To Dave Buschur
I will have to go with DSMotorsports on this one.
I went to college for 2 years for the GM ASEP program which is one of the best around.
I learned a lot and loved it. I worked in a Chevy dealer and then a Saturn dealer.
In time I realized that although I love cars, the pay is not that good and I used to look at the guy I worked with who was 40 or so and think to myself I don't want to be him at that age. Standing on my feet all day working flat-rate with no guarantee. It really sucks in the winter. I did well but realized that it would really start to wear on me in time doing this job day in and day out so I decided to go to school for computers given my interest in them and my technical background. I went to school for 3 months a couple nights a week. When all was said and done I found a job making more then I ever made in my best year as an A Technician. Today I make more then I could ever have made as a tech in just about any shop.
I went to college for 2 years for the GM ASEP program which is one of the best around.
I learned a lot and loved it. I worked in a Chevy dealer and then a Saturn dealer.
In time I realized that although I love cars, the pay is not that good and I used to look at the guy I worked with who was 40 or so and think to myself I don't want to be him at that age. Standing on my feet all day working flat-rate with no guarantee. It really sucks in the winter. I did well but realized that it would really start to wear on me in time doing this job day in and day out so I decided to go to school for computers given my interest in them and my technical background. I went to school for 3 months a couple nights a week. When all was said and done I found a job making more then I ever made in my best year as an A Technician. Today I make more then I could ever have made as a tech in just about any shop.
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
From: Chicago, IL
Ill, tell you. I knew martain at ams, along with all of the guys that worked there from day one. I can remember back in 99 when they opened. They had one mechanic (adam), not even a lift. And look at what has come to today. I know it took atlot of hard work, but go for your dreams man, and dont let anyone hold you back.
Originally Posted by Asta4125
Ill, tell you. I knew martain at ams, along with all of the guys that worked there from day one. I can remember back in 99 when they opened. They had one mechanic (adam), not even a lift. And look at what has come to today. I know it took atlot of hard work, but go for your dreams man, and dont let anyone hold you back.
yeah, to me it seems as though AMS, Visnu may have started their businesses in the late 90's early 2000's....which was a great time to start.
i was in highschool in the mid 90's, 1995 or so when I started modding my 95 Integra. I remember my first mod was a RS akimoto intake.
at that time my passion for modding grew at that point, too bad I didnt jump in at that time and build slowly from there. Who knows, I'd probably be running a warehouse like Gruppe-S or NOPI now in 2005...
I agree with what DSMotorsports is saying....I went to school for 5 years for construction management but 2.5 years into it i wanted to get into something else, and that was cars...I love to work on cars and while in college I turbo'd a crx piecing together all the parts through research, and with the help of my dad I did all the fab work...it wasnt totally proffesional but i was proud because i worked hard to get it done and it was a great car and it wasnt a junk yard type setup, plus it was one of the fastest turbo hondas in the area...so i thought hmm, i should get into this more and with practice i could really make this into something but again that was a dream, but I learned so much..finally i came to the conclusion that if i did it as a full time gig I would lose my hobby...and then where would i go to relieve myself of every day stresses? so i stayed in construction management and graduatd, now i have a great job i enjoy and i still have my hobbby which moving to Pittsburgh hindered because now i dont have a garage anymore but hey its still a passion we all share and thats why we own the cars we do...but you have to think is this something i want to do 24/7? or is this something that is a great hooby and it gives me a place to let go and forget everything... tough call, my choice was the right one...but you have to figure it out for yourself
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 41
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From: CT
I would say to give it a shot, but also have a fallback plan. I knew people whole got a degree or have different skills, give a shot at their "dream" job and either didn't like it or couldn't hack it. So, they "fallback" to their originial skill which still makes good money.
One of the vendors on here need to give this guy a job, or at least an interview. Maybe he'll end up changing his mind down the line, but now he's passionate and it will show up his work ethic and his will to learn. Nothing to lose IMHO.
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Sunny Isle in the Caribbean
Hmmmm. Responding to this post is a toughie. Firstly, I'll advise the feldguy to first follow his dreams by first going to college, maybe to take a master auto mechanic course. I think it's important for us all to have dreams AND WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING THEM. Don't let anyone deny you as yours may turn out to be the 'Bill Gates' of tuning shops.
