driven concepts...shut down? hasnt been opened in a week?

[mikespeed95]

just a little info on real shops.

most shops allow drug use and alcohol on the job, which we didn't while i was there.

most shops allow smoking within the shop, which we didn't (in the last 6 months).

most shops will bounce your checks when things get tough, which has happend, but its pretty normal. i would much rather get my pay in cash a couple days later then another check. if you guys don't think payment is usually a problem in this industry, you've obviously never worked in it.

most performance shops don't offer ase certification because honestly it doesn't matter. i'm not and i don't care to be. i won't gain any more customers because of it, nor do i want the customers looking for that. ase is for general maintence, which doesn't apply.

i've worked with ase master techs. doesn't mean shit. in fact, i'm willing to be 90% of the best builders are not ase certified.

most shops have a shop car or cars. which ian definatley did

most shop owners make stupid mistakes, which we did.

most shops don't pay salary, which we do.

most shops don't offer full benefits, which we do.

most shops don't front money to employees for personal projects, which we do.

most shops don't offer time off or a decent amount of vacation, which we do.

most shops don't have a/c in the bays or welding room, which we did.

most shops don't stock tons of inventory, which we do.

i could probably keep going, but i think you get the point. i don't work at DC because thats my only option. i work there because they offered the most promise for a positive career. which i got for a while. obviously this situation isn't the best, but like most good things, there is always an end.

real shops dont take credit for other shops work.

real shops dont tune cars on street

real shops dont play with customer cars on street unless customer requests, and even then sometimes not.

real shops dont take non running cars to carshows and claim they run

real shops dont use a forklift as a lift

real shops dont use a forklift to move cars around

real shops dont have snap-on boxes sitting OUTSIDE

real shops dont leave motors sitting OUTSIDE on shelves

real shops dont have an e-z-up as a workbay

real shops dont sell cars on ebay then take them out street drifting with transporter tags

real shops dont borrow customer cars without consent to go driftin giwth transporter tags

real shops dont have mechanics using an angle grinder 3' away from an engine shooting metal shavings into engines

real shops dont sell cusco cages

real shops dont use drugs on or off the facility

real shops dont rent uhauls

real shops dont use uhauls to transport their cars and fudge milage when they have a rental

real shops will have things like holesaws/bench grinders/drill presses/angle grinders before they buy snap on a/c machines and snap on nutdrivers.

real shops dont really own many hand tools because they have real techs who bring real tools so they can do their job.

real shops dont take parts off customers cars when they dont have it in stock

real shops dont strap down cars with 2 straps on a dyno

real shops dont have painters razorblade corvettes because their painter isnt getting paid

real shops pay taxes

real shops pay their rent / own their building

real shops dont write hot checks

real shops know how to book customers and put cars out on time

real shops have a wait list and konw how to make appointments instead of using a forklift to move cars around because they know nothing about time management

real shops work on their own stuff afterhours, and always put the customer 1st.

real shops communicate with thier customers

real shops dont shut down without their customers knowing

real shops owners speak up when questionable situations arise

real shops cant do their fab work in a 8x8 room with a window a/c unit because they are building bigger stuff than manifolds and intercooler pipes all day.

real shops dont have john from JIC stop by to personally say F* off.

real shops dont take credit for finishline builds, that they make somehow run WORSE.

real shops dont have their owners hiding in the bathroom for 30 minuts

real shops dont have employees lie to customers

real shops dont avoid their customers

real shops dont owe money to people

real shops are acknowledged by better business bereau as an established business.

real shops have priorities like getting cars out before making sure they have stickers in stock.

real shops tune in house.

real shops make more than 118rwhp on a built SR20.

real shops make power not excuses

real shops take care of their screwups

real shops make screwups

real shops and dealerships and businesses know smoking cigarettes has absolutely nothing to do with anything productivity related for the most part.

real shops dont get investigated by the IRS / TPD / HCSO.

real shops owners dont go to jail for FTA's.

real shops dont have employees who are family who do absolutely nothing but cut up 240sx hatches to try to make siltrucks and paint trunks flat black.

real shops use a forklift for moving things on pallets, not things resting on 4 wheels/tires known as an "automobile" that is owned by a customer

i could probably go on, but i think ive covered about 20% of what makes Driven Concepts Driven Concepts.

