Where To Take Automotive Classes?

[Caveit77777]

First off I want to say that I'm currently a full time student at Ohio University majoring in mechanical engineering because of my love for cars. I want to be in the automotive industry later in life. With that being said I'm pretty decent at working on my 240 but that's normally with the help of someone else who knows a lot more than me. I'd like to be able to do all the stuff WE do to my car but on my own instead. I know a lot of it is experience but a lot of it is education too. I was looking into wyotech and UTI but these are for people who really want to work on cars as a career not as a hobby. I want to work on cars as a hobby but DESIGN them as a career. I figured it would be easier to design them if I knew how they worked better. I'm part of SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) and ASME but those are just groups, not classes. I was just wondering if you guys know of anything that can help me reach my goal of being able to confidently rip a car apart and being able to put it back together.

[Jesda]

You'll need to look at industrial design programs available at accredited 4-year institutions and then earn an internship.

As for taking cars apart, just spend time at your local pick-and-pull junkyard. Take things apart, take pictures, get intimate. For certification purposes, you can take community college courses on automotive technology that prepare you for ASE exams.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Get a job at a garage to help pay your way through college. You learn and get paid. It's win-win.

[IanS]

Get a job at a garage to help pay your way through college. You learn and get paid. It's win-win.

^ This.

The best way to learn about cars is to take them apart, break them, fix them, and just be hands on.

[alms24sebring]

I was just going to say...

In this case, f*** $35k/semester to read a book that tells you to get out a pressure gauge, then measure the brake piston force at the bleeder on all corners, then go in a book to see if its in spec to tell if a master cylinder is bad. Its stupidly taught and it 'teaches' you almost nothing, and I have heard bad things about it. A good diverse job in the field will get you there 4x faster than any school.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

+1
You know how real mechanics do it? Take the car out. Drive it. Hit the brakes. Get out. If one wheel is burning a** hot, the caliper is seized. If one is stone cold, its nonoperational.
Plenty of pedal pressure but no stopping power? Bad booster.
No/low pedal pressure? Bad master cylinder, or there's a leak somewhere, or there's air in the system and you need to bleed it.

Cars are pretty logical, especially the mechanical side of things.

[IanS]

Cars are pretty logical, especially the mechanical side of things.

You'''ve not worked on nearly enough "Murican" cars then.

If I had the money, I would take monthly trips to different automotive engineering firms to punch people in the throats.

[asoomal]

When it comes to electrical and computerized components, then yes school ftw.

When it's mechanical......well it helps when they teach out what NOT to do. Other than that....meh.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Cars are pretty logical, especially the mechanical side of things.

You'''ve not worked on nearly enough "Murican" cars then.

If I had the money, I would take monthly trips to different automotive engineering firms to punch people in the throats.

Eh, there's some things that are more or less universal, like the previous example I pointed out. How you go about fixing them tends to change from brand to brand

My current job is kinda cool, I get to punch automotive designers in the throat (uh, figuratively) before bad designs make it to production... although sometimes I still get vetoed/overridden.

[BusyBadger]

The automotive tech program at Southern Illinois University used to be one of the tops in there nation.

There used to be a couple of NICOnauts that went there, I tagged one of their cars with a NICO card a couple of years ago and he PM'd me since my username was on the back of it. If I still have his contact info I'll drop him this link and ask him to get in contact with you.

[dre1507]

My current job is kinda cool, I get to punch automotive designers in the throat (uh, figuratively) before bad designs make it to production... although sometimes I still get vetoed/overridden.

Who do you work for?

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Nissan.

[dre1507]

Cool. I want to work for Nissan, too. Doing the same job, too.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Send me your resume. Where are you located?

[dre1507]

I'm in Florida. I'm not sure what my resume needs to look like, but I'll get it to you the minute I find your email address.

[alms24sebring]

Oh no, I dont want a job designing Nissans either Where the hell were you on the Murano vert and the B16 Sentra?!

[IanS]

Eh, there's some things that are more or less universal, like the previous example I pointed out. How you go about fixing them tends to change from brand to brand

My current job is kinda cool, I get to punch automotive designers in the throat (uh, figuratively) before bad designs make it to production... although sometimes I still get vetoed/overridden.

Some, yes.

Where were you when they decided to put the CPS on the back of the block sandwiched between the motor mount, bellhousing, starter, and steering rack on the QR25? Had to change one today, and even though I have done 15 or 20 of them, it still makes me want to kick babies.

