As the title says what do you shop owners feel are the must have tools to be successful in tuning? Obviously skill and knowledge are at the top, but let's look at more material items.

Let's leave this to your top five choices.

Lifts and hand tools are also excluded.

I'd start this out, but I'm in no position to really say yet.

 

#1 tool a large check book

 

id say maybe a dyno?

 

#1. Knowledge. I see to many people jumping into starting a shop and have no clue about a good business plan. Know your customer base and how to run a business, without those two thing your destine for failure.

 

I hate to use such a cliche of a word, but how about some street credit? Acquire toolage and knowledge by building out of your garage or corner of someones shop, if the response is good enough to go into business for yourself, do it. Money sure helps too. And when you say "tuning" do you strictly mean tuning, or building tuner cars and such?

 

Keep overhead low. Advertise alot. Lifts, regular hand tools, hoist, impact, grinder, drill press, vice, etc. You need ALOT of stuff.

 

huge air compressor, lifts, welders if aplicable to your bussiness, dyno if aplicable, freindship with the snap on tool truck guy XD

materials, computer, programns cad if aplicable, all the freeware **** you can find (actually a good base) all the compaines supported software.

etc

if this is your main concern just get a job at a tuning shop and let them grab credit off of your work.

hate to say it but it has worked for greats......attend street races....don't go there to race. just go there to get your name out and advertise what you havedone latley, and waht you do and handout some cards

then leave before they start racing

 

Hmm.... inflatable ball pit would definitely be my #1, followed closely by the indoor petting zoo.


But, in all seriousness, I would say besides the hand tools and hoists:

1. Decent workbench (if you plan on doing engine/transmission building)
2. Engine hoists/stands
3. Air tools
4. Wheel/Tire mount/balance machine (if you plan on changing more than a few times)
5. Alignment rack (for making sure you're not driving pigeon-toe'd

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by toyomatt84 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmm.... inflatable ball pit would definitely be my #1, followed closely by the indoor petting zoo.


But, in all seriousness, I would say besides the hand tools and hoists:

1. Decent workbench (if you plan on doing engine/transmission building)
2. Engine hoists/stands
3. Air tools
4. Wheel/Tire mount/balance machine (if you plan on changing more than a few times)
5. Alignment rack (for making sure you're not driving pigeon-toe'd </TD></TR></TABLE>

what about the heart shaped bed?

you NEED one of those in a fab shop

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civic.slow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

what about the heart shaped bed?

you NEED one of those in a fab shop </TD></TR></TABLE>

I was thinking about a disco ball.

 

i could not survive in this business with out a tig welder and the ability to weld steel, stainless, and aluminum.


NOTHING fits. and everybody likes to buy parts from a bunch of different places that dont work together, so you have to modify everything.


last night at 11pm i had to fire up the tig welder to mount an intercooler. i could not get by with out a tig welder.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbo-charged &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i could not survive in this business with out a tig welder and the ability to weld steel, stainless, and aluminum.


NOTHING fits. and everybody likes to buy parts from a bunch of different places that dont work together, so you have to modify everything.


last night at 11pm i had to fire up the tig welder to mount an intercooler. i could not get by with out a tig welder.</TD></TR></TABLE>


I second that!

TIG, MIG, Grinders, chop saw, drills and of course $14k worth of Snap On tools in the box. Every week, Im buying something new that will help me do my job faster/better.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phatrick2332 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">#1. Knowledge. I see to many people jumping into starting a shop and have no clue about a good business plan. Know your customer base and how to run a business, without those two thing your destine for failure.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is it right here. I can't even count how many shops I've known have closed because they weren't really shops, more like a club house for the owner and all his firends. I also know of a shop that is run by an owner that studied busness in college and they are kicking *** year round.

 

A good accounting software. Cash flow makes or breaks most businesses, keep track of it.

 

The number one tool for a business to run successfully is your mind. If you have no idea on how to run a business then don't because you will only ruin your credit and send yourself to the poor house with no one to blame but yourself. I am not saying that Bad businessmen have never had a business work, but they all had vast sums of money to dig themselves out with when they expletiveed up.

 

The tool I use the most:

 

Two that i think go right up there with material tools are:

1. A Buisness Plan - It is a buisness where a cashflow must be managed and profits maintained. You could write a whole book on this....

2. Ethics and Reputation - From my expereince the import industry (with the exception of a couple of oustanding individuals) is filled with nothing but delays, lagging, poor customer service, empty promises, and scammers. A little honesty and realism goes a long way in the customers eyes and that is what keeps them coming back.

 

MOST IMPORTANT: the quote in the sig above about JG spells is nicely - CUSTOMER SERVICE.

The old saying is 'keep the customer happy, and the business runs itself'. Word of mouth is FREE advertising, and even more important now with cell phones and myspace and **** like that. I've seen it a million times working retail. People can literally save themselves a few bucks AND a few minutes of their time by going to the other place between us and the freeway ramp, but they choose us because of **** like "You guys are always helpful". I do it myself, and I know almost everyone else does.

.
<U>To a new customer, what seperates you from the shop down the street?</U> Distance, history, and reputation. A new shop can't change the first two...

 

How about we start with a telephone that works?!

 

Just to add to an already great thread. Attitude, make sure to check bads ones at the door. People can sense a shitty attitude from a mile away.

 

(1) Know what you are doing before you start.
(2) Don't get in over your head.
(3) Run your business like you life depends on it.
(4) Good customer service.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mar778c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
(3) Run your business like you life depends on it.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you love what you do and you're committed to it, it is your life. Just think and look at other successful businesses.

 

go out of your way to make the customer happy and deliver a good product.

 

"What you don't have is what you need."

i can never have enough tools

 

I would have to say you need top notch, trust worthy employee's. No one with an attitude or ego. You may only need one or two people, but you always need someone to help/converse with. Just my 2 cents.