some opinions from you guys please

[geordie_racer]

hello,
i am considering setting up my own modifying company mainly doing engine conversions and resprays and have been wondering about prospective prices so i thought id ask u guys. below is a list of rough prices for main jobs please could you let me no wot u think n wot could be changed or added etc.


gte/gsi any other engine (except v6) ?100 (6 month guarentee)
gte/gsi any other engine supplying engine ?250 (12 month guarentee)
1.6 16v conversion ?250 (6 month guarentee)
1.6 16v conversion supplying engine ?750 (12 month guarentee)
2 litre conversion (excluding turbo) ?350 (6 month guarentee)
2 litre conversion (excluding turbo) supplying engine ?1000 (12 month guarentee)
2 litre turbo conversion ?500 (6 month guarentee)
2 litre turbo conversion supplying engine ?2500 (12 month guarentee)
respray ?450 inc paint for normal paint job
respray ?500 + cost of paint for special job eg. flip paint
bodykit (excluding wide-arch) ?300 fitted + sprayed
widearch kit fitting ?1500 fitted + sprayed
carb fitting and setting up ?70
wide arch kit fitting ?poa
flush boots from ?80
mk2 dash into mk1 nova ?25 ?100 with dash supplied
ice builds undertaken ?poa
central locking ?30 on key remote c/l ?poa

most other modifying jobs undertaken just ask for price

also for ?50 i will collect and deliver your car nationwide

all the above prices are rough ideas and are subject to change depending upon the job so feel free to ask for a quotation

cheers
chris

[dave.gsi]

also for ?50 i will collect and deliver your car nationwide



thats cheaper than a tow truck. if i ever break down i'll give you a bell :wink:

[Neil.]

those prices dont sound too bad, but i aint got anything to compaire them against. where are u from and how many of u are there in your workforce, i mean u could get alot of business at one time.

[Stuart]

have you actually performed any of the engine conversions mentioned?? jsut out of intrest as people will want a bit of experience (although they do take their cars to courtenay and vauxhall lol)

[Dannova12]

Those respray prices seem well cheap,
As long as its a proper job, have u got an oven then??
Cos we are looking into getting one at the moment as we dont have the facilities to paint and i dont think we could compete with them prices,

good luck

[geordie_racer]

1, im from a village just outside of newcastle which is unfortunate as it's miles away from most but this is why im willing to do a transport service to collect vehicles. to start with there will only be me doing the work as i will be a new business but i will be looking 2 expand, ive got plans and strategies wrote out 2 allow 4 different work loads and things so ill never be 2 busy 2 not give a job 100% attention

2, so far ive done 2 2 litre conversions, am involved in a v6 conversion and a few small block conversions will try and find some pictures of my work, also have been involved with conversions on citroens/peugeots, volkswagens and fords, also looking into conversions for honda's, rovers and fiats amongst others

keep the opinions commin please

cheers
chris

[Neil.]

sounds good mate, u seem to have thought a bit about it. ur prices seem a bit too good to be true, but ull get alot of business that way!

[NuTtY nOvA fLaIr]

It all sounds good to me what about a 1.4sr engine what would that be just to fit it? and your not far from me as im in Middlesbrough.

Cheers Craig

[CP]

Sounds alright to me as a starter.
Good luck with it all - you will need to be very disciplined with the time allocated and spent on these jobs if it is your only source of income. To do many of the mods on Novas, time and costs can run away from you so that you may end up on a very low hourly rate. You may find that doing bread and butter normal servicing on ordinary cars is a better long term business strategy with the modding work as a side line for a start off?

[Ben (lurk75)]

The only thing that caught my eye on the prices are that you would be charging ?2k for supplying a turbo engine and ?750 for a N/A 2.0l 16v.

These seem very high to me and to be honest i wouldnt want to be responsible for the engine after charging so much for one.

I would seriously consider re thinking a few of the prices as well. I take you have fitted a C20 LET to a nova?

I havent done it but from what 99% of people say its not a job to be taken on for ?500. i think if half the people doing there own were offered a pro job for ?500 and that came with a guarentee they would rip your arm off.

