Future Shop owner dream

[MI6TA]

I'm 22. I have an A.A. I don't know what to do with my life. I'm at the age where I need to decide what to do with my life. I have this idea of starting out as a mechanic, or engine tech, and working in a performance shop and eventually owning my own shop, or a dealership maybe.

Do you guys have any tips to make myself more educated and well versed in the ways of mechanical business? Are there programs of study that are highly rated? There is a program at the local state college, for 2 years worth of work I will be able to earn every ASE and get a year internship at a dealership.

I find motors quite interesting and really want to know them inside and out. I read posts on here with so much information that I know nothing about and I can't help but want more. I have the work ethic, will power, and people skills to rise to the occasion. Just trying to make connections already :P.

[firebird_1995]

@79LT1Monte is a self made man

[30thSSclone]

Not sure if it is worth it to you, but I am going to ranken technical college here in St.Louis. great program, also get a degree instead if just a certification. Also get my ASE's. If you go during summer you can get done in 1 1/2 years, there is also a Honda, Toyota, and GM program you can get into if you get an internship. Plus if you want to go high performance you can add on a year of high performance, teaching you everything from suspension, rear ends, engine building, CNC porting, hand porting, boring, milling, transmissions, chassis and cages, and tuning.

[meissen]

Love the idea - I've always dreamed of buying one of the shutdown dealerships here in Michigan (in which there are plenty) and turn it into a "Rent a Lift" type DIY shop. Have a bunch of bays set up with lifts, charge people a fee to be able to use the lifts. Provide all the tools necessary to do almost any job (of course - specialized tools will only be for Ford, Chrysler, and GM because f*@# imports), provide one or two mechanics who can assist with projects for people who want to learn but don't know exactly what they're doing, etc. In the winter when people won't be as apt to drive their car in to work on it, rent out the bays (two cars per bay, one car in the air, one car underneath) for storage. Unfortunately, though, in our litigious society we live in, the insurance rate would be astronomical and I don't think it'd be viable.

[popo8]

@KALL has just opened such a shop B...

[thunderkyss]

I'm 22. I have an A.A. I don't know what to do with my life.

I'm going on 42 & still don't know what to do with my life.

But I'll tell you this. Most "mechanic" jobs don't pay well, which would make it difficult (in my mind) to start/buy your own business. If I had to do it all over again, I'd get an engineering degree, make some money. Buy a house with some property where you can build a shop. Do whatever "mechanic" work you like out of that shop on the side... but don't treat it like a part time job. Treat it like a business & make it grow.

[KALL]

Love the idea - I've always dreamed of buying one of the shutdown dealerships here in Michigan (in which there are plenty) and turn it into a "Rent a Lift" type DIY shop. Have a bunch of bays set up with lifts, charge people a fee to be able to use the lifts. Provide all the tools necessary to do almost any job (of course - specialized tools will only be for Ford, Chrysler, and GM because f*@# imports), provide one or two mechanics who can assist with projects for people who want to learn but don't know exactly what they're doing, etc. In the winter when people won't be as apt to drive their car in to work on it, rent out the bays (two cars per bay, one car in the air, one car underneath) for storage. Unfortunately, though, in our litigious society we live in, the insurance rate would be astronomical and I don't think it'd be viable.

I do own a shop just like what you are talking about. It has been my dream for many years and after years of hard work I have made it come true. You are correct the Insurance can be a b#tch to get through but the cost is not as high as you would think. The trick is a good lawyer. There are waivers and rules that have to followed no exceptions. There is also special equipment you have to buy that makes the price of opening a shop higher, ie ansi certified lifts installed by a certified installer and wired by a licensed electrician. It can be done and dont give up. I am here for help if anyone needs it, I followed a dream and if I can help you follow yours please contact me and I will do what ever i can to get you going. My biggest suggestion I can give you is to not put all your eggs in one basket. If we were a diy shop only I would be out of business, we are a regular automotive shop 730 to 6 that specializes in customer work with out screwing people out of money they don't need to spend, honesty is how we do business. Nights and weekends is when we do diy work( when people are not at work themselves). We also do performance work when we can fit it in (engine builds, nos, pro chargers and I tune as well). Each side of the business is keeping us going right now and i love coming to work everyday and having fun playing with cars, like I was a little kid again.

I know I'm not a sponsor of LTXTECH yet but I will be as soon as some of these start up costs get payed back, but check out my site at automotivemotion.com.

Casey

[Fastbird]

Concentrate on getting your business degree. The Mechanical stuff can all be learned on your own, but the business degree is what's going to be essential to learning how to successfully manage and operate your own business/shop.

[79LT1Monte]

I would go work for a reputable independent repair or machine shop and see if it's a good fit for you before you really commit to that career path. I can tell you that depending on your area this line of work is busiest when weather is the worst, extremely hot or cold. And besides the sweating your ass off in the summer and slush dripping down the back of your neck in the winter it is a very physically demanding job as well. I love what I do but I always tell our clean up kids as they come and go that if you really love working on cars keep it as a hobby or side work and go work in a climate controlled office with benefits and a steady paycheck. Don't get me wrong it's nice to own your own business but it is also a huge PITA at times and you usually trade one boss for many bosses. Just my .02 take it or leave it.

[Neil350]

I have had a few friends that have owned/worked at performance shops here in Houston. It's tough, a lot of the guys that did well made their names while working for some one else where they learned and cut their teeth. Even then it's still a business and if can't run it properly you're in for trouble no matter how good a tech you are. I have seen that happen to a few folks who were awesome techs but running the business side was never a priority. When it caught up to them it ended up shutting them down. The big project cars and nasty builds are cool to see but always seem to lose money because you can't necessarily charge the man hours it takes to get them right. A lot of those nasty cars you see on youtube have hundreds of after hours work in them. The guys who did well and had staying power had people backing them with a lot of cash or came from wealthy families to begin with. You'll see that's a common trend with a lot of the big shops. Also until you get a name for yourself, you're taking on what ever you can just to keep the lights on, many of those cars you actually lose money on because they have tons of other issues. They're the cars the big shops don't want. Big reason why no one in Houston likes working on LS1 4th gens, LT1s and MKIV Supras. Newer cars getting cams and headers make money because they're in and out. Old cars with old car issues lose money because often than not the customer doesn't want to spend the money to get them right, so it's a bit nickel and dime. A lot of techs I know as they got in to their 30s left for general repair or to be service writers for dealers. For shop owners that's another set of issues, performance techs are fairly young and the good ones come with pretty large egos.