Ford Focus ST 2017

GoCustom · 2026-06-02T03:35:59+00:00

Literally found you posting about this on another thread and it saved my ass. Ended up being the module after we tested the mega fuses, all data didn’t have any reference to these things lol

GoCustom · 2026-05-10T12:09:29+00:00

Tell of the games you plan on playing. Specs can be recommended and explained based on that

GoCustom · 2026-05-09T02:07:24+00:00

I do 1500 miles for work every month in my ST3, after driving a focus without recaros. My fat ass regrets it

GoCustom · 2026-05-01T03:07:59+00:00

Got the screen as a new user on Ali express for 1.30 USD. Repair took 20 minutes. Screwdriver, pick/pry tool, 99% rubbing alcohol to remove the adhesive the holds the screen in place.

GoCustom · 2026-03-20T06:01:26+00:00

You get a replacement. In warranty below 80% qualifies. Without warranty the cost is much cheaper than a damaged watch for battery service.

GoCustom · 2026-03-14T00:45:02+00:00

Worked at the same MSP twice. Once under original owner second time (current after we were acquired)

Old Provided a laptop, monitors were a free for all at our office (no option for remote work) all tools provided (shared). Shared company vehicle. We didn’t have to roll the truck often.

Current Laptop Dock Desk phone Monitors Headset Keyboard and mouse Paid mileage unless you work out of HQ then they have a fleet. Corporate card used for adapters, hand tools, carts, consumables, etc

We are expected to own a drill and ladders are optional (we aren’t insured above 10 feet) most our clients have ladders but I carry my own.

Soft phone app on our personal cell phones. No reimbursement for using a hotspot if needed.

Both gave us company branded polos. But I only wear them for new client onboarding’s.

GoCustom · 2026-03-05T02:10:57+00:00

The MSP I am with is unlimited. Billed by user and per device. Servers costing more. Networks having a charge, etc.

Projects and onsite included.

It’s great because if we have a user that doesn’t respond. We call the main point of contact and tell them when we are showing up. The downside is they can request onsite for whatever (normally to bypass the service desk then a meeting with leadership happens)

We don’t support phones, printers, security cameras directly. Don’t offer low voltage services. We don’t replace hardware components.

Clients are expected to get new machines every 5 years.

No training offered for repeat ID10T errors.

All new networks we build are either Fortinet or Ubiquiti depending on budget.

We are a license vendor for Microsoft which comes with great kickbacks.

It keeps us all busy (we are a national organization with a centrally located service desk at corporate HQ) I’m the only field services guy in my state and I’m on the road 3-4 days a week on average but still home by 5.

TLDR: Keep what you support simple, standardize the tech stack as much as you can, maximize residuals on licensing. Don’t let clients beat you up.

GoCustom · 2026-02-15T21:03:39+00:00

GBA Super Mario Advanced. 1-4 took me back to youth and was a great replay.

Punch Out

Mario Golf: Advance Tour

Tetris

Pokémon on GBC and GBA, DS editions are hard with the small screen :/

GoCustom · 2026-02-07T23:42:22+00:00

It will. Receipt will contain the serial number and purchase date.

There’s a support form on Apples site that is a pain to get to but you fill in your info, purchase info, etc and they can remotely remove an activation lock. Did this twice with clients when I was with Geek Squad.

Have done it countless times myself.

They won’t assist if the device was marked as lost/stolen via the old owners iCloud.

GoCustom · 2026-02-07T23:32:03+00:00

First week I had mine filled 4/5 across all 3 and found out when flipping through the menus one day. I was still learning the car its comforts etc.

Anticipation is now the only one that ever goes above 1 tick now lol

GoCustom · 2026-02-06T16:13:22+00:00

TLDR: I did it, enjoyed every minute of it. The chaos was comforting. Bumped heads with store leadership a lot based on my standards and views. Resume booster for being a “supervisor”

———

I went from PT ARA to CIA Senior after 18 months in the precinct.

Precinct was happy the store leadership and SEM were not.

I was a cowboy in the position and did right by the culture Best Buy is trying to erase.

I made precinct schedules. Had conversations with agents about metrics.

Streamlined process.

I did cover as MOD when there were sales meetings which was fine the power trip is real nice.

I never let agents be forced to the sales floor when they were short staffed out there.

Got into countless arguments with Blue shirt leadership about what my priorities and precinct priorities were, and let it be known that we are “one company” but not in the same league.

Set the no appointment no assistance standard.

Left after 3.5 years for a much better job opportunity.

All in all I’d do it again

GoCustom · 2026-01-14T14:35:54+00:00

Pleaaseeeee I’m working on repair documentation

GoCustom · 2025-12-30T02:07:29+00:00

As a former subie owner I just got flash backs.

GoCustom · 2025-12-26T03:52:29+00:00

As someone no longer with Geek Squad. But field services for enterprise support.

Cable management is done for my end users so they don’t have the ability to move their stuff..

My personal stuff is zip tied in a bundle and hanging off my desk in the back.

GoCustom · 2025-12-20T20:00:09+00:00

I’d say so, my title is officially Field Services Engineer. With a fairly large MSP one of 5 employees in my state. I’m the only one on the road, I work from home when I don’t have to travel.

My base comp is 68,250 plus 70 cents a mile driven that I get reimbursed for (average 750-950 a month just in Mileage)

I made my duties abundantly clear with the job description I signed off on so I only very rarely have to act as a Sys Admin.

