Do it yourself shop - Page 2

r0cky · 03-17-2004, 08:07 PM

I can see some of the girls at my college doing that ... but for the rest of the less superficial ones, I can't imagine them doing that. The girls that would do that are the ones you'd find at Spring Break wanting to get on one of those "Girls Gone Wild" POS videos! And you really wouldn't want them doing anything near/on/around your truck but posing!

shazaam · 03-17-2004, 08:16 PM

I agree with you completely. But if a women (or a guy for that matter) doesn't have enough respect for themselves, then I'm sure as hell not going to have too much for them either.

But if they just want to pose half naked for their 15 min of fame ... who am I to say no?

But seriously this was more of a "joke" suggestion, then a real one. But things happen to work out that way, then please let me know when the grand opening is. I'll have to swing by (and pick up 4route on the way there).

r0cky · 03-17-2004, 08:20 PM

Dude, I'm not going if there are a bunch of bikini wearing airheads dancing around!

Just promise me you guys won't let them touch any power tools or anything because that would be a sad sad way to have a bunch of dangerous accidents happen right at opening!!

upndair · 03-17-2004, 09:27 PM

Hmmm, perhaps I should remind you guys that we are a Christian Off road club. The chicks in bikini idea may be successful from a business point of view, it doesn't meet with our moral standards...

No offense taken at all, I should just let you know who and what we are.

Gibby

r0cky · 03-17-2004, 09:41 PM

I'm not sure you would want the type of business that "chicks in bikinis" would bring in anyway.

Advertise your willingness to help on projects, your vast array of tools, your features, etc. - that'll get you far more real business than making it into a sex-object thing.

Also, some girls might want to use it ... and I guarantee if they saw a bunch of girls in bikinis dancing around, they wouldn't want to do their work there or take advantage of your services. I know I wouldn't! So many auto shop type places are run by a bunch of sleezebags ... I think you'd find yourselves getting a lot more business and doing much better (whether you're Christian or not) emphasizing the higher things and the quality of your place and availability to help and openness as opposed to the "lower pleasures" or lowering yourselves to the level of a great many auto shops already out there. No one should feel intimidated coming in to do something on their car, or to have something done to their car by a mechanic - it shouldn't matter whether they are male or female, I just think if you start out on a higher plane than most of the sleezy autoshops around, you'll end up much better off in the long run - businesswise as well as morally (if that is a concern to you, and it should be).

I think all this is a great idea - but realize that you have a chance here to provide a service and a quality of service that doesn't have to sink to already prevalent levels of disrespect and sleeziness. This is all a fantastic idea - but you have the chance to make it right from the start, and promote something that would remedy a common complaint -- that there are very few honest, reliable, moral/non-sleezy places to get help with your car, or work on your own.

Stump1883 · 03-18-2004, 08:01 AM

A Christian shop, even better, man now your really gona make me raot trip to see this place. Really awsome ideas you got flying here, I hope everything pans out, and that quote for insurance couldn't be better

. There might actually be a chance this place could beat the odds and take off.

We need alot more places around like what your talking about, 4route couldn't be more right, I'm tired of shops that you feel like your getting ripped off or jerked around before you even get the work done. It's a shame what auto places have come to stand for

.

r0cky · 03-18-2004, 02:56 PM

Maybe it'll spread like wildfire and I can get you guys to help me start up an offshoot here in Texas.

ZUK · 03-19-2004, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upndair

Hey folks, some of the guys in our club are thinking about starting a do-it-yourself garage business where you can rent a stall in a fully equipped garage. Everything you'd need in terms of tools and supplies would be available onsite.

How many of you would be interested in something like this. Even if you don't live here, I'm trying to get an idea on how many people would use this.

If you would, what do you think would be a fair hourly rate that you'd be willing to pay?

Thanks for the market reseach help!

Gibby

I don't know....I'd be a little nervous letting other people use my tools. I figure that if they don't have the shop or tools at home then there's a good chance they won't know how to use the tool properly and damage it in some way....loose an eye or a finger.......and you know what that means.

r0cky · 03-19-2004, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZUK

I don't know....I'd be a little nervous letting other people use my tools. I figure that if they don't have the shop or tools at home then there's a good chance they won't know how to use the tool properly and damage it in some way....loose an eye or a finger.......and you know what that means.

To some extent, that may be true ... but what about those of us who just can't afford all the tools or the lifts ... or those of us who live in an apartment complex or duplex where we have a garage, but not one big enough to really work in ... ?

You could always make yourselves available so that if someone came and had a question about a tool, you could educate them on how to use it safely and properly ... there's no harm in helping people become more informed about the tools they're using.

