Experience w/BMW STEP program [Archive] - Bimmerforums

HBpredhunter

06-23-2005, 10:59 PM

nickdrivesm3

06-24-2005, 01:01 AM

I'm currently attending STEP and I have abut 1 month left till graduation. Let me say its been a very tough 6 months. They DO hammer you, they do test you and they do make you learn BMWs inside and out. But when its all said and done, you WILL BE A BMW guru. You will know shit off the top of your head like no other. You will be so aware of things you do it will blow other techs away. It is without a doubt hard to do everyday with no vacations except holidays.

As far as getting sick of it, its all in how you look at it. If you think you'll get sick of it, you will. If you love BMWs to death, then you wont. But it depends on the person. Most dealers do want 2 year commitment which is actually pretty reasonable. And depending on experiance and certs, you can negotiate for better pay. I have Assoc Degree and EA SMOG license and I should be starting at 20$hr minimum. Also, location location location. Where you go work will depend on what you make. Southern California compared to New York will be different by 5-10$. Good luck, lemme know if you got more questions.

m3ntalmn

06-24-2005, 12:40 PM

hnoppenberger- i am at uti glendale heights, il campus until 10/28/05. what channels are you going through to get into Ferrari and have you done any MSAT stuff yet interview/test? Good luck w/BMW or Ferrari. i came to uti with no experience at all and i am currently working for Toyota. I have actually come to appreciate Toyota's even more than i did before i worked on them, genius designs.

nickdrivesm3- are you currently working while in the program and what kind of living expenses do you have (not trying to pry). also any tips for getting in and tips while you are in the program. good luck and congratulations. thanks for the help

HBpredhunter

06-24-2005, 03:11 PM

ferrari is something by luck man, my uncle is a architech and he is designing the new showroom for orange county ferrari in newport beach, and happened to mention to the owner that his nephew is a prospective tech and would be interested..... i dont believe step is for me anymore, becuase you dont get to choose where u work, or train, and i dont want to be constricted by work and school so badly, in 5 or 6 years i wil be changing occupations and will be going into business anyways.

m3ntalmn

06-24-2005, 03:47 PM

nice...i would take ferrari over bmw, the chances of you getting hooked up with that school are slim-none. hope it all works out for you

nickdrivesm3

06-25-2005, 10:40 PM

I was working AT Edge Motorworks for a little while but STEP started getting really hard and time consuming. So we both came to the conclusion that I should concentrate on STEP because its the most important in the long run. As far as living situations I room with 3 other guys from STEP though school housing. Its rather tollerable for 7 months, although my other roomates don't think so. But mostly everyone else is worknig part/full time after STEP gets out. Are they behind? Yes. Will you fall behind? Probably. Its just the way it is, all you have to do is show progress in the shop as well as class room. Just give a fuck and you'll be fine.

m3ntalmn

06-26-2005, 12:05 AM

thanks for the help hope you dont mind me asking so many questions. i really appreciate knowing what really goes on instead of just listening to the fluff the school gives me.

JB///M3

06-26-2005, 04:00 AM

But when its all said and done, you WILL BE A BMW guru. You will know shit off the top of your head like no other. You will be so aware of things you do it will blow other techs away.

this is the attitude most step guys come in with... i'll tell u this right now (not being a step graduate or anything, im just a training tech at a BMW dealer).. you will not be up to where other techs are b/c of the fact u will lack one thing, work place experience...

once u deal with service writers, managers, customers, parts issues, time frames and other non-sense you will catch my drift... cause at the step school they give u a brand new car to work on in their state of the art shop im sure..

once u start at a dealer and see some of the nightmare cars come in, you will not be the BMW guru u once claim...i'm not being a smartass...just telling u how it is cause i see it all the time... and i'm the one answering questions at times from our step guys at work when i have far less "bmw training" as them.. lol

nickdrivesm3

06-26-2005, 03:12 PM

sorry I was speaking metaphoricly. True experiance is usually more desirable then education. I totally agree that STEP students do lack experiance and STEP won't teach you everything. They teach a lot but not everything.

catalyst.

06-26-2005, 08:36 PM

What is the best path to take to get accepted into STEP? What kind of resume should i be trying to put together to get into this program?

crash8168

06-26-2005, 10:23 PM

eviltwin999

07-03-2005, 05:43 PM

Agreed they can run the gt1, but cant fix shit. They do everthing from leaving oil plugs loose to dropping nuts into the intake on v8 engines. Then the answer you get when you tell them about it is oh well...

because hey the bmw god does no wrong, oh sorry guru.

I guess you're just so much smarter than those STEP guys. Did ever hear of a thing called experience? Those STEP guys did just come out school. But i guess in your case you were born with all the knowledge.

crash8168

07-04-2005, 01:43 AM

I grew up around auto repair shops, and the ones i have seen dont have what it takes, maybe there are a few that do. In either case i have never left an oil plug loose.

In the words of my service manager this week about a step student, "He worked on three cars and four came back, how in the heck did that happen"

adevera86

07-04-2005, 12:01 PM

this is all very helpful considering im going into uti and most likely going into step. but i heard, for anyone in the dupage region at least, that College of DUpage or COD is better for the money and experience. any input because im really considering of switching to the community college 1 because its cheaper 2 i get an associates degree 3 have more friends that go their for moral support. is uti really that good or bad of a school i heard almost everything about it, from the best to the worst. just want to head in the best direction for being a tech and get the most opportunities. and the hardwork and challenges dont scare me i believe in " work hard play hard" i'll do what it takes as long as it pays off

m3ntalmn

07-04-2005, 01:13 PM

vodomagoo

07-04-2005, 02:57 PM

keep one thing in mind.
u will be owned by bmw for 2 years, on contract
and, that bmw, like every car company, has ONLY privatly owned dealerships.
u dont work for bmw directly, you work for the dealership, some places dont like step, others love step.

not true bmw na owns a few dealerships, also since you dont pay for step working under contract aint bad at all. Step is a great program but when you come out of it dont think your hot shit to many people do and that hurts you more then helping you

adevera86

07-05-2005, 01:44 AM

i moved from minnesota to go to uti. the name is big, not necessarily in your area because all of the dealers have been flooded by uti kids wanting jobs and there are a lot of idiots that go there. if you are serious about being a tech uti has a good program i am not so much a fan of the deisel program but that is a matter of opinion. if you want to get into step you must stay applied the entire time you are in and dont skip any school attendance is huge i have been at glendale heights for a year now and i interview w/bmw on wednesday. uti has more connections than cod in the auto industry and for the most part the program is very well put together. bmw is also the most rigorous program and you will have to relocate to go to it if accepted. if you dont already have a job in the industry get one now, you need that experience to get in. any questions about the school let me know.

thanks alot that helps i knew i had to relocate and thats not a problem. but im a little confused on how to get into the industry as you stated. i do work for bmw. laurel bmw of westmont as a porter. i do have some experience with cars but thats just because its a hobby but never did it as an occupation (jiffy lube, etc). yeah i heard the school is very anal about attendance and are very rapid with their lessons, dont want to fall behind and the hours are really harsh. 630 am till 1245 pm. or 130om till 8 pm thats a lot of work but whatever it takes. im just confused on the so called falsely advertised master tech at the age of 25 making well over 150k. which sounds awesome but not really realistic considering hte master tech at my work is 40+ and the newly graduates are still waiting for their raise or opportunity.

eviltwin999

07-05-2005, 03:04 PM

age doesn't matter. If you know your stuff you'll be the head of the shop in no time. The most important thing is to know electrical and to know how what everything affects.

