Hey everyone! First of all, this is not spam. I am just a car nut like I'm sure most of you are. I'm taking a business class at the University of Washington for writing a successful business plan. My business I hope to make is one where I buy some cars from a dealership and then customize them completely to make them look like new cars (so like an extreme body kit) and then sell them as customs. I have an assignment this week where I need to interview my "alpha customers," which is the type of people I expect to get the most business from. Since you all are car nuts like me, I figured you'd be the ones to ask.

First of all, please say anything that comes to mind about this, even if it isn't in response to a question. This will actually give me more information than direct answers oddly enough.

My first question is what do you expect to see when you walk in to the shop/showroom? Not what do you expect from experience, but what would you like to see?

Second, what is your dream car and why?

Third, would you be interested in buying cars this way? What would entice you to change your mind if you don't?

Fourth, any other ideas that I could add in? Such as allowing customers to bring in their cars and then I customize them?

Fifth, how important is gas efficiency vs performance?

Sixth, are you more prone to drag race, auto-x, track race, or show the car (keep in mind that many of these cars will have upwards of 600rwhp and some, if there is enough interest, will be all out racecars).

You don't necessarily need to answer all the questions, and if you have a differing view from someone else, please let me know too!

Thanks,
Jeff Braun
Reply With Quote  

KenneBraun:
Hey everyone! First of all, this is not spam. I am just a car nut like I'm sure most of you are. I'm taking a business class at the University of Washington for writing a successful business plan. My business I hope to make is one where I buy some cars from a dealership and then customize them completely to make them look like new cars (so like an extreme body kit) and then sell them as customs. I have an assignment this week where I need to interview my "alpha customers," which is the type of people I expect to get the most business from. Since you all are car nuts like me, I figured you'd be the ones to ask.

First of all, please say anything that comes to mind about this, even if it isn't in response to a question. This will actually give me more information than direct answers oddly enough.

My first question is what do you expect to see when you walk in to the shop/showroom? Not what do you expect from experience, but what would you like to see?

Second, what is your dream car and why?

Third, would you be interested in buying cars this way? What would entice you to change your mind if you don't?

Fourth, any other ideas that I could add in? Such as allowing customers to bring in their cars and then I customize them?

Fifth, how important is gas efficiency vs performance?

Sixth, are you more prone to drag race, auto-x, track race, or show the car (keep in mind that many of these cars will have upwards of 600rwhp and some, if there is enough interest, will be all out racecars).

You don't necessarily need to answer all the questions, and if you have a differing view from someone else, please let me know too!

Thanks,
Jeff Braun
Reply With Quote

1. My main thing with anytime im looking at a vehicle is that they have plenty of power to back up their looks. Cant stand something that is like a show car but with the engine pushing near stock power. So pretty much performance with the great looks

2. Dont necissarily have a dream car since both are quite easily obtainable but i love the 3000gt vr4's and the mazda rx-7's.
vr4- large car and since im a big guy its quite nice tofit in something with plenty of room for me. AWD. great riding car for being on the interstate and since i spend about 150 miles a day driving comfort is a must. Also they arnt extremely common cars.. rarity is one of my biggest things

rx-7- Rare car. Unique powertrain. Fun to drive.

3. Im a do things myself kind of guy personally. I like to know exactly what has gone into the car i drive. Also its good to know how to work on your own vehicle. Parts lists and a guarantee to work on the vehicle would make me more tempted but i stick to my ways.. Although luckily most people like to buy cars already ready to go "instant gratification"

4. Allowing people to bring their cars to you and then you customize them would probably turn you more of a profit than that of pre-modding then selling. Most people that are into cars tend to not necissarily be too financially fit to go spend 30k dollars on a car.. rather just do part by part slowly or save up for one larger modification.

5. Obviously with gas prices as high as they are mpg will be quite a concern. But if you think about it most people looking for high horsepower cars dont worry much about it, also if they have enough money to drop on a pre mod then they should have enough money for gas.
I would possibly look into just doing your few basic mods on some vehicles, that way you wont have to worry about effecting gas mileage but the car does have more power than it regularly does stock.. For me im performance>gas. But im not poor by any means.

I havnt ever been to any auto-x events or track races. Drag race is what ive always been into. But as for this you would get a variety of everything. Im thinking more than likely less show cars.



One main thing to remember- Most of your import market is composed of people in their late teens and early 20's. Thus meaning part time job college student. Point with that is money doesnt come easy by any means so it would be key to remember not not overmodify your cars out of the consumers price range..

Anything else just ask. Ive messing around with plans for a business like this for many years.  

