Ultimate Car Enthusiast Club Idea?

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

The more I think about this, the more I think that you have something here.

There are wood working clubs with lathes, jointers, bandsaws, planers, table saws, etc. lots more risk there than a shop with a couple hoists and hand tools.

"ARE" there or "WERE" there those places? All of them around here folded except us, and we're a pretty special case.

None of the others lasted, it's a net-loss game doing anything like that. If you can't keep afloat renting out bandsaws and sanders, do you think you can survive renting out 4 posts lifts, power tools and chemical disposal services?

[Scott Watkins]

"This has nothing to do with OP's idea.
This is a track membership for $5000 up front + $3300/yr."

Just giving ideas, as I'm looking as well.

[wildthing]

Club Sportiva in the Bay Area has cars on display, a reception area, and a place for Cars & Coffee from time to time... no place to work on your car though, insurance and all that.

I do like the idea of a club house with a race track, car storage and some restaurants.

[stealthn]

We have quite a few of car condo places with club house/community rooms. They are building new ones all the time. They are a cash cows as the prices are like $250k, and they sell out fast.
It shocks me there are so many people with that much money around.

As well a new DIY car shop just opened, lifts, tools, they did it right. They have meeting rooms for car clubs to rent as well. Looks well done. https://lugnutz.ca/facility

[AFB24911S]

Wow, lots of cool input and good arguments on both sides of the fence here. Really compelling stuff.

The more I think about it, such a place in Colorado would have to be different than the equivalents in California, Texas, New York, and Florida. For the most part, people come here for the mountains. Skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, and, of course, some exquisite mountain roads. Denver itself has some cool stuff, but I think most of the "big money" cars probably get garaged closer to the mountains in houses on golf courses.

Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, and Golden all have a pretty thriving car scene. The Porsche dealership nearest me here in Littleton seems to get some pretty rad stuff: when I took mine in to have the air/fuel ratio adjusted for altitude, a mint 356 SC was just getting picked up and when I asked about it the tech said that guy also had a real RS and some other choice hardware.

Much more consideration is required here, and much more familiarity with the Colorado car scene. I like my career, it's starting to pay off, but it's good to have a silly & interesting pipe dream to ponder. They have a funny way of working out sometimes, like buying a silly old German sports car on a whim.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by stealthn

as the prices are like $250k, and they sell out fast.
It shocks me there are so many people with that much money around.

$250k is $1000/mo at 3%

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

"ARE" there or "WERE" there those places? All of them around here folded except us, and we're a pretty special case.

None of the others lasted, it's a net-loss game doing anything like that. If you can't keep afloat renting out bandsaws and sanders, do you think you can survive renting out 4 posts lifts, power tools and chemical disposal services?

These woodworking places do still exist and there are a couple of them in Calgary that thrive. It’s interesting as Bob and I live in the same Metro area and I was not aware of the car condo thing but I know it would fly here.

I have the land to build something like this at my farm but really don’t want to deal with ‘people’…

[unclebilly]

Here is another one that you would need to differentiate yourself from… these guys have been around a long time. I painted a single axle gravel truck there for a friend back in 1997…

U-Wrench - Do it Yourself Garage&Body shop

~18 years ago, Andrew15 had his 71E painted there…

Their clientele is not your target audience.

[Norm K]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Many Navy bases have essentially what you are describing.

NAS Patuxent River has a five bay garage available for active duty military to work on their cars.

Thanks for the memory!

Who knows why this survived, when so many other, more meaningful mementos from my early years did not, but it's kinda cool that it did. I remember signing up to use the Hobby Shop on the same day I was promoted to Lance Corporal. The Company Gunny told me I was being promoted and gave me time to go arrange to have my chevrons changed at the base tailor shop. As long as I was free in the middle of the day, I made a UA stop at the Hobby Shop across base. Oddly enough, the guy who signed me up wouldn't take my word for it that I'd been promoted so, with great disappointment on my part, I received a card denoting E2 status, instead of the much more lofty E3 (hey, when you're a 19-year-old Marine, this matters!).

I didn't use the shop often (I wasn't around to use it much) but it was sure nice to have available - not just the the bays, but the tools, as squad-bay living didn't allow for much storage. Plus, it was a helluva deal for a buck a month.

_

[Norm K]

Back on topic, after my slight digression above.