Moderato

07-12-2005, 02:06 PM

So how much do techs really make then? On average? I've heard stories of car salesmen going broke, and then of car salesmen who make 150K year. :confused Does the tech profession vary that much or is it pretty much a 50K - 80K year job?

eviltwin999

07-12-2005, 03:49 PM

It defanitely ranges, but you won't go broke. Worst case senario is that you don't make the dealership enough money or lose them money, then you'll be looking for a new job. Out of STEP they you'll get a MINIMUM of 15-19$/hr. After that it all depends how good you are and how much time you put in. Some guys that have gone to my school are only 2-3 years out of STEP and they're at the top of their shop making 6 figures

Moderato

07-12-2005, 05:02 PM

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 11:46 AM

keep one thing in mind.
u will be owned by bmw for 2 years, on contract
and, that bmw, like every car company, has ONLY privatly owned dealerships.
u dont work for bmw directly, you work for the dealership, some places dont like step, others love step... so really ur pay and work experience will depend on the dealer u work for.
i too will be either going to step or ferrari tech training, but im up in the air becuase step u are siging you life to them for 2 years like the army... go where they want you to go, get paid what they want to pay you.
another thing.
i have been a mechanic for about 3 years now. and i have only heard that what you work on you will grow to hate very soon.
i love bmws, i prefer not to hate them... just my 2cents. good luck bro, my friend just got kicked out of volkswagen school at UTI, he failed a test, and didnt shave one day, that was it... im almost done with uti and im assuming so are you. what campus are you at?

I'm halfway through the STEP program at the Columbia, MD training center, and I can say that there's definitely some misinformation in your post. As a student accepted into the STEP program you are obligated by contract to work for a dealer for a minimum of 6 months, and you must start working at least 30 days after graduation. If you break this contract, you owe BMW a portion of what it costs them to put you through school (approx. $9k). In addition, when a dealership hires you as a step grad, BMW bills them that $9k so there is a possibility that some dealerships may require you to sign a longer contract as part of your employment package (they want to get their money's worth) but that is part of what you negotiate with the dealership.

As far as dealerships, there actually are a FEW corporate owned dealerships. I know for sure that BMW of Manhattan (NYC) is a corporate owned dealership and employees of that dealership are actually BMW NA employees. On that note, You and only you decide where you go to work. BMW does not really help in the job search process...it is up to you to contact, apply, and make decisions regarding where you work. The Technical Team Leader at your STEP school merely serves as a reference to your work while in STEP.

In terms of pay, again that is something that you negotiate with the dealership, but average for the last graduating class from the Columbia Training Center was around $19/hr.

Graduates of the STEP program get all of the classes required to be a BMW Certified Master Technician, and 2 out of the 5-year required work experience.

Now, in terms of applying. My advice would be to bust your ass while in post secondary automotive school and not miss any time. (BMW requires at least a 3.8GPA and 98% attendance). If you meet the criteria, you fill out the application (very simple), take a entrance exam (like taking all 8 ASE recertification tests...pretty hard), and do an interview (with an EXPERIENCED interviewer). IMHO, the interview is the most important part cuz it gives BMW insight into what you are like and they can get an idea if you will be successful in the industry. Anyway, I gotta get back to work (on lunch break at STEP). If you have any other questions feel free to ask and i'll try to answer the best way I can. Hope this helps...

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 11:54 AM

this is the attitude most step guys come in with... i'll tell u this right now (not being a step graduate or anything, im just a training tech at a BMW dealer).. you will not be up to where other techs are b/c of the fact u will lack one thing, work place experience...

once u deal with service writers, managers, customers, parts issues, time frames and other non-sense you will catch my drift... cause at the step school they give u a brand new car to work on in their state of the art shop im sure..

Couldn't agree with you more. IMHO, this is one of the biggest mistakes that STEP grads make....thinking they're the s**t because they went through STEP. Other techs hate that stuff, and it reflects poorly on ALL STEP students. Take it for what it's worth...a stepping stool to a well paying career. Not an instant booster to being king of the shop.

Moderato

07-13-2005, 12:07 PM

Now, in terms of applying. My advice would be to bust your ass while in post secondary automotive school and not miss any time. (BMW requires at least a 3.8GPA and 98% attendance). If you meet the criteria, you fill out the application (very simple), take a entrance exam (like taking all 8 ASE recertification tests...pretty hard), and do an interview (with an EXPERIENCED interviewer). IMHO, the interview is the most important part cuz it gives BMW insight into what you are like and they can get an idea if you will be successful in the industry.

According to the STEP website you must get 3.2 GPA to qualify, are you sure about the 3.8 number?

Is the entrance exam for STEP any different then the exams you would be taking during your time at tech school and for graduation?

Is Lincoln Tech a pretty good school to go to if I wanted to get into STEP?

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 01:45 PM

According to the STEP website you must get 3.2 GPA to qualify, are you sure about the 3.8 number?

Is the entrance exam for STEP any different then the exams you would be taking during your time at tech school and for graduation?

Is Lincoln Tech a pretty good school to go to if I wanted to get into STEP?

Is it 3.2 now? They must have lowered the standards a bit. Before it definitely was 3.8. Maybe they thought it was scaring too many people away. *shrug*

The entrance exam is all ASE type questions (multiple choice). Similar to the exams you'll probably take at tech school....except it's like taking all of them at the same time. It is actually a "master" level test...they just want to see how you fare (from what I hear).

LTI is an OK school. I went to the LTI in Columbia, MD, but I don't think the school itself has much weight with getting into STEP. It's all about what you do with your time there. In my STEP class, we have people from a few different schools....LTI, UTI, Wyotech, Denver Diesel College, etc. IMHO, the school doesn't really matter.
Honestly though, I can't say that I really learned anything from LTI (been playing with and working on cars since 1991), but it was a necessary stepping stone. It's definitely one of those "you get out of it what you put into it" situations. Pay attention, do the work, and you'll get something out of it. Slack off and be a lazy loser (like most of the kids in tech school) and you won't get s**t (and probably won't get into STEP either).

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 01:47 PM

BTW...which LTI are you looking at? Some of them are definitely better than others in terms of equipment and quality of the facilities....

Moderato

07-13-2005, 02:36 PM

BTW...which LTI are you looking at? Some of them are definitely better than others in terms of equipment and quality of the facilities....

Thanks for helping me out with all this info. I'm looking at going to LTI in Mahwah, NJ and the STEP facility I would be trying to get into would be at Upper Saddle River, NJ. I live in CT and these would be the closest schools to my location and both are about a 1 - 1.5 hour drive one way, so they're still kind-of far.

As far as the GPA, I checked the web site again and it said that 3.2 was the minimum and that a 3.5 gpa is preferred, so I guess you don't have a good chance to get in unless you have a 3.5.

They also mention that you must be willing to relocate if you enter the program. Does this mean anywhere or can you specify a certain area?

I sent you a PM also, thanks.

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 02:55 PM

Hmm...I hear the NJ LTI has really bad facilities. By bad I mean run down and abused, etc. The equipment and facilities at the Columbia, MD LTI were kinda substandard IMHO but apparently it is the best one out of all of the LTI's. Like I said though...you get out of it what you put into it.

