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View Full Version : thinkin of gettin my own shop

blkbomber01
10-30-2005, 12:58 AM
yeah im thinkin about it... well now, after the day i had at work today... we usually go in from 9 to1 on saturdays but me boss desides to schedule everything and anything that came in... well if you have a life, you know you dont want to be stuck at work all day on a saturday unless its really nessesary to (broke, or makin overtime) but i make absolutly nothing after 1 o'clock. my boss really needs to learn how to run his shop and how to treat his employees(sp?). the dude is 27 and has worked in a shop for about a year before his dad gave him the shop, i try to help him make smart moves with the shop but hes thickheaded. well im about sick of it so im gonna see about a shop, i guess to work on my customers cars (i have about 10 of my own personal customers). but money is tight and i need to get some business before i start a business. i have queen b doin all the finances and doin all the bill paying. i hope this works out for me
Francesco
10-30-2005, 01:02 AM
might pay to rent some closed up gas station with a lift or two untill you can get some steady cunstomers and a reputation...i want to open up a performance shop, but its not a wise financial move for me...owning a garage isn't bad, you will make majority of your net cash off of labor though.
blkbomber01
10-30-2005, 01:09 AM
yeah... i worked in shops for about 6 years now and i got the main idea about how everything works... i want to get into performance stuff too
Francesco
10-30-2005, 01:19 AM
yeah... i worked in shops for about 6 years now and i got the main idea about how everything works... i want to get into performance stuff too

east coast is starting to make a name for itself now...it took long enough though. we still can't touch anything they have on the west coast though...

honestly man, open a shop than can do swaps and conversions. not many will venture into that. if you can do it on the side, im sure it will turn some heads. anymore with EMS and plug and play piggy backs, their isnt a need for tuners. alot of kids are learning the basics themselves, but they can't wrench to save their lives.
blkbomber01
10-30-2005, 01:23 AM
yeah i think ill get into everything... my buddy(works with me now) and i have done a few swaps... i think if i can get him and someone else ill be well off... its just the whole customer thing
1988 Olds
10-30-2005, 02:49 AM
Good Luck to you man. I'd be willing to help you out if you need employees. I don't know but around L-town you shouldn't have to much trouble finding customers. It's all about Marketing youself (my major).
Queen_B
10-30-2005, 07:30 AM
I think you would do fine hun :) Stop doubting yourself.... You can't tell me people don't know who you are.... And around here... there's always someone who needs something done to their car... And if you go with the performance end of it? As well as swaps... you'll be fine... You know your stuff more than anyone I know... And plus... we have the cutest damn guard dog round :) haha
blkbomber01
10-30-2005, 10:16 AM
i love that woman :mrgreen:
poolmike
10-30-2005, 10:48 AM
Just go for it. If you really like the idea and have a little motivation, it will work. I was in the same situation in Spring '04. I got tired of working for idiots in the swimming pool industry and started my own pool service company. I had ONE definite customer. I opened thier pool and sold them some chemicals, with that cash I got the "POOLWORKS" name incorporated and the rest is history. I opened 87 pools this past spring and I have over 100 closings scheduled now. Not bad for first full year with little investment.

If you enjoy what you do but hate your current employment situation, go for it. If you need any start up andvice, let me know- it's still fresh in my mind.
Little G
10-30-2005, 11:16 AM
Hey, if the shop is around here i'll work there...I need a new job...I've been stuck at tires plus for about 4 years now and i'm not going anywere cause we have so many techs that i can't really get a lot of work...
99SL2_Modder
10-30-2005, 02:21 PM
I'll work there too, suckah.

Get a bank loan and the like and you could start your business. Call it "Doug's".

And yeah, you can do swaps. Think about it...RDC on a saturn, tranny swaps, engine swaps...c'mon man! Lets do this!

And performance aspects? WORD! headers, intakes, manifolds, heads, tb, custom itb setups, wiring for standalones....yeah, pure hotness.
slavetothemuzic
10-30-2005, 05:20 PM
Will there be a discount at your shop for Eclipse spyders? :mrgreen:
Adam496
10-30-2005, 05:31 PM
Will there be a discount at your shop for Eclipse spyders? :mrgreen:

:finga: Hey the coupes are better.
slavetothemuzic
10-30-2005, 05:35 PM
:finga: Hey the coupes are better.
http://www.aaroncarr.com/images/smileys/squint.gif
LSHatch
10-30-2005, 05:40 PM
If you open up a "performance" shop, be sure to work on people who just need brakes, coolant flushes, new light bulbs, anything. You will see, that is where the majority of your money will come from in labor. Yeah, you can do turbo kits, swaps, yada yada. But, they only come in occasionaly.

Everyone I know that owns a shop says they make a lot of money by helping the usual soccer mom. Moms tell people about the "place that did a great job on my brakes."
Adam496
10-30-2005, 05:40 PM
I speak the truth :lol:
Blackout
10-30-2005, 05:50 PM
A bit of advice for ya. Location, location, location! My dads shop was nice as hell. Brand new everything. Unfortunatly it was off the beaten path which made for very little costumer's and then he had to close the shop down. So if your serious about this then go for it man and best of luck to ya! *sniff,sniff* Do I smell discount for TST'ers? :banana:
97TurboDSM
10-30-2005, 06:03 PM
:finga: Hey the coupes are better.
spyders are better :finga:

do it man, you dont wanna work somewhere that you're unhappy. Good Luck with the move if you decide to do so.
Adam496
10-30-2005, 07:08 PM
A bit of advice for ya. Location, location, location! My dads shop was nice as hell. Brand new everything. Unfortunatly it was off the beaten path which made for very little costumer's and then he had to close the shop down. So if your serious about this then go for it man and best of luck to ya! *sniff,sniff* Do I smell discount for TST'ers? :banana:

Yea definitely search for something on a main road or highway, so you get lots of traffic. Good luck to you and I will be sure to stop by. You can to a transmission swap for me lol.
CarbonIS
10-30-2005, 07:49 PM
it doesn't have to be on a main road or a highway, if you do good work, word will
spread...my dad has had his own shop for about 8 years now and he's on a back
street in residential langhorne borough. But he does awesome work, which is why he
gets so much business. It is all about making sure that anything u do, whether it
be a 2jz-ge/2jz-gte swap or putting new brakes on an 88 celebrity, make sure that
it's done well, it's done right, and its done on time.
blkbomber01
10-30-2005, 08:03 PM
yeah i was going to get a vendor spot on here and all that... from there, you guys say how good i am and business blows up :supz: ... but i can only hope i can get a loan and find a good spot. and dont worry... there will be discounts for spyders and tsters too :mrgreen:
99SL2_Modder
10-30-2005, 08:06 PM
yeah i was going to get a vendor spot on here and all that... from there, you guys say how good i am and business blows up :supz: ... but i can only hope i can get a loan and find a good spot. and dont worry... there will be discounts for spyders and tsters too :mrgreen:

But not WRX's. Cause no one in the area owns em.
blkbomber01
10-30-2005, 08:23 PM
yeah and the whole thing with the tires... j/k :)