I looked into this very thing about ten years ago, envisioning a combination of open storage bays, private storage rooms, lifts, wash bays, tool rental, refreshment area, etc.

After analyzing the known per-square-foot cost and a pretty close estimate of the cost of effecting necessary improvements to virtually any building, versus the estimated per-square-foot return, it just didn't pencil ... at least not at that time, and not for me.

When the storage portion was dropped, things looked a bit better (due to not requiring a warehouse-sized space) but not better enough to encourage me to move forward.

_

[kwyjibo]

My friends have kicked this idea around for a while and it usually ends with: it would be cool to transform an old service station but, for multiple reasons, it would be for private use. Most of these guys own units in a garage condo - there are several around the area (Centennial, Highlands Ranch and etc). The units rarely go up for sale and sell immediately when they do. Usually without a realtor to someone that already owns a neighboring unit. These condos all have a clubhouse which rarely get used. Except the restrooms. If you want to hang out, just cruise by any open door with cars parked out front. Many of the units have nicer living areas than my house, which explains why the common areas are always empty. We occasionally kick around the idea of pitching in to buy a building and make our own private version of a garage condo. But we're still waiting for the real estate market to cool down..

I guess this is all to say that it would probably be a better business decision to make a garage condo rather than a club. The club aspects would hopefully be a natural result of the condo community. And if you really are set on the old gas station look, make the street-facing building a replica of your favorite station.

[daepp]

This is the ultimate example of what the OP suggested (albeit not really a dyi place & very spendy). Still a fun video...

[look 171]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

These woodworking places do still exist and there are a couple of them in Calgary that thrive. It’s interesting as Bob and I live in the same Metro area and I was not aware of the car condo thing but I know it would fly here.

I have the land to build something like this at my farm but really don’t want to deal with ‘people’…

I thought about the woodshop thing way back when I was in college. I kept it on the back burner for about 8-10 years after I graduated. Ran into a lawyer I was doing work for, he was a hobbyist woodworker when I ran the idea across him. He shook his head and said, sometimes you mean well, but if someone cut themselves, I will be screwed big time insurance or not. There is a place near me now and they are doing very well with full enrollment building simple things such as cutting boards, benches, and simple cabinets. I had to check it out for myself and they want to hire me on the spot. Having a teaching credential on the subject helps too. I am told they can't fine people like me but the hardcore hobbyist to teach their classes.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by daepp

This is the ultimate example of what the OP suggested (albeit not really a dyi place & very spendy). Still a fun video...

Dave, have you seen these couple places in Pasadena? There's a full time P car mechanic, a detail person. No personal work, or lift to renter (club member if you can call them that). The place is always full. No more storage space and most of them are P cars, air cools. This place is nothing fancy, no high end club house, bar or anything like that to hang out. Maybe now, who knows.

[3rd_gear_Ted]

This is a very unique club, a destination to carry on after cars & coffee for the select few.

https://www.finishlineautoclub.com/home

[daepp]

Originally Posted by look 171

Dave, have you seen these couple places in Pasadena? There's a full time P car mechanic, a detail person. No personal work, or lift to renter (club member if you can call them that). The place is always full. No more storage space and most of them are P cars, air cools. This place is nothing fancy, no high end club house, bar or anything like that to hang out. Maybe now, who knows.

Hey thanks for the heads-up, cuz no, I haven't come across it. Any idea what the name/location is?

[look 171]

I wouldn't post their location. We have to keep that low key because there's a lot of serious hardware in there. Its not something the public needs to know. I know where it is, but do not know the actual address. Its just a normal old building looking from the outside (nothing to write home about on the inside neither, just a parking lot) with Will pm you when I make a call tomorrow. A small bunch of people that come to Sherwood's local cars and coffee know about it. You should make it out sometimes. UA theater in La Canada off the end of the 2 fwy.

[Skytrooper]

I remember the auto hobby shop on mainside NOB Norfolk back in the late 70's-early 80's when I was a squid. I actually brought this subject up in anther forum. I basically wanted to do the same thing as the OP for many years. Even with lift attendents, and no booze, the insurance would have been astronomical. So much so, that it has just remained a dream.

[daepp]

Originally Posted by look 171

Sherwood's local cars and coffee know about it. You should make it out sometimes. UA theater in La Canada off the end of the 2 fwy.

That sounds great. Perfect early morning drive for me. When do they meet?

[rattlsnak]

There's actually a few of these places in ATL that have been around a few years..