One of the reasons sleazy auto shops get all the business is because people don't get the opportunity to learn to use these tools, or to work on their own cars/trucks, so they end up having to take their cars to crappy auto shops for simple things -- either because they feel like they don't know how to do the stuff, or because they don't have access to all the necessary tools. To give people a chance to come to a shop like the one proposed could easily benefit more than just the individual. If on a whole people have more access to tools and a little hlep and feel less dependent upon shops who would rip them off, then it motivates those auto shops to improve their services because there is major competition, and people realizing that they can do these things themselves, when they have access to the necessary tools.

Mossback74 · 03-19-2004, 11:34 PM

The people that are too stupid to know how stupid they are. These would be the downfall of a business like this.

I just used your lift to rotate my tires and I decided I would paint my brake rotors too. Well I got into a wreck on the way home because you didnt put a warning on the lift stating "Do not use if you are stupid enough to paint your rotors... idiot"

Now dont get me wrong, I love this idea. But some serious supervision would be required. Then soon someone needs help so they get shown how to do something, Before long it highschool auto shop, and the grease ball fights cant be too far off

r0cky · 03-19-2004, 11:36 PM

bahahaha ... gee, where did you get the example of someone painting their brake rotors?!?!!

that guy was an idiot ... but i'd be willing to bet he did that all by himself all alone at "home"

Mad Chemist · 03-20-2004, 07:46 AM

Hey Gibby,

I think its a great idea. When I moved to Seattle a couple years ago, I searched for a month or so for a way to rent garage space to work on my car, to no avail. I think there are alot of shade tree mechanics that are living in apt. complexes that have hung up their tools due to lack of a decent workspace. I would think you'd have alot of guys just wanting plain old space, that already have their own tools. I'm in the process of moving into a rental house and doubling my rent, mostly because it has a garage and a huge basement. I'd suggest that you establish the business in/close to a metropolitan area- if its too far out in the suburbs, the locals are more likely to have their own garage/driveway to work in, and the city folk aren't going to want to drive an hour to spend 15 minutes changing their own oil.

upndair · 03-21-2004, 04:56 PM

I'm not thinking so much of people wanting to change their oil. I'm think more of the off road guys and gals wanting to do some of the more time intenstive work. It's more cost effective for the customer and the shop to have one guy rent the space for an a day than try to put 10 people through the same space in a day.

I'd think projects more along the lines of lift kit installs, brake jobs, transfer case repairs, clutch replacements, engine swaps. Sure the easy stuff could be done too, but your right, if it takes more time to get there than it does to do the job, it's not worth it.

The purpose of the shop would NOT be to teach people how to use the tools, although I'm sure we'd have no problem finding staff that would love to offer their advice to the budding shade tree mechanic.

I think the liability issue is being a little over worked here. Think of how much training you get from places like Bunce Rental. We've rented dozers and excavators and we get a 30 second review on what the levers do and we sign a waiver. It's not their job to train us on how to use an excavator safely or wisely, nor are they liable if we don't. I we rent a tool to someone and show they where the switches and such are, what they do with the tool is their problem. Where they'd get more help and make it a lot more fun (our club likes to work this way) is to get a few buddies down - especially those that know what they're doing, to help with the job.

I have all the tools needed for just about every job that we'd do, but I can't have someone come use my garage all weekend long - my wife would kill me. We've already pushed that envelope a few times... plus, I don't fit in my garage any more...

You get some of your buddies down after work of on the weekend and do the IFS lift, or rear spring conversion etc. The cost stays down, it's more fun and you get to learn from your buddies that have more experience at the same time.

KevyWevy · 03-21-2004, 07:32 PM

oh yeah, its always better to have one or two other guys helping you out, plus when you come across a problem then you have 2 other brains coming up with a solution

oh yeah, a lot of times places that rent tools out can't even give you a 3 sec. review of what something does, because it is part of the liability, but its not their problem when you don't use common sense and mess stuff up.

anthony1 · 03-25-2004, 12:02 AM

Cool Idea.
Just to add to suggestion, I would collect a deposit before they start on it.....It's easy to ask for the cash before than after.

tkrispin · 03-25-2004, 12:23 PM

I go to the Army craft shop whenever I can with my Dad (retired Army) to work on our vehicles. They charge something rediculous like $4 per hour or something. Snap-on tools, about 20 bays and roughly 16 lifts. Air tools, the works. My Dad goes there just to change his oil and rotate the tires. They have guys staffed there that know everything about every car, which helps when doing tough jobs.