Oh well. I just chalk it up to "you can't be perfect all the time"

I should also admit that I believe the existence of the cross cabriolet to be a figment of a very real recurring nightmare. Like a unicorn, everyone talks about them, but they can't actually exist

[dbellomojz]

if you want to learn to take apart cars..
my advice is to just apply at a dealership with whatever youve got as a backround and aim to go flat rate.. im 21 & ive spent 2 years flat rate at lexus/2 toyotas now and its more schooling then any school could provide. never been to a school though i see that going would deff help, i applied and started off as a hourly apprentice for a few months when i started, now im a full flat rate tech. i learn the critical important stuff on the daily, you need to work your way to the top and start off with millions of 5k tire rotations that suck..... gotta get better at finding upsale/selling jobs that make you uncomfortable etc and just knock them out. theres plenty of information and tools from the computers and friends you make at a shop... you need the job to also pay for your tools!!

***if you take it serious, the dealership will probally send you to a school and pay for it every once in awhile!!

and as for designing.. if you think knowing how a car is really constructed and functions will aid you, you need to have years and years of experience being a technician. no school can teach you what hands on hours and hours will do for you.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Oh no, I dont want a job designing Nissans either Where the hell were you on the Murano vert and the B16 Sentra?!

I was still in college for the B16 (I think), and I was working at BorgWarner during the Murano crossabortion.

Where were you when they decided to put the CPS on the back of the block sandwiched between the <a class="vglnk" title="Link added by VigLink" rel="nofollow" href="http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=motor+ ... span>motor </span><span>mount</span></a>, bellhousing, starter, and steering rack on the QR25? Had to change one today, and even though I have done 15 or 20 of them, it still makes me want to kick babies.

The QR WAAAAY pre-dates my employment status at Nissan. Not only that, but it isn't offered on any of the platforms I work on (or at least the ones I'm supposed to work on. I get dragged into Altima sometimes).

I'm in Florida. I'm not sure what my resume needs to look like, but I'll get it to you the minute I find your email address.

PM sent.

[sx moneypit]

You might want to look into this.
http://www.bremotorsports.com/resources ... ce-program

[IanS]

The QR WAAAAY pre-dates my employment status at Nissan. Not only that, but it isn't offered on any of the platforms I work on (or at least the ones I'm supposed to work on. I get dragged into Altima sometimes).

Lol, cmon James, I am just razzing you a little hahahaha.

[asoomal]

if you want to learn to take apart cars..
my advice is to just apply at a dealership with whatever youve got as a backround and aim to go flat rate.. im 21 & ive spent 2 years flat rate at lexus/2 toyotas now and its more schooling then any school could provide. never been to a school though i see that going would deff help, i applied and started off as a hourly apprentice for a few months when i started, now im a full flat rate tech. i learn the critical important stuff on the daily, you need to work your way to the top and start off with millions of 5k tire rotations that suck..... gotta get better at finding upsale/selling jobs that make you uncomfortable etc and just knock them out. theres plenty of information and tools from the computers and friends you make at a shop... you need the job to also pay for your tools!!

***if you take it serious, the dealership will probally send you to a school and pay for it every once in awhile!

and as for designing.. if you think knowing how a car is really constructed and functions will aid you, you need to have years and years of experience being a technician. no school can teach you what hands on hours and hours will do for you.

Most dealerships make you wait around 4 to 5 years before you can touch an air filter here...

[alms24sebring]

No trust

[MinisterofDOOM]

I take automotive classes in my driveway.
A few weeks ago the topic was "Why it is important not to drop the nonferrous copper oil drain plug washer into your drain pan without noticing."
Last week it was "How to get the ugly yellow headlights on an ugly little Mercedes looking crystal clear."
And the week before it was "Why you shouldn't screw with ribbon cables on dash displays in ugly little Mercedes."

And the overarching topic for the past 6 months was:
"Why you shouldn't buy a Mercedes and what you should buy instead" with parallel studies in "What the Hell were those Germans thinking when they did it THAT way?!"

[alms24sebring]

I think they are still mad at the world from the passed 2 World Wars. Bastards.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Maybe they should try winning for once.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

It always starts so well for them!

[Caveit77777]

Just as an update I've been reading through all these replies daily, just not posting. I appreciate all the info so far and it's all definitely been helpful! Lots of things to consider for next summer!

[danshaz82]

The automotive tech program at Southern Illinois University used to be one of the tops in there nation.

There used to be a couple of NICOnauts that went there

[alms24sebring]

It always starts so well for them!

lol, but they always pull a Rex Grossman.