Topic: Tech school

[melbill]

In the next few months I will be medically retired from the Army. Due to my disability rating I will get vocational rehab from the VA. Basically that means they will pay all expenses for me to go to school, technical training, etc... Does anyone know of any tech schools that have a specialty in 4x4s, Jeep, off road vehicles etc.. I have looked at UTI and Wyotech they are both VA approved and have some interesting programs but I would be most interested in learning more Jeep related stuff. I am considering opening my own business, but would like to know a lot more and greatly improve my skill set prior to trying to build up vehicles for other people. I have a family but am in no way tied to any part of the country. I love to travel and see other places so I don't care where in the country I would have to go, I just want to get the governments monies worth.

Thanks
Bill

[Jesse-James]

A degree from Wyotech would rock.

[aw12345]

I have worked with various mechanics that got trained with UTI and even though they are overpriced they do give you a pretty thorough training. Is definitely one of the better training programs out there

[jagular7]

You really can't go vehicle specific in training at the beginning. Get your overall tech understanding of the mechanicals as well as electricals as a lot of vehicles are 'computerized'. Then in time, you can specialize in what you want.

Transportation is going to be going different ways all over the place in the next several years. It will be hard to figure the way to go. Over-the-road trucks, diesel running trains (generators), heavy equipment, consumer vehicles, recreational vehicles (ATVs, side-by-sides), boats, helicopters, small planes, etc. are all changing based on supply and demand of fuel, equipment, availability, recreational, weather, etc.

Now, you wanting to wrench yourself and run the business? That is a lot of hours, customer service, parts ordering/logistics, pricing, building maintenance, costs, tools, and it is a really big job to handle. Get yourself taught with the best way of getting a job in the industry, learn the setup for the business, then look at opening a full shop. You may have to work out of your garage at first. Look at what the schools offer, where do their grads go to work, etc. Pick your best option and go strong.

[chrisfranklin]

I've seen a few 4x4 shops.  Personally, I'd stay clear of opening up some big-monthly-rent show-room and selling after-market parts retail.  Its just too easy for people to sidestep retail, shop online and get a lot better selection of aftermarket parts cheaper, thus leaving you struggling to pay the bill for the retail space.   About the only benefit of that kind of showroom setup these days is that you and your people get personal access to aftermarket parts at wholesale prices (Of course, since you are going broke paying for the retail showroom, you don't even have the money for wholesale priced parts anymore)

Service, labor charges and custom install work are where you can make some money. 

You could probably also just open up a web site and join a bunch of web affilate programs with aftermarket parts suppliers and online 4x4 retailers.  When you have a customer who wants some work done, you sit there and shop through the sites until you locate the parts the guy wants you to install.  You then charge the guy the same as he'd pay if he bought the parts himself online.  Where you make your money is in the 5%-10% they pay affiliates for referral purchases.   And its a setup that prevents the inflexibility you end up with if you are an authorized dealer for the typical limited selection of aftermarket parts suppliers.  Whatever part the dude wants to put in, you can probably make some money on it through an affiliate program. 

Any place with a military base is probably a good place to set up shop. 

[melbill]

Thanks for the advice. I can see from information I can get from assorted companies that you definitely don't make much on the parts. I do not think I would ever be able to really keep up with a large retail store along with garage duty. I will need to stay much smaller. Due to my injuries and ongoing going doctor appointments  long work weeks will be very difficult. I was planning to work on a smaller level more to stay busy doing something I like than to make much money. I want to concentrate on quick fairly easy installs to make some cash, but also work on one Jeep at a time as a total rebuild for sale when it is complete. I know this will never make me rich in fact I may never do better than to break even. I have spent enough time sitting around and going to therapy hoping to heal enough to return to my "old self". Now I want to do something I think I still can and enjoy doing it. That said. If I am building up Jeeps for sale I want them to be the best all around vehicle possible. I have requested information from UTI and Wyotech. Through the VA I will get 48 months of school/ technical training and all needed equipment, tools, and supplies fully paid for by the government. Both schools have various specialty area (most last 6 months - 1 year), and I think I would try to take several.
If anyone else has ideas of different schools to check out or thoughts about my plans I would like to hear them. I still have a few months before I will be retired, and after that no choices have to be made immediately.  Right now planning everything, along with working on my jeep, is what I am doing to stay busy. I do appreciate all input from others; it helps me think of more options, and more wisely channel my efforts.

[aw12345]

Take some welding classes and some training in metal fab. Fabricating is more profitable than straight wrenching and a lot more satisfying to do.  For repair shops they pretty much up the price of parts 30-50 %
Work on your skill set first then sit down and come up with a business plan. For the most part a one man shop is easiest to handle, try to stay away from restoration projects, they are satisfying but very time consuming and hard to make any money of