I heard on CarTalk one time that they tried opening a DIY shop like that but they didn't make any money on it.

If you can swing it, more power too ya. I'd frequent the place...

ZUK · 04-01-2004, 02:57 PM

All this stuff should have been mandatory in high school. The girls take home-ec....and the guys should take the metal shop and auto classes. Everybody should have to take a "survival class".....one that shows you how to write a check, a will, divorce papers, how to sell a home "for sale by owner", credit card responsibility, etc etc.

lemon · 09-01-2004, 05:21 PM

sounds like a heck of an idea as long as u consider people breaking your stuff and breaking them selves. i could use something exactly like that right now my engine just died and i need to rebuild or replace.

upndair · 09-01-2004, 05:32 PM

Well I ended up not buying the property that had the shop on it. But I'm still keeping the idea in mind.

chef robbie · 09-03-2004, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upndair

Hey folks, some of the guys in our club are thinking about starting a do-it-yourself garage business where you can rent a stall in a fully equipped garage. Everything you'd need in terms of tools and supplies would be available onsite.

How many of you would be interested in something like this. Even if you don't live here, I'm trying to get an idea on how many people would use this.

If you would, what do you think would be a fair hourly rate that you'd be willing to pay?

Thanks for the market reseach help!

Gibby

WHEN I WAS IN THE ARMY WE HAD GARADGES WE COULD USE ON OUR OWN OR THERE WERE SOME OLD TIMERS THERE THAT KNEW A THING OR TWO ABOUT AUTOS,,, THERE WAS A SMALL FEE BUT NOTHING LIKE TAKING IT TO SOMEONE ELSES GARAGE. THERE WAS ALWAYS A LINE

03-17-2004, 08:16 PM	#27 (permalink)
shazaam Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,080	I agree with you completely. But if a women (or a guy for that matter) doesn't have enough respect for themselves, then I'm sure as hell not going to have too much for them either. But if they just want to pose half naked for their 15 min of fame ... who am I to say no? But seriously this was more of a "joke" suggestion, then a real one. But things happen to work out that way, then please let me know when the grand opening is. I'll have to swing by (and pick up 4route on the way there). __________________ Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards. <-- the artist formerly known as sdastg1

03-17-2004, 09:27 PM	#29 (permalink)
upndair Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, WA Posts: 1,117	Hmmm, perhaps I should remind you guys that we are a Christian Off road club. The chicks in bikini idea may be successful from a business point of view, it doesn't meet with our moral standards... No offense taken at all, I should just let you know who and what we are. Gibby __________________ Gibby 1994 4Runnner 6" lift: Leaf spring conversion rear, SAS front. 1180 Ramp score. DANA 60s with ARB lockers 39x13.50 IROKs SBC 350, NP203 - NP205 Allpro bumpers and rock sliders. www.faithwheelers.com

03-18-2004, 08:01 AM	#31 (permalink)
Stump1883 Contributing Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: High Point NC Posts: 2,182	A Christian shop, even better, man now your really gona make me raot trip to see this place. Really awsome ideas you got flying here, I hope everything pans out, and that quote for insurance couldn't be better . There might actually be a chance this place could beat the odds and take off. We need alot more places around like what your talking about, 4route couldn't be more right, I'm tired of shops that you feel like your getting ripped off or jerked around before you even get the work done. It's a shame what auto places have come to stand for . __________________ 97' 4Runner LTD -With a few toys Last edited by Stump1883 : 03-18-2004 at 08:05 AM.

03-19-2004, 11:34 PM	#35 (permalink)
Mossback74 Contributing Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Hillsboro, OR Posts: 895	The people that are too stupid to know how stupid they are. These would be the downfall of a business like this. I just used your lift to rotate my tires and I decided I would paint my brake rotors too. Well I got into a wreck on the way home because you didnt put a warning on the lift stating "Do not use if you are stupid enough to paint your rotors... idiot" Now dont get me wrong, I love this idea. But some serious supervision would be required. Then soon someone needs help so they get shown how to do something, Before long it highschool auto shop, and the grease ball fights cant be too far off __________________ 4Runner Anthracite 98 LTD 3.4 AT 160K miles, 285 Revos, N91S and TRD tundra coils, Diff Drop, N86 and 891 w/ cones, 1.5" Body Lift, E-Locker w/anytime mod, 4 in. Deckplate, Amsoil air filter and fluids, Optima 34R, Yak Rack and Hull Raiser. (Wrecked 94 is still missed)-----See the pics-----

