i would like to know where you got that info.

As for the OP, you're going to need a degree in IT and electrical engineering to keep up with the tech in the cars that will be coming out in the next 10 years.

If I were you I would get your hands dirty on your own rig as you start taking gen ed requirements at a local community college. Then if you decide rolling around in grease 40 hours a week isn't for you at least you have a base to go to a different degree path.

 

X10,000. I've not seen ONE report where this is mentioned.

 

Thanks for yalls input, I've changed a couple vacuum hose's, removed and reinstalled MAS, IAC, coil, distributor along with a couple oil changes... The simple stuff. My dad and I are in the process of restoring an old Morris Minor Pick up. I've been able to learn a couple things about body work. My brother is restoring a 38 Pontiac, so that in it self has been an adventure. My plan right now is to finsh up high school, get a 2 year degree. From there I've people buy cars and part them out and make 2x-4x the amount of money they bought the car for. Crawling around in grease is what i consider fun . I wounder if i could buy tools with student loans hmmmm. I appreciate everyone input.

 

This is probably more what you want to do.
WCC Automotive Technologies: Custom Cars and Concepts
or...
MC | Auto Restoration | McPherson College

 

Yes, you can. But try for grants first. You don't have to pay those back.

 

Sorry Ed, but that information is incorrect. All vehicles are the exact same in natuer, the only difference is how all the computers communicate with each other. (CAN, LIN, etc). And all manufacturers have training programs that are offered to techs as long as they meet the requirements.

To the OP. I actually just graduated a tech school (Lincoln Tech) last week. Spent $27k. Graduated with honors, etc. yada, yada yada. Been working in the industry for about two years now.
If you really wanna enter the auto industry, I will warn you. Manufacturer warranty times are plummeting, so there is no money to be made. So far i have worked for three manufacturers (Honda, Mercedes Benz and Smart) and have seen multiple instances of times being dropped. And if you are in a dealer, a good 60% of your work is warranty. Cash times are better, but when 60% of your work is warranty, its hard to make money. Its no longer just about being a grease monkey either. Its no longer, wrenches and impact guns. Gotta learn how to use a computer, how to look at actual values.
I did it the same way you are now thinking, turning a hobby into a career. Will till you at this point, its no longer a hobby for me. But thas just me. It may be different for you.

 

who fixes the computers?

I think.. in the future cars will still be mechanical by nature but controlled mostly by a main computer. that computer will include everything from problems with the mechanical aspect of the car (as computers do now) to controlling air quality (checking pollen and ozone levels), parking assistance (finding available spots and pulling your car into them), email, internet (streaming netflix to your kids in the back seat), phone, the brake charging system, the gps, the blind spot indicator, the automatic distance sensor, emergency controlled braking, etc etc... I have a mechanic I trust to do work I can't do but I would never ask him to rebuild my home PC and recover the data off the hard drive.

 

lets see, they already do most if not all of those things. And the computers in cars today are sealed units that are sent back to car manufacturers, who send them back to component manufacterers. An E class mercedes control units control all those things with the exception of email, internet and netflix.
and thas not just with mercedes. My brother in laws bmw will control climate, automatically, sensing air contaminates coming in and switch the air flow from intake fresh air to recirculate. my(wife's) class will do the same thing. The tech is already there, already in use. The only difference between now and 20 years ago is more wiring and computers are controlling everything. Drivers just get in and steer.

 

exactly my point. you take the computer out and send it to a company. Now if you take into effect Moore's Law ( read about it here Moore's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

you will have cars that are uncrashable, using sensors to detect changes in the road, curves in the road, inclines up ahead, changing road conditions, using gps, infared, sonar and who knows what else they will literally drive themselves adjusting speed and distance from other cars and be running on who knows what.

 

yea, im not gonna continue this converstaion due to the fact its
1. completely off topic to wat this young chap has asked for.
2. not trying to argue with someone about things that I work with everyday. Believe whatever you want to believe.

To the Op, you have quite a few techs in here that can give you some valuable information. what you do with the information given to you, thas your call. but please do rememebr, it is a life altering decision. that cant be easily changed.