Cordell

I can certainly see why this might be somewhat difficult to do. Most people own a dyno because they're tuners and renting it out is chump change compared to tuning, I totally understand someone not renting it out so some remote tuner can make the money.

 

Didn't realize ON3 was getting a dyno. Anyone heard anything about Rabid performance (Ricart's dyno)?

Oh darn.

Happy to have a very small part in helping you out via the Red Dragon. Glad to see you so busy, means the company is doing well and you are am important part of it. Congrats on the continued success.

Thanks again.

Bump! Free to whomever wants it.

 

I'll gladly come get them.

The few times I've seen this car autocrossed it looked fantastic. Should be something special for someone, GLWS.

Highly disagree with this statement. How do you figure a technician job like yours is not available hourly?? Do you think only flat rate paid techs actually diag?

 

You must be blind as to what other shops do. Get out of the damn flat rate world, and stop complaining about it.

 

Where are all these hourly jobs at? I don't see any that are going to involve what I get at the dealership. I like the support of the manufacturer, I like having all the tools to diag. Do you honestly think you can do dealership level diag in an aftermarket shop with Alldata and some random aftermarket scan tool? Do you think it's feasable for one person to be capable of a high level of diag on every car that could come through the door?

 

If I've gotten anything out of this thread it's reinforcing that I really like my job, I just hate one major aspect of it. Not making much money sucks, but if I'm working on cars I prefer the dealership environment. So when some GM dealer decides to pay hourly I'll be one of the first in line, but that isn't happening.

 

Rocky, I don't know what happened when you worked at a dealership or how far you got in your training, but you've made it quite clear that it isn't for you. I don't understand how you can't see my view on it. Just because the pay sucks doesn't mean the whole job sucks.

No one came at your personally , I strictly pointed out business to you based off of your idea and what you said you enjoy.

 

You asked a question and I simply was sharing results of a calculated model to show how your idea of running a side job and turning it into a full shop st some point will simply fail based off your aspect of only enjoying the diag portion of the field that you enjoy.

 

Unless I missed what your goal was here in these posts

 

Many people try to run a shop and it might seem successful but in a few years it’s gone to dust. Now if you want to do side work out of your Home garage where you can pick and choose what you want to do based off of what you enjoy then absolutely do that as long as it doesn’t conflict with whatever terms your day job has in place with your employer

 

It might not be the dream job or the dream portion of your field you want to do working at say Carmax or airport or whatever but the opportunity With these jobs far outway what a normal dealership can offer as far as a technician position goes.

 

Is this solely from a monetary point of view? If all I wanted was a paycheck sure I get it, but if that was the case there are many other ways to make money. If I was solely money driven I wouldn't be working on cars anyway.

 

As far as opening a shop goes, a lot of things need to come together for that to happen, it may or may not happen. I'm not so dense that I don't realize that I still have to do most aspects of auto repair to be profitable. I was making the point as to why I wouldn't consider most of these hourly mechanic jobs.

Wait wait so you are trying to do side work to make more money ? You understand that flat rate you just turn hours to make money which doing what you enjoy “diag” doesn’t turn.

 

So what exactly is your end goal here because running a shop that does diag work out of your garage will not keep the lights on. Your going to make your money turning the hours like every other shop out there or separating yourself from the herd like performance based shops do there is just no other way around it.

 

And at one point you talked about ( not in this thread) not turning wrenches at all anymore and beating up your body, where doing extra side work is adding to that.

 

Side note also you mentioned of X can do it so can I, you should dig into a lot of these other shops that stay up and running for years on end. There is a reason Firestone, tuffy, Monroe stay in business year after year after year and “BILLS auto repair” is a vacant lot

 

 

Is it your intent to sound like a know it all? Do you run a shop and I missed something? I appreciate that you have worked in the industry, but you don't seem to appreciate where I'm coming from. I haven't come up with a business plan, this is an idea thread. I would love to find a way to market not only my skills but the aspects of the trade I actually enjoy, or else it isn't worth doing. Maybe it isn't, but we're just talking here.

 

If you don't like me personally you do know that you don't need to participate in this thread?

In theory it's good to have constant side work. But making side work pay all of the bills is scary man. If you don't have a shop big enough to crank work out and possibly have a rack it won't work.

 

I'm telling you man, find a mechanic job that pays hourly. Get away from the shit dealers.

 

I'm a long way from leaving full time employment, and I wouldn't try to earn my living out of my little 2 car garage. I think you may have misunderstood my plan, it was to do sidework as a way to build towards a shop and eventually transition to that, not to do anything major quickly.

You guys talking up hourly paid techs disagree with me on a few things, the type of technician job I like having is not available hourly. I hated aftermarket shops, and I hate the monotonous task of prepping used cars. You find me a diagnosis job that pays hourly and I'm all for it, but that is the whole reason I stay at the dealerships, I do troubleshooting. This is the only part of the job I really enjoy, it's the part of the job that puts the "technical" in technician. I think most of you just like being mechanics, ie hanging parts and doing maintenance.

 

The unfortunate reality to me being this way is I usually get warranty work, and a lot of these jobs don't turn into a ton of hours like the "gravy" work. So when I say I've gotten really good at my job to get paid less I mean it. That's also why going to the airport or carmax doesn't interest me.