[DannyBoy21069]

lol only the forman can smoke inside the bays. sorry mike i had to.

[mikespeed95]

but hey, its okay. although the checks may bounce for customers he borrowed some shop money for his own project and to buy cigarettes he doesnt smoke.

business ethics 101 folks!!

[flaco0018]

just a little info on real shops.

most shops allow drug use and alcohol on the job, which we didn't while i was there.

most shops allow smoking within the shop, which we didn't (in the last 6 months).

most shops will bounce your checks when things get tough, which has happend, but its pretty normal. i would much rather get my pay in cash a couple days later then another check. if you guys don't think payment is usually a problem in this industry, you've obviously never worked in it.

most performance shops don't offer ase certification because honestly it doesn't matter. i'm not and i don't care to be. i won't gain any more customers because of it, nor do i want the customers looking for that. ase is for general maintence, which doesn't apply.

i've worked with ase master techs. doesn't mean shit. in fact, i'm willing to be 90% of the best builders are not ase certified.

most shops have a shop car or cars. which ian definatley did

most shop owners make stupid mistakes, which we did.

most shops don't pay salary, which we do.

most shops don't offer full benefits, which we do.

most shops don't front money to employees for personal projects, which we do.

most shops don't offer time off or a decent amount of vacation, which we do.

most shops don't have a/c in the bays or welding room, which we did.

most shops don't stock tons of inventory, which we do.

i could probably keep going, but i think you get the point. i don't work at DC because thats my only option. i work there because they offered the most promise for a positive career. which i got for a while. obviously this situation isn't the best, but like most good things, there is always an end.

you are just like a lawyer. You know in your mind that he killed someone, but because of the money you go and defend him. It's time for you to shut up & find another job. My opinion, take it however you want.

[Hotcakes0007]

type r EWW!!

[813Printer]

A couple of words to describe this clown :
•delusional
•denial
•retarded
•gullible
•loyal (to the wrong side)
•devious
•fake
•liar
•devils advocate

and I'm not talking about Ian...

[1997 GA16DE]

I've got no beef with any shop. I don't personally know much about DC and I will vouch that XAT did a great job tuning my 3.5 (although it was a bit overpriced, IMO).

Here's my take, I've been around the Florida scene for a very long time and I know many, many of the small businesses (and large ones) that run things, I've good friends with many of the C-FL area shops and shop owners.

First of all I'm not a mechanic, and I'm not certified by any organization to work on cars, at the same time I have the know-how and resources to pull off most any automotive work on my own, so long as it's within the abilities of my equipment. I pulled off my 3.5L swap on my own, given, I needed someone to do some motor mount welding for me.

If I could find 4-5 other guys like me, I could have a team, I could get a business license and open a shop, you almost don't need any credibility to get business, you just need to be in a busy area where a lot of high-schoolers hang out. A ton of the income comes from installing crap like intake filters and spoilers, more comes from wheel sales and other aftermarket parts. IMO, very, very profitable.

Almost anything that can go wrong is based on bad business management, and that is what is really happening here. No prioritizing on bills, no prioritizing on projects, people stealing, parts getting lost, etc. Honestly, it's not knocking your craftsmanship or quality, but it's a little worse. It's people not trusting the facility, itself. I'm not going to bring my car to a shop where I'm afraid I'm never going to see it again.

You're right, most businesses have audits from the IRS, most DON'T result in you closing your doors for weeks and everything inside potentially being forfeited to the landlord. It doesn't matter if you have benefits, salary, or A/C in the work area. If you're not profiting from business in THIS industry, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with your business model and/or investments.

[93LowBody]

I've got no beef with any shop. I don't personally know much about DC and I will vouch that XAT did a great job tuning my 3.5 (although it was a bit overpriced, IMO).

