ok..as some of you may know, i am in the middle of finally making my own shop dream true. i love where i work now, but i am getting to a point in my life where i need to do something on my own. it is looking like it will be in Salem/Roanoke, due to the fact that there is major saturation in the market here, and lets face it...Roanoke has a larger customer base.
Its still not too far of a drive..i hope many of you will help me get this going..hint hint.....
ok...now the ? need to ask. what are peoples hones opinions of a AWD dyno making it around here. keep in mind that a AWD dyno is close to 4 hours away, and i personally have spoken with MANY people that would come and use it. the shop will be a Custom Alignment shop, ie lowered vehicles, lifted vehicles, etc, with FULL capabilities for such vehicles. in stock corection kits, and ability to fix what most "toe n go" shops wont.
The Dyno and alignments will be the brunt of what will be done, with my online and mail order parts being handled there too. custom installs always will be welcome, on a one on one basis.

gimme some feedback...i wanna hear!

Joey

 

Can you dyno a fwd/rwd car on an awd dyno? Also, what sort of rates would you be charging for dyno time? Oh, one last question, what kind of dyno?

 

It would probably be really important to look at the demographics of the area to judge the demand for it. You might also want to try and speak with the owner of another shop who has a similar setup under similar circumstances and see what kinda of problems they have encountered and to see if the demand for awd services is great enough to pay the bills on a few hundred thousand worth of overhead. There is though definitly something to be said for a shop that does it right all the time and isn't just ordering parts online and marking them up. I think that the shop and its employees usually speak for itself and if the work is good the customers will come. just my 2 cents though.

 

Some advice. You might want to try to spread the word to all the autocrossers about the alignments.

 

Honestly. Opening your own shop WITH a brand new dyno, new equipment and what not requires LOADS of capital. I know from watching Jack open P1 auto in Charlotte. He wont be making profit for a WHILE. You're going to start in debt and be in that debt till you have made a name for youself with people who are willing to lay down the big bucks for work. Im sure you've considered this already though. But an AWD dyno capable of 2wd runs would be wonderful. Heck, if even volunteer to work for you for pennies if it gets up and going. Good luck.

 

i was basically 1 step away from opening a shop here or in roa/salem last year at this time - had 2 backers both ready to sign and committed to some good funds. 1 backed out and then i decided i didnt want to bother w/ the hassle of this area......seems like what you think would do good around her fails and what you think will fail ends up flurishing.

I'd be skeptical of a 4 wheel dyno simply b/c of the costs involved, and i know sean at united muff in radford has been talking about a 10+ bay shop w/ a 4 wheel dyno for some time now but havent heard squat on that in about 4-5 months now or more.

Best of luck in all you choose/do bro!

 

oh i also recommend you start out moderate and work towards things like a 4 wheel dyno - starting too big will screw u financially.....keep in mind lots of b'burg/c'burg people hate driving to roa as it is, so it could take a while to build ur biz and as we all know 98% of all new biz's fail year one and 99% within 3 years.
might be smarter to start smaller and work big, that was my biz plan to my investors.

 

its a big risk...but i know i would absolutly love an awd dyno within an hour's drive.

go for it!

 

I would personally love to see any dyno within 45 min of rke. And if you offered srt parts that would be OK too. Since I've had my srt(4 mos.) I dynoed once in Greensboro, if there was one closer it would be more like 5 times. Need to do more tuning so you won't catch me at NB.


safe to say you have some of my biz already

 

whatcha dymo at?