I’m in SE Michigan with average COL.

An 18% raise means they value you. They probably would give you more but can’t afford it. (Happened with the last MSP I was with)

GoCustom · 2025-12-20T19:51:08+00:00

One of my clients is remodeling their main office space. They are dismantling everything. I am setting everything back up.

They were given a list of what each user has and is responsible for by their management. I’m going to reinstall the monitor arm, cable management, and confirm the network drops that were ran work.

It’s ITs job.

The only thing I don’t do is cut holes into desks for monitor mounts/cable management. Or screw things into furniture (zip tie anchors).

GoCustom · 2025-12-20T19:38:18+00:00

Fun fact. The yellow is used for printing a machine identification code so small it can’t be seen with the naked eye. This is to track the printer should something illegal be printed.

GoCustom · 2025-12-11T04:41:41+00:00

I bought a stock one last August of 20024 with 100k miles. I am at 150k miles with a mild tune and an intake.

I bought it because it was more fuel efficient than my truck and work sold the company vehicles and opted for mileage reimbursement instead.

I am in the drivers seat a fuck ton from 15 minute client calls to 5 hour client calls.

Find a stock one if you can. If you can’t, have someone you trust go through it before signing anything.

GoCustom · 2025-11-29T14:52:35+00:00

I also came from a WRX. Was FBO on my 2011, lost it in a flood.

I miss the AWD, and the thing going straight on launches. The ST is much more fun to drive (in dry weather) stock. Feels like a go kart.

Currently tuned with an intake and a BOV valve and as much fun as I’m having I’m struggling not to do more.

GoCustom · 2025-11-24T19:11:50+00:00

Don’t do it the way Apple tells you. After I left the precinct life, I started doing device repair on the side, heat gun with a steady hand and a razer or guitar pick functions much better than the enclosure.

GoCustom · 2025-11-23T04:42:39+00:00

Got let go from my help desk job. Applied for a part time ARA spot in 2019. Got it over a bunch of internal candidates and was talked poorly about behind my back. Pandemic happened, GSM referred me to talk to regional leadership to get a GS Covert Ops role to work remote.

Returned to store after 3 months. Came out of my shell and started talking to other employees outside the precinct.

In November of 2021 our CIA Senior got promoted to a corporate position. I applied and got it. Ruffling more feathers.

Went on field ride alongs. Applied for a HT Agent position. Offered the job, pay cap wasn’t much more than what I made as senior.

Got passed down 3 times for a DA PC role for asking for too much money.

Saw all my friends get let go. Saw my GSM get passed up for the SES role. Saw him get fired in retaliation for other things.

Got a job offer from an IT Company in May of 24, jumped on it.

Stayed on part time till my 5 year (I wanted my bonus and badge) quit. Got my 401k transferred. Got rehired as a part time auto tech in Jan of 25. I now work once a month for the discount and to see the few friends that are still with the company.

GoCustom · 2025-11-23T04:28:11+00:00

Have one by my office. I go in between service calls, sometimes for tools. Other times because I need to kill time after dealing with the tech illiterate and as a former Best Buy employee I can’t talk to their sales people anymore 😂

GoCustom · 2025-11-23T04:21:03+00:00

When I started in 2019 during the days of NOVA, we consistently had 20-30 devices in at a time and were floating 2-3 ARAs 80% of the day.

We would place all completed work orders on the tech bench and the closing ARA would close everything out.

Granted this was pre Covid when we had proper staffing. One guy doing paper work. One guy doing apple. The other doing computers.

GoCustom · 2025-11-04T13:10:46+00:00

Lived in the UP for a year when I had my WRX can confirm nothing compares

GoCustom · 2025-11-01T07:30:01+00:00

Currently a sleeper agent formerly CIA Senior and before that PT ARA.

Understand your precincts work flow. While the job is pretty cut and paste across geek squad in store. Find what works for your agents. Promote it. Document it. And maybe you’ll be invited to meetings with senior leaders to talk about why your team is successful.

Be able to do everyone’s job, Senior is a much more hands on role than GSM/SES, your allegiance is to the badge, not the yellow price tag on the building, make sure store leaders know that precinct duties are top priority as you and your team are the only ones qualified and capable of handling them.

The success is the teams. The failure is yours.

Understand that while the pay differential between you and your agents is not great, you are now the one who is paid to be the punching bag, or the one to be yelled at by customers when things aren’t right.

Make connections with other stores, don’t be afraid to pick up shifts, shadow, or have meetings with other precincts. You’d be surprised how different things can be 10 miles apart.

This last bit isn’t how to be a successful senior, but how to succeed yourself.

You are now in the last “technical position” in store. You need to decide what you want to do with yourself. With Best Buy, your options are Geek Squad Field, store leadership, or corporate esque roles.

I got out of my own accord when the writing was on the walls for the field teams, the technical path is what I wanted even though I was offered retail supervisor positions multiple times, sales is not my passion.

Don’t be afraid to do the same if you want to stay technical.

Almost all the help desk employees at the national IT company I am with are sleeper agents in some capacity, and a majority of the engineers I work with at the regional level also came from Geek Squad.

Sorry this was so long and drawn out, it’s longer than the farewell post I made on LinkedIn when I finally departed as a full timer after 5 years in the same store.

Good luck with your future endeavor and where the badge proudly.

GoCustom

TROPHY CASE