Here's my take, I've been around the Florida scene for a very long time and I know many, many of the small businesses (and large ones) that run things, I've good friends with many of the C-FL area shops and shop owners.

First of all I'm not a mechanic, and I'm not certified by any organization to work on cars, at the same time I have the know-how and resources to pull off most any automotive work on my own, so long as it's within the abilities of my equipment. I pulled off my 3.5L swap on my own, given, I needed someone to do some motor mount welding for me.

If I could find 4-5 other guys like me, I could have a team, I could get a business license and open a shop, you almost don't need any credibility to get business, you just need to be in a busy area where a lot of high-schoolers hang out. A ton of the income comes from installing crap like intake filters and spoilers, more comes from wheel sales and other aftermarket parts. IMO, very, very profitable.

Almost anything that can go wrong is based on bad business management, and that is what is really happening here. No prioritizing on bills, no prioritizing on projects, people stealing, parts getting lost, etc. Honestly, it's not knocking your craftsmanship or quality, but it's a little worse. It's people not trusting the facility, itself. I'm not going to bring my car to a shop where I'm afraid I'm never going to see it again.

You're right, most businesses have audits from the IRS, most DON'T result in you closing your doors for weeks and everything inside potentially being forfeited to the landlord. It doesn't matter if you have benefits, salary, or A/C in the work area. If you're not profiting from business in THIS industry, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with your business model and/or investments.

+1 on that!! I can pull of just about anywork on my own.

I will say that my dealings with DC were Fair not good or bad.

Other then the fact that the car too 2months to be fixed after i was told a week, then i also had to wait for 2-3hrs in there showroom while they mounted the tires(should have left then and said forget it). then the hose they replaced that was the big hold up for the project blew right when i made it home.

But hey atleast they have a nice big couch and tv.

[manifoldmike]

i feel like i'm digging myself a hole here. i'm going to try to stay out of this for now. if anyone has any questions please pm me or email me at mikey@drivenconcepts.net.

i'll be reading, so i'll try to respond through pm.

[Hellaslow]

wow... YOU THINK?^^^^

[back2Nissan]

I LOL'd at Michael Peters because there are a lot of vital points in his list of mamma jamma. I am on the fence with this issue due to the fact that I can see both sides and I am friends with Ian, current employees, customers, past employees and rosey palmer. I learned a long time ago, the hard way, that it is better to just be up-front & honest and pay the consequences for your actions than to try and cover things up. In the long run people are much more understanding and forgiving. I don't feel that Mike should be the one defending DC, he doesn't own it. The owner's of DC should be on here communicating to the "lost" customers and giving status updates to the general public to control the rumors and speculations. I don't think this thread would have been as detrimental to DC as it has been. Hope everyting works out for all parties involved! Antonio (Blackcat) was my asst. manager for many years at Circuit City and I have a vested interest in what happens. So, I will not unsubscribe just yet to see what the final outcome is!

[Mr. K]

Anyone got their car back yet?

[StreetRacingOnline]

Mike i know you were trying to rectify the situation and try to dig yourself out of teh hole, but by deleting all your posts, you are seemingly making yourself look worse. Again i hope everything goes well with the customers cars. BTW i am a fabricator too, and if what people say is correct, i wouldnt want an A/C'd 8x8 welding room with all the air blowing round in my tig area, trying to blow out Argon coverage. But thats just me.

[mikespeed95]

i feel like i'm digging myself a hole here. i'm going to try to stay out of this for now. if anyone has any questions please pm me or email me at mikey@drivenconcepts.net.

i'll be reading, so i'll try to respond through pm.

an honest man stands up and speaks in public when he knows he is right.
but a smart man sits down when he has no legs to stand on.

[Zate]

The owner's of DC should be on here communicating to the "lost" customers and giving status updates to the general public to control the rumors and speculations. I don't think this thread would have been as detrimental to DC as it has been.

I feel the same way. I think if they had popped in right away and posted up an update, this would be a non issue. It's a classic case of not knowing how to manage customer relations. These people cant get answers on the phone, so came here to ask questions and so I'm not about to close this down because I think they deserve answers.