Does anyone know of a place to get tech training on Aston Martin? I know I could just go get a job at an AM dealership but I've got a bunch of school money from the government I don't want to waste so getting paid for training on exotics would be mighty nice to have in the bag.

UTI offers good ASE programs and they have a Nascar performance sector, but I have no interest in Nascar. I'm not finding much in the way of exotic or super car training. Just wondering if anyone knows a decent place, near Tampa FL. would be ideal.

 

Aston's training is internal. If you're looking at an ASE program, do that to get your "general" training/certification done and then you'll be set to work on most cars. Astons have a LOT of quirks. You can start off with Aston's tech website, get a subscription for a day, download everything you want from it, then study all of those documents.

 

Ah, since it's internal that would explain why I'm not seeing any courses around the ol' interwebs. Well maybe I'll go do an apprenticeship for a summer after I retire!

 

Very rare you will find a brand offering trainings to external techs. The courses are usually by independent places like UTI..but it's not brand training, just a training on how to work on X car..which is usually brands like GM, Ford, Honda..then some middle class brands like Benz and Bmw. On luxury high scale brands like Ferrari/Mclaren/Aston/Bentley, you have to work for a certified dealer. You can buy access to there tech info sites, and do a bunch of reading..but if your new starting out and don't even have a L1 yet, or at least A1-A8..get your base stuff done first, or at least apply to one of these luxury places as a jockey, car washer, tire changer...its how I planted my foot.

Working on these cars, you pretty much have to be the engineer that built them...because your *** is on your own at times. Being a small brand, the same screwed up problem doesn't get seen often, so the solution is for you to figure out(with some remote help, but there only making decisions on your final diagnostics..ex: replace engine or rebuild, it's there approval not yours)..the Aston brand is really 007'ish, everything is top secret..even sometimes the solution to your problem!

But, being a small brand..makes it more of a family. My ASM can trouble shoot with me, makes things great when I need to "shoot the sh*t" to get back on track again, some brands your ASM is just a guy assigned to a territory that pushs emails around and gets you in contact with someone that "knows". Back to the family part, I can say I know at least 1 guy in every N.A dealer, shared a beer tab and thrown dollar bills with most..or at least heard a story about one or another.

It's not an easy brand at all..very technical, not a brand you can "wing it"..or you will crash and burn fast, the dealer will just find a way to discard of you fast before they need to dump money into yearly trainings...But if your great, your set for life! Even if work dies down and get laid off.. you have an entire network that you can jump around..unless you love in Canada then you have only 4 dealer choices..5 actually if you marry an American and move south! :-P

Anyways, good luck.. Its St Patrick's day and I'm off to find me a Smithwicks!!

 

Great write up, I've been tooling with American muscle my whole life but never with these more refined luxury cars. When I retire from the military I may do just what you're suggesting and go work at a dealership. Thanks for the advice! Enjoy that Smitty!

 

You could also apply for AM's Apprenticeship program:

http://www.astonmartin.com/en/careers/apprenticeships

 

That program is for kids. Though I'm a kid as far as maturity goes, I don't think that'll qualify for the program! Haha

 

 

HAHA!!! Noice!

 

Actually that program is for the UK. To be a certified mechanic, you can't just start turning wrenches and do an ASE in the UK to be certified. You have to go to school for it at 16-18yrs of age, land an apprenticeship program after school and your good to go. Aston has adopted to training the apprentices right out of high school versus them going to college for a carrier..Engineering, Mechanic..etc.


In Canada we're similar, more in the prov of Quebec(different licencing, CPA in Quebec, Redseal in the rest of Canadian Prov's..ASE is worthless here). In Quebec it'll take quite awhile to get your full license..some will retire before actually passing all there tests. Luckily I was able to do it in a 10 year period(I've maxed out). It's not like an ASE with a paper of multiple choice questions, those are a walk in the park(I've done them all and stoped renewing when the brands didn't require them from me). Our CPA test is complete verbal and hands on, they give you a problem and you verbally tell them how to fix it AND how it works, something's you have to fix while there on your shoulder watching..if you so pick up the wrong tool to remove a brake drum tension spring..you FAIL!!, take 30 seconds longer than the average time you FAIL!!..There's 4 modules, each divided by category(Engine, Trans, Brake, Suspension)..btw these tests start at 7:00PM and usually end at 11:00PM on a workday!! (No pressure...), the CPA actually calls you the day of the test at your work reception, you miss the call to confirm..your bumped.