For DSMotorsport, I know how you feel as I've been there myself. When your business becomes the ball and chain, providing little joy and satisfaction (and renumeration), it can make for unhappy and unfulfilling hours that drag out. I hate to be the one to say it but you must accept that there are many businesses in this area that do well. Once you accept that fact then it's upon you determine where your faults (in running your biz) are and to correct them.
Whilst I'll admit that this sounds easy enough, it's actually one the most difficult things that small business owners face. Not so much identifying the setbacks as it is to FIXING 'EM. Usually the biggest 'problems' are employee and employee policy problems.
All facts considered, not going too much into details on running each biz, it's good for us to dream, but dreams and reality are not the same. So the ultimate advice to anyone willing to follow their dream should be to do your research and homework in the real world, especially if that dream is of starting a new business.
Plan, plan and plan some more. It won't hurt to have an expert look over your plans and provide feedback / advice.
Good luck!
For DSMotorsport, I know how you feel as I've been there myself. When your business becomes the ball and chain, providing little joy and satisfaction (and renumeration), it can make for unhappy and unfulfilling hours that drag out. I hate to be the one to say it but you must accept that there are many businesses in this area that do well. Once you accept that fact then it's upon you determine where your faults (in running your biz) are and to correct them.
Whilst I'll admit that this sounds easy enough, it's actually one the most difficult things that small business owners face. Not so much identifying the setbacks as it is to FIXING 'EM. Usually the biggest 'problems' are employee and employee policy problems.
All facts considered, not going too much into details on running each biz, it's good for us to dream, but dreams and reality are not the same. So the ultimate advice to anyone willing to follow their dream should be to do your research and homework in the real world, especially if that dream is of starting a new business.
Plan, plan and plan some more. It won't hurt to have an expert look over your plans and provide feedback / advice.
Good luck!
I worked in a wrecking yard outta high school for a time. I loved to work on cars and thought that would be a good way to get into a job that I would love. pretty soon, hated going to work and absolutely hated to go home and work on any car, whether it be maintenance or for fun. took my love for cars and my hobby I had a passion for and killed it.
got into retail and have been there ever since. thought it would be fun to work at an electronics retailer since I loved car audio/home audio. lasted 8 months as a sales manager at circ. city. went back to discount retail.
it is hard to take your hobby and turn it into a job, since your hobby is now your job and no longer a hobby. dsmotorsports hit the nail on the head with their first post... it will be fun for a while, but then it just becomes work...
find a career after college that will afford you a lot of extra "play money" so that you will have a job and still have a passion for your hobbies.
got into retail and have been there ever since. thought it would be fun to work at an electronics retailer since I loved car audio/home audio. lasted 8 months as a sales manager at circ. city. went back to discount retail.
it is hard to take your hobby and turn it into a job, since your hobby is now your job and no longer a hobby. dsmotorsports hit the nail on the head with their first post... it will be fun for a while, but then it just becomes work...
find a career after college that will afford you a lot of extra "play money" so that you will have a job and still have a passion for your hobbies.
Originally Posted by DSMotorsport
I hate to be on the other end of all the "warm fuzzy-do what you love" stuff. I had the same mindset you do when I started DSMotorsport in 2001. Talon's were my passion/addiction while I was in college for mechanical engineering (im currently 4 credits from my mech tech degree, and I hold a associate in automtive engineering). I decided to quit school one semester early, quit my full time job at grocery store and start a parts business. I look back on quiting school just before finishing with utter disgust. That was the worst decision I have ever made in my lifetime.
It was GREAT for the first year, I was making a killing selling parts are reasonable prices. I had very low overhead, as I was working out of my grandparents business building rent free, no employees, keeping it simple.
5 years later, it's grown into "big business" with employees and all the hassles they bring. I have big overhead that is unbearable in winter. We sell 5-6X the amount we did in 2001-2002, but make less net profit. I absolutly hate going to work. putting in 13-14 hour days trying to keep the business afloat. It sucks. But Im stuck now, it's too big to just drop it and quit.
The major downside to working in the industry is that you may love it now, but deal with evo owners 8 hours a day and you will very very quickly burn out on performance cars. you answer the same questions every day, build the same parts over and over.
What Im getting at is that a job is a job. Getting into the performance industry will eventually kill your spirit for enjoying your own hobby. Evo's will eventually become just as mundane as the job you have now that you loath.
My advise is to look long and hard at where you want to be in 5-10 years, becuase they fly by REALLY fast.
Edit: my advise applies more to starting your own business in the industry. It's very cut throat.