As for the relocation thing...yes it says that you must be willing to relocate, but that doesn't mean that you HAVE to relocate. When you have the interview, i'm sure that the interviewer will ask you if you are willing to relocate. If you say no, then chances are that you won't get in. They want people that are dedicated and to them this shows dedication. However, once you're in the program, BMW does not tell you that you have to go somewhere. You actually tell them the areas that you'd like to work in, and the place you choose is completely up to you (and the dealership of course). If you choose to stay in the same state that is completely acceptable. Keep in mind though that the job market in the BMW service field is pretty much wide open (shortage of technicians) and the pay in other areas may be higher than that of your own (of course, the cost of living may be higher too). Personally, I have 3 states that i'd be willing to move to and whatever dealership I can strike the best deal with in one of those states is where i'm gonna go.

The program definitely takes a great deal of commitment and sacrifice. I'm 32 and have had to completely change my lifestyle for the time that i'm in school, but i'm sure that in the end it will all be worth it. Keep that in mind to keep you motivated. If you're dedicated to the task of getting into STEP then it shouldn't be too hard for you to get in. You just have to convince BMW that STEP is what you want over anything else in life. If you go in there saying, "I dunno...I wanna do either the STEP program or the Benz program....or maybe the VW program....whichever I get into." i'd bet my hard earned cash that you won't get in. But if you go into the interview confident and convince them that STEP is what you want and that you're willing to make the sacrifices necessary to succeed then you're well on your way...

eviltwin999

07-13-2005, 03:23 PM

Which school did you go to? Are you going for STEP also?

I am currently going to ATC(Automotive Training Center) in Exton, PA. I have about 3 months left and I plan on going to the STEP program.

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 08:30 PM

ATC...forgot about that one. One of the guys in my STEP class is from ATC also. :D

wayfast

07-13-2005, 08:46 PM

thanks for all this info guys... i plan on going to UTI in a few years. and im glad i got this info about STEP. :)

bimmer_boyis

07-13-2005, 10:24 PM

Hey Alvin, we spoke briefly at school a few times. I'm chad, the guy with the blue e30(now sold) and am rockin and avus ///M these days. When did you start the appication process through school? I don't finish til april but have always had my heart set on STEP and it was my sole reasoning for coming to tech school, so to not make it is going to really kill me. I'm 4.0 and 99. something attendance so far so that will look good i'm sure. How helpful is our career counselor in the whole process, she seems to be a bit out there most of the time.... Also my buddy that already graduated STEP Phonix and is now working in Vegas says that BMW doesn't really give to shits about ASEs when you apply, but they have to count for something, especially since you need them to be a master tech. I'd appreciate any input you could give that would help me along.

And of course congrats on getting into the program bro! Maybe i'll see ya around campus sometime.

Mpowered02

07-13-2005, 11:28 PM

Just PM'd you Chad...

Moderato

07-14-2005, 09:09 AM

.... Also my buddy that already graduated STEP Phonix and is now working in Vegas says that BMW doesn't really give to shits about ASEs when you apply, but they have to count for something, especially since you need them to be a master tech.

:confused Why would they want a spectacular GPA & attendence record and not care about ASEs?

m3ntalmn

07-24-2005, 12:48 AM

dunski

07-24-2005, 01:35 AM

This is all good info, I love it.

I just recently got hooked up with a job as a parts runner at a Mercedes-Benz dealership. This is just to get my foot in the door, I have met all of the mechanics (48) of them and and am around them all day long. They have the best jobs in the world. I was talking to the serivce director and he told me some basic things about the Mercedes program.

Now, I will get into details once I learn more, but they want me to go to a UTI, or even ASU, because they offer a program with Mercedes. He will pay for my college and I will be a tech right out of college. I am so excited.

I have about a year to learn the in's and out's of the service dept. and how things work and such until I will aim for being sponsored so I can get an apperentinceship. Once things pan out like I plan, and get out of college I start somewhere in the 50k a year range. Not bad, considering I will be 22yrs old. After a couple of years of hard, ball busting work, you get a raise.

Now the lead techs make in the range of 125k to 150k. The service director (my ultimate goal, 20 yrs down the road) pull in over 250k a year.

m3ntalmn

07-24-2005, 01:47 AM

if you can get that sponsorship do it. my roommate is sponsored by a jag dealer. he doesnt have to try nearly as hard as i do to get into a program. he has a 3.2 gpa and 99% attendance and i have 4.0, 100%. also i believe a new requirement for mercedes is that you must take diesel in addition to the auto program to be accepted. take ase tests if you can they show desire and commitment to the field. dont expect 50k your first year either unless you have experience and plan on being flat rate right away. good luck

323I Junkie

07-24-2005, 08:32 AM

STEP is a good program, but dont do it for money. remember, if you want ulitmate flexibilty on where you work, and plenty of broken cars to fix, Domestics is your specialty.

Dont think you are the shit becasue you reaqd 2000 TSB'S...congrats..any tech with enought dedication can do that.

Whats more important is that when you come out of STEp you realize you are a newbie and quickly make friends and shadow with the calmest, easiest going person in the shop. He knows a secret you would do well to learn

Mpowered02

07-24-2005, 08:56 AM

sorry its been a while since i visited this thread. i have passed the ctg test and the first two interviews and i have the bmw entrance exam in two weeks. i am stressing hardcore about this and was wondering if any of you in step had any tips for studying for that test. heard it was a killer. if you can remember any sections in particular that were hard any help is appreciated. if it goes well i am hoping to be in orlando for the nov 28 start date. thanks again for the help

Well, I can tell you that BMW puts a lot of emphasis on the electrical side of the test. And rightfully so. Most of the problems with current model BMW's is all electrical and programming issues so they want people that have good electrical diagnostical skills. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Mpowered02

07-24-2005, 09:07 AM

Forgot to mention that BMW definitely DOES care about ASE's. First of all, in order to achieve BMW Master Technician Status you have to fulfill all of the current CORA requirements for classes (STEP satisfies this), have 5 years of BMW experience (STEP counts for 2 yrs), and have at least 4 ASE certifications. They definitely count for something. In addition, when I applied, I had already passed 4 ASE's and I let the interviewer know. He was very interested in them and even looked at the specific scores for each test. Furthermore, one of the other guys in my STEP class was kinda borderline whether they would let him in or not based on his entrance exam so the interviewer asked him to take some ASE's first to see how he did, and they based his acceptance on the ASE's he took. So, to say that BMW doesn't care about ASE's is completely false. Take as many as you can before you apply to the program...they can do nothing but help...
Besides, the more credentials you have, the more bargaining chips you have for higher pay...:D

bellavus

07-24-2005, 12:16 PM

is it possible to take the STEP classes without a commitment to BMW afterwards? I'd love to take some classes, but I've got a great job as an engineer lined up already.

m3ntalmn

07-24-2005, 09:04 PM

go to bmwstep.com but no you cant just take step classes without commitment to bmw.

Mpowered02- thanks for all your help i will let you all know how the test goes after i take it on aug. 5

nickdrivesm3

07-24-2005, 09:16 PM

sigh...two weeks left of STEP.

m3ntalmn

07-24-2005, 09:34 PM

where are you headed after step? (lucky bastard)

Robstah

07-24-2005, 09:41 PM

Well, I can tell you that BMW puts a lot of emphasis on the electrical side of the test. And rightfully so. Most of the problems with current model BMW's is all electrical and programming issues so they want people that have good electrical diagnostical skills. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Well, I just left Gwinnett Tech and an IT degree for Athens Tech and an automotive degree. I have been working with Linux/Windows/Programming for a while and thought it was my true calling, but after being tech support at a real estate multiple listing company, I felt that it was just something that wasn't for me. Within that time as well, I grew to love my BMW. Now, I want to know more and do more with my car like no other. Hopefully having some IT in my background will help. Anyone from Athens Tech in STEP right now, or should I look at UTI?

