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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

thinking of opening a tuning shop/garage


hodge

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does that mean you would have to start charging me ?? or will the skip loads of verbal abuse and banter still work for you :D

 

seriously tho i rekon you should , a tuning shop with a rolling road and a cafe ...... and you could give that bum Caroline a job in the kitchen too, show her the real meaning of hard work :D

 

Steve I don't know what to say mate.

Caroline "a bum", I'm shocked you dare even utter those works lol.

 

Sundays was a laugh, that's the way I'd run things. I enjoy the crack and banter and to be honest I prefer the owner customer being there whilst I'm working for a couple of reasons really.

1) so we can have a chat and a bit banter

2) so they can see me work and know I don't cut corners.

 

Take SRD for instance.

The way Lee runs things is really right on the money.

It's a part time business, the customers involved every step of the way, whatever the job. And if the job takes extra time to get perfect, then that's how long it takes, no compromises. Jamesy, Jamie and waynes supras are testerment to this.

I've never once heard any bad experiences about SRD not 1. Hats off to him.

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To start your gonna need some financial back up is the main issue i'd see with that.

 

Importing cars for people i think is covered by Jurgen.

 

Importing and modding weird cars is a good idea but you wont see a return on it if u ask me.

 

The car cafe idea is a winner!!!!

 

Thats the problem, you will need at least 100K if you want to buy a dyno and other equipment, I think the wheel alignment set up we are going for is 10K, then you have air con re gas, battery chargers, oil drains, heating, diagnostic equipment, general hand tools, TIG welder, workshop insurance alone can be 5K. One thing you may well find the pleasure of working on cars goes when you do it for a living and the first time something goes a little wrong the buddy buddy part strangely goes out the window.

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The one thing that working in the tuning industry taught me just what a pile of crap it really is. Forget all the front you see on forums, magazine shoots and at shows and the like, the reality day to day is somewhat different. It's NOT a glitzy show life style with models and hero worship it is usually either boiling hot, freezing cold, burns, skinned knuckles and generally working with/for Muppet's.

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Thats the problem, you will need at least 100K if you want to buy a dyno and other equipment, I think the wheel alignment set up we are going for is 10K, then you have air con re gas, battery chargers, oil drains, heating, diagnostic equipment, general hand tools, TIG welder, workshop insurance alone can be 5K. One thing you may well find the pleasure of working on cars goes when you do it for a living and the first time something goes a little wrong the buddy buddy part strangely goes out the window.

 

Amen to that, but then again mate there's 4 fulltime staff here matey and the amount of cars we deal with is probably more than most realise. We've got 20 or so in the workshop at the mo :faint: Yet despite this, we're far from millionaires !!!

 

The one thing that working in the tuning industry taught me just what a pile of crap it really is. Forget all the front you see on forums, magazine shoots and at shows and the like, the reality day to day is somewhat different. It's NOT a glitzy show life style with models and hero worship it is usually either boiling hot, freezing cold, burns, skinned knuckles and generally working with/for Muppet's.

 

Aint that the truth :D

 

Hodge if you want to chat with someone that's been there done that, just give me a call Dude. Plus John and I are happy to help in any way we can :)

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hodge, go work for a tuning company for 6 months and see if it still appeals. I poo-pooed becoming a solicitor or barrister like a lot of my family, and wanted to work on cars. If I had my time over though...... :) The next few years will be tough, bad time to go into any business that relies on people spending money on unnecessary toys, IMHO. It's better the devil you know in many cases. Nod makes fair points, in reality ;)

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i would love to set up a garage but not sure if there would be enough work down this way at the moment.there is a shortage of performance second hand parts though so combining braking and repairs could be enough to make a living.

As with any business start small and build yourself up as time and finances allow.What i am seriously thinking of is setting up a totaly mobile welding service as garages are charging a fortune at the moment.

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Got to agree with Chris, i work for Tunit, the diesel tuning company, we sell to a lot of trade that deal with all kinds of tuning. A lot of the industry is struggling at the moment, and have been for the last couple of years, as like Chris says, people just aren't spending on the "Luxuries" at the moment. We have good and bad months, but i think people are more concerned about keeping their cars running at the minute. I'm sure certain tuners are doing OK, but i've been here for nearly 5 years and a lot of things have changed.

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The one thing that working in the tuning industry taught me just what a pile of crap it really is. Forget all the front you see on forums, magazine shoots and at shows and the like, the reality day to day is somewhat different. It's NOT a glitzy show life style with models and hero worship it is usually either boiling hot, freezing cold, burns, skinned knuckles and generally working with/for Muppet's.

 

 

There speaks the voice of experience. I think Mr Wilson hit it on the head, test the water first. There's nothing worse than investing a large amount of your life, and cash, to find it's not what you thought it was going to be.:)

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I dont wanna piss on your chips here but hobby and profession are too totally different things what mechanical training do you have for one, customers cars are not where you should be learning a trade.

 

Saying all that i do wish you all the luck you do seem to know how to put a supra together just dont confuse knowing the supra to being a automotive genius.

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I dont wanna piss on your chips here but hobby and profession are too totally different things what mechanical training do you have for one, customers cars are not where you should be learning a trade.

 

Saying all that i do wish you all the luck you do seem to know how to put a supra together just dont confuse knowing the supra to being a automotive genius.

 

Where you at at the moment Wayne??? Here or US ????

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I dont wanna piss on your chips here but hobby and profession are too totally different things what mechanical training do you have for one, customers cars are not where you should be learning a trade.

 

Saying all that i do wish you all the luck you do seem to know how to put a supra together just dont confuse knowing the supra to being a automotive genius.

 

 

I never said I was an automotive genius. I enjoy working on supras and other cars for that matter. So why not make some money for what I enjoy.

 

And along the lines of pissing on my chips, I'm far too greedy for that. I'd have ate them all before you got your nob out.:p

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I never said I was an automotive genius. I enjoy working on supras and other cars for that matter. So why not make some money for what I enjoy.

 

And along the lines of pissing on my chips, I'm far too greedy for that. I'd have ate them all before you got your nob out.:p

 

if you feel you can make money at something you enjoy doing then you really have to try it.As you said you dont want to be thinking what if.If it doesnt work out then at least you can say you gave it your best shot.

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Lol, the guys in the trade posting sound like they hate cars and customers:D

 

Yeah you get that feeling don't you mate.

 

Yet, I programme / run CNC milling machines and I'm not a fan of doing that anymore either but I suppose after you've done something for a long time everyday it get tedious n pi$$es you off.

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