The flip side is working for a performance shop, your still making someone else rich. Not to mention the job security is about nill. performance/aftermarket shops typicly go out of business vast majority of the time, ususally within 5 years.
It was GREAT for the first year, I was making a killing selling parts are reasonable prices. I had very low overhead, as I was working out of my grandparents business building rent free, no employees, keeping it simple.
5 years later, it's grown into "big business" with employees and all the hassles they bring. I have big overhead that is unbearable in winter. We sell 5-6X the amount we did in 2001-2002, but make less net profit. I absolutly hate going to work. putting in 13-14 hour days trying to keep the business afloat. It sucks. But Im stuck now, it's too big to just drop it and quit.
The major downside to working in the industry is that you may love it now, but deal with evo owners 8 hours a day and you will very very quickly burn out on performance cars. you answer the same questions every day, build the same parts over and over.
What Im getting at is that a job is a job. Getting into the performance industry will eventually kill your spirit for enjoying your own hobby. Evo's will eventually become just as mundane as the job you have now that you loath.
My advise is to look long and hard at where you want to be in 5-10 years, becuase they fly by REALLY fast.
Edit: my advise applies more to starting your own business in the industry. It's very cut throat.
The flip side is working for a performance shop, your still making someone else rich. Not to mention the job security is about nill. performance/aftermarket shops typicly go out of business vast majority of the time, ususally within 5 years.
Hhaha It seems lots of people do that.. I have a friend that is 10 credit hrs away from degree in MIS and he use to work on hondas out of his backyard. No overhead tons of business.. He opened his own shop and now he hasnt went back to school since then. But he makes it pretty well on all labor, and tuning, an fabrication... He does't really sell lots of parts
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: CT
Well, I'll throw my $.02 in because I have been in this game in one way shape or form for many years.
When I started college (early 90s), I hung around the only speed shop in my area, became great friends with the owners, did a little sales work for them (parts). It totally sucked. The internet was just coming of age and I was not catching the wave. Then that shop packed up and moved to the other end of the state, so the area was bone dry.
Couple years later, I was working full time at night and going to school in the morning. A friend and I decided to open a performance parts store inside a high end/exotic/sports car dealership. Negotiated a favorable lease with the shop and arranged them to do installs and we get a kickback. Low overhead, no employees (just me and my partner).
That went okay at first, I used my connects from the old speed shop to get wholesale dealers, sold plenty of parts, made some money. Luckily I didn't have to pay my bills with that job, it was just for "fun." But it quickly became tedious, and my partner screwed me on some cash. So eventually I closed up shop (pretty common theme), and pursued my real career.
Now, since I still have a passion for cars, I'd still like to do something related. I might consider opening a specialty shop once I retire (years and years from now), do custom fab, race suspension setup, etc. It would have to be something I do for fun and not for money -- ie, I would have to be financially set before I ventured into something like that. I don't think I would sell parts online, it's too cutthroat and way too much competition, plus most of the buyers are cheapskates who would rather buy Megan crap than quality work.
When I started college (early 90s), I hung around the only speed shop in my area, became great friends with the owners, did a little sales work for them (parts). It totally sucked. The internet was just coming of age and I was not catching the wave. Then that shop packed up and moved to the other end of the state, so the area was bone dry.
Couple years later, I was working full time at night and going to school in the morning. A friend and I decided to open a performance parts store inside a high end/exotic/sports car dealership. Negotiated a favorable lease with the shop and arranged them to do installs and we get a kickback. Low overhead, no employees (just me and my partner).
That went okay at first, I used my connects from the old speed shop to get wholesale dealers, sold plenty of parts, made some money. Luckily I didn't have to pay my bills with that job, it was just for "fun." But it quickly became tedious, and my partner screwed me on some cash. So eventually I closed up shop (pretty common theme), and pursued my real career.
Now, since I still have a passion for cars, I'd still like to do something related. I might consider opening a specialty shop once I retire (years and years from now), do custom fab, race suspension setup, etc. It would have to be something I do for fun and not for money -- ie, I would have to be financially set before I ventured into something like that. I don't think I would sell parts online, it's too cutthroat and way too much competition, plus most of the buyers are cheapskates who would rather buy Megan crap than quality work.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Originally Posted by timzcat
I will have to go with DSMotorsports on this one.
I went to college for 2 years for the GM ASEP program which is one of the best around.
I learned a lot and loved it. I worked in a Chevy dealer and then a Saturn dealer.