323I Junkie

07-25-2005, 08:19 AM

UTI ain tall that

Moderato

07-25-2005, 11:12 AM

I have an appointment to discuss financial aid with Lincoln Tech on Wednesday. The tutition is about 23K for one year. I hope I can get some kind of aid but I doubt it since I'm a business owner and I already have a BA. I'm starting to wonder if doing this doesn't make sense at this part of my life. :( I'm not doing too bad with my business maybe I should just stick with that for now. It's not just about the 23K it's also all the lost time I'm going to have earning money while I'm at LTI and STEP (I have 2 kids and house to pay for). Plus LTI is a 150 mile round trip from me (it's the closest "big name" tech school to me), so I'm going to have to buy a Civic or something while I'm doing that because there's no way I'm putting that mileage on the 330i. If that wasn't enough I have to be there at 7:00am so I'll be waking at 5:00am, maybe eariler. I'm worried if I don't get into STEP, I'll only get a job for $15 an hour out of LTI and I'm doing better then that with my business. I'm very confused because I really want to do this but it's a huge risk if it doesn't pay off with a good career and salary. I talked to Charles Klasman from the STEP program and he assured me that entrance for STEP is very competititve and that I should only go for this if I'm 100% sure I want to do it and can meet the stringent criteria. He also mentioned that I have to be willing to relocate within a distance that would cover about 50 dealers from where I want to live. It's up to you to find employment at a BMW dealership wherever that maybe. The time to do this is when you're young and single, you guys take advantage. I'm thinking of forgetting about STEP and LTI and just taking classes at a local, cheaper school and seeing how I do in this. After I get some work experience if it really appeals to me then I could possibly get into STEP later on, or if I have to go to LTI at that point. I dont' know, what do you guys with experience in this think about that idea?

bellavus

07-25-2005, 11:25 AM

go to bmwstep.com but no you cant just take step classes without commitment to bmw.

Mpowered02- thanks for all your help i will let you all know how the test goes after i take it on aug. 5
sigh :(.

323I Junkie

07-25-2005, 12:15 PM

Moderato..you are thinking very soundly

You are talking about a complete different lifestyle..I am in th ephases of similar change, only going from tech/teaching into engineering. the knowledge and skills and continuing education I have to mainatin to be what I am now more than equal the educational demands on say a BS mech engineer. more similar to Grad MEch engineer.

It means giving up being a tech, it would be virtually impossible to maintain excellecne in both fields.

You business degree would tie well into shop ownership. Have you thought about getting a local degree and then recruiting BMW techs to become a certified aftermarket shop owner, you may find it finacnially and mentally more rewarding than working for "the man" even if he does wear a roundel

nickdrivesm3

07-26-2005, 12:08 AM

where are you headed after step? (lucky bastard)

Crevier BMW
Santa Ana, CA
starting pay:21$ hr

JB///M3

07-26-2005, 12:43 AM

Crevier BMW
Santa Ana, CA
starting pay:21$ hr

good luck with the service mgr there, Ben Alexander...hes a headcase (he was my parts mgr/service mgr for 2 years)..he likes to play mindgames, watch out

323I Junkie

07-26-2005, 09:07 AM

I decked a service manager once, consequently, I lost my job

GRIDLOCK

07-26-2005, 12:01 PM

Can one take a full barage of automotive courses at a community college, have excellent grades and attendance, and still apply to the BMW-Step program?

nickdrivesm3

07-26-2005, 09:24 PM

JB///M3 - good luck with the service mgr there, Ben Alexander...hes a headcase (he was my parts mgr/service mgr for 2 years)..he likes to play mindgames, watch out

Thanks for the info. I actually sat down and talked with him for a little bit, seemed pretty nice. Talked about how he was at Cunningham for 4 years...blah blah blah. Oh btw, you guys are getting a buddy of mine from STEP.
Frutoso Gonzalez. Pretty cool guy. Good luck

GRIDLOCK - Can one take a full barage of automotive courses at a community college, have excellent grades and attendance, and still apply to the BMW-Step program?

I'm pretty sure you can, email STEP for more info.

nickdrivesm3

07-26-2005, 09:25 PM

I decked a service manager once, consequently, I lost my job

damn, thats awsome

Moderato

07-27-2005, 01:27 AM

Crevier BMW
Santa Ana, CA
starting pay:21$ hr

How does this pay work exactly? I thought I remembered reading that in the beginning you just get this flat rate of $21 for every hour you're there, but later on you get paid by the job. Is this true and if so is this a good thing, bad thing or both?

Moderato

07-27-2005, 01:30 AM

GRIDLOCK - Can one take a full barage of automotive courses at a community college, have excellent grades and attendance, and still apply to the BMW-Step program?

I'm pretty sure you can, email STEP for more info.

I've been wondering this also. I just assumed I had to go to LTI to get into STEP, but a 23K for the year and a 150 mile round trip from my house I'm still "thinking" about it. If I could go to a local community college for half the price and not have to do all that commuting, get a job in the field and still have a chance for STEP it would be better.

323I Junkie

07-27-2005, 09:09 AM

Those big schools guys..look out

Moderato

07-27-2005, 09:46 AM

Those big schools guys..look out

Could you explain, are you being serious or sarcastic and what exactly do you mean?

323I Junkie

07-27-2005, 12:06 PM

Sorry, I was in a hurry this morning:

It goes like this, the big schools, UTI, Lincoln(which in the same group as DADC, etc), Wyotech...they all have attributes, they all have advantages, but study your case of "diminishing return". here in NM, you can go to a local college full time and get a major in AP and a minor in business studies for two years for 4K dollars. Thats tools and books. Most expensive is the FOrd or GM/ Toyota programs which are top notch, excellent, and run about 8 grand for two years. If you pick a good community college, you are going to get dedicated, hardworking instructors and flexible hours, plus the option to take full length english, math, science, philosophy, etc. That way, if you decide to diversify in a few years, its no big deal, you have prerequs. you get a good education and the big guys will still headhunt you, I promise. I remembr at a HIGH SCHOOL competition one time MB and JAg were there...and Volvo and Honda..at a Ford competition. Fords training for instance is, and I am in this field of training, the BEST. dont knock it unless youve been there, its outstanding.

Big schools..we all know the benefits..

LIFETIME RETRAINGING: This is embedded in our industry..its going to happen no where you go
JOB PLACEMENT: YOu wont need it, trust me,if your worth a crap
NEW CARS: A dime a dozen
COOL PROGRAMS: yeah, they are awesome..and very rarely will community colleges match them..but did you know you can just take those programs independantly?

They hold your hand and make sure you get there..but do the benefits warrant an extra 20 grand?

You decide..Ill answer any questions you have..

and guys..this is a great field, I love it

nickdrivesm3

07-27-2005, 08:14 PM

How does this pay work exactly? I thought I remembered reading that in the beginning you just get this flat rate of $21 for every hour you're there, but later on you get paid by the job. Is this true and if so is this a good thing, bad thing or both?

I'm pretty sure I'm hourly for a little while, then they move me to flat rate. So basically whatever I flag, I get 21$ per hour it took me.

Mpowered02

07-28-2005, 05:50 AM

I remembr at a HIGH SCHOOL competition one time MB and JAg were there...and Volvo and Honda..at a Ford competition. Fords training for instance is, and I am in this field of training, the BEST. dont knock it unless youve been there, its outstanding.