It is a good idea, but mainly depends on what sort of set up/ Garage you have at your disposal, you would need to be doing 2 Turbo conversions a week to cover your overhads and to earn the money to make it worth while.

Good luck.

[jkhilton]

As ben said, the 2 litre engines that you get, would you be rebuilding them??? how would you guarantee work? would it cover only the work you do(fitting,welding etc.) or are you planning on covering the engines, driveshafts etc aswell???

other than that, go fo it!!

good luck :)



John

[Dare-devil]

Go for it :wink:

Good luck

[geordie_racer]

ah so many questions lol

ok here we go

1, i have full heated spray facilities for painting so yes in my eyes it's a proper job.

2, haven't fitted a turbo to a nova but fitted them in a crx, rover 25 and saxo so i no the principles and how evrithing plugs together

3, my overheads are basically, ?60 a week for two workshops (1 used as spray booth) basically thats it as ive supplied all tools and things only other thing ill need in the near future is another compressor as mine is property of a mate

3, as i said at the start of the post the prices are only rough if you have any suggestions as to what they mayb shud b instead please say. the turbo conversion with engine supplied was based roughly on the cost of buying a cav turbo etc which i thought 2 grand wasn't bad then the ?500 fitting on top.

4, ha ha the guarentee the most important part, im still toying with the ideas for this but basically im seeing it like this at the minute, if i supply the engine the i will guarentee the workmanship and engine except servicing parts for 12 months, if i don't supply the engine then i will guarentee the engine except servicing parts for 3 months and the labour for 6 months. im not to sure bout driveshafts as they can b a right bitch with a mind of there own wot do you reckon?

keep the opinions flowing please

chris

[Ben (lurk75)]

All does sound good in principle.

I would consider pricing each job on a individual basis as every job will be different.

I dont know of any people that will guarentee a second hand engine for 12 months as if the head gasket goes after 9 months after doing 10k miles- do call that your fault.

Thats going to be your main headache, i know from what i do that people moan about the most pathetic things after owning something for months.

What about insurance as well, if you are taking on the responsibilty of upgrading someones engine and something goes wrongs. im not critising your wor as i dont know you, but you are human and we all make mistakes, when doing jobs like this your mistake could result in a serious or fatal injury.

As i said im not trying to put your idea down just want to give you some ideas as to what can go wrong.

[geordie_racer]

i now wot ur sayin n those prices are only rough and will b priced to the job in hand but obviously people would like to no the rough costs involved b4 hand.

insurance n things are still bein looked at but like with evrithin if it went wrong then there'd b an inquest and if found guilty i think it's covered under public liability insurance or something equally daft ive got it wrote down somewhere

guarentees are still being worked out n the final format needs to b set.

at the minute ive got a month or so b4 i move into the workshops so im only doin engine conversions at the minute but ask me for a quote and ill c wot can be arranged

chris

[wisewood]

all sounds pretty good to me mate... as long as the work you do is up to scratch you should have no shortage of people coming to you - which means in no time you can employ another couple of skivvy mechanics to work for you and you can sit back and relax a bit more.

One key point abuot employing other people - the more you pay them, the more they want to do a good job as they wont be able to just go out and get another job on the same pay if they arse this one up :D

[geordie_racer]

wisewood ur comment is spot on n ive tghought long bout this and ive got a few people lined up 4 the jobs who love it as much as i do

chris

[Fergie_sfc]

fair play for the idea, i've had loads of ideas and will probably open a shop like regal in the pompey/farham area with a mate in the distent future.

the 2.0L turbo conversion supplying engine, you said ?2500..... went and asked at regal and they said ?5500. you'd brobably get loads a business but loose money, depends if your gonna strengthen the shell, fit the intercoller, new gear box, suspention, brakes, etc.

but dont let me stand in your way, put ya prices up a bit of you'll probably find yourself in a bit of trouble money wise.

fergie.

[geordie_racer]

well all the conversion prices were worked on buyin the car containin the engine so all the brakes and suspension etc will be there, as 4 stengthenin i no a man in a machine shop who can cut the plates for me.

im at the bank soon so the prices and finance costs will be worked out then

cheers 4 the help

chris