New performance shop

[Bowtiebuckeye7]

Looking into starting my own performance/maintenance/parts sales shop and was looking for some advice,to do, not to dos, and etc. any would be much appreciated . Thanks


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[chris lang]

Sponsor me with free stuff!

[97rada]

Do you do any work now?


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[SHughes]

Know WTF you are doing!!!

and sponsor ME with free stuff

[spool1n]

Invest your time and money in something else.

[97rada]

I feel like if you had a shop setup and knew what you were doing , you wouldn't have to ask this question


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[turboram]

Originally Posted by spool1n

Invest your time and money in something else.

This!!!!!!!!!!

[Nightmare99]

don't look at Thoroughbred or Alligator and see them out n about with badass trucks having fun, this will not be you for a LONG time, iv done it, 7 days a week, spousal fights, missing everything, bi__y ppl, list goes on, yea it has its benefeits, but know wtf your doing and know that this will CONSUME all, just fyi

[Runninlean]

Rule#1 = Never ask a forum for advise..

[Legendarydslper]

If you have to ask...you cant afford it.

and we arent talking ZJ's

[madmikeismad]

Just make a website and resell parts for some extra income. I think running a shop would suck if you were starting from the ground up.

[jlibert]

Originally Posted by Bowtiebuckeye7

Looking into starting my own performance/maintenance/parts sales shop and was looking for some advice,to do, not to dos, and etc. any would be much appreciated . Thanks


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Do it as a side business until you can't afford not to.

[4x4dually]

Originally Posted by Bowtiebuckeye7

Looking into starting my own performance/maintenance/parts sales shop and was looking for some advice,to do, not to dos, and etc. any would be much appreciated . Thanks

What's your education and previous experience? Are you married and does your wife require together time?

Start there.

[zfaylor]

Do you like people? Have you talked to anyone about a line of credit or being a vendor for their products? Do you have all of the specialty tools or the basic tools needed to perform any task already? (ie laptop and junk for wire trucks) How about a space to do it in? Insurance figured out? Check with your local courthouse about a license? Think you will net more than your current job in the foreseeable future?


Trust me a ton of guys on here would give their left nut to quit their day job and chase the dream doing what they love but once you sit down and look at it all. It really isn't feasible to start from the ground up all at once. As mentioned start doing a little on the side here and there (assuming you know what you are doing).

I re-sell used parts here and there, do some paint work, rebuild transmissions (only if I know the person. Don't plan to take on that liability with some punk kid), time and tune some 12 valves and I make a little side money doing it. I don't see myself getting into the performance diesel market ever though. I see maybe starting a small body shop or general repair shop way before I would touch performance diesel.

First and foremost if you don't know wtf you are doing then stay the heck out of the business. Not trying to sound like a dik but there are way too many basement run "performance shops" these days that have no idea what they are doing. If you want to see what happens when you don't know what you are doing then check out confederate diesel...

[DISTURBED]

Fly by night "shops" is what is killing the sales in this industry. Kids not knowing what they are doing selling parts for $10 over cost to say they are a shop. Surely don't need any more that's for sure

[Snedge]

First rule of successful business. Location, location, location.
Second rule. Never think you know everything, and don't pretend too.
Third rule. Friends are not your ideal customers, but ideal customers can become good friends.
Forth rule. Learn how to subtract. (Subtract from your checking account)

[zfaylor]

Originally Posted by DISTURBED

Fly by night "shops" is what is killing the sales in this industry. Kids not knowing what they are doing selling parts for $10 over cost to say they are a shop. Surely don't need any more that's for sure

And unknowingly screwing their customers at that. I am sure the performance industry is much like the big truck industry in the sense that once caught the warranty on items sold under the price floor from many companies becomes void.

[Mudn_1]

Its not easy.... I ran a one on the side for years and finally went to work at another shop. Then recently had the oppurtunity to start my own. It just happened to be the perfect time. It takes time, patience, and money. and Snedge did give the best advice yet.

[Runninlean]

Originally Posted by Snedge

Third rule. Friends are not your ideal customers, but ideal customers can become good friends.

You forgot to add family to this. But still the best piece of advise given yet.

[phale]

Every where you turn today there is a new "diesel shop". Most of these shops are run out of a lean to garage in the backyard, very few are legit businesses. They carry little to no insurance and have little to no knowledge of what they are doing. We see it everyday, and unfortunately it is killing the industry. If you want to make a legitimate business out of your hobby, listen to what has been said here. At the point the industry is at, you have to have a niche. Ours is tuning, and a few custom built hard parts. It has worked out well in the last few years, but the first 2-3 were some lean times with a lot of long nights and drained bank accounts. Sit down and figure out how much money you think it will take to get started and then double it. If you don't have access to at least that much $ in cash, don't do it. Think long and hard about what you are going to do different that the 30 other "shops" that are likely in a 50 mile radius of you.