what should i do to become an installer?
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URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=96828
Printed Date: April 25, 2024 at 12:04 AM
Topic: what should i do to become an installer?
Posted By: luckydawg003
Subject: what should i do to become an installer?
Date Posted: September 01, 2007 at 9:18 PM
I have alot of personal experience working on car audio for my cars and friends cars. This is the job I want to do for the rest of my life. I was in college for a Electronic Engineering Technology's degree. Not sure if its related or not. But I love cars and electronics, so what should I do? Change my college degree, or get MECP Certified, or go to some installer school? Thanks Jason
Replies:
Posted By: still_walkin
Date Posted: September 02, 2007 at 9:01 AM
experenice and an mecp license. goto mecp.com
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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"
Posted By: dwarren
Date Posted: September 11, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Nothing. Go to school and make some real moeny.
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Posted By: johnmax
Date Posted: September 11, 2007 at 4:04 PM
dwarren wrote:
Nothing. Go to school and make some real moeny.
+1 
Posted By: ranger svo
Date Posted: September 11, 2007 at 8:47 PM
dwarren wrote:
Nothing. Go to school and make some real moeny.
Great advice from an intelligent man. Most installers get out of the business after a few short years for a reason. ------------- The moving power of mathematical invention is not reasoning but imagination.
Augustus de Morgan
Posted By: 5150azn
Date Posted: September 12, 2007 at 10:35 AM
From what I've seen, the average installer is about 30k. I think only likw 2% makes over 40. Of course you probably make a killing if you have others working for you. As well as having other skills such as tinting and stuff. But if you just want to install car stereos prepared to have fun for the first 2-3 years. Then when all your friends get out of school and start making real money prepare to be frustrated and disapointed.
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Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!
Posted By: KPierson
Date Posted: September 12, 2007 at 10:48 AM
If you are serious about being a "car stereo/alarm/RS installer" then you should drop out of school, as it won't help you enough to justify the money spent. Take some pictures of the work you've done and put together a portfolio. Go around to all the shops in your area and submit an application with your portfolio. If you have a decent resume you will get a job and then start sucking in as much information as possible. Identify who the 'lead' installer is and stick to him like glue. 90% of installing is experiance, something you will only get from hands on time in cars and from working with people better then you. Now, if you really like cars and electronics, I would advise you to get your degree and get on the other side of installs - new product development. You still get to do some installs from time to time, but it will be installing things YOU designed. Much more rewarding. ------------- Kevin Pierson
Posted By: luckydawg003
Date Posted: September 12, 2007 at 6:58 PM
Anyone have a MECP study guide book to sell me. Or is their a site that will help me with that test. Thanks
Posted By: CapSS92
Date Posted: September 22, 2007 at 2:15 AM
Do the car stuff as a hobby or unless you really really love and make some serious money elsewhere.
Posted By: luckydawg003
Date Posted: September 23, 2007 at 8:01 PM
Well I'm still really interested in being an installer. I just love taking cars apart and putting aftermarket stuff in them. Cd players, amps, subs etc. I am learning alarm/remote starts right now by installing my own in my car. It is kinda a pain, but I still love it. Maybe once I get done with my alarm install...the installers will let me help them sometimes in the shop.
Posted By: KPierson
Date Posted: September 23, 2007 at 8:15 PM
One word of caution would be that doing it for fun and doing it for survival are two completely different things. When I was in high school I absolutely loved buildng boxes and installing and all that stuff. But, after about a year of doing it professionally your perspective changes and it loses the 'fun' factor. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great way to make a living, but it eventually evolves in to work (at least for me it did). You may want to consider finding another profession and keeping this as a hobby like stated above. ------------- Kevin Pierson
Posted By: CapSS92
Date Posted: September 25, 2007 at 4:39 AM
Wait till you gotta deal with customers and deadlines and bills and etc. It really does become work. That all being said, there's nothing like when your customer sees the install for the first time and is totally blown away. <g> Sometimes it makes it all worthwhile. But you still ain't getting rich off of it. :)
Posted By: 07mustanggt
Date Posted: October 04, 2007 at 9:32 PM
Well looks like my dream is coming true. I had two good interviews at Best buy to be a part time Installer. Just have to have my final interview with the general manager.
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