Ok, Work is hell and I AM GETTING OUT! I have a bunch of applications in but one thing that is bothering me (really, tickling my entrepreneur funny bone) is the lack of a diesel repair shop in my small area of the world but less than that is the lack of a performance shop. What do you guys suggest in the way of:

Building(s) (size and doors help)
Tools
Parts
Performance goodies


I know a old (I mean old, late in life) boss of mine that is wanting out of his custom industrial tool business (he laid me off do to little work, still is) and the building housing the HUGE air compressor (75 gallon type deal with piping to both areas) and car lift is a old repair shop. Included with the building are the machines: Bridgeport, surface grinders (4), industrial lathe, broaching machine, car lift, dial indicators, tools, hardware, a large magnifying machine that projects the shadow of the of the part on to the large viewer.

Should I jump on it?

Jon

 

My personal opinion is that you should start with the least overhead possible if you want a chance to succeed. Way too many businesses start with too much overhead to support and get buried by it. I'd also suggest that a diesel performance shop is probably too specialized to be viable in most areas; however, it might be a good sideline business to go along with a regular repair shop.

 

My B-I-L started one. He had low overhead as he owned his own building. He had a good location. He also did bed liners. His biggest competition was the internet. If folks can buy a product for a nickle less, the will do it. He also had a Suncoast Dyno that was the same type Jack Roush uses. NASCAR guys would dyno at his shop when they came in town for a race. He just couldn't make a go of it, and he has one heck of a diesel mechanic, and carried all the big lines of product. Bully Dog was even going to sponsor an event at his shop.

 

if you decide now to open it and the bridgeport goes up for sale let me know!

 

^^^This is extremely important. I would open (on the side) generating as much interest and jobs as possible. When you're schedule is so booked w/diesel side jobs and you think you can't do both, then is probably a good time to transition. Yes, having a dyno is going to be key to bring in all the other people in. It's kind of like window shopping on dyno day you bring in tons of peope and interest all to your shop.

 

Dyno wasn't that big a draw......he tried to market it to all the car, hot rod, and truck clubs. Don't mean to be negitive, I just know of two shops that had low overhead, committed knowledgeable guys, and didn't make it. People talked real big about how much they wanted a shop in their area.......when it happened, they wouldn't part with a penny. As I said, beware of the internet. Give it a go, but keep your day job.

 

I agree. there are 3 of them here in town.

1. he don't like diesels cause it kills his shop
2. flash auto is great and hosts our dyno days
3. 4 wheel chassis dyno on west side of town (have not heard about him in over a year so don't know if he is still in biz) people complained cause he would not let them run their own trucks on the rollers.

just having a dyno won't blow up your biz like others think. having it is handy to offer incentives to buy product because if they buy, you can do a pre install dyno, print the sheet, install their goodies and do a post install dyno they can see actuall changes in performance