Really? I have heard exactly the opposite...from guys that have been through the Ford ASSET program. While I am in STEP i'm working at an independent shop that specializes in italian and british cars. One of the lead techs is a Ford ASSET grad, and he recently convinced one of his old apprentices (also an ASSET Grad) to leave Ford and come work for us. I've talked with both of them extensively and they both calim the same thing...that ASSET was pretty much a joke, and that the Ford dealerships that both of them had worked at over the years had bad management and treated them like crap. They swore it seemed like that was the norm in Ford dealerships. *shrug*

Personally, I think the nice thing about STEP is that if you get accepted, it's free to you. BMW shells out approximately $22K to put each student through STEP and as long as you fulfill your contract, you odn't owe them anything for it. I think that's why they're so picky with the applicants.

Moderato...as far as pay, usually a new tech will start out hourly or salaried if you will. Meaning, if you're there at the shop for 8 hours, you get paid for 8 hours. After you get up to speed, you have the option to go flat rate. What this means is that each job has a number of flat rate hours that it should take to complete it. For any particular job, you get paid the flate rate for that particular job...regardless of how long it takes you. So, for example, if you have a brake job and the flate rate book says that it's a 4 hour job...you get paid 4 hours for that job. Now, you could finish that job in 20 minutes, but you still get paid for 4 hours. That being the case, a good tech can fit a lot of flat-rate hours into the span of a 9 hour workday. The problem comes when you get a problematic car and that 4 hour flate rate job turns into an all day affair. No matter how long it takes you, your still only getting paid for 4 hours. Make sense? For a good, quick technician the potential is there to make a good chunk of change...

As for the decision facing you Moderato....like I told you in PM...I was in an very similar situation to your own....32, business owner, BS in Business Management, etc. (no kids though) and I had to make the choice. For me, I decided to put things on hold and go to LTI and STEP because cars are my Passion. I wholeheartedly believe in the saying, "find a job you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life." I don't regret the change one bit...the only had part is making ends meet while you are in school since obviously the hours you can work are now severely reduced. It's tough, but IMHO worth it in the long run...
But, that's a tough decision for you...especially with a family and all. All I can tell you is that in my situation, it was completely worth it to hunker down and just do it. Good luck with your decision.

As for the community college and going to STEP thing...i'm not really sure how that works. I'd definitely call STEP or better yet Charles Klasman to find out definitively how that would work.

Moderato

07-28-2005, 08:55 AM

As for the community college and going to STEP thing...i'm not really sure how that works. I'd definitely call STEP or better yet Charles Klasman to find out definitively how that would work.

Yeah, I'm going to call STEP and find out because I could go to a local community college for 1/3 of the price of LTI and only have to drive 1/3 of the distance everyday. Thanks for all your advice you've been really helping us all out. :drink1

323I Junkie

07-28-2005, 10:06 AM

Really? I have heard exactly the opposite...from guys that have been through the Ford ASSET program. While I am in STEP i'm working at an independent shop that specializes in italian and british cars. One of the lead techs is a Ford ASSET grad, and he recently convinced one of his old apprentices (also an ASSET Grad) to leave Ford and come work for us. I've talked with both of them extensively and they both calim the same thing...that ASSET was pretty much a joke, and that the Ford dealerships that both of them had worked at over the years had bad management and treated them like crap. They swore it seemed like that was the norm in Ford dealerships. *shrug*.

Absolutely not. I maintain very close ties with the asset program. The regional trainers, instructors and facilites are world calss, bar none. the tools, tequniqes, and technology are transferable to any field of automtive repair. Ford has for decades stood behind and been an advocate of college training programs, long before BMW/NA entered the picture. Im not knocking step at all..Im just saying ASSET can be a great oppurtunity. If your friends thought ASSET was a joke, their problem was an irreverence for the cars or the brand, not the training.If there honestly is a problem ASSET facility in your area, plaese tell me the name of the school and the instructor, I can have it investigated.

One thing to remember in the repair industry guys..it doesnt matter if you are working on a KIA or a BMW..the pay depends on your quality of work and skillset, nothing else. I gaurantee I can out flat-rate any of you workign in a FOrd dealership. Guys, I can name two young men here who are the sons of the Los Lunas instructor who make more than 95K at Ford dealerships..they are mor ethan a decade younger than both of us. Fords are pieces of shit, and they break constantly. Flat rate skills get honed to the razor edge. Ford has an odd corporate philosphy. Ford wants to present an image of Quality Care. Therefore, its no big deal if the car breaks, as long as it doesnt break twice in the same way. They recall constantly. And in the end, for what they are, their products are very reliable. That sbeing said.. I detest Fords :D

SHOP MANAGEMENT- HUMAN RESCOURCES

Any shop, for any make and model, has the oppurtunity for horrific human rescource managemnt. They quickly turn into jungles. This is due to the fact that the notion of having human resource departments and training rescources is nearly a dead notion in the automobile repair industry. Thank God, there are a growing number of exceptions, but if you are looking to be treated like a professional, you may have to migrate form shop to shop. This is due in part to the abhorent lack of manufacturer contact in the dealerships. Something that leaves my head shaking. The best HR departments Ive ever seen are in the Aftermarket Repair. You get a lot of businessment who open small shops, and they are used to treating employees like people

Keep this thread going, STEP guys, its great. ITs also great to see some guys closer to my age taking theplunge

Mpowered02

07-28-2005, 03:13 PM

323I Junkie...Don't get me wrong....not trying to badmouth ASSET at all....just sharing what's been told to me by ASSET Grads. FYI...they both went to the ASSET program at Catonsville Community College in Maryland. But then again...IMHO what you get out of training...ANY training...is 80% dependent on what you put into it. You can have access to the best instructors, the best facilities and the best information, but if you don't take the initiative to get something out of it, you won't get squat.

And I definitely wouldn't say that STEP is perfect either. There's definitely stuff that I'd like to see added/changed. For example...currently STEP is 27 weeks long. Due to the extremely complex nature of the vehicles and information (anyone looked at all the crazy technology going into the current crop of BMW's?!) I think it would benefit STEP students/graduates to extend it to 30 weeks. It is an incredibly large amount of information to soak up and the added time would only help to produce better technicians, IMHO. I brought this up with Charles Klasman last time he visited our school (last week) and he agreed. He'd love to see it longer, but then the accountants get involved and the cost comes into play. We'll see how it goes in the future for STEP though...

Oh...forgot to mention...one word of caution to those of you looking at places like LTI, UTI, etc. to try to get into STEP. When you go to talk to one of their sales people, and go for the tour, etc. Keep in mind that those people are first and foremost...SALESPEOPLE. They will try to say and do just about anything to get people to sign up. It's pretty damn pathetic, actually. My STEP school is part of LTI here in Columbia, MD and the sales people for LTI use us as a last stop on their tour (there's a windon to our facilities that they can watch through) to sort of wow the people into wanting to enroll. It's kind of a "look at what you can achieve" kind of tactic. One day they happened to be doing their little tour, and I happened to be walking by coming from the bathroom and the lies the salesguy was telling these people were simply ridiculous. He said, "STEP guys make $200K/yr when they graduate, and the contract to BMW is 2 years. But, what's 2 years when you're making $200K, right?" God, what a load of crap. So take what the sales guys say with a grain of salt...
Funny thing is, after I told the Technical Team Leader at my center, he went and printed out a little sign and posted the average starting salary of the last graduating class. I would have loved to hear the next group of people when the salesguy made his claim of $200K/yr when the truth was printed right in the window. "$200K? but right there in the window it says they averaged almost $19/hr?!"
I'm sure that made the sales guy squirm a little. Don't know how those guys live with themselves at the end of the day, but I digress....
Anyway, sorry for ANOTHER long post...

