Hi Everyone,

I'm a new member on this site, but I am a regular member on GTOUK. Yes you guessed it, the others!! However, try and put the rivalry aside for a minute as I'm here to try and help.

For the last few years, me and my family have used a local garage to work on our cars, and we know the owner, Jim, very well. As I got a bit older, I

progressed to better cars and I now have a GTO TT and a GTO N/A auto.

 

Since working on these cars, Jim has started get an interest in sports and performance cars himself. He's owned his own garge for 23 years and has

worked on marques such as Porsche, Ferrari, Lotus etc but in small numbers. After a recommendation on the GTOUK resources section and hence

working on a few more GTO's Jim had a good look through our site, followed by a few other import/performance car forums including this one. Basically

he was horrified at how much we are all paying for basic servicing and maintenance. He then approached me with a view to changing his business to this line of work.

Now please note (especially moderators, I don't want to be deleted!!) THIS IS NOT AN ADVERT!! (I wont be posting any contact details or URL's)

However, if things go to plan, I will approach the club with a view to becoming a paying corporate member.

 

Between us we have decided to post some general queries on the various forums and bulletin boards to find out some info on general servicing of the

relevant cars.

 

How much would you expect to pay for the following?

Clutch Replacement - How much to supply and fit with a blueprint or genuine clutch, or how much to fit a clutch you have supplied?

 

Full Service - Please add any additional items that are generally recommended to be done on top of the manufacturers guidelines. Again, how much?

 

Cambelt change - As above (GTOUK recommends several additional items to be done with the cambelt that Mitsi dont replace)?

 

Brakes - Prices for pads/discs/brake lines when supplied, or how much to fit stuff that you supply.

 

Also, would you like the idea of a website where you can find your car, and get an immediate fixed price for basic repairs and maintenance, and then book in online, or e-mail for technical advice and more in depth queries?

 

As an example of Jims work:

My GTO TT (I supplied brake components and clutch) - New pads/discs/braided hoses all round. Sytem flushed, bled and topped up with 5.1 fluid. Clutch replaced, full service. Total cost £250

 

Another GTOUK member, GTO N/A, manual (All parts supplied by Jim) - Supply and fit clutch, supply and fit new front discs and pads, replace broken power steering piping (Mitsi wanted £150 just for the parts) Total cost £470

 

Sorry for such a long post, but I hope you'll agree that its high time we stopped getting robbed by the stealerships and other garages just because we drive a rare or imported sports car.

Thanks for reading and I hope you'll post some replies.

 

Mat

Depending on the location I think fixed price work, to a standard is a good idea. I personally cant post any prices as I do all my own work, but would be nice to know a price if I cant manage it or cant be arsed :)

certainly does sound like very good pricing! you would need to be quite near to gain full advantage though! might come into it's own for those big jobs that need doing from time to time?

My mech charged me £400 to fit a full wiring loom with censors, fit gaskets drive pullies, new water pump, new fuel pump, new breaks timing belt and fit a new break master cylinder plus some other stuff. I supplied all teh parts.

Thanks for the replies guys, its certainly encouraging.

 

I understand what you are saying though about travelling. I have actually travelled 260 miles to have work done on my car because I only trusted that person to do the work, however, I was able to stay at the guys house and even factoring in petrol etc, it worked out cheaper.However, I understand that it would be unrealistic to expect people to do this. (By the way, we'll be based in Stoke-on-Trent, 40 miles north of Birmingham)

 

We are looking into a collection service. The idea is to either deliver a courtesy car and pick up your car, returning it when the work is complete, or if the car is undriveable, picking it up on a trailer.

Whether or not we can do this, at this stage, I'm not sure. I do think that this would make the business much more attractive. As for coming to the Isle of White, I don't think we could manage that :cry:

 

Deve8uk, you are fortunate like me to have dropped on a true gem of a mechanic, make sure you keep him sweet ;)

 

Jock, you are the sort of person we want to target. You are competent enough to do the work, and understand what is involved and so cannot stomache being fleeced by main dealers. You don't really trust any local garage, so you do the work yourself. However, its a pain in the arse do to work/time/family constraints, you don't have a ramp etc. So hopefully, we would be the answer. A specialist garage with fixed prices much cheaper (we are currently looking at 50%) than main dealers.

 

I understand you don't know me and are sceptical, but feel free to look at http://www.gtouk.org.uk (I post under the same name) and you'll see I'm just a regular enthusiast whos been through all this crap myself, which is why I'm so passionate about this.

 

Thanks for reading, and I hope some more people post.

 

Mat

seems like a good idea, been done before though, didnt quite work out as planned

Hi Clarkey,

Thanks for the reply, but could you explain more?

I'm open to all posts both positive and negative. Like I said, I work full time so I'm trying to work out whether this venture has legs. Its all very well getting everyone saying go for it, but if, after investing in a website, web space, advertising etc we get 4 cars in, its been a complete waste of time.

So, please point out your concerns, worries or any other things you think we should consider.

Thanks again,

Mat

I think people like the idea of fixed prices so know exactly what its going to cost them.

Popular work on the Z would be Auto to Manual conversion (owner supplying parts). Cam belts which are usually replaced with new waterpump, hoses etc. Clutch replacement, heater matrix replacement, propshaft center bearing replacement. Tension rod and subframe re-bushing.

If your mate could could get some second hand parts such as a prop, subframe etc and have them ready re-conditioned and ready to fit on an exchange basis I think he could do well.

Paul

Thanks for all the info guys.

Spoke to Jim yesterday and we've decided to keep it low key for the time being as he is doing ok with his regular business and doesn't want to risk throwing a lot of money at advertising and setting up first. Basically at first will be going on what comes through the site (found by people using search engines) and word of mouth/recommendation. This way, we hope to build a trusted customer base first and see if the venture is worth going into full time.

I was a little concerned about what would happen if an unusual car came in that he hadn't worked on before - then he told me last year a guy brought his Lambo (Countache sp?) in for a service, cambelt change and new starter motor. It took him and his mechanic 2 days and he saved the owner 3 grand on what the dealer had quoted

:shock:

 

Mat

Oh, by the way, its nice to come onto a forum as friendly and as welcoming as GTOUK. Some of the other forums have been a little curt to say the least. And if this is the forum that Kirbz posts on, tell him we're ready for that GTO vs Z shootout he's been gunning for!!

 

Mat

I would think word of mouth is sufficient if you're talking to owner's clubs like this one and he's really that good. I mean this in the nicest possible way - a well running Z is the best possible advert for the person servicing it.

 

So basically, you need to sweet talk someone into having something big done and then posting here about the warm glowing feeling they get afterwards!

 

I like the fixed price idea though... things like:

 

* auto to manual conversion

* swapping out a dead drivetrain of either sort

* 60k service inc water pump and PCVs

* tub change

* Fit uprated clutch

* boost controller installation

* engine swap

* det sensor change

* 4 wheel alignment / tracking

* And the A B and C services

 

or even an n-point check like the RAC / AA do but more suited to Z, so it will include idle adjust, a run through with a conZult, earthing check, is it detting, etc.

Not being funny but those prices seem a bit steep :x: Problem is, everyone buys a Z, spends ALL there cash on it, then struggle to even pay for the fuel. Working on Z32s is a TOUGH market tbh... I know, trust me ;) Most closing comments are "Please, I don't have much money so give me a good price" - like you can say that to the people supplying your electricity etc LOL Not trying to teach grandmother to suck eggs etc, you just need to be carefull where the Z32 is concerned...

 

Clutch change - £115

Cambelt - £100

Engine out and replace - £750

 

etc etc etc (they are labour only btw)

 

Just some ideas :)