Ubetit

Now that my new company is up and running (and generating business) I want to pursue others. For about a year now i've been talking with another business owner in town about opening a tuner shop. We'd carry the usual stuff like coilovers, wheels, intakes and exhausts. The other guy even knows an awesome tuner from Florida we could hire for supercharger and turbo installs. I've already looked into this business and it is tough to make money unless you are well known (like Evolution) in many car clubs/forums.

My question is:

Is there a need for a good shop in town?

Would you purchase products from a local speed shop?

Can I count on each of you for $4k a year in mods?

Discuss

Scott Evil

Rich...

When you say shop, do you mean retail as well as install/repair work? I'll assume you do.

Right now, I don't think Columbus has highly respected Asian import shop. Passen is something different and I admit I have not been there to see what they are up to. Regardless, there is room for another quality shop.

I recommend staying away from European focused cars. Motorkars is damn awesome in the work department and Auto Assets is well established on the retail side. Besides, those cars are very expensive to mod.

I imagin this in a good shop: Quality work performed by enthusiasts (like the Ganley boys). Retail merchandise (not just wheels) at competitive prices and "we install what we sell." Let the clubs support you and vice versa. Get your good name out there and it will spread fast. Bring a team to track events to help with problems on your customer's cars--AA does this all the time and Ganley is at the track for S2k events.

$4k a year in mods? Well, Joe almost sold me an exhaust when I was at Ganley for an oil change. And dammit I can't stop thinking about it.

SanMarinoCpe

Rich I would venture into motorsports specifically Toyota Atlantic's and hire a local driver that works at a northern Ohio Honda dealership as the driver. Once established as a dominate team you could sell it for millions to the next a-hole who thinks there kid has some talent.

Popeye

Installation is critical.....ask Ray But be carefull because if you are too good someone will come along and buy the same line and whore the parts out at cost just to sink you.


Remember Super Shops?

Mocky

I think Steve is right. I remember a long time ago when Passen first started, but most people were still going to Auto Exotica. Auto Exotica failed because they didn't have a place to install goods. Passen has a place but it's a rip off. Thing is, not that many other places around there do the install so people DO go there.
Columbus is a good market because of Ohio State. You have a much better market when compared to Cleveland. Quantum recently closed so there goes another competitor. (and they even had a dyno!).
Having said that, a tuner shop is tricky. Like Rich said, unless you have an established name (like Evolution or R&D Motorsports, or King), it's tough to be successful.
Just my $.02.. if you do choose to pursue this, let us know.. we'll all be there for the opening, I'm sure

Honda_mann

all ohio shops SUCK.


there is not one shop anywhere that can FAB, INSTALL OR TUNE.

my race car that I BUILT from scratch is better than any performance shop around here. when they see it they drool and ask me who built it when i say myself they flip. When some random dude has a better car than a full blown shop they SUCK!

duff0000

Car hasnt ran in years, the only time is saw the road is when it was towed to HIN. Do you mean Chucky when you say "I built it from scratch" cause im pretty sure he did most of the fab work. My grandma's towncar can currently run circles around the "race car"

Popeye

[QUOTE=Ubetit,Jun 3 2005, 08:20 AM]
My question is:

Is there a need for a good shop in town?

Would you purchase products from a local speed shop?

Can I count on each of you for $4k a year in mods?

Mocky

Problem is..keeping rims on stock is a very expensive proposition.i think one of the reasons stores run group buys is because they are able to offer a reduced rate without having to factor in overhead costs.
Steve, I like the idea of carrying 5 or 6 quality product lines, but how easy would it be for an upstart company to carry those quality lines. (Mugen, for example... only has 1 NA distributor.. King... and then the only places I think also resell Mugen are AJR and R&D).
I still say it's a tough venture, but then again, I don't know what the mod-market looks like... the only mod I can pay for these days is gas

Honda_mann

[QUOTE=duff0000,Jun 4 2005, 01:04 AM]

Car hasnt ran in years, the only time is saw the road is when it was towed to HIN. Do you mean Chucky when you say "I built it from scratch" cause im pretty sure he did most of