In time I realized that although I love cars, the pay is not that good and I used to look at the guy I worked with who was 40 or so and think to myself I don't want to be him at that age. Standing on my feet all day working flat-rate with no guarantee. It really sucks in the winter. I did well but realized that it would really start to wear on me in time doing this job day in and day out so I decided to go to school for computers given my interest in them and my technical background. I went to school for 3 months a couple nights a week. When all was said and done I found a job making more then I ever made in my best year as an A Technician. Today I make more then I could ever have made as a tech in just about any shop.
I went to college for 2 years for the GM ASEP program which is one of the best around.
I learned a lot and loved it. I worked in a Chevy dealer and then a Saturn dealer.
In time I realized that although I love cars, the pay is not that good and I used to look at the guy I worked with who was 40 or so and think to myself I don't want to be him at that age. Standing on my feet all day working flat-rate with no guarantee. It really sucks in the winter. I did well but realized that it would really start to wear on me in time doing this job day in and day out so I decided to go to school for computers given my interest in them and my technical background. I went to school for 3 months a couple nights a week. When all was said and done I found a job making more then I ever made in my best year as an A Technician. Today I make more then I could ever have made as a tech in just about any shop.
My buddy opened up a shop a about a year and a half ago. He started out in a trailor park lot beside his moms house. He put up a big tent and worked on peoples cars fixing/modding and he eventually a few years later moved into his own shop where he works full time with two employees. His passion is modifying cars but he makes alot of his money from repair work on cars. I say go for it. Word will spread about you like it did my friend and in time you can make yourself a niche in the market. If you do start yuor own place or start working on stuff from your parents house charge people a resonable rate, always help them out, and never turn away work even if its a tune up on a mini van. If you bust a$$ avetually it can happen for you.
It seems to me a common themes in this thread:
Labor and Installations make money, while selling parts does not. If you are competent and there are no other shops in your area specificly doing your type car or performance parts in general, you can start a successfull small business with low overhead and very little start up cash. This can lead into an even more successfull shop.
Starting a parts business requires storefront, storage space, and atleast some overhead. It also requires significant investment in inventory. There is alot of risk in this.
If your parts business takes a dive you can get stuck with alot of debt and useless inventory. This is my situation. We have about 35k worth of inventory that I consider a major risk. little parts like gaskets, silicone couplings, AN fittings, oddball stuff, used parts, fabrication items, ect.
If we were to go ou of business right now I have say (just for sake of arguement) $60k in outstanding loans, but only $30k worth of product that I can liquidate ASAP (turbochargers, fmic, EMS's, exhausts, and those kind of items). Im personally left holding the remainder of loan payments and a lot of parts that are not easily sold off to replay the debt.
Labor and Installations make money, while selling parts does not. If you are competent and there are no other shops in your area specificly doing your type car or performance parts in general, you can start a successfull small business with low overhead and very little start up cash. This can lead into an even more successfull shop.
Starting a parts business requires storefront, storage space, and atleast some overhead. It also requires significant investment in inventory. There is alot of risk in this.
If your parts business takes a dive you can get stuck with alot of debt and useless inventory. This is my situation. We have about 35k worth of inventory that I consider a major risk. little parts like gaskets, silicone couplings, AN fittings, oddball stuff, used parts, fabrication items, ect.
If we were to go ou of business right now I have say (just for sake of arguement) $60k in outstanding loans, but only $30k worth of product that I can liquidate ASAP (turbochargers, fmic, EMS's, exhausts, and those kind of items). Im personally left holding the remainder of loan payments and a lot of parts that are not easily sold off to replay the debt.
Last edited by DSMotorsport; Dec 3, 2005 at 04:26 PM.
Originally Posted by get faster
For DSMotorsport, I know how you feel as I've been there myself. When your business becomes the ball and chain, providing little joy and satisfaction (and renumeration), it can make for unhappy and unfulfilling hours that drag out. I hate to be the one to say it but you must accept that there are many businesses in this area that do well. Once you accept that fact then it's upon you determine where your faults (in running your biz) are and to correct them.
Whilst I'll admit that this sounds easy enough, it's actually one the most difficult things that small business owners face. Not so much identifying the setbacks as it is to FIXING 'EM. Usually the biggest 'problems' are employee and employee policy problems.Good luck!
We grew too fast and did not have the financial backing to support it. You can't sell $150,000 worth of product with $40,000 worth of inventory. And that big $4000/mo shop isn't so great in the winter months when you only sell 40,000.