F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

take 270, 70, 695

AkumaKuruma

thats an hour there.

takes 25 mins alone just to get TO 70

F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

It's still better (imo) to get back over here when traffic is bad.

Arundel mills is right ON 295 tho, so that shouldn't be that bad for you guys.

blueskaterboy

maybe its because i rack up 450+ miles a week, but seriously, driving is not that bad when your going somewhere that you want to go.

Rousuke91t

We should keep IHOP on tues. but switch restaraunts every thursday.

1. to keep it interesting.

2. to go on cruises to different locales. I still want to get a bunch of us up on sugarloaf mountain for some touge!

Tofuball

I'm fine with that idea

AkumaKuruma

ANYthing in the columbia/annapolis line is all about an hour from rockville

AkumaKuruma

i second that.

sudseh

no way dude, i get down to where the shop is in 30-40min~ i'm 10-20min north of columbia.

suds

sudseh

i timed it today going down to near rockville... was about 40min with holiday traffic on 495. when there is no holiday traffic, unless you don't drive around 70mph it isn't 40min.

for the shop, i usually take 695 to 70 to 94 to 108... that takes about 30-35min.
suds

AkumaKuruma

you gotta be flooring it cuz it takes me almost 50 minutes to get to columbia averaging 70 the whole way.

Rousuke91t

Rx-8 Transformer

here.

eage8

iTrader: (9)

70 is like 10 min from the garage I can get to school in another 15-20 min and that's a couple exits down 695.

-Myk

(I don't think my times really count though ... I was mad when my dad's governer chip kicked in at 106...)

sudseh

which way do you go? around 495 to 95 to 32?
*curious since there are many diff ways of going*

AkumaKuruma

28 to 97 to 108 to 32

Tofuball

Hey, do you guys think I should start a garage? I mean, go out and hire other mechanics and actually rent out a gas station?

falnfenix

what would stop you, aside from the capital to do so?

YF19

Should be ok. Having a brand specific shop may be tough so it'll cause you to think outside the box and do stuff that you didn't intend on doing and deal with stuff you didn't before. Obviously you want to work on RX-7s. FCs in particular since you own one... 2 .. and those 2 near the fence ... well anyway a couple more then people should =). The first thing you're going to have to deal with is money. I will pay my hard earned money for a hard earned problem solved in a timely manner any day. Some people like to leech. So you're going to have to deal with that - "hey can you take a look a this real quick for me" .. you can take a look and even do a quick "this is what you need" but in the end, your time is money because you have bills to pay for. How do you tell that you your friends? Another point is consistant income. Right now there's RX7s you can work on and you can help people with but say you fixed them all, then what? My friend owns a shop and he ended up having to "give in" to the ricer kids. He does mostly Honda work but every once in a while you get this person that comes in and is like "hey can you weld this high performance APC muffler i just got from ebay on my geo metro?" You REALLY don't want to do it and you really want to tell the person to not do it but like before, you got bills to pay.

And it's all about location location location.

DarkAngelKamui

Time and his schedule, for one....

AkumaKuruma

you thinking about like that closed down gasstation up by jesse again?

i think it would be ain interresting idea overall but like the others said, it all comes down to money, location, and putting up with the ricers.
as long as theres an open bay for us to work on our cars we'll help support it :-p

sgof

Yes, it's not easy. No doubt from what everyone says, you know these cars inside and out. Working on cars is the easy part. Making sure you have cars going in and out so you can pay the rent and your mechanics on time... errr.

It's really weird. As a owner of one of a shop, you almost have to focus on the business end, and let the mechanics do the technical work. There will be some time left do the work, but not enough.

Then, you always have the 'surprises'. ie, someone brings in a 240sx for an engine swap, then the car won't start. After weeks of spending time on it (for free no less, because you really don't have it in your heart to charge the extra 40hours that went into figuring it out), it turns out to be a rusted, clogged fule tank, which has nothing to do with the engine swap. Or you can be a mean bastard and just charge the money.

YF19 hits it on the spot. While you might open a wankle shop, you will always end up working on other cars. Even if you opened up a general shop, would you really want to work on making a Hyundai elantra to pump out 500 horse power? You might get it work, but the guilt that the engine could blow even after you tried your best... the guilt, and the fact that it will never be the last time you'll see that car. My friend owns a shop, and I told him to start to not take in those cars any more... even if there are no jobs coming in.

Jeeze, I sound negative...

If you really want to do this, yes the capital will be the issue. For one, you'll probably need tool. You probably have a bunch right now, but I gurantee you'll need more, and there will be the cost of moving into a new place. Such as security deposits (rent, utlities, etc), and maybe some money for home depot to setup the place. You might want a lift etc. Sooo....

The suggestion would be to start (assuming you have a garage at home) at home. Build up a customer base, and reputation for good work (for PAID work, so people will expect to pay you, hehe), save some money then venture out. or you could get some small buisiness financing to get started, it wouldn't be extraordinary in payments, and if you setup a lease so that they give you the first 2 -3 months to setup, then it wouln't be too hard. The only thing with financing is that you are taking a leap, and are some what commited.

As for the RX7 customer base... I think that it will be hard to just focus 100% on RX7's, but I don't think you'll have a hard time with other cars. With that said, as long as you didn't try to focus 100% on rx7's only, then I think that as long as you provide a good service, people will always bring their cars to you. For example, if someone has an RX7, they usually have a communter car. Well, if they need brakes on that, they will bring it to you also, because they trust you. etc.

On a final note... You should put up your shop next to where ever Peter Ferrel is moving to in Fredrick. If you do, I'll be your customer too!

Tofuball

Dude, I dont mind putting up with ricers. But you guys should know, I work on piston cars as well :-p Idealy, It is going to be a gasstation/garage type setup at the start, and I will rent that. If that works out, I might buy a shop and have a preformance parts section and a large backyard with junked RX-7s

Tofuball

I have most of the capital required to start the thing. However, I lack:
1) Mechanics
2) Location
3) I want to finish college first

AkumaKuruma

im willing to work. gimme a service manual and im good to go.

Rousuke91t

I have two hands!