You picked the worst time to open a shop,IMO.

 

More shop events. Cookouts, raffles, etc.

 

i see another shop that will fail

 

I'm going to have to agree with Kirk on this one. To tell you the truth, the mechanical components and techniques of working on your own car are not that difficult. All you have to do is to have a basic understanding of what you are doing, what the torque specs are, the procedure for doing it, and the tools to do it. If you have all these prerequisites you should be more than capable of doing anything to your car. In the process, you might learn something and by doing so become better acquainted with how your car runs and operates and it will save you that expensive hourly labor bill that those shady mechanics charge.

In this day and age, if you do not have a decent paying job or income, I would not recommend letting any mechanic do modifications to your car, since you have no idea how it was done and if there were any corners taken to complete the task. This could cost you twice as much down the road, when something fails or goes awry.

I learned this fact along time ago. I've never been satisfied with any mechanic doing anything to my car unless I was present working on the car as well. As such, I now work on my own car, so I have nobody to blame, but myself, and I know exactly what was done to the car. Sure it may take longer for you to do something than a certified mechanic, but that's the essence of being in this hobby. To be a true automobile enthusiast, doesn't just include sitting in that driver seat and mashing some gears. You need to learn the ins and outs of your machine. There is no better satisfaction when you've done something to your car, by yourself, that puts a smile on your face when you take it for a spin. That is the essence of this hobby.

 

I am not opening the shop anytime soon. I will not be in the area until this time next year. And the money is not an issue, as I have financial backing. Not sure where the shop is going to be located, as I have not scoped out the area yet.

I specialize in rotary work. As well as general mechanics. Money is out there, its figuring out how to get it from your pocket, into mine.

I have no problems with someone learning to be a mechanic, but there are times when you just do not have the ability to do it yourself sometimes. I have seen more cars come to me after someone has tinkered with it, than those that just want something done. And I understand the fear of leaving your car somewhere that you are not sure of. But once you guys meet me, you will see I am not one of those guys.

20 yrs in the military seems to fill you with a lot of integrity, honor, and respect.

But this thread is more about what you need in shops that you do not have now. I am not there to see it for myself, so I have to use you folks as my eyes and ears so I am somewhat prepared when I do open the doors.

 

as a former shop owner, the best advice I can give you is to start small, don't specialize, perform flawless work at all costs, don't ever lie to your customers, and go out of your way to ensure every customer is satisfied. You don't have to have the greatest equipment in the world to succeed. A welder, 2 post lift, and a dyno are a great start. I will also say that I had a shop that was very similar, and very profitable for a time, and I bowed out 4 years ago. Best thing I ever did, financially. This area has a real sour taste in it's mouth towards shops thanks to guys like Driven Concepts, Brotherz Racing, and others who ripped people off (all of which has been documented here). If it were my money, I wouldn't sink it into a shop, not in this area, not in this financial climate

 

John, I appreciate the comments. Right now its looking like we might be settling into the Brandon area when we come down, not sure where the shop might be though. The folks of TR are just a small segment of the big picture. The shop is not even for me, but my buddy and his father, I will probably be working the big jobs, or rotary work on the side. buddies father has lived in the area over 20 yrs. He has worked in a few of the shops in the brandon area, so he already knows the general maintenance segment of all of this.

I am also looking at doing a mobile maintenance setup, where if your check engine light is on, I will come to you, at your work, at home, or on the road. This allows the consumer to maintain their daily life, without having to mess up their schedule. This will put the mechanic where the customer needs to be.

I sitll am looking at parts suppliers, locations, legalities (Fl laws are a lot different as far as small business than I am used to). Something as small as not signing an estimate section on a work order is enough not to get you paid for the work is one example. Having your business license # on the work order is another. Basically what I am trying to say is that I am not walking into this blindly. I know what my abilities are, and I am not trying to jump above that. A dyno is not in my future, why, because there are enough shops with them that I could sub-contract to, rather than have the overhead.

 

The biggest problem with most shops is attempting to tackle a spectrum of automobiles that is too large as opposed to single model/brand specialization. This can also blanket into going outside of your specialization in a certain area of said automobile as well.

Example: You advertise that you're a transmission shop and you do window tint just because the customer asks for it. It's an extreme example but I think everyone can understand it. It's really silly to try to be everything to everyone who walks through the door. Be good at what you do and corner a niche market.

Being a former employee of several shops, I can tell you that it's annoying and frustrating when you work on high-performance brand specific vehicles and the owner thinks that doing a water pump on a Duratec Taurus is perfectly okay. You've gotta stop, research, call around and stumble through it instead of just making money on what you know.

 

Wrong area, wrong time, wrong motive. Just my 2 cents.

 

wow. where to begin?

Tampa is mostly self-centered people. It's not like other markets at all. Post an event on a website with 15,000 active members, and be happy if 50 show up. Understanding this market place will be Challange #1

Parts. Parts are a commodity. In the past 5-10 years, the internet has changed the game. Expecting to make decent $$$ on parts is not going to happen.

This leaves you with skillsets. What do you offer that others don't? (which I believe what you are trying to get at.) Well, that all depends on your target demagraphics, which you haven't really shared.

Rotaries? Most of the rotaries around here are built in backyards. There are a few rotary shops, but seeing as how the technology is dying (see many RX-8's on the road), is a shrinking market share.

Imports? Most kids in riced out imports are young. By the time they turn 30, they either bail on imports or move up to VIP or Supras. Most of these individuals are cheapskates. they don't understand that you get what you pay for mainly because they didn't have it in the first place.

Domestics? Many good shops already fighting it out in this marketplace.

For the second time in 2008, I agree with Kirk. wrong Place, wrong time. (I promise not to agree with Kirk again in 2008!)

My choice shop right now? I little run-down shop in drew park called "Rays Autmotive". Good honest dependable mechanics at a good price. I trust them with my cadillac and with my 4runner. They are general mechanics that are hurting in this economy, just like everybody else.

Charles