03-20-2004, 07:46 AM	#37 (permalink)
Mad Chemist Contributing Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,871	Hey Gibby, I think its a great idea. When I moved to Seattle a couple years ago, I searched for a month or so for a way to rent garage space to work on my car, to no avail. I think there are alot of shade tree mechanics that are living in apt. complexes that have hung up their tools due to lack of a decent workspace. I would think you'd have alot of guys just wanting plain old space, that already have their own tools. I'm in the process of moving into a rental house and doubling my rent, mostly because it has a garage and a huge basement. I'd suggest that you establish the business in/close to a metropolitan area- if its too far out in the suburbs, the locals are more likely to have their own garage/driveway to work in, and the city folk aren't going to want to drive an hour to spend 15 minutes changing their own oil. __________________ -David '98 4Runner: SAW/OME lift, TJM bumper, Warn M8000 winch, Hayden tranny cooler, Trail Carnage front and belly skid plates, PIAA fogs, Rock lights, 33" MT's on Tech1 Rockcrawler rims, Lars sway bar discos, Sonoran bumpstops and rear bumper, RB 1" body lift, Daystar front bumpstops '73 FJ40: 327 SBC, York, Dual Batteries, custom tire carrier, Corbeau Baja SS bucket seats, Bestop top. TLCA#14428

03-17-2004, 08:07 PM	#26 (permalink)
r0cky Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 5,386	I can see some of the girls at my college doing that ... but for the rest of the less superficial ones, I can't imagine them doing that. The girls that would do that are the ones you'd find at Spring Break wanting to get on one of those "Girls Gone Wild" POS videos! And you really wouldn't want them doing anything near/on/around your truck but posing!

03-17-2004, 08:20 PM	#28 (permalink)
r0cky Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 5,386	Dude, I'm not going if there are a bunch of bikini wearing airheads dancing around! Just promise me you guys won't let them touch any power tools or anything because that would be a sad sad way to have a bunch of dangerous accidents happen right at opening!!

03-17-2004, 09:41 PM	#30 (permalink)
r0cky Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 5,386	I'm not sure you would want the type of business that "chicks in bikinis" would bring in anyway. Advertise your willingness to help on projects, your vast array of tools, your features, etc. - that'll get you far more real business than making it into a sex-object thing. Also, some girls might want to use it ... and I guarantee if they saw a bunch of girls in bikinis dancing around, they wouldn't want to do their work there or take advantage of your services. I know I wouldn't! So many auto shop type places are run by a bunch of sleezebags ... I think you'd find yourselves getting a lot more business and doing much better (whether you're Christian or not) emphasizing the higher things and the quality of your place and availability to help and openness as opposed to the "lower pleasures" or lowering yourselves to the level of a great many auto shops already out there. No one should feel intimidated coming in to do something on their car, or to have something done to their car by a mechanic - it shouldn't matter whether they are male or female, I just think if you start out on a higher plane than most of the sleezy autoshops around, you'll end up much better off in the long run - businesswise as well as morally (if that is a concern to you, and it should be). I think all this is a great idea - but realize that you have a chance here to provide a service and a quality of service that doesn't have to sink to already prevalent levels of disrespect and sleeziness. This is all a fantastic idea - but you have the chance to make it right from the start, and promote something that would remedy a common complaint -- that there are very few honest, reliable, moral/non-sleezy places to get help with your car, or work on your own.

03-18-2004, 02:56 PM	#32 (permalink)
r0cky Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 5,386	Maybe it'll spread like wildfire and I can get you guys to help me start up an offshoot here in Texas.

03-19-2004, 11:36 PM	#36 (permalink)
r0cky Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 5,386	bahahaha ... gee, where did you get the example of someone painting their brake rotors?!?!! that guy was an idiot ... but i'd be willing to bet he did that all by himself all alone at "home"

