Do any of you have an Auto Hobby Shop available to you in your area where you can rent space, lift time, tools, etc...to work on your cars. Are they successful?

 

These have been around for decades. Click and Clack used to run one outside of Boston (Cambridge, MA actually) back when I was in college in the 70s. I even used it once to replace a starter in a friend's 64 Olds, which beat doing it in the snow. There was one here near Dulles airport about a year ago.

From what I've seen, the cost of liability insurance and EPA compliance makes it impossible for any of these facilities to make money, so they typically last a couple of years then shut down. No one wants to pay what it costs per hour to keep one open.

 

Only one within 50+ miles .. and for what it costs for a day ... you're better off just paying a mechanic to do the work for you and keep your own hands clean.

 

I just rent a space in an industrial location. I have my own tools. I am looking for someone to take some space for me, as the guy I was sharing with passed away, and now I am paying rent all by my lonesome.....rent isn't cheap when you have to pay it all! I may start doing some side work to make ends meet...

 

I live in a smaller town and there is an abundance of people with old cars in the area with a few restoration shops. With a population of 8000 peeps, there are 5 franchised car dealerships, 4 trans shops, 6 lube places, probably 20 or so mechanics shops, 5 tire stores, 5 auto parts stores, etc. There is also a somewhat private road racing facility a few miles up the road.

I am going to ask around locally to see if there is a need for such a business, but I was just wondering what you folks think. I understand that liability insurance and equipment would be a major expense.

I also did a short internet search and most of these are on military installations and I personally spent a lot of time at the one at Andrews and Lackland AFB when I was younger.

The link below really perked my interest:

http://diyhobbyautoshop.com/

 

When I was a kid, I used my Dad's garage. When I was in the Navy, every shore station that I was at had it's own "hobby" shop. They were great.

Now that I'm out of the service, if it's not something that I can do with my own tools in the driveway, then it's off to the local auto repair shop I go.

Ain't progress grand??!!

 

Never heard of such a thing outside of military installations, and the Jehovah's Witness compound in Brooklyn (right next to the Navy Yard, incidentally).

- Eric

 

Don't the Jehovahs Witnesses go around in white shirts and black ties riding bicycles.

 

Yes, but they have a huge compound of factory and warehouse buildings in downtown Brooklyn, where they live, print their literature, and stockpile supplies for the end time.

They've got a very nice shop in one of these.
I saw it once when I was driving by and the doors were open.

- Eric

 

Even the military garages are closing up.

Interesting concept. I wonder how profitable it is to run an operation like this.

 

Given how many of these places have come and gone over the last four decades, I'd say not very.

 

Used to enjoy the base auto hobby shop when my dad was in the AF. Closest thing I've seen to it today is borrowing tools at the auto parts shops. Still need your own garage.

Good memories

 

You would have to charge an arm and a leg an hour if you were to have a successful auto hobby shop.

Reason: the insurance, guy i know who manages the one on base here has looked into it and lets put it this way, every car that comes in you are responsible for. Meaning if they fall off of the lift you are going to be paying for it. If that car explodes from someone being an idiot and damages other cars, you are responsible for that as well...

This is what i was told at least. Mind you there might be ways around this...

 

How about someone giving rides on the lift? I have seen/heard of alot of people doing very stupid things and would hate to be respondable for them.
Would certainly have to keep anyone under 18 out. Which would suck for a father/child project.

Larry

 

I've heard these places existed around the bigger metro areas and army/air bases too. I wouldn't be surprised if the local air base (Whiteman) has one.

I'm kinda feeling Joe P's sentiments, I just don't know if this idea would work around here. A lot of details and lawyer advice might be required. It sounds like a good idea though.

 

Actually, its the Mormons who ride the bikes in their white shirts with black ties and pants. They are "on Mission" in pairs, away from their hometowns.

 

Here is one I found in the Denver area. I don't know anything about them other than what can be found here: http://www.diyautorepairshops.com/. They have a mixed-use model, DIY, or hire them, or some combo of the previous.

 

I saw flyers for one that opened up in plano and the prices were crazy. I just don't see how anyone could make any money in one with the sue happy world we live in.

 

I found the one your talking about in Plano just now. Looks like a nice setup also.

http://www.jackjunkies.com/index.html

 

This idea has been tried a few times in the UK too. It hasn't worked here either.

The biggest problem by a long way was people trying to tackle jobs that they couldn't do, or had underestimated how long they would take.

This meant the next customer couldn't get in at their appointed time because there was a car in the way in bits that couldn't be moved. You cant push a car out of the shop if the suspension is missing for example.

It would work if those who used the place were competent mechanics with a proper tool kit who knew how long a job would take and had all the parts they needed. Unfortunately such people were mostly busy employed in regular repair shops already.

When I was in the British Navy some shore bases had hobby shops. But before you were allowed to bring your car in you would be asked what you wanted to do and how long you thought it would take. Quite often the guys who were responsible for the shop (senior engine room artificers mostly) would point out to over optimistic sailors that they were out of their depth and under equipped both with tools and knowledge for the jobs they had in mind.
Easy enough in a military establishment, a senior NCOs word was law. But I can't see it working in a civilian environment.

Roger.

 

I think the comment in the Jack Junkies Web Site says it all, "HOA". I think a lot of us have bought into an HOA neighborhood, yet we still enjoy the classic car hobby. We live in these nice nieghborhoods, and yet we still want to work on our classic vehicles. The preverbial, we want our cake and we want to eat it to. But the neighbors don't appreciate the hobby as much as we do and they complain to the HOA everytime we change the oil on the old 442. So, maybe this business model could be more viable today than it was in the past. This is just my opinion and it lacks any real research or knowledge on the subject.

