I was more born into it then being driven by a great love of cars. My Dad ran his business from a workshop at our home, he got me a pair of overalls when I was about 5 years old and within 5 mins I had fallen down the pit, the warning signs were there already that I wasn't cut out to be a mechanic !! Despite cars being all around me since birth I was more interested in school forming a love of 'Maths', basicly I was good and quick with numbers (but did enjoy getting taken to the RAC rally each year!!!).
Then I must of been about 9 years old and Dad for some reason took me to a salvage auction (I don't Health and Safety would allow 9 years olds there now). It was here I was introduced to a small book called 'Glass's Guide' which was like number porn to me !! I was taught how to price up repairs, paint etc on the damaged cars, work out what it could be sold for etc etc From then on I would beg to be taken and I was fairly good at getting my prices right, cars and damage were more straight forward back then, no airbags etc etc. From repairing salvage he moved onto selling a few non damaged car so its was off to ADT Auctions (Now BCA), same result, Glass's Guides and me working out figures, prices etc and getting in fairly near to the sale price.
So with this love of auctions and buying cars I knew there was only one job for me.......I wanted to be an accountant !!!
I never made it as an accountant, my Dad bought a garage/petrol station in Devon when I was 16, I gave up days at school to help him run it, getting paid £30 a week for 60 hours work!! He then tried to teach me to be a mechanic ignoring all the warning signs over my 17 years that it wasn't for me. I was left handed for a start so did everything 'the wrong way round'. To call it a disaster would be an understatement. I ended up in Australia and New Zealand just to get away from him !!!!
The only good thing was that I sold a few cars off the forecourt and learnt how to run a business.
Once I returned to England I got a job for a Hyundai dealership then a big used car dealer in Bournemouth which gave me the best education in selling cars I could.
Time moved on and I rented the forecourt at Dad's garage and started my own business then a year later took the workshop off him. That was 11 years ago and I've not looked back.
For me its the buying and running a business rather then cars and the selling!!!
Still think I would have been a good accountant !!!!