of the industry).

I won't lie, that is exactly where most of the writers have gone since the magazines have been dying in droves. The manufacturers now hire writers to put together ready-to-print articles that are usually exactly the same as what an editor would be paying the same writer to produce, except that now the manufacturer gives that article to the editor for free, and the writer gets paid the same just from a different pocket. The manufacturer gets an article that features how to use their product, the editor gets to keep their budget down (and thus keep their job), and the writer still gets paid. I know several guys who make decent money writing long form speed part commercials. Good, old-school automotive journalism is out there, it is just hell to get paid decently for it. There are WAY too many hungry journalists willing to price themselves cheaply just to get a gig.

Wow. I had no clue it was quite that blatant. I figured it was more wink wink.

I think the magazines are digging their own graves with those sorts of moves. A blog offers a lot more honesty, most of the time.

Plus, they must have run out of ways to build a SBC back in the 80s.

No cars, I make these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb3tfk8dxvU&feature=player_detailpage

I am the Police

I get to deal with cars on a daily basis, be it writing crash reports, searching them, pulling them over, seizing them etc...

Hopefully soon I will be working with them a lot more, I just heard back from the auto theft sergeant and I am next on the list for Detective. Keep your fingers crossed for me....

Before I was a cop I owned a car dealership for 9 years. I still flip approximately 30 cars a year for extra money.

I could NEVER flip cars. Besides being a poor salesman, I don't have the patience to deal with buyers.

motomoron wrote: For many, many years I worked in the same fields and my hobbies, and I'll offer that there's no better way to spoil a good pastime than turning avocation to vocation. Leave the "A" out.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with this. I've moved from avocation to vocation several times in my life and haven't regretted it once. It's a lot better to have a job that interests you instead of just putting in time. Sure, there are some days that could be better - but it's overall a good thing.

Motorhand on an oil drilling rig. Look after 2 boilers, 4 generators, hydraulic/electrical/air systems, make sure the roughnecks and leasehand are busy, make sure everything is nice and clean. That sort of thing. Don't deal with cars at all but I get to drive a loader and tinker with the gens.

Wouldn't mind switching trades for a job where I could actually go home at night though.

I do outside sales for a chain of NAPA stores, so I sell car parts all day. Mostly to repair shops and fleet managers, but with some hot rod shops thrown in.

RossD wrote: I'm a professional engineer, (BSME at U of Wisconsin - Madison)and do design/drawings/specifications for HVAC/Plumbing and a couple other things. Nothing to do with cars, other than it helps pay for them.

I used to sell flex connectors and expansion joints to pump reps (HydroFlo - Brookfield) and part of my job was getting to you and getting us approved and written into the specification.

I manage a Section 8 low-income housing project. Emphasis on low-income, also low morals, low ethics, even some low intelligence. Yes, I carry a gun. I also buy and sell cars, usually from CoPart or such.

I do boats

pimpm3 wrote: I am the Police

...And "pimp" is in the name.

Digital marketing. Exclusively for the auto industry at my last place. Now I'm focused more on small businesses with a few auto dealers mixed in. It feels better to help mom and pop than corporate tycoon.

Me? I sell small parts of large cars... (Parts dept at a dealership..)

service adviser

Nothing to do with cars. In the most general terms I'm a graphic designer that specializes in web stuffs. The title at my current job is "User Interface Designer", which means I work mostly on web apps from a usability/user-experience perspective.

I sell (and facilitate the sale of) Porsche parts. Currently I'm predominately involved in the very early aircooled stuff (think 1950-1973), but I've done everything from 914 parts to 991 parts in the past.

I'm also a "journalist" type guy for Hooniverse.com, FlatSixes.com, and my own site, BavarianDrive.com.

It's hard work, but it's a ton of fun.

In reply to Maroon92:

Bavarian Drive looks very nice. Is that Wordpress based?

I'm a maintenance electrician at University of Michigan Hospital. All I can say is it almost pays the bills and it is stable.

I used to work in the automotive industry as a Quality Manager for MAHLE Valvetrain and I loved it. I got to use my German degree and everything. But the plant was closed down and I never landed another stable gig. Too bad.

Anymore my dream job is being a stay at home dad, but that will never happen. Oh well!

In reply to pimpm3:

Stay safe brother

I am an audiologist, doing hearing and balance diagnostics.

It pay the bills for cars, karts, boats and hover crafts...

Given up on cars, doesn't pay for E36 M3 on the technician side unless you are a lying, thieving shiny happy person.

Now in school to be a nurse. More pay for less work.

I'm an assistant prosecuting attorney (Assistant D.A. for you "southern folk"). Sadly, it has little to do with cars, although I'm sort of the resident "Car/Gun Guy" at the office.