323I Junkie

07-30-2005, 09:15 AM

Good post

And salesmen are destroying hte big schools.
IF they would stop hiring used car salesmen to represen ttheir programs, they would do so much better. They lie, lie, and then grin from ear to ear. I never figured out exactly what their comission is..but it must be huge

And I appreciate the comment on "get out what you put in"..that is so true

people getreally stupid with their comprehension of salaries. Automtive techs make damn good salaries.

Fro instance, in NM, median income is 18K
IN Bernalillo its like 12K
In Alb it like 28K. Break it apart by zip and you get different figures, with the high being in the 58K area.

Getting into a job where the startign salaries average about 35 K and climb to an average of 60 to 70 K and the higs peaking at aorund 100K...thats a good job. Its like when people make fun of teaching but hey, base 1 is 30, 2 is 40, 3 is 50. You can make 60K teaching here, thats like 80K year round. But people never see it that way.

These sales guys promise the moon, then people get mad when they realize they went into UTI to make "100K" and dropped theri business degree where they were "sure to make at least 100K". Both jobs take skill and dedicationand neither is a gaurantee of wealth or any measure of success

GRIDLOCK

07-30-2005, 02:41 PM

Thanks NickDrivesM3 and 323IJunkie!

As for the rest of us late in our 20's/early 30's taking the plunge, it's not too late for us to chase down our passion. I am currently working on my business degree from ASU, and then I'm headed off to community college to complete my automotive training. I'm hoping in about 5-8 years I can complete my business degree/automotive training, get some real world experience.......and then open up an independent BMW repair shop of my own!

Really great encouragement to see on the boards others around my age still pondering/chasing down their automotive dreams.......... :buttrock

As for the bit younger guys/gals already doing the STEP program and/or already working a kick-azz BMW/automotive gig...................I'm Jealous!

323I Junkie

07-30-2005, 07:22 PM

IATN
ase.org
www.motor.com -- online magazine

read every european post on IATN, every update on ase, every article in MOTOR..its an amazing wealth of FREE information

Mpowered02

07-30-2005, 10:47 PM

IATN
ase.org
www.motor.com -- online magazine

read every european post on IATN, every update on ase, every article in MOTOR..its an amazing wealth of FREE information

I agree...all great resources. Motor mag is a great free mag to have a subscription to...Lots of great information and all kinds of automotive technology topics. :buttrock

m3ntalmn

08-13-2005, 05:42 PM

hey guys finally took the step entrance exam. passed with 80% not as high i had hoped but o well. final interview tues at 9 then hopefully i will be off to orlando to start step on nov 28. :)

323I Junkie

08-14-2005, 01:10 AM

cool

Mpowered02

08-14-2005, 09:13 AM

Nice...do you know who you're interviewing with? Probably Charles Klasman since I think he's the only one currently doing STEP interviews. That is, unless they were able to hire another guy recently. Either way, good luck. If you have the drive and determination you shouldn't have a problem getting in. Let us know how it goes.

m3ntalmn

08-16-2005, 11:17 PM

Moderato

08-17-2005, 12:14 AM

the agony is finally over i am in. not sure when my start date or location. it will be in january in either in new jersey or orlando. any thoughts/experiences with either of these locations. thanks a lot for all of the help

Congrats, I've had to put my plans on hold for the time being but I may pick this up again in 2006.

Mpowered02

08-17-2005, 12:12 PM

Congrats. If I had to pick between NJ and FL, i'd definitely choose NJ. Montvale, NJ is the main training headquarters for BMW NA so you'd be closer to the center of it all. :D However, I hear that the Montvale school is pretty small. :confused
Anyway, get ready for some intense, mind twisting months ahead of you. It's a lot of fun (especially if you're a BMW fanatic), but it's a lot of hard work. Honestly, the amount of work they give you seems impossible to finish in the time allotted, but you just gotta keep plugging away. If I were you, i'd study all the E-codes and BMW Group numbers if you have em. If they do it the same at all of the STEP schools then your first few weeks will be filled with quizzes on that info. Good luck.

stingraye

08-17-2005, 08:52 PM

Well, i'm getting into this thread a little late, but better late than never. I'm in BMW STEP In Columbia MD with Alvin (Mpowered02) and it has been great. I went to Automotive Training Center in Pa, and got into STEP from there. I thought that ATC was a great school for you guys looking at schools, they have a great center, with tons of great instructors, and from what I have seen at LTI, it is just an all around better school. As far as STEP, Mpowered02 covered most of it. And regarding the Locations of FL Vs. NJ... They both have ups and downs. I have a friend in FL STEP and heard he likes it, but they don't let you drive cars barely AT ALL in that center (just the instructors, don't know why). Jersey is a much smaller facility, and has older equipment, and they are really shoe-horned into the shop there. In jersey you will likely get new cars sooner (like the new M5), but they also have a crazy German instructor that from what i've heard dosn't fuck around at all. I would just go where ever you want to go by where it is. I love the MD center, all brand new equipment and everything, it's great. If you guys have any other questions i'll try and jump in and help where ever I can too. Good Luck... the harder you work the better your chances will be.

m3ntalmn

08-17-2005, 11:17 PM

Mpowered02- your car is almost exactly what i want to build mine to be. those fenders are perfect. need pics of that 02 though.

i hope to go to florida, my girl is moving there tomorrow actually so it would be nice if we could be a little closer together but im not worried, i am just happy i got accepted. how much diagnosis do your guys do. my theory is fairly solid but my diagnosis skills are still very weak (lack of experience). which models have you been working on mainly and dont take this wrong im not a hot rodder speed kid but do they cover any dinan installation or anything like that. i dont care either way just like a peek at the road ahead.

Mpowered02

08-17-2005, 11:37 PM

M3ntalmn...thanks for the compliments. Unfortunately, my car looks better in the pics than it does in person right now...needs a little work. That'll have to wait till after STEP is over at least. :(
As for pics of the 02...don't have any pics of the outside of the car as it is completely stripped down right now. Again, that project is on the backburner right now until STEP is over, but here's a sneak peak pic of what will lie in the engine bay (from my initial test fitment of the engine):
http://www.caragay.net/BMW_2002/dtmbox1.jpg
It's an S14 out of the E30 M3 with an authentic BMW Motorsport CF DTM airbox. :devillook God, I can't wait till I have time to finish this car...

Regarding STEP...diagnosis and electrical skills are an important part of modern BMW Repair. A large majority of the problems that current BMW models have are programming and "electrical" based problems. That stuff can be learned with more experience with the product though so I wouldn't worry. Just get yourself into that mindset now, though. As for the Dinan stuff...no, that's not covered in STEP at all. STEP is solely for auto service technician training and does not cover any of the go fast stuff. However, most of the Dinan stuff is bolt-ons (exhausts, suspensions, etc) so you shouldn't have a problem with that kind of stuff anyway. Anyway, hope this helps. Any other questions feel free to ask.

m3ntalmn

08-18-2005, 02:15 PM

now that ive jacked my own thread -that 2002 is going to be great. the s14 imo is the perfect engine for that chassis. its going to scream and handle like no tomorrow. where did you have your body work done on the e36. i dream of owning an e30 m3 but until then i would eventually like to fenders like yours i just havent been happy with the e30 replica ones i have seen until i saw yours.

i cannot wait to start working on those cars. what is the oldest car they teach you on. e36 i assume?

m3ntalmn

08-18-2005, 02:16 PM

just looked at the picture of that s14 w/the intake in that engine bay. pretty sure i need new pants. :D

Mpowered02

08-18-2005, 03:55 PM

Actually, STEP only covers the new stuff. Nothing older than E46 and E39. By the time you get to STEP, they won't have E46 on the curriculum either. As far as I know, E46 has been pulled from the curriculum because it's too "old". However, they just started E60 M5 at Montvale so perhaps you'll see that class when you get to STEP. I'm jealous of you on that one...