03-21-2004, 04:56 PM	#38 (permalink)
upndair Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, WA Posts: 1,117	I'm not thinking so much of people wanting to change their oil. I'm think more of the off road guys and gals wanting to do some of the more time intenstive work. It's more cost effective for the customer and the shop to have one guy rent the space for an a day than try to put 10 people through the same space in a day. I'd think projects more along the lines of lift kit installs, brake jobs, transfer case repairs, clutch replacements, engine swaps. Sure the easy stuff could be done too, but your right, if it takes more time to get there than it does to do the job, it's not worth it. The purpose of the shop would NOT be to teach people how to use the tools, although I'm sure we'd have no problem finding staff that would love to offer their advice to the budding shade tree mechanic. I think the liability issue is being a little over worked here. Think of how much training you get from places like Bunce Rental. We've rented dozers and excavators and we get a 30 second review on what the levers do and we sign a waiver. It's not their job to train us on how to use an excavator safely or wisely, nor are they liable if we don't. I we rent a tool to someone and show they where the switches and such are, what they do with the tool is their problem. Where they'd get more help and make it a lot more fun (our club likes to work this way) is to get a few buddies down - especially those that know what they're doing, to help with the job. I have all the tools needed for just about every job that we'd do, but I can't have someone come use my garage all weekend long - my wife would kill me. We've already pushed that envelope a few times... plus, I don't fit in my garage any more... You get some of your buddies down after work of on the weekend and do the IFS lift, or rear spring conversion etc. The cost stays down, it's more fun and you get to learn from your buddies that have more experience at the same time. __________________ Gibby 1994 4Runnner 6" lift: Leaf spring conversion rear, SAS front. 1180 Ramp score. DANA 60s with ARB lockers 39x13.50 IROKs SBC 350, NP203 - NP205 Allpro bumpers and rock sliders. www.faithwheelers.com

03-21-2004, 07:32 PM	#39 (permalink)
KevyWevy Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,969	oh yeah, its always better to have one or two other guys helping you out, plus when you come across a problem then you have 2 other brains coming up with a solution oh yeah, a lot of times places that rent tools out can't even give you a 3 sec. review of what something does, because it is part of the liability, but its not their problem when you don't use common sense and mess stuff up. __________________ 1994 White 4Runner 5 Speed SR5 4X4 ~121,000 Miles Land Cruiser Coils ~ 1.5" Ball Joint Spacers ~ Buschwaker Fender Flares ~ Cobra 19 DX II ~ Asin Manual Locking Hubs ~ Alpine MP3 HU ~ 2 10" MTX Subs ~ Pioneer 4" Speakers ~ Husky Floor Liners ~ Indiglow Gauges ~ Clear Corners ~ 15"x8" Rock Crawler Wheels ~ 33x12.5 BFG AT's ~ Diff Breathers ~ Yakima Crossbars ~ Sylvania Silver Stars http://community.webshots.com/user/kevywevy84 Last edited by KevyWevy : 03-21-2004 at 07:35 PM.

03-25-2004, 12:02 AM	#40 (permalink)
anthony1 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: torrance, CA. Posts: 877	Cool Idea. Just to add to suggestion, I would collect a deposit before they start on it.....It's easy to ask for the cash before than after. __________________ http://www.angelfire.com/ca6/954runner GOD's Country Best Seen In A 4 Runner. SAS front: lf,ARB,Ml4",Marlin arms, rear: cable elock,APlinks,OEmu860,35MT/R 5spd, 4:1.

03-25-2004, 12:23 PM	#41 (permalink)
tkrispin Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 84	I go to the Army craft shop whenever I can with my Dad (retired Army) to work on our vehicles. They charge something rediculous like $4 per hour or something. Snap-on tools, about 20 bays and roughly 16 lifts. Air tools, the works. My Dad goes there just to change his oil and rotate the tires. They have guys staffed there that know everything about every car, which helps when doing tough jobs. I heard on CarTalk one time that they tried opening a DIY shop like that but they didn't make any money on it. If you can swing it, more power too ya. I'd frequent the place... __________________ Tom 95 mini truck -\|- 87 Celica gts This sig line rules Last edited by tkrispin : 03-25-2004 at 12:29 PM.

04-01-2004, 02:57 PM	#42 (permalink)
ZUK Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Phx AZ Posts: 469	All this stuff should have been mandatory in high school. The girls take home-ec....and the guys should take the metal shop and auto classes. Everybody should have to take a "survival class".....one that shows you how to write a check, a will, divorce papers, how to sell a home "for sale by owner", credit card responsibility, etc etc. __________________ www.gearinstalls.com 2001 white Xtra-cab Taco 3.4L auto TRD 88 Runner/V6/auto/31"/5.29gears

09-01-2004, 05:21 PM	#43 (permalink)
lemon Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 2	sounds like a heck of an idea as long as u consider people breaking your stuff and breaking them selves. i could use something exactly like that right now my engine just died and i need to rebuild or replace.

09-01-2004, 05:32 PM	#44 (permalink)
upndair Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Milton, WA Posts: 1,117	Well I ended up not buying the property that had the shop on it. But I'm still keeping the idea in mind. __________________ Gibby 1994 4Runnner 6" lift: Leaf spring conversion rear, SAS front. 1180 Ramp score. DANA 60s with ARB lockers 39x13.50 IROKs SBC 350, NP203 - NP205 Allpro bumpers and rock sliders. www.faithwheelers.com