Business plan... What do you think

RACERAL · #1 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 09:00 AM

I met a guy over the weekend that is planning on opening a garage/club/hangout. He wants to have lifts, tools,car club type atmosphere, where car guys can hangout, use the lifts, tools etc. all for a nominal fee of course.
I'm thinking he will build this place kinda high end, very clean and organized.
What do you think about a venture like this.
Personally , it sound like a good idea to me..

Ralphy · #2 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 09:18 AM

I think that is a great idea. I was wondering how I could do the same here. I have limited space. I also once saw an article on a bunch of rat rod guys in Milwaukee that rented an old building. They pooled their tools and created a great shop in a very historic looking building.

twobjshelbys · #3 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralphy

I think that is a great idea. I was wondering how I could do the same here. I have limited space. I also once saw an article on a bunch of rat rod guys in Milwaukee that rented an old building. They pooled their tools and created a great shop in a very historic looking building.

It's been done before, none of the ones I know of lasted long.

Insurance is going to be a killer. Lifts are dangerous if not operated properly. He might have a case if the lift controls are centralized or otherwise inaccessible to the customer.

Ralphy · #4 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 09:30 AM

Yeah, as far as a business goes you have liability. But a co-op may work. Theft can be an issue.

Ron61 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 09:37 AM

It was done by Warren and a group in his home town and so far as I know they still have the shop going even though Warren passed away some time ago. He used to go down during the Winter and they would help each other with their cars. I think it was just more of a group thing than any type of organized business type set up.

Ron

SP01715 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 09:45 AM

Liability insurance will kill you. I owned a four bay shop with 4 mechanics, and insurance overhead was very high.

smeredith · #7 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 10:00 AM

We had a guy in the Denver area open a place a couple of years ago called Auto Bayzs. Same concept with 4-5 garage stalls with 3 different kinds of lifts. You could rent the bay for 20 minutes at a time, rent a full tool box for a couple of bucks, shop rags, oil throw away etc. He was about 2 minutes from my house and I loved it. Could get the car up on a lift, clean and change oil in about a hour. I think he lasted 9 months or so and the next time I went by they were closed. Never heard why, but the other times I was there on a Sat and Sun, I was the only person??

belgiumbarry · #8 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 10:02 AM

was ever my dream... but.... as Ron stated, the group will be the plan...

i was in many "groups" .... they all lasted a few years.... look at ourselfs, don't we love to have a "new " toy every 3..5 years ?

Dan40 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RACERAL

I met a guy over the weekend that is planning on opening a garage/club/hangout. He wants to have lifts, tools,car club type atmosphere, where car guys can hangout, use the lifts, tools etc. all for a nominal fee of course.
I'm thinking he will build this place kinda high end, very clean and organized.
What do you think about a venture like this.
Personally , it sound like a good idea to me..

The profit potential in either % or $ seems minimal. Much risk for little monetary reward.

1ntCobra · #10 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 10:18 AM

The father of one of my friends from High School had a place like that. It was small and not fancy. I think they also sold auto parts as well. You had the option of working on your car yourself or his father could do the work for you like a normal shop. I don't think it was a really busy place.

At one point, some cable channel was doing a show on odd businesses and came by to film an episode. It turned out that no customers were showing up that day to take advantage of the fix it yourself capabilities, so my friend ended up working on his own car at the place.

I pretty sure his father ran that place for decades like that.

Joe Wicked · #11 (**permalink**) 01-04-2010, 10:45 AM

I looked at doing something very similar myself and the insurance on it was a killer. Killed all profits. Now the idea of it being a part of the parts store is a possibility as profits could rely on the parts sales, and this would be a draw for the do it yourselfers that would possibly buy parts from you when they come to do the repair.