Starting an import tuning company

[mixxamike]

I'm applying to UofI right now and have decided my major...entrepreneurship.  Upon gratuating from UofI I plan on starting my own tuning shop.  Hopefully the business college at UofI will give me enough know-how to get a business up and running.  I'll probably minor in something automotive related also.  

But do any of you have any suggestions on how to even get started.  Should I apply for a job at local import shops?  Do any of you work at tune shops?  Do any of you own your own tune shops?

Any info pretaning to any questions that I've asked or haven't asked would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

[chickenmanq]

Are you talking about University of Idaho, or somewhere else?

[boosteds14]

i am starting my own store. mainly mail order, internet sales and local sales.

i looked into tunning and intallation and the insurance is crazy. expecially when i dont have the financial backing up.

[mixxamike]

It's the University of Illinois <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>

Why the high insurance?!?!
Maybe I'll have to start out mail/internet/and local sales too. damn &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':angry:'> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/unhappy.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':unhappy:'>

[DSC]

Maybe start out with mail/internet/and local sales stuff plus underthetable installation and tuning...out of your own garage or something. &nbsp;It would get you experiance and hopefully a good rep.

[mixxamike]

yeah DSC, that is a good idea. &nbsp;My only problem is i have no hyands-on experience what-so-ever with import cars. &nbsp;I love attending shows, helping friends with minor instalations, etc. but because of my total lack of funds (i'm in highschool and mow yards and drive an old f-150) i'm not sure if I would be able to make enough money to support myself when i'm out of college tuning cars.
But that brings us back to the mail order/retail side of the business. how much money can you make doing just this?

[ruf]

Not a lot. Margins are tight. High volume gets a better discount so they have more room to play with their prices which squeezes your margin even more if you want to be competitive on pricing. Then there's the issue of stock/inventory. Small companies simply don't have the capital to stock expensive items or one of everything. They can't afford to take the loss on an item sitting on the shelf. The main draw you can have is customer service and knowledge.

[ruf]

double post

[mixxamike]

crap...my dream is ruined. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>

i think i'm going to hand out at RH Performance (local shop) next summer and see how things work. and if they don't work. I'll just have to be an architect or some other lame ass worker.

[MasterOFDrift]

yea I own a mail order/ internet / local shop also. It's called Streamline Auto. Website is not up yet but soon will be. BTW I am in highschool : P

[boosteds14]

ya i started mine
cipmotorsports.com (http://www.cipmotorsports.com)

it will be running in a month
i learned to just cut back in expenses, be cheap and have a good rep with ppl and u can make your money
jeff

[whateverjames]

me and my friend want to do this. i have some questions. how do you go about getting the products from the companies. do you have to have some sort of license and how much will they charge you? where do you keep your goods? (no i'm not going to rob you) i knew someone who lives 200 miles away that i bought some parts from his online store, but when the parts arrived, they came from ft lauderdale, fl. &nbsp;i live in st. louis. what the hell was that all about.

[Chew Slice]

Yeah Im taking entrepreneurship at BCIT so Ive got some business knowhow. &nbsp;Just one thing to remember for all of you...80% of entrepreneurial businesses fail in the first year, then 80% of those who succeed fail in the first 5 years so make your plan worth while. &nbsp;Do some research and see what people want and where.

[SimpleS14]

I don't own a company or anything

but you can pass out flyers to popular chill spots, making a site wouldn't hurt, you can also slap on a sticker on a very nice car.....I know that will get people to check out your place.

Oh yea having a grand opening group buy wouldn't hurt.

[gabossie]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (mixxamike @ Oct. 15 2002,10:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I'll just have to be an architect or some other lame ass worker.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Hey man, that's not cool. Good luck with your shop, but there's nothing lame about architecture <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':angry:'> If you give up on your dreams that easy, you wouldn't make it through the first year of an architecture school!

Sorry, just a little frustrated with my arch project right now and I needed to make myself feel better about spending so much time on it. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/unhappy.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':unhappy:'>

[mixxamike]

Hey, sorry gabossie. i wasn't trying to slam architecture. that's what i want to do if my tune shop doesn't look like it will work out. &nbsp;i just would rather tune cars than design buildings.

Hey, MasterOFDRIFT, are you for real? you own your own internet/mail/local shop?!?! &nbsp;that's sweet!
how'd you start? &nbsp;and in highschool? &nbsp;make much money?
e-mail me and tell me more. [email protected]

thanks for the help guys.

[240 2NR]

I've got to back gabossie on the architecture thing. &nbsp;I went to the U of I for architecture (uiuc240 is still there for grad school). &nbsp;Architecture is a very demanding and rigorous profession. &nbsp;Somehow we have just about as much school as doctors and laywers, plus a national exam and internship program, but somewhere along the way the other guys get all the money. &nbsp;

I'm sure you'll figure out what you want to do while you're in college, or maybe when you're 60 (no joke). &nbsp;Life is funny, don't try to figure it out. &nbsp;Just plan on having some fun for four years.

[Nerfdude]

i've always thought about opening my own shop. here in STL, there's only ONE reputable import tuner... Hidden Performance. there's a couple other shops, but all they sell are friggin' decals and altezzas and other ricer junk. i'd be the second reputable shop.. that'd be sweet. to all you who have shops/sites or whatever, how'd you get started? where do you buy your stuff? any info would be great. i've got to pick a major soon.....