 

I don't understand why any car person would voluntarily move to a place where he couldn't work on cars, but maybe I'm just crazy.

- Eric

 

Yeah, your right. But unfortunately I cannot make my on decisions. I'm married with children. So the neighborhood and local school system took the priority and my hobby has suffered.

I miss my old nieghborhood.

Actually, I get away with a lot because I am clean and I keep everything locked away in the garage. And also,I have a freind who lets me store my parts cars in his warehouse for free.

 

You should have seen the look on the nieghborhood folks when I brought my first parts car home. They were in shock. I washed the heck out of that car and I even covered it up. I now have a set of antique/vintage car plates I put on these old relics so as to have the neighbors think they are registered and insured. Thankfully though, I don't have to go through all of that since a freind now lets me store these relics in his warehouse.

 

Other things can take a higher priority as Mr. redberet points out. Spouse, job, kids, schools, whatever can come in above fixing up an old car.

I live in an area with an HOA, and I'm just careful to keep everything in my garage. I park nothing but operable vehicles in my driveway if I park anything there at all. I wouldn't want my next-door neighbor to have something I would judge an eyesore in his front yard, and I'm careful not to put something that others would consider an eyesore in my front yard. It makes for harmonious neighbor relations.

 

I live in a gated neighborhood and thankfully they don't give me a rash of crap. I also have a friends shop that I use for major stuff too.

I personally hate to pay someone to screw my car up when I can easily do it on my own for free. I don't like doing things under my car laying on my back and a lift would really make a lot of my projects easier. So I would gladly pay $100 bucks or so to rent a lift for the day.

 

Vette Customs in Lansing - the guy is semi retired... I considered some sort of club that one could join, to get lift time/ shop access. The rent payment alone was ridiculous, like 10k a month, so, no.

Then there'd be conflicts, etc. I was working at a trans shop briefly. Had to replace something on the Cvy 4wd truck, front hub or something. No one bothered to tell me not to let that half ast half shaft come out of the front diff. Clever cvy engineers have a washer in there. Shaft out, washer falls down, shaft WILL NOT go back in. 2hrs more because I had to totally remove the front diff then. What a PITA. I did surprise them boys with how fast I got that front diff R&R'd.

Part of the problem is, poor folks can't afford to fix the vehicle, let alone rent the lift time, and regular folks just take the vehicle in and have it fixed at a real garage. Except for the rare few that just get their own lift. That leaves "no one" as a potential customer, even w/o the liability concerns of the crazy things people do.

 

It was just a thought that actually made sense to a degree with the track up the road. Yes, people can be really stupid without even trying. I also thought about going the club route to see if there is a way around some of the liability issues.

 

My Dad spent 21 years in the military, starting in the Army, and spending the last 12 in the Air Force. He spent some time as the NCO in charge of the base Auto Hobby Shop. One memory that he shared with me was helping three GIs rebuild their engine on their Chevy, making sure that all the clearances were just right for them. It was a 216 with poured bearings. When they were about to start it up, he asked them if they had remembered to put oil in it. The replied to him, "Sarge, do you think we're stupid?" He walked away and they proceeded to start it up and fried the bottom end as there was NO OIL IN THE ENGINE.....
This is something that the Owner/Manager of one of these shops now would have to contend with. The ole "He said, She said". People don't always follow directions, and think that they know more than the one advising them does.

 

""Sarge, do you think we're stupid?"

ayep.

"trust, but verify" if it's important

 

Sometimes people just dont have a choice...

Looking at those prices on the lift to rent.... Good lord. Here on base its about 6 bucks an hour to rent a 4 post lift with all the tools you can think of. like 5 for the drive on ramp ones and like 2.50 for just a bay an hour...
Source: Lackland AFB.

 

Thats the double edge sword. You would have to charge that much to cover the overhead and insurance but its so expencive few people would be doing it.

 

Quote.
"I personally hate to pay someone to screw my car up when I can easily do it on my own for free. I don't like doing things under my car laying on my back and a lift would really make a lot of my projects easier. So I would gladly pay $100 bucks or so to rent a lift for the day."

I hear ya Eric. I been thinking the same thing as I contemplate putting the exhaust back on my car when it gets back from the painters. When I pulled it off the body was off the frame so it was easy. Sure would be nice to have a lift for that job. I think the DIY shop idea would work if the rate structure was well thought out and clearly posted: Here is one business plan that may work.

SHOP LABOR RATES $50.00 per hour
If you wait $60.00 per hour
If you watch. $75.00 per hour
If you make suggestions. $100.00 per hour
If you help. $125.00 per hour
If you do the work. $150.00 per hour
If we fix what you worked on. $200.000 per hour

 

I have a guy here in town that is an artist when it comes to exhaust systems, plus he's really, really reasonable on price.

SHOP LABOR RATES $50.00 per hour
If you wait $60.00 per hour
If you watch. $75.00 per hour
If you make suggestions. $100.00 per hour
If you help. $125.00 per hour
If you do the work. $150.00 per hour
If we fix what you worked on. $200.000 per hour

This really is a good business plan.

 

there is something like this for machine shops...

http://www.techshop.ws/

 

That's pretty cool.

 

this one is doing very well:

http://diytexas.com/

 

Thats looks a lot more realistic than the one here that wants to nickle and dime you for everything. The paint booth is a sweet addition too.

 

Some woodworking tool places also have shops where you can do classes and such. They will gladly sell you expensive supplies and show you how to use them!
Woodcraft supply in Orlando does this.

A place like DIY texas and an autoparts place would be an amazing combo!

 

Interesting.

I wonder why they painted the walls black. Seems you would want as much light in there as possible.

- Eric