Yeah definitely, I would take all my cars to you, GM is all I own

 

I can't answer your other questions, but as far as the demand for a skilled and trusted tech, yeah I definitely think that's something that just about everyone is constantly looking for. Personally, if I need work done on my car, Lucore is the only shop that comes to mind that I've used in the past and would be comfortable using again. Other than them, I don't know who I would recommend to a friend or trust for myself. I would rather shoot myself in the dick than take my car to Midas or Tuffy, and I'm too poor to take it to a dealer. I can handle basic maintenance/repairs myself, but these days I don't even have time for that.

 

Thanks man.

 

I do/did tons of side work at 3 different addresses and never had neighbor issues. The only time it raised any eyebrows was all the cash/checks in and out when we were doing refinance/mortgage stuff. I've never thought about doing it completely on my own. So kudos to you if you can make it work.

 

I'll ask this tho. I don't know you well, hell, hardly at all.. but for years and years, post after post on here you seem to get bored/displeased with the job you currently have. Do you think doing your own thing would give any different result? I feel trapped as you do in the auto/tire industry(though we could have worse jobs, right?) and I don't know that I've found the solution either.. Good luck man.

 

I certainly do get tired of things, but the biggest issue with most of my jobs has been the rollercoaster of work effecting my paycheck. I think this would give me a little more control, it's never been the actual working on cars as much as all the bullshit that goes along with it. Simplifying things by cutting out everything but me and the car owner sounds better and better.

 

So are you trying to just do side work to make extra income and still have your day job?

 

Or are you going to quit your day job and pursue a shop out of your Home garage?

 

I'm not planning on quitting my day job unless this takes off. I want it to take off so hopefully it will come to that, and having my own shop. Working out of my 2 car garage without a lift is not something I want to do, but I have to start somewhere. Hopefully this might catch on for me and go somewhere.

The automotive repair industry sucks, the flat rate pay system is fucking dumb, and I am stuck relying on others to do a good job before I even have a chance to earn my paycheck. So because I still really like what I do just not how it gets done, I want to move towards doing it for myself. I mean if gearhead Rob could have his own shop, so can I.

 

So in the short term I need to find somewhere to store my Camaro and Corvette so I can use my garage at home for side work. A couple thoughts on this topic, I considered selling one or both cars and while there are obvious benefits this is simply not a step I'm willing to take right now.

 

Is there anything I'm not thinking of working out of my house? I don't have an HOA here, and while my neighbors are not great I can't see them starting shit if I can keep my garage door shut.

 

How many of you could see a need for a GM specialized tech? I mean obviously I can do any general repair, but I'm fully trained in GM cars.

 

I have all my own GM scan tools and dealership access as long as I maintain my full time job (which I can't see not having the full time job in the short term), so programming and really anything in depth.

 

I'd love to hear CR's ideas and experiences.

 

I know that I have shy'd away from this approach to things in the past and I have always avoided side work, but I just don't see any other way to progress and do the job in an honest way that earns me a reasonable living.

You don't need to buy a truck, Home Depot rents killer trucks whenever you need one.

 

 

Too soon?

Well I'm sure it's something that's better for you, it's always been cool running into you randomly.

I wish I could come up with the cash, I'd love to have it.

Good stuff man, this is one of the only reasons I would ever buy a Subaru (of course since I'm not a fan). Looks like a blast, congrats on doing so well.

Haven't really heard of any meets going on much lately. Enjoyed hanging out at DynoTune yesterday, and then called it a day. Seems like he's always tuning something making 1000 wheel.

See I love seeing modified cars on the street and always give a thumbs up. It really irks me that people have such an ego that they can't give a nod to other people who enjoy the hobby.

 

I was driving on 270S a week or two ago in my AE86 and got off at Georgesville and a 240SX hatchback with wheels/exhaust passes me on the off ramp. I throw a thumbs up out the window and the guy just drives by not even glancing over. My exhaust is probably 140+db so it's hard to imagine the guy didn't hear or see me.

 

Just annoys me.

 

I just want to say something about this because I've been in these situations a few times. It is far more common for someone to be mad at me for driving aggressive in my modded car then to get a compliment. So I'm usually expecting the worse, I'm sure some people who were just trying to acknowledge me felt slighted by me a time or two because I just expected them to be pissed. I wish it wasn't that way for me, but I'm sure others have the same issue so I wouldn't take it personally.

It's never too soon to do what you want, be the trendsetter not the trend.

that was exactly what is going on

 

Its not alignment as I had it up to 80 and it never shook or shimmed or pulled

 

thanks

mace

 

Shaking or shimmying is not caused by alignment. Bad tire wear could be caused by a bad alignment and then maybe you'd get a shake from the tires.

 

Alignment will cause a pull, drift, dog tracking, off center steering wheel, additional strain on parts, and usually tire wear. Other things can cause tire wear like worn suspension parts, but in the case of both front tires wearing on the inside edges alignment is most likely off. Now it could just simply be off, or something could be bent or worn causing it to be off, so make sure you check it out before alignment. A decent tech would do this anyway.

And please try another hosting site, or create an album on here to have some pics. Photobucket has become a complete clusterfuck.

Welcome. I have a real soft spot for old CJs, it's pretty cool to see one all steel. My Dad bought his CJ7 new in 1979 and still has it, however he offroaded it so much the body rotted off in the 80s. I'm sure he was one of the first guys around with a fiberglass body back then. Anyway, hope to see you out.

Good times. Thanks Doc.

Looks like rain... anybody ever race on slicks in the wet?

 

I'd be curious how these guys will handle rain with Aaron running it. They, like most smaller clubs, didn't run in the rain. I was thinking of going but not a fan of sliding around more then normal in the rain.