As for the 02...yeah, the S14 is perfectly matched to that chassis. With what I have planned for the car, it should be lighter, stiffer and have more HP than the E30 M3. Now it's just a matter of finding the time to work on her.
Regarding my E36, it's sporting an AC Schnitzer CLS widebody kit. As far as I know, the kit is pretty rare and NLA from Schnitzer. I've thought of making some molds from my car and trying to reproduce it but again, available time is a big factor there. :( The kit was actually already installed on the car when I bought it, but I know it was installed by D2 Technik in Cali.

Mpowered02

08-18-2005, 03:59 PM

just looked at the picture of that s14 w/the intake in that engine bay. pretty sure i need new pants. :D

:D For your viewing pleasure, here's another one from the side view:

http://www.caragay.net/BMW_2002/dtmbox2.jpg

The airbox actually has 4 more bungs and an additional rail on the underside of the runners for 4 additional fuel injectors. Can you say...staged injectors? :devillook

m3ntalmn

08-18-2005, 11:35 PM

damn that would be sweet so much fuel control what type of engine management system would you use for that. laundry is gonna be heavy this week. i will look into that shop i know those kits are rare but damn they are beautiful

danp412

10-08-2005, 04:04 AM

Thanks a lot Mpowered02, NickDrivesM3 and 323IJunkie for all the great info and feedback. Im gonna be starting at either Wyotech or UTI in the next few months. Im almost positive I will be following up with the BMW STEP program. From how you all have described it, seems like the perfect career path for me and my goals. Thanks again for all the info.

GRIDLOCK

11-04-2005, 11:48 PM

Word from an automotive professor/instructor at a community college here in AZ states that UTI, at least the UTI in AZ, is nothing but a money machine. $20,000 for auto training (all computer based) and if you want "hands-on" training, that's another $20,000, for a whopping total of $40k!!!! What the funk?!!! The professor also states that the BMW-Step program might cut its ties with UTI for the turnout of shitty trained grads from UTI's automotive program.

Now am I saying this is true? Not by a long shot. But this professor (which is currently teaching me engine theories and such) has over 30+ years experience in the auto repair biz, talks the talk and walks the walk, and for what it's worth, knows his shit! Anywho, I believe what he says about UTI.

I considered UTI for quite some time, and I am glad that I did not pull the trigger and go with UTI. First day of the engine theories class that I am taking, at a community college, our instructor had us tearing down a 4.0L Cadillac engine and some other 3.4L engine on the first day of class!

I suggest checking out your local community college and speaking with their instructors and/or taking a class or two. You could save yourself $$$$ and receive the same type of auto training if not better than what UTI might offer.

BMW-Step does not give a funk about where you received your auto repair training, so long as you can pass the entrance exams to the STEP program and provide proof of excellent attendance and academic grades!

I'll stop flapping my jibs now................
:stickoutt

nickdrivesm3

11-04-2005, 11:56 PM

FYI, I graduated from BMW STEP in August and now work full time at Cunningham BMW in San Diego. I started at 21$ an hour and I have a gurantee until I go flat-rate. To me, my education was totally worth it. STEP was an excellent investment as well as Seqouai Institute. As far as work goes, everything I have been taught is coming into play. STEP brough me up to speed with EVERYTHING that is going on in the dealership. People are coming up to me asking how this works or what does this mean? No doubt they have more experiance than me and could probably smoke me if we were to "race". However I have the advantage in the long run beucase I'm so up to date with all the new stuff that I am set for the future.

STEP is hard, no doubt about it. But if you're hardcore about BMW then its more of an experiance than a commitment. For me, thats what it was. :buttrock

JB///M3

11-05-2005, 12:00 AM

FYI, I graduated from BMW STEP in August and now work full time at Cunningham BMW in San Diego. I started at 21$ an hour and I have a gurantee until I go flat-rate. To me, my education was totally worth it. STEP was an excellent investment as well as Seqouai Institute. As far as work goes, everything I have been taught is coming into play. STEP brough me up to speed with EVERYTHING that is going on in the dealership. People are coming up to me asking how this works or what does this mean? No doubt they have more experiance than me and could probably smoke me if we were to "race". However I have the advantage in the long run beucase I'm so up to date with all the new stuff that I am set for the future.
STEP is hard, no doubt about it. But if you're hardcore about BMW then its more of an experiance than a commitment. For me, thats what it was. :buttrock

Glad its going good Nick, keep at it man...:D

GRIDLOCK

11-05-2005, 12:19 AM

Glad for you and your BMW-STEP experience Nick, but er, I am chopping down UTI, not BMW-STEP.

:confused

Mpowered02

11-06-2005, 02:58 PM

FYI, I graduated from BMW STEP in August and now work full time at Cunningham BMW in San Diego. I started at 21$ an hour and I have a gurantee until I go flat-rate. To me, my education was totally worth it. STEP was an excellent investment as well as Seqouai Institute. As far as work goes, everything I have been taught is coming into play. STEP brough me up to speed with EVERYTHING that is going on in the dealership. People are coming up to me asking how this works or what does this mean? No doubt they have more experiance than me and could probably smoke me if we were to "race". However I have the advantage in the long run beucase I'm so up to date with all the new stuff that I am set for the future.
STEP is hard, no doubt about it. But if you're hardcore about BMW then its more of an experiance than a commitment. For me, thats what it was. :buttrock

Hey Nick...which BMW STEP location did you graduate from? Just curious. I graduated on October 21st, and am now working on moving out west. Got a job at South Bay BMW in Torrance, CA that I start on Dec. 5th. Definitely looking forward to applying what we did in STEP.:buttrock

dansciol

11-06-2005, 08:23 PM

Nice thread.
I graduated from UTI Houston Oct 8th 04, and I was accepted to STEP about 7-8 months later. I had to wait for my driving record to clean up for the 3 year period. Didn't see much mention of driving record requirements in this thread. I interviewed with the same guy 3 times, until I was finally accepted. Lol, he liked the persistence though.

They require no more than 2 moving violations on your record in the last 3 years. No DWIs, or DUIs I believe.

I'll be starting in the Upper Saddle River NJ class on Nov 21st 05. Can't wait.