KenneBraun:
Hey everyone! First of all, this is not spam. I am just a car nut like I'm sure most of you are. I'm taking a business class at the University of Washington for writing a successful business plan. My business I hope to make is one where I buy some cars from a dealership and then customize them completely to make them look like new cars (so like an extreme body kit) and then sell them as customs. I have an assignment this week where I need to interview my "alpha customers," which is the type of people I expect to get the most business from. Since you all are car nuts like me, I figured you'd be the ones to ask.

First of all, please say anything that comes to mind about this, even if it isn't in response to a question. This will actually give me more information than direct answers oddly enough.

My first question is what do you expect to see when you walk in to the shop/showroom? Not what do you expect from experience, but what would you like to see?

Second, what is your dream car and why?

Third, would you be interested in buying cars this way? What would entice you to change your mind if you don't?

Fourth, any other ideas that I could add in? Such as allowing customers to bring in their cars and then I customize them?

Fifth, how important is gas efficiency vs performance?

Sixth, are you more prone to drag race, auto-x, track race, or show the car (keep in mind that many of these cars will have upwards of 600rwhp and some, if there is enough interest, will be all out racecars).

You don't necessarily need to answer all the questions, and if you have a differing view from someone else, please let me know too!

Thanks,
Jeff Braun
Reply With Quote

wow, its very similar to what i want to do when im older, just im leaning more toward the muscle era  

1. I want to see custom cars, no wait...unique, after all it is your shop, and your cars, so add your own touch to the cars, they have to be different from all the other custom cars on the road. use your imagination, design your own kits, graphics, interior & exterior. unique personalization is great.

2. I have a few, all muscle cars by the way, but because its what i like. well the few is kinda like alot.  

3. If i was not car savvy, i probably would buy cars this way, but as i stated before the questions, its what i want to do as well. what would sway me to buy the car is you have options.

4. options, options, options !!!!!!! appeal to the customer. and yes let the customers bring in their cars, all though, you will need a vast amount of knowledge for this and all the cars as well as plenty of knowing mechanics for the variety of cars, if you plan on doing different cars, but make sure the customers know that you can't mod every car out there. like i wouldnt bring you a minivan, or other cars like, well i hope you know what i mean. but back to the options, it should be like a one-on-one with your customer, like, what do they want from the car, what its for, what they want in the cars, give examples, have something like a design your own car, but using their car.

5. i would like them to go hand-in-hand, but i think it can only go so far where you will have to sacrifice ine for the other.

6. im prone to daily, or rather weekend car, as well as drag and street race.

if you live in so cali, i want to know where, so when im older i can stop by    

never mind about the so cali stuff, i just read your up in washington, lol. just whenever it happens or if you have any ideas where you would like to open, pm me  

thanks for the replies guys!  It seems that the main thing I need to concern myself with is modding peoples cars that they bring in.  I'm glad to hear that original is what you're looking for in looks, as that's what I was hoping to do.  Anything else?  

Quick question: how does the sleeper option suit you guys?  You know, like debadge the car and mod the looks, but not too racey looking, more understated, like quiet class.  But give them 600+ hp?  The kind of car where once you see it go on the road you know to watch out and forget about racing it, but the first time it catches you completely off guard.  

sleeper cars ar pretty cool too, but you cant have like all cars, that want to be a sleeper be a sleeper, because some of them, just are kinda retarded, i read this one thing on the internet
where they were making an 2000-ish saturn a sleeper with like 400 hp, not the best car for a sleeper, nor would i want to b\dump a crapload of money on it. but sleepers are cool, if they want it, do it.  

I love sleepers personally. More especially the old granpa cars with massive v8's under the hood =D.

As for debadged etc i do like that. my vr4 will be debadged of all the "vr4" decals on it. Anyone who knows the cars knows it is quite obviously and the big FMIC will kinda give it away... but maybe there will be that unsuspecting person rolling along someday  

And just out of curiousity.. You keep using "600+hp" as your power numbers. What cars are you looking to get these out of? The options of cars will be limited unless you are looking into some pretty crazy motorswaps..

Oh yea and TT ls1 rx-7 gets my vote in the motorswap category /drool  

Yeah I'm thinking full motorswap.  Don't quite know what motor yet, depends on the vehicle.  Plus definitely forced induction.  

So does anyone have any input on what type of look they'd like to see?  Widebody cars, understated cars, bling cars, etc?  What would you want personally and why?  

Widebodys arnt common so a few of them throughout your builds would be nice to see without a doubt.

Underdog cars with insane powerplants would be nice to see without a doubt.

If i was to have you build me up a car i would take a 93-95 mazda rx-7. Replace the subframe and swap into it a TT ls1.
Why?- Super lightweight car, Massive powerplant that is way more reliable and much less fickle than the stock 1.3L rotarys. Of course it would have to include all the yummy supporting mods =D.