When you first start out, you have 6,000 hours of apprenticeship to complete, usually takes 3 years to accomplish. You can then go for your first attempt to become a journeyman mechanic. If you fail the test, you need to log in another 2,000 hours at work(submitted by employer to CPA via tax report) to redo a test. Fail again, then it's another 2,000 hours. If you do pass, usually you become a 3rd class journeyman(bottom rank). If you want to upgrade to a 2nd class(1st class is max level)..you work another 2,000 hours and go for testing, fail and you wait another 2,000 hours. What sucks is the fact of all these ppl going for testing(only 4 guys a night), usually makes the delay 5 months when you book a test. So you wait the 2,000 hours worked, then wait another 5 months to go for a test..you can't call in advance.


Due to the time delay of the test date, of course stuff always works out that you get the call to confirm the test on a week that your not even in the country, on training already for the dealer you work for...so your CPA test gets bumped a few more months. They also call you randomly, because they don't want you studying the weeks prior..this is stuff your supposed to know by heart, if your "that good"..you will pass the test. Only problem is the testing is out dated...it's so basic..that none of it is taught in school anymore, or in the field. So it's really stuff that's only learnt in the field over a looooong time, mainly shooting ideas with old timers(pro's not just some local corner guy that great on Dodge and can tune with his eyes closed..I'm talking engineer type old timers)..they get you really good. Only good part is the licence doesn't expire like ASE's..just the damn licence can take 10+ years to get, earliest it can be done is in 4 years, but good luck with that!

 

wow.... I don't even know how to respond to that. all I can do is applaud you for getting through it!

 

Wow, sounds like a lot of work compared to my career haha. Really gotta love it to succeed in this field it seems

 

Serious respect.

You've had my sincere appreciation due to your generosity of sharing real-world knowledge since I joined this board. But that description above is just an amazing amount of training and, of course, experience.

Because I'm totally mechanically-inept, I find these discussions fascinating so let me ask two naive questions. You mention with Astons that "you have to be the engineer that built them" . . . how far back (in model range) would you feel comfortable working on? Would you tackle a DB7 or a Lagonda (or earlier gen. Vantage) with the same comfort as a contemporary V12 Vantage? Similarly, how much does the insights into an Aston extend to lateral exotics? For instance, is there any engineering approach from Astons that would inform your approach to repairing say a Ferrari or McLaren?

 

Well I touch a few Newport cars, mainly the old Vanquish and DB7/Vantage (I6 + V12)..but it's a dying bread of era for my dealer. Aston wasn't really that big in Canada back in those days so there's not many cars from that era in Canada..unless imported afterwards. I'm really confident on those 2 models (3 models if you declare DB7 different that Vantage). I've done a few upgrades and calibrations on the Vanquish trans, which is a on it's own, once you understand the way it works, you'll already have a 1-up on most ppl/tech's.

How confident am I an other luxury models.....When I first started at my dealer, I planted my foot on Land Rover (we're a multi-branded shop)...My hands shook just starting the ignition..highest priced car I drove priort o that was a 1989 Chevy Cavalier Z24. So was little intimidated, but intimidation didn't last long when I realized what a Rover really was!

When I merged to the Aston brand, intimidation was there just because of the price margin. Now it's like touching a honda, I have no remorse if I have to remove a bolt with a plasma cutter or a seized on discs with a 5lbs mallet. It wasn't too much of a change from Rover to Aston, we used the same Jag motor concept, I had also owned Volvo's during my time on Rover so it helped me understand the "Volvo Way"..which played out great because the electronics were Volvo oriented.

As for touching a Ferrari or McLaren..well everyone's hand is in someone elses pocket. McLaren is British, few miles from the Gaydon Aston HQ....Most of the McLaren HQ staff is from Aston/Jag/LR in England, so even when I see a McLaren up close, I see the part design aspect or similar operating (same heads things, just now for a different brand)..

Could I fix Ferrari or McLaren..If it has wheels and an air pump engine, I can figure it out..Just the "time" to solve due to lack of information is the elephant in the room. At this point in my career..I don't get intimidated anymore on high priced machines or objects, but I would still need the diagnostic equipment that's dealer owned. Stuff like bolt on parts to diagnose could be done with a generic scanner/my tool chest or road testing, but it's the diagnostic intense stuff that can rack the bill up, when a dealer scanner could help you figure things out in minutes or a few hours. It's not that the dealer scanner allows the job, it's just the information that it provides along with the brand information for fault tracing (wiring diagrams, system operation descriptions) is what is needed ..basically I don't need to google my life away to find a wiring diagram or what part is on top of X that I can't see(parts manual I can see this)...Guess what I'm saying is you can have the best Tech in the world, but if he doesn't have the proper tools, then your 2 year Dealer Branded Apprentice can make him/she look like a fool.

 

Awesome response, thanks!