323I Junkie

11-07-2005, 06:10 PM

Word from an automotive professor/instructor at a community college here in AZ states that UTI, at least the UTI in AZ, is nothing but a money machine. $20,000 for auto training (all computer based) and if you want "hands-on" training, that's another $20,000, for a whopping total of $40k!!!! What the funk?!!! The professor also states that the BMW-Step program might cut its ties with UTI for the turnout of shitty trained grads from UTI's automotive program.
Now am I saying this is true? Not by a long shot. But this professor (which is currently teaching me engine theories and such) has over 30+ years experience in the auto repair biz, talks the talk and walks the walk, and for what it's worth, knows his shit! Anywho, I believe what he says about UTI.
I considered UTI for quite some time, and I am glad that I did not pull the trigger and go with UTI. First day of the engine theories class that I am taking, at a community college, our instructor had us tearing down a 4.0L Cadillac engine and some other 3.4L engine on the first day of class!
I suggest checking out your local community college and speaking with their instructors and/or taking a class or two. You could save yourself $$$$ and receive the same type of auto training if not better than what UTI might offer.
BMW-Step does not give a funk about where you received your auto repair training, so long as you can pass the entrance exams to the STEP program and provide proof of excellent attendance and academic grades!
I'll stop flapping my jibs now................
:stickoutt

You are right about the community colleges, they can be and are a great rescource. But UTI is 27K for the package, theres no "hands on" package. There are add on programs, bnut generally 27K will get it done.

I am afan off ASSET and ASEP and T10, which are community college based programs and are a great value with high tech suppofrt

GRIDLOCK

11-07-2005, 08:08 PM

nickdrivesm3

11-07-2005, 11:54 PM

Hey Nick...which BMW STEP location did you graduate from? Just curious. I graduated on October 21st, and am now working on moving out west. Got a job at South Bay BMW in Torrance, CA that I start on Dec. 5th. Definitely looking forward to applying what we did in STEP.:buttrock

Fremont, CA

Class XIV graduated on August 5th.

323I Junkie

11-08-2005, 11:49 AM

$27k still sounds steep Junkie, but if people can afford it, then by all means! I simply cannot afford it and will have to go the community college route.......but automotive training is automotive training....same basic principles. I still want to do the STEP program and when I'm done completing the auto courses at the community college level, I'll be applying for STEP!!!! I'll keep all informed if/when I apply/get accepted!!!

:drink1

No, I agree with you.Ou local university costs 2900 a semester, and 500 in books and fees, max, for in state tuition. UTI costs 27K for four semesters, thats over twice what books and fees costs at a local university. You get a quazzi-associates, degree, versus, say, a mechanical engineering degree and in the meantime you can take just the auto courses at a local CC and have an associates in applied science plus a bachelors in ME. Hmmmmmm

aplus, university babe access

GRIDLOCK

11-08-2005, 01:43 PM

[quote]aplus, university babe access[quote]

Right on bruddahs!!!!

:buttrock

DEUTSCH STOLZ

11-08-2005, 07:56 PM

Mpowered02

11-09-2005, 06:28 AM

ive just gotten the packet that uti sends you for enrollment, i have bean debating going to uti for about a year know, i am working for my family that owns a construction company, and although it is good money it is not something that i want to do. i have 2 quetions for your guys, by the way thank you for all the info on bmw and step invaluable info for all of us who are want to be where u guys are thank you. 1st would i be possible to work in europe after working for bmw for a couple years? could you go to a school in germany and work on bmws in germany.2nd i jsut got a bad speeding ticket an 85 in a 60, would this keep me out of step evan if i met all the other requirements? once again thank you guys for the questions and info.

One ticket won't be a problem. 2 maybe, and 3 definitely would be a problem. DUI's and DWI's and you can pretty much forget about it...forget about working as a technician in ANY dealership...BMW or not. When I got accepted, I had one pending ticket, but it got thrown out i'm good to go. One thing to keep in mind though...even if you get into STEP, tickets on your record can affect your job search. Every BMW center that I applied at asked about my driving record and wanted to see proof. Not sure what their cutoff point in terms of tickets was, but just make sure to keep your record as clear as possible....

m3ntalmn

11-12-2005, 11:57 PM

sorry to resurrect this thread but i fell i must alleviate some confusion and provide clarity concerning UTI experience.

gridlock: not to be harsh but your automotive professor is speaking simply out of opinion. i have gone to college as well as UTI and i must say my experience, FIRST-hand experience w/UTI has been nothing like what your professor stated. depending which program you choose (auto, auto/diesel, auto/diesel/industrial, auto/ford fact, auto/toyota tap, etc.) your tuition will vary. it is by no means cheap i paid $26,500 for the auto/diesel program. there is no split between computer training and hands-on in regards to tuition or actual class structure. if you were to add the toyota program to that tuition it would have been an additionial $3000 for nine more weeks of toyota specific training including crucial toyota certifications that will take years to receive at a dealership, i know this from experience from working at a toyota dealership and watching journeymen and apprentice technicians wait and wait to be sent to school. sorry i drifted a little off-topic. we took apart GM 3.8's on our first day of class.

BMW-STEP will not be and does not have plans to cut it's ties with UTI for the turnout of shitty graduates. in fact BMW-STEP was developed with UTI and began in 1996, currently STEP is run through BMWNA and CTG (Custom Training Group) which happens to be a division of UTI, Inc. as far as cutting ties with UTI i don't see that happening. I was told STEP was cutting ties with Wyotech when i joined uti and that has proven to bullshit as STEP continues to accept wyotech students. so in the respect that STEP does not care where you receive your education that is correct BUT simply passing the entrance exam will not get you in you need work experience, you need to show desire to work for BMW, and you should really take ASE's (they help show desire)

alright i am done ranting but that is how it IS! first-hand experience and no bullshit. i do not mean to discredit your professor but he doesnt know first hand how it is. again sorry for the rant, feel free to ask any questions i will tell you what i know:)

nickdrivesm3

11-13-2005, 02:54 AM

Reguardless of where you get your education, as long as you get a long time with the cars before being thrown out there helps a lot. Takes pressure off you and makes you feel confident about your work. I did STEP because that is what I wanted to use it for, a "step" stone.

rust0r

03-05-2006, 01:42 AM

rust0r

03-05-2006, 06:17 PM

Ttt

Chazbot

08-10-2006, 10:13 AM

Experience without education is limited as well as education is without experience. Would you rather get the experience and struggle to get the training or get all the training up front and then go to work and get the experience? Don't sweat the money issues early on. If you are good at what you do, and enjoy the work, you will do well. www.bmwstep.com (http://www.bmwstep.com)

bimmer_boyis

08-11-2006, 11:40 AM

hey guys, ive read all the threads regarding step here and on other forums and still have a couple questions:

1. Haven't seen any mention of the Ontario, California campus, any opinions/experience with this one in particular?

2. I'm up in Canada and would be attending a local college to take their 1 year automotive course, assuming i met the attendance and met or exceeded the GPA requirement, and tried to get a couple of months experience after graduating, what are my chances of them accepting me? i've seen a could questions pertaining to this, bu i see alot of talk about UTI/Wyotech, just wondering how local/community schools fare and those of you that have gone, opinions on my chances

3. Who would be best to call from the program to get some direct answers? I keep seeing mention to Charles Klasman

4. Do you have time to work part time while down there? and what are the average class hours? Both amount and times of the day?

thanks!

Don't know a great deal about cali or canada campuses so no comment on those.

2. There were several CC grads in the last MD campus class, so it's not like they really descriminate against them. There aren't any in my current MD4 class. I'd imagine the advantage you have at a tech school would be easier to contact Klassman and get interviews and testing done.

3. About getting info talk to your career services person. There is an application process including a test made up of past ASE questions, and an interview with Mr. Klassman that basically is the main factor for getting in.

4. Part time work is doable, I personally only turn about 25-30 hours(flat rate) a week. I will probably cut it back as the classes get harder, but the load is ok for now. Official class runs from 6:30-1:30, but i'm